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MME 9670 - Engineering Communication

Welcome to the Engineering Communication course page!

If you are not on campus, start by logging in for off-campus access (to the left).

If you have questions or need help, contact Research Help in Taylor Library or email Lise Doucette (subject line: MME 9670 question).

You can download the PDF version of slides from the May 27th class.

1. Reading an Article
2. Writing your Paper
3. Finding Information for your Project
4. Citing your References

 

Reading an Article

Taylor Library’s tutorial on reading articles:
http://www.lib.uwo.ca/researchmodules/physicalsciences/readingaresearcharticle/


Writing your Paper

Using a Synthesis Matrix: http://www.ncsu.edu/tutorial_center/writespeak/Templates/handouts/synthesis%20matrix.doc

Taylor Library’s tutorial on writing your own paper: http://www.lib.uwo.ca/researchmodules/physicalsciences/writingyourownpaper/index.shtml

Example of a Synthesis Matrix

Solar Cell Materials and Efficiencies

 

Paper 1

Paper 2

Paper 3

Paper 4

Main Theme/Idea 1:
Preferred materials

 Note/information and page number

cadmium telluride (page 312)

copper-indium selenide (page 1209)

polycrystalline silicon (page 54)

Main Theme/Idea 2: Efficiency of solar cell

Leave blank if a paper does not discuss a main idea

12% under STP (page 65)

15% (page 1215)

22% at 45 degrees Celsius (page 56)

Main Theme/Idea 3:
Use of thin-film solar cells

Also make a note if an author does not agree with the main idea

depending on application, can be preferred (page 320)

cannot be used above 50 degrees Celsius (page 1213)

not preferred - cost to efficiency of silicon is higher (page 59)

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finding information for your project

Search Strategies:

  • Select keywords from your research topic
  • Find synonyms or related terms for each of the keywords you identified above. A dictionary (like www.thefreedictionary.com) can help.
  • Use Boolean operators to connect your keywords (AND, OR, NOT)
  • Select search tools (library catalogue, databases, etc.)
  • Conduct your search
  • Review your search results and revise your search

Program Guides pages:

Free resources - links to databases, journals, patents, standards that you can access free of charge.

If you are new to your topic or would like to start by reading some more general background information, here are some good places to start:

Finding articles - EI Compendex covers all engineering disciplines.

Citing your references

There are several ways to access the Chicago / Turabian style guides from Western Libraries:

Sample Citations

Below are examples of a book, journal article and website cited using the Endnotes - Bibliography system. Note the formatting--for notes, indent the first line; for bibliography entries, use a hanging indent.

Book

N: 1. William Fortune Smith and Javad Hashemi, Foundations of Materials Science and Engineering, 5th ed. (Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2010), 84.

B: Smith, William Fortune, and Javad Hashemi. Foundations of Materials Science and Engineering. 5th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2010.

Journal Article

N: 2. Rachel A. Davidson, "Modeling Postearthquake Fire Ignitions Using Generalized Linear (Mixed) Models," Journal of Infrastructure Systems 15 (2009): 357.

B: Davidson, Rachel A. "Modeling Postearthquake Fire Ignitions Using Generalized Linear (Mixed) Models." Journal of Infrastructure Systems 15 (2009): 351-360.

Website

N: 3. Environment Canada, Smog, July 18, 2006, http://www.ec.gc.ca/cleanair-airpur/Smog-WS13D0EDAA-1_En.htm (accessed May 13, 2010).

B: Environment Canada. Smog. July 18, 2006, http://www.ec.gc.ca/cleanair-airpur/Smog-WS13D0EDAA-1_En.htm (accessed May 13, 2010).

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