Do Engineers Write?:

My time in a Writing for Engineers Class

Before the semester even began I wondered what kind of writing I would be doing in this class. As a computer science major I had thought that the only writing that had to be done was through code and nothing else. However, Mr. Bubrow consistently showed me how much an engineer had to write, and how extensive some of the writing had to be.
My first assignment of the semester was to create a resume and a cover letter for a potential employer to see. I had already had a resume created since I had to make one in high school in order to get a job in the past. The resume I previously had did not meet the standards of what a professional resume should have looked like. Mr. Bubrow showed the importance of knowing your audience and purpose to increase the chances of getting a job. After altering my resume so that it targeted the specific employer I wanted to attract, my resume now had a purpose for being presented. This was followed by the creation of my cover letter, which also used the same methods when it was created. The use of audience and purpose helped me grasp how to correctly structure both papers so that in the future I would be prepared to get a job.
The second assignment this semester was the interview report. In this assignment we had to find an engineer that had completed our respective major, and interview them on their experience on becoming an engineer. Finding a computer science major wasn’t difficult since I knew my neighbor was a computer science major who had graduated a couple years ago. To get in contact with him I emailed him asking for an informational interview on a day that was available to him. We met up one day and he answered all my questions on what it took to become a computer scientist. After the interview was completed, I went straight to my computer to write a report on the interview. Using my new knowledge I wrote the paper so that the audience members were informed of a person that they never knew about but understood my purpose was to gain knowledge of him and about my major. After completing my paper, I emailed my neighbor back with the paper and a thank you.
The third paper that was written this semester was the Lab Report. In this lab report I had to write a report on the probability of a dice roll. This paper was the first paper of the semester to use the CCNY Library Database to find research on a topic. It was also the first time I have ever written in APA citations as previously all my classes used MLA. After gathering the data from the dice rolls, I used Microsoft Excel to create charts for the data collected throughout the lab. I then formulated a paper with the purpose of explaining the data to an audience that wants to be informed of the data and the results of said data.
The fourth project this class was the group project about how to fix the CCNY pool. In this project I had to collaborate with my classmates to create a proposal in how we to repair the CCNY pool. I had to extensively read and research many different sources in the CCNY Library Databases to accurately cite information that could directly improve our project. The many drafts that were created beforehand were a big help in directing the audience in understanding our purpose for wanting to repair the college’s pool. We also created a Google Slides so that it would help the audience visualize our presentation.
The final assignment of this semester was to give a technical description on a piece of machinery that relates to my major. For this paper I decided to write on Virtual Reality since I had previous experience with it and could accurately talk about it. I synthesized different sources to create a paper that would inform the reader what Virtual Reality was and how it is used in today’s society. Microsoft Word became extremely useful during this paper because it made it easier to write in a different orientation compared to other programs. It let me create a paper that not only showed my purpose, but it also made it look good as well.
Overall this semester opened my eyes to how much an engineer wrote. It gave me many valuable skills that will translate into later classes and future employment opportunities. I now understand the knowledge required to get through the front door of a company, but I have a lot to learn if I want to make it past those doors. This class might have opened doors for me that without it may have never opened, and I’m eternally grateful for what I have learned.