Mahfuza Alam

ENGL 21007: Writing for Engineering

Prof. Julianne Davidow

2023 May 25

 

Theory of Writing 

 

Introduction

In high school, I enjoyed literature class. I liked reading Jane Austin, Kafka, Bronte, and more. I even liked writing my senior thesis after completing a month of research. So, I was excited to be a part of another English class but also nervous. My hope for this class was that my writing would be cohesive, which is something I have been working on since high school. I tend to have lots of run-on sentences, and the flow sometimes gets lost because I have many ideas in one paragraph. My fear for this class was that my writing would not be as “stem-like”. I enjoy writing more blog-style or figuratively than lab reports. But I decided I would try my best at writing. Last semester, I did not take a writing class because my writing classes transferred from high school. In my senior year, in both semesters, I took double history instead of world literature, so it had been a while since I’d been in a literature class. The differences between my history and literature essays weren’t that big, except that in my literature essays I would try to use more figurative language and rhetorical techniques. But the writing process for both was essentially the same. When I received the topic, I brainstormed ideas. Then, I wrote my bare outline (introduction, body, conclusion). Then I wrote what I would talk about and focus on. Then, I picked out my sources and selected the quotes I would use. Then I pasted them in and began writing. Sometimes I had a hard time writing introductions, so I would begin by writing my body paragraph. After completing my draft, I would read it through to see if my ideas were flowing and if I included enough analysis. Then I would edit my paper and ask one of my peers to review it too. Then I would submit my paper to my professor. This writing process worked for me because it allowed me to structure my essay first instead of blindly freewriting, which distracts me from my focus.

 

Technical Description

In ENGL 21007, we worked on three major assignments: Technical Description, Lab Reports Analysis, and the Innovation Proposal. I worked on the technical description for three days. I separated my work evenly throughout those days. My writing process started by picking something I was genuinely interested in. I love ice cream, and since I was younger, I have always tried to figure out how to make it at home. It just made sense for me to write about an ice cream machine. Then I did my research. Since this was something I’d been wanting for the past few months, I had some knowledge about it already. I watched a few context creators make ice cream and rave about how amazing the machine is. Then I made my outline. I divided up my paper into the introduction, the parts, how to use the machine, and the conclusion. On my first day, I did my research and wrote my introduction. I had a really long introduction because I wanted to write a lot about the history of ice cream machines, especially since the idea is relevant today. On the second day, I selected my images, cited them, and wrote my parts and functions paragraphs. On the last day, I wrote my conclusion and edited my entire paper. I learned how to explain technical terms in a simpler language that everyone can understand. The course learning outcomes in this assignment were “develop strategies for reading, drafting, collaborating, revising, and editing”, “locate research sources (including academic journal articles, magazine articles, and newspaper articles) in the library’s databases or archives and on the Internet and evaluate them for credibility, accuracy, timeliness, and bias”, and “practice systematic application of citation conventions”. I completed the first learning outcome with my writing process. I completed the second by finding sources through the CCNY databases and Google. I completed the last course learning outcome by learning how to cite APA and make my bibliography. 

 

Lab Report Analysis

My process was similar for the Lab Report Analysis and Technical innovation as well. For the Lab Report Analysis, I also had to choose something I was interested in. Since the topic had to be around sustainability, I decided to choose articles relating to food sustainability. I read chapter 19 and then began reading both lab reports. As I read the lab reports, I began to think of ideas from Chapter 19. Then I wrote a paper similar to the technical description. I learned how to effectively compare two scientific writings. The course learning outcomes in this assignment were “develop strategies for reading, drafting, collaborating, revising, and editing”, “locate research sources (including academic journal articles, magazine articles, and newspaper articles) in the library’s databases or archives and on the Internet and evaluate them for credibility, accuracy, timeliness, and bias”, and “compose texts that integrate your stance with appropriate sources using strategies such as summary, critical analysis, interpretation, synthesis, and argumentation”. I completed the first learning outcome through my writing process, which consisted of reading, annotating the articles, writing the paper, and editing it for grammar. I completed the second learning outcome by searching the CCNY databases, specifically “Engineering Village”, where I found my articles. I completed the third learning outcome by using summary, interpretation, and argumentation skills to explain how the authors compared to the elements of Chapter 19.

 

Technical Innovation

Lastly, my Technical Innovation paper process was a bit different than my lab report analysis and technical description. The technical innovation was different because it was a group effort. In the beginning, we had to come up with our topic. We went through a bunch of topics, from community gardening to plastic to artificial rain. When we picked our topic, we started researching and pasting it down on a document, similar to the PSA project. Then, I made the slide outline, and as a group, we completed the presentation. My writing process for the paper was similar to my last two papers. The course learning outcomes in this assignment were “Develop strategies for reading, drafting, collaborating, revising, and editing”, “Engage in the collaborative and social aspects of writing processes”, and “Compose texts that integrate your stance with appropriate sources using strategies such as summary, critical analysis, interpretation, synthesis, and argumentation”. I completed the first learning outcome with my writing process, which included research, writing, and editing my document. I achieved the second learning outcome by meeting with my team and working together to come up with a thesis statement and complete our slides. I achieved my last learning outcome by comparing other technical innovations with my group’s idea. I learned how to effectively argue for my group’s innovation in this paper and presentation.

 

Conclusion

My writing process did not change dramatically over the course of the semester because I worked on it a lot during high school. My writing method is most effective for me because it enables me to produce essays that are well-structured, coherent, and free of run-on sentences. It also helps me produce essays that have a clear, easy-to-follow flow. In high school, we primarily utilized MLA and Chicago citation styles; therefore, I had to learn how to format APA citations. I also learned how to successfully compare two scientific articles to the elements of Chapter 19. In the future, I will be able to cite in APA. I will also be able to differentiate between what characteristics make a quality lab report. Overall, this class was informative, and I enjoyed writing about products and ideas that interested me.