Year: 2025
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: This project addresses a continuing problem in engineering education: the mismatch between the writing skills of engineering program graduates and the demands of writing in the workplace.The project, funded in part by the National Science Foundation's Course, Curriculum and Laboratory Improvement program, takes a new approach to investigating the problem and devising instructional materials because it is based on a large-scale investigation of the organization, grammar, and vocabulary in texts written by numerous students and practitioners.It uses computer-assisted analysis techniques from the field of applied linguistics and involves collaboration among applied linguists, engineering faculty, and engineering practitioners.Although school tasks are produced for different purposes and audiences than workplace writing, the multiple perspectives brought to the study allow us to identify aspects of student writing that are counter to practitioner concerns and are not the result of a class requirement.These areas can then be targeted for writing instruction.Although the project focuses on civil engineering, the approach can be applied to any field.
Authors: Susan Conrad, Peter Dusicka, Timothy Pfeiffer
Institution: Portland State University
Language: English
Subfield: Media Technology
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: gold
Funder: National Science Foundation
OpenAlex ID: W6963228060
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