W9T2: Difficulties Faced in Engineering Classes

What difficulties do you have writing in your engineering classes? How will you continue to improve? Use approximately 300 words.

I have difficulty in writing my lab report for one of my module, Introduction to Biotransport. Most of the time, I could think of the answers to a question but I could not express myself well enough to write out a flowing paragraph. For example, “What is the limitation to this viscosity experiment?” In my mind, I could think of the necessary answers such as the equipment provided is not high-tech enough, parallax error, human recording errors etc. I could list out the points contributing to this limitation but to explain it in a reporting style, I always have a hard time figuring out what to write and elaborate on and most of the time, my sentences for report writing are very choppy.

To resolve this difficulty, I will normally list out my answers in point form and then, I will try to link one or two points together and form it into a sentence. After that, I will try to think of the possible consequences to the points mention in the sentences. Next, I will reconstruct the sentences formed previously such that the consequences are linked with the main reason. To link most of the points together smoothly, I will have to use a few transition signals to make the sentences less choppy and more flowing.

An example of an answer to the above question showing the reason, cause and consequence, ‘due to the weak attachment of the stopcock to the bottle cap, there might be possible water leakage from the point of attachment and thus the flow rate Q calculated will be lower than the actual value. Hence, the calculated value of the viscosity will be higher than the accurate value.’

To improve my writing further, I will read up reports online and try to learn the technique and tone of writing a good report. I will improve my writing by going through the report a few times. As the lab report for the module is done in a group of four, I will then send to everyone and ask for their comment before doing a final edit. Some times, they will help me to correct some of my commonly made grammatical mistakes.