Writing Skills for Engineering Leaders from Coursera

Engineering leaders must write extensively for their jobs, and their writing needs to be professional, reader-focused, and error-free. What leaders write in particular can affect productivity and the bottom line, so the written communication that leaders create must be clear and concise. In this course, you’ll learn essential writing skills that you can apply in your daily activities on the job as an engineering leader. You’ll learn key principles in

• Approaching various engineering genres

• Using the writing process to create quality documents

• Making your writing structured

• Making your writing clear and concise

• Handling style, tone, and voice

What's inside

Syllabus

Specialization Introduction - Communication for Engineers

Course Introduction - Writing Skills for Engineers

Week 1: Things to Know Before You Begin

There are many components to good writing, and we'll focus on those that give you a foundation for building the skills that you are most likely to need in the engineering workplace. In this module, we'll talk about how to plan and begin writing, the importance of following the writing process, and formatting for readability. Then we'll look at the type of writing that engineers do every day: email.

Week 2: Developing Paragraphs and Writing Reports

Paragraphs play an important role in your writing. If your paragraphs are poorly written, your readers can't follow your thoughts. In this module, we'll talk about what makes a powerful paragraph and how to develop your paragraphs so readers understand your ideas. We'll also talk about what goes in to writing good engineering reports.

Week 3: Clarity and Conciseness

You need to make sure that your writing is clear and concise so your readers can understand what you are saying to them. Clear sentences help engage readers. In this module, we'll talk about what makes good sentences: Strong verbs, specific information, choice of clear words, and active voice. We'll also talk about what goes into writing good proposals.

Week 4: The Finishing Touches

It takes conscious effort and discipline to work through the writing process--to plan, write a draft, revise the draft to make sure your content suits your purpose and your audience, edit for conciseness and clarity, and finally to proof for quality. When you follow the process, your writing will be stronger. But there are still some finishing touches that will make your documents even better. In this module, we'll talk about writing introductions and conclusions, writing executive summaries, writing as a team, and writing for electronic media.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Teaches writing skills needed by engineering leaders, a highly relevant topic for this audience

Taught by instructors Gayle Moran and Beata Krupa, who are experts in the field

Covers essential writing skills for engineering leaders, including technical writing, effective email writing, and report writing

Emphasizes clarity and conciseness, which are crucial for effective engineering writing

Includes materials from the Communication Faculty at Rice University, a reputable institution

Requires a basic understanding of writing principles

Reviews summary

Engineering writing enhancement

Learners say this course is great and that it was a great experience. Students say that the lectures are good, and they learned a lot from this course. Many learners also said that the assignments engaging and informative. Reviewers mentioned that reading and writing skills, and communication skills are key features of this course.

Develops strong communication skills

"Overall very good course for engineers"

"Very relevant writing skills that are applicable to the workplace. Easy to digest and practical approach."

"All video lecturs are good. Problem statement for written assignments are elaborate and make us think before we write"

Clear and well-organized lectures

"Learned a lot of new skills in the course."

"This good and helpful for me and persons like me"

"I have learned so much in this course. I gained a lot of confidence and my readers and team mates are thankful. "

Engaging and informative assignments

"Very detailed video explanations."

"Valuable course to improve writing skill & thoughts before write. It surely makes Engineering Leaders."

"It really helped me a lot. I did not know how to write an email, a report or a proposal. After doing this course, I've improved a lot. Thanks for the course"

Helpful and insightful

"This course was very helpful"

"This course help me a lot"

"A course for every one. Good representation of the different aspects of writing."

Lack of Instructor Interaction

"One thing that I did not like in this course that write-ups written by the students are reviewed only by students (peer review); it is good to get peer review comments but I would like to have teachers review comments as well!"

"A great course for engineers with useful content. However, there is no interaction with the instructors which is the key missing piece of your course"

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Writing Skills for Engineering Leaders with these activities:

Review past coursework and textbooks

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Refresh your understanding of key concepts in engineering writing to prepare for the course.

Browse courses on Email

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Review notes and assignments from previous engineering writing courses.
Skim through relevant textbooks to recall fundamental principles.
Identify areas where you need additional reinforcement.

Write short, focused paragraphs

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Enhance your writing precision by practicing writing clear and coherent paragraphs that effectively convey your ideas.

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Identify a specific topic or issue to write about.
Develop a main idea or argument and supporting points.
Write a series of clear and concise sentences that flow logically.

Analyze sample engineering documents

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Improve your analytical skills by examining various engineering documents, such as emails, proposals, and reports.

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Gather sample documents from online sources or course materials.
Read and analyze the structure, clarity, and effectiveness of each document.
Identify common elements and techniques used in successful engineering writing.

Two other activities

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Write a technical report outline

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Gain hands-on experience by creating an outline for a technical report, applying the principles covered in the course.

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Choose a topic related to your field of engineering.
Conduct preliminary research to gather relevant information.
Organize your findings into a logical outline, including an introduction, literature review, methodology, results, and discussion.

Write a persuasive proposal

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Put theory into practice by drafting a persuasive proposal that showcases your understanding of engineering communication principles.

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Define the problem or opportunity you are addressing.
Develop a solution and provide supporting evidence.
Craft a clear and compelling argument to persuade your audience.
Revise and edit your proposal to ensure its effectiveness.

Career center

Learners who complete Writing Skills for Engineering Leaders will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Technical Writer

A Technical Writer creates documentation like user guides, instruction manuals, help files, specifications, proposals, and reports. Technical Writers help those to understand complex technical material. This Writing Skills for Engineering Leaders course can help build a foundation in writing, including making writing clear and concise, so that you can be successful as a Technical Writer.

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Instructional Designer

Instructional Designers are responsible for creating and developing educational programs. This role involves analyzing the needs of learners, designing and developing instructional materials, and evaluating the effectiveness of learning programs. The Writing Skills for Engineering Leaders course may be useful for this career, as it provides a solid foundation in writing skills, including organizing and structuring content using methods like headings and subheadings for better readability, and ensuring that written materials are clear, concise, and error-free so that they can be used to create and develop instructional materials.

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Content Writer

Content Writers are responsible for creating and writing content for websites, blogs, social media, and other marketing materials. This role plays an important part in marketing and communications. The Writing Skills for Engineering Leaders course can be useful in this career by developing foundational writing skills, including structuring content and writing clear and concise documents, that are key to creating engaging and informative content for various platforms.

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Copywriter

Copywriters create written content for marketing and advertising campaigns. They write persuasive and engaging copy for a variety of materials, including websites, brochures, social media posts, and commercials. The Writing Skills for Engineering Leaders course may be useful in this field, as it could help build a foundation in persuasive writing and structuring content.

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Editor

Editors are responsible for reviewing, revising, and editing written content. They work with writers to improve the quality of writing and ensure that it is clear, concise, and error-free, which are fundamental aspects of the Writing Skills for Engineering Leaders course. This course can help build a foundation of writing skills and knowledge of writing processes that are essential for success in this role.

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Grant Writer

Grant Writers are responsible for writing and submitting grant proposals to secure funding for non-profit organizations, businesses, and government agencies. This role typically requires a master's degree, but the Writing Skills for Engineering Leaders course can be useful in developing the foundational writing skills needed to write persuasive and compelling grant proposals.

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Technical Communicator

Technical Communicators create and deliver information about technical products and services. They may write instruction manuals, technical reports, marketing materials, and other documents. The Writing Skills for Engineering Leaders course may be useful for this career by providing a foundation in writing skills, including organizing and structuring content for better readability and ensuring that written materials are clear, concise, and error-free, which are all important in technical communication.

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Marketing Manager

Marketing Managers are responsible for planning and executing marketing campaigns. They may write marketing plans, social media content, email campaigns, and other materials. The Writing Skills for Engineering Leaders course may be useful for this career by providing a foundation in writing skills, including writing with a clear and concise style that can appeal to a variety of audiences.

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Public Relations Specialist

Public Relations Specialists are responsible for managing the public image of an organization or individual. They may write press releases, speeches, talking points, and other materials. The Writing Skills for Engineering Leaders course may be useful for this career by providing a foundation in writing skills, including writing with a clear and concise style that can appeal to a variety of audiences.

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User Experience (UX) Writer

User Experience (UX) Writers are responsible for writing clear and concise content for user interfaces, such as websites, mobile apps, and software programs. This includes writing error messages, help text, and other user-facing content. The Writing Skills for Engineering Leaders course can be useful for this career by providing a foundation in writing skills, including organizing and structuring content for better readability and ensuring that written materials are clear and concise.

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Project Manager

Project Managers are responsible for planning, executing, and closing projects. They may write project plans, status reports, and other documents. The Writing Skills for Engineering Leaders course may be useful for this career by providing a foundation in writing skills, including organizing and structuring content for better readability and ensuring that written materials are clear, concise, and error-free.

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Business Analyst

Business Analysts are responsible for analyzing business processes and identifying areas for improvement. They may write reports, presentations, and other documents. The Writing Skills for Engineering Leaders course may be useful for this career by providing a foundation in writing skills, including organizing and structuring content for better readability and ensuring that written materials are clear, concise, and error-free.

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Financial Analyst

Financial Analysts are responsible for analyzing financial data and making recommendations. They may write reports, presentations, and other documents. The Writing Skills for Engineering Leaders course may be useful for this career by providing a foundation in writing skills, including organizing and structuring content for better readability and ensuring that written materials are clear, concise, and error-free.

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Data Analyst

Data Analysts are responsible for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data. They may write reports, presentations, and other documents. The Writing Skills for Engineering Leaders course may be useful for this career by providing a foundation in writing skills, including organizing and structuring content for better readability and ensuring that written materials are clear, concise, and error-free.

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Software Engineer

Software Engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining software systems. While this Writing Skills for Engineering Leaders course does not teach software engineering, the foundational writing skills learned in this course, like organizing and structuring content, using specific, clear language, and being free of errors, can be useful in many aspects of being a Software Engineer.

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