Communication Requirements Engineering CoOp Work Terms

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Communication Requirements Engineering Co-Op
Work Terms

• Professional Development Seminar
• Session 6
• Monday, March 16, 2009
• Geoff Smith
• Gordon Jin
• Doug Oldford

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Work Term 1 Communications

• Students submit 2 documents.
• Job Diary
• Plus 1 of the following with a letter of
  transmittal.
• Journal
• Short Technical Report (Descriptive)
• Portfolio

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What is a Job Diary?

• A daily factual account of work related
  activities.
• Dated daily entries.
• Real-time, associated details should be recorded
  as they occur.
• Neatly hand-written or printed ink.
• Hard cover so pages cant be removed or lost.
• Point form preferable.
• Not for data collection.

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Suggested Work Related Activitiesfor Diary Entry

• Introduction/Orientation to the workplace.
• Training.
• Significant discussions with supervisor, clients
  or other key individuals.
• Relevant sketches.
• Other daily activities such as preparing AutoCAD
  drawings, updating spreadsheets or databases ,
  site visits, observing contractor activities,
  etc

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What is a Journal?

• Reflective exercise that reinforces the learning
  that has occurred.
• Involves assessing/reflecting on work-related
  duties and activities on a weekly basis.
• Covers 14 to 16 weeks of the work term.
• 15-20 pages typed 1 page summary letter of
  transmittal.
• It isnt a direct copy of the job diary.

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Journal Assessment Criteriafor Work-Related
Activities

• Accomplishment of work term objectives.
• Technical knowledge - New knowledge acquired from
  work experience or application of previous
  knowledge, such as principles/theory of
  engineering curriculum.
• Professional Development - Recognition of
  organizational structure, role of engineering,
  career verification or identification, team work,
  responsibility.

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What is a Portfolio?

• Showcase exhibiting skills and talents.
• Demonstrates skills and learning.
• Self promotional.
• Allows for creativity in demonstrating skills and
  talents.

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What could be included?

• Technical items such as AutoCAD drawings,
  calculations, spreadsheets.
• Items demonstrating softer skills such as
  e-mail correspondence commenting on work
  completion or progress, minutes of meetings etc
• Certificates for completed training or courses.
• Personal accomplishments.

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Portfolio

• Items should be organized in a portfolio folder
  (hard cover envelope).
• 2 3 typed pages describing the contents of the
  portfolio.
• Letter of transmittal.

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Handbook

• Review the Work Term 1 Communications in the
  Student Handbook (Appendix F)!
• The Handbook is located online at
  http//www.mun.ca/coop/home/enghandbook.pdf

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Communication RequirementsWork Terms 1
(report), 2 and 3

• Technical Reports
• See Appendices of Engineering Student Co-op
  Handbook
• Appendix H - Descriptive Technical Report
• Appendix I - Formal Technical Report
• Some employers have additional requirements

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Objectives

• Encourages you to find out more about the tasks
  you have been asked to perform
• Helps co-op office confirm that your work term
  has been a learning activity for you
• Practice, Practice, Practice technical writing
  it doesnt matter how brilliant your ideas and
  designs are if you cant communicate them to
  other people

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Subject - 1

• Description of a process, subject or project
  relevant to your workplace
• Description of
• a building renovation you worked on
• a geotechnical test you ran
• an experiment program you assisted with
• software upgrades you implemented
• Formal Technical Report includes Analysis,
  Conclusions and Recommendations

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Subject - 2

• Discuss your topic with your supervisor early in
  the term
• Talk to your coordinator if you need help
• Not necessarily a report your supervisor asks you
  to write expect to work on your report during
  your own time
• Submit your work report outline to the co-op
  office by the date given in the work term guide

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Audience

• Supervisor, co-op coordinator, future employers
• Technical audience but not necessarily expert in
  the field
• Avoid jargon, define acronyms and technical
  terms, provide sufficient background information

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Table of Contents

• Cover Page
• Cover Letter
• Title Page
• Summary
• Table of Contents
• Introductory Text one or more sections
• Discussion Text one or more sections
• Conclusions
• Recommendations
• References and / or Bibliography
• Appendices, as required

Only required for Formal Technical Report (WT3)
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Contents - 1

• A bound hard-copy of your report is required
• Cover Letter includes introductory information to
  provide the context of your report
• Title Page short but descriptive title for your
  report, your name, work term, employer, date

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Contents - 2

• Summary - one of the most important sections of
  your report
• NOT an introduction or an expanded table of
  contents
• a one page, stand alone, summary of the report
• write after your report is complete, include
  nothing that isnt in the main report

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Contents - 3

• Table of Contents include enough detail that
  readers can find information they are looking
  for format neatly, include lists of figures,
  tables and appendices
• Introductory section(s)
• Background information
• Purpose
• Scope

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Contents - 4

• Discussion section(s) bulk of the report,
  conveys the information you want the reader to
  learn
• one or more sections
• logical presentation of the information
• use subsections to assist the reader to
  understand how the text is broken down
• use tables and figures to illustrate your points

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Contents - 5

• Conclusions (WT3 report) based only on analysis
  presented in report
• Recommendations (WT3 report) follow from the
  analysis and conclusions
• References and/or Bibliography credit the
  sources of the information you used
• text books company documents
• manuals personal communication
• technical papers web sites

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Contents - 6

• Appendices additional information provided to
  assist the reader comprehending the text
• drawings or figures, large or complex tables
• report should stand alone without the appendices
• appendices must be referenced in the text

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Things to remember

• Review the guidelines provided in the Engineering
  Student Co-op Handbook
• Think about your audience
• Organize the text logically, lead your reader
  through the report
• Use formal, technical writing style
• Spelling and grammar count
• Proofread your report

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More things to remember

• Get someone else to proofread your report
• Finish your report before the deadline to allow
  your supervisor time to review it
• If any of the material is confidential, let the
  co-op office know submit a NonDisclosure
  Request Form
• Main report sections should be 15 to 20 pages
  total (can be shorter in Work Term 1)
• A good Summary is very important

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Still more things to remember

• DONT plagiarize reference your sources
• Use charts, drawings, photographs and tables to
  help reader understand your points
• Be consistent with formats, word usage
• Start thinking about your report early in the
  workterm
• Submit your report on, or before, the deadline

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Evaluation

• Your report is evaluated by your supervisor and
  co-op coordinator
• Both technical content and communication
  effectiveness are considered
• Grades Outstanding, Above Expectations,
  Satisfactory, Marginal Pass, Fail, Incomplete
• Two grades one for performance, one for
  communications component

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Communication RequirementsWork Terms 4, 5 and 6

• Purpose of Work Term Communications Component
• Develop communication skills, oral and written
• Fulfill academic accreditation requirements
• Communication Requirements, from Student
  Handbook
• Work Term 4 Oral Presentation (Appendix J)
• Work Term 5 to be determined by the Committee
  on Undergraduate Studies (CUGS)
• Work Term 6 to be determined by the Committee
  on Undergraduate Studies (CUGS)

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Work Term 4 Oral Presentation

• Why a Technical Presentation is required?
• Engineers must be able to
• Sell their ideas, technical proposals, funding
  requirements
• Provide project updates to Senior Management
• What will I present?
• Technical content from Work Environment
• When / Where will it take place?
• 1st or 2nd week of next academic term, location
  TBD
• All presentations will occur in 2 afternoons with
  sessions running simultaneously

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Work Term 4 Oral Presentation

• Who will attend?
• Classmates, Coordinators, Discipline Chairs,
  PEG-NL, Employers
• How long is the Presentation?
• 10 mins/-1 min. Q/A up to 4 mins 15 mins max
• How is the Presentation delivered?
• A projector for PowerPoint will be available
• Notes, cue cards are acceptable
• Provide supporting data, charts etc. as a handout

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Work Term 4 Oral Presentation

• How is the Presentation evaluated?
• By Coordinators, Peers, Faculty, PEG-NL
• Evaluation criteria (See form in Handbook,
  Appendix J)
• Presentation time
• Content (Introduction, Organization of Material,
  Technical Content)
• Delivery (Presence, Vocal, Eye Contact,
  Confidence, etc)
• Other considerations participation in sessions,
  including feedback to presenter
• Deans Certificate for the Best Presentation per
  group

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Work Term 4 Oral Presentation

• Other Requirements?
• Submit a Cover Letter / Letter of Transmittal
• Summary, 3-4 pages including
• Problem / Project Statement
• Methodology
• Results
• Conclusions and Recommendations
• Paper copy of presentation
• Due date work term report due date