A winner of the James F. Slevin Assignment Sequence Prize, this sequence originates from Theoretical and Applied Mechanics 175, Writing About Engineering Problems. The sequence of three assignments introduces students to scientific writing in several genre. For the first essay, "How Things Work," students select an everyday object and describe how it works in the form of a popular science article. For the second essay, ''Climate Change,'' students develop the skill of data analysis in order to build an argument. For the third essay, ''Engineering in Sports,'' students write a patent-like description of a technology designed to improve athletic performance. Preparatory writing and in-class activities include small group peer review, oral presentations, and study of style and language. 10 page pdf

research paper; rhetorical situation

learning object