Aims

The aims of the course are to:

• develop communication skills, both written and oral, in professional areas.
• raise awareness of the appropriate use of different writing styles (e.g. essays, technical reports, academic journal articles).
• improve confidence and ability to take a lead as an engineer.

Objectives

As specific objectives, by the end of the course students should be able to:

• make an oral presentation of technical material to a non-specialist audience in an accessible way.
• critically analyse the treatment of data in technical articles in popular journals or the media.
• write a good report on a laboratory experiment, including treatment of errors and uncertainties.
• prepare and present balanced arguments on a controversial technical topic.

Content

During the eight weeks of Michaelmas term you will take part in three exercises:

Your exposition leader may introduce alternative forms of these exercises.

Journal Club

A “Journal Club” or similar oral presentation for 15 minutes, in which you will report on a current issue of a technical periodical or similar topic agreed by your leader followed by 5 minutes of questions.

Laboratory Report

A Laboratory report on AC and DC circuits.  There will be discussion about writing reports, following which you will produce a first draft which will be criticised by your peers.  You will then write a final draft which will be assessed by the exposition leader. The Guide to Report Writing on the Exposition website will help with this exercise.

Technical Discussion/DebateA

A discussion or debate on a technical but controversial topic agreed with your leader. You will plan with your colleagues how to split up the material and you will work as a team to present one part of the argument.