Guide to Research Projects for Engineering Students: Planning, Writing and Presenting

For students embarking on their first research project, sieving through the vast amount of information on the Internet can be a daunting and time consuming task. Research projects require not just understanding of the research methodology, but also complementary skills including information search, technical writing, oral presentation, and software knowledge. This book is written especially for students who need a quick and concise handbook to support them in conducting research so that they can devote most of their time to their research.

Presents an Integrated Approach, Providing Clear and Practical Guidelines

Are you a student facing your first serious research project? If you are, it is likely that you’ll be, firstly, overwhelmed by the magnitude of the task, and secondly, lost as to how to go about it. What you really need is a guide to walk you through all aspects of the research project, from planning and conducting your research project to writing and presenting it. Guide to Research Projects for Engineering Students: Planning, Writing and Presenting is the guide you need to do the job efficiently.

The book is organized into three sections, broken down into concise chapters that focus on a specific topic and the skills required. The section on planning shows you how to choose a project, research a topic, write a project proposal, plan the project, select methods and methodologies, and keep records. The section on writing provides help on writing the different sections of a research report as well as introduces you to the strategies and language conventions required for writing an effective research report. Finally, the section on presenting covers creating effective figures and layout, preparing for a project presentation, and the dos and don’ts in delivering a presentation. Advice on how to use IT tools effectively is given throughout the book.

• Contains highly practical content—includes tips on how to conduct research, write it up effectively, and avoid common errors and pitfalls in grammar and style
• Offers guidance on using IT tools (which are indispensable in research)
• Includes pertinent examples of best practices on conducting research and research writing

The authors have drawn on their many years of experience teaching engineering students, either in supervising engineering students in their research projects or teaching technical communication skills.