Dear Past Rae,

When I started this semester with the knowledge that I needed to take Writing for Engineering, I just thought of this as a requirement for CS. I was going to treat this like any other writing class I have ever taken and move on, hopefully with an easy grade. I understood the concept of the phrase “writing for engineering,” believing it to mean the art of professional writing that would occur in a professional and academic setting particular to engineering, and I was correct. Overall, I would definitely this semester was educational to me as I learned more about writing that I had not thought about before.

I would like to first refer to the course learning outcomes and the rhetorical outcomes before any of the projects. These were objectives and concepts I engaged with regularly throughout the semester and I can say I absolutely learned more about them now that I am reflecting. I always cite how before this class I never really engaged with Audience, always having been given a predetermined audience for my work. However, for this class I had to figure out and research my audience before I even started writing. This taught me more about perspective and how to target my audience now that I know them maybe more intimately.

The first major assignment we did was to write a memo regarding a problem we felt strongly about in CCNY. I am a person that definitely struggles with drinking water regularly, so I like having filtered safe water in access whenever I am doing something. Also, water fountains are a health risk that can be easily avoided by doing what I reference in my memo, which is to provide (more) hydration stations.

The second major assignment we did was a technical description, where we chose a product related to our major and we gave a formal account of it. I chose the AirPods 2nd Generation as those are the headphones I use, and I targeted my work towards computer scientists that need efficient and small earbuds for audio work.

The third major assignment we did was a PSA, a public service announcement. This was a group project, and it was also the project that really taught me about group work, how it works, and the consequences of it not working out. Our PSA was largely inspired by my exigence for supporting sanitation workers and the plights they face in their jobs, as I feel that the dangers they face are not acknowledged enough.

The fourth major assignment we did was the engineering proposal, where we found an issue we felt strongly about and suggested a product as a solution to it. Our work was meant to ask for funding and/or permission from someone(s) in order to support our product. We were supposed to provide an entire breakdown of the product and how it works, as well as how we would test it and then distribute it. My group and I chose to do a smart thermostat targeted towards the Bronx since heating and cooling systems within cities are a significant contributor to climate change.

This class was certainly different from every other writing class I have ever taken, and probably will take in the future. I definitely do think future engineers should take this class as it introduces them to a type of writing we did not really get to investigate before, and this gives them the opportunity to do so. I enjoyed this class and know that my writing from now on will be better.

Sincerely,

Future Rae