An Overview on how to Write an Engineering Essay
Although engineering is termed as a challenging field, writing engineering essays could be fun and rewarding. Engineering essays usually take a different format from the essays in the social science fields.
Besides understanding the different requisites on how to write an essay, the writer is sometimes required to demonstrate competency in pure and physical science key study areas like methods, materials, and results.
Structure of an Engineering Essay
Structure guidelines on how to write an engineering essay could vary quite widely. Usually, such a structure is likely to change based on the required formality levels. A less formal essay could assume the ordinary structure of an essay.
On the other hand, which is usually the case, more formal engineering essays should encompass parts such as abstract, introduction, materials and methods, results, discussions, and conclusion.
a) Abstract: It entails a brief summary of the essay’s contents and is critical in giving the reader a concise preview image of the whole work.
b) Introduction: The introduction part normally resembles that of an ordinary essay. In this, it seeks to arouse and capture the interest of the reader. It should contain information about the essay’s background. Such a background should highlight the motivation behind the engineering essay topic.
This should encompass information gathered on the history or nature of the issue being addressed and the objective of the essay in relation to the issue under study. Usually, it should have a thesis statement that clearly highlights the argument being advanced in the essay.
c) Materials and Methods: This encompasses all the steps followed when solving the problem provided in the essay question. Methods used and the path followed in realizing the engineering essay objective(s) should be well stipulated and explained, and justification on their choice made.
The steps followed should be effectively provided for in a sequential and logical manner. For engineering essays on experiments, the equipment and methods employed should be discussed under this section. The discussion should be detailed enough to facilitate for the reproduction of the experiment if need be.
Such details include information on problem modelling, experiment assumptions, material property considerations, and entailed boundary conditions. Notably, methods and techniques employed in handling statistical data should also be described in this section.
d) Results: This section involves a clear depiction of the results realized from the steps followed in the methods section. It should incorporate tables and graphs. Per se, graphical information is considered the most appropriate method of presenting data and results in technical essays in fields such as engineering.
It is important to ensure that any type of pertinent data in the essay is in the form of tables and graphs. The graphically presented information is critical in creating a positive impression about your organization, understanding of the engineering field, and possession of key skills essential in engineering.
Importantly, ensure that all the tables and graphs should be well labelled, with relevant units and scales being clearly put down.
e) Discussions: this is a critical part of an engineering essay. It highlights the intention of the engineering essay by explaining the results acquired in the study. In particular, this part seeks to reconcile the objective of the study and the results obtained. Findings are elaborated in this section.
Any type of differences encountered in the essay research/experiment should as well be clearly documented in this section. The results can also be expounded to create a bigger picture or suggest the need for further studies.
This can be realized by exploring previous studies in relation to your engineering essay results. You can also suggest areas that might require further exploration in the future.
f) Conclusion: This part is meant to summarize the whole essay and the entailed study. It should cover all the relevant points in the essay. It should as well reconcile the engineering essay results with the essay thesis.
Key Elements of an Engineering Essay
The essay must also exhibit the all the basic elements of a good essay. Such elements include thesis, purpose, solid background, evidence, and coherence. These elements could vary from those of ordinary essays and should therefore be modified to suit the requirements of pure and physical science fields and essay instructions.
a) Thesis. This is an essential element in all engineering essays. It should give the reader a specific direction of the entire essay. To realize this, the thesis should clearly stipulate the essay’s major argument(s). It should be brief and concise.
b) Purpose. The purpose of an engineering essay looks at what the essay seeks to explore and realize. This is important in helping compare the essay’s intentions and the acquired results. Per se, the reader should be able to understand the relationship between produced evidence and the key argument(s).
It should be possible to see how such evidence supported the argument(s). The purpose should be clear from the beginning.
c) Solid Background. A solid background entails the theoretical foundations the essay is basing its argument(s) on. This is quite critical in engineering essays since they are scholarly in nature. All the bodies of knowledge that guide and influence the essay’s research should be well documented.
d) Evidence. For essays in the biophysical fields, evidence is paramount. Arguments in an engineering essay should be supported by credible evidence. Further, the results must be derived from studies conducted within the expected parameters.
e) Coherence. Although sometimes overlooked, an engineering essay must clearly communicate ideas defining its study. All the information included in the essay must be purposeful and logically organized. This is essential in ensuring a free flow of thought throughout the essay.