Title :
Engineering English
Author :
Mcdaniel, Barbara
Author_Institution :
Columbia Comput. Services, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Abstract :
Discourse analysis is applied to the study of coherence in writing. An analysis of a paragraph of engineering writing illustrates ways to examine three linguistic systems that affect coherence: functional parts, links, and movement. It is concluded that this approach to examining text can solve problems in coherence. It is pointed out that engineering professionals are predisposed to think in terms of systems, and they therefore stand to gain from this systems approach to coherence. It is noted that discourse analysis appears to help them, and it even makes some writers enthusiastic about engineering their writing.<>
Keywords :
professional aspects; technical presentation; coherence; discourse analysis; engineering professionals; engineering writing; linguistic systems; writing; Aggregates; Coherence; Databases; Encoding; Engineering management; Mice; Microwave antennas; Protocols; Writing;
Conference_Titel :
Professional Communication Conference, 1990. IPCC 90. Communication Across the Sea: North American and European Practices, International
Conference_Location :
Guildford, UK
DOI :
10.1109/IPCC.1990.111144
