Writing Skills of Engineering and Science Students

There is a widespread practice in English departments of "conscripting" technical writing instructors who lack the interests and technical backgrounds called for by the teaching requirements. This often results in a course content differing widely from the catalog description. Where the English department displays a notable lack of interest in technical writing, a course devoted to discourse on technical or scientific subjects might be much more valuable. Tests administered to university students majoring in science or engineering show that they retain the ability to write coherent and forceful English prose even though they receive no further training in this skill after their freshman year. However, they may find in their postgraduate experience that they needed more instruction in writing done under pressure-typical of technical writing. A properly structured senior course, including the problems in technical report organization, format, and precision of expression could save an author time and result in more efficient transfer of information in his future technical writing.