Better Writing: New Answers for an Old Problem

Instruction in the mechanics (grammar, spelling, punctuation, and the like) is no key to improved engineering writing. The critical factors in such improvement are correctness, completeness, and comprehensibility. These subjects can be taught through the use of simple student exercises specially designed to permit controlled emphasis on, and objective evaluation of, correctness, completeness, and comprehensibility; the same exercises make it possible to judge student competence in handling the less important mechanics. This approach has been tested and can be widely applied to improve the quality of our engineering writing.