User's Guide to Engineering, A

With an informal and engaging writing style, A User’s Guide to Engineering is an exploration of the world of engineering for future and current engineers. This title is part of Prentice Hall’s ESource series. ESource allows professors to select the content appropriate for their freshman/first-year engineering course. Professors can adopt the published manuals as is or use ESource’s website www.prenhall.com/esource  to view and select the chapters they need, in the sequence they want. The option to add their own material or copyrighted material from other publishers also exists.

Table of Contents:
0 Introduction   Welcome to Engineering How to Use This Book Engineering Case Studies Acknowledgments                Part I: Exploring Engineering   Chapter 1: Introduction to Exploring Engineering   1.1  Introduction            1.2  Welcome to Engineering 1.3  How to Discover Engineering 1.4  The Grand Challenges 1.5  Engineering Education: What You Should Expect       1.4.1 Eaton’s first rule: “ ... make practical applications of all the sciences ...”       1.4.2 Eaton’s second rule: “... take the place of the teacher ... [in] exercises.”       1.4.3 Eaton’s third rule: “... attend to but one branch of learning at the same time...” 1.4.4 Eaton’s fourth rule: “Let the amusements and recreation of students be of a scientific character.” 1.4.5 Eaton’s fifth rule: “Let every student daily criticize those whose exercise he has attended ...” 1.6  Summary Summary of Key Ideas Problems     Chapter 2: What is Engineering?   2.1 Introduction 2.2 Defining Engineering 2.3 Engineering as an Applied Discipline             2.3.1 Knowledge generation versus knowledge implementation             2.3.2 The role of engineering 2.4 Engineering As Creative Problem Solving             2.4.1 Solving problems             2.4.2 Standard approaches to solving problems             2.4.3 Creative approaches to solving problems 2.5 Engineering as Constrained Optimization             2.5.1 Constraints             2.5.2 Feasibility 2.6 Engineering as Helping Others 2.7 Engineers as Communicators 2.8 Engineering as a Profession 2.9 What Engineering is NOT 2.10 Summary Summary of Key Ideas Problems     Chapter 3: Engineering Careers   3.1 Introduction 3.2 Engineering Jobs             3.2.1 Availability of jobs             3.2.2 Introduction to engineer¿ing jobs             3.2.3 Engineers in industry             3.2.4 Engineers in service             3.2.5 Engineers in government             3.2.6 Other engineering jobs             3.2.7 Engineering education as a route to other fields 3.3 Job Satisfaction in Engineering             3.3.1 What does “job satisfaction” mean to you?             3.3.2 Engineering salaries 3.4 Future of Engineering Employment 3.5 Summary Summary of Key Ideas Problems     Chapter 4: Engineering Disciplines   4.1 Introduction 4.2 How Many Engineering Disciplines Exist? 4.3 Chemical Engineering             4.3.1 Technical areas             4.3.2 Applications             4.3.3 Curriculum 4.4 Civil Engineering             4.3.1 Technical areas             4.3.2 Applications             4.3.3 Curriculum 4.5 Electrical Engineering             4.5.1 Technical areas             4.5.2 Applications             4.5.3 Curriculum 4.6 Industrial Engineering             4.6.1 Technical areas             4.6.2 Applications             4.6.3 Curriculum 4.7 Mechanical Engineering             4.7.1 Technical areas             4.7.2 Applications             4.7.3 Curriculum 4.8 Major Engineering Subdisciplines             4.8.1 Introduction             4.8.2 Materials engineering             4.8.3 Aeronautical, astronautical, and aerospace engineering             4.8.4 Environmental engineering             4.8.5 Agricultural engineering             4.8.6 Biomedical engineering 4.9 How Do New Engineering Disciplines Evolve?             4.9.1 Introduction             4.9.2 Creation of new field by budding             4.9.3 Creation of new field by merging 4.10 Summary Summary of Key Ideas Problems       Part II: Engineering Ethics     Chapter 5: Introduction to Engineering Ethics   5.1 Introduction 5.2 What is Ethics? 5.3 Importance of Engineering Ethics 5.4 Approaches to Engineering Ethics 5.5 Summary Summary of Key Ideas Problems     Chapter 6: Professional Ethics   6.1 Introduction 6.2 Academic Ethics 6.3 NSPE Code of Ethics             6.3.1 Introduction             6.3.2 Fundamental Canons 6.4 Other Engineering Code of Ethics             6.4.1 Additional Principles             6.4.2 Discrimination and Harassment             6.4.3 Continuing Education on Ethics             6.4.4 Ethics and Engineering Education 6.5 Examples of Engineering Ethics             6.5.1 Not Reporting Violations             6.5.2 Whistle-Blowing 6.6 Summary Summary of Key Ideas Problems     Chapter 7: Beyond Professional Ethics   7.1 Introduction 7.2 Appropriate Technology             7.2.1 Introduction             7.2.2 Example             7.2.3 Appropriate Technology and Engineering 7.3 Environmental Ethics, Sustainability, and Industrial Ecology             7.3.1 Introduction             7.3.2 Sustainability             7.3.3 Industrial Ecology 7.4 Accessibility 7.5 Summary Summary of Key Ideas Problems       Part III: Engineering Profession     Chapter 8: Professional Life of Engineers   8.1 Introduction 8.2 What is a Profession? 8.3 Engineering as a Profession             8.3.1 Introduction             8.3.2 Judgment and Discretion in Engineering             8.3.3 Admission to the Profession             8.3.4 Self Policing 8.4 Summary Summary of Key Ideas Problems     Chapter 9: Professional Life   9.1 Introduction 9.2 Professional Benefits             9.2.1 Introduction             9.2.2 Job Satisfaction             9.2.3 Variety of Career Oppertunities             9.2.4 Challenging Work             9.2.5 Intellectual Development             9.2.6 Potential to Benefit Society             9.2.7 Financial Security             9.2.8 Prestige             9.2.9 Professional Environment             9.2.10 Technological and Scientific Discovery             9.2.11 Creative Thinking 9.3 Professional Obligations             9.3.1 Introduction             9.3.2 Continuing Education             9.3.3 Giving Back to the Profession 9.4 Practical Issues 9.5 Summary Summary of Key Ideas Problems     Chapter 10: Professional Registration   10.1 Introduction 10.2 Why Become a Professional Engineer? 10.3 The Registration Process             10.3.1 Overview             10.3.2 The Accredited Degree             10.3.3 Fundamentals of Engineering Examination             10.3.4 Experience             10.3.5 Principles and Practice Examination 10.4 After Registration 10.5 Summary Summary of Key Ideas Problems     Part IV: Engineering Problem Solving       Chapter 11: Introduction to Engineering Problem Solving and the Scientific Method   11.1 Introduction             11.1.1 Engineering problems             11.1.2 The art and science of engineering problem-solving             11.1.3 Engineering solution methods 11.2 Approaches to Engineering Problem Solving             11.2.1 Introduction             11.2.2 Scientific method             11.2.3 Engineering analysis method             11.2.4 Engineering design method             11.2.5 Need for innovation 11.3 Introduction to the Scientific Method             11.3.1 Introduction             11.3.2. Scientific problem-solving process 11.4 Problem Definition             11.4.1 Introduction             11.4.2 Inclusive and exclusive definitions 11.4.3 Disadvantages of definitions that are not specific 11.5 Formulate a Hypothesis             11.5.1 Introduction 11.5.2 Hypotheses as testable statements 11.6 Test the Hypothesis             11.6.1 Testing a hypothesis by experiment             11.6.2 Testing a hypothesis by analysis 11.7 Drawing Conclusions from Hypothesis Testing             11.7.1 Rejecting a hypothesis             11.7.2 Conditionally accepting a hypothesis 11.8 Examples of the Use of the Scientific Method 11.9 Summary Summary of Key Ideas Problems         Chapter 12: Engineering Analysis Method   12.1 Introduction             12.1.1 Introduction to the engineering analysis method             12.1.2 Solving analysis problems 12.2 Gathering Data             12.2.1 Introduction             12.2.2 Data collection 12.3 Selecting the Analysis Method             12.3.1 Introduction             12.3.2 Selection of physical laws             12.3.3 Translation into mathematical expressions 12.4 Estimate the Solution             12.4.1 Introduction             12.4.2 Example 12.5 Solving the Problem             12.5.1 Solving mathematical expressions by isolating the unknown 12.5.2 “Golden Rule” of expression manipulation             12.5.3 Manipulating inequalities             12.5.4 Hints for manipulating equations 12.6 Check the Results             12.6.1 Introduction 12.6.2 Use logic to avoid Aphysical answers             12.6.3 Using logic to check expression manipulation             12.6.4 Using estimation to check solutions             12.6.5 Using units to check solutions 12.7 Units             12.7.1 Introduction             12.7.2 Dimensional analysis             12.7.3 Units and functions             12.7.4 Units conversion 12.8 An Example of the Engineering Analysis Method 12.9 Summary Summary of Key Ideas Problems   Chapter 13: Engineering Design Method   13.1 Introduction             13.1.1 Introduction to engineering design             13.1.2 Solving design problems 13.2 Generating Multiple Solutions             13.2.1 Introduction             13.2.2 Brainstorming             13.2.3 Methods for generating new ideas 13.3 Analyzing Alternatives and Selecting a Solution             13.3.1 Analyzing alternatives             13.3.2 Selecting a solution 13.4 Implementing the Solution 13.5 Evaluating the Solution 13.6 Design Example 13.7 Design Parameters             13.7.1 Introduction             13.7.2 Example             13.7.3 Uses of design parameters 13.8 Innovations in Design             13.8.1 Introduction             13.8.2 Need for innovation             13.8.3 Design innovation by concurrent engineering             13.8.4 Design innovation by reengineering             13.8.5 Design innovation by reverse engineering             13.8.6 How to innovate             13.8.7 Translating failure into success through innovation 13.9 Summary Summary of Key Ideas Problems     Part V: Engineering Problem-Solving Tools     Chapter 14: Introduction to Engineering Problem-Solving Tools and Using Data   14.1 Introduction             14.1.1 Engineering problem-solving tools             14.1.2 Using data 14.2 Accuracy and Precision             14.2.1 Introduction             14.2.2 Accuracy             14.2.3 Precision 14.3 Rounding and Significant Digits             14.3.1 Introduction             14.3.2 Counting the number of significant digits             14.3.3 Exceptions to the rule: numbers with no decimal point and exact numbers             14.3.4 Reporting measurements             14.3.5 Rounding and calculations 14.4 Measures of Central Tendency             14.4.1 Introduction             14.4.2 Arithmetic mean             14.4.3 Median             14.4.4 Mode             14.4.5 Geometric mean             14.4.6 Harmonic mean             14.4.7 Quadratic mean             14.5 Measures of Variability             14.5.1 Introduction             14.5.2 Variance             14.5.3 Standard deviation             14.5.4 Relative standard deviation             14.5.5 Variability and data collection in engineering 14.6 Summary Summary of Key Ideas Problems         Chapter 15: Engineering Models   15.1 Introduction 15.2 Why Use Models? 15.3 Types of Models             15.3.1 Introduction             15.3.2 Conceptual models             15.3.3 Physical models             15.3.4 Mathematical models             15.3.5 Other kinds of models 15.4 Using Models and Data to Answer Engineering Questions             15.4.1 Interplay of models and data             15.4.2 Potential errors             15.4.3 Model fits             15.4.4 Using calibrated models             15.4.5 Determining model fit             15.4.6 Are engineering models real? 15.5 Summary Summary of Key Ideas Problems   Chapter 16: Computing Tools in Engineering   16.1 Introduction 16.2 Computer Hardware             16.2.1 Computer types             16.2.2 Microprocessors             16.2.3 Memory and mass storage 16.2.4 Input, output, and communication devices 16.3 General Computer Software             16.3.1 Introduction             16.3.2 Operating systems             16.3.3 Communications software             16.3.4 Spreadsheet software 16.4 Engineering and Science Specific Software             16.4.1 Introduction             16.4.2 Programming software             16.4.3 Trends in programming software             16.4.4 Symbolic math software             16.4.5 Computer-aided design             16.4.6 Discipline-specific software 16.5 The Internet             16.5.1 Introduction             16.5.2 Structure of the Internet             16.5.3 Uses of the Internet 16.6 Summary Summary of Key Ideas Problems       Chapter 17: Feasibility and Project Management   17.1 Introduction 17.2 Technical Feasibility 17.3 Engineering Economics             17.3.1 Costs of engineering projects             17.3.2 Time value of money             17.3.3 Calculating the present and future value of money             17.3.4 Uniform series             17.3.5 Engineering economics calculations 17.4 Economic Feasibility             17.4.1 Introduction             17.4.2 Comparing alternatives             17.4.3 Example 17.5 Fiscal Feasibility             17.5.1 Introduction             17.5.2 Bonds             17.5.3 Example 17.6 Social, Political, and Environmental Feasibility 17.7 Project Management             17.7.1 Introduction             17.7.2 Project planning             17.7.3 Project scheduling             17.7.4 Critical path method 17.8 Summary Summary of Key Ideas Problems     Part VI: Technical Communications     Chapter 18: Introduction to Technical Communication   18.1 Introduction 18.2 Role of Technical Communication in Engineering             18.2.1 Technical communication as a professional skill             18.2.2 Technical communication and employment 18.3 Misconceptions About Technical Communication             18.3.1 Misconception #1: Technical communication is inherently boring             18.3.2 Misconception #2: Engineering communication is passive             18.3.3 Misconception #3: Technical communication is best left to non-engineering specialists             18.3.4 Misconception #4: Good technical communicators are born, not made 18.4 Critical First Steps             18.4.1 Presentation goals             18.4.2 Target audience             18.4.3 Constraints 18.5 Organization             18.5.1 Outlines             18.5.2 Signposting 18.6 Using Tables and Figures to Present Data             18.6.1 Use of tables and figures             18.6.2 Common characteristics of tables and figures 18.7 Tables 18.8 Figures             18.8.1 Scatter plots             18.8.2 Bar charts             18.8.3 Pie charts 18.9 Creativity in Technical Presentations             18.9.1 Creative conciseness             18.9.2 Thinking visually 18.10 Summary Summary of Key Ideas Problems       Chapter 19: Written Technical Communications   19.1 Introduction 19.2 Overall Organization of Technical Documents             19.2.1 Introduction             19.2.2 General organization             19.2.3 Abstract             19.2.4 Introduction             19.2.5 Methods             19.2.6 Results and discussion             19.2.7 Conclusions and recommendations             19.2.8 References             19.2.9 Signposting in technical writing 19.3 Organizing Parts of Technical Documents             19.3.1 Paragraph organization             19.3.2 Sentence organization             19.3.3 Word choice 19.4 Grammar and Spelling             19.4.1 Subject-verb match             19.4.2 Voice             19.4.3 Tense             19.4.4 Pronouns             19.4.5 Adjectives and adverbs             19.4.6 Capitalization and punctuation             19.4.7 Spelling             19.4.8 Citation             19.4.9 Other problem areas             19.4.10 Proofreading 19.5 Types of Engineering Documents             19.5.1 Introduction             19.5.2 Reports             19.5.3 Letters             19.5.4 Memorandums             19.5.5 Email 19.6 Summary Summary of Key Ideas Problems   Chapter 20: Oral Technical Communications   20.1 Introduction 20.2 Before the Talk: Organization 20.3 Before the Talk: Designing Visual Aids             20.3.1 Number of visual aids             20.3.2 Types of visual aids             20.3.3 Content of visual aids: word slides             20.3.4 Content of visual aids: data slides             20.3.5 Special notes about computer-based presentations   20.4 Before the Talk: Preparing to Present             20.4.1 Practicing oral presentations             20.4.2 Memory aids 20.5 During the Talk             20.5.1 Pre-talk activities             20.5.2 Group presentations             20.5.3 Nervousness             20.5.4 What to say             20.5.5 How to say it 20.6 After the Talk 20.7 Summary Summary of Key Ideas Problems     Appendix A: Review of Physical Relationships   A.1 Introduction A.2 Definitions             A.2.1 Kinematic parameters             A.2.2 Fundamental forces             A.2.3 Other forces             A.2.4 Energy, work, and power A.3 Decomposition by Vectors             A.3.1 Position vectors             A.3.2 Other vectors A.4 Conservation Laws A.5 Gradient-driven Processes

About the Author :
James Jensen is currently Associate Professor of Civil Engineering and Director of the Environmental Science Program at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Dr. Jensen received his B.S. in Engineering and Applied Sciences from the California Institute of Technology in 1980. He received an MSPH in 1983 and Ph.D. in 1988 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His teaching responsibilities are in the area of environmental engineering, with emphasis on environmental chemistry and physicochemical processes. Dr. Jensen's current research interests are aimed at the fundamental chemistry and application of chemical oxidants in natural and engineered systems. Dr. Jensen has served as the Chairman for the Standard Methods Joint Task Group on Oxidant Demand/Requirement. His research work has been funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, industry, and utilities.