Communication and ME 481 “Your Future is Today”

Craig Gunn 2443 Engineering Building 355-5160 gunn@egr.msu.edu

1. Important Elements of ME 481 You are the Ambassadors of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and MSU. Projects come and go with the level of your communication skill. You are professionals. This IS the Real World! Ask for help when needed.

2. Photos Take as quickly as possible Highest possible resolution setting Good light and make sure the background is in contrast to the subjects In focus (a tripod works best) Multiple shots

Photo Concerns Don’t be too far away Get someone else to take the photos Ask about location Head to toe and head to waist Evaluate the participants Think about what you are wearing

3. Equipment Laptops Projectors Cameras – digital still Cameras – digital movie As soon as you know that you need them, tell me

4. ME 481 Reports Plagiarism Style issues Readability

Plagiarism Awareness Don’t assume that everyone knows someone else did or said it When things are copied or paraphrased you need to give credit As an example, videos others have done need to be credited to the source

Style Issues Tables and Figures Grammar/vocab – K-12 Readability

Tables and Figures Table 1.Title (on top of table) Figure 1.Title (on bottom of figure) table 1, figure 1, fig.1, Fig.1 Number consecutively

Grammar/Vocab Subject/verb agreement Company is an It. Data - plural Abbreviations - Commercial Differentiation Model (CDM) Commas and semi-colons

There are items to address in this report: jobs, power and loyalty. I will give the $99,000.00 to Bob, Sally, and Mark. The amperage was peaking; and I felt that you, as the leader, should do something about it.

Vocabulary Aim for the clearest choice of words: Cheap – inexpensive Break up – divide Economically satisfying Cooler manufacturers

Readability Clarity Paragraph Construction Flow

Clarity Make sure the reader knows exactly what you want them to know. Never allow interpretations. A lot A few Close Many Around

Paragraph Construction

Flow Sentence to sentence Paragraph to paragraph Flow is a feeling that a reader gets when reading any written text. The feeling sensed is that the ideas move smoothly in a concerted effort toward some conclusion. The facts are presented in an orderly fashion, and the language used is at the level of the reader.

5. Presentations Utilize everyone Use the screen as a guide Practice but don’t memorize You are the focus not the screen

6. The Important Elements of the First Report Short Introduction Problem Statement Specifications and Constraints Background of Sponsor and project Design Parameters Design Parameter Weighting Future Plans Gantt Chart Budget Report

7. The Important Elements of the Second Report Short Introduction Presentation of Design Alternatives Subjective Evaluation of Alternatives Objective Evaluation of Alternatives Research on the problem Modeling of the Problem Design Recommendation Future Plans Gantt Chart

8. The Important Elements of the Final Report Executive Summary Design Review Modeling Manufacturing Testing Economic Analysis Final Recommendation

9. Revision – Everyone READS! 1) First Revision a) Weigh only the content 2) Second Revision a) Increase clarity 3) Third Revision a) Meet the standards of correctness 4) Fourth Revision a) Work on Brevity 5) Fifth Revision a) Improve the style

10. The End Questions??? Comments!!!