Incorporating writing in engineering classes and engineering in writing classes

For more than a quarter of a century, educators and employers have been concerned about the writing ability of young men and women graduating in engineering and engineering technology. Research over the years indicates that while writing skills are important for the successful engineer, these skills among most graduating engineers are inadequate. Many schools require discipline-specific writing courses in addition to the university required composition course. Writing ought to be a working part of all phases of an engineering student´s education. In this paper the authors suggest ways engineering and writing faculty can integrate communication skills into the educational programs of engineering and technology students in an effort to make those communication skills relevant to the students