Prepared by Blake Anderson

Submitted to Corey Dressel

6/21/2017

Technical Writing in the Electrical

Engineering Field

1
Abstract

I will be performing research looking into technical writing within the electrical
engineering field. The research will be done in three main ways, an interview,
information from company websites, and from articles found through internet databases.
I will then be reporting on this research in a variety of different formats culminating in a
six minute presentation. My grades received will be my primary form of evaluation, and
my goal is an average of eighty percent or higher.

Table of Contents

Section Page
Number

Abstract 2

Project Goals and Objectives 3

Description of Proposed Research 3

Plan of Action 3

Evaluation 4

2
Project Goals and Objectives

The objective of this research project is to gain knowledge about technical

reporting in the electrical engineering field and report on it a multitude of ways. After
completing the project, I should have an increased grasp on what technical writing is
like in the field and feel confident in my ability to relay this information to others.

Description of Proposed Research

The research to be done will be primarily coming from 3 types of sources. First, I
will be interviewing Mitch Schultz, an electrical engineering instructor here at Western.
Mr. Schultz is also the author of the most widely used textbook for introductory electrical
engineering (Grobs Basic Electronics), giving him unique insight on a form of writing in
the field. Second, I will be looking through the company websites of businesses like
Dairyland Power, Trane, Xcel Energy and others of the like. On these websites I will be
looking for examples of technical writing that these companies are using, and the
similarities and differences between them. Third, I will be using the various online
databases provided by Western to search for relevant articles from various journals
about technical writing in electrical engineering.

Plan of Action

My interview with Mr. Schultz is scheduled for this Thursday, and after the
interview I will be starting the rest of my research. After completing the research,
hopefully taking no more than a week, the timeline of objectives to be completed is as
follows:

1. Two-Page Newsletter by 7/5

2. Formal Report by 7/12
3. Promotional Poster by 7/19
4. A presentation, to be given on 8/2 or 8/7

3
Evaluation

Evaluation for this project will be rather simple. I will consider the project as a
whole successful if I can attain a cumulative average score of eighty percent or above
on the materials to be completed throughout the assignment. If I receive less than that
score on the first assignment to be done (two-page newsletter) I will know that more
research needs to be done to up the quality of my project to where I want it to be.