Engineering Writing by Design

4Avoid the Worst Thinking Traps

Engineering should be about doing things right. A system such as a bridge, telephone, or traffic light should be designed to function properly over a certain lifetime. It should satisfy its intended purpose. The same holds for a formal technical document meant to describe an engineering system, communicate an engineering procedure, or develop an engineering idea.

This book addresses the combination of thinking and writing skills necessary to produce effective formal documents. As engineers, we are not merely required to think; we must also avoid major pitfalls in our thinking. We ignore this responsibility at our own peril (and often at the peril of others).

Example. Tom maintained a high grade-point average ...