Engineering Writing by Design

Preface

In Walden, Henry Thoreau asserts that “Books must be read as deliberately and reservedly as they were written.” Given the serious and highly technical nature of formal engineering writing, any reader of such writing would be wise to follow Thoreau’s advice. The purpose of the present book, however, is to speak to the engineering writer. Our basic premise is that engineering material should be written as deliberately and carefully as it will be read.

Engineers are smart people and their work is important. Their writing should not be inaccurate, vague, ambiguous, or otherwise opaque. To a great extent, modern engineering is an extension of science and mathematics and is therefore amenable to clear and logical exposition. Some aspects of ...