Introduction

So you’re an engineer or a student preparing to enter the profession. In any case, you’re already busy. Your first question could be whether learning to write well is really worth much care and effrot. We think it is. After all, an engineer who writes poorly might just

struggle and waste time;

disappoint or annoy important people like professors, mentors, supervisors, colleagues, and customers;

fail to complete a crucial document such as a thesis, dissertation, technical report, or technical proposal;

fail to get hard-won technical ideas across to others;

suffer from career stagnation or failure to land an attractive job;

alienate customers or lose contracts;

become ensnared in a lawsuit; and possibly

acquire a negative reputation as a poor communicator.

In short, a poor writer may have a second-rate engineering career. An ability to write professionally is a required part of being professional.