_________________________

Communication Skills for Engineering Students

CCDP2100 Y Winter 2015

INTRODUCTION E-MAIL

(see: Beer & McMurrey, Ch. 1, 3 & 4 pp. 86-89)

http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Formal-Email ; https://www.training.nih.gov/writing_professional_e-mail
http://www.britishcouncil.org/hongkong-english-wiify-jan10.htm;
http://www.speakenglish.co.uk/phrases/writing_letters_and_emails

Introduction
email

Due:
Class 2

3
marks

Email to Instructor, including:

self-introduction

engineering and/or association(s) of interest

confirmation that you have read and understood the

Course Outline, and Ch. 1&3 of course textbook

chosen project/theme and possibly selected reference

patent or area of research for patent review, revision and
potential development

innovation contest that could be of interest to you, your

teammates and perhaps your classmates

contest web-site, name, prizes & submission deadline

your rationale, potential participation, general timeline

and resources

Rideau Canal Skateway Challenge: Idea(s) to keep

skateway open 60 days

Assignment Objectives:
The goals of this assignment are to:
1. introduce relevant information about yourself
2. give the Instructor an early indication of your written communication skills
3. make sure that you have read and understood all the material in the Course Outline
4. make sure that you know how to write an appropriate (professionally toned) email to
your instructor.
Assignment Instructions:
1. Read the Course Outline thoroughly.
2. Read Email information in:
2.1. Chapters 1, 3 & 4 (pp. 86 to 89) in the required Course Textbook (A Guide to Writing
as an Engineer, 3rd or 4th Ed.) or consult above-mentioned hyperlinks (This subsectioned component is not mandatory but may be found to be rather useful)
3. Write an email to your instructor.
3.1. Most of the 4 Parts below should be of no more than 200 words each
3.2. Suggestions: Leave space between paragraphs and Parts. Identify each Part with
a brief descriptive Topic Heading in Bold
Email content Part A (Self Intro, Bio for CCDP2100):
Your name
What year you are in
Your engineering stream
What courses youve taken so far
What courses youre taking this term
Your schedule this term (classes + work)
Work / study / research experience related to your chosen CCDP2100 term project
Other work experience (of any kind)
Communication experience youve had (written documents, oral presentations, team
work, etc.)
What you expect to get out of CCDP2100
Alex Myers CCDP2100 Winter 2015 - E-Mail Assignment A1 - due in Class 2

Page

of 2
1

_________________________

Communication Skills for Engineering Students

CCDP2100 Y Winter 2015

Your experience with and ideas about working in a team

Your feelings about your engineering program so far
Did you enter Engineering straight from high school? If not, what did you do in
between?
Extra-curricular activities
Your personal interests / passions

Alex Myers CCDP2100 Winter 2015 - E-Mail Assignment A1 - due in Class 2

Page

of 2

_________________________

Communication Skills for Engineering Students

CCDP2100 Y Winter 2015

Email content Part B (Confirmed Readings for CCDP2100):

Confirm that you have read the Course Outline and Chapters 1 and 3 of Beer & McMurrey
(course textbook). Include one question or comment about the content of the Course
Outline, along with one comment or note about the content of Ch. 1 or 3 of the course
textbook.
Email content Part C (Patent project choice/area of interest, theme and goal):
In the context of a proposed theme, indicate your area of patent interest and ideally your
choice of patent review, revision and potential development (with its respective original
CIPO, WIPO or equivalent IPO hyperlink).
Nota bene (NB1): You are encouraged to discuss this part with your teammates and
peer mentor by phone, e-mail, in-person, via a cuLearn Discussion Forum, whatever
works best for you; but you are expected to each individually write original text.
NB2: Since the summer version of this course is compressed, you are expected to have
made a patent review and revision choice by the second week of classes. As a
Project Outline of your chosen patent project is due by class #3!
The Project Outline is a brief document essentially outlining your patent project
choice, its associated engineering principles, some references and one diagram for
the team.
Email Part D (Innovation Contest, important details, rationale and level of interest):
Following your research, individually, as a group or a team, indicate an innovation
contest that could be of interest to you, your teammates and perhaps your classmates
Specify the contest name, its web-site, main prize(s) & submission deadline
Also state your rationale, the likeliness that you and/or your teammates will likely
participate,
If your interest is keen, suggest some of your planning elements, such as a
general timeline and the human or expert resources you hope will meet the
challenge!
Email Part E (Rideau Canal Skateway Challenge; how to keep skateway open for 60 days
straight during the winter?)
Following your research (or simply your imagination), individually, as a group or a team,
indicate an idea or two, actually a solution that you think that the entire class could
research and develop (specifying a few of its key components or considerations)
Again, the CHALLENGE: How can we ensure that the largest skateway in the
world, the 7 km long Rideau Canal Skateway stays open (and of course is
skateable) at least 60 days straight during the winter, from ~December 21 to
~February 21 ?
In other words, what engineering approaches would need to considered to keep the ice
frozen, even if it rains at +5 Celcius?
Perhaps a well-contained refrigerating system (easily retractable and storable in
the summer; perhaps rolling up to the canals walls with netting that could meet
in the middle of the canal just (~30?cm) below the surface of a lowest-possible
level of canal water, prior to the freezing season; and/or perhaps an
environmentally-friendly water-solidifying water-based solution).
This Part should be 200 words, maximum, as this will be further discussed
in class
DUE DATE:
Alex Myers CCDP2100 Winter 2015 - E-Mail Assignment A1 - due in Class 2

Page

of 2
3

_________________________

Communication Skills for Engineering Students

CCDP2100 Y Winter 2015

Submit via cuLearn under A1-E-mail Assignment before Class 2.

ALSO: Print hard copy to submit and work from in Class 2.
Evaluation Criteria:

Meeting audience expectations (content, tone, style, format)

Demonstrating language proficiency

Meeting submission deadline

Alex Myers CCDP2100 Winter 2015 - E-Mail Assignment A1 - due in Class 2

Page

of 2
4