Engineering Notebooks A “HOW-To” Created for the STEM101 Academy Courses

Definition of an Engineering Notebook. “Like a scientist's log, an engineering project notebook can be used to capture work in progress during a project. Scientists and engineers use project notebooks to record data as they collect it, to brainstorm explanations of data, to record details of experimental apparatus, and to make progress notes. The project notebook can be formal or informal, recorded on paper or on the computer.” http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/guide.cfm?guideid=80

Examples of Engineering Notebooks You Can Purchase http://www.bookfactory.com/special_info/engr_notebook_guidelines.html

Why should you keep an engineering notebook: Engineering Notebooks are proof of your work as long as you follow established guidelines and procedures. Engineering Notebooks should be treated as a legal document. Engineering Notebooks are often used for patents or legal documentation. Engineering Notebooks helps you ensure that you do not leave out information nor insert information. Information must be sequential. Engineering Notebook allow you to keep research in a logical, progressive manner. Engineering Notebooks allow you to document your experiments observations, mock-ups, prototypes and results. Engineering Notebooks are on-going forms of your research in all areas and can be used to show the correlation of the research. http://www.engineering.com/portals/0/BlogFiles/sketching-300x253.jpg

Examples of the types of information you should keep in your engineering notebook: Dates Experiments Experiment Results Diagrams Sketches Charts Data Proof Sets Formulas Calculations http://www.sasrobotics.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Engineering-Notebook3.png

Things you should try to remember when using your Engineering Notebook: Use a bound notebook, never tear out pages or pieces of the pages. Start at the top of the first page, continue to make dated entries sequentially, working your way to the bottom of the last page. Make sure you number your pages. After completing an entry, sign it and date it before continuing. If possible have a peer sign and date it as well. You should be the only one make entries in your Engineering Notebook. Never leave blank spaces and never erase or remove material you have added. If you make a mistake- make an X or draw a line through it, then initial it and date it. You can write a note next to it with new information but be sure to initial and date it as well. You can put supporting material into your notebook by securely attaching it in the appropriate chronological place. Make sure you document the attachment in your Engineering Notebook. Document all additional sources. http://cnx.org/resources/ecec983a40a9d128c62217348e0fadf4/Page%2012.jpg

Additional Engineering Notebook Sources http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-an-engineering-notebook.htm https://code.google.com/p/propforth/wiki/EngineeringNotebook http://www.engineering.com/DesignSoftware/DesignSoftwareArticles/ArticleID/4679/Digital-Sketching-and-the-Engineering-Notebook.aspx http://www.bookfactory.com/special_info/engr_notebook_guidelines.html http://wme.engr.oregonstate.edu/sites/wme.engr.oregonstate.edu/files/Programs/reasons_to_be_an_engineer_0.png

Image Sources: http://www.bookfactory.com/special_info/engr_notebook_guidelines.html http://www.sasrobotics.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Engineering-Notebook3.png http://cnx.org/resources/ecec983a40a9d128c62217348e0fadf4/Page%2012.jpg http://www.engineering.com/portals/0/BlogFiles/sketching-300x253.jpg http://wme.engr.oregonstate.edu/sites/wme.engr.oregonstate.edu/files/Programs/reasons_to_be_an_engineer_0.png