Reading and Writing in Engineering

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Lauro Castillo

Rister

Composition 1301

6 November 2016

                          Reading and Writing in Engineering

        It is important for me to learn how to read and write more effectively than I do right now.  Although I don’t feel like my current reading and writing skill level is terrible, it’s still not at the level that it needs to be.  English isn’t my strong suit, math is, I’m just trying to make it through composition classes by the skin of my teeth.  Engineering is what I’m trying to major in, aerospace engineering to be exact.  After doing much research on this topic, it turns out that engineers need to be at a pretty high reading and writing skill if they want to be hired by major technology companies.

        Engineers need to read and write more effectively to communicate with people whose first language might not be English.  I haven’t decided which branch of aerospace engineering I want to go into, whether it be aeronautical or astronautical, but people from other countries are going to rely on my communication skills in order fully understand what I’m trying to present.  Lacking adequate communication skills can inhibit my ability to get a job at most of the larger technology companies. Although engineers use their verbal skills more than anything else, some companies evaluate our writing ability.  After doing some research, it is clearly obvious that I need to enhance my reading and writing skills.  I never realized how important it was to have these skills in the field of engineering. I was planning on getting through college with as few composition classes

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as possible and graduate with the minimum hours required for that subject.  I understand that I can’t be an illiterate person if I want to be an engineer, but I never thought that I would have to be at an advanced reading and writing skill level.  

        I do feel held back by my current reading and writing skill level.  Even if I change my major, I still need those effective skills if I want to get far in life.  Reading and writing more effectively will also increase and improve my vocabulary, and better vocabulary will also open many doors to the point where I can do whatever I want. Even in the 1800’s, as Douglass pointed out, could earn a slave his or her freedom.  In a book that Douglass read it had said a runaway slave who said “some very smart . . . things in reply to his master” to the point that the master voluntarily set him free” (Douglass 5).  I struggle with this subject, mainly because I didn’t think I needed to be great at it, but also because I’m not interested.  The way a lot of people hate math is the exact same way I feel about English classes.  I’m just trying to slide on through this subject in one piece.