Hello Everyone, thank you for viewing my Writing for Engineering Portfolio. It has been a semester full of challenges and learning experiences that have contributed greatly to my growth as a writer. You will see all of my major projects for this writing for engineers course: My self-assessment, My Letter of Introduction, the Memo, my Lab Report Analysis, the Proposal & Presentation, and the Technical Description. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride to see my journey for this writing class.

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This semester taking Writing for Engineering has been quite the journey, and through purposely practicing, reflecting critically, and appreciating writing as a fluid, audience-driven process, I have made some significant progress. My portfolio, made up of a Technical Description, Memorandum, Lab Report Analysis, Water-to-fuel Proposal, Letter of Introduction, and collaborative pieces showcases my learning as I have navigated different genres, different audiences, and different technical challenges. In this self-assessment, I will evaluate my progress towards the eight objectives of the course, with reference to some specific examples, and reflect on how my view of writing has evolved from a detached, assigned job to an active, problem-solving mechanism.

To begin with, the first objective is about acknowledging my own and others’ range of linguistic differences and using those as a resource. I was aiming to improve my ability to be knowledgeable of my and others’ range of differences in language and resources, and use that to construct an appropriate writing style for the readers. I evolved in this specific objective especially in the process of writing my Letter of Introduction. In that assignment, I shared my background as a first-generation Ivorian-Guinean American, and described how my experiences growing up in West Africa shaped my relationship with technology. I elaborated on how my introverted personality allowed me to develop a bond with computers, ultimately leading me into computer science. I wrote this hoping to form a personal connection with my audience which was my professor and classmates while remaining clear and organized. I came to realize that a multilingual background of English, French and Bambara can be leveraged to understand and adapt to varying styles of writing. I became more relaxed in showing my cultural identity in my writing. It helped define my tone, and gave my writing authenticity. This has helped me see that writing isn’t just about grammar or structure, it is also about voice.

Furthermore, this objective taught me to treat linguistic diversity as an asset rather than a barrier. In the Technical Description of a Two-Handle Faucet, I simplified complex plumbing terminology for a general audience. For instance, I defined the “aerator” as “a screen-like device at the spout’s end that mixes air with water to reduce splashing” and included a labeled diagram (Figure 1) to visualize its function. The glossary further clarified terms like “cartridge” and “O-ring,” ensuring accessibility without sacrificing technical accuracy.

This example is from my technical description, acknowledging others range of linguistic and using general and well known terms.

The second objective involves enhancing strategies for reading, drafting, revising, editing, and self-assessment. This was one of the objectives I concentrated on the most. In my Technical Description, I wrote several drafts, because my first draft included the wrong item to describe, too much information on complexity, and the information was contained within long paragraphs. After receiving feedbacks from the professor, I reviewed my work, and looked at examples in the textbook, I decided to choose a more convenient object to describe, change the order of the faucet’s internal and external parts, and even modify some of my word choices to make the document, and my summary at least, clearer. I also utilized a labelled diagram to support my written explanation. From these drafts, I learned that revision is more than finding grammatical issues; it is also about making the writing more explicit and relevant for the audience. 

Similarly, I learned more about revision while working on my Lab Report Analysis, where I also had to rewrite several parts of my analysis because I originally summarized too much and did not analyze reports critically enough. It helped me learn that my first drafts were a process of discovery.

This picture showcases the feedback I received for my first of the technical description (Bell’s Telephone) from my professor

This picture is from the new technical description I wrote after receiving feedbacks from my professor

The third objective is to negotiate my writing goals and audience expectations depending on the genre and situation. This particular goal of mine came into play for almost every single style of writing. For instance, in the Memorandum regarding the lack of charging stations at CCNY, I focused on being direct, professional, and solution-oriented. I wasn’t just using the wording of the memo format conventions; I was including true recommendations, which were USB-compatible outlets, options for exploring solar-powered options and using organizing, or memo format conventions for the layout. And in the Group Proposal, when I wrote the Methods section, I attempted a more scientific tone by using direct wording, using the correct terms, and describing step by step the electrolysis experiment. Those two assignments had very different audiences (one was more administrative, while the other was more academic), and adapting for those assignments helped me understand how writing has to shift to accommodate who is reading, and the reason for writing. I think I improved in this objective, because, in each major assignment, I had to think about purpose and audience!

The fourth objective is to develop and engage in the collaborative and social aspects of writing. This objective was fully addressed in the Proposal project I completed with my team, SunnyCycle. We had to plan the experiment, divide the sections of the paper, write our individual parts, and revise together. My teammates worked on the literature review and budget, while I focused on the methodology and later helped review the whole draft. We constantly shared feedback and helped each other fix formatting issues, clarify explanations, and strengthen citations. At first, I was quiet in group settings, but this assignment helped me participate more actively. I became more confident asking questions, suggesting changes, and integrating my section with others’ writing. I also found that writing in a team teaches you how to compromise and communicate clearly, skills that matter just as much as grammar and structure.
However, our uncoordinated timeline for editing sections resulted in inconsistencies in some sections like the budget table. The proposal ultimately had a materials list but did not have a strong link to the sustainability goals of the proposed experiment. On that last point, we missed an opportunity to link our costs to the goals of our project.

This process made me appreciate both the value of working collaboratively, and its pitfalls. I became more confident in the feedback I offered (and received), and also learned the important lesson that we have to have organized and structured collaboration.

The fifth course objective is to engage in genre analysis and multimodal composing to explore effective writing across contexts. I was introduced to several writing genres this semester that I hadn’t worked with before, like memos, technical descriptions, and proposals. One assignment that helped me with this was the Lab Report Analysis, where I compared two published reports that followed the IMRaD format. I noticed that even though both were about quantum computing, their structure and language were very different—one was more theoretical and complex (for biology), while the other was focused on practical applications (for finance). This showed me that genre isn’t just about format—it’s about tone, depth, and style too. I also got experience with multimodal composing through my Technical Description, where I included diagrams and a glossary to make the content easier to understand. I wouldn’t say I fully mastered this objective, but I definitely became more aware of how writing changes depending on the situation and field.

The fifth course objective is to engage in genre analysis and multimodal composing to explore effective writing across contexts. This semester, I was exposed to some genres of writing that I had never worked with before. For example, I learned about memos, technical descriptions, and proposals. My coding background initially made me view writing as formulaic: inputs and outputs. But analyzing genres like lab reports and proposals showed me flexibility within structure. The Lab Report Analysis assignment helped me in my understanding, as I analyzed two published lab reports that followed the IMRaD format. I was surprised to find that although both were about quantum computing, the structuring and language were very different. One was more theoretical with a great deal of detail (for biology) whereas the other was focused on practical applications (for finance). I learned in that experience, as well as the others, that genre is not merely a matter of format, but also tone, depth, and genre. In my Technical Description, I demonstrated my understanding of multimodal composing by including diagrams and a glossary to assist visitors in understanding the content. I would not say that I overcame the objective, but I did extend my awareness of how writing changes across situations and fields.

The sixth objective is to practice using library resources, databases, and the Internet to locate appropriate sources. I practiced this objective mainly in my Lab Report Analysis and Proposal. For the lab report, I used the CCNY Library’s database to find peer-reviewed articles about quantum computing applications in science and finance. I had never used academic databases before, so it took time to figure out how to filter search results and find useful information. In the Proposal, our group used Science Buddies to choose a project and then looked up supporting studies about catalysts like cobalt nitrate. We also wrote an annotated bibliography, which helped us explain why our sources were relevant. This was a new skill for me, and although I still sometimes struggle with finding the best sources quickly, I now understand how to approach research more efficiently and responsibly.

The sixth objective is to practice using library resources, databases, and the Internet to locate appropriate sources. I practiced this goal predominantly in the Lab Report Analysis and Proposal. Using the CCNY Library’s database, I researched peer-reviewed articles about quantum computing applications in science and in finance for the lab report. I had never used academic databases before so it took a while to learn how to filter search results and discover helpful information. In the Proposal, we, as a group, used Science Buddies to select a project. Then, we researched studies that supported our Project regarding catalysts, like cobalt nitrate. We also wrote an annotated bibliography that required us to write why our sources were relevant. Overall, this was a new skill to me and although I now still sometimes struggle to find the best sources in a timely fashion, I have learned how to conduct research in a more efficient manner and responsibly.

This snippet is from when I was researching Lab report regarding quantum computing and finance for my Lab Report Analysis on EBSCO databases-CCNY’s Libraries.

The seventh objective is about strengthening practices like paraphrasing, summarizing, quoting, analyzing, and citing sources. I would say that I made substantial progress in this area. At the start of the semester, I was someone who tended toward quoting without always analyzing. I challenged myself in the Lab Report Analysis when I had to describe complex concepts like “coherent Ising machines” and “quantum embeddings” in my own words, which made me concentrate on precision and clarity. I learned how to paraphrase dense academic language and to summarize key points without losing their meaning. In the Proposal we used MLA referencing format, which required us to arrange the References in alphabetical order. This was a step toward making our paper look more professional. I also spent more time connecting the sources to our argument instead of just adding them. While I still want to continue developing the quality of sources I used with more integration, I now know how important it is to use evidence appropriately and ethically in engineering writing.

The eighth and final objective is to formulate and articulate a stance through and in writing. I didn’t work on this as much during the semester. In my more technical assignments, like the Technical Description and Proposal, I mainly remained neutral because it fit the assignment. I did express a clear position in my Memorandum by arguing that the school needed more charging stations and provided a way to improve the students’ experience. I grounded this with logic and real solutions. I offered a strong position in my Letter of Introduction about what it meant to me personally using technology to benefit people. I did not pursue this goal across all assignments, so I wouldn’t say I fully developed in this goal. In the future, I hope to continue to develop the ability to express a position even in more research-supported writing whether it’s in tone, detail choices, or structuring an argument.

In summary, this course has made me more cognizant of the way writing differs across contexts and formats. I’ve had practical experiences with documents like memos and proposals, made revisions based on audience and purpose, and engaged in teamwork. I’ve also improved in using sources responsibly, thinking about tone, and contemplating the structure of different formats. Although I did not improve equally in all objectives, it was a valuable experience to reflect on what I do well and what I still need to grow in. My understanding of what writing is has changed; what I used to see as a school task now feels like a skill that I can use to communicate clearly, address problems, and work with others. I still have much to learn and grow, but I feel I now have a framework to build on as I continue to learn and write at school and in my work.