Engr 231 Introduction To Technical Communication Assignment ✓ Solved 

Engr 231 Introduction To Technical Communication Assignment Susta


Engr 231 Introduction To Technical Communication Assignment Susta


ENGR 231: Introduction to Technical Communication Assignment: Sustainability Poster Final Deliverable: 11x17 inch poster in PowerPoint for PDF that combines both text (500 word hard limit) and 3 graphics (one self-designed). The .PPT or .PDF file will be submitted to Canvas by 11:59 pm on the due date. Topic. In the Sustainability Poster, you will repurpose content from your blog post into an informative poster that both considers sustainability and is adapted for a new audience, purpose, and context. • Repurposing means reconfiguring focus and organization, rewriting or heavily revising, and strategic selection of information. One element of repurposing for this assignment is to add a section that connects your content to sustainability. • May I choose a new topic? If you don’t want to repurpose your blog post content, you may choose a different prompt from the blog post assignment for your poster. Get an “okay” on the topic from the instructor before proceeding. Audience, Purpose, Context • Audience: Your audience for this assignment is high school STEM students who are attending an engineering summer program at UW. As such, you are to assume that they are high school seniors with strong math and science backgrounds, but they likely have limited exposure to your topic and field of expertise. • Purpose: To attract the students’ attention, to inform them about your topic, AND to persuade them that the issue could be an interesting area of exploration for them in the future. • Context: A poster session at a College of Engineering orientation event.


Graphics. The poster must include at least three properly integrated graphics, one of which you must design yourself—it can be simple. An appropriate portion of your poster text should be in bulleted or numbered list format. 3 Requirements for embedding graphics into the poster: 1. Describe it and refer to it by name in the text that precedes it. 2. Follow graphic with brief, but informative caption that adds to meaning. 3. Add the IEEE citation. Tips for Graphics and Layout: 1. Outline your ideas and write rough sections of content before looking for or creating graphics. A lot of students waste tons of time looking for graphics before they know what they want to say about their topics. 2. Look for graphs, charts, images, and/or tables to use on the poster—and create your own—that will convey key ideas of the issue concisely and compellingly. Use a minimum of three graphics. 3. Using PowerPoint, produce a draft of your poster that you will print out in color—the final draft will be 11x17 inches. There are two links on the course schedule that show you how to create posters on PowerPoint—they also give information about fonts, font sizes, measurements, etc. Pro Tip: Save poster as pdf before printing. 4. Consider the placement of text and images on the page that relate to the PARC principles discussed in class. Aim for a visual balance of text and graphics so that no part of the poster appears text- or image-heavy. ENGR 231: Introduction to Technical Communication Sources. You will need at least credible 3 sources in your blog post that are cited using IEEE citation format. They can include the following: • Quotes/numbers/statistics/facts from credible sources (e.g., articles, books, websites, etc.) • Quotes/reactions/comments from people you’ve worked with (e.g., project manager, team lead) • Graphics or images from source material • Data or other explanatory information that helps support any claims or ideas you express • Your own photos or graphics you have designed yourself based on your project or research should not be cited unless they have been previously published Caution: Do not take or publish photographs of people, technology, or plans without permission. Ask for permission before sharing and have another plan if you do not receive permission. Content Outline 1. Introduction – Briefly introduce the subject of your poster, hinting at the sustainability connection. Set up the key idea of the poster in a strong thesis statement that outlines the central message you’re presenting with the content. 2. Background – Provide only relevant background information about the topic that is needed to facilitate the audience’s understanding of the points you will make in the upcoming sections. Really think about the minimum amount of information you need. 3. Discussion – Provide specific details to help with your explanations. Support your claims and ideas with source material. Define technical terms that the audience will need to know to follow the discussion. There should be a section that connects your topic to sustainability per class activities/discussion of sustainability. 4. Conclusion – Very briefly provide closure to wrap up the poster. 5. References – Provide in-text citations and a list of references—both formatted properly in IEEE citation style. Reflected Skills This assignment helps students practice the following skills: • Repurposing content to suit a new audience and different writing task • Integrating graphic and limited written content to create a singular message • Writing concisely and clearly for a space constrained document • Organizing and selecting content in a meaningful and deliberate way • Using document design strategies to aid in reader understanding and comprehension • Being attentive to grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure Grading Criteria Your poster will be evaluated on (1) content, (2) organization, (3) document design, and (4) style, usage, grammar, and punctuation following the Content Outline above. Use this outline to review your poster, especially content and integration, before peer review and final submission. You will have three milestones for this assignment: a quick and messy draft, a first draft, a second draft, and a final draft. Each of these milestones will be graded for effort and completion as follows: ENGR 231: Introduction to Technical Communication • Quick and messy o A hand-written or typed document is uploaded to the Canvas assignment page by the end of the day on the appropriate due date. The quick and messy can be a mind map, outline, or other freeform tool that best helps you brainstorm and organize your thoughts. The quick and messy draft should only take 30 minutes to one hour and will be graded on completion (that you turned something in that looks like 30 minutes to one hour of brainstorming). • First draft o The first draft for this assignment should be a PowerPoint file that has all the required content to be called a complete draft of your poster turned into Canvas by the end of the day on the appropriate due date. You DO NOT need all your images/figures yet nor completed citations, however, you should place filler items to demonstrate how you plan on incorporating your figures in your design and within the text. o If you want personal feedback, leave a comment with your submission with up to TWO guiding questions for me to answer. • Second draft o The second draft should be a PowerPoint file that has all the required content to be called a complete draft of your poster plus revisions from the first draft turned into Canvas by the end of the day on the appropriate due date. You are expected to have most of your figures and citations done. The second draft should be polished enough such that with some peer review and additional minor revisions, you would be comfortable turning your poster in to the poster session for display.


Solar Tree: Plant Trees That Provide More Than Just Energy By Assia Zheng Date: 10/19/2020 With an increasingly high demand for traditional energy, society seeks to find alternative resources that are clean, renewable, affordable, and yet, efficient. Solar energy is one of the fastest-growing sustainable energy that is abundant and "free". It not only produces little waste but also can essentially lower the utility bill. Among all solar innovations in the developing industry, solar trees are one of the most extraordinary. This blog post discusses this new solar device and answers the four Ws: • What is solar energy? • What are solar trees? • Why solar trees? • Who should buy solar trees? Solar Energy VS. Traditional Energy Fig. 1. A massive amount of pollution is caused by firing traditional energies, such as burning coal. The toxic gas is produced worldwide, which affects so much beyond the quality of human life. [1] Until today, the vast majority of the energy we consume has been produced in traditional ways, such as burning coal, oil, or natural gas (Fig. 1). In 2019, according to the US energy information administration (EIA), there were 5,130 million metric tons of carbon dioxide [2] emission by fuel. The CO2 pollution generated by fossil fuel (fig. 2) combustion contributes more than 75% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and about 95% of total CO2 production in the US [3]. Aside from producing GHG, the pollution that traditional energies emits is often the leading cause of acid rain, smog, soil infertility, and other health-concerning problems [4]. Not to mention the detrimental effect on the ecosystem of mining those fossil fuels. Fig. 2. This chart shows CO2 pollution caused by burning fossil fuels from 1990 to 2019. Every year, almost 6,000 million tons of CO2 are being released into the atmosphere, which is highly concerning. [5] Solar energy, on the contrary, is 100% clean, abundant, and renewable. Firstly, it is available to harness every day in most parts of the world, with no GHG emissions (fig. 3). Secondly, solar energy systems reduce electricity costs. Households who install solar systems can have some degrees of freedom over their electricity generation and escape power outage nightmares. Lastly, solar panels are easy to produce in manufacturers with relatively low costing materials. Fig. 3. As shown in the left pie chart, 20% of the total energy consumed in 2019 was nonfossil (nuclear and renewable) energy. However, the CO2 Emission by Source pie chart (on the right) omitted nonfossil energy due to their sustainability. CO2 pollution emitted by nonfossils is too little to be considered. [6] Nevertheless, there are some disadvantages to solar energy. The system, including wiring, panels, and batteries, is quite expensive to install initially to the average household. Though, with the development of technology in this field, it is predicted that the price will reduce in the future. Solar energy is also entirely weather-dependent. Cloudy or rainy weather can dramatically affect harnessing efficiency. More importantly, although solar energy is clean, the production of the solar system is not. Manufacturing the system involves some hazardous materials, especially when making the photovoltaic system. However, overall, the pollution the solar system produce is far less than those emitted by burning traditional energies. [7] Trees That Harness Energy A solar tree is a solar system formed by a long ground-mounted pole and several solar panels. The panels are branched out in different directions and supported by the long steady pole. By branching out the panels in the air, the design gives the appearance of a tree and uses less land than other solar cultivation systems. [9] Fig. 4. This is a solar tree design blueprint by the company Spotlight Solar. It presents the variety and flexibility of solar trees. [8] Advantages of Solar Trees Solar trees' unique design makes them different from other solar systems. The panels at various locations form layers that enable them to gather sunlight from all angles at all times. The layers not only maximize the system's harnessing efficiency but makes a man- made high-tech energy system look natural and aesthetically pleasing. The supporting pole and branches can hide any dangerous wires, making their use suitable for any age group or scene. The design as a whole takes less space than the set-up of regular solar panels. [10] Moreover, solar trees can generate more than just electricity. They can serve as street lights at night, resting benches in the park, provide heating or cooling, and offer shades just like an ordinary tree. Due to their high functionality of solar trees, many local governments have been incorporating solar trees in city development. • Dubai Municipality installed solar trees on the beach, which act as a shaded resting spot, a charging station, and a weather forecaster [11]. The performance of solar trees is endless. • Singapore incorporated solar trees in its largest garden project, Gardens by the Bay. The designers included 18, at least 25 meters tall, solar trees called Supertrees (fig. 5). These Supertrees strive to help the Singapore government cut 0% of its carbon emissions [13]. Last but not least, implementing solar systems is strongly supported by the US government. Solar trees have qualifications for tax breaks. The tax credit is a federal policy called the Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) issued in 2006, which gives a 26% tax credit for solar systems installed in 2020 used both residentially and commercially. Since 2006, the Solar ITC has helped the US solar energy develop 10,000% [14]. Fig. 5. This picture of the Supertree Grove is taken by Hari K. Patibanda in 2013. Together, these 18 giant trees not only light up the garden at night with solar energy but also serve as a vertical hanging garden. [12] Best Buyers The concept of solar trees is relatively new, which causes the price of solar trees to be high. Depending on the energy generation power (unit: kW), the average cost of a solar tree can range from around $130,000 to $600,000 [15]. For example, the same powered tree can cost differently from Envision and Spotlight Solar. As a result, the system is not ready to be introduced to the average household yet. For now, solar panels can be a good option for residential buyers. However, solar trees can be utterly cost-effective for: • Governments can encourage using clean energy by installing in public areas, such as parks, airports, and zoos. • Institutions can set up solar trees to showcase an environmental-friendly energy system to the students. The marriage of design and new energy may also stimulate the students' interests in science and technology. • Private Companies can purchase solar trees and install them in front of their buildings. The trees not only can make a bold statement but also help save electricity bills. Conclusion Without a doubt, solar is one of the most sustainable and low-costing new energy right now. Solar trees are able to maximize harnessing efficiency due to the layered design and provide high functionality, such as generating electricity and providing Wi-Fi, as mentioned previously. Eliminating traditional energy, reducing GHG emissions drastically, and protecting the ecosystem is in the near future.


References
  • [1] A. Temsamani, Pollution from Industrial Factory.
  • [2] The US Energy Information Administration. U.S. Energy-Related Carbon Dioxide Emissions, 2019.
  • [3] The US Energy Information Administration. Energy and the Environment Explained: Where Greenhouse Gases Come From. Available: energy-and-the-environment/where-greenhouse-gases-come-from.php#:~:text=In%202018%2C%20carbon%20dioxide%20(CO2)%2C%20total%20U.S.%20%20anthropogenic%20CO2%20emissions.
  • [4] C. Nunez, “Carbon dioxide levels are at a record high. Here's what you need to know.,” National Geographic, 14-May-2019. [Online]. Available: https:// [Accessed: 19-Oct-2020].
  • [5] U.S. CO2 Emissions from Industrial Fuel, 2020.
  • [6] U.S. Energy Consumption and Energy-Related CO2 Emissions by Source, 2019. 2020.
  • [7] A. Vourvoulias, “Pros and Cons of Solar Energy,” GREENMATCH, 23-Sep-2020. [Online]. Available: of-solar-energy. [Accessed: 17-Oct-2020].
  • [8] Spotlight Solar. 2020.
  • [9] F. Hyder, K. Sudhakar, and R. Mamat, “Solar PV tree design: A review,” Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 10-Oct-2017. [Online]. Available: https:// [Accessed: 17-Oct-2020].
  • [10] S. Dey and B. Pesala, “Solar tree design framework for maximized power generation with minimized structural cost,” Renewable Energy, 04-Aug-2020. [Online]. Available: https:// [Accessed: 17-Oct-2020].

Related Assignments