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For Introduction to engineering courses.
Inspire self-guided inquiry with an active learning model
Thinking Like an Engineer: An Active Learning Approach, 4th Edition is designed to facilitate an active learning environment for first year engineering courses. The authors incorporate a model of learning that encourages self-guided inquiry and advances students beyond “plug-and-chug” and memorization of problem-solving methods. Checkpoints throughout each chapter provide worked out problem sets for students to solve using their own logic, before they are ready to tackle more difficult problems. An emphasis on reading and practice before class prepares students for in-class activities that reinforce the chapter’s material. Students arrive prepared for class, allowing instructors to spend class time focusing on active learning through collaborative problem-solving, computer-based activities, and hands-on experiments that encourage guided inquiry. The 4th Edition provides new material and revisions based on input from instructors and students, as well as current software releases.
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Elizabeth A. Stephan is the Director of the General Engineering Program at Clemson University. She earned a BS in Chemical Engineering from The University of Akron. During her undergraduate work, she completed a cooperative education experience with Dow Chemical in Midland, MI, conducted research on coal purification methods, and was named the College of Engineering Outstanding Senior. After graduation, she was employed by Boride, a wholly owned subsidiary of Dow Chemical in Traverse City, MI, specializing in high-performance ceramics. She returned to The University of Akron on a College of Engineering Fellowship, earning her PhD in Chemical Engineering focusing on multiphase transport processes. She has taught at The University of Akron and Wayne College, and served in several postdoctoral positions. She joined the faculty at Clemson in January, 2002 in the General Engineering Program, assuming the role of Director in 2007. Beth has served as a national official as a district director in Tau Beta Pi, the engineering honor society, since 1996. She is the chief advisor for the South Carolina Alpha Chapter of Tau Beta Pi, and an advisor for the Clemson chapter of Alpha Omega Epsilon, a professional sorority.
David R. Bowman has been teaching in the General Engineering Program at Clemson University since January, 2006. He earned his degrees from Clemson University, including a BS and MS in Computer Engineering and is currently pursuing a PhD. A member of ASEE, David has experience in the design and development of software tools for engineering education research and pedagogy. During his undergraduate and graduate work, David hosted All Screams Considered, an award winning radio show on WSBF-FM, whose name apes the popular NPR program All Things Considered. In addition to broadcasting, David enjoys performing music on acoustic, electric, and bass guitars.
William J. Park is currently an associate professor in the Engineering and Science Education Department at Clemson University. Following a few years as a cattle farmer, he completed three degrees at Clemson University: a BS in Ornamental Horticulture with a particular emphasis on xerophytic plants, an MS in Electrical Engineering focusing on electronic music synthesis, and a PhD in Electrical Engineering conducting research in electronic countermeasures. Bill is currently faculty advisor for a student team renovating a very large 1970’s vintage electronic organ, and is a moderately accomplished pianist.
Benjamin L. Sill is Alumni Professor Emeritus of Civil Engineering, having retired in 2008 after 32 years at Clemson University. He earned a BS and MS from N.C. State University in Aerospace Engineering and a PhD from Virginia Tech in Aerospace and Ocean Engineering. Before he joined Clemson, Ben was employed by the Naval Ordnance Station, Indian Head, MD, and by Duke Power Company, Charlotte, NC. At Clemson, he was a founder of Clemson’s Wind Load Test Facility. Beginning in 1999 he served as the Director of Clemson’s General Engineering Program. In 2007, he helped establish a new Engineering and Science Education Department at Clemson, and served as its chair until his retirement. He is the recipient of numerous teaching and research awards, including the prestigious Clemson Class of 1939 Award. Outside the university, he gives numerous presentations with topics ranging from humorous to educational — including talks on ancient coins, old maps, wildflowers, houseplants, snakes, birds, and hurricanes. Ben has authored three bird books, has published technical articles on snakes, frogs, fish, volleyball, and bromeliads and has created and registered many new bromeliad hybrids.
Matthew W. Ohland is currently an associate professor of Engineering Education at Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN. He earned a BS in Engineering and a BA in Religion from Swarthmore College, MS degrees in both Mechanical Engineering and Materials Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and a PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of Florida. Matt was an NSF postdoctoral fellow for science, mathematics, engineering, and technology education and joined the faculty of General Engineering at Clemson University in 2001. In 2006, he joined the faculty at Purdue University. He was the 2002-2006 National President of Tau Beta Pi, the engineering honor society. He currently serves as the Chair of the Educational Research and Methods division and an ABET Program Evaluator for the American Society of Engineering Education, on the Administrative Committee of the IEEE Education Society, and as the Chair of the Steering Committee of the IEEE Transactions on Learning Technology.
Part 1
Engineering Essentials
Engineering is an . . . Itch!
Chapter 1
Everyday Engineering
1.1 Choosing a Career
1.2 Choosing Engineering as a Career
1.3 NAE Grand Challenges for Engineering
1.4 Choosing a Specific Engineering Field
1.5 Engineering Technology–A Related Field
1.6 Gathering Information
1.7 Pursuing Student Opportunities
Review Questions
Chapter 2
Ethics
2.1 Ethical Decision Making
2.2 Plagiarism
2.3 Engineering Creed
2.4 Social Responsibility
In-Class Activities
Review Questions
Chapter 3
Design, Teamwork, and Project Management
3.1 Design Processes
3.2 Defining the Problem or Need
3.3 Criteria: Defining What Is Important
3.4 Generating Ideas
3.5 Comparing Designs and Making Decisions
3.6 Prototyping and Testing
3.7 Sustainability–A Special Design Criterion
3.8 Working in Teams
3.9 Experimental Design: PERIOD Analysis
3.10 Project Timeline
3.11 Modern Project Management
In-Class Activities
Review Questions
Mini Design Projects
Chapter 4
Engineering Communication
4.1 Basic Presentation Skills
4.2 Sample Presentations
4.3 Basic Technical Writing Skills
4.4 Common Technical Communication Formats
In-Class Activities
Review Questions
Chapter 5
Estimation
5.1 General Hints for Estimation
5.2 Estimation by Analogy
5.3 Estimation by Aggregation
5.4 Estimation by Upper and Lower Bounds
5.5 Estimation Using Modeling
5.6 Significant Figures
5.7 Reasonableness
5.8 Notation
In-Class Activities
Review Questions
Chapter 6
Solving Problems
6.1 Problem Types
6.2 SOLVEM–One Approach to Solving Problems
6.3 Representing Final Results
6.4 Avoiding Common Mistakes
6.5 Examples of SOLVEM
Review Questions
Part 2
Ubiquitous Units
Chapter 7
Fundamental Dimensions and Base Units
7.1 The Metric System
7.2 Other Unit Systems
7.3 Conversion Procedure for Units
7.4 Conversions Involving Multiple Steps
7.5 Conversions Involving “New” Units
7.6 Derived Dimensions and Units
7.7 Equation Laws
7.8 Conversion Involving Equations
In-Class Activities
Review Questions
Chapter 8
Universal Units
8.1 Force
8.2 Weight
8.3 Density
8.4 Amount
8.5 Temperature
8.6 Pressure
8.7 Gas Pressure
8.8 Energy
8.9 Power
8.10 Efficiency
8.11 Electrical Concepts
In-Class Activities
Review Questions
Chapter 9
Dimensionless Numbers
9.1 Constants with Units
9.2 Common Dimensionless Numbers
9.3 Dimensional Analysis
9.4 Rayleigh’s Method
In-Class Activities
Review Questions
Part 3
Scrupulous Worksheets
Chapter 10
Excel Workbooks
10.1 Cell References
10.2 Functions in Excel
10.3 Logic and Conditionals
10.4 Lookup and Data Validation
10.5 Conditional Formatting
10.6 Sorting and Filters
In-Class Activities
Review Questions
Chapter 11
Graphical Solutions
11.1 Graphing Terminology
11.2 Proper Plots
11.3 Available Graph Types in Excel
11.4 Graph Interpretation
11.5 Meaning of Line Shapes
11.6 Graphical Solutions
In-Class Activities
Review Questions
Chapter 12
Models and Systems
12.1 Proper Plot Rules for Trendlines
12.2 Linear Functions
12.3 Linear Relationships
12.4 Combinations of Linear Relationships
12.5 Power Functions
12.6 Exponential Functions
In-Class Activities
Review Questions
Chapter 13
Mathematical Models
13.1 Selecting a Trendline Type
13.2 Interpreting Logarithmic Graphs
13.3 Proper Plot Rules for Log Plots
13.4 Converting Scales to Log in Excel
13.5 Dealing with Limitations of Excel
In-Class Activities
Review Questions
Chapter 14
Statistics
14.1 Histograms
14.2 Statistical Behavior
14.3 Distributions
14.4 Cumulative Distribution Functions
14.5 Statistical Process Control (SPC)
14.6 Statistics in Excel
14.7 Statistics in MATLAB
In-Class Activities
Review Questions
Part 4
Programming Prowess
Chapter 15
MATLAB Basics
15.1 Variable Basics
15.2 Numeric Types and Scalars
15.3 Vectors
15.4 Matrices
15.5 Character Strings
15.6 Cell Arrays
15.7 Structure Arrays
In-Class Activities
Review Questions
Chapter 16
Algorithms, Programs, and Functions
16.1 Algorithms
16.2 Programs
16.3 Functions
16.4 Deriving Mathematical Models
16.5 Debugging MATLAB Code
In-Class Activities
Review Questions
Chapter 17
Input/Output in MATLAB
17.1 Input
17.2 Output
17.3 Plotting
17.4 Trendlines
17.5 Microsoft Excel I/O
In-Class Activities
Review Questions
Chapter 18
Logic and Conditionals
18.1 Algorithms Revisited–Representing Decisions
18.2 Relational and Logical Operators
18.3 Logical Variables
18.4 Conditional Statements in MATLAB
18.5 Application: Classification Diagrams
18.6 switch Statements
18.7 Errors and Warnings
In-Class Activities
Review Questions
Chapter 19
Looping Structures
19.1 Algorithms Revisited–Loops 19.2 while Loops
19.3 for Loops
In-Class Activities
Review Questions
Comprehension Check Answers
Index
Equation Tables
MATLAB Graphing Properties
Appendix A: Basic Engineering Math–Online
Appendix B: Basic Workbooks–Online
Appendix C: Basic Excel Graphs–Online
Appendix D: Basic Excel Trendlines–Online
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