An engineering education is not about getting answers, but about learning how to solve problems. Sound problem solving practices will result in better learning as well as better results. The following homework standards have been adopted for all courses taught in the ME program. Failure to follow these standards will result in the homework assignment being returned ungraded or marked off at the discretion of the instructor.
- Use engineering paper (Ampad) for all written homework. Write only on the front.
- All writing and diagrams should be clear and legible. Work should be well-organized.
- Staple all pages with the problems in order. Computer output can be either placed in order or in an appendix. All pages should be numbered, and your name should be on each page.
- Include the problem statement or brief summary of the problem statement. Your instructor should be able to solve the problem without referring to the text or homework handout.
- Clearly state any assumptions you made in the analysis.
- Reference where any properties or constants were obtained (for example, table or figure numbers).
- Start each problem with the basic governing equations and then reduce them for your specific application.
- Solve problems in symbolic form until it is time to obtain a numerical result.
- Clearly reveal your thinking. Your instructor should be able to follow the entire problem without asking what you did. Lengthy paragraphs are not necessary; a few words as a note will suffice.
- Show all of your work, including algebra. In most cases diagrams are necessary. The instructor should not have to guess how you arrived at an answer.
- Clearly delineate the “answer” by some method such as box, underline, etc. Include units in your answers.
- Clearly delineate where each problem ends and the next problem begins.