GUIDELINES FOR WRITTEN WORK

Typical Homework Assignments Involving Calculations

The elements in a good solution will allow...

the grader (or your client, or a checker in your own firm) to check the steps you used to reach a solution. If the solution differs from what is expected, a clear presentation of your solution will help locate where the disparity arose. Showing intermediate steps and calculations clearly is a good habit to acquire in an educational setting and in actual engineering practice.
you to locate and use your HW solutions more efficiently during an open-notes test.

The elements in a good solution will probably include some or all of the following items:

Problem ID. Don't just use a number. Include a descriptive name for the problem, such as "Horizontal Curve around building". Normally, a problem developed and assigned by Prof. Fricker will have a problem name attached to it. If so, just transfer that Problem ID to your solutions.
Input data. If you must assemble data from a source other than the problem statement, state the source of the data you plan to use.
Assumptions. If, in the absence of enough information in the problem statement, you must use judgment to determine what conditions exist or which of several solution procedures to use, state your ideas clearly.
Equations and references.
- If you use equations in the course textbook, simply put the equation number near where you used it. For example, writing "FTE (3.11)" will save you having to write out the equation before you enter the values its variables call for.
- If you must get equations or a procedure from a source other than the textbook, be sure to give credit to that source. By doing so, you will also be giving credit to yourself for being so resourceful.
- In giving credit to a source for some idea or fact, simply put the name and date of the source (e.g., Smith 2006) in or at the end or the sentence. Put the full citation in an alphabetical list of references at the end of the document you are preparing.
Comments on solution. A number with a box drawn around it may not be enough. The problem may call for a conclusion or recommendation based on the numerical value. Or the solution may indicate that something was wrong with the problem or the situation being studied. (Examples: Negative speeds, costs, or wait times.) Please remember to add such comments to your solution.
Good organization and format. For assignments longer than two pages, number the pages. For extended sections of text, allow room for grader comments by using 1.5 or double spaced lines. A good resource for formatting manuscripts is The Modern Language Association Format.

Updated 10 August 2014.