MEC3203

1. MEC3203 Assignment 2 Prepared and presented by the Faculty Librarian

2. Finding and using information in the problem solving process Stage 1: What is the assignment asking you to do? Stage 5: Evaluate work to ensure that all marking criteria met Stage 2: What useful knowledge do you already possess? Stage 4: Synthesise new information with your existing knowledge Stage 3: What’s left that you need to find out?

3. Stage 1 – Using provided documentation to get started Lack of familiarity with documentation → problems completing complex task Two sets of documentation - assignment task documentation and failure/crash documentation Familiarity with marking criteria helps you determine the quality and quantity of evidence (from the literature) required For example: • A1 – your knowledge must be supported and further evidence included • A2 – your delineation of the problem must be supported and justified • B3 – materials selection method must be applied with support or justification You provide evidence, support and justification by: • Using sound and systematic engineering thinking • Applying and referring to engineering literature that supports your interpretations, analyses, etc Shows your marker why you are right to say the things you do

4. Stage 1 – Challenging your assumptions Be careful about any assumptions that you make – your assumptions will guide your definition of the problem and the subsequent failure analysis and materials selection tasks While some assumptions may reasonably be made to move on with the job, others may not be reasonable For example: • Assumptions about appropriate methods for collecting further evidence (the tests or simulations to be performed) may be appropriate • Rather than guessing the inline hydraulic pressure for the stud pipe, check on previous studies or handbooks to identify a likely rate • Assumptions about appropriate maintenance scheduling may be appropriate.

5. Stage 1 – Planning for success Document a plan of attack – it doesn’t have to be detailed: • Identify and record what is required by the assignment questions and marking criteria • Develop an assignment structure on the basis of these – use headings to organise your structure • Then you’ll be able to add into the appropriate sections the things that you already know (including references) • And you’ll be able to add in your research findings (including references) The piece will be building as you go and - you will stay organised and save yourself time in the long run Give yourself time to work through two or three drafts Give yourself time to have a couple of days break before your final draft – you’ll see your work with fresh eyes

6. Stage 2 – Identifying useful existing knowledge & information Your knowledge gaps and information needs fall from your initial analysis You will have some knowledge to draw on and some immediate sources of information provided on StudyDesk: • Assignment 1 set you up with your basic knowledge • Insights to be gained from the consultant’s report: • Application of appropriate methods of analysis • Mistakes or errors that may have been made / questionable assumptions • Consider the information already provided – which resources are likely to meet which of your information needs? If you’re not sure, check out this guide

7. Stage 2 – Documenting what you know If you didn’t create that plan or an assignment structure to guide you through the process, you need to as it will help guide your learning (and set you up for good grades) Place what you know or have ready access to into your structure For example: • Key information that you’ve identified from the failure/crash documentation • Fundamental technical information that you can obtain from the ASM Handbooks Online & ASM Failure Analysis Centre Together these will help you place a first layer of flesh onto your structure – and they’ll encourage you to continue your research in a logical manner Add your references now – you don’t want to spend time chasing them up the night before the assignment’s due

8. Stage 3: Identifying your information needs Re-read and review the failure/crash documentation and resources carefully – they are the basis of the assignment: • Critique them carefully – read them with an open mind, don’t just take everything at face value • What evidence and examples do you need to judge the analyses and conclusions? • Are there frameworks to guide your decision making? Handbooks are a great source here • Will other research papers or advanced level books inform you? • Should you look for similar examples/situations in the literature? Where will you find that evidence? Use the Assignment 1 & 2 Research Support resource on StudyDesk (Steven has placed it in the Assignment Guides ... section) Think about the kinds of evidence you need and where that evidence may be found. Have a look at this breakdown of the resources that Steven has provided

9. Stage 3: Finding and evaluating evidence Again, place your research findings into your assignment structure Have a look at the information you’ve gathered: • Do you have all of the evidence that you need to back your failure analysis or materials selection? • Can you explain your decisions fully in your assignment? • Are your assumptions appropriate and well explained? If not, you may need to do more research Remember to include your references (in-text and reference list) Don’t just assume that you can trust what you read – this is a third level course – you should be evaluating information for yourself by now If you’re not sure how to evaluate information, use this guide designed especially for Engineering information

10. Stage 4: Synthesising Synthesis is vital to genuine and long-term learning: You come to the assignment with an existing knowledge base You research and read new information while doing the assignment The assignment tasks give you a framework to think about this new information in light of the things that you already know – a framework to help you “think like an engineer” And so your professional knowledge base develops through your assignment work

11. Stage 4: Demonstrating your knowledge Consider the big picture (where you want to go) and the detail (how you’re going to get there) Big picture: • Review the marking criteria – now that you’re gaining more knowledge, you may understand the marking criteria differently –you want to be sure that you present your new knowledge for maximum grades  • Look at what you planned to achieve – it’s your road map The detail: • Don’t assume that the marker will figure out that you know it – he won’t, and you won’t get marks that you deserve • Explain why you think what you’re saying & how you know it (evidence) • Good paragraph structure will help you achieve this

12. Stage 4: Writing good paragraphs Paragraph structure guides your reader – it makes your written work easier to understand and showcases your hard work Use this “formula” as a guide to effective paragraph writing: • First sentence = presents main idea/point • Next two or three sentences = elaborates on the main idea and provide evidence to support it • Final sentence = wraps up this idea and leads into your next idea which comes in a new paragraph The Learning Centre provides some online resources to help you with your writing, and you can also get someone there to review your work and help you with particular issues

13. Stage 5: Evaluating your work Like initial planning, quality checking is vital: • Go back to your initial analysis – make sure that you’ve done everything that you’d planned to • Double check the marking criteria – be sure that you’ve met them all • Proof read your work, better yet, get someone else to proof read it If writing is not your strength, ask The Learning Centre to look at a later draft of your work. They’ll give you great advice for improving your written work

14. If you need help finding information To contact Off-Campus Services Telephone: 1800 063 632 Email (to USQAssist): offcamp@usq.edu.au To contact the Faculty Librarian directly Telephone: 07 4631 2673 Email: sandra.cochrane@usq.edu.au To contact your campus library Toowoomba Information Desk: 4631 2109 Springfield: 3470 4247 Fraser Coast: 4194 3148 The Learning Centre Contact details: http://www.usq.edu.au/learnteach/ltsu/contactus Online resources: http://www.usq.edu.au/learningcentre/alsonline Making appointments: http://www.usq.edu.au/learningcentre/consult

15. Resource types fulfil particular information needs Professional and scholarly sources – generally much more reliable source of high quality information with good technical detail: • Handbooks, journal articles, conference papers and scholarly and professional books (Assignment 1 & 2 Support resource will help you find these sources) • Australian Transport Safety Bureau documentation and investigator’s presentation and question/answer session (found in MEC3203 Workshop 1 – 28.4.2011 under Video Resources Links section) Popular sources are good starting points but should not be carefully considered for quality and should not be relied upon to meet your learning needs. To develop a professional knowledge base, you need to know much, much more than the layperson: • Television programs • YouTube videos (you should also ensure that you know who made these videos – it will help you judge their value to you) • Wikipedia Back to Indentifying your information needs page