Resources for Undergraduate Researchers

Participant Handbook (.pdf) (.doc) - Vital information for RCS participants.

Task Plan (.pdf) (.doc) - Important task plan for researchers.

Rubric - This is the rubric by which deliverables will be evaluated. In three parts: 
Scientific Argumentation and Organization;
Words, Sentences, and Semantic Units;
Grammar, Punctuation, and Document Design;
or available as one single document (all in .pdf format).

Journal Articles for Researchers:

• Publication Ethics: Rights and Wrongs - This article, from the journal Chemical & Engineering News, a publication of the American Chemical Society, will be found useful for general paper-writing guidelines.

Useful links for researchers - See this links page for a wealth of information ranging from dissertation writing to job searching.

USC Writing Center - The Writing Center at USC is open to any students seeking guidance in writing. See this page for more information on the Writing Center.

Professional Communcations Center Program at the College of Engineering - This article (.pdf) outlines the structure and goals of the USC College of Engineering.

Information on Preparation of Research Papers:

• Grammar and style tips (.pdf)
• Checklist for finding common stylistic problems in writing (.pdf)
• Collaborative writing checklist (.pdf)
• Guide for responding to written work (.pdf)
• Nominalizations (important grammar tips) (.pdf)

Other Resources for Participants:

• See the RCS forms.
• See the handbook for RCS students (.pdf) (.doc).
• Find out how faculty and research advisors can nominate students.

Writing Handbook References for Engineers

Brusaw, C., G. Alred, and W. Oliu, 1993. Handbook of Technical Writing. 4th Ed. New York: St. Martin’s Press.

Campbell, E. 1995. ESL Resource Book for Engineers and Scientists. New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.

Eisenberg, A. 1992. Guide to Technical Editing: Discussion, Dictionary, and Exercises. New York, Oxford University Press.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Engineering. 1994. S. Parker, Editor-in-Chief. New York: McGraw-Hill.

The New Penguin Dictionary of Science. 1998. M. Clugston, ed. New York: Penguin Putnam Inc.

Swales, J. and C. Feak. Academic Writing for Graduate Students: A Course for Nonnative Speakers of English. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.