In the 40’s engineers were identified by pocket protectors, visors, and engineering journals or log books. In the 60’s visors were out and engineers were known by their pocket protectors and carrying a journal everywhere they went. In the late 70’s and early 80’s, with the widespread adoption of computers, pocket protectors lost favor with the engineering community. Today’s practicing engineer still holds firmly to his engineering journal. If the engineer has be practicing for more than 10 years he/she will most likely use a physical bound journal.
If practicing less than 10 years then they tend to choose an electronic journal on a laptop or handheld device.
A decade or two ago undergraduate engineering programs taught and stressed the importance and uses cases for keeping an engineering journal. However, with the recent popularity in academic engineering programs to hire researchers without any actual engineering experience, aspiring undergraduate engineering students are not being taught the need nor purposes for such a vital record.
This video instructs new and aspiring mechanical engineers, aerospace engineers, and automotive engineers in a recommended process for keeping an engineering journal over the course of this video series. Throughout the Engineering Design, Modeling and Graphics video series students are encouraged to use their engineering journal as the location for note taking, showing improved pictorial and orthographic sketching, taking quizzes, keeping time logs, etc. It is also an excellent place for recording your personal creative ideas, that may or may not lead to a patent or product.
This course provides ample opportunity for the dedicated student to practice and get comfortable in the many purposes and roles served by keeping an engineering journal.
Leave a Reply