A Note on Researching / Reading Comprehension

com·pre·hen·sion || noun || the act of understanding or grasping with intellect

The first step to any successful design project is to perform thorough background research on every topic which may be relevant. One common trait of great designer engineers is they out-research their peers and competitors. The most common mistakes students make early each semester, is fundamentally failing to comprehend the research provided in the course, as well as failing to conduct additional research on topics not fully understood. The reasons are either inexperience (i.e. not knowing how to properly research), or laziness (i.e. lacking the will to properly research). This section is intended to help solve the first reason, as only you can fix the second.

A complete analysis of the problem and pertinent information prior to design ensures informed decisions can be made. More time spent researching components of the design in the beginning will dramatically reduce time spent on redesigns in the future. The background research for this course has been refined over many semesters to contain the important information associated with each aspect of the project. Do not stop conducting research until you have gained strong comprehension of each potentially pertinent topic.

Below are some tips to help you as you embark on (hopefully) out-researching your peers and competitors this semester:

How do I know when I strong comprehend a topic?

1. Can you speak intelligently about the topic without the use of reference materials?

2. Do you understand how the topic may be applicable to the project?

How do I continue researching a topic I don’t strongly comprehend?

1. Search for synonyms and related terms. An initial search will not yield all relevant info. Use unknown terms from preliminary sources as keywords for subsequent research. If the results don’t help, conduct an Internet image search to discover the formal names for the item(s) you are researching, and then perform a proper keyword search.

2. Focus in on key terms and modifiers. Broad searches will yield a variety of results which may be useful when initializing research, but these topics need to be refined as a project is focused. For example, a search for the term “wheels” will result in a range of automotive wheels; however, by narrowing the search through the use of modifiers to “robot wheels,” the results become more appropriate for applications in the course project.

3. Understand Google search inputs. The search phrases used in Google can be manipulated to vary the quality and relevance of results. Some tips and tricks for search phrases can be found at: https://www.google.com/intl/br/insidesearch/tipstricks/all.html.

4. Keep track of sources. Keeping a list of sources and information gathered from each will allow for easier citation and recall of concepts.

5. Realize Google isn’t the only way to conduct research. Every student passing through the class has a friend who has already completed it. Since the core structure of the course hasn’t changed much over the past few semesters, these students can be a wealth of information if asked the proper questions. Many times talking with a friend or course TA will allow you to learn keywords which you can research on your own to decide how pertinent they may be to the current design project.