Self-Assessment Essay

Karim Khalil

Department of English, CCNY

ENGL 20107: Writing for Engineering

Prof: Sara Jacobson

May 19, 2025

 

 

 

Throughout the semester of ENGL 21007, I have developed as a writer through the projects we completed. Each assignment forced me to think about audiences, use rhetorical strategies, and approach writing as technical and as communication. Reading through my portfolio, the technical report on the GPU, the project group’s smart fridge proposal, and the rhetorical analysis of the article on control systems education—it’s clear I’ve made significant progress on most of the course’s learning objectives in addition to reframing what and how writing happens in engineering workplaces.

My most enlightening objective for the semester was the discovery of how contexts in rhetoric affect writing. When technically defining a GPU, I had to be aware of the audience for whom I was presenting it. I had to explain complex internal and exterior components like CUDA cores, VRAM, and PCIe interfaces in language understandable to engineering majors as well as the general technical audience. I utilized neat layout and clear headings and descriptive language in order to meet the demands of this form of discourse. Doing this made me aware of how essential it was to shift language and structure to audience and functions. something never really crossed my mind before learning in this class.

In Smart Fridge Proposal work, I researched on digital technologies, synthesized studies, and collaborated with classmates. Most appropriate for the learning objective of summary, analysis, synthesis, and argumentation was the project. My contribution to the project, specifically the AI and Connectivity section, was borrowing from technical and scholarly sources and integrating them into argumentative discourse establishing the viability of the product and social implications. I also gained experience in researching credible sources and evaluating them for validity and bias through both the CCNY library database and reports from the industry. This allowed me to read and apply the information in a more critical manner and apply it in the project.

In the Lab Report analysis, I examined rhetorical strategies in a research paper in an academic setting. I learned in detail how the authors utilized logos, structure, and audience appeals to argue for the upgrade of control system engineering education with MATLAB. In composing this report, I accomplished the objective of “recognizing and practicing key rhetorical terms.” I also had to revise my analysis multiple times over, in which I learned the skill of drafting, editing, and revising my ideas. I discovered that revision is not only about fixing grammar, but also about making things clearer, logical, and persuasive.

The communal nature of the Smart Fridge project enabled me to grow in reading, writing, and editing in an integrated context. Collective writing required me to express ideas more clearly, take into perspective various opinions, and combine different writing styles into one document. In this process was revealed the realization that writing goes beyond individual efforts; it is a group effort with the input of various people.

A critical shift in my thinking about writing has been realizing its equivalence to technical skill sets as coding or designing. Beforehand, I had seen writing as separate from an engineer’s goals. Now I know that writing is the tool through which engineers get to communicate complex issues in proposals, in manuals, and in reports. For example, the Smart Fridge proposal had two aspects; it was technical as well as persuasive—both to explain the functionalities of LiDAR sensors and at the same time convincing the client of the offering value and newness of the product.

I have also realized that people can be included—or excluding depending on the level of inclusiveness of the writing. Technical writing which ignores readers’ environments, or uses unnecessarily technical terminology, can exclude people. This has made me more considerate of the language used and the need for readability. And it has also made me appreciate the task of writing in equity—whether it is using inclusive design on our fridge, or documenting GPU hardware in plain English.

I also have some areas which I am still working on mastering. For example, although I have read over the conventions of citing and have applied APA in a few of my assignments, I need to feel more confident and consistent in correctly citing sources. I have also been trying out voice and tone in the smart fridge project but would love to try out more varied tone for different genres and audiences.

In general, the course has changed my outlook on writing. Writing is not just a way of handing in assignments—it’s an engineering tool for communicating worth using. I now think of writing as synthesis of research with strategy and creativity. I’m not just a better writer, but more importantly a better communicator capable of clarifying, convincing, and teamwork through practice, critique, and self-reflection. Writing is not something I “have” to do anymore—but something I enjoy as part of what I’ll be doing.