Communication skills for engineering scholars

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Communication skills for engineering scholars

Instructor: Nicoletta Di Blas

3,849 already enrolled

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5 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

31 reviews

Beginner level

Recommended experience

8 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

5 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

31 reviews

Beginner level

Recommended experience

8 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Rhetoric and argumentation, how to be clear and persuasive in the domain of engineering studies.

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

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Assessments

5 assignments

Taught in English

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There are 5 modules in this course

The course teaches engineering scholars how to improve their communication skills, based on theory, examples and practical exercises.

In this week, you will learn the first three canons of rhetoric: invention (how to find what to say), arrangement (how to organize what to say) and style (how to “dress ideas in words”). Moreover, you will learn how to take into consideration the “common ground” (mutual knowledge, beliefs…) between you and your addressee as a fundamental pre-requisite for good communication.

What's included

5 videos2 readings1 assignment

In this week, you will learn some elements of argumentation theory: what we mean by “argumentation”, how we reason when making arguments and based on what assumptions, some examples of argumentation strategies as well as of “fallacies”.

What's included

5 videos2 readings1 assignment2 discussion prompts

5 videos Total 29 minutes

Argumentation: introduction 3 minutes
The rhetorical syllogism 7 minutes
Ways to argument 5 minutes
Quasi-logic arguments 7 minutes
Fallacies 6 minutes

2 readings Total 20 minutes

Let's practice 10 minutes
Week 2- References 10 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

New Quiz 30 minutes

2 discussion prompts Total 20 minutes

Mary dyed her hair green 10 minutes
The going backward dialogue 10 minutes

In this week, you will learn some tricks on how to enhance your public speaking: how to use your voice, gestures, movements; how to deal with the time you are given; how to prepare your slides. Eventually, you will “experience” what it means to listen.

What's included

5 videos2 readings1 assignment

5 videos Total 44 minutes

How to present in public: Introduction 3 minutes
The context of the speech 13 minutes
Tools to support public speaking 9 minutes
The performance: voice, gestures, movements 11 minutes
What it means to listen 8 minutes

2 readings Total 20 minutes

Let's practice 10 minutes
Week 3 - References 10 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

New Quiz 30 minutes

In this week, you will learn the basics of grant-writing: how to structure your proposal, write a powerful executive summary and “get ahead” of the reviewer.

What's included

5 videos2 readings1 assignment

5 videos Total 39 minutes

How to write a project proposal: introduction 5 minutes
Diffusion of innovations theory 8 minutes
The executive summary 9 minutes
Starting point, goal, state of the art 8 minutes
Method, plan, resources, proponents 9 minutes

2 readings Total 20 minutes

Let's practice 10 minutes
Week 4 - References 10 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

New Quiz 30 minutes

In this week, you will learn how to structure a scientific paper, write a good abstract, not drawn in the state of the art and show that the results are valuable.

What's included

6 videos2 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt

6 videos Total 50 minutes

How to write a scientific paper: introduction 5 minutes
Scientific papers: main sections & the abstract 9 minutes
Scientific papers: how to start - the introduction 9 minutes
Scientific papers: the state of the art 7 minutes
Scientific papers: how to review a paper 10 minutes
On the relevance of relevance 11 minutes

2 readings Total 20 minutes

Let's practice 10 minutes
Week 5 - Reference 10 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

New Quiz 30 minutes

1 discussion prompt Total 10 minutes

Let's practice 10 minutes

Instructor

Instructor ratings

(9 ratings)

Nicoletta Di Blas

Politecnico di Milano

1 Course 3,849 learners

Offered by

Politecnico di Milano

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Reviewed on Jan 28, 2022

Very informative and has a comprehensive discussion on relevant communication skills that is essential to the engineering industry.

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