# I found a small page on Cecil **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [April 18, 2006, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-a-small-page-on-cecil/353207 "2006-04-18T19:57:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-a-small-page-on-cecil/353207/21 "2006-04-20T05:14:06Z")
> [@Sage Rat](#): > > I’m a software engineer, and I can say quite definitely that being able to write coherently is an important trait for anyone who hopes not to have to be the only person who can ever edit the code he wrote. Valid. But software engineering, a relatively new inclusion to the field of engineering (and the subject of a debate over whether it’s engineering at all or something else entirely), was presumably outside of the spectrum **Fear Itself** was referring to, which is the EE/ME/CE triad. Software engineering also involves much more writing than other traditional engineering fields (IIUC) and anyway most popular coding languages’s commands are based on actual English words, so good spelling by contact is almost a given. FWIW, my dad’s in a traditional engineering field and his spelling is among the worst of any highly-educated person I know. His grammar, though, is nearly impeccable. Go figure. ---
**Author:** ![flight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbce88/32.png) [@flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flight)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-a-small-page-on-cecil/353207/22 "2006-04-20T14:27:00Z")
> [@fetus](#): > > Valid. But software engineering, a relatively new inclusion to the field of engineering (and the subject of a debate over whether it’s engineering at all or something else entirely), was presumably outside of the spectrum **Fear Itself** was referring to, which is the EE/ME/CE triad. My AE buddies and I would like to have a word with you about that. That is, after attending your lectures just to make fun of your factors of safety. ---
**Author:** ![zut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zut/32/2875_2.png) [@zut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zut)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-a-small-page-on-cecil/353207/23 "2006-04-20T15:40:20Z")
> [@What Exit?](#): > > It is a common joke that Engineering Students (as in EE, ME and IE) cannot write well. The joke is/was somewhat factual to the point that Engineering Students were required\* to take Compositional writing classes as one of their Electives. Accredited engineering programs (including ME/IE/EE/CE, as well as aero and software engineering, among others) are required to “demonstrate that their graduates have… an ability to communicate effectively.” Exactly how that is demonstrated is up to the program itself, but it’s typically understood that engineering graduates should be able to put together a written report as well as oral presentations. Program evaluators would typically look for evidence that students are required to do this somewhere in the curriculum, and look for evidence that these reports/presentations are of some reasonable quality. -zut, volunteer engineering program evaluator ---
**Author:** ![zut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zut/32/2875_2.png) [@zut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zut)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-a-small-page-on-cecil/353207/24 "2006-04-20T16:10:45Z")
Which, (to reply to myself) neither negates nor supports Jim’s point. However, it’s interesting to note that of all required skills, engineering employers rank the “communication” as the most important , ahead of (by a nose) such things as “applying engineering” and “engineering problem solving.” (According to a recent [report (pdf)](http://www.abet.org/Linked%20Documents-UPDATE/White%20Papers/Engineering%20Change.pdf).) However, a full 25% of employers consider recent graduates to not be adequately prepared in communication skills. So. Reason enough to think this is an area where curricula could be improved. -zut, pedantic doofus ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-a-small-page-on-cecil/353207/25 "2006-04-20T16:49:18Z")
> [@Crotalus](#): > > I think it may have been the “ur” and the lack of punctuation and capitalization in the quoted sentence. Correct! Glad we could keep all of that inside Ohio. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-a-small-page-on-cecil/353207/26 "2006-04-20T17:00:16Z")
> [@flight](#): > > My AE buddies and I would like to have a word with you about that. That is, after attending your lectures just to make fun of your factors of safety. I have no idea what on Earth you’re talking about. This thread has been hijacked pretty far. It’s a joke, people. Chill out. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-a-small-page-on-cecil/353207/27 "2006-04-20T18:12:00Z")
> [@fetus](#): > > > [@flight](#): > > > > My AE buddies and I would like to have a word with you about that. That is, after attending your lectures just to make fun of your factors of safety. > > I have no idea what on Earth you’re talking about. Q.E.D. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-a-small-page-on-cecil/353207/28 "2006-04-20T18:19:49Z")
> [@fetus](#): > > It’s a joke, people. Chill out. Word. I thought it was funny, anyway. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-a-small-page-on-cecil/353207.md?page=1)