IDENTIFYING DATA 2013_14
Subject (*) TECHNICAL ENGLISH Code 20224129
Study programme
Degree of Mechanical Engineering (2010)
 Cycle 1st
Descriptors Credits Type Year Period
3 Compulsory Fourth Second
Language
Català
Department English and German Studies
Coordinator
RUEDA RAMOS, MARIA DEL CARMEN
 E-mail carmen.rueda@urv.cat
Lecturers
RUEDA RAMOS, MARIA DEL CARMEN
Web
General description and relevant information This course aims to introduce students to the main characteristics of technical English in the field of mechanical engineering. The objectives of the course are to help students improve their linguistic competence in English at level B1 in CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference). Throughout the course, students will practice reading and writing technical texts, as well as listening to and speaking about different aspects of their discipline. Students will also become familiar with the technical vocabulary often used in a variety of topics of mechanical engineering. The course will cover the following areas: • Practice on all four skills through a variety of mechanical engineering topics. • Practice on the rhetoric of professional and academic documents used in mechanical engineering. • Practice on the most common functions, notions and grammar structures found in mechanical engineering texts. Course level: • At the end of the course, students will reach an intermediate level (B1) of the Common European Framework of Reference for languages (CEFR). • At the beginning of the course, students will take an “Online Placement Test” to test their English level.

Competences
Type A Code Competences Specific
Type B Code Competences Transversal
 B3.1 Capacitat de treballar en un entorn multilingüe i multidisciplinari
Type C Code Competences Nuclear
 C1.1 Have an intermediate mastery of a foreign language, preferably English

Learning outcomes
Type A Code Learning outcomes
Type B Code Learning outcomes
 B3.1 Interpreta, tradueix i elabora documentació tècnica en un idioma estranger.
Utilitza el vocabulari específic de l'enginyeria en anglès.
Type C Code Learning outcomes
 C1.1 Express opinions on abstract or cultural topics in a limited fashion.
Explain and justify briefly their opinions and projects.
Understand instructions about classes or tasks assigned by the teaching staff.
Understand the basic ideas of radio and television programmes.
Understand routine information and articles.
Understand the general meaning of texts that have non-routine information in a familiar subject area.
Take notes during a class.
Write letters or take notes about foreseeable, familiar matters.

Contents
Topic Sub-topic
UNIT 1: HISTORY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING 1.1 Chronological description: narrative texts.
1.2 Review of verb tenses: ways to express time sequence.
1.3 Genres: Encyclopedias
1.4 Texts: History of Engineering, History of Mechanical Engineering, Landmarks in Mechanical Engineering / Podcasts: History of Engineering, James Watt and the Steam Engine, Nikola Tesla: The True Master of Inventions.
UNIT 2: FLUID MECHANICS 2.1 Process description. Review of the passive voice. Linking words used in process description.
2.2 Review of prepositions of place and movement. Suffixes in Adjectives and Nouns used in mechanical engineering.
2.3 Genres in Engineering: Audience and purpose. The Magazine article
2.4 Texts: Fluid Properties, Bernouilli’s principle and dynamics of fluid flow, Flow through pipes, Shape Factors, Heat Transfer / Videos: Pascal’s Law, Bernoulli's Theorem and Its Application
UNIT 3: MATERIALS TECHNOLOGY 3.1 Physical description.
3.2 Making definitions: relative clauses and relative pronouns. Reduced relative clauses. Defining and Non-defining relative clauses.
3.3 Genres: The Research Article.
3.4 Texts: Stress and Strain, Structure and Properties of Engineering Materials, Heat Treatment, Machines Design, Friction in Mechanical Engineering Design / Videos: What is Materials Science and Engineering, Nanotechnology, A Quick Guide to Smart and Modern Materials, Materials Selection: Physical Properties of Materials
UNIT 4: MACHINES AND POWER GENERATION 4.1 Expressing the function and parts of a device, and how something works. Expressions indicating purpose.
4.2 Adjectives and adverbs.
4.3 Genres: Technical websites
4.4 Texts: Alternative Sources of Energy, Sustainable Development, Wind Turbines, Fuel cells, How a Solar Cell Works, Engines / Videos: AC Generator, DC Motor.
UNIT 5: AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING 5.1 Review of comparative and superlative form of adjectives and adverbs. Linking words used in comparison and contrast (expressing the advantages and disadvantages of something)
5.2 Structure and use of Compound Nouns.
5.3 Anaphoric reference in reading comprehension.
5.4 Genres and text layout: headings in texts.
5.5 Texts: Advantages and disadvantages of electric-powered vehicles, Electric motors, Internal combustion engine, The use of nanomaterials to improve battery life / Podcasts: Hybrid Cars, How Car Engines Work, Engineering Projects.
UNIT 6: ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION 6.1 Expressions used in classifications. Giving examples.
6.2 Review of modal verbs expressing obligation, probability and deduction.
6.3 Review of conditional sentences to express a hypothesis.
6.4 Genres: textbooks.
6.5 Texts: Robotics, Types of Robots, The Three Laws of Robotics, Robots: The Future is Now, Micromachines in ICT / Videos: Mechatronics, New Robots of the Future, The Future of Robots, Biologically-inspired robots.

Planning
Methodologies  ::  Tests
  Competences (*) Class hours
 Hours outside the classroom
 (**) Total hours
Introductory activities
2 2 4
Seminars
B3.1
C1.1
 10 12 22
ICT practicals
B3.1
C1.1
 2 8 10
Problem solving, exercises
B3.1
C1.1
 13 15 28
Personal tuition
0 0 0
Personal tuition
0 0 0
 
Practical tests
B3.1
C1.1
 1 4 5
Objective multiple-choice tests
B3.1
C1.1
 2 4 6
 
(*) On e-learning, hours of virtual attendance of the teacher.
(**) The information in the planning table is for guidance only and does not take into account the heterogeneity of the students.

Methodologies
Methodologies
  Description
Introductory activities A començament de curs, l'estudiant haurà de realitzar una prova de nivell online ("online placement test") i enviar els resultats de la prova al professor, indicant-hi el nivell d'anglès obtingut
Seminars Al llarg de diferents seminaris, el professor explicarà les característiques principals de l'Anglès Tècnic dins l'àmbit de l'enginyeria. Es posarà especial èmfasi en la millora del nivell de competència lingüística en anglès de l'estudiant, i se li proporcionaran els recursos necessaris per llegir i redactar textos de caire tècnic, així com per escoltar i parlar sobre diferens temes de la seva disciplina.
ICT practicals Es penjaràn "Tasks" (textos, arxius mp3, i /o videocasts) sobre algun tema d'enginyeria que serviran per practicar diferents aspectes gramaticals tractats i les quatre destreçes.
Problem solving, exercises Al llarg del curs, l'estudiant haurà de resoldre satisfactòriament diferents tipus d'exercicis sobre textos escrits i orals de l'àmbit d'enginyeria mecànica que reflecteixen els diferents gèneres tècnics i aspectes del curs.
Personal tuition
Personal tuition

Personalized attention
Description
Al llarg del curs, els estudiants podran consultar amb el professor sobre possibles dubtes de la matèria del curs. El professor posarà el seu horari d'atenció a disposició dels estudiants.

Assessment
Methodologies Competences Description Weight        
ICT practicals
B3.1
C1.1
 Al llarg del curs l'estudiant haurà de realitzar 4 "tasks" que s'hauran de penjar a Moodle dins els plaços establerts per fer-ho. Aquestes tasques serveixen per la pràctica dels diferents aspectes i destreçes que es tractaran a classe. 20 %
Practical tests
B3.1
C1.1
 L'examen final inclourà activitats i preguntes relacionades amb les destreçes en les que l'estudiant haurà de plasmar de manera pràctica els coneixements teòrics i pràctics de les l'assignatura.
 20 %
Objective multiple-choice tests
B3.1
C1.1
 L'examen final també inclourà preguntes tancades amb diferents alternatives de resposta ("multiple choice") sobre aspectes gramaticals estudiats al llarg del curs. 50 %
Others  

L'assistència a classe, la participació activa a l'aula i als foros de discussió online també es tindràn en compte a l'hora de l'avaluació. Caldrà assistir com a mínim a la meitat de les classes.

10 %
 
Other comments and second exam session

Ús i tinença de dispositius de comunicació i transmissió durant les proves avaluatives (art. 21 NAM Grau i art. 20 NAM Màster).

A l'inici dels examens els estudiants apagaran completament els seus dispositius de comunicació (mòbil o tableta o portàtil) i el/s deixaran a la motxilla o a la taula del professor si no porten bossa o motxilla. Durant la realització de les proves està totalment prohibit tenir algun d'aquests dispositius encesos, així com contestar missatges o trucades. El no compliment d'aquestes mesures comportarà la immediata retirada del full d'examen i la qualificació de 0 en l'examen.


1ª AVALUACIÓ:

- Dues proves:

a) Proves objectives tipus test = 50 % de la nota final.

b) Prova pràctica (sobre destreçes) = 20 % dela nota final.

- Pràctiques de TIC entregades al llarg del curs: 20 % de la nota final.

- Assistència i participació activa al llarg del curs: 10 % de la nota final.

Per tal de poder fer mitja, caldrà obtenir un 5 a la prova objectiva de tipus test (multiple choice). Per tal de poder-se presentar a les dues proves, caldrà haver assistit com a mínim a la meitat de les classes.

- 1 única prova d'valuació = 100 % de la nota final.

En el cas que l'estudiant no superi l'avaluació continuada de l'assignatura en la primera convocatòria, la segona convocatòria correspondrà a una única prova d'avaluació (amb proves pràctiques i proves de tipus test sobre el temari del curs) per determinar la qualificació final de l'assignatura.

Sources of information

Basic Carmen Rueda, Workbook of English for Mechanical Engineering., Departament d’Estudis Anglesos i Alemanys. URV., 2014
Marian Dunn, David Howey and Amanda Ilic with Nicholas Regan, English for Mechanical Engineering in Higher Education Studies, Garnet Education, 2010
Glendinning, Eric and Norman Glendinning , Oxford English for Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, Oxford University Press, 1995
Mark Ibbotson , Cambridge English for Engineering, Cambridge University Press , 2008
Mark Ibbotson , Professional English in Use Engineering With Answers: Technical English for Professionals, Cambridge University Press (1ª edición) , 2009
Ivor Williams, English for Science and Engineering. (Professional English). , Heinle ELT., 2008
Meenakshi Raman and Sangeeta Sharma, Technical Communication: English Skills for Engineers, Oxford University Press, USA (2ª edición) , 2011

El material que utilitzarem per seguir el curs i que es podrà descarregar de Moodle serà:

-  Carmen Rueda. Workbook of English for Mechanical Engineering. Course handbook.  Departament d’Estudis Anglesos i Alemanys. URV. 2014.   

Complementary Nick Brieger and Alison Pohl , Technical English - Vocabulary and Grammar, Heinle ELT, 2008
Tony Atkins and Marcel Escudler, A Dictionary of Mechanical Engineering (paperback), Oxford University Press, USA (2ª edición) , 2013
G.H.F. Nayler, Dictionary of Mechanical Engineering [Paperback], Jaico Publishing House; 4th revised edition, 2006
Jonathan Wickert, An Introduction to Mechanical Engineering [Paperback], CL-Engineering, 2 edition, 2005

Recommendations


 
Other comments
Academic Plagiarism: You must do your own work throughout the course. If it is determined that you have plagiarized a task from the Internet or from another student, you will receive a zero for the assignment. If you do it again, you will fail the whole course.
(*)The teaching guide is the document in which the URV publishes the information about all its courses. It is a public document and cannot be modified. Only in exceptional cases can it be revised by the competent agent or duly revised so that it is in line with current legislation.