The articles I have made blog posts about come from Mechanical Engineering Magazine, an official publication of the American Society for Mechanical Engineers (ASME). In general, the magazine provides an interdisciplinary view of engineering with the latest breakthroughs and challenges of professionals.
The articles' structure and content reflect the values and goals of professionals in the engineering field. The writing and structure is simply a means to an end for the authors, the means of which is to convey ideas as clearly and simply as possible so others may understand and build on them (the 'end'). This is reflected in the systematic nature of the articles that allows readers to see through the dry text and assess its implications on their own goals and work.
The general structure of the articles consists of a problem statement, proof that the problem exists or implications of the problem, and what people are doing or should be doing to mitigate that problem.
For example, "Innovation in an Uncertain Economy" opens with the problem that business leaders are being forced to seek new ways to make operations as efficient as possible in the tough economy. The implications of the problem are that business leaders will need to think differently about how they go about it. Buergel elaborates by saying that a big problem with tech companies today is the idea that operating with the latest technology platforms will result in greater productivity. However, productivity relies on a cohesive network of people, processes, and platforms. People have to operate the technology platforms, and they must be motivated to do so. The solution of being successful in any economic situation, as the article expresses, is making processes more collaborative, integrating data sharing, communication, and documentation.
This structure speaks to the concerns of engineers. What is the problem? Does the problem actually exist? What can be done about it?
Although the structure of these articles does speak to the nature of the audience, I will focus more on how the content reflects the ideas, beliefs, and goals of this particular discourse community. I think this approach will provide a more coherent rhetorical analysis of the audience as the articles structures in this particular magazine are more loosely defined than say a technical journal presenting complex research findings in the form of reports.
The article described above concerns present day issues encountered by company leaders and managers. A potential solution is given that may help those in need to stay afloat in the future, or to simply help an already successful business improve productivity.
"The Unwritten Laws of Engineering" addresses the problems that many entry level engineers have upon entering the workforce. Most of these troubles are not with the design or engineering work, but rather with the unwritten rules of professional conduct. The author provides common mistakes made by young engineers and how they hinder advancement, and then shows how to avoid those mistakes.
"Growth of Opportunity" concerns the future of the power industry in the US. The article addresses the aging workforce and infrastructure which will need to be overhauled in the coming years. This will inevitably result in many opening job positions for MEs, EEs, and CEs, but the question of exactly when has no answer. The article is basically addressing a situation that needs to be considered by all those currently in the power industry or those looking to be a part of it in the future.
"Open Roads" discusses a design/build car competition where participants build a car that gets at least 100 mpgs while meeting other safety and performance criteria. Innovations made in car design for this competition will undoubtedly influence the future of cars as we move towards sustainability.
All of these articles fit into a bigger picture. They are written for engineers and managers of varying discipline who are actively seeking ways improve themselves and those around them by collaborating with people across the spectrum of engineering form design to process and integrated systems, engineering management issues, patents and trademarks.
The magazine is a hub for the the sharing of ideas and information. That is how innovation happens in engineering: an existing idea or model is modified to function in a new situation and meet a new set of needs.
Readers share the belief that innovation and new ideas will occur, but it is up to them to make it happen by staying connected with the engineering community and participating in the exchange of ideas. The magazine facilitates evolution in engineering practice and allows professionals of all ages and status to stay current with today’s engineering challenges as well as tomorrow’s breakthrough technologies.
This magazine clearly represents a scientific epistemology. Believing there is a solution for every problem if approached properly is naturally implicit in the engineering field; everything we are taught is inherently meant to be applied to unique situations encountered on job. Innovation results from applying existing engineering principles to new problems in a way that has never been done. Every engineer must believe a solution exists in order to be successful.
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