write and file a concise (800–1,200 words) summary report on the potential impacts of a new engineering-related concept, development, project, or trend. please read the instruction attached carefully.
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Analyzing the Impact of an
Engineering Concept, Development, Project, or Trend
Pretend that you work as a consulting engineer for a multidisciplinary “think tank” (such as
RAND Corporation) that applies analytical techniques to a wide range of social, economic,
governmental, military, and other problems.
To anticipate possible topics for future consulting contracts, professional members of your firm
routinely monitor current events —including emerging engineering concepts, developments,
projects, and trends. As one of the consulting professionals, you are expected to periodically
write and file a concise (800–1,200 words) summary report on the potential impacts of a new
engineering-related concept, development, project, or trend.
Example: Based on the example news story we used for the current events journal, a focused
potential-consulting summary report could be addressed to many different topics. Here are some:
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Commercial opportunities that would be generated if a NASCAR-type spectator sport of drone
racing becomes popular
Regulatory issues in spectator protection at drone racing events
Technical imperatives for improved collision-prevention methods if commercial drone racing is
to be feasible
Predictable “arms race” developments in drone racing and possible resultant threats to manned
aircraft
Law enforcement and national security threats posed by increasingly powerful small and
medium-size drones
Each such report is circulated to marketing specialists in the company who seek out new
consulting opportunities.
REPORT CONTENT: For this assignment, review the current events articles you’ve submitted,
and pick one about an engineering or engineering-related development that seems likely to have
substantial impacts on society, social justice issues, the economy, the environment, global
climate change, etc. Then write the type of summary report just described.
Your report should identify not only possible general outcomes but also the specific kinds of
“stakeholders” who would likely gain or be threatened by each outcome. For example, the
growing use of rare earth minerals has been very profitable for mining companies and some high
tech companies, but devastating for residents and the environment in the poorly regulated areas
where the mining takes place. The report would go into some detail about these impacts.
Unlike the brief comments in your current events journal, the content of this paper should be
based on your additional research into relevant facts and expert opinions. See how much you
can learn in 1 to 2 hours of serious searching and analysis.
REPORT STYLE: Style the report using businesslike, technically precise language. This is not
an essay or position paper. You’re trying to objectively outline for your consulting colleagues (a
professional audience) the dynamics of a situation on which your company might be asked at
consult. Since you’re doing only an hour or two of research, it would be inappropriate to write as
if you were presenting solidly researched facts and opinions of your own. On the other hand, if a
development has already generated impacts (social, social-justice, industrial, economic,
environmental, legal, etc.), do summarize findings and assessments already made by others.
Page 2 of 2
As in your design document assignment, conclude this memo with an APA-style reference list.
The memo should include at least one parenthetic APA-style citation for each source in the
reference list. See our Hacker text and the course writing guide for guidance on APA sourcedocumentation style.
LENGTH & FORMAT: As in your design document and most technical writing, you should
mostly summarize or paraphrase your sources; if you do find it necessary to quote a source, be
sure to use quote marks (or equivalent block indention for a quote of 40 or more words).
Regardless of whether you quote, paraphrase, or summarize, remember to cite your
sources. Note that submissions for this assignment will be checked by SafeAssign, so you can
check SafeAssign’s “Originality Report” for possible accidental plagiarism.
Observe the specified word limit range: 800 to 1,200 words. Relevant graphics with source notes
are welcomed, but don’t consider them in the word count. Also don’t count the reference list as
part of the word count.
Format the report as a memo, using the following basic header format at the top of the first
page.
To:
Consultation Marketing Department
From: Your name
Date: Date
Possible consulting topic: Your topic
Paginate the report as follows:
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Use automatic pagination, including the first page.
Select bottom–centered numbers, using this page number format: Page x of y
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