PartIIPracticalGuidanceUnit15LearningSkills

Unit16ResearchSkills

Unit17CareersinECE

Unit18CommunicationSkillsUnit15LearningSkillsWhatisECE?ElectronicsandCommunicationEngineering(ECE)isadisciplinewhichusesthescientificknowledgeofthebehaviorandeffectsofelectronstodevelopcomponents,devices,systems,andequipments.Itisthebackboneofthemoderntechnology,supportingalmosteverythingfromrocketsciencetohomeappliances.BasicSubjectsinECE5ThebasicsubjectsincludeEngineeringMathematics,EngineeringPhysics,ProgramminginC++,Electronicdevices,Circuits,Microcontrollers,PrincipleofCommunication,ElectromagneticFieldTheory,SignalsandSystems,DigitalSignalProcessing,OpticalFiberCommunication,MobileCommunication,ICdesign…LearningSkills61.Becomeaproblemsolver.Intherealworldtherearesimplyproblems–usuallypoorlydefinedproblems.Tosolveproblems,youneedtolearn:HowtodiscoverwhatyouneedtoknowWheretogotofindit.LearningSkills72.Discoveryourlearningstyle.Everystudenthasadifferentlearningstyle.Yourfirstjobasanaspiringengineeristodiscoveryourlearningstyle,yourprofessor'steachingstyle,andfigureouthowtofillinthegaps.83.Seekhelpfromyourinstructor.Lecturingisjustoneformofteaching—andnotalwaysthemosteffective.Askingclarifyingquestions…Beprepared…Goingasagroup…LearningSkills94.Readyourtextbookwithpurpose...butreadit.Manyengineeringtextscoverimportanttheoreticalmaterial,providingreal-worldexamplesofhowengineeringtheoriesareappliedinpractice.LearningSkills105.Formastudygroup.Fortheengineeringstudent,workingwithastudygroupisparticularlyadvantageous…Effectivestudygroups’features:Groupsof3to5.Dotheworkbyyourselffirst.Everygroupmembermustunderstandeverysolution.LearningSkills116.Timemanagement.Timemanagingisanongoingprocess.Treattheschooldaylikeaworkday.Startworkingonassignmentsbasedontheassigneddate,nottheduedate.Startstudyingforexamsafew(2-3)weeksbeforetheycome.Remember,thisisarewardingmajor.ECEwillpayoff!LearningSkillsExercises121.Areyouaprocrastinator?2.Howdoyouspendyourtime?3.Createyournewidealschedule.Unit16ResearchSkillsResearchSkillsWhiletheabilitytodogoodresearchmayinfactrequirepersonaltraitsandcharacteristicsthatarebeyondthecapabilitytoteach,suchascreativityandpersistence,therearesomefundamentalskillsthatarenecessary(althoughnotsufficient).ResearchSkills151.Decidewhattoinvestigate.Findingasuitabletopicisoftenthebiggeststumblingblockinresearch.It’sessentialthatyouknowhowtochooseatopiceasilyandefficiently.Therearethreestepsintheprocessofselectingatopic:beginwithageneralsubjectthatinterestsyounarrowitdownsharpenitevenfurtherbyfindingafocusResearchSkills161.Decidewhattoinvestigate.Forexample,supposeyouarefascinatedbyimageprocessingtechnologies:GeneralTopic: imageprocessingFirstnarrowing:

imageenhancementSecondnarrowing: trafficimageenhancementThirdnarrowing:

trafficimageenhancementonhazedaysResearchSkills172.Gatherinformation.Youcanalways:DoageneralsearchbysurfingtheWebConsultwithexperts…Thebestplacetodoyourpreliminaryresearchisstillthelibrary,whereyou’llhaveaccesstoavarietyofreferencesources.ResearchSkills18Mostlibrariesinuniversitiesprovideaccesstoscholarlydatabaseslike:CNKI,WebofScience,ScienceDirect,oradatabasespecifictooneengineeringfield,suchasIEEEXplore.keywordssearchingrefinementoptionsBooleansearches1920ResearchSkills213.Deviseaframework.Inthesamewaythatchoosingafocushelpedprovidedirectionforyourresearch,decidingonabasicpremisefromthereferencesyounowhavelaysthefoundationforyourpaper’sorganization.Ifapremisedoesn’tbecomeobvioustoyou,gobackovertheinformationandaskyourselfsomehardquestions.ResearchSkills22

Forexample:

Whereisthispaperheading?

WhataretheimpactoftheinformationI’veassembled?

Whatpointismostimportant?

WhatamIsaying?

WhatdoIwanttosay?

Ifthere’sachoiceofviewpoint—fororagainstaquestion,forexample—whichviewhasthemostevidencetosupportit?ResearchSkills23

Determinethepatternyourpaperwillfollow:Timepattern(eventspresentedinorder)Spatialpattern(infopresentedbasedonlocationorarrangement)Processpattern(stepsoreventsleadtodesiredsituationorproduct)ResearchSkills244.Writethepaper.Youalreadyhavemostofyourpaperworkedout—information,sources,andorganization.Nowallyouhavetodoisputyourdataintosentencesandparagraphsandworkupafirstdraftofyourpaper.Oncethatisaccomplished,allowyourselfplentyoftimetogobackandreviseandeditwhatyou’vewritten,addthemissingelements,andtypethefinalcopy. ResearchSkills25Tips:Thebestwaytostartwritingissimplytowrite.It’seasiertocutthanitistoadd.Moreoftenthannot,procrastinationonlycausesmoreanxiety.StayconnectedandtalkaboutitwithothersExercise261.Workingroupstochooseatopicrelatedtoyourmajorandcompletearesearchreport.2.Writingtheabstractforyourreport.Anabstractisa150-to250-wordparagraphthatprovidesreaderswithaquickoverviewofyourreport.Theabstractshouldinclude:Whytheworkwasdone(thebasicproblem),thespecificpurposeorobjective,andthescopeoftheworkifthatisrelevant.Howtheworkwasdone,thetestmethodsormeansofinvestigationWhatwasfound—theresults,conclusions,andrecommendationsAgoodabstractshouldbeComplete,Concise,Specific,andSelf-sufficient.Unit17CareersinECE27ECEJobs

ECEjobsrepresentover50%ofallavailablejobsinengineering.Hardwarei.e.Electronics(Electronicsindustries)Communications(TelecomIndustries)Software(ITindustries)ElectricalHowever,theoptionsaremuchbroaderthanthis,bothwithintheengineeringindustryandoutsideit.TypesofJobs29Broadlyspeaking,therearefourdifferenttypesofjobsforECEstudentsinthefuture:ProductDevelopmentElectronicsManufacturingTeachingResearch30Besides,thereareothernontechnicalpositionsrequiringprofessionalknowledgebackground.Forexample,TechnicalSalesTechnicalWriterIfyou’rekeentoexplorecareerpathsoutsideengineering,HR,supplychain,consulting,law(e.g.intellectualpropertylaw),financialservices,sales,education,sciencejournalismortechnicalpublishingTypesofJobsJobsinDifferentIndustriesAerospaceindustryAutomotiveindustryDefenceindustryElectronicsindustryConsumergoodsindustryMarineindustryMaterialsandmetalsindustryPowergenerationindustryRailindustryUtilitiesindustryITindustry31Differentemployerswillhavedifferentrequirements,sodocheckoutcompaniesindividually.MajorEmployersThefourmajorsegmentsofthecommunicationelectronicsindustryaremanufacturers,resellers,serviceorganizations,andendusers.Manufacturersengineers,technicians,sales,fieldservicepersonnel,technicalwriters,andtrainersResellerssales,service,andtrainingServiceOrganizationsrepair,installation,ormaintenanceserviceEndUsersinstallation,repair,maintenance,andoperation32InternshipsforECEStudents33HowtoapplyforInternships?OnlineForums:…Companywebsites

34Whatarethedocumentsthatyoushouldprepare?Resume:academicrecords,skills,responsibilities,projectexperience,contactinfo…CoverLetter:yourintention,youravailability,referrals…BachelorTranscriptsBonafideCertificateOtherDocumentsInternshipsforECEStudentsEdityourresume/coverletterinawaytomeetthecompany’sobjectivesandgoals.InternshipsforECEStudents35WhatskillsetsdothecompaniesexpectfromanECEstudent?Analogdesign:Strongknowledgeoncircuitdesign,conceptofamplifiers,regulators,oscillators,dataconvertersetc.Digitaldesign:C,C++,Verilog,VHDL,SystemC,knowledgeonsignalprocessing,digitalcircuitconceptsSignalprocessing,Controldesign:MATLAB,Simulink,C,C++ICdesign:FamiliaritywithtoolslikeCadence,ADS,Xilinx,AlteraEmbeddedProgramming:AbilitytoprogramvariousmicrocontrollersMoreChoices36WhatcanyoudootherthanInternships?Hands-ontrainingprograms:EECamp,MicroelectronicsWinterCamp,PhotonicsSummerCamp,SummerSchool,….BuildingProjects:,,,....E-Learning:,,

,,…Exercises371.WorkingroupstodoasurveyoftopcompaniesinECEandthenwriteasurveyreport,whichshouldinclude:(1) Namesofthecompanies;timeoffoundation;theCEOs;numberofemployees(2) Majorbusinesses;theorganizationstructure(3) Recruitmentplan;TrainingandDevelopment;WelfareExercises382.WorkingroupstodoasurveyofonlineeducationresourcesinECEandthenwriteasurveyreport,whichshouldinclude:(1) Typesoftheresources;Nameoftheresouces;Acessapproach(2) Contentintroduction;Duration(3) Expectedresults;FeeUnit18CommunicationSkills39CommunicationSkillsBeyondstrongtechnicalknowledge,engineeringemployersplaceahighvalueoneffectivecommunicationandinter-personalskills,suchas:ContributingtodiscussionsMakingpresentationsorpublicspeakingReadingandsynthesizinginformationWritingdifferenttypesofdocumentsCommunicationSkills411.Techniquesforlistening:thisskillisessentialforengineerstounderstandproblemsandissuesclearly.Tips:ShowattentivenessSeekunderstandingInvitedialogueObserveandadapt422.WritingaprofessionalEmail:workEmailshouldincludeasalutation,aclosing,asignature,aspecificsubjectline,andthebody.identifyyourgoalconsideryouraudiencekeepitconciseproofreadyourEmailuseproperetiquettefollowupCommunicationSkillsCommunicationSkills433.PresentationSkills:Effectivepublicspeakingandpresentationskillsenableengineerstosharetheirideas.Analyzingtheaudienceandsetting.Overcomingstagefright.Designingeachslidecarefully.Makingandusingnotes.CommunicationSkills444.Applicationandinterviewskills.ApplicationSkills:thereareavarietyofmethodstoconductyourjobsearch:Networking:recruitmentwebsitesandcompanywebsitesMeetingwithemployersoncampusAttendingcareerfairsCommunicationSkills45InterviewSkills:Mostlargeorganizationscanholduptothreeinterviews,thefirstinterview,atechnicalinterviewandanHRinterview.Beforeyourinterview:Readyourresumeandapplicationletteragain.Practiceansweringquestionsyoumightbeasked.Preparequestionstoasktheinterviewer.Checkthedate,time,andthedressingcode.CommunicationSkills46Duringyourinterview:Don’tbelate.Useyourtoneofvoicetosoundconfidentandenthusiastic.Sitinacomfortableposition,don’tmoveabouttoomuch.Whentheinterviewisover,thanktheinterviewers.Engineerisajobthatrequireslifelonglearningandskillsupdating.Youneedtostayontopofwhat’sgoingoninyourfield.Exercises471.Readthefollowingemailandreplytobookaworkshopyouareinterestedin.Exercises482.Matchtoughinterviewquestionsbelowwiththepossibleanswers.(1)Whatkindofpersonalitydoyouthinkyouhave?A.Mymanagerialexperienceshouldbeimproved.(2)Arethereanyweaknessesinyoure