Structural Engineering: Getting Started

Undergraduate and first-year graduate students engaging in engineering research need more than technical skills and tools to be successful. From finding a research position and funding, to getting the mentoring needed to be successful while conducting research responsibly, to learning how to do the other aspects of research associated with project management and communication, this book provides novice researchers with the guidance they need to begin developing mastery. Awareness and deeper understanding of the broader context of research reduces barriers to success, increases capacity to contribute to a research team, and enhances ability to work both independently and collaboratively. Being prepared for what's to come and knowing the questions to ask along the way allows those entering researcher to become more comfortable engaging with not only the research itself but also their colleagues and mentors.

Project Management for Research: A Guide for Graduate Students reflects the needs of today's graduate students. All graduate students need mentoring and management guidance that has little to do with their actual classroom performance. Graduate students do a better job with their research programs if a self-paced guide is available to them. This book provides such a guide. It covers topics ranging from how to select an appropriate research problem to how to schedule and execute research tasks. The authors take a project management approach to planning and implementing graduate research in any discipline. They use a conversational tone to address the individual graduate student. This book helps graduate students and advisors answer most of the basic questions of conducting and presenting graduate research, thereby alleviating frustration on the part of both student and advisor. It presents specific guidelines and examples throughout the text along with more detailed examples in reader-friendly appendices at the end. By being more organized and prepared to handle basic research management functions, graduate students, along with their advisors, will have more time for actual intellectual mentoring and knowledge transfer, resulting in a more rewarding research experience.

Learn how to plan for success with this hands-on guide to conducting high-quality engineering research. Plan and implement your next project for maximum impact: step-by-step instructions cover every stage in engineering research, from the identification of an appropriate research topic through to the successful presentation of results. Improve your research outcomes: discover essential tools and methods for producing high-quality, rigorous research, including statistical analysis, survey design, and optimisation techniques. Research with purpose and direction: clear explanations, real-world examples, and over 50 customisable end-of-chapter exercises, all written with the practical and ethical considerations of engineering in mind. A unique engineering perspective: written especially for engineers, and relevant across all engineering disciplines, this is the ideal book for graduate students, undergraduates, and new academics looking to launch their research careers.