Engnieering=HARD. Can anyone offer a hand? (1 Viewer)

[siryapolot]

Hey all,

Im currently sitting for my HSC this year, and amoungst other subjects, I'm doing engineering studies.

For both phys and chem, I have been able to create summaries of the syllabus, and use various sources such as the Excel, HSC Online, Andrew Harvey PDF's, etc. Most importantly, the syllabuses for these subjects are clear cut and immeadiate in their dot points.

For engineering, however, I am begining to feel very disadvantaged, relative to my other subjects. The syllabus seems very broad and general, and the HSC Online site seems rather dificult to learn from, and is almost a practice questions source more than a learning source.

My class of ten is mostly full of guys who simply couldn't leave school as they did not find jobs after year 10, and are now here for the bludge. To top it off, my class's teaching is job shared week on week off, with neither teacher inspiring much confidence in myself.

The problem is, I plan to do civil engineering at UNSW, and so I am aiming for a target ATAR of at least 91. However, I have only 11 units, so however you look at the situation, at LEAST 1 unit of my engineering studies course will count to my ATAR, so I need to change this situation.

I do have a copy of both the Excel and the Copeland text books, however, and they do seem more effective, particulairly Copeland?

My question is, does anyone else feel like they are finding themselves in this situation, and if so, what are they doign about it? Can I trust the Copeland and Excel, and has anyone found any other effective learning sources?

Thanks for any advice in advanced,

Nick.

 

[madsam]

Engineering unlike physics and chemistry focuses more on a wide range of knowledge and the application of said knowledge, instead of increased detail In engineering you won't be asked to explain how something works, simply the benefits of using such a material in a given situation. While encompassing alot of different styles of examination, it is easier to revise as everything links to another concept. A common question would be, The pictures above show a crane/bridge/walkway/whatever from the 19th centure and 21st. Name a material/design feature that has changed, and the resulting effect/why it was necessary. I recommend finding a friend who also wants to do well in engineering, and then go to one of your houses, each print off the past 10 years of exam papers, and you answer them individually, and the collaborate your answers. If you get stuck take a question to your teacher, they should help Also, the tafe notes i posted a link to in a different thread are VERY good and VERY detailed For some reason when i press enter and make a new paragraph, when i post it just deletes it all and makes my post look retarded?

 

[fullonoob]

rofl i put average cos its formula based and info based. Forget how to apply formula = lose. bad memory = lose.
I wouldn't say its hard though, its more study more and know more.

 

[Omie Jay]

ask your teacher to go thru stuff you dont understand, work together step by step to get to the answer, then try to learn how and why you used said techniques to find the answer.

i mainly had trouble with the mechanics part of engineering studies, i did the above and i slowly learn how to answer mechanics questions.

what are you mainly having trouble with?

 

[koktoong]

the courses is hard..... I can believe it even in my class, all of my classmate failed.....I really need some help... can anyone tell me how to study engineering...... there are too many notes about the history and others stuff.


From Tom......

:mad1:

 

[Omie Jay]

WHAT DO YOU NEED HELP IN!!!

be more specific, identify areas you need help in, then talk to your teacher or consider external tuition, or post up questions on here for bosers to answer.

 

[siryapolot]

WHAT DO YOU NEED HELP IN!!!

be more specific, identify areas you need help in, then talk to your teacher or consider external tuition, or post up questions on here for bosers to answer.

Hey Jay,

The mechanics questions I can cover, the maths/forumla application is not an issue, and if it is my physics tutor is always ready to help (I have been unable to find an engineering tutor, oh the joys of the small country town hsc).

I simply seem to have such a poor all round knowledge of the syllabus content, and am wondering if anyone can provide a really well rounded source for this, or if Copeland/Excel are suitable?

Cheers,
Nick.

 

[Omie Jay]

find yourself a copy of the syllabus, and try to address every dot point (this can be easily done with physics and chem, not sure about engo though).

or check out hsc.csu.edu.au and their engineering page: HSC Online

and we used copeland at school. try to find some past papers and see what kind of questions you're expected to answer.

 

[mahdi]

DO NOT WORRY ABOUT ANY OF THE HISTORY !!!!!!!!!!!

This is my number one tip! You do not get asked questions like "When and where was the velocipede invented?".

Copeland tends to go on for pages about irrelevant (but iteresting to some) information about the history of engineering. You are much more likely to be asked questions like how materials have advaned over time - in which case, studying the materials science part of engineering will help you more than the history.

My number two tip...

Buy both the books by John Rochford (work book and exam questions). These books are concise and fill in the gaps that copeland and excell leave behind.

The "writting" part of engineering studies is more intuition than anything else, so just learn as much as you can about the course and you should be fine - dont try memorise alot of stuff.

The only real tuff part is some of the "maths" questions. However the rochford books will help you ace any question you come across - except maybe for one or two Work, Energy and Power questions (in which case us bosers are here to help you with =) )

 

[siryapolot]

Thanks a lot, I will keep my eyes peeled for the Rochford texts!

 

[notmyrealname]

Re: EngINeering=HARD. Can anyone offer a hand?

My question is, does anyone else feel like they are finding themselves in this situation, and if so, what are they doign about it? Can I trust the Copeland and Excel, and has anyone found any other effective learning sources?

Thanks for any advice in advanced,

Nick.

Nick, The Rochford books are good. Google KJS publications - they're the publishers.

 

[nayyarv]

Hey dude,

Coming from someone who ripped Engo in Yr 12 - 5th in the State in 08, here's my advice

Ignore the history - Dont even bother, as long as you know the wright brothers built the first plane, bridges have been built throughout human history, etc u will be fine.

The maths is the key to engineering - Being able to do the maths is essential to doing well. If you can't do it, practice with past HSC questions, the questions at the back of chapters in your books, get questions from your teachers, until you consider it beneath your dignity to do a question, coz its so easy. If you look over past papers, a vast majority of the marks are involved in the maths.

Learn principles, not facts - For the vast majority, learn the properties of materials and in the exam, if they ask you a question, think about the properties and principles you know to asnwer the question. As it is you have enough to study without adding to your work, and because engineering is principle based, you dont need to memorise copious amounts. However, you do need to understand key concepts and this can be hard.

Look for stuff that keeps coming up, prepare an answer and nail it in the exam - bernoullis, reinforced concrete vs pre-stressed, pre vs post tensioned always appear in exams. Know what they are and have a good answer prepared - Vital

You will also need to be able to bullshit in certain sections. i.e. how has changed societal needs led to a change in design with respect to ... - bullshit away, if your doing chem or phys, that should be enough training.

Good teaching is vital here, I would bug the teacher until he helps you

Also wont you be eligible for HSC plus?

 

[siryapolot]

Also wont you be eligible for HSC plus?

Nayyarv,

Thanks for the advice, I think I can understand what you mean re: concepts and principles, not facts.

The teaching is getting better, I have started to make clear that I think something needs to be improved, and the two teachers job sharing my class (job sharing a year 12 HSC course class, insane) seem to have stepped it up.

I am indeed applicable for HSC plus, but so is anyone in the state, or infact, country? And I would presume that that if everyone is eligible for it, then most likely every applicant to the course will benefit from HSC Plus. So essentially, from my understanding, when everyone is a winner, no one is a winner, and I have no advatage relevant to anyone else because of HSC Plus? This may be an incorrect understanding, and if it is, I would be very grateful for an explanation?

 

[woodsie88]

I think Nayyarv got it in one guys - although it is still going to be a tough slog for the mere mortals. It is the fundamentals that count.
Another valuable, although over the top resource that all you Engo students should be accessing via your DET logon is the Teaching and Learning (TaLE) website which you can access from the DET mainpage right hand menu. Click on secondary, TAS subject area, type Engineering Studies in the search box and download the OTEN pdfs for each of your HSC modules (Prelim ones are there as well for any Yr 11s). You will find extra info not in Copeland, Rochford or Excel texts.
You should also be accessing past HSC papers from the DET mainpage left hand column and practicing past questions. Unfortunately there are no solutions but if you also download the Examiners report you can get some clues. They do give correct responses for the first 10 multi choice questions.
You will notice just how generic a lot of the questions are because as Nayyarv states it is the fundamental principles that count. Calculating an internal stress is the same for a bike, bridge, crane, transmission tower or airframe.
All the best.

 

[woodsie88]

Just a word on HSC Plus. As i understand it it is only relevent to particular institutions and how they rate your subjects against what you wish to study. I would be wary of the "tertiary industry hard sell" to get bums on seats. At the end of the day you just want your best result and ideally to be offered a position in the course /institution of your preference. If bonus points help then great!
I find it interesting that UNSW rates a band 5 or 6 in Engineering Studies as only worth 1 bonus point towards their engineering courses. I was always under the impression that the UNSW Engineering faculty was instrumental in, and a major contributor to, the revisions and content which make up the current HSC course in Engineering Studies. UTS Sydney rates it higher.