Nathan Bruce Alford
Major Garriot
ERH – 101 – 18
19 October 2016
Help Received:
10/21/16 – Counseling with Major Garriot
The Thesaurus Feature on Microsoft Word helped with word choice
An Analysis of Col. Hodges’ “CAD Applications and Solid Modeling” Syllabus
As the clock strikes 8:00 a.m. on a hot September Tuesday, new college students nationwide are taking their seats in what will be for many their first college class. They’ve been anticipating this moment for the entirety of their senior year now, and finally the moment of truth has come as they are greeted by their professors on their first day. Soon, they have become acquainted with their classmates and are feeling the hot, smooth paper in their hands of that most important of college documents – the college syllabus. Some are an inch thick, and some are barely a page long, but despite their differences, they fill a crucial role in the college classroom – outlining the course for the next 4 months. Most syllabi contain much of the same information, including class expectations and important deadlines, however the format in which the syllabus is written can vary greatly between different classes. In the syllabus for his novice-level CAD Applications and Solid Modeling class at the Virginia Military Institute, Colonel Hodges tries to produce model VMI cadets and leaders through his emphasis on good time management, innovation, and study habit skills.
Freshmen students at the Virginia Military Institute who are pursuing a major in Mechanical Engineering will find themselves in a one-credit class known as CAD Applications and Solid Modeling. This is an introductory-level course in which students learn the basics of engineering design both by hand and using computer software. The professor is Col. Hodges, a graduate of VMI and a Mechanical Engineering major. The assignment sheet which this paper will be analyzing is the assignment for the first project: the design of a C-clamp using the computer software Solidworks 2016. This analysis will also use the ideas of Charles Bazerman in his work, “Speech Acts, Genres, and Activity Systems.”
The first section of a syllabus to consult when attempting to understand the expectations of the instructor is the “Goals and Objectives” section, which outlines the specific skills the instructor hopes the students will acquire by the end of the semester. The goal of Col. Hodges class is: “To provide a basic course in engineering drawing consisting of technical sketching and shape description, orthographic projection, isometric sketching and drawing, basic dimensioning, and computer-aided drafting using SolidWorks” (“CAD Applications). These goals focus developing a specific skill set that will be beneficial to the student in his/her future engineering endeavors.
Also important to understanding the expectations of the instructor is the organization of the syllabus. Material that is most relevant to students’ success will be laid out on the front page, while less important notes will find themselves towards the end of the syllabus. The front page of Col. Hodges syllabus contains a list of all the lessons for each week of the semester, along with their respective reading assignments and homework (“CAD Applications”). Bazerman describes three components to a rhetorical statement: the locutionary act, the actual meaning of what is said; the illocutionary act, what the action which the rhetor hopes to bring about through the statement; and the perlocutionary act, what is interpreted by the audience (370-371). In this case, the locutionary act is simply providing a course schedule for the students’ convenience. The illocutionary act is Col. Hodges’ desire to have his students read ahead and come to class prepared. Finally, the perlocutionary act will vary by student, but given their lack of experience in the college system, most will likely ignore this section of the syllabus until a missed homework assignment does damage to their grade.
The assignment sheet I am analyzing is describes a C-clamp which students must create using the computer program Solidworks 2016. The packet displays a sketch of each of the three pieces and the dimensions of each and very minimal instructions on how to use the software to design them (“ME-109”). This indicates Col. Hodges’ intention to make his students use their own skills of deductive reasoning to determine the easiest and most efficient way possible. He is also encouraging collaboration between his students and their brother rats who are also taking the course. These traits of innovation and teamwork are hallmarks of leadership and are expected of VMI graduates. Again, using Bazerman’s method, the locutionary act is the dimensions given in the assignment packet, the illocutionary act is Col. Hodges’ intention for the students to complete the assignment, and the perlocutionary act is the students experimenting with various features and the consultation of their classmates to fulfill the assignment (370-371).
In the syllabus for Col. Hodges’ CAD Applications and Solid Modeling course, he is attempting to improve students’ productivity and study habits. In the assignment for his first project, he is trying to foster the interactive skills of a leader in his students. Both of these have the effect of producing students who embody the citizen-soldier concept which VMI tries to instill in its cadets. Thus, he is facilitating through these two documents his vision and VMI’s vision for the nation’s next generation of leaders.
Works Cited
Bazerman, Charles. “Speech Acts, Genres, and Activity Systems.” Writing About Writing, Second Edition, Elizabeth Wardle and Doug Downs, Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2014.
Hodges, Col. Timothy M. “CAD Applications and Solid Modeling ME 109 Fall 2015”.
Hodges, Col. Timothy M. “ME-109 C-Clamp Solid Modeling Exercise”.