EGR 993 001, 1 credit Link to Table of Contents
Spring 2024 - TENTATIVE until first day of classes
EGR 993: Engineering Research Writing
Enrollment and Tuition Scholarship
Course Meeting Time and Location
Required and Recommended Textbook & Course Materials
Assignments and Final Exam (Required)
Due January 15: Initial Timeline
Due February 15: Timeline Update
Due April 15: Final Timeline Review
Due April 26: Research Profile Slide (FINAL EXAM)
Absences for Religious Observances
Instructor Contact Information
Additional Course Policies and Expectations
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Academic Honesty and Research Integrity
Use of External Materials, including AI Tools and “chatbots”
Additional Policies and Resources
Student Illness or Extended Absence
Instructor Illness or Extended Absence
Relationship and Sexual Violence (including Harassment, Stalking, Discrimination and Retaliation)
Health Related Supports for MSU Students and Faculty
MSU Supports for Academic and Personal Needs
Resources for International or Undocumented Students
College of Engineering Support Offices
Resources for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD)
This seminar course supports engineering graduate students in completing their thesis or dissertation, or another significant writing project. This seminar includes weekly discussions of topics such as publication timelines; creating outlines; research support resources; receiving/providing feedback about academic writing; and MSU Graduate School formatting requirements. The class is designed primarily for graduate students in their final 1-2 semesters who will devote substantial time to writing during the term. PhD students ideally will have already passed the comprehensive exam, but may also enroll if they intend to spend substantial time writing in preparation for their comprehensive. EGR 993 can be taken up to 3 times.
Please note: this is not an English-language or grammar course, and does not provide instruction in technical writing. Students review, discuss and provide feedback on writing excerpts with their peers and instructor, but this class does not provide detailed document editing.
EGR 993 is part of a series of professional development courses in the College of Engineering, and is specially coded by MSU such that enrolling in 1 credit of EGR 993 provides students with “full time” enrollment status for the semester.
By participating in this course, students will:
EGR 993 is a limited-enrollment course restricted to graduate students in the College of Engineering. The instructor’s permission is required to enroll in the course. To obtain permission, please complete the EGR 993 Enrollment Request Form on the course homepage: https://sites.google.com/msu.edu/egr993/home. These forms are processed in batches about 3 times per week, so it may take a few days to receive a response to your request. If approved, we will attempt to enroll you in the course directly; if there is a hold on your account that prevents enrollment, we will let you know and add an override to your student record so that you can enroll yourself in the course once you have resolved the account hold.
Please note: you are responsible for ensuring that you are enrolled by the deadline for this semester in order to avoid being charged a late enrollment fee. If you are requesting enrollment close to this deadline, you may wish to enroll in other credits for this semester temporarily as it takes some time to process these enrollment requests. Once you see EGR 893 on your schedule, you can drop any temporary credits; as long as you drop them by the deadline to receive a refund for Summer 2023, you will not have to pay for those credits. Please review the important dates provided here: https://reg.msu.edu/roinfo/calendar/academic.aspx
For graduate students who do NOT have an appointment as a TA or RA in this semester(or another external source of funding for their tuition), a tuition scholarship is available to cover the 1 credit of tuition for EGR 993; students are still responsible for paying applicable graduate student taxes and fees (COGS, Radio, International Student Fee, etc.). Students must submit a scholarship request on the course website or by email to colbryka@msu.edu. The scholarships are applied to students’ accounts in batches approximately 3 times per week, so it may take up to 2 weeks for you to see the scholarship on your account. Please note that the scholarship does NOT automatically change the bill you see in your student account. Bills are generated every 1-4 weeks according to the university’s calendar and do not change based on account activity; to see whether the EGR 993 scholarship has been applied to your account you need to look at the account details section of your student account.
If you receive a scholarship for EGR 993 and subsequently get a tuition waiver through a TA/RA, or receive another source of funding for tuition in EGR 993, you are expected to notify the instructor promptly. The scholarship for EGR 993 will be rescinded in that case so that the funds can be redirected to students without other sources of tuition funding. Note that failing to alert the instructor in a timely manner may result in a bill due to MSU once the scholarship account is audited.
There is no stipend or health insurance benefit included with the EGR 993 tuition scholarship. International students are required to have health insurance that meets visa requirements, and may be automatically billed for the MSU student health insurance plan if they have not let OISS know that they have alternate coverage. All students should be eligible to purchase their own health insurance through MSU’s Student Insurance plan (note that this is different from the GA health insurance plan).
EGR 993 Section 001 in Spring 2024 meets weekly on Thursdays from 9:10-10am in 3400 Engineering Building (EB), starting on January 11 and ending on February 22, 2024. There are no seminar meetings after MSU’s Spring Break, but the instructor is available for individual appointments or small group feedback sessions upon request. Students who are not in the Eastern time zone or who have a conflict with the seminar due to other courses may email the instructor to identify appropriate accommodations.
EGR 993 is coded as an in-person course by MSU, and students who are physically in the greater Lansing area are generally expected to attend in person; if this presents an undue burden, please email the instructor to discuss alternatives. Students who are ill, traveling, or live outside the greater Lansing area may participate in the seminars via live zoom broadcast. Connect at https://msu.zoom.us/j/96066295636 using the passcode egr993. Seminars will be recorded and posted within the student materials.
The tentative Spring 2024 calendar for MSU includes the following key dates:
The seminar schedule outlined below will be updated as the semester progresses, based on the needs of students enrolled in the course and the availability of guest speakers. Students are encouraged to contact the instructor if they have ideas for seminar topics.
Date | Topic |
January 11, 2024 | Welcome; ETD Overview; Timelines |
January 18, 2024 | Details for Graduation, Jessica Pung |
January 25, 2024 | Collecting & Outlining; Managing Time & Energy |
February 1, 2024 | MSU Graduate Career Services - ZOOM ONLY (click here to join) |
February 8, 2024 | Ethics in the Workplace, Dr. Shannon Burton (MSU Ombuds) |
February 15, 2024 | Editing & Proofreading; Final Defense Presentations |
February 22, 2024 | Intellectual Merit & Broader Impacts; Research Profiles |
February 29, 2024 | NO CLASS - MSU Spring Break |
March 7, 2024 | No seminar; Katy is available for feedback/appointments |
March 14, 2024 | No seminar; Katy is available for feedback/appointments |
March 21, 2024 | No seminar; Katy is available for feedback/appointments |
March 28, 2024 | No seminar; Katy is available for feedback/appointments |
April 4, 2024 | No seminar; Katy is available for feedback/appointments |
April 11, 2024 | No seminar; Katy is available for feedback/appointments |
April 18, 2024 | No seminar; Katy is available for feedback/appointments |
https://sites.google.com/msu.edu/egr993
Students enrolled in this course will need access to computer hardware and software sufficient to support word processing and email. Reliable, high speed internet access is also required. Students who experience unexpected difficulties or outages should contact their instructor by phone or email as soon as possible to make alternative arrangements. Students can test their internet speed at https://broadbandnow.com/guides/how-much-internet-speed-do-i-need and can find information on how to access internet connections, including companies offering students free or reduced cost internet, here: https://remote.msu.edu/learning/internet.html
If you do not have the necessary technology and/or equipment to adequately address the above requirements, the College of Engineering will make every attempt to assist you in obtaining access by loaning this technology for use during the semester. Please be aware that supplies are limited, and we may not be able to fulfill all requests. If you need assistance securing technology, please contact Dr. Katy Colbry, Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Services, via email at colbryka@msu.edu.
No textbooks or materials are required or recommended to be purchased for this class. MSU students have access to a variety of research materials through the MSU Libraries: https://lib.msu.edu/. Students in this course may find the resources compiled by the MSU Library to be of particular help: https://libguides.lib.msu.edu/prf.php?account_id=9553.
This course is graded Pass/Fail based on an accumulation of points as follows:
Point Range | Grade |
200 or higher | Pass |
199 or below | Fail |
Submitting each assignment by its deadline earns 35 points; students may request a 1 week extension by emailing the instructor (colbryka@msu.edu) prior to the original deadline. Students who miss the deadline and fail to request an extension in advance may submit assignments late to earn 25 points, up until the due date of the next assignment. After that, late assignments are worth 0 points.
All assignments must be submitted by email to colbryka@msu.edu by 11:59pm on the due date; your research advisor should be copied (cc) on these emails. The subject line of the email should begin with “EGR 993.”
Develop a timeline of your writing tasks and goals for the semester, based on your individual thesis/dissertation. Be sure to include all of the assignment due dates for this course! Email a copy of your revised timeline to the instructor by the deadline, and copy (cc) your advisor on this email.
Review your initial timeline (from the previous month), noting the activities completed to date, and revise your plans for the remainder of the semester as appropriate. Email a copy of your revised timeline to the instructor by the deadline, and copy (cc) your advisor on this email.
Review your most recent timeline (from the previous month), noting the activities completed to date, and revise your plans for the remainder of the semester as appropriate. Email a copy of your revised timeline to the instructor by the deadline, and copy (cc) your advisor on this email.
Review your most recent timeline (from the previous month), noting the activities completed during the semester, and summarizing tasks and focus areas for the following semester. Email a copy of your revised timeline to the instructor by the deadline, and copy (cc) your advisor on this email.
Prepare a single slide highlighting your research experiences, using the template provided in class. This research profile slide serves as the final exam for EGR 993. Please note, due to the need to submit course grades, no extensions are available for this final assignment. Email a copy of the completed slide to the instructor by the deadline, and copy (cc) your advisor on this email.
Students earn 15 points per seminar by completing the online attendance form during the seminar. Students who attend at least 4 seminars during the semester will earn an additional 25 bonus points.
Students who achieve either of the milestones described below during the semester will earn 200 points and a passing grade in the course. After completing a milestone, no further activities are required. However, before reaching a milestone students are required to complete all assignments; failing to do so may earn a failing grade in the class.
In addition to writing assignments and seminar participation, students may earn points in EGR 993 by completing one or more of the following activities:
Sharing Timeline Template: 25 points for sharing an edited version of one of your timeline assignments with the instructor to use as an example for future classes. This timeline should be adjusted to remove or obscure any confidential or personal information. Submit this adapted assignment by emailing the instructor (colbryka@msu.edu) with the subject line “adapted timeline to share as template”. Note that by choosing to complete this extra credit assignment, you are granting permission for your adapted timeline to be provided as an example for future students, who may mimic the format or style for their own assignments. Limited to 1 timeline per semester.
Workshop/Conference Participation: 25 points for attending a workshop or conference. To earn the points, students must email colbryka@msu.edu within 1 week of the workshop/conference and provide a brief (3-5 sentences) summary of what they learned/accomplished by participating in the workshop/conference.
One-on-One Feedback: 25 points for scheduling a one-on-one writing feedback session with Katy Colbry during the semester. This is an opportunity to get individual assistance and feedback about your writing project; while you may schedule more than one feedback appointment, points can only be earned once per semester for this activity.
Career Services Engagement: 25 points for submitting documents for review by MSU Graduate Career Services, or for scheduling an appointment and meeting with someone from this office. To earn the points, students must email colbryka@msu.edu before the end of the semester and provide a brief (3-5 sentences) summary of your interaction with Graduate Career Services and what you learned/accomplished by engaging with them.
Destination Survey Participation: 25 points for submitting an updated Destination Survey to tell the College about your upcoming plans; every MSU Engineering student is encouraged to submit this survey at least once per year. To earn the points, students must email colbryka@msu.edu before the end of the semester and indicate that you have completed the Destination Survey during this semester (you are not required to provide a confirmation email or other proof of participation - just tell the instructor that you took the survey - we trust you!).
Additional Activities: students who find themselves in need of additional point-earning opportunities for this course should schedule an appointment with Dr. Colbry to discuss options. While it is expected that all students will be able to earn a passing grade in this course by participating in seminars, submitting writing assignments, and/or completing their final defense or thesis/dissertation document, in extenuating circumstances students may work with Dr. Colbry to identify alternative assessments for this course.
Participating in the weekly seminars is one way to earn points towards a passing grade in this course; however, there are no penalties for not attending the seminars (other than not earning attendance points). Students are urged to carefully review the grading policies for this course and determine which point-earning activities are most appropriate for their own goals during the semester.
Students who become ill or unable to participate in the course for an extended period of time should contact the instructor as soon as possible. The instructor will work with the student to make appropriate adjustments to accommodate the illness or absence. Students will not be penalized for a lack of progress due to documented illness or other significant interruption.
Should the instructor become ill or unable to participate in the course for an extended period of time, they will let the students know as soon as possible. The instructor will work with the College to identify an alternative instructor to provide assistance to students during the course. Given the flexible nature of this course, it is expected that students should be able to complete enough activities and assignments to earn a passing grade in the course even if the initial instructor becomes unavailable.
As indicated in MSU’s Religious Observance Policy, “it has always been the policy of the University to permit students and faculty to observe those holidays set aside by their chosen religious faith.” The Religious Observance Calendar lists many, but not all, religious observances that may be of importance to members of our community at MSU.
Students who need an extension on an assignment deadline due to a religious observance are expected to inform the instructor at least two weeks before the day(s) of observance. The instructor will work with the student to develop appropriate accommodations, such as an extended deadline for an assignment. These accommodations will be developed in accordance with MSU’s Religious Observance Policy and students shall not be penalized academically for extensions related to these religious observance accommodations.
This syllabus should be considered tentative until the first day of class. The instructor also reserves the right to make adjustments to this syllabus as needed to accommodate changes during the semester. Typographical changes that do not impact the student, such as correcting typos or adjusting formatting, may be made without notice. Substantive changes, such as adjustments to due dates, grading scheme, or assignments, will be communicated to students by email. Typically, substantive changes are made only if there is a clear benefit to students (extended due dates, additional opportunities to earn course points, etc.) or unexpected circumstances (e.g., instructor absence or illness, changes to the academic calendar). For changes that are within the control of the instructor, individual students may choose not to accept the updated syllabus without penalty. In this case, students would continue to follow the syllabus that was provided on the first day of class (e.g., submitting an assignment by its original due date, instead of accepting an extended due date).
Students who find typos, inconsistencies, or other issues in the syllabus or course materials should email the instructor (colbryka@msu.edu) so that errors can be corrected and clarifications made as needed. Typically, the first student to email the instructor about a specific issue will earn 10 bonus points for the course.
Instructor: Dr. Katy Luchini Colbry (she/her) (learn more about preferred pronouns)
Tentatively scheduled for Thursdays from 10-11am in 2418EB. Students may also make an appointment using the contact information above.
MSU is in the Eastern Time Zone of the United States, and observes daylight savings time. To find the current time at MSU, please visit: https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/@4991640
Important course information is communicated via email to your official MSU email address (the one that ends in “@msu.edu”). Students are responsible for all information sent to your university email (@msu.edu) and for checking this account daily.
MSU welcomes a full spectrum of experiences, viewpoints, and intellectual approaches because they enrich the conversation, even as they challenge us to think differently and grow. However, we believe that expressions and actions that demean individuals or groups compromise the environment for intellectual growth and undermine the social fabric of our community. Respectful and responsible behavior is expected at all times, which includes not using offensive or demeaning language in discussions or other course activities. Flagrant or repeated violations of this expectation may result in ejection from the class, grade-related penalties, and/or involvement of the university Ombudsperson. In particular, behaviors that could be considered discriminatory or harassing, or unwanted sexual attention, will not be tolerated and will be immediately reported to the appropriate MSU office (which may include the MSU Police Department).
Article 2.III.B.4 of the Student Rights and Responsibilities (SRR) for students at Michigan State University states: "The student's behavior in the classroom shall be conducive to the teaching and learning process for all concerned." Article 2.III.B.10 of the SRR states that "The student and the faculty share the responsibility for maintaining professional relationships based on mutual trust and civility." General Student Regulation 5.02 states: "No student shall . . . interfere with the functions and services of the University (for example, but not limited to, classes . . .) such that the function or service is obstructed or disrupted. Students whose conduct adversely affects the learning environment in this classroom may be subject to disciplinary action through the Student Judicial Affairs office.
Michigan State University is committed to providing equal opportunity for participation in all programs, services and activities. Requests for accommodations by persons with disabilities may be made by contacting the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities at 517-884-RCPD or https://www.rcpd.msu.edu. Once your eligibility for an accommodation has been determined, you will be issued a Verified Individual Services Accommodation ("VISA") form. Please present this form to the instructor at the start of the term and/or two weeks prior to the accommodation date (test, project, etc.). Requests received after this date will be honored whenever possible.
Article 2.III.B.2 of the Student Rights and Responsibilities (SRR) states that "The student shares with the faculty the responsibility for maintaining the integrity of scholarship, grades, and professional standards." In addition, the College of Engineering adheres to the policies on academic honesty as specified in General Student Regulations 1.0, Protection of Scholarship and Grades; the all-University Policy on Integrity of Scholarship and Grades; and Ordinance 17.00, Examinations. Therefore, you are expected to develop original work for this course and appropriately cite all research sources. Students who violate MSU academic integrity rules may receive a penalty grade, including a failing grade on the assignment or in the course. Contact your instructor if you are unsure about the appropriateness of your course work. (See also the website of the MSU Research Integrity Officer and the Spartan Code of Honor.)
More broadly, we ask that students adhere to the Spartan Code of Honor academic pledge, as written by the Associated Students of Michigan State University (ASMSU):
“As a Spartan, I will strive to uphold values of the highest ethical standard. I will practice honesty in my work, foster honesty in my peers, and take pride in knowing that honor is worth more than grades. I will carry these values beyond my time as a student at Michigan State University, continuing the endeavor to build personal integrity in all that I do.”
This course focuses on engineering research writing, and developing strong skills for written communication is essential for success in this class. Students are expected to complete assignments using their own original, written work unless otherwise indicated by the instructor. Students who are drawing from external sources, including both traditional reference materials and emerging technologies such as “chatbots,” must clearly indicate this within the body of their assignment.
For the purposes of this class, students may choose to utilize tools such as “chatbots” to assist with brainstorming, drafting, or refining their written assignments – with the understanding that the final submission must reflect their own original ideas and analyses. Students who choose to use such tools must include a clearly-labeled section or appendix that describes how they used which tools to enhance their learning and/or writing process. For example, if a chatbot was used to help develop an initial outline, the prompt and response(s) should be included along with a brief description from the student of how this tool was used to improve their own learning experience. Please note: these guidelines only apply to this specific course; students are reminded that they must discuss use of these tools in other situations with their advisor, supervisor, and/or instructor as appropriate to the context.
Students who choose to use external resources, including chatbots, without appropriate credit or explanation may receive a penalty grade, including a failing grade on the assignment or in the course. Contact the instructor if you have questions or need assistance in determining how and when to appropriately use and cite external resources, including “chatbot” type tools. Students who have read this syllabus carefully by January 15, 2024, may email the instructor with the subject line “Chatbot syllabus bonus” and earn 10 bonus points in this course.
Materials submitted for this class are generally considered confidential pursuant to the University's student record policies. However, students should be aware that University employees, including instructors, may not be able to maintain confidentiality when it conflicts with their responsibility to report certain issues to protect the health and safety of MSU community members and others. As the instructor, I must report the following information to other University offices (including the Department of Police and Public Safety) if you share it with me: suspected child abuse/neglect, even if this maltreatment happened when you were a child, allegations of sexual assault or sexual harassment when they involve MSU students, faculty, or staff, and credible threats of harm to oneself or to others. These reports may trigger contact from a campus official who will want to talk with you about the incident that you have shared. In almost all cases, it will be your decision whether you wish to speak with that individual. If you would like to talk about these events in a more confidential setting you are encouraged to make an appointment with the MSU Counseling Center (https://caps.msu.edu/).
Please check the MSU Schedule of Courses (schedule.msu.edu) to determine the last day to add this course; the last day to drop this course with a 100% refund and no grade reported; and the last day to drop this course with no refund and no grade reported. You should immediately make a copy of your amended schedule to verify you have added or dropped this course.
Commercialization of lecture notes and university-provided course materials is not permitted in this course.
A set of requirements have been put in place to maximize the health and safety of all members of the MSU community. For current requirements, please review MSU’s TOGETHER WE WILL website.
Students who become ill or unable to participate in the course for an extended period of time should contact the instructor as soon as possible. The instructor will work with the student to make appropriate adjustments to accommodate the illness or absence. Students will not be penalized for a lack of progress due to documented illness or other significant interruption.
Should the instructor become ill or unable to participate in the course for an extended period of time, they will let the student know as soon as possible. The instructor will work with the College to identify an alternative instructor to provide assistance to students during the course. Given the flexible nature of this course, it is expected that students should be able to complete enough activities and assignments to earn a passing grade in the course even if the initial instructor becomes unavailable.
Information in this section has been compiled by the MSU College of Engineering as some of the most commonly used resources for graduate students. This is not an exhaustive list, and there are many resources available across campus and in the greater Lansing area. If you need assistance with any issue and cannot find support here, please reach out to your instructor.
If it is a class related issue (e.g., question on syllabus, question pertaining to grades; or team/group dynamics; or TA/ULA issues), the first step is to contact the instructor of the course. If there is no response from the instructor (give them 2-3 business days), or if the issue relates to the course instructor, then contact the Associate Chair, or the Chair, of the Department where the course is offered. This person can be located via the MSU web sites or calling the department office. For example, if the course is a mechanical engineering course, then you would contact the Mechanical Engineering Associate Chair for Graduate Studies.
If you are experiencing any form of relationship or sexual violence, please let MSU know this is occurring. If you feel you are in danger, please call 911.
Reports should be made through this website (file a report): https://civilrights.msu.edu/ IIndividuals can file at the time of the incident and then will be contacted to see if they would like to discuss it further. This office handles reports from and about students, faculty and staff.
If you need help with classes, studying, connecting with others, seeking mentoring, or want to participate in student events – start here.
For students who have a disability that substantially limits a major life activity, you can register with RCPD and you may be eligible to receive accommodations. https://www.rcpd.msu.edu/