Why do I have such trouble with Engineering reading assignments?

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the challenges faced by a third-year engineering student in comprehending reading assignments related to digital circuits in a logic design class. Participants share strategies and insights on how to improve understanding of technical material, particularly in engineering contexts.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Conceptual clarification, Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses difficulty in understanding reading assignments and retaining information from paragraphs read.
  • Another suggests finding a tutor or a strong student for assistance in explaining concepts.
  • It is proposed that working through example problems or programming them in software like MATLAB or Mathematica could aid comprehension.
  • Taking notes on important components and creating charts or tables to organize information is recommended as a tactile method to reinforce learning.
  • A participant advises slowing down while reading technical material, emphasizing the need for concentration and possibly multiple readings to grasp complex topics.
  • Questions are raised about specific difficulties with digital circuits and whether the student has a foundational understanding of analog circuits and their differences.
  • A light-hearted comment suggests that hard work is essential in overcoming these challenges.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the need for different strategies to improve understanding of technical material, but there is no consensus on a single effective method. Multiple approaches are suggested, reflecting varying perspectives on learning techniques.

Contextual Notes

Some suggestions depend on the individual's prior knowledge of analog circuits, which may influence their understanding of digital circuits. The discussion does not resolve the specific challenges faced by the original poster.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for engineering students struggling with reading technical material, educators looking for strategies to support students, and anyone interested in learning techniques for complex subjects.

royzizzle
Messages
48
Reaction score
0
I'm a third year engineering student and recently I've been unable to complete any of my reading assignments for a logic design class.

Mainly this is because I simply can't understand the material I am reading. After I read a paragraph, it's almost like I never read anything because I am unable to paraphrase what I have just read.

Does anyone have tips on how to understand digital circuits?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Try finding a tutor (or a strong student) to explain the concepts to you?
 
Are there example problems or homework problems you can work as you read... possibly even programming these out on matlab/mathematica/maple?

Also: as you read, you can take notes on important components as they are introduced, noting the inputs/output from the components... maybe making up a chart/table with the name of the component, the symbol, and the input/output results.

I find doing something tactile (suc as taking notes or working problems) when reading something important helps solidify the material.
 
I'm not familiar with digital circuits, but I feel some general advice might help.

It may be that you just need to slow down. Reading technical information is not to be done in the same manner as one would read literature. You need to take your time and concentrate on what it is that you're reading.

This is especially the case with subjects/topics that make use of mathematics. It is not unusual to have to read something multiple times in order to understand what is being said! As physics girl phd suggested, get out a pencil and a piece of paper and start engaging a bit more. Draw/chart (if applicable) what you're reading. If you encounter example problems in the text, don't just read through them; work them out!
 
Last edited:
royzizzle said:
Does anyone have tips on how to understand digital circuits?

What in particular about digital circuits is eluding you? Do you understand analog circuits? If you do, do you understand why they're fundamentally different?
 
Hard work mate, hard work. http://bayarearoster.com/js/includes/34/b/happy.gif
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
2K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
4K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
3K
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
3K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
3K
Replies
1
Views
1K
  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
3K
Replies
10
Views
5K
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
2K
Replies
23
Views
3K