CSCE 488, fall 2001 HOMEWORK 1

Due Date: Wednesday, September 12, 2001

Purpose: This is an assignment on technical writing based on research on a topic of current interest. You will be graded primarily on technical writing and secondarily on the quality of research. Be sure to write in strict compliance with the standard style sheet, and follow the format guidelines given in the class presentation Technical Writing for Computer Engineers.

Assignment: Write a journal-style technical review, not to exceed six double-spaced pages, on how to do effective searches for technical information on the Internet. Give it a title appropriate to contents and list yourself as the author. Citations in your paper should not be limited to relevant web sites but also include appropriate books and articles published in the more traditional style. The contents of the paper should include, but are not limited to, information on the relative merits of different types of search engines, bibliographic databases and digital libraries for technical publications, and ways to assess the quality of retrieved information. Use tables and figures as appropriate, although these do not count toward the six-page limit for the paper.

You are to submit your report by e-mailing a pdf file to Prof. Scott by 8:30am on the due date.