University of Portsmouth: Time Management in Engineering Essay

This essay delves into the critical role of time management within engineering projects, specifically focusing on civil engineering. It emphasizes that effective time management is a precious resource, especially given the high workload of engineering courses. The essay highlights how good time management skills are essential for the timely completion of projects, ensuring quality, and ultimately, achieving good grades. It explores prioritization as a key aspect, advocating for tackling difficult tasks first to ensure all necessary work is completed efficiently. Furthermore, the essay discusses how good time management enables students to allocate sufficient time for research, sleep, leisure, and a balanced lifestyle. The essay underscores the positive relationship between time management and academic success, including the timely completion of projects, adequate research, and improved grades. It concludes by summarizing the benefits of good time management for engineering students, including prioritization, better grades, and timely project completion with flexibility. References from various academic sources support the arguments presented.

Importance of Good
Time Management
in an Engineering
Project

Introduction
• Time is a precious resource
• Engineering courses have a high workload
• Good time management skills are important in timely completion of
project
• Time management is important in ensuring quality

Introduction Cont’d
• Managing time well plays a role in ensuring good grades
• Good time management skills are essential in ensuring adequate time
for sleep and recreation
• Civil engineers should manage time well since constructions should be
of high quality

Prioritization
• Ability to decide the sequence of events
• Engineering projects require professional expertise
• Difficult tasks should be done first
• Helps ensure that all appropriate tasks are done
• Ensures timely completion and good grade

Good Grades
• The goal of most students is to excel in academics
• There is a positive relationship between good time management skills
and good grades
• Good time management will help engineering students score high
marks in projects trough:
Timely completion of projects
Adequate research
More time for sleep and leisure

Completion of Projects on Time
and Flexibility
• Student will start the project early
• Student will create a good balance between studies, social life and
recreation
• Student will distribute the tasks of the project according to the time
available
• Student will use time management tools to help them complete the
project on time

Conclusion
• Good time management skills are important to an engineering
student for the following reasons:
Prioritization
Good grades
Timely completion and flexibility

References
• Burdick, M. (2016). Critical Thinking. Routledge.
• Conrad, S. (2017). A comparison of practitioner and student writing in civil
engineering. Journal of Engineering Education, 106(2), 191-217.
• Conrad, S. (2017). Critical thinking skills: Effective analysis, argument and
reflection. Macmillan International Higher Education.
• Dicheva, D., Dichev, C., Agre, G., & Angelova, G. (2015). Gamification in
education: a systematic mapping study. Educational Technology & Society, 18(3),
75-89.
• Hughes, W., & Lavery, J. (2015). Critical Thinking: An Introduction to the Basic
Skills-Canadian Seventh Edition. Broadview Press.
• McPeck, J. E. (2016). Critical thinking and education. Routledge.

References Cont’d
• Nicholas, J. M., & Steyn, H. (2017). Project management for engineering, business
and technology. Routledge.
• Özsoy, G., Memiş, A., & Temur, T. (2017). Metacognition, study habits and attitudes.
International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 2(1), 154-166.
• Paul, R. W. (2018). Critical thinking and the critical person. (pp. 373-403). Routledge.
• Sharp, J. A., Peters, J., & Howard, K. (2017). The management of a student research
project. Routledge.
• Woods, D. D., & Hollnagel, E. (2017). Prologue: resilience engineering concepts. In
Resilience engineering (pp. 13-18). CRC Press.
• Yang, X. S., Bekdaş, G., & Nigdeli, S. M. (Eds.). (2016). Metaheuristics and
optimization in civil engineering. Springer.