Introduction to Mechanical Engineering Design

Reviewed by Thomas Tortomasi, AutoCAD/ Mechanical Engineering Drawing Design Instructor, Tidewater Community College on 6/19/25

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The online text includes six modules, each with tables, short video clips, student activities, and links. I did not see an index or glossary, only a module overview that described features of the publication.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The text was highly informational and did not seem to have any grammatical errors. The information was ordered in a logical sequence and contained higher level, yet standard engineering vocabulary.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The text contained standard concepts that can be found in other related materials. Updates can be made easily in the online version as well as the pdf version as long as the original documents were stored.

Clarity rating: 4

Much of the information/ terminology in the text would be more understandable if the reader had some background in the engineering field. Because it's an "introduction" source, I was expecting a more basic level nature.

Consistency rating: 5

Consistent terminology and format were used throughout the text.

Modularity rating: 5

The modules were listed in the introduction, and they were easy to find on the pdf file. Links to the different pdf sections worked and were very helpful.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The information seemed to be in a logical format.

Interface rating: 4

The internal pdf links worked perfectly. Most of the videos were from YouTube and from various sources. My concern was if the videos became unaccusable at some point it would adversely affect instruction.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I noticed no grammar errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

I did not notice anything insensitive or offensive, but I didn't see any representation of other ethnicities/ races. I only checked six videos.

It looks like a solid text that is easily to maneuver through. It's pretty much what I am used to in the science and engineering field.

Reviewed by Hafizur Rahman, Assistant Professor, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on 12/15/24

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The book consists of a total of seven modules. The modules are micro-economy kit, define, measure, analyze, design, verify, and report results. Each module has individual chapters. The module and corresponding chapter titles are provided as “Contents” at the beginning of the book and are easy to follow.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The content is accurate.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The book was published in 2023, and its contents are up-to-date. It provides the essential elements and key concepts for mechanical engineering design. The current structure of the book allows for updates, i.e., adding any new content easily. Several design examples from real-life scenarios related to thermal and mechanical systems have been provided.

Clarity rating: 4

The book is written simply, and it is easy to follow. The texts are concise. One good thing about the book is that it uses many practice exercise examples as hyperlinks. The hyperlinks will take you directly to that exercise problem that is easy to follow and do in browsers.

Consistency rating: 5

At the start of each module, module objectives are clearly stated. Additionally, related assignments, tasks, and grading criteria are also provided. Depending on the module objectives, some modules consist of multiple tasks. Each module is again divided into a few chapters.

Modularity rating: 5

Yes, the book is easy to follow. The book is mainly divided into modules, and each module is further divided into chapters.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The organization of the book is good. Many images, mechanical drawings, tables, and flow charts have been added, which help readers to understand the texts and concepts.

Interface rating: 5

I did not notice any significant interfaces. The navigation through PDF is very easy. The book uses many hyperlinks continuously throughout the book. It allows the reader to quickly go through to a more detailed explanation, examples, videos, tests, etc.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not notice any significant grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

No culturally insensitive or offensive texts have been noticed.

Overall, the book is written excellently. The book provides the basic ideas and concepts that anyone needs to successfully complete a design project by providing a lot of real-life examples.