Outlining a paper is a great way to plan how you will join the assigned writing format with the engineering topic you will cover. Begin by identifying a thesis statement for the paper. This is the main question that the paper will answer. Write that question out in plain, clear language across the top of a blank piece of paper and label that with the number 1. Subsequent numbers in the outline should identify how that question will be answered in the paper--the history of the problem, what science/engineers say about the problem, methods on how to solve it and conclusions drawn.
Engineering is in the family of sciences, so it uses APA documentation style for its scholarly works. Failure to become familiar with this documentation style can weaken your paper and, by extension, your final grade. APA documentation affects not only how sources are cited throughout the text, but also how the paper is laid out and how a bibliography is constructed. A "cheat sheet" for APA style and documentation is available online through the writing center at George Mason University.
Every university across the country maintains a writing center staffed by undergraduate and graduate level students trained in the teaching of writing techniques. Making an appointment at the university writing center can greatly help engineering students pick meaningful paper topics, strengthen the narrative of research and provide feedback as to how the paper is performing as a whole. Remember that many writing centers are process centers, not product centers, meaning they are not places to go to simply get a paper edited. Students should expect a collaborative effort during the session.