Read your instructor's directions for the career research paper carefully. All courses may have different information you need to include in the architectural engineer essay. If you were provided vague instructions only, there are standard sections to include in a career research paper, such as education, job duties and career outlook.
Schedule an informational interview with an architectural engineer if possible. This is a primary source that can help you gather the information needed to write your career research paper. Architectural engineers might work for construction companies, design companies or for government organizations.
Gather secondary sources to help you write your paper. You can check out books from your local or school library that deal with the subject of engineering or architecture, or you can use the Internet. Your school library may have a database of scholarly and academic journal articles that may be very helpful. Reputable websites, such as the Occupational Outlook Handbook offered through the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, can also provide you with information about this career.
Outline your essay about becoming and working as an architectural engineer. You should include an introduction, at least three body paragraphs and a conclusion. Your introduction will include the topic of your essay, a brief summary of the points you will cover and why you chose to research architectural engineers. Each body paragraph should contain information about the career. You might have one paragraph about the education needed, one about the job duties involved and one about the career outlook for architectural engineers. Your conclusion should reiterate one interesting point made in each paragraph and if relevant to your assignment, explain how you feel about pursuing a career as an architectural engineer after researching it.
Fill in your essay. Once you outline your essay, you need to fill in any missing information. For example, in the first body paragraph, you might discuss the different degrees that can be completed, such as a Bachelor of Architecture or a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering. Necessary skills and knowledge needed before being hired should also be discussed, such as particular computer programs or internship experience. The information for the paragraph about the job duties can be taken from what you learned during your informational interview and research. Discuss possible duties an architectural engineer might have, such as bidding on projects, supervising work sites, or solving structural problems that might arise. The paragraph about job growth and career outlook should contain facts and statistics, such as by the year 2016, job growth for architectural engineers is expected to grow by at least 18%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Be sure to fill in information for the introduction and conclusion, as well.
Proofread your career research paper. This type of essay is typically written for a high school or entry level college course. To ensure you receive the highest grade possible and receive credit for your hard work and extensive research, proofread the paper looking for ways to improve your sentence structure and phrasing, as well as misspelled words and typos. If possible, ask a friend to look it over, too. It can be difficult sometimes to find mistakes in your own work, especially if you've read the paper many times over.