Mechanical Engineering Summer Reading
Hello all!
I'm (hopefully) going on to study Mechanical Engineering at Warwick this September/October. But until then I have quite some time to kill, so would any of you current students recommend any summer reading? Should I read any mathematics based books to keep my eye in?
I also have not done further maths so are there any books I can read to start to pick up some of that stuff?
Basically would it be worth reading anything or is it pointless?
Thanks for any advice!
I'm (hopefully) going on to study Mechanical Engineering at Warwick this September/October. But until then I have quite some time to kill, so would any of you current students recommend any summer reading? Should I read any mathematics based books to keep my eye in?
I also have not done further maths so are there any books I can read to start to pick up some of that stuff?
Basically would it be worth reading anything or is it pointless?
Thanks for any advice!
Best advice is to enjoy your summer. Don't try and get a head start. Why? You'll burn yourself out. Everything will be taught from scratch at university anyway to keep everyone at a level playing field. The only thing I'd suggest is to maybe do some maths questions from your A-Level maths exams, just to keep your brain active over the long slumber. But honestly, people really forget how important it is to rest and rejuvenate somewhat.
Having said that, if you are desperate to buy some books (I strongly advise just getting them from the library) and glancing over them:
Cengel and Boles Thermodynamics
Stroud Engineering Mathematics
Better still, look at what modules you'll be doing over the next year and find lecture notes on them from Warwick or other universities.
Having said that, if you are desperate to buy some books (I strongly advise just getting them from the library) and glancing over them:
Cengel and Boles Thermodynamics
Stroud Engineering Mathematics
Better still, look at what modules you'll be doing over the next year and find lecture notes on them from Warwick or other universities.
(edited 9 years ago)
Yes, I didn't do further maths either and so the first year maths module hurt a bit! Some particular maths topics that are likely to come up that you may not have covered in detail before:
-complex numbers
-matrices
-differential and partial differential equations
Apart from maths though, I wouldn't worry too much. Unless you really struggled in maths or physics there is no need to get a head start, except thermodynamics perhaps, if you didn't cover it in Chemistry or Physics.
Some courses have programming modules that you may have had no experience of before. My course had MATLAB in the first year, and Python is another common choice. I ended up really enjoying the programming modules and even did some programming in my spare time.
from a Uni. Southampton MEng grad
-complex numbers
-matrices
-differential and partial differential equations
Apart from maths though, I wouldn't worry too much. Unless you really struggled in maths or physics there is no need to get a head start, except thermodynamics perhaps, if you didn't cover it in Chemistry or Physics.
Some courses have programming modules that you may have had no experience of before. My course had MATLAB in the first year, and Python is another common choice. I ended up really enjoying the programming modules and even did some programming in my spare time.
from a Uni. Southampton MEng grad
Thank you both very much for your advice 
I was not planning on doing any hardcore studying, more a gentle read for interest that's all
Are the books you mentioned first year text books? And where would you advice getting lecture notes from, the places I have looked require you to log on to a university server to access them :/
Are there any books you would advise reading to get an idea of those topics? And I know for a fact that Warwick use MATLAB regularly, but I'm going to wait till I hopefully go there to get it as they can give it to you for free
Original post by djpailo
Best advice is to enjoy your summer. Don't try and get a head start. Why? You'll burn yourself out. Everything will be taught from scratch at university anyway to keep everyone at a level playing field. The only thing I'd suggest is to maybe do some maths questions from your A-Level maths exams, just to keep your brain active over the long slumber. But honestly, people really forget how important it is to rest and rejuvenate somewhat.
Having said that, if you are desperate to buy some books (I strongly advise just getting them from the library) and glancing over them:
Cengel and Boles Thermodynamics
Stroud Engineering Mathematics
Better still, look at what modules you'll be doing over the next year and find lecture notes on them from Warwick or other universities.
Having said that, if you are desperate to buy some books (I strongly advise just getting them from the library) and glancing over them:
Cengel and Boles Thermodynamics
Stroud Engineering Mathematics
Better still, look at what modules you'll be doing over the next year and find lecture notes on them from Warwick or other universities.
I was not planning on doing any hardcore studying, more a gentle read for interest that's all
Are the books you mentioned first year text books? And where would you advice getting lecture notes from, the places I have looked require you to log on to a university server to access them :/
Original post by dodell
Yes, I didn't do further maths either and so the first year maths module hurt a bit! Some particular maths topics that are likely to come up that you may not have covered in detail before:
-complex numbers
-matrices
-differential and partial differential equations
Apart from maths though, I wouldn't worry too much. Unless you really struggled in maths or physics there is no need to get a head start, except thermodynamics perhaps, if you didn't cover it in Chemistry or Physics.
Some courses have programming modules that you may have had no experience of before. My course had MATLAB in the first year, and Python is another common choice. I ended up really enjoying the programming modules and even did some programming in my spare time.
from a Uni. Southampton MEng grad
-complex numbers
-matrices
-differential and partial differential equations
Apart from maths though, I wouldn't worry too much. Unless you really struggled in maths or physics there is no need to get a head start, except thermodynamics perhaps, if you didn't cover it in Chemistry or Physics.
Some courses have programming modules that you may have had no experience of before. My course had MATLAB in the first year, and Python is another common choice. I ended up really enjoying the programming modules and even did some programming in my spare time.
from a Uni. Southampton MEng grad
Are there any books you would advise reading to get an idea of those topics? And I know for a fact that Warwick use MATLAB regularly, but I'm going to wait till I hopefully go there to get it as they can give it to you for free
Original post by Toughtee
Are there any books you would advise reading to get an idea of those topics? And I know for a fact that Warwick use MATLAB regularly, but I'm going to wait till I hopefully go there to get it as they can give it to you for free
Are there any books you would advise reading to get an idea of those topics? And I know for a fact that Warwick use MATLAB regularly, but I'm going to wait till I hopefully go there to get it as they can give it to you for free
Well I used the K.A.Stroud Engineering Mathematics textbook in my first year, actually bought a copy as I used it a fair bit. Generally you can avoid buying books if you are going to a good uni as there will be lots in the library. The other maths book I used in first year was Glyn James' Modern Engineering Mathematics which is slightly more advanced.
I may be selling the book (K.A.Stroud) soon as I doubt I'll have any use for it. If you are interested I can send you a link to the ebay page when/if I list it.
Be sure to search for .edu websites for free material. Tons of stuff on the web!
Original post by Toughtee
Thank you both very much for your advice
I was not planning on doing any hardcore studying, more a gentle read for interest that's all
Are the books you mentioned first year text books? And where would you advice getting lecture notes from, the places I have looked require you to log on to a university server to access them :/
Are there any books you would advise reading to get an idea of those topics? And I know for a fact that Warwick use MATLAB regularly, but I'm going to wait till I hopefully go there to get it as they can give it to you for free
I was not planning on doing any hardcore studying, more a gentle read for interest that's all
Are the books you mentioned first year text books? And where would you advice getting lecture notes from, the places I have looked require you to log on to a university server to access them :/
Are there any books you would advise reading to get an idea of those topics? And I know for a fact that Warwick use MATLAB regularly, but I'm going to wait till I hopefully go there to get it as they can give it to you for free
MIT has a large portion of lecture notes available online for free. Generally, if your looking for lecture notes, they tend to be uploaded in pdf form. You need to also be quite specific with what you're looking for. Not like "maths lecture notes" but rather "complex numbers explanation notes" etc.
I wouldn't say the books I mentioned are specific to any year. What'll happen is that over the course of 4 years, you'll cover topics that most textbooks will cover. Glyn James has two mathematics books. Anderson has an aerodynamics textbook and also one particularly specialising in compressible flow. All the textbooks are there for information if you don't get something in the notes. Truthfully though, if you do want to understand something, read the books, the notes will just be a summary. But you won't be able to read all the books so its a balance. I only read the aspects of stuff in the textbooks when I was interested to know more. When I was stuck, I mostly use google. Then I asked for help from professors. You'd be surprised how reluctant people are to actually ask for help or even ask general questions.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by Toughtee
Hello all!
I'm (hopefully) going on to study Mechanical Engineering at Warwick this September/October. But until then I have quite some time to kill, so would any of you current students recommend any summer reading? Should I read any mathematics based books to keep my eye in?
I also have not done further maths so are there any books I can read to start to pick up some of that stuff?
Basically would it be worth reading anything or is it pointless?
Thanks for any advice!
I'm (hopefully) going on to study Mechanical Engineering at Warwick this September/October. But until then I have quite some time to kill, so would any of you current students recommend any summer reading? Should I read any mathematics based books to keep my eye in?
I also have not done further maths so are there any books I can read to start to pick up some of that stuff?
Basically would it be worth reading anything or is it pointless?
Thanks for any advice!
Hi, I'm starting Mech Eng in September after taking a gap year and I've been working and studying, from matlab, autocad, mathematics and engineering design. If you want a head start, then the Higher Engineering Mathematics by John Bird and Engineering design 8th ed by McGraw hill are popular choices amongst all engineering students. For an interesting read, An introduction to mechanical engineering 3rd ed by Jonathan Wickert is very accessible for even AS physicists and requires basic Maths knowledge, the book gives you a great overview of Mechanical engineers and the the basic principles on which they work on.
Just out of curiosity, which accommodation have you chosen?
(edited 9 years ago)
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