Information Package / Course Catalogue
Design in Engineering
Course Code: BK409
Course Type: Required
Couse Group: First Cycle (Bachelor's Degree)
Education Language: Turkish
Work Placement: N/A
Theory: 3
Prt.: 0
Credit: 3
Lab: 0
ECTS: 4
Objectives of the Course

The objective of this course is to equip engineer candidates studying in the field of Plant Protection with the competence to transform their theoretical knowledge into a tangible design project within the framework of realistic constraints and national/international engineering standards. It aims to enable students to define professional problems using concrete data and to solve an "Engineering Problem" through scientific decision-making mechanisms (such as Decision Matrices), mathematical modeling, technical drawing, and detailed cost/risk analyses. Furthermore, it is intended to develop professional teamwork competencies through hierarchical communication, time discipline, academic reporting and writing principles, and individual accountability based on logbook tracking.

Course Content

Throughout the course, all engineering steps, from the generation of original ideas targeting plant protection issues to the presentation of the final design report, are systematically covered. The content encompasses conducting preliminary research via literature, patents (TURKPATENT, Espacenet, WIPO, Google Patents), and databases (TURKSTAT, FAOSTAT, EPPO); and structuring TUBITAK and BAP (Scientific Research Projects) budget items (capital expenditures, consumables, outsourced services, travel) and work packages during the project planning phase. The anatomy of a scientific research article (Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion) aligned with natural sciences standards, alongside academic emailing and corporate communication processes, are delivered practically. Throughout the process, students are required to develop at least three alternative solutions, perform mathematical modeling and engineering calculations for validation, generate technical drawings using computer software, and document the entire process in hand-written weekly logbooks.

Name of Lecturer(s)
Learning Outcomes
1.Defines a plant protection problem (disease, pest, weed) on the basis of scientific data; analyses user/sector needs and models the problem as an engineering problem with measurable objectives; and maintains the design's relationship to the field of plant protection.
2.Identifies the realistic constraints that limit the design (economic, environmental, ethical, safety) and the applicable national and international standards; and, through a systematic search of literature and patent databases, reveals the knowledge gap.
3.Develops at least three alternative solutions to the problem and makes a scientifically grounded selection using a weighted decision matrix.
4.Verifies the design through mathematical/biological modelling, engineering calculations (dosage, sizing, application rate) and technical drawings (CAD/flow diagram); and carries out economic feasibility, cost and risk analysis with respect to environmental and human-health dimensions.
5.Conducts hierarchical communication and professional teamwork; documents individual contribution by means of a logbook; and writes an academic report and delivers a presentation.
Recommended or Required Reading
1.Tübitak, Proje Nasıl Hazırlanır? Bilimsel Yöntem Nedir?
2.Tarım ve Orman Bakanlığı, Standart İlaç Deneme Metotları
3.Resmî Gazete, Bitki koruma ürünlerinin ruhsatlandırılması ve piyasaya arzı hakkında yönetmelik
4.mevzuat.gov.tr Bitki koruma ürünleri bayisi
5.Official Gazette, Regulation on the Wholesale and Retail Sale and Storage of Plant Protection Products
6.Engineering Design Lecture Notes uozyilmaz.com
Weekly Detailed Course Contents
Week 1 - Theoretical
The course begins with an introduction to the structure, expectations, and regulations, followed by an in-class brainstorming session addressing plant protection problems where each student is required to propose at least one original topic or problem statement.
Week 2 - Theoretical
The second week focuses on a general evaluation of the proposed ideas, the random assignment of students into five-member groups with specific group numbers, and the establishment of a hierarchical communication structure consisting of members, group representatives, and class representatives. Additionally, students learn the principles of academic and professional email correspondence, including institutional domain usage and the proper configuration of To, CC, and BCC fields for self-monitoring, alongside an introduction to foundational realistic constraints in design.
Week 3 - Theoretical
During the third week, the primary topics selected by the groups and the alternatives they eliminated undergo an in-class, one-by-one evaluation, which serves as a compliance audit regarding relevance to the field of Plant Protection and provides necessary guidance and revisions.
Week 4 - Theoretical
The fourth week features conceptual design presentations prepared and executed by designated group representatives or presenters, allowing projects to mature and refine through peer-reviewed in-class discussions. Students are also given the official announcement and guidelines for the upcoming Design Proposal.
Week 5 - Theoretical
The fifth week covers scientific writing style guidelines, emphasizing the utilization of a technical, objective, and passive voice, while establishing academic reporting formatting standards such as Times New Roman, 12 pt, 1.5 line spacing, and justified text. Reference styles and in-text citation rules are detailed based on the University's Thesis Writing Directive, alongside an introduction to ethical approaches in academia.
Week 6 - Theoretical
The sixth week provides step-by-step data extraction and search applications on TUIK, FAOSTAT, and EPPO platforms for data analysis in Plant Protection projects. It also covers national and international patent search strategies using TURKPATENT, Espacenet and Google Patents, with a focus on keyword selection, and legal status tracking.
Week 7 - Theoretical
In the seventh week, the formal Design Proposal and Feasibility Reports are collected. The session focuses on explaining the distinction between a design and a project, the underlying rationale for transforming a design into a formalized project framework, and a detailed analysis of the evaluation rubrics, including how to scale the project's degree of relevance to the Plant Protection discipline.
Week 8 - Theoretical
The eighth week examines institutional and national funding mechanisms by reviewing the structural breakdown and application forms of BAP and TUBITAK projects. Students learn to construct project budget items covering capital expenditures, consumables, outsourced services, and travel expenses, while mastering the logic of creating work packages and Gantt charts.
Week 9 - Theoretical
The ninth week details the structural anatomy of a scientific research article oriented toward Natural Sciences and Plant Protection, covering the constraints of title selection, author and affiliation sequence, and abstract writing. It introduces the "funnel" model of the Introduction section, highlights the academic language differences in the Materials & Methods section compared to standard project proposals, and examines standard formats for Results, Discussion, Conclusion, and References.
Week 10 - Theoretical
The tenth week guides students in developing alternative designs to face defined engineering challenges based on the mandatory principle of including at least three alternative solution paths in the final report. Students apply a weighted Decision Matrix to evaluate these alternatives across criteria such as Cost, Efficiency, Ease of Use, and Environmental Impact.
Week 11 - Theoretical
The eleventh week focuses on modeling designs using physical, mathematical, or biological equations. It covers detailed engineering calculations specific to Plant Protection, including dimensioning, dosage calculations, application speeds, nozzle calibration, and structural strength analyses, while integrating national and international engineering standards from TSE, ISO, and FAO.
Week 12 - Theoretical
The twelfth week addresses the visualization of designs and their translation into the language of engineering through 2D and 3D technical drafting software. Students learn the rules of design and how to integrate process flowcharts, algorithmic steps, or software architecture diagrams into their engineering reports.
Week 13 - Theoretical
The thirteenth week covers cost, feasibility, risk, and safety analyses by calculating the Bill of Materials, operational expenses, depreciation, and return on investment. Students conduct a Failure Mode and Effects Analysis to identify failure points and their impacts on human or plant health, while evaluating ethical, environmental, and social constraints on water, soil, beneficial organisms, and occupational health.
Week 14 - Theoretical
The final week concludes the course with the formal submission of the final report, which must be a maximum of 10 pages and structured strictly according to the template. The semester ends with final defense sessions where groups pitch and present their projects before a jury and the class in a professional and persuasive manner.
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Type of AssessmentCountPercent
Report1%20
Assignment3%10
Term Assignment1%10
Final Rate1%60
Workload Calculation
ActivitiesCountPreparationTimeTotal Work Load (hours)
Lecture - Theory143384
Assignment3103
Term Project1505
Report1505
Final Examination1303
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours)100
Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes
PÇ-1
PÇ-2
PÇ-3
PÇ-4
PÇ-5
PÇ-6
PÇ-7
PÇ-8
PÇ-9
PÇ-10
PÇ-11
OÇ-1
4
5
2
4
4
2
OÇ-2
2
3
3
3
5
4
3
OÇ-3
2
4
4
4
4
OÇ-4
5
2
3
4
3
3
5
5
OÇ-5
2
5
5
2
Adnan Menderes University - Information Package / Course Catalogue
2026