International Journal of Quality Assurance in Engineering and Technology Education, 4(3), 1-20, July-September 2015 1 Copyright © 2015, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited. Keywords: Capstone, Communication, Final Year, Information Retrieval, Projects ABSTRACT The pedagogy of engineering requires a better understanding of the requirements of students’ abilities to learning the skills necessary for working in the engineering community. In many engineering courses around the world, one of the key aspects required of the students is that they complete an independent project in their fnal year of studies incorporating information retrieval and subsequent communication skills. The current work provides details teaching and learning approaches to enhance student abilities and expertise involving research skills, communication skills, and information retrieval integrated within capstone projects. Findings from this the work indicated that both domestic and international students benefted from the intensive tuto- rial activities involving computer based information retrieval skills. The implementation of active tutorial sessions resulted in increased grades for the majority of students, highlighting the importance of intensive active learning events for fnal year capstone engineering students. Developing Engineering Students’ Communication and Information Retrieval Skills Utilizing Capstone Projects Aaron S. Blicblau, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia Jamal Naser, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne,Australia INTRODUCTION Project work is considered to be a vital part of an engineer’s training (ENAEE, 2015; EA, 2013; EA, 2012; Keet, 2011; ABET, 2014; Connor, Dench, & Bates, 2000) and is often the major component of the capstone course in the final year of engineering. The capstone course challenges the student’s personal and professional skills. The nature of the course forces us to accept dimensions of professional practice that go beyond technology by also including soci- etal considerations. The capstone course should include experiences that benefit the graduate or senior undergraduate student, by incorporating “practicing oral and written communication skills” (Hoffman, 2014).). The capstone research methodology, the comprehensive writing, and the extensive literature retrieval and evaluation process have been incorporated into a formal subject as an enhancement of student skills into the early stages of a final year capstone project DOI: 10.4018/IJQAETE.2015070101