English 410.010 Technical Writing Spring 2002
Deborah C. Andrews Memorial 135 phone: 831-8788 e-mail: dandrews@udel.edu Office hours: Tuesday 2-3; Thursday 8-9; and by appointment e-mail questions and comments are always welcome Web: www.english.udel.edu/dandrews Class: Wed 1:25-3:20 Lab: To be arranged
Course Description
As a technical professional, you will need to reach audiences and collaborate on projects across borders of culture, language, and technology. In this course, you will learn strategies for communicating effectively in that context. The problems giving rise to communication are muddled and multidimensional. To solve them, you must write and speak as global citizens as well as global engineers or health professionals or scientists. You may well have to communicate with people who do not share your values, point of view, or disciplinary knowledge. In addition, you need to understand how information technology enables--and constrains--such communication. You'll write both about and with that technology. Most assignments in the course aim to simulate on-the-job communication occasions. You'll prepare assignments both individually and as a member of a team. In class, we'll discuss the principles, forms, and techniques of technical communication. The lab sessions extend and amplify that discussion.
Required Text
Deborah C. Andrews, Technical Communication in the Global Community, 2nd edition. Upper Saddle River NJ: Prentice Hall, 2001.
Visit the text Website: www.prenhall.com/andrews.
Schedule of Readings and Assignments
Date Reading Assignment Topic Feb 06 The Communicator's role; course intro. Feb 13 Ch.1,2,20 1. Self introduction Communicating globally; memos and e-mail Feb 20 Ch 3,4 2. Memo on interview Managing information; ethics; empirical research Feb 27 Ch 5,13,21 Documents and Websites; articles, abstracts, reviews Mar 06 Ch 6,7,8 3. Informative memo Designing information: audience analysis; composing visuals Mar 13 Ch 9,10,11 4. Persuasive Web page Composing text; explaining, proving, persuading Mar 20 Ch 12 Revising and editing Mar 27 Ch 14 MIDTERM Genres of technical communication. Proposals; project teams Apr 3 SPRINGBREAK Apr 10 Ch 15,16 More on proposals and final project; reports Apr 17 Ch 17 5. Course progress report More on reports; instructions Apr 24 Ch 18,19 6. Team proposal more on instructions; letters; the job search May 01 Ch 22 7. Instructions more on the job search; oral presentations May 08 8. Ltr. of appl./resume more on oral presentations; workshop on reports May 15 9. Project report Briefings --Portfolios--
Your Obligations as a Student
- Attend every class. This course prepares you for your role as a professional, and professionals meet obligations. In addition, you paid for this class, and it's important for you to get your money's worth. We'll discuss assignments in detail in class and do exercises that are hard to make up if you're not there. If you must miss a class, send me an e-mail in advance explaining why and proposing a strategy for covering the work. On that basis, I will decide whether the absence will result in a reduction in your grade. Any unexcused absence will automatically result in a grade reduction.
- Before every class: read assigned chapters in the text, prepare end-of-chapter exercises as directed, and write any other assignments to be handed in. Note that class participation and work on the exercises account for 15 percent of your total course grade. I'll accept assignments after the scheduled due date only if you consult with me before that date and your reasons are persuasive. You must complete all assignments to pass the course.
- Keep a copy of all graded assignments. (See PORTFOLIO in the assignments section of the syllabus.)
Statement on Plagiarism
Simply stated, "plagiarism" is presenting as your own original work something that is not. Any work that you submit must be your own. If you borrow any words, ideas, or information from other people and include those under your name, you must properly document the borrowed material. This requirement applies to visuals as well as text. The University of Delaware protects the rights of all students by insisting that individual students act with integrity. Accordingly, the University severely penalizes plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty. If you have any questions about why and how to document sources, please see your text, pp. 94-97. Talk with me about any issue of concern before it potentially becomes an issue of plagiarism.
Assignments
Overview
The only way to learn to write is to write, actively and often. This class will give you many occasions for writing. You'll write individually and as a member of a team. You'll also learn to comment effectively on others' writing as you learn to adjust your information products to reflect appropriate comments from others. Going public with your writing is an important part of this course as it is an important part of professional life. As in a professional setting, you'll discuss your work orally, both informally and in a formal team presentation.
To be successful, your response to each assignment must meet the needs of the audience for that assignment and be well designed and executed. Professionals address a variety of audiences, both those who share their discipline and those outside, including supervisors and subordinates, clients, other professionals, the media, and the public at large. We'll discuss at some length the audience for each assignment. Then to fulfill that audience's needs, you'll design an information product that works:
- Its content is worthwhile, rich, accurate, and complete
- Its organization emphasizes what's important, makes information easily accessible, and motivates the right reader response
- Its style is readable, fluid, appropriate, and correct
- It looks good; to adapt a line from Alice in Wonderland: "much of what you see depends on how it looks."
The assignments form the core of discussion in class and provide concrete instances for applying the advice in the text. Some assignments are relatively simple. Some are more complex. All assignments model the kinds of communication problems you may run into as a professional and provide experience in writing to solve those problems. Part of the game in class is to work through the options in the assignments and figure out how best to play to your strengths, which should be growing daily through writing practice. The more questions you ask and comments you make, the better we'll all be. In addition, feel free to send any e-mail queries as they come to you, at any hour of the day. I specialize in pretty rapid response. Or stop by the office.
As a running assignment throughout the semester, keep current on scientific and technical information in the news. This assignment reflects in part the recently revised criteria of the Accreditation Board in Engineering and Technology (ABET), which note that engineering graduates should demonstrate "the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal context." (ABET also requires that students show "an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility," and "an ability to communicate effectively."). These criteria can be easily applied to students in other technical and scientific fields as well.
- Self introduction
Due: 9 am Tuesday 12 February
Via: e-mail to dandrews@udel.edu
Audience: me
For this opening assignment, introduce yourself to me. Focus on two aspects: you as a writer and your goals in this class. Here are some questions that may help you develop your material for this assignment.
You as a writer
What are your current strengths? In what aspects of writing do you need to improve? How much writing have you done in your other classes? Have you written anything in the workplace? If so, what? Do you feel comfortable with writing assignments? Do you seek opportunities to write? Would you prefer to do almost anything else?
Your goals in this class
What do you think technical writing means? What do you expect to be able to do differently because you've taken this class? What do you expect to understand at the end of this class that you don't understand now?
- Memo on an interview
Due: Wed 20 February
Via: paper, in memo format, 1 1/2-2 pages, single-spaced
Audience: me and the person you interviewed
Accompanied by: a brief note to the interviewee (probably the print-out of an e-mail message) thanking him or her.
In person, by phone, or over e-mail, interview a professional practitioner or a faculty member to investigate the context of writing in your field (see pages 70-72 in the text). You might ask about the importance of writing to career advancement. In addition, gather information about the people who read what the professional writes and special techniques used to accommodate those readers. Ask about the design of information products as well. What conventions of presentation does the professional have to follow? What genres does he or she use? What electronic forms are appropriate? You might also ask about the individual' s writing routine and the amount of writing done as a member of a team. Be sure to include the full name and title of the person you interviewed along with the date, time, and location of the interview.
- Informative memo
Due: Wed 6 March
Via: paper, in memo format, 1 1/2-2 pages, single-spaced
Audience: An upperclassperson at the university who is not in your major
One way to define a discipline (like engineering or accounting or institutional management) is to look at the texts written about the discipline and by people in the discipline. What do people in that discipline read? What do they write? What journals or magazines or reports cover topics in the discipline? What is the content of the discipline? In class, we’ll discuss some general issues in disciplinary research and the literature of different disciplines.
For this assignment, assume that you are going to be working on a team with students from another discipline, i.e., another major, particularly one very different from your own (not, for example, a chemical engineer if you’re a civil engineer). To provide the right background for your teamwork, each member of the team is writing a memo briefly describing his or her discipline. As preparation for this assignment, browse the literature of your discipline, and then take this slant in your response. Think of your discipline as providing a set of tools to solve a certain type of problem. What’s the problem? How does your discipline go about solving the problem? Refer to at least three sources, in print or on the Web, in framing your answer. Include complete citations for all sources; you may use a formal reference system (e.g. APA or Chicago) or include the citations within the lines of your text.
4. Persuasive Web page
Due: Wed 20 March
Via: paper, the print version of a Web page, 2 (print) pages, double-spaced, and a visual. You’re welcome to actually put this on the Web if you’re so inclined.
Audience: the public
One of the toughest tasks a communicator faces is convincing someone of something. In this assignment, you’ll try to do just that, in a forum (the Web) that’s filled with arguments, some of them off the wall. The departure point for the assignment is Exercise 1, p. 258, in your text. More than simply summarizing the arguments on one of the sample topics, however, take a stand. And then use sources to try to convince readers to believe you. Embed links to your sources as a way to extend your discussion beyond the 2 print page (about 500 words) limit.
5. Course progress report
Due: 17 April
Via: paper copy of what might be an e-mail message, 1 1/2-2 pages
Audience: me
Assess your progress in the course. Measure that progress against your own personal goals and expectations as you described them in Assignment 1. What have you learned? What areas for improvement remain--and thus need to be focused on in the rest of the semester? How is your team's work on the IT project coming along? Comment as well, if you'd like, about topics, approaches, or problems that you feel need to be addressed in the course itself.
6. Proposal for team project
The Request for Proposals for our IT project is at:
http://www.udel.edu/lynam/engl410-02S
Due: 24 April
Via: paper, in memo format, 2 pages, single-spaced (plus schedule as a visual)
Audience: me and Joy Lynam
Situation: As a class project, we'll be responding to a request for proposals (RFP) from Joy Lynam (lynam@udel.edu), Director, Information Technologies-Management Information Services, at the university. Joy will talk with the class, probably on 27 March, and will also provide a written RFP that will be linked on our class Website by that date. With Joy, we will define specific research questions to be addressed within this broad request and form teams of 3 or 4 people to respond to each.
In the proposal, your team will prove to me and to Joy that you understand the research question and have chosen an appropriate method for answering it--in the time and with the resources available to you. Use memo format. In the heading, include the names and e-mail addresses of all members of your team. In the body of the memo, include the following sections. Use headings to identify each (except the introduction) and within each section include the following information. The questions suggest ways to develop your material.
Introduction: Briefly summarize the context for this proposal and the research question you are addressing. Note the type of problem you are working on: fact, means, or value. Note the type of report you will write at the end of the project: decision-making or information.
Objectives: List the specific, measurable outcomes of your work. How will you know you've won?
Method of attack: Describe how your team will achieve these objectives. How will you gather information? Why is that the right approach? Are there any problems with this approach and, if so, how will you overcome them? How will you test the validity of this approach?
Work plan: Who on your team will do what, with what deadlines? How will you monitor each other's work? Describe the plan briefly in the text and then attach a schedule, or the whole plan, as a visual.
A good proposal takes you a long way toward achieving a good project outcome. An ineffective proposal may signal a tough road ahead. For this reason, you will revise the proposal, perhaps more than once, based on comments from me and from your fellow students.
7. Instructions
Due: 01 May
Via: paper, text of a manual or Website, 2 pages, double-spaced, with visual
You'll write a set of instructions based on a discussion we'll have in class.
8. Letter of application and resume
Due: 08 May
Via: paper, 1 page letter, 1 or 2 page resume
Audience: The specific person to whom you are applying for a job or internship
Accompanied by: a description of the position. Print out an ad from the Web or copy the description from a journal, magazine, newspaper, or ad at Career Services.
Write a letter applying for the job or internship and create an appropriate resume to accompany the letter (see Chapter 19). Make your work bullet-proof, that is, proofread carefully (you might want to enlist a friend in this task, too) so that there are no errors in spelling and grammar. Be thorough and persuasive.
9. Project report and briefings
Due: Draft (on disk and on paper) is due for a workshop on 08 May
Final written report is due on 15 May; briefings will also occur on 15 May
Via: (written report) paper, in full report format, 5 pages, double-spaced; (oral report) 8-10 minutes, with visuals. We'll schedule presentation times in class
Audience: (written report) me, Joy Lynam, and other members of the IT Web refreshment team; (oral report) the rest of the class, me, Joy, and possibly other IT staff members
Elements:
- two memos of transmittal, one to Joy, one to me (see text pp. 343-44)
- cover/ title page
- summary, on a separate page, no more than 200 words
- text itself, with headings and visuals
- list of references and appendixes, if appropriate
Number all pages. This is a simple request, but an earnest one. Professional reports are always paginated.
Portfolio
Due: 15 May
Throughout the semester, keep a copy of all graded assignments. Arrange them by assignment number (1-9) in a manila folder. Write your name and e-mail address on the tab. Turn that folder in to me at the last class. In a cover note to me, provide the name of the person whose folder contains your team reports.
Grading
Grading Assignment Percent of grade 1 Self intro* counts as part of class participation grade 2 Memo on interview 05 3 Informative memo 10 4 Persuasive Web page 10 Midterm 10 5 Course progress report 10 6 Team proposal 10 7 Instructions 10 8 Letter of application and resume 5 9 Project report and briefing 15 Homework exercises and class participation 15
Resources
http://www.english.udel.edu/dandrews/e410/resources.html