English
333/533 Fundamentals of Technical Writing
Section
001, Spring 2002
Joe
Law
Office:
027 Paul Laurence Dunbar Library
Office
phone: 775-2155
E-mail:
joe.law@wright.edu
Office
hours: 8:30-9:50 M, W and by appointment
Note:
Because my responsibilities as Coordinator of Writing Across the Curriculum
often require me to be away from the office, it would be wise to call ahead even
during my regular office hours. However, I’m usually on campus until 5:00, so
it shouldn’t be hard to arrange a time to meet.
This
syllabus and the policies outlined here are also available through the English
department web page: http://www.cola.wright.edu/Dept/ENG/index.htmpage
COURSE
PREREQUISITE:
English
102
REQUIRED
TEXT:
Markel,
Mike. Technical Communication. 6th ed.
New York: St. Martin's, 2001.
A
companion Web site for this text is located at http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/techcomm/
COURSE
DESCRIPTION:
English
333 surveys the fundamental principles and skills used in scientific and
technical writing.
POLICIES
AND COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Course
Grade: Your
grade will be determined on the basis of your written work. Writing assignments
1-6 (outlined below) will constitute 60% of your grade; the fourth-hour project
will be 15%; exercises done in class will make up the remaining 25% of your
grade. Please note that attendance will
affect your final grade as well (see below). FOR
GRADUATE STUDENTS: Assignments 1-6 will constitute 45% of the grade
and the additional assignments another 15%.
Late
Work: As a
rule, I do not accept late assignments. Late work will be accepted only in the
case of a documented illness or if you
have made arrangements with me in advance of the absence.
Attendance:
Much of the work in the course will be carried out in class. Missing a class
means that you cannot benefit from the comments of other students and that other
students cannot benefit from yours. I will take attendance at the beginning of
each class. Missing more than 15% of the
classes (over 3 class meetings) will lower your grade. After the third
absence, I will deduct 2.5 percentage points per absence from your final grade.
Tardiness:
Class will begin as scheduled. Late arrivals disrupt class, so please be on
time. Students who arrive late will not receive additional time to complete any
activities already begun, such as a reading quiz. Attendance will be taken at
the beginning of class; if you are late, it is your responsibility to see that
my record is corrected that same class period.
Editing
skills: This
course presupposes mastery of standard edited American English and will not
cover grammar per se;
however, grammatical and other errors will affect grades on assignments. It is
the responsibility of all students to proofread and edit their work before it is
submitted. Students who do not exhibit proficiency in editing throughout the
semester should not expect to pass the course.
Academic
honesty: All
work submitted must be your own, with outside sources properly acknowledged.
Academic dishonesty includes copying another's work, turning in someone else's
work as your own, allowing a tutor to write part or all of your paper, or
allowing someone else to use your work in this same manner. If you are unsure
about this matter, talk to me before
you submit the paper, not after.
Special
accommodations:
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if you
have emergency medical information to share with me, or if you need special
arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please see me as soon as
possible. We should make any necessary adjustments at the beginning of the
course.
University
Writing Center:
Writing Consultants in the Writing Center (031 Library) are available to assist
you as you work on your papers. Be sure to take a copy of your assignment with
you when you go. The Writing Center also has a cluster of networked computers
available for student use (computer assistance is also provided). The service is
free to all WSU students. To get more information about hours and the services
provided, call 775-4186.
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Reading
and Assignment Schedule
All
readings should be completed by the date they are scheduled for class
discussion. Class time will be used to apply the concepts in the chapter, not
restate them. The schedule is subject to change according to the needs of the
class. If you have to miss a class, you are still responsible for keeping up
with any changes made for the following class meeting.
03/25/02
Introduction to course; trial of WebCT site (let's hope that trial isn't too apt a word!)
03/27/02
Chapter 1 ("Introduction to Technical Communication")
04/04/02
Chapter 5 ("Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose")
04/06/02
In-class work with effective style and revision strategies
04/09/02
In-class work with effective style and revision strategies--Assignment 1 due
04/11/02
Chapter 6 ("Communicating Persuasively")
04/16/02
Chapter 6, continued--Assignment 2 due
04/18/02
Chapter 8 ("Organizing Your Information")--for ENG
533: Proposal due
04/23/02
Chapter 8, continued--Assignment 3 due
04/25/02
Chapter 9 ("Drafting and Revising Definitions and Descriptions")
04/30/02
Chapter 20 ("Writing Instructions and Manuals")--Assignment 4 due
05/02/02
Chapter 13 ("Designing the Document")
05/07/02
Chapter 14 ("Creating Graphics")--Assignment
5 due
05/09/02
In-class work with Assignment 5--for
ENG 533: Progress Report due
05/14/02 In-class work on fourth-hour projects--Assignment 6 due
05/16/02
In-class work on fourth-hour projects
05/21/02
In-class work on fourth-hour projects
05/23/02
Class presentations of fourth-hour projects
05/2/02
Class presentations of fourth-hour projects
05/30/02
Fourth-hour project due; final
version of graduate project due; course evaluation
Final
Exam: Thursday, June 6, 2002, 8:00-10:00 a.m.
Two
Other Dates to Note:
Friday,
April 12--last day to drop a class without a grade
Friday, April 26--last day for all but freshmen to drop a class with a W
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WRITING
ASSIGNMENTS
Assignment
1: For this
assignment I will provide two articles on the same topic, one written for a
general audience and the other for an expert audience. After looking carefully
at both articles and reviewing the relevant material in Markel’s text,
identify the kind of audience for which it is written and the features in each
article that make it suitable for its intended audience. If you see shortcomings
in this respect, make a note of them as well. Summarize your findings in a memo
to me. Memo format is covered in Chapter 15, pages 430-37.
Assignment
2: Interview
a professional in the field you plan to enter and find out what sort of
writing--formal and informal--he or she does in connection with that job.
Address an informative memo to me summarizing your findings. Before meeting with
your subject, look over the section on interviewing in Chapter 7 (pages 171-74).
Be prepared to ask follow-up questions that will get you the most useful
information; for instance, many professionals use a good deal of e-mail without
thinking of it as "writing," so you might mention e-mail in a
follow-up question.
Assignment
3: This
assignment calls for you to revise the memo you submitted for Assignment 1. You
should be prepared to revise the content as well as to edit for style and
mechanics. This assignment is less complicated than it may look at first. Just
follow these directions step by step, and all will be well. First, save a copy
of the original memo with a file name that identifies it as your original memo.
Use your own last name as the first element of the file name:
yourlastname_original_memo. Next, copy that file with a new name:
yourlastname_revised_memo. Make your revisions in that file. Before you make any
changes, double click the TRK box at the bottom of the screen. As you make
changes, any text you do not alter will retain its original appearance; both
deletions and additions will appear in a different color. Print out both
versions of the memo, and email copies of both files to me before 5:00 a.m. on
the day it is due. If you run into problems creating the attachment, bring a
copy of the files to class on disk.
Assignment
4: Describe
a relatively simple object, such as a desk stapler or a coffee maker. You may
need to include some definition as part of the description. Remember to review
Chapter 9 ("Drafting and Revising Definitions and Descriptions").
Assignment
5: Write a
set of instructions for a simple procedure that can be carried out in class.
Bring a second copy of those directions and a copy on disk for in-class work.
Assignment
6: Submit a
revised version of assignment 5 that takes into account anything you learned
from working with directions in class--either your own directions or those of
other students. In a second short memo, explain what changes you made and why.
Fourth-Hour
Project:
Before you begin this assignment, take a quick look at Chapter 4 ("Writing
Collaboratively"). The assignment itself has two parts. Part
1: For the first part, you will work in small groups to create a brochure
for incoming students (new, returning, transfer) explaining the Writing Across
the Curriculum program at Wright Sate and its requirements. There is a real need
for such a document, and I hope to use something you produce this term--with
your names duly credited on it, of course. Each group will present its proposed
brochure to the whole class at the end of the quarter. Be sure you work out
individual responsibilities for everyone. You will have some class time for
working on this project, but plan ahead so that you can coordinate your efforts
outside of class as well. Part 2: For
the second part, each of you will submit a memo about your work on the brochure.
Specifically, you will need to describe the elements of technical writing that
you considered in working out the brochure, referring to chapters in the text as
appropriate. In addition, the memo should also summarize your experience working
in the group and evaluate that experience.
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ADDITIONAL ASSIGNMENTS FOR
GRADUATE
STUDENTS
General
Assignment:
Prepare a report that recommends a solution for a specific problem you
have identified. Provide at least three alternative solutions and explain your
choice in such a way as to persuade your reader of the soundness of your
recommendation. Be sure your reader understands the importance of the problem,
the relative advantages and disadvantages of the potential solutions, and the
reasons for your recommendation. The format you use will depend on the problem
and your approach to it. Select a fairly simple problem than can be handled
adequately in 7-10 pages. I’ll provide examples in class.
Prospectus:
In a memo to me, describe the problem you will address in the report described
above. Be sure you identify the nature and extent of problem (including its
importance). The memo should also respond to the following questions: What are
your qualifications for dealing with this topic? What difficulties can you
anticipate? How will you solve them? What is your timeline for completing this
project?
Progress Report: In a brief memo to me, describe your progress on the project. How much is completed? What remains to be done? Have unexpected problems arisen? If so, how have you dealt with them?