You will practice these skills and strategies by completing several genres of technical documents, working with your classmates, and reading and discussing samples of actual technical writing documents. So be prepared to interact and have fun in this class!
Required Course Materials
Alred, G. J., Brusaw, C, T., & Oliu, W, E. (2002). The technical writer’s companion. 3rd ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s.
Markel, M. (2007). Technical communication. 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s.
Requirements and Student Responsibilities
Assignments
Throughout the semester, you will be completing different kinds of technical documents, which are as follows:
1. a print and email memo
2. a job application packet in which you will write a cover letter and two versions of a resume—print and electronic
3. a proposal
4. a formal report
5. an instruction manual
6. a set of ethical problems in technical discourse communities and a summary critique of actual technical documents In addition to the written documents, you will be required to do an oral presentation for your group’s formal report and instruction manual.
Assignment due dates
You will be given a due date for each assignment. All assignments are due at the beginning of the class. Failure to comply with this policy will cost you five points on the assignment for every day that it is late. I recommend that you do not wait until the last minute to print out or make copies of your drafts because you may run into problems with the computer, printer or photocopier you are using.
Assessment and Grading Policies
Your course grade will be assessed on the basis of the following weighted scale:
Memo | 10% |
Job Application Packet | 15% |
Proposal | 20% |
Report | 15% |
Instruction and Manual | 15% |
Oral Presentation | 10% |
Ethical Problem and Summary Critique | 10% |
Class Participation | 5% |
Total | 100% |
Generally, I will grade your assignments based on: 1) how well you address audience and purpose; 2) how well your text can be used effectively in the workplace. I will also pay close attention to the format, presentation, and style of documents you produce. Detailed criteria for each assignment will be given when you work on it.
Attendance and Class Participation
You are expected to participate to the best of your ability in all class workshops and conference activities. In order to participate, you need to attend the class. Three absences or less will not affect your grade; however, for each absence beyond your third, your class participation grade will be lowered five points. If you are more than five minutes late to class, you will be considered late. Every three lates will be counted as one absence. If you miss a class, you are responsible for making up the work that you have missed—you should find out what you have missed and borrow necessary notes or handouts from your friends before the next class meeting.
Honest Use of Secondary Sources
Plagiarism is unacceptable in this class. When you borrow someone else’s ideas or words, acknowledge or give credit to them. Do not plagiarize—the penalties for doing so are very serious. Consult the Student Conduct Code, Section II, Part A in Important Information for Students, Faculty, and Staff for Southern Illinois University’s policy on academic dishonesty and plagiarism.
Individual Conferences
Feel free to come see me in my office if you have questions about assignments and want additional feedback on your drafts. You also can contact me by email.
Tentative Daily Schedule
(The syllabus is adapted from Tanita Saenkhum’s “English Composition I for ESL Students” (Linguistics 101)’s syllabus and “Technical Writing Syllabus” retrieved November 1, 2006 from http://www.nwe.ufl.edu/~zwhalen/s04/syllabus.html )