All course material and activities appear online in GaVIEW

Transcription

1 Class: ENGL 3900 Professional and Technical Writing Online CRN Term: Summer 2014 Credit: English 3900 carries three (3) semester credit hours (3-0-3) Instructor: Dr. Mills Office: Arts and Sciences, G-110M Phone: Office Hours: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, 12:00 PM 3:00 PM and by appointment Webpage: Times and Location: All course material and activities appear online in GaVIEW Course Description An advanced, study and application of principles for effective professional and technical writing. Topics to include audience and context analysis, ethical communication, and writing for international readers. Students put these concepts into practice by writing and designing several professional and technical documents for both specialist and non-spcialist readers. While open to students from all majors, the course includes entry assessment of writing skills for the baccalaureate degree program in Communication and Media Studies. Required to earn at least a C in the course, based on the program-entry-level assessments of writing skills built into the class. Pre-Requisites: ENGL 1102 with a minimum US grade of C Or ENGL 102 with a minimum UG grade of C Or ENGL 112 with a minimum UG grade of C. Course Outcomes To foster a view of writing as situated action (people acting through writing within organizations) To foster educational practices that demand a consideration of ethics To create contexts for writing that are real and sophisticated (through the use of cases, real clients, and service learning with community organizations) To recognize the fact that computers significantly alter where and how people work and that the use of computers is integral to how people write in the workplace and the types of documents they produce To advocate reader/user needs To create contexts for effective collaboration To teach visual and verbal argumentation To teach research practices To teach students to follow and adjust conventions of business writing Required Text Writing that Works: Communicating Effectively on the Job, by Walter E. Oliu, Charles T. Brushaw, and Gerald J. Alred. 11 th edition. (Boston; New York: Bedford/St. Martin s, 2013). ISBN: **You must get this edition as the course materials are based on this edition.** Page 1

2 Computer Requirement Each CSU student is required to have ready access throughout the semester to a notebook computer that meets faculty-approved hardware and software requirements for the student's academic program. For further information on CSU's Official Notebook Computer Policy, please go to Software Requirement To properly access the course content you will need to download the following free software: Adobe Reader (needed to access files in PDF format): Adobe Flash (needed to access video content): Computer Skills Prerequisites Ability to use Microsoft Windows operating system Ability to use Microsoft Word Ability to send and receive using Microsoft Outlook or Microsoft Outlook Express Ability to attach and receive files via Ability to use an Internet browser application (Internet Explorer, Netscape, Safari, Google Chrome, etc.) Other Required Materials A CSU student account that you check daily for changes, handouts, and announcements; a laptop computer you bring to class daily (with the CSU standard software package installed). For further information on CSU's Official Notebook Computer Policy, please go to Daily, reliable access to GaVIEW GaVIEW (Online Classroom) On-line activity will take place in GaVIEW, the virtual classroom for the course. You can gain access to GaVIEW, by signing on to the SWAN portal and selecting GaVIEW on the top right side. If you experience any difficulties in Desire2Learn, please or call The HUB at TheHub@mail.clayton.edu or (678) 466-HELP. You will need to provide the date and time of the problem, your SWAN username, the name of the course that you are attempting to access, and your instructor's name Course Work and Assessment Participation:! 8 Weekly Quizzes 200 points! 8 Weekly Discussion Forums 200 points 6 Major Essay Assignments! Assignment 1: 100 points! Assignment 2: 100 points! Assignment 3: 100 points! Assignment 4: 100 points! Assignment 5: 100 points! Assignment 6: 100 points Total 1000 points Page 2

3 Assessment and grading I will assign one of the below letter grades to assignments and point totals and then the letter grades will be weighted based on percentages listed above. I will also assign midterm grades that will be available June 25 after 5:00 PM. Based on this grade, students may choose to withdraw from the course and receive a grade of "W." Students pursuing this option must fill out an official withdrawal form, available in the Office of the Registrar, or withdraw on-line using the Swan by mid-term, which must be done by June 26 to secure a grade of "W." The final grade for the class will be assigned one of the following grades: A % B 80-89% C 70-79% D 60-69% F below 60% Page 3

4 Course Policies Students must abide by policies in the Clayton State University Student Handbook, and the Basic Undergraduate Student Responsibilities. 1. Late work: Late work is bad for both of us; it reinforces poor time management strategies and makes it impossible for me to give sustained, careful feedback of your work. Furthermore, if you turn in work late, I may not be able to return it in time for my feedback to help you on the next assignment. Quizzes and discussion postings to GaVIEW cannot be made up. 2. Submitting papers: This course emphasizes the development of your ideas in various stages of the writing process. We will have peer review for each of the major writing assignments. All major assignments other than discussion postings should be typed on a word processor, have 1-inch margins and 12-point Times New Roman font, and follow appropriate formatting guidelines. I do not accept ed assignments you can submit to the Dropbox folder even after the due date, but it will be marked as late. Keep a copy of any paper you submit so you can re-submit if necessary. 3. Academic Misconduct: All students will follow the Student Code of Conduct section of the online Student Handbook, available at < Plagiarism is a form of academic dishonesty in which you present another s ideas as your own. Plagiarizing means you thwart your own education and forego your responsibilities as a writer. Furthermore, you violate the ethical, academic standards of the academic community. These standards include the value of research and informed argument, open and honest debate and sharing of ideas, critical thinking about evidence, the careful presentation of research, and acknowledgment of the sources of ideas. Plagiarism includes copying and pasting information from the internet without citing or having someone else write a paper for you. You also cannot submit an essay you have written for another class. We will discuss how to incorporate others ideas honestly and effectively. In addition, all of your papers will be submitted to Turnitin.com, an online plagiarism detection site. If you plagiarize, you will receive a 0 for the assignment and will be reported to the Office of Student Conduct. 4. Essay Grading: Grades reflect my best and fairest judgment of the overall quality of your paper, taking into account how well it fulfills the assignment and its purpose; how focused and organized it is; how effectively it uses evidence; how effectively it communicates with its audience; to what extent it engages its reader s imagination and understanding; and how easily it can be read and comprehended (reading ease is affected by factors such as unity and coherence, grammatical correctness, and the physical appearance of the manuscript). 5. Essay Revision: Once a paper has been graded, it may not be revised for an improved grade. As such, your paper grade reflects your final written product rather than your effort. 6. Midterm Grades: The mid-term grade in this course, which will be issued on June 25, reflects approximately 50% of the entire course grade. Based on this grade, students may choose to withdraw from the course and receive a grade of "W." Students pursuing this option must fill out an official withdrawal form, available in the Office of the Registrar, or withdraw on-line using the Swan by mid-term, which occurs on June 26. Instructions for withdrawing are provided at this link. The last day to withdraw without academic accountability is Thursday, June 26, Office Hours/Contact Information: One of the most valuable ways to improve your writing is through sustained, personal attention to your work. I offer this attention during office hours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 12:00 PM 3:00 PM and by appointment. In addition, you may me to discuss specific Page 4

5 questions you have about your writing. I can also Skype as well. You should check your CSU student account and GaVIEW daily for handouts, updates, and announcements. 8. Attendance and Classwork: Your thoughtful participation are crucial for your success. You should thoughtfully participate in every discussion posting. The University Attendance Policy states, Students are expected to attend and participate in every class meeting [...] The university reserves the right to determine that excessive absences, whether justified or not, are sufficient cause for institutional withdrawals or failing grades. If you disappear and do not complete several assignments, I may withdraw you from the class; if this happens after the midpoint, you will receive a WF. I can track when you log into GaVIEW so I will know if you are participating in the class. Please discuss your options with me if you have extenuating circumstances, a severe illness, etc., that may prevent you from successfully completing the course. 9. Disruption of the Learning Environment: Behavior that disrupts the teaching and learning processes during class activities will not be tolerated, and a disruptive student may be dismissed from the course and may receive a grade of WF. According to the Student Code of Conduct, behavior which disrupts the teaching learning process during class activities will not tolerated. Examples include belligerent, abusive, profane, and/or threatening language and/or behavior. A student who fails to respond to reasonable faculty direction regarding classroom behavior and/or behavior while participating in classroom activities may be dismissed from class. A student who is dismissed is entitled to due process and will be afforded such rights as soon as possible following dismissal. If found in violation, a student may be administratively withdrawn and may receive a grade of WF. 10. Writers Studio (Room 224, Arts and Sciences, ) I encourage students to seek additional personal instruction and tutoring at the Writing Studio, located in Room 224 Arts and Sciences Bldg. The staff can assist you with all stages of the writing process, from invention to organization to revising. They will not, however, edit your papers or correct all your grammatical mistakes. If you seek help with a specific grammatical quandary or troublesome stylistic tendency, they can show you strategies for overcoming these problems. The service is free; you may drop-in and wait for a tutor or sign up for a regular appointment. Note: You, not your tutor, are ultimately responsible for the quality and content of the papers you submit. See their website: Operation Study At Clayton State University, we expect and support high motivation and academic achievement. Look for Operation Study activities and programs this semester that are designed to enhance your academic success such as study sessions, study breaks, workshops, and opportunities to earn Study Bucks (for use in the University Bookstore) and other items. 12. Accommodations for Students with Special Needs Individuals with disabilities who need to request accommodations should contact the Disability Services Coordinator, Student Center Room 255, phone , or disabilityservices@mail.clayton.edu. 13. Schedule of Readings and Assignments I may make changes to the syllabus to meet the class s educational goals more effectively. Please keep abreast of these changes by checking your Clayton State University and the News tool in GaVIEW. Page 5

6 Schedule of Readings and Assignments Each week you will have a quiz and a discussion forum for that week s reading. Discussion postings are due every Sunday at 11:30 PM and Quizzes must be completed by Sunday at 11:30 PM. Quizzes can be taken at any point during the week. Major assignments are typically due Sundays at 11:30 PM. For more details about due dates refer to the Dropbox and Calendar in GaVIEW. Week 1 Wednesday, May 28 Sunday, June 1 Attendance Discussion Posting due Writing That Works, Chapter 1 Week 2 Monday, June 2 Sunday, June 8 Writing that Works, Chapters 2 and 3 Assignment 1: Introduction Letter Assignment due Week 3 Monday, June 9 Sunday, June 15 Writing that Works, Chapter 4 Assignment 2: Revision Assignment due Week 4 Monday, June 16 Sunday, June 22 Writing that Works, Chapter 9 Assignment 3: Business Letter Assignment due Week 5 Monday, June 23 Sunday, June 29 Writing that Works, Chapter 8 Wednesday, June 25, after 5:00 PM Midterm grades available Thursday June 26 Last day to withdraw and receive a W. Week 6 Monday, June 30 Sunday, July 6 Writing that Works, Chapter 10 Week 7 Monday, July 7 Sunday, July 13 Writing that Works, Chapters 6 and 7 Assignment 4: Website Usability Assignment due Week 8 Monday, July 14 Sunday, July 20 Writing that Works, Chapters 11 Week 9 Monday, July 21 Sunday, July 27 Writing that Works, Chapter 13 Assignment 5: Proposal Assignment Week 10 Tuesday, July 29 Writing that Works, Chapter 16 Assignment 6: Job Application Materials Last day of class activities. Page 6