English 1238 FB: Technical Writing

Transcription

1 English 1238 FB: Technical Writing Course Location: RB 2026 Class Times: Monday/Wednesday 10:00-11:30 Prerequisites: N/A Table of Contents Table of Contents... 1 Instructor Information...1 Course Description/Overview...2 Course Objectives and/or Learner Outcomes...2 Course Resources...2 Required Course Text... 2 Course Website... 2 Course Schedule...3 Assignments and Evaluation...5 Assignment Policies... 5 Details of Assignments... 6 Marking Standards... 6 Collaboration/Plagiarism Rules... 7 Course Policies...7 University Policies...7 Instructor Information Instructor: Rebecca Menhart Office: BB 0029E ramenhar@lakeheadu.ca Office Hours: Tuesday 2:30-4:30 p.m. Graduate Assistant: Evan Sills Office: RB essills@lakeheadu.ca Office Hours: Thursday 1:00-3:00

2 Course Description/Overview This course covers different aspects of technical writing. Emphasis will be placed on: the skills required to prepare accurate definitions, classifications, and physical descriptions; the proper use and construction of graphic aids; the use of evidence and the nature of argument; and the correct formats for technical letters and reports. Emphasis will also be placed on the grammar, style, tone, and attitude of technical writing. Course Objectives and/or Learner Outcomes Technical Writing for Engineers is planned to offer students: An introduction to best practices in technical writing and communication, illustrated by clearly explained examples of technical and related business documents. Experience planning, organizing, writing, and editing technical documents. These may include business letters, informal and formal reports, comparative analyses, technical instructions, and technical proposals. Students will work individually and in groups. They will develop templates that they can adapt for future use, and be introduced to engineering style guides and conventions. Experience presenting technical information orally and visually. Editing skills geared towards accurate but simplified wording, correct grammar and punctuation, reader-oriented document organization, and professional looking layouts. Course Resources Required Course Text MacLennan, Jennifer. Effective Communication for the Technical Professions. 2 nd ed. Don Mills: Oxford UP, Course Website: Desire2Learn The course website can be found through the myinfo link on the Lakehead University website. Once you have signed in, go to the mycourselink tab on the left-hand side of the page. Once signed in, click on the course code for this class. If you have trouble accessing the D2L course site, please contact me as soon as possible to rectify the situation. All important course information will be posted on the D2L site.

3 Course Schedule **The following schedule is subject to change** Week 1: September Introduction/Syllabus Read Chapter 1: Understanding the Communicative Situation (1-22) Week 2: September Read Chapter 2: Planning and Drafting Technical Messages (27-51) Read Chapter 5: Professional Correspondence ( ) Guidelines for Business Letter Assignment (September 23) Week 3: September 28-October 2 Read Chapter 3: Editing Your Technical Writing Style (57-80) Read Chapter 6: Writing Reports ( ) Guidelines for Trip Report Assignment (September 30) Business Letter Assignment Due: Wednesday, September 30 Week 4: October 5-9 Read Chapter 4: Ethics in Professional Communication (85-107) Quiz Review Quiz 1: Editing (Wednesday, October 7) Week 5: October October 12: NO CLASS Read Chapter 7: Formal, Semi-Formal, and Informal Reports ( ) Week 6: October Reports and Memos Longer Reports Read Chapter 8: Oral Reports and Technical Presentations ( )

4 Week 7: October Guidelines for Comparison Report Assignment (October 26) * this is a group assignment you must attend class to sign up * Word Choice Week 8: November 2-6 Process Analysis Quiz Review Trip Report Due: Monday, November 2 Final Drop Date: Friday, November 6 Week 9: November 9-13 Quiz (Process): Monday, November 9 Proposals Week 10: November Proposals Illustrations Week 11: November Illustrations Comparison Report Presentations Written Comparison Reports Due Wednesday, November 25 Week 12: November 30-December 4: Comparison Report Presentations Read Chapter 9: The Application Package ( ) Read Chapter 10: The Job Interview ( ) Week 13: December 7 Group Job Interview

5 Assignments and Evaluation Assignment Due date Value Length In Class Assignments Throughout term 10 varies Quiz 1 (Editing) October minutes Business Letter September pages Trip Report November pages Quiz 2 (Process) November minutes Comparison Report (Oral) November 25 or minutes Comparison Report (Written) November pages Resume/Cover Letter/Interview December 3 and 7 15 appropriate letter/resume length/ 8-10 minute interview Assignment Policies Major assignments are due by 4:30 p.m. on the dates indicated. Assignments not submitted directly to the instructor or uploaded to the appropriate dropbox on the course D2L site must be stamped by security (after business hours) or signed by Cynthia Haggerty (Administrative Assistant: English Department) and placed in my mailbox in RB I will not accept ed assignments or assignments slipped under my office door. In-class assignments must be handed in at the end of the class. If you are not in class, you are not eligible to complete in class assignments. If you require an extension, you must ask for one BEFORE the due date. Extensions are only granted in extenuating circumstances. Unless you ask for (and receive) an extension, late assignments will be penalized by 2% per day (to a maximum of 20%), and will not be accepted after 5 pm on the last day of classes. Exceptions to these policies are allowed only with a doctor s note or other appropriate documentation and remain at my discretion.

6 Details of Assignments Further information will be available on the D2L site as needed. Quiz 1: Editing October 7 The first quiz will cover editing techniques specific to technical writing that we will cover in class. Business Letter September 30 You will create a block style business letter based on the information offered in class and in Chapter 5 of the textbook. I will post further detailed instruction on the D2L site. Trip Report November 2 Based on a scenario I will give out On October 1 st, you will prepare a thorough (yet brief) report regarding your theoretical on-site visit to monitor the problem. Further details will be posted on the D2L site on October 1 st. Quiz 2: Process Analysis November 9 The second quiz will be based on our instruction module in which we cover the proper way to design and detail a given process. You will be given a scenario and your task is to adequately detail the list of steps necessary to perform the task. Comparison Report (Oral and Written) November 25 or 30 These two assignments will be performed in a group of 3-5 students. As a committee, your group will conduct a comparative analysis based on a scenario that I will present on October 22 nd. I will post further detailed instruction on the D2L site at that time. As a group, you will create a written report and prepare a brief oral presentation. Cover Letter/Resumé/Interview December 3 and 7 Based on textbook and lecture information, you will submit a cover letter and resume in application for an engineering job. The interview will take place at the end of the term. Groups will take turns interviewing a candidate based both on the cover letter and resumé they submit, and the manner in which they answer interview questions. I will post further detailed instruction on the D2L site. Marking Standards All assignments will be marked in accordance with the English Department Marking Standards.

7 Collaboration/Plagiarism Rules Plagiarism is the unacknowledged use of someone else's words and/or ideas. Not acknowledging your debt to the ideas of a secondary source, failing to use quotation marks when you are quoting directly, buying essays from essay banks, copying another student's work, or working together on an individual assignment, all constitute plagiarism. Resubmitting material you've submitted to another course is also academic dishonesty. All plagiarized work (in whole or in part) and other forms of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean, who is responsible for judging academic misconduct and imposing penalties. The minimum penalty for academic misconduct is a 0 on the assignment in question. It might also be subject to more severe academic penalties. See the Code of Student Behaviour in the University Policies section below for more information. Course Policies 1. Regular attendance is important. Chronic absenteeism will be reflected in the student s final mark since a large portion of the course revolves around in-class instruction, discussion, and practical assignments. 2. Pens and paper are a requirement for this course. There will be many times that you will be handing an assignment at the end of class. I will not accept submissions for these assignments. 3. Write or type your full name on each and every assignment you submit. 4. You must be in attendance to complete in-class assignments; there will be no make-ups offered for these assignments. 5. Late assignments will be marked down 2% per day to a maximum of 20%. Assignments will be considered late if handed in after the due date (4:30 p.m. for major assignments, and at the end of class for in-class assignments). 6. Extensions will be granted only for special circumstances and must be approved well in advance of the due date. All extensions will be given solely at my discretion. No assignments will be accepted after 5 pm on the final day of class. 7. I believe that the use of cell phones, instant messaging, etc. in a classroom setting is extremely rude and disruptive. If I see that you are using phones, computers, or other media in what I deem to be an inappropriate manner, you will be asked to leave the class. University Policies Students in this course are expected to conform to the Code of Student Behaviour: Lakehead University provides academic accommodations for students with disabilities in accordance with the terms of the Ontario Human Rights Code. This occurs through a collaborative process that acknowledges a collective obligation to develop an accessible learning environment that both meets the needs of students and preserves the essential academic requirements of the course. This course outline is available online through the English Department homepage and the Desire2Learn site for the course.