technical and professional writing
engl 402.02 summer 2011
patricia freitag ericsson
ericsson@wsu.edu
Avery 202M Phone: 335-4820
Summer office hours by appointment


Textbook Abbreviations
CG -
A Concise Guide to Technical Communication
NDDB - Non-Designer's Design Book

This schedule may change as the course progresses. Check here often to see assignment updates, discussion topics, and more.

Week 1 May 9
Monday

Introduction to class; review of syllabus, schedule, academic honesty policy.

  May 10
Tuesday

Introduction to Technical Communication

Before Class
1) Read CG: Chapter 1;
2) Complete Exercise 1, p. 12 (online) or p. 14 (book) by class time;
3) Read Markel on ethics; be prepared to write about the article in class (bring printout of article to class)

During Class
Discuss Academic Ho.nesty
Notes on Gurak and Lannon Chapter 1
Spaghetti bowl military analysis
NY Times and PPT

  May 11
Wednesday

Unit 1: Rhetorical Approaches to Job Applications
BRING LAPTOPS IF POSSIBLE

Before Class

1) Complete OWL Skills Checklist and bring to class
2) Locate and bring to class three (3) job ads that you could apply for after graduation
3) Read ethical concerns in job searches to prepare for class discussion and for in-class writing

During Class
Discuss ads and Skills Checklist
Discuss and write on ethical concerns
Review Job Application Portfolio format

  May 12
Thursday

BRING LAPTOPS IF POSSIBLE AND CONCISE GUIDE

Before Class

1) Read CG: Chapter 2 and article on e-resumes;

CG Chapter 2

During Class
In consultation with a partner (2 only, please) complete the following:

1) choose one job for application--discuss all ads and with the help of a partner, decide which is the best to apply for;

2) using the online resources of the OWL complete the following-- A) should be completed with your partner; B,C,D) completed individually

A) with your partner, complete an oral ad analysis--read through the OWL resources and fully discuss the ad--make sure you use the linked OWL resources!

B) write at least two informal paragraphs explaining why you are qualified for this job; include information you learned from the analysis in a) and the Skills Checklist you completed for Wednesday;

C) using the OWL resources write at least two informal paragraphs explaining what you have found out about the company you are applying to and how your personal and career goals are compatible with the company's outlook;

D) write a one page analysis of your audience for this application package using the Audience Checklist found on p. 30 of CG.

***For graduate/professional school application complete the following (if you are preparing documents for application to graduate school, you will write a personal statement rather than an application letter):
A) same as "A)" above, but analyze grad school application requirements
B) write two informal paragraphs explaining why you are qualified for this graduate school; includ information you learned from your analysis in a).
C) based on an analysis of the information found online about your particular grad school, write at least two paragraphs explaining what you've found out about the school and how your personal and career goals are compatible with the grad school's offerings
D) write a one page analysis of your audience for this application using the Audience Checklist found on p. 30 of CG.

  May 13
Friday

Application letter workshop: BRING LAPTOPS IF POSSIBLE AND CONCISE GUIDE

Before Class
1) Read CG: p. 193-200
2) Read Munschauer; focus on first part of article on application letters
3) Write critique of application letter that appears CG on p. 195 --use specific points from the Munschauer article to frame your critique; job ad for letter (necessary to appropriately critique the letter); have critique ready to hand in a beginning of class today.

During Class
Discuss Munschauer article and critique
Workshop on Application letter; for job application letters use the OWL Example Employment Documents; for graduate school applications use the OWL resources on writing the personal statement

 Week 2 May 16
Monday

Discuss Resume Format/Application Letter Peer Review : meet in AML
BRING LAPTOPS IF POSSIBLE
Draft 1 of Cover Letter Due (copy of job ad and one printed copy of application letter)

Before Class
1) Read CG: p. 202-207
2) OWL(read all links); if you are applying to graduate or professional school read the information about the Curriculum Vitae at the OWL
3) Read Format choices and select the style that will suit your application; write brief justification of that choice
4) Complete Draft 1 of Cover Letter - bring job ad and one printed copy to class; if you're applying to graduate or professional school, bring draft of your personal statement as well as basic information on applying to the school.

During Class
Peer Review of Cover Letter

  May 17
Tuesday

Designing with Type: BRING LAPTOPS IF POSSIBLE
Draft 1 of Resume Due (one copy needed); Bring NDDB to class

Before Class
Read NDDB: Chapters 9-11 (Designing with Type)

During Class
Resume draft workshop; OWL Action Verb explanation; OWL Action Verb list

With a partner, complete the following steps for each of the four linked resumes found below.Write a brief analysis for each step.

1: Analyze Examples 1, 2, 3 and 5 using the concepts of concordance, conflict, and contrast from chapter 9 of NDDB;
2: Identify the type faces used in the same examples based on the categories presented in Chapter 10 of NDDB;
3: Critique the combinations of size, weight, structure, form, and direction used in the three examples based on NDDB Chapter 11.
4: With your partner, look your resumes and critique them based on what you've learned in these Chapters and the analyses you've completed. Write a brief overview of how you will revise your resume based on what you've learned.

Links for inclass exercise: Example 1; Example 2; Example 3; Example 4;


  May 18
Wednesday

Letter and Resume Revisions Due: BRING LAPTOPS IF POSSIBLE
Bring job ad and two copies of letter and resume

During Class
Peer Analysis

  May 19
Thursday

Begin Unit 2: Document Redesign Project (DRP)
BRING LAPTOPS IF POSSIBLE

Before Class
1) Read CG: Chapter 8 and 9;
2) Complete Exercise #1 on p. 180 of CG--bring article to class with list of visuals

During Class
1) Review Job App Portfolio format
2) Introduce Document Redesign Project
3) Work with visuals from #2 above
4) Analyze visuals via the checklist on p. 180


Links for resume/letter revisions
Review parallelism and comma use

  May 20
Friday

BRING LAPTOPS IF POSSIBLE
Class begins at 9:30 so you have and time to print and put your Job Portfolio together in AML. Make sure you get reading below done before class too!

Revised drafts of Job Application materials due for final evaluation; presented in Job Application Portfolio format
Usability

Before Class
1) Read CG: Chapter 3 (Usability);
2) Read Jakob Nielsen web materials;
During Class
Read usability notes

Complete Usability Worksheet

Week 3 May 23
Monday

BRING LAPTOPS IF POSSIBLE ; bring NDDB to class
Before Class
Read NDDB: Chapters 1-6; (pp.1-86)

During Class
With your DARS partner, review the following pages in the NDDB: 32, 50, 64, and 80. Once you have done that, complete the assignment below.
In-class assignment: Ireland; Angler

  May 24
Tuesday

BRING LAPTOPS IF POSSIBLE
DARS Project Details

  May 25
Wednesday
BRING LAPTOPS IF POSSIBLE ; Workshop day
  May 26
Thursday
BRING LAPTOPS IF POSSIBLE ; Draft of DRP due for peer review; focus on redesign; DARS Project Details;
peer review information

  May 27
Friday
No Class
 Week 4 May 30
Monday
Holiday Memorial Day
  May 31
Tuesday
BRING LAPTOPS IF POSSIBLE : Workshop and brief review of written report.
  June 1
Wednesday
Oral presentations of DRP (attendance required); final draft of materials due when you present
  June 2
Thursday
Oral presentations of DRP (attendance required); final draft of materials due when you present
  June 3
Friday
Begin Unit 3: Collaborative Repurposing Project
BRING LAPTOPS IF POSSIBLE ; Introduction to Collaborative Repurposing Project; brainstorming; Colleague Evaluation for DARS Project (download, fill out, and send to ericsson@wsu.edu); class begins at 9:30.
Week 5 June 6
Monday
Ethics, Copyright and Privacy; Read Chapter 6 of CG before coming to class; bring your field or discipline's code of ethics to class for discussion.
  June 7
Tuesday
Pitch Proposal Presentations (attendance required)
  June 8
Wednesday
Pitch Proposal Presentations continued (attendance required); teams composed for Research Report; Pitch Proposal Written Reports due.
  June 9
Thursday
BRING LAPTOPS IF POSSIBLE ; Workshop day: complete Repurpose Justification.
  June 10
Friday

BRING LAPTOPS IF POSSIBLE : Memo writing workshop
Before class:
Reading 1;
Reading 2; CG p. 189-192;

During Class
Parts of a Memo;
Format of a Memo
;
Sample Memo
Progress memo details

Week 6 June 13
Monday
BRING LAPTOPS IF POSSIBLE ; Oral presentation practice; Repurposing Project details
  June 14
Tuesday
BRING LAPTOPS IF POSSIBLE; In-class team workshop; course evaluations; Progress Memo due by midnight: Repurpose Oral Presentation Requirements
  June 15
Wednesday
BRING LAPTOPS IF POSSIBLE ; In-class team workshop; Completion Memo details
  June 16
Thursday
Final presentations (attendance required)--final draft due when you present; colleague evaluations; do one for each of your final project colleaguesand email it to ericsson@wsu.edu
  June 17
Friday

Final presentations (attendance required)--final draft due when you present; Completion Memo due by midnight. In addition to the Completion Memo, please complete a colleague evaluation for each member of your team and email it to ericsson@wsu.edu. Mail your Completion Memo to the same address.

 


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