DREXEL UNIVERSITY
College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Culture and Communication
Summer AY 06-07
Course Number and Section: COM 310-002 Instructor: Dr. Thomas Houessou-Adin
Course Title: Technical Communication Office: PSA Building Room: 305
Course Dates: 6/25 - 8/31/07 Office Hours: F 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. and by Appt.
Days and Time: MWF 1:00 p.m. - 1:50 p.m. Office Telephone: 215.895.2763/267.918.9059
Location: Curtis Hall Room: 258 Email: th85@drexel.edu or ojubanire@gmail.com
Required Text: Markel, Mike. Technical Communication 8th ed. Bedford/St. MartinÕs, 2007, 703 pg.
Recommended: Menager-Beeley,
Rosemarie and Paulos, Lyn. Understanding Plagiarism: A Student Guide to
Writing Your Own Work. Houghton Mifflin, 2006, 57 pg.
Course Description:
Technical Communication is a writing intensive course designed to help students practice and master the kind of writing they will be doing in the workplace. Students will learn how to write effective Letters, Memos, and E-mails, and acquire the skills necessary to prepare Job-Application Materials, write Proposals, Informal and Formal Reports, Instructions and Manuals, as well as create Web Sites, and make effective Oral Presentations.
Students taking this course will discover that effective Òwriting can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience, rather than a necessary chore.Ó Drafting, Editing, Revising, and Proofreading are all emphasized. Just as any well-groomed person gives himself or herself a final check before appearing in public, students taking this course are encouraged to take care of certain stylistic details -- orthography, grammar, and stripping every sentence to its cleanest components before letting any piece of writing go out of their hands.
Learning Outcomes: Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:
á
Have a better
understanding of the kinds of writing common in the workplace, and the basic
strategies used to create technical documents
á
Apply the seven-step
writing process (Brainstorming and defining Goals; Identifying your Audience;
Doing necessary Research; Making a Plan; Drafting; Revising; Proofreading)
á
Demonstrate techniques
of clear, concise, and effective business writing
á
Design well-written
technical documents, including informal and full-length formal reports
á
Distill complex ideas
into simple, easy-to-understand, and audience appropriate concepts
á
Make content and style
equally important in technical writing
á
Develop writing skills
using American Standard English
á
Think critically and
communicate more effectively in writing and speaking
á
Overcome stage fright
during oral presentations
Learning Outcomes Assessment: The grade for this course will be based on the following:
á
Attendance and Active
Participation
10%
á
Two quizzes 20%
á
Technical Article
Rewrite 15%
á
Technical Communication
Portfolio 20%
á
Proposal 20%
á
Oral Presentation 15%
Assignment
#1: Technical Article Rewrite Transform a FOUR page long technical article that originally appeared
in a technical journal into an article that is more appropriate for a general
audience. Submit the original article along with your rewrite. Your Rewrite
must be FOUR pages long as well. Note that a rewrite is NOT a summary.
Assignment
#2: Technical Communication
Portfolio Assemble a technical
communication portfolio consisting of one page memo, one page letter of
inquiry, one page cover letter (staple job ad to the cover letter), and a
resume. Write the inquiry letter in modified-block format and the cover letter in semi-block format. Please, find an ad for a job you actually qualify
for and write the Application letter to a real person or institution. Staple
all FIVE components of this assignment (memo, inquiry letter, application letter,
job ad, and resume)
in this order before submitting it. Be advised that this assignment will not
be accepted unless all components thereof are stapled together in the required
order.
Assignment
#3: Proposal Pick a technical topic and write an eight (8) page proposal that will persuade readers to carry
out an activity.
Assignment
#4: Oral Presentation: Present a five-minute speech on any health topic or
public safety concern.
Each oral presentation will be
extemporaneous and last for 5 mn.
The Critique/Student Feedback thereafter will last for 4 mn each, a total of 9 minutes per presentation. Each student will submit in
class, one typewritten page outline right
after the oral presentation. Before each oral presentation, students will be
given a Peer Evaluation Form to
use as a guide for constructive feedback.
Note that each presentation will be strictly timed as we have only 50 mn instruction each class day.
Nota Bene: Please single-space all papers, with one-inch
margins, 12-point font Times New Roman. None of the assignments may be
submitted via e-mail. There will be NO exceptions. All papers must be submitted in hard
copies on the dates the assignments are due. Late papers will be penalized
unless you have been granted an extension.
Classroom Etiquette: As a matter of mutual respect and courtesy for each other, both instructor and students will follow these basic rules:
Disability Accommodations: Students with disabilities who require accommodations (academic adjustment and/or auxiliary aids or services) for this course must contact the Department 215.895.1313.
Academic Honesty: In preparing your assignments,
keep in mind that two basic elements of the writing/speaking process are Òthe
development of independent thought and a respect for the thoughts of others.Ó
Penalties for plagiarism range from failing a particular assignment to failing
the course. Drexel UniversityÕs policy on plagiarism can be found at http://www.drexel.edu/studentlife/studenthandbook/honesty10.htm
As students, you can tell that academic honesty is taken very seriously throughout the academe. Therefore, in my capacity as your Technical Communication instructor, I want to do all I can to guard you against this unfortunate and gross mistake. I must first inform you that the turnitin.com and EVE2 plagiarism software, which are two powerful tools that help faculty track down unacknowledged sources in papers, are available to teachers. A word to the wise! The recommended booklet supra, Understanding Plagiarism is very elucidating. Also, it is my pleasure to share with you the eight point shortcut to avoiding plagiarism proposed by Dorothy U. Seyler (1999), on page 115 of her book, Doing Research: The Complete Research Paper Guide.
!WARNING! Each one of the following strategies results in a form of plagiarism!
á
Downloading a paper from
the internet
á
ÒBorrowingÓ a friendÕs
paper from last semester
á
Turning in a paper
without any documentation
á
Turning in a paper with
in-text citations but no Works Cited page -- or the other way around
á
Copying passages from a
source without putting the passages within quotation marks
á
Documenting only quoted
material but not documenting paraphrased material
á
Retaining too much of
the wording and style of the original in paraphrasing
á
Placing in-text
citations at the end of long passages without making clear how much of the
passage is from the source
Attendance and Participation Policy: Student participation is an essential part of the instructional process. Students are expected to contribute to the learning environment of their courses and to fulfill their academic responsibilities through active participation in the learning process. Participation standards for this course include first and foremost attendance at all class sessions, and meaningful contributions to class discussions, via answering questions and/or making constructive comments or suggestions as well as completing assigned homework. Students who do not meet the participation standards will receive a lower grade.
Indeed, students cannot participate in their courses unless they attend class. Attendance is a requirement for this course, although physical presence in class is not enough to score full credit for Attendance and Participation. Students are reminded that final grades are determined by performance of all course requirements, including attendance, which will be recorded for each class.
Any student who misses the equivalent of two weeks of class, that is, SIX classes in this case, may be given a failing grade for the course. Only absences as a result of fully documented medical emergencies and participation in away-games by student athletes are excused. In such cases, the instructor will require make-up work from students upon their return to class. Besides, every unsubstantiated absence is worth 2 points off the Attendance and Participation grade. In other words, FIVE such absences will result in a grade of 00/10 for Attendance and Participation.
|
Course
Average |
Letter
Grade |
|
97
- 100 |
A+ |
|
93
- 96.99 |
A |
|
90
- 92.99 |
A- |
|
87
- 89.99 |
B+ |
|
83
- 86.99 |
B |
|
80
- 82.99 |
B- |
|
77
- 79.99 |
C+ |
|
73
- 76.99 |
C |
|
70
- 72.99 |
C- |
|
67
- 69.99 |
D+ |
|
60
- 66.99 |
D |
|
00
- 59.99 |
F |
Note: There will be a few practice assignments
that students will do individually or in group throughout the term.
WEEK
1
6/25/07: Overview
of the course/Presentation of class format, and Student Introduction. On Plagiarism.
6/27/07: Technical Communication. Markel, Ch. 1, pp. 2-12.
6/29/07: The Writing Process. Markel, Ch. 3, pp. 31-41.
QUIZ #1
WEEK
2
7/2/07: Audience
and Purpose. Markel, Ch. 5, pp. 66-92
7/4/07: Markel, Ch. 5, pp. 66-92 Cont. Work on Exercises
1 and 3
7/6/07: Research. Markel, Ch. 6, pp. 97-122. Work on
Exercise 2. QUIZ #2
WEEK
3
7/9/07: Organizing Your Information. Markel, Ch. 7, pp.
127-148. Work on Exercise 3
7/11/07: Persuasive
Communication. Markel, Ch. 8, pp. 154-171 Assignment #1 DUE, Article Rewrite
7/13/07: Definitions and Descriptions. Markel, Ch. 9, pp.
176-197. Do Exercises 2 and5
WEEK
4
7/16/07: Markel, pp. 176-197 Cont.
7/18/07: Document Planning. Markel, Ch. 10, pp. 203-218
7/20/07: Effective
Sentences. Markel, Ch. 11, pp. 224-247
WEEK
5
7/23/07: Document Design. Markel, Ch. 12, pp. 256-286
7/25/07: Graphics. Markel, Ch. 13, pp. 292-329. Do
Exercise 4
7/27/07: Letters, Memos, and E-Mails. Markel, Ch. 14, pp.
336-357. Do Exercise 3
WEEK
6
7/30/07: Job-Application Materials. Markel, Ch. 15, pp. 363-398
8/1/07: Proposals. Markel, Ch. 16, pp. 404-426. Do
Exercise 3 Assignment #2 DUE, TechComm Portfolio
8/3/07: Markel,
pp. 404-426 Cont.
WEEK
7
8/6/07: Informal Reports. Markel, Ch. 17, pp. 433-451 Do
Exercise 2
8/8/07: Formal Reports. Markel, Ch. 18, pp. 454-495
8/10/07: Instructions and Manuals. Markel, Ch. 19, pp.
495-523.
WEEK
8
8/13/07: Successful
Oral Presentations. Markel, Ch. 21, pp. 545-566. Assignment #3 Due, Proposal
8/15/07: Markel, Ch. 21, pp. 545-566 Cont.
8/17/07: Oral Presentations (4 students)
WEEK
9
8/20/07: Oral Presentations Cont. (4 students)
8/22/07: Oral Presentations Cont. (4 students)
8/24/07: Oral Presentations End (4 students)
WEEK
10
8/27/07: Oral
Presentations Cont.
8/29/07: Oral
Presentations Cont.
8/31/07: Course Evaluation