Sandve, Eric

English

Digital Commons @ New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT)

New Jersey Institute of TechnologyDigital Commons @ NJITHumanities Syllabi NJIT SyllabiFall 2019ENG 352-453: Technical WritingEric SandveFollow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.njit.edu/hum-syllabiThis Syllabus is brought to you for free and open access by the NJIT Syllabi at Digital Commons @ NJIT. It has been accepted for inclusion inHumanities Syllabi by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ NJIT. For more information, please contact digitalcommons@njit.edu.Recommended CitationSandve, Eric, "ENG 352-453: Technical Writing" (2019). Humanities Syllabi. 148.https://digitalcommons.njit.edu/hum-syllabi/148ENG 352: Technical Writing    Welcome to ENG 352. ENG 352 develops your knowledge and proficiency of writing for scientific and technical professions. In this course, you will learn to create, adapt, and revise technical deliverables for non-expert and expert audiences. In particular, you will develop an awareness of multiple audiences for your work. Thus, your primary goal will be rhetorical awareness rather than a mastery of every convention and genre that you might possibly be required to write in during your future careers. Please keep this goal in mind as we move through the course, because we will be covering a lot of material in a very short amount of time. In this syllabus, you’ll find information about class policies, assignments and grading, resources that are available to you, and more. If you have questions about anything related to the class, check this syllabus and the Canvas site first; if it is not covered on the syllabus or online, email me at esandve@njit.edu.   Course Information ENG 352-453 ONLINE   Contacting Your Instructor Professor Eric Sandve Email: esandve@njit.edu Office Hours: By Appointment  Course Materials Any Technical Writing Handbook would be useful. The below text is good but not mandatory.  The Essentials of Technical Communication 3rd Edition By Elizabeth Tebeaux & Sam Dragga ISBN: 978-0-19-937999-6  Additional readings will all be available on Canvas.  New content will generally be posted on Thursday or Friday and will usually be due the following week. Pay attention to deadlines.   2  Course Goals In this course, you will learn to: 1. Understand the interaction of purpose, audience, format (including style and grammar), and situation in technical writing. 2. Make effective and ethical choices in technical writing. 3. Identify and address the specific rhetorical challenges and opportunities of collaboration in writing projects. 4. Learn how to apply basic principles of document design to enhance and clarify your writing deliverables. 5. Construct clear, grammatical sentences and produce well-organized texts that exhibit an attention to audience, genre, and purpose that follow the conventions of logical argumentation. 6. Demonstrate the ability to find, select, assess, and analyze information sources, both print and electronic, and to credit, integrate, and synthesize those sources in your own work.  Attendance You are expected to be in class on time and prepared, just as you would in the workplace. If you cannot meet these requirements, enroll in a section that meets when you can attend.  • If you miss more than 2 classes, you will cut your participation grade by 50%.  • If you miss more than 4 classes, you will earn a zero for your participation grade, no matter how strong your participation is otherwise.  If you come to class unprepared, you will be asked to leave and counted absent for the day.  Academic Integrity “Academic Integrity is the cornerstone of higher education and is central to the ideals of this course and the university. Cheating is strictly prohibited and devalues the degree that you are working on. As a member of the NJIT community, it is your responsibility to protect your educational investment by knowing and following the academic code of integrity policy that is found at: http://www5.njit.edu/policies/sites/policies/files/academic-integrity-code.pdf.     Please note that it is my professional obligation and responsibility to report any academic misconduct to the Dean of Students Office. Any student found in violation of the code by cheating, plagiarizing or using any online software inappropriately will result in disciplinary action. This may include a failing grade of F, and/or suspension or dismissal from the university. If you have any questions about the code of Academic Integrity, please contact the Dean of Students Office at dos@njit.edu”  Support Services  Accessibility & Accommodation I am committed to the principle of universal learning. This means that our classroom, our virtual spaces, our practices, and our interactions be as inclusive as possible. Mutual respect, civility, and the ability to listen and observe others carefully are crucial to universal learning. If you need instructional accommodations please give me an official authorization letter from the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities (OSSD) as soon as possible.  The Writing Center  The Writing Center (G17 Central King) is available for 45-minute individual and group appointments with professional writing tutors both onsite and online. This resource is intended to help you improve your communication and writing skills. Tutors can help with planning assignments, improving your writing, refining an essay or multimedia project, or other communication-based needs.  To make an appointment, please visit https://njit.mywconline.com Location:  Central King Building (CKB G17)          3   Don’t Be a Jerk    I expect professional, respectful behavior from you at all times.   Treat your classmates with the same respect you would give to your future coworkers (or would like to have given to you). If you behave in a disruptive or disrespectful manner, including ways that are not explicitly described here, it will at minimum, detract from your participation grade.   Don’t be a part of the negative aspects within the online community. Support your peers.    Technology Requirements Canvas You must access our class Canvas site regularly. On this site, you’ll find information about assignments, an updated course calendar, and additional resources chosen to help you succeed.   Email  I often send out announcements via NJIT email. Because of this, you must check this account at least every other day. When sending email to your instructor or classmates, include specific information in the subject line- Example: Question about ENG 352 assignment 2 draft If you do not include a valid subject line, your email may go to the junk folder. Also, sign your full name in the email, as the NJIT email naming system makes identifying a sender difficult.  Emergencies In the event of an emergency, contact me as soon as possible, and we will arrange alternative scheduling. Emergencies include serious illnesses, deaths of close family members, or your house burning down. Failure to plan for an assignment, or even a computer crash, is not an emergency. Back up your work frequently to prevent problems caused by computer crashes.  Participation Your participation is integral to succeeding, especially in an online setting. While we will not be meeting in person, my expectation is that you complete all assignments, readings, and contribute to discussions and forums in good faith.        4   In-Class/Homework Assignment: Understanding the Grades While as an online course, all of your work will be “home”, there are shorter assignments that would take the place of class activity or homework. These assignments are designed to prepare you for the course’s major assignments. Remember that informal classwork, homework, and class participation combine for 15% of your final grade, so do not ignore the importance of this work. Each assignment will be graded according to the following scale: Satisfactory: This work is thoughtful, reasonably complete given time allowed, and it was turned in on time (full credit, usually 5/5 points). Marginal: This work was turned in on time, but it is completed in a careless manner or is substantially incomplete given time allowed (half credit, usually 2.5/5 points). Unacceptable: This work ignores written/verbal instructions and/or missed its deadline (no credit, usually 0/5 points).  Major Assignments: Understanding the Final Grades Each assignment will be evaluated on criteria that are specific to the genre you are producing. You will find these criteria with the appropriate assignment sheet. A/A-  Superior. Your deliverable is professional and exceeds expectations. It meets (and exceeds) all of the grading criteria for the assignment. You demonstrate excellence in audience awareness, organization, and document design. I would use your work as an example for future classes, and I recommend you use it in your professional portfolio.  B+/B/B-  Proficient. Your deliverable is professional in writing and design, and it meets all of the grading criteria for the assignment. The difference between an A and a B is your attention to detail and/or the sophistication of your writing or design. C+C/C-  Average. Your deliverable meets the basic criteria for the assignment but does no more. It may be reasonably organized, have a few grammar or usage errors, but it needs another revision to improve usability and/or audience awareness.  D+/D/D-  Deficient. Your deliverable needs significant revision of rhetorical approach, content development, writing, and/or document design/visuals.  F Unacceptable. Your deliverable fails to accomplish its designated task, adapt to its audience, or develop key ideas.            5          Major Assignments and Grade Breakdown  Writing Assignments (Individual/Group 75%)  Assignment 1: Instructions (Individual, 15%) For this assignment, you will need to develop a usable set of instructions for a randomly assigned task.   Assignment 2: Revising Website Content (Pairs, 10%) For this assignment, you will work with a partner to revise one page of the university’s website for an audience of NJIT’s students & the public.   Assignment 3: Client Presentation (Pairs, 10%) For this assignment, you and your Assignment 1 partner will present the rationale for your page revisions to your clients.  Assignments 4-6: Professional Recommendation Report Project. These assignments will ask you to demonstrate what you have learned about audience assessment, research, and the proposal and recommendation report genres.  Assignment 4: Discourse Community White Paper (Group 10%) For this assignment you will investigate the documents and genre expectations of your field/disciplines. Assignment 5: Recommendation Report Proposal (Individual 10%)  For this assignment, you will need to develop an idea of your topic, consider your audience’s needs, and create a proposed calendar of tasks and deadlines.  Assignment 6: Recommendation Report (Individual 20%) For this assignment, you will develop a recommendation report about your chosen topic. This recommendation report should be aimed at an audience that a) has the power to make changes and b) is likely to read a recommendation report.  In-Class/Homework Assignments (Individual/Group, 15%) Your in-class and homework assignments prepare you for major assignments. They also develop your writing and critical thinking abilities. You will receive more information about these assignments in class, and you cannot make up any in-class or homework assignment you miss when absent or late to class.   Participation (Individual, 10%) Participation credit includes your active, ongoing participation in class discussions, asking pertinent or clarifying questions, etc. It is very difficult to do well in the rest of the course without participating extensively.      6    ENG 352 Tentative Schedule (Subject to Change with Written Notification)  Week 1  Introduction/Syllabus Week 2  Instruction Project Assigned Week 3  Completed Revised Instruction Project Due 9/19 at 11:59pm Revising Website Content Project and Client Presentation Assigned Week 4  Continue Work on Website Content Week 5  Completed Website Content Project Due 10/3 at 11:59pm Week 6  Continue Work on Client Presentation Based on Website Content Feedback Week 7  Completed Client Presentation Project Due 10/17 at 11:59pm Week 8  Client Presentations *Professional Recommendation Report Project Assigned (Projects 4-6)* Week 9  Client Presentations Week 10  Completed White Paper Project Due 11/7 at 11:59pm Start Recommendation Report Proposal Week 11  Completed Recommendation Report Proposal Due 11/14 at 11:59pm Week 12  Start Recommendation Report & Presentations Week 13  THANKSGIVING BREAK Week 14  Start Presentations Week 15  Presentations/Course Wrap-Up: THERE IS NO FINAL EXAM IN THIS COURSE! We will not meet for a final exam UNLESS we do not finish the presentations by today.   **Final Recommendation Report Due by 12/12/19 at 11:59pm**   

ENG 352-453: Technical Writing

https://digitalcommons.njit.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1147&amp;context=hum-syllabi

ENG 352-453: Technical Writing

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Digital Commons @ New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT)