Calendar

Follow the links at the bottom of this page for a schedule of assignments for each week this semester. Within each week, you will find daily listings of assignments. Each bullet point for the day is a different task for you to complete. Unless specifically noted otherwise, all assignments are to be completed before class on the day listed.

This course calendar may be updated throughout the semester. I'll notify you about any major changes, but you are still responsible for keeping up with the current schedule.

IMPORTANT: You must visit all of the links provided within the course calendar. There are many links to follow and read. Make sure you visit all of them. Some links provide easy access to other parts of the class site which will help you in your assignments. Some links are to required readings. Others provide you with detailed instructions on completing the assignments. Eventually, you may come to know the instructions which supplement assignments that are repeated throughout the course, but it's still a good idea to continue to revisit the instructions to make sure that you are satisfying all of the requirements.

Week 1

Monday

  • Introductions
  • Review syllabus and course calendar
  • Discuss course technologies (this site)
  • Lecture: Rhetoric and Technical Writing, Developing a Professional Ethos
  • Class email guidelines and email etiquette
  • Exercise: email case study from Technical Communication Today pgs. 350-1

Before Tuesday complete:

  • Purchase Technical Communication Today at Borders.
  • Read Chapter 13 and pgs. 389-92 in Technical Communication Today
  • Reading Response 1 and post it to the class website under "Reading Responses - Week 1"
  • Your class introduction and post it to the class website under "Introductions"
  • Student Information Form and e-mail it to me at mhannah@purdue.edu
  • Make certain that you have your login and password for accessing Purdue ITaP machines and an e-mail address that accommodates attachments. If you have questions about your accounts, you can visit the ITap Customer Service Center in STEW 068. You can also visit the ITaP website for information about campus technologies.

Tuesday

  • Introduce Employment Project
  • Conduct Personal/Professional Interviews
  • Introduce Job Skills Checklist
  • Lecture: Using Action Verbs (See also pg. 398 in Technical Communication Today)
  • Activity: Begin creating Job Skills Spreadsheet
  • Introduce Job Advertisement Analysis
  • Lecture: Reading Job Advertisements Rhetorically
  • Exercise: "The Lie" case study from Chapter 15, pg. 423 in Technical Communication Today. Begin drafting for this case study. Post as "Reading Response 2" in a blog entry.

Before Wednesday complete:

  • Reading Response 2 - "The Lie" - Also, reply to one of your peers' posts before class.
  • Job Skills Spreadsheet
  • Job Advertisement Analysis
  • Read pgs. 392-403 in Technical Communication Today
  • Read "Skeptical Resume Reader..."
  • Read Chapter 10 in Technical Communication Today

Wednesday

  • Discuss "Skeptical Resume Reader..."
  • Lecture: Resumes
  • Review resume examples
  • Lecture: Design Principles in Technical Writing
  • Exercise: "Scorpions Invade" case study from Technical Communication Today pgs. 277-80
  • Begin drafting resume for Employment Project

For Thursday:

  • Reading Response 3 - "Scorpions Invade" - You do not need to respond to any of your peers' posts.
  • Continue drafting resume for Employment Project. Rough draft of resume is due at the beginning of class on Friday, May 16.
  • Read pgs. 403-12 in Technical Communication Today
  • Bring completed Job Skills Spreadsheet

Thursday

  • Lecture: Job Application Letters (Cover Letters) and "Showing" vs. "Telling"
  • Review job application letter examples
  • Activity: Drafting a narrative and outline for job application letter
  • Begin drafting job application letter for Employment Project

For Friday:

  • Continue drafting job application letter for Employment Project. Rough draft of job application letter is due at the beginning of class on Friday, May 16.
  • Post draft copies of resume and job application letter to class website under "Resume" and "Job Application Letter"
  • Bring two print copies of both the resume and job application letter to class.

Friday

For Monday:

  • Employment Project Due
  • Read pgs. 534-55 in Chapter 19 in Technical Communication Today

Week 2

Monday

  • Introduce Technical Description Project
  • Lecture: Technical Descriptions
  • Activity: Planning and Researching for Technical Description of Purdue Memorial Union
  • Begin drafting technical description of Purdue Memorial Union

Before Tuesday complete:

  • Finish draft of technical description of Purdue Memorial Union.
  • Read pgs. 555-561 in Technical Communication Today
  • Read "Revision Challenge" on pgs. 563-4 in Technical Communication Today. Begin preparing to complete this challenge.

Tuesday

  • Lecture: Designing Technical Descriptions
  • Introduce Adobe InDesign and Adobe Photoshop for creating Technical Descriptions
  • Prepare design outline for technical description of Purdue Memorial Union

Before Wednesday complete:

  • Continue work on technical description of Purdue Memorial Union
  • Complete "Revision Challenge" on pgs. 563-4 in Technical Communication Today. Post your response/answer to the class website under "Reading Responses - Week 2"
  • Read Chapter 11 in Technical Communication Today
  • Review pgs. 534-55 in Technical Communication Today

Wednesday

  • Lecture: Process Descriptions
  • Activity: Distinguishing technical descriptions of places and processes
  • Begin drafting process description of using Purdue's SSINFO

For Thursday:

  • Finish draft of process description of Purdue's SSINFO
  • Locate visuals to use in technical description of Purdue Memorial Union and process description of SSINFO. Thursday will be a design workshop day for your technical descriptions of the Purdue Memorial Union and SSINFO

Thursday

  • Peer Review of SSINFO technical description
  • Design workshop for technical descriptions

For Friday:

  • Incorporate visuals in drafts of Purdue Memorial Union and SSINFO technical descriptions - Completed drafts of these two technical descriptions are due at the beginning of Peer Review Workshops on Friday
  • Post both descriptions to the class website under "PMU" and "SSINFO" headings. When posting your descriptions include a note in the blog text box regarding what specifically you want your reviewer to pay particular attention to and explain why.

Friday

  • Peer Review Workshops - Using four levels of editing
  • All peer reviews must be completed by midnight on Friday, May 23

For Tuesday, May 27:

  • Reminder: No class on Monday, May 26 - Memorial Day holiday
  • Read Chapter 18 in Technical Communication Today for Tuesday, May 27

Week 3

Monday

  • No Class - Memorial Day Holiday

Before Tuesday complete:

  • Read Chapter 18 in Technical Communication Today
  • Continue drafting Purdue Webmail technical description

Tuesday

  • Lecture: Technical Definitions
  • Activity: Tracking down a word's history

Before Wednesday complete:

  • Continue drafting Purdue Webmail technical description
  • Read Chapters 17 and 22 in Technical Communication Today

Wednesday

  • Lecture: Letters and Memos
  • Lecture: Drafting Activity Reports

For Thursday:

  • Complete drafts of technical descriptions for peer review workshop
  • Read Chapter 20 in Technical Communication Today

Thursday

  • Peer Review Workshop: Technical Descriptions
  • Introduce Instructions and Usability Project
  • Lecture: Drafting Instructions

For Friday:

  • Technical Description project due
  • Complete Technical Description project assessment
  • Draft memorandum requesting approval for subject matter area for Instructions and Usability project

Friday

  • Lecture: Ambiguity in instructions
  • Activity: Drawing a logical map for instructions
  • Exercise: Analyzing ambiguous instructions (Coleman), (PlaySafe), (Ruger)

For Monday:

  • Begin drafting instruction set
  • Read pgs. 331-5 and 596-7 in Technical Communication Today

Week 4

Monday

  • Lecture: Designing Instructions
  • Activity: Assessing Design for Instructions (Swing Set)
  • Lecture: Usability Testing

Before Tuesday complete:

  • Continue drafting instructions

Tuesday

  • Instruction workshops

Before Wednesday complete:

  • Draft of instructions for usability testing

Wednesday

  • Usability testing workshop

For Thursday:

  • Draft usability assessment
  • Revise instructions
  • Read Ch. 16 in Technical Communication Today

Thursday

  • Lecture: Presentations in Technical Communication
  • Activity: Alternative technologies for presentations

For Friday:

  • Instructions and Usability Project due
  • Complete Instructions and Usability project assessment

Friday

  • Instructions and Usability Project due
  • Lecture: Careers in Technical Communication