NavigationBlog Posts- Reading Responses - Week 4 (11)
- Usability - Group 1 (5) - Usability - Group 2 (5) - Usability - Group 3 (3) - Webmail - Group 1 (5) - Webmail - Group 2 (4) - Webmail - Group 3 (5) - SSINFO - Group 1 (5) - SSINFO - Group 2 (5) - SSINFO - Group 3 (5) - PMU - Group 1 (5) - PMU - Group 2 (5) - PMU - Group 3 (4) - Resume (14) - Introductions (17) - Job Application Letter (15) - Reading Responses - Week 3 (28) - Reading Responses - Week 2 (12) - Reading Responses - Week 1 (49) Who's onlineThere are currently 0 users and 0 guests online.
|
Course DescriptionEnglish 421K, Technical Writing Instructor: Mark Hannah Section: 02-01 Office Hrs: Mondays 8:30 AM -9:30 AM Office: Heavilon 327E Ph: 765.494.3747 Fax: 765.494.3780 email: mhannah@purdue.edu Overview English 421K helps students become better technical communicators, whose work is characterized by the presentation of technical material in written and visual formats that are user centered and aware of audience and context. The course and its principles are grounded in rhetorical theory and informed by current research in technical communication. Communication across multiple audiences and for multiple purposes continues to be a desired skill set in technical and professional fields. Beyond field-specific knowledge and experience, successful and ethical communication drives the professional world. This class, in content and form, models these successful communication practices. Working individually and in groups, students learn effective strategies for communicating about and with technology, particularly in networked workplaces and through usability testing. To achieve success in this course, students must display the ability to succeed in their future workplaces by developing a variety of informative and visually effective print and electronic documents. Required Text Technical Communication Today by Richard Johnson-Sheehan - Available for purchase at Borders Course Goals These are general course goals outlined by the Professional Writing Program. Writing in Context Analyze the invention, manufacture, and distribution of technologies in context and use writing to communicate these attributes in a variety of media and genres. Write to the different levels of technical expertise of a range of audiences and stakeholders to foster technical understanding. Understand the ethical implications of working within the nexus of technology and culture. Project Management Understand, develop and deploy various strategies for planning, researching, drafting, revising, and editing documents both individually and collaboratively. Select and use appropriate technologies that effectively and ethically address professional situations and audiences. Build professional ethos through documentation and accountability. Document Design Make rhetorical design decisions about technical documents including understanding and adapting to genre conventions and expectations of a range of audiences including both technical and non-technical audiences understanding and implementing design principles of format and layout interpreting and arguing with design, drafting, researching, testing, revising visual design and information architecture ensuring the technical accuracy of visual content. Teamwork Learn and apply strategies for successful teamwork, such as working online with colleagues to determine roles and responsibilities managing team conflicts constructively responding constructively to peers' work soliciting and using peer feedback effectively achieving team goals. Research Understand and use the research methods and strategies necessary to the production of professional documents, including working ethically with research participants, subject matter experts, and technical experts locating, evaluating, and using print and online information selectively for particular audiences and purposes triangulating sources of evidence selecting appropriate primary research methods such as interviews, observations, focus groups, and surveys to collect data applying concepts of usability research, such as user-centered design. Technology Use and evaluate the writing technologies frequently used in the workplace, such as emailing, instant messaging, image editing, video editing, presentation design and delivery, HTML editing, Web browsing, content management, and desktop publishing technologies. Course Projects and Activities Employment Project For Project 1, you will be asked to locate a job for which you are qualified and apply for it. Step 1 of the project asks you to learn about and use various web-based resources for job seekers and ultimately to select one job to pursue. Step 2 asks you to prepare a resume suitable for such a position. Step 3 asks you to prepare the all-important "Job Application Letter" (Cover Letter). In Step 4, you will assess your experience in a "Project Assessment Document." In the process of completing each step, you will work closely with your peers and me to shape your writing so that it represents you and your experience fully and effectively, given the rhetorical circumstances. You will also study and respond to examples from the textbook. (Individual: 25% of course grade.) Technical Description Project For Project 2, you will be asked to draft a variety of technical descriptions for places and processes, and in the drafting process you will be asked to focus on key rhetorical concepts in technical communication such as partitioning a subject, organizing and designing technical descriptions, using style, assessing rhetorical situations, and revising and editing. (Individual: 25% of course grade.) Instructions and Usability Project For Project 3, you will produce a user-guide (Instruction Manual) for a device/software of your choice. Following the production of the user-guide, you will conduct usability testing to gauge how well the user-guide functions rhetorically. During the project, you will learn principles of project management, collaboration, document cycling, usability testing and study, and research. (Individual: 30% of course grade.) Grading
The three major projects in the course will be comprised of several components, each of which will be worth a percentage of your final grade. For each of the projects, students will complete a Project Assessment. All major assignments will be graded on the standard letter-grade scale:
Students must participate in all of the three major projects and complete a majority of the required weblog posting assignments in order to pass this class. Weblogs Much of your writing for this class will be posted publicly on the Internet to your individual weblog or our community weblog home page. Weblog posting assignments will include drafts, project logs, and research notes, among other types of content. The calendar specifies what you should post to your weblog and by when, so let that be your guide.
Reading Responses For each nightly reading assignment(s), you are responsible for writing a blog post (150-300 words) as a reading response. The reading responses will function to synthesize the readings and your reactions to them, much like class discussion. As part of your reading response, you also are responsible for replying to two of your peers' responses. Your goal in drafting a reply is to keep the discussion thread alive and relevant. Think of your comments and replies as part of a lively class discussion in which everyone participates.Technology Requirements/Responsibilities In order to participate fully in the course, you should already be able to use the technology platform and applications listed below:
Familiarity with certain technologies is crucial for participation and success in the course. If you need any assistance now or at any point during the semester, please do not hesitate to ask. During the semester, you will need regular access to the Internet and email. Because the course home page is the main locus of the class community, you are responsible for reading and keeping current with all content posted there, including what has been submitted by both the instructor and your fellow students. You will be responsible for configuring your system to access course materials, to read course email and participate in online discussions, and to submit your work. Very early in the semester, you will be asked to demonstrate that you can meet these responsibilities:
If at any time you have problems accessing the Internet from home, you will need to find a public lab or connection point. Problems with computers will not be an excuse for falling behind or failing to complete required assignments. If your Internet service goes down, use another computer. If your computer breaks, use another computer. In other words, find a way to complete the assignments on time. Because computer problems are a fact of life, always work to complete your assignments early and make frequent backups to multiple media. Collaborative Work Collaboration is a required component of the course. You and your peers are responsible to one another for providing critical feedback and helping one another grow as professional writers. For the final group project, you are responsible for negotiating together all aspects of your work, including planning, drafting, revising, file managing, and scheduling of assignments. Attendance Attendance is required at all scheduled electronic and face-to-face (F2F) meetings. Students are allowed one absence; however, any additional absences will result in your final grade being lowered a letter grade per absence. More than three absences will result in a failing grade for the course. Please note that excessive lateness or regular tardiness to class will also be counted as an absence. Excused absences may be granted for religious holidays or university-sponsored events, provided you make a written request to me no less than two weeks in advance and that you complete any required work before the due date. Use of Personal Technologies You should turn off all cell phones and other electronic devices before entering class. Additionally, I expect that you will use the classroom computers for academic purposes and not for personal uses such as accessing your Facebook or My Space page, personal email, or IM. If you are using these technologies during class, I will ask you to leave and you will be marked absent for the day. Academic Integrity Purdue students and their instructors are expected to adhere to guidelines set forth by the Office of the Dean of Students in Academic Integrity: A Guide for Students, which students are encouraged to read. The preamble of this guide states the following: "Purdue University values intellectual integrity and the highest standards of academic conduct. To be prepared to meet societal needs as leaders and role models, students must be educated in an ethical learning environment that promotes a high standard of honor in scholastic work. Academic dishonesty undermines institutional integrity and threatens the academic fabric of Purdue University. Dishonesty is not an acceptable avenue to success. It diminishes the quality of a Purdue education, which is valued because of Purdue's high academic standards." Academic dishonesty is defined as follows: "Purdue prohibits "dishonesty in connection with any University activity. Cheating, plagiarism, or knowingly furnishing false information to the University are examples of dishonesty." [University Regulations, Part V, Section III, B, 2, a] Furthermore, the University Senate has stipulated that "the commitment of acts of cheating, lying, and deceit in any of their diverse forms (such as the use of substitutes for taking examinations, the use of illegal cribs, plagiarism, and copying during examinations) is dishonest and must not be tolerated. Moreover, knowingly to aid and abet, directly or indirectly, other parties in committing dishonest acts is in itself dishonest." [University Senate Document 72-18, December 15, 1972]" If you have any questions about this policy, please ask. Campus Emergency In the event of a major campus emergency, course requirements, deadlines and grading percentages are subject to changes that may be necessitated by a revised semester calendar or other circumstances. You can acquire updated information from the course website, by emailing me, or by contacting me through the English Department at 765-494-3740. Late Work Late work is not accepted.
Submitted by admin on Sat, 12/29/2007 - 11:33.
|
User login |