Projects

During the Employment Project, you will learn strategies for seeking and securing employment, with particular attention to the documents people normally use to represent themselves and their prospects to potential employers (see "Deliverables" below). This project asks you to work individually, but there will also be chances for you to work with your peers to exchange ideas and feedback.

Project summary

You will be asked to locate a real and specific job for which you are qualified and prepare the application materials for it. If you already have a good job, you'll find one that would be an advance for you, then prepare application materials for that position. Step 1 of the project asks you to learn about and use various web-based resources for job seekers and ultimately to select one real job to pursue. Step 2 asks you to prepare a print resume suitable for that specific position. Step 3 asks you to prepare the all-important cover letter (i.e., "Job Application 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 for the particular job to which you are applying.

*You will not simply create general documents (templates), but rather documents specifically tailored to the job you have chosen to apply for. This project focuses on teaching you the importance of making rhetorical choices that will help you be successful in the job hunt.

Deliverables

Step 1: Job Description and Rationale. Produce an exact copy of the job announcement, a one-paragraph description of the position in your own words, and a two-paragraph discussion of why you have chosen this position and why you believe you are qualified for it. Not counting the actual job announcement, Step 1 should be approximately 300-500 words in length.

Step 2: Print Resume. Your print resume (one or more pages in length, depending upon the type of job and the depth of your experience) should adapt features drawn from the samples discussed in class or available for review at the Online Writing Lab. It's critical that you shape your resume to the specific job you have chosen to apply for (that it's suited to the context), so be sure to include only the relevant aspects of your professional experience. As will be the case in the Job Application Letter, your writing needs to be error-free, concise, and presented in an easily readable format. Part of this step is generating references which are appropriate for the position, which will be presented professionally whether they are part of your resume or not.

Step 3: Job Application Letter. The job application letter (or "cover letter") is critical to your efforts to secure a job, perhaps as critical as your resume itself. For Project 1, your letter should be no longer than one or two pages (one is preferable in most cases), following the suggestions and models discussed during class. (See below under resources for more information.)

Step 4: Project Assessment Document. As you near the end of your work on the Employment Project, prepare a two-page overview and analysis of your deliverables and the process you used to complete them. Your Project Assessment Document should answer most of the following questions, each of which is tied to the major goals of the assignment:

Writing in Context:	How did the particular job you applied for affect how you wrote your letter? Did it change or affect how you presented yourself? How did applying for this position help you understand aspects of your experience you might need to develop more?
Process:	What was the most challenging document to produce and why? Briefly describe and explain one of the significant revisions you made to this document after your initial draft.
Research:	Which research resource proved to be the most beneficial for you? The least? Explain.
Collaboration:	What was one way that peer feedback helped you improve your work? How did responding to the work of others help you improve your own work?
Project Management:	How well did you plan your work on this project? What might you have done differently?
Document Design:	What is the most effective aspect of your deliverables in terms of presentation or design? Have you deliberately adapted a standard form in an unusual or creative way? If so, why?

Your Project Assessment Document is due when you turn in your completed Employment Project.

All four deliverables should be fully revised and submitted by the due date which can be found on the course calendar. The full project needs to be submitted in a manilla envelope.

Resources

Purdue's OWL
Purdue Center for Career Opportunities
The Riley Guide
To prepare, review the OWL tutorials: Resume Workshop (Powerpoint) and the Online Resume Tutorial

Grading

The Employment Project is worth 30% of your course grade. The breakdown for each of its components is as follows:

Step 1: Job Description and Rationale 20%
Step 2: Print Resume 30%
Step 3: Job Application Letter 30%
Step 4: Project Assessment Document 20%
Total 100%

Grading criteria

When I assign a grade to your project, I will pay particular attention to see whether you have effectively adapted your documents to the job for which you have applied. Your writing will need to be precise, accurate, and well-suited to the context (the job/field) and to the rhetorical situation (in terms of tone, style, and content). In this case, a generic, catch-all resume and cover letter will not satisfy the requirements of the project and will result in a failing grade (e.g. using one you created in another class).

Really, your employment documents (resume and cover letter) should receive one of three grades: A = You will get the call for an interview, B = Your documents were put in the "read more closely" pile on the HR directors desk, and F = Your documents were thrown away and/or you get the rejection letter.

Revision

You will have opportunities to revise your work throughout the process and may be permitted to revise once again after receiving your grade on the project, subject to these restrictions: 1) I agree that a revision is necessary/merited; 2) You meet with me to discuss revisions; 3) You turn in your completed revision within one week of the date it was returned to you with a grade; 4) You include submission notes that specify precisely what you did to improve your work. It will be up to you to initiate the revision conversation, but this does not guarantee that I will agree that a revision is merited (based on effort, process, professional Ethos, etc).

Thus far, you have produced several rhetorical documents, both as individuals and as groups. You have created text and images in order to persuade various audiences of decision makers. In the Employment Project, you created resumes and cover letters with fairly straightforward arguments: “I am the best person for a particular position in a particular organization.” That is, you should decide to give me the job.

In the White Paper project, you faced a more complex rhetorical situation. White papers have to begin by convincing the audiences that there is a problem that needs to be addressed. Then, they have to anticipate objections and propose viable solutions. All the while, the white paper has to spur the audience to action. Unlike the employment project, however, the white paper project required collaboration not only within your groups, but also with the audience you imagined for the project. Though the paper did not address an actual audience, it still had to address stakeholders with varying background knowledge, interests, and power.

Project summary

For this project, groups of 2-4 members will be asked to locate a real world client and negiotiate a reasonable and mutually beneficial writing project which will be completed by the end of the semester. In working with community members, students will operate in a real world writing environment that requires collaboration with their group, their organization, and their instructor to complete the project by semester's end. It is each group's responsibility to establish their own client and project, though all clients and projects are subject to instructor approval. The instructor will veto any project for an organization which has individuals from the group as members, as well as organizations which have formal marketing departments. Students are encouraged to work with non-profit organzations, student organizations, academic departments, and small businesses. Past projects included the following:

A brochure for an after school program
A policy manual for Humane Society
A press release for a charity event
A marketing campaign for a coffeeshop live music series
A market analysis and series of flyers for a campus club membership drive
A promotion for an academic department guest speaker
Internal policy documents for a departmental office

It is crucial that projects are appropriate in length and content. The project needs to take roughly six weeks to produce, so project options too small or ambitious may need some revision. It is also crucial that the project is mutually beneficial; the work needs to be of importance to the organization and educational for the students. For potential organizations, check out the United Way, the Journal and Courier List of Lafayette Organizations or the student organizations at SSINFO.

Project Goals

This project emphasizes several important goals that all professional writers should bear in mind and that are consistent with those of Professional Writing at Purdue. The Public Document Project emphasizes the collaborative writing process in context. It will include research specific of the organization and will require appropriate technology in producing a document designed to meet the organization's specific needs:

Writing in Context
Analyze professional cultures, social contexts, and audiences to determine how they shape the various purposes and forms of writing, such as persuasion, organizational communication, and public discourse.

Writing Process
Develop and understand various strategies for planning, researching, drafting, revising, and editing documents that respond effectively and ethically to professional situations and audiences.

Collaboration
Learn and apply strategies for successful collaboration, such as working and communicating on-line with colleagues, setting and achieving project goals, and responding constructively to peers' work.

Research
Understand and use various research methods to produce professional documents, including analyzing professional contexts, assessing and using information resources, and determining how various media and technologies affect and are affected by users and readers.

Technology
Develop strategies for using and adapting various communication technologies to manage projects and produce informative and usable professional documents.

Document Design
Learn to argue with visual data, understanding and implementing various principles of format, layout, and design of professional documents that meet multiple user and reader needs.

Deliverables

There will be both group and individual deliverables for this project, though group work composes the majority of the project and grade.

Groups will be responsible for the following:
Group Deliverable 1: Short Memo: This 100 word memo should inform the instructor of your group members, and suggest three organizations the group will contact and the kinds of projects/deliverables (needs) that the group is interested in undertaking. This will be composed before meeting with potential clients.

Group Deliverable 2: Formal Proposal: In this detailed, 2 page project proposal, groups will propose and plan out the scope and specifics of their project. Each group proposal will serve two functions: to inform the instructor of the project so that it may be approved, and to serve as a contract between the group and client. A copy will be delivered to the client after approval by the instructor. Remember that this is a persuasive document serving multiple functions for multiple audiences. Ultimately, this document is written to your client, not be. This proposal must include the following elements:

Name of organization.
Contact information of the organization.
Goals/Mission Statement of the organization.

The proposal should also address project goals and deliverables:

The deliverables determined by group and client.
The intended audience for the deliverables.
Established deadlines (meetings, drafts, final submission, etc).
The intended process, detailed timetable, and group division of labor (in a completed Gantt chart)
Research completed so far towards the project.
Research still necessary to complete the project.
Resources needed to complete the project (technological, research, etc).

Group Deliverable 3: Weekly Progress Posts: Every week, each group will post updates to the Forums that inform the instructor of their progress on the project. These posts should include tasks completed, meetings conducted with group and client (if necessary), any problems encountered, and goals for the following week. Posts should also evaluate group progress in regards to the timetable established in the proposal.

Group Deliverable 4: Rough Draft: A rough draft of the project which meets standards for a draft negiotiated between group and client. Drafts will be turned in one week prior to submission to client. (Drafts should be submitted to clients after conferences.)

Deliverable 5: Presentation: Each group will present their material to the class on. Presentations will run 10-12 minutes. They must include multimedia elements and be accompanied by a handout (i.e. we want to see what your final products will look like when you give them to your clients). Each group member will be expected to take part in the presentation.

Group Deliverable 6: Final Project: A final project submitted to instructor for evaluation and comment. This will be submitted to instructor before submission to client.

Group Deliverable 1: 5%
Group Deliverable 2: 15%
Group Deliverable 3: 10%
Group Deliverable 4: 25%
Group Deliverable 5: 15%
Group Deliverable 6: 30%

Grading Criteria
The final documents will be graded on how well they meet client needs and professional writing standards. Because of the unique nature of the project, groups will be graded based on a specific set of standards created for their project. These standards will vary greatly between projects, and are partly the result of negiotiations between client, groups, and instructor. Projects cannot be revised after final evaluation. The ultimate goal of this project is to produce deliverables that your clients will actually use, so it will be graded with that in mind.

During the White Paper Project, you will learn to identify ethical, controversial, or technological issues or problems relevant to a professional setting, to research and synthesize information, and to present that information in an objective fashion which contributes calls your audience action. Although this project involves some individual elements, the majority of the project is the result of collaboration.

Project Summary

In this project, groups of 2-4 members will be asked to do web-based and library research and then to write an informative white paper on methods for addressing (solutions) a contemporary issue--which may be ethical, controversial, or unresolved. For instance, you might examine the electronic commerce, digital communiction and workflow, and content management systems in business and educational contexts, p2p file sharing and copyright law, safety issues, identity theft, or a host of others. This research will result in a visually sophisticated (well-designed) document of 1700-2000 words that presents findings to appropriate audience(s) and rhetorical situation(s). Ultimately, you will propose THREE solutions to your issue, in an even-handed way. This will not be a compare and contrast paper where you campaign for one of the solutions. Rather, you will advocate EQUALLY for all three solutions. After producing the final draft of the white paper, groups will present their findings to the class in a brief and engaging oral presentation, complete with PowerPoint and handout(s).

White Paper. A white paper is an informative and definitive overview of a well-focused topic. White papers typically include an "Executive Summary," "Background Information," "Key Issues" or "Key Developments," "Resource List," and a number of other sections, depending on the nature of the subject matter (a chronology, remaining challenges, future prospects, etc.)

Rhetorical Situation: The primary audience for your white paper consists of readers who are concerned in implementing solutions to the problem you are addressing (there are many levels of audience). Though they are experts in their field, their awareness of the issue and their familiarity with the technology and policies needed to address the issue will vary based on particular audiences. The purpose of the white paper is to identify a problem and provide objective information which could lead to a solution if implemented.

Length and Format: The length of your white paper will depend somewhat on your choice of topics, but should be within 1700-2000 words (formatting will vary based on the design employed by each group, but every white paper should be visually sophisticated.)

Info About White Papers:

Learn to Write a White Paper: http://www.klariti.com/white-papers/index.shtml

How to Design a White Paper: http://www.klariti.com/white-papers/How-to-design-White-Papers.shtml

How to Write a White Paper by Michael Knowles:

http://www.mwknowles.com/free_articles/white_paper/white_paper.html

How to Write a White Paper – A White Paper on White Papers:

http://www.stelzner.com/copy-HowTo-whitepapers.php

OTHER ARTICLES (that support the persuasive nature of the white paper)

The Steak Behind the Sizzle: Effective Marketing Using White Papers:

http://www.pragmaticmarketing.com/productmarketing/topics/04/0403em.asp

Creating White Papers that Drive Sales:

http://www.pragmaticmarketing.com/productmarketing/topics/04/0403gf.asp

Project Goals

This project emphasizes several important goals that all professional writers should bear in mind and that are consistent with those of the Professional Writing Program at Purdue. The White Paper Project emphasizes shaping research, writing, and design to very specific situations and purposes:

Writing in Context
Analyze professional cultures, social contexts, and audiences to determine how they shape the various purposes and forms of writing, such as persuasion, organizational communication, and public discourse.

Writing Process
Develop and understand various strategies for planning, researching, drafting, revising, and editing documents that respond effectively and ethically to professional situations and audiences.

Collaboration
Learn and apply strategies for successful collaboration, such as working and communicating on-line with colleagues, setting and achieving project goals, and responding constructively to peers' work.

Research
Understand and use various research methods to produce professional documents, including analyzing professional contexts, assessing and using information resources, and determining how various media and technologies affect and are affected by users and readers.

Technology
Develop strategies for using and adapting various communication technologies to manage projects and produce informative and usable professional documents.

Document Design
Learn to argue with visual data, understanding and implementing various principles of format, layout, and design of professional documents that meet multiple user and reader needs.

Deliverables

There will be both group and individual deliverables for this project. Groups will be responsible for the following:

Group Deliverable 1: Proposal. You will have the opportunity to review individual proposals on Drupal and to discuss possibilities and form groups. Each group will turn in one hardcopy of a 250 word topic proposal, in the form of a memo. This memo will include information about the topic under consideration, the potential solutions to be examined, and possible resources. Follow the guidelines for memo writing outlined at Purdue's Owl. Remember that you are selling an idea -- this is a persuasive, not descriptive, document. This means presenting the problem or issue as worthy of consideration, and the solutions as relevant, while demonstrating the feasibility of the project within the parameters of the assignment.

Group Deliverable 2 and 3: Draft and Final Copy of White Paper. Each group will be required to have 5 hardcopies of their white paper (must be printed before class) in class for peer review. Remember that a draft is a complete version. Each group will also be required to pass in one hardcopy of their white paper. In addition to the print copy, each group will email me a PDF version of their white paper.

Group Deliverable 4: Presentation. Each group will present their material to the class in a professional presentation. Presentations will run 10-12 minutes. They must include multimedia elements and be accompanied by a handout. Each group member will be expected to take part in the presentation.

Individuals within groups will be responsible for the following deliverables:

Individual Deliverable 1: Drupal Group Forum. Each individual will post a project topic on the appropriate Drupal Forum (professionally written with a subject heading Topic Proposal: ____ ). Every student will then respond to other posts to ensure that they have negotiated a topic and a group.

Individual Deliverable 2: Drupal Research & Work(b)log. Each individual will be required to keep a blog which a) records their research and b) details their contributions to the project. Each student will be expected to have four research posts with annotations. Worklogs will be updated weekly until the project concludes.

Individual Deliverable 3: Project Assesment. An important component of your project is successful collaboration. Each member will reflect on their participation in the project and on the experience of working in a group. Collaborative Project Evaluation form

Grading

The White Paper Project breakdowns as follows:

Group D 1: Proposal: 10%
Group D 2: White Paper Draft: 10%
Group D 3: White Paper Final: 40%
Group D 4: Presentation: 20%

Individual D 1: Discussion Board / Topic Negotiation: 5%
Individual D 2: Research & WorkBlog: 10%
Individual D 3: Assessment: 5%

Grading Criteria

When I assign a grade to your project, I will pay particular attention to see whether your white paper is informative and accurate and that you avoid as much as possible arguing a particular position. You should strive for a balance of perspectives and accurate coverage of a focused topic. The point is not to advocate for a position or "pamphleteer," but to establish a foundation of knowledge about the subject that future students and researches will find useful. I will also weigh your feedback on the Collaborative Project Evaluation form (Word format) in assigning a grade for your participation in the project.