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
- Icebreaking
- Self Introduction
Tuesday
- Introduction to the Course.
- Review syllabus and course calendar.
- Discuss course technologies (this site).
- Introduce the Student Information Sheet (assignment).
Wednesday
- Discuss Employment Project
- Introduce Job Ad Analysis Assignment
- How to Read and Use PWOnline.
For next meeting:
Choose two ideal jobs, print the job advertisement and bring them to class
Thursday
Workshop: Analyzing job advertisement
Friday
- Due: Job Ad Analysis
- Work at home assignments:
1. Read and response:
- In PWOnline, read the following in the Rhetoric of Professional Writing Chapter:
- The Complex Nature of Writing
- Technology and Writing/Work in the 21st Century
- Collaboration and Team Writing
- Types of Documents (Genres)
- Terminology: What Is Professional Writing?
- The Importance of Technical
- Communication to Engineers
- The Importance of Business Communication in Managerial Work
2. Prepare employment documents
Resume
Cover letter
Week 2
Monday
- Print Current Copy of Your Professional Resume
Resume Workshop
For next meeting
Tuesday
Bring a current copy of your cover letter based on Job Ad Analysis
DIscuss cover letter
Wednesday
- Workshop on your resume and cover letter
Thursday
Bring THREE copies of your Resume.
Peers evaluation of employment documents
*Draft does not mean bring an incomplete/half effort to class. It means to write the best of your ability. You will only be able to get good, useful feedback IF you have completed, well-written (to the best of your ability) documents at the draft stage.
Friday
Bring THREE copies of your cover letter for peers evaluation.
Week 3
Monday/Tuesday
Conferences on resume and cover letter
both with me and the writing lab.
For next meeting
Final Employment Project DUE: Steps 2-4 submitted in manilla envelope:
- Job Ad to which you are applying
- Resume
- Cover Letter
- Project Assessment Document
- Peer Reviews of ALL documents
Read White Paper Project Description
Wednesday
Employment project is DUE.
Discuss White Papers
- Genre
- Conventions
- Design
- Topics
White Paper Samples
What do the design elements do for the documents? How does the design change/alter the content? In what ways? Does it help you read it in any certain way?
Discuss: How Design/Arrangement/Cutting Conveys Information
Thursday
Workshop
- AdobeIndesign
- Microsoft Illustrator
For next meeting
Post White Paper Topic idea in the White Paper Topic Forum.
Respond (comment) on at least one other person's White Paper Topic Idea (see the Home page for further details).
Read: White Paper on How to Write a White Paper (Attached below).
Read: The Steak Behind the Sizzle: Effective Marketing Using White Papers (Attached Below).
Have White Paper Preliminary Groups Established (Through the White Paper Forum--postings due by class on Friday)
Friday
Discuss readings (possible quiz)
Get in Groups and discuss white paper idea, trade contact information, etc.
Brainstorm ideas for completing White Paper Proposal
Preliminary Research Discussion (ppt, attached)
For Next Meeting
- Read in PWOnline, Principles: Research (Some of this is short, some long!)
- Why Writers Need to Find and Use Information
- Locating and Evaluating Information that Already Exists
- Copyright, Plagiarism, and Fair Use
- Send .pdf (Directions for doing so) version of Proposal Memo to hongm@purdue.edu by class.
- Be sure to clearly name each group member, etc...
Group Deliverable 1: Proposal. Each potential group (as established over drupal) will turn in one hardcopy of a 250 word topic proposal, in the form of a memo, by Tuesday. 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, specifically, to me and other potential group members -- this is a persuasive, not descriptive, document. This means presenting the issue as worthy of consideration, and the solutions (three) as relevant, while demonstrating the feasibility of the project within the parameters of the assignment.
- Your MEMO should, at the least, consist of the following sections:
1. Background/Context/Problem
2. Proposed solutions (3)
3. Formal Request for "go-ahead," which should be addressed to ME. You are to convince/persuade me that this is a viable project.
4. Summary of MEMO (this is, after all, a writing class--I want to see if, as a group, you have the ability to summarize, in a cogent, coherent, and succinct manner, the information in your memo)
5. List of potential resources (this is not part of the 250 words).
Week 4/5
»
Week 4
Monday
- DUE! (Sent to me by class) White Paper Topic Proposal Memo
For Next Meeting
- Read Powerpoint on White Paper Format and Composition (below)
- Start posting to Research and Work(b)log (four sources by Wednesday)
Tuesday
- Further White Paper Discussion: Analyze White Papers from a convention standpoint (what are required 'parts' of a white paper)[white paper ppt, attached].
- Discuss White Paper Design (see attachment)
- Group work--looking for sources, discussing ideas that came up from sources, etc...
For Next Meeting
- Research! Go! Find Stuff!
- Create a Detailed Outline of your White Paper for Thursday July 3.
- What sections are you going to include in white paper (e.g. executive summary, previous approaches, proposed solutions, etc.)
- What will be the content of EACH of those sections of the white paper.
- What sources will you use to help make your arguments for each of the sections (quotes from those sources, tables, statistics, etc.)
- What sources have you identified for use in the white paper (make a list of works cited in MLA format to attach to the outline)
Wednesday
Thursday
- You are expected to work - as a group - on your white paper outline (see attachment)
For Next Meeting
- Finish Detailed Outlines (print and bring to class)
- Read in PWOnline: In Style and Editing:
Week 5
Monday: Due: Outline of White Paper
Tuesday: Work in Groups
Wednesday: Design of White Paper-see the attachment
Final Check of the White Paper-see the attachment
Thursday: Group Meeting
Friday
DUE!!! White Paper Draft (full version, with design elements)
- Posted to the WHITE PAPER DRAFT FORUM
- PEER REVIEW TWO group's white papers
- Presentation principles
- Powerpoints: Principles and Practices
For Next Meeting
- More PowerPoint Discussion
- Presentation Guidelines Negotiation
- Revision Plan (in class group work)
- Work Time
Resources for Creating Powerpoint:
Week 6
»
Week 6
Monday and Tuesday
Presentations.
Wednesday
- Service learning project
- Begin brainstorming potential clients for project #3
- FORM GROUPS FOR PROJECT #3 (however you need to do it)
- COME UP WITH THREE POTENTIAL GROUPS/ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU MIGHT WORK WITH FOR PROJECT #3
- Work in group on the proposal--samples attached (Memo Sheet)
- Rhetoric of writing a proposal, audience, purpose, writing, presentation, contractual aspects of proposal
For reference
- Check out http://www.adv-cycling.org/routes/undergroundrailroad.cfm
- Determine what some of the document NEEDS of this group might be.
- What are some of the problems that might lead to the need for documents?
- What type of documents would this group need, that it doesn't already have?
- Understand the group.
Thursday
- Research your potential companies
- Discuss project ideas (group mini-presentations)
- Rank your proposed clients
- Discuss contacting client; phone, e-mail, in person, etc.
Preparing interviewing clients--see the attachment
Preparation for Interview
- Client status report-see the attachment
IF TIME...
- Discuss proposal writing
- Rhetoric of Proposals (audience, purpose, presentation, writing, etc.)
- What should be in a/your Proposals ?
- Contractual aspect of proposals
Friday
- Make contact and set up an appointment to meet with your client
- E-mail me the following information by Saturday at NOON
- Date of meeting
- Time of meeting
- Place of meeting
- Contact person/who you are meeting with
- By Monday (At the latest), have secured and met a client
- Create Outlines for Formal Proposal (Outline of Proposal, based on notes from client meeting)
Week 7
Monday
- Solidify negotiatied deliverables with Clients (through proposal)
- Prepare a List of the genre/types of deliverables you will create for your clients
- If you don't know how to create it, don't propose it!
- Design of the public document
- Read the attachment and work in groups
Tuesday
- Group Meeting on the design of the public document
Wednesday
- Group Meeting on the design of the public document
Thursday/Friday
- Conferences
- Final Draft is Due on July 29 Monday
Week 8
Week 8
Tuesday:
- Group work on your project
My Schedule for Meetings with WHOLE group (you will probably want a least a twenty minutes time):
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday? We will talk about it in class.
FOR NEXT CLASS:
- Read In PWOnline: Style and Editing
Thursday:
Week 9
Tuesday:
Work with your group in class
Thursday
- DUE!!! White Paper Draft (full version, with design elements)
- Posted to the WHITE PAPER DRAFT FORUM
- PEER REVIEW TWO group's white papers
- Presentation principles
- Powerpoints: Principles and Practices
For Next Meeting
- More PowerPoint Discussion
- Presentation Guidelines Negotiation
- Revision Plan (in class group work)
- Work Time
Resources for Creating Powerpoint:
Week 11
Week 11
Tuesday:
- Project #3 Discussion
- Discuss Peer Collaboration Feedback Form (attached)
- Due on Tuesday, along with final draft
- Discuss Final Revisions
- Editing vs.Revising
- Using Peer Feedback
- Using my Feedback
- Your Responsibilities
For Next Time:
- Finish, practice, polish presentations
- Begin brainstorming potential clients for project #3
Thursday:
Tips (see the attachment)
- Presentations! (15 Minutes)
- All five groups go today...!
For Next Time:
- FORM GROUPS FOR PROJECT #3 (however you need to do it)
- COME UP WITH THREE POTENTIAL GROUPS/ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU MIGHT WORK WITH FOR PROJECT #3
- Check out http://www.adv-cycling.org/routes/undergroundrailroad.cfm
- Determine what some of the document NEEDS of this group might be.
- What are some of the problems that might lead to the need for documents?
- What type of documents would this group need, that it doesn't already have?
- Understand the group.
Week 12
Week 12
Tuesday
DUE!! Final White Paper Final Revision (along with all of the goods)
- Draft
- Peer Responses
- Revisions (show the process)
- Final!
DUE! Peer Collaboration Form (individual deliverable)
In Class
- Discuss Project #3 in greater detail
- Model pre-meeting research, look at Sample proposals (two)
- Look at Preparation Materials (attached)
- Look at Deliverable 1: Memo sheet (attached)
- Compare a white paper and a proposal
For Next meeting
- Research your potential companies
- Discuss project ideas (group mini-presentations)
- Rank your proposed clients (for handing in)
- Discuss contacting client; phone, e-mail, in person, etc.
Thursday
Work in group on the proposal
For next meeting
Discuss interviewing clients
- Preparation
- Objective
- Questions
- Professional Ethos
- Note taking, etc.
Week 13
Tuesday
- Preparing interviewing clients--see the attachment
- Discuss interviewing clients (in class group activity)
- Preparation for Interview
- Client status report-see the attachment
IF TIME...
- Discuss proposal writing
- Rhetoric of Proposals (audience, purpose, presentation, writing, etc.)
- What should be in a/your Proposals ?
- Contractual aspect of proposals
For Next Meeting
- Make contact and set up an appointment to meet with your client (after you get feedback from ME)
- E-mail me the following information by Wednesday at NOON
- Date of meeting
- Time of meeting
- Place of meeting
- Contact person/who you are meeting with
- By Friday (At the latest), have secured and met a client
- Create Outlines for Formal Proposal (Outline of Proposal, based on notes from client meeting)
Week 13
Tuesday:
Group meeting
- Work on Formal Proposal-refer to the attachment
- Discuss Week's Activities
- Meetings
- Research
- Publishing Documents
- Genre Discussions
- Work Time/Deadlines (see below)
Thursday
- Solidify negotiatied deliverables with Clients (through proposal)
- Prepare a List of the genre/types of deliverables you will create for your clients
- If you don't know how to create it, don't propose it!
For the next meeting
Design of the public document
Read the attachment and work in groups
Week 14
Week 14
Tuesday:
Group Meeting
Design the public document
Thursday
Group Meeting:
Design public document/client meeting
For next meeting:
-
- Work on Deliverables for Client
Week 15
Week 15
Tuesday:
Due: Rough draft of the service learning project is due. And please prepare THREE copies of your documents.
Peer Reviews
Course Evaluations
Progress checks (reports)
Finishing documents...
Schedule meetings for Finals week client meetings
Thursday:
Workshop Day: I will be in class, but you are not required to attend.
- You are responsible for keeping up with the work.
- Use Thursdays to come in for help and/or meet with your group - or to work on your own on this project.
- NOTE: Please... do not get behind. If you have a problem, question, concern, worry - whatever - about this project, please contact me via email immediately.
Week 16
Tuesday
Group work on public documents.
Thursday
Group Presentations of the Public Documents.
Final Project Due: May 2, 2008