Fall 2015 – Sections 0101, 0202, 0302
Samantha Gendler, M.A.
Office: Tawes Hall, Room 1206
Office Hours: MWF 8-9 a.m. and by appointment
E-mail: Phone: 410-960-8899
Class Location: Tawes Hall, Room 0232
Class Time: MWF 9-9:50 a.m., 10-10:50 a.m., 11-11:50 a.m.
Course DescriptionThe intent of this class is to prepare you for the type of professional communication you are likely to engage in during your first post-college jobs and beyond. This course focuses on technical communication – learning how to present specialized information in an accessible way to a variety of different audiences, but audiences who, no doubt, will expect clarity, accuracy, and professionalism from you.
This class stresses the key skills that highlight a successful professional technical communicator. Specifically, we focus on the process of writing (including the planning, drafting, and revising stages) and look carefully at the work that goes into the final polished product. As collaboration is often a key part of the professional realm, you’ll spend much of the semester working with your classmates – which will include participating in brainstorming sessions, providing constructive criticism, and preparing for your final projects together. Students can expect to:
• Analyze a variety of professional rhetorical situations and produce appropriate texts in response.
• Understand the stages required to produce competent, professional writing through planning, drafting, revising, and editing.
• Identify and implement the appropriate research methods for each writing task.
• Practice the ethical use of sources and the conventions of citation appropriate to each genre.
• Write for the intended readers of a text, and design or adapt texts to audiences who may differ in their familiarity with the subject matter.
• Demonstrate competence in Standard Written English, including grammar, sentence and paragraph structure, coherence, and document design (including the use of the visual) and be able to use this knowledge to revise texts.
• Produce cogent arguments that identify arguable issues, reflect the degree of available evidence, and take account of counter arguments.
All Professional Writing Program classes at the University of Maryland require six graded assignments, comprising a minimum of 25 pages of original writing (6,250 words). Students may not submit papers they’ve written for other courses to fulfill a PWP assignment.
TextbookTechnical Communication (Tenth Edition), Mike Markel. Bedford/St. Martin’s: 2010. ISBN 978-0-312-67948-4
You should consider an updated grammar/style guidebook to help you format citations properly and to assist you with grammar, diction, and syntax. I recommend Diana Hacker’s Pocket Style Manual.
ProfessionalismYou are expected to conduct yourself like a professional in this course. A significant portion of your participation grade will be based on the professionalism of your conduct. Professionalism includes being punctual and prepared, regular attendance, and appropriate communication.
As upper-level college students, you’ve probably already experienced several different types of communication, from the extremely casual, to academic, to formal. In the electronic realm, for instance, the e-mails and text messages you send to your friends or family look entirely different from the ones you’ll send to potential employers, bosses, or customers. In this class, we’ll practice becoming adept at communicating in a professional manner. In other words, e-mails and posts addressed to me and to your classmates will use correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization, as well as proper salutations. Your e-mails and discussion posts should be a very good reflection of the kind of professional you hope to become.
AttendanceAttendance in this course is mandatory. Much of what we do this semester will be collaborative, and it’s difficult to engage in successful discourse with your classmates if they are not there.
This class is expected to function in a professional manner; it is expected that you will be proactive in dealing with absences. If you miss a class (either “excused” or “unexcused” – I don’t differentiate), it will be your responsibility to inform me prior to class if possible, if not, as soon as you can. You will also be responsible for all concepts, exercises, updates in assignments, and materials. Be proactive with a plan for dealing with changes in schedule rather than letting events dictate what you can and cannot do. Do not contact me to find out information about the class you missed. Develop a relationship with a classmate so that you can get the information from them. Because of the nature of this class, your absence will manifest itself in your work and can affect your grade. This policy is in accordance to the policy set forth by the University (For University policies on attendance, please consult http://www.testudo.umd.edu/soc/atedasse.html).
ParticipationClass attendance is only the beginning of being successful in this course. You are required to make significant contributions to class discussions, be ready to discuss assigned readings, to actively participate during group workshops, and to engage fully in all in-class writing assignments. This includes bringing requested examples or materials to class for review or discussion.
A basic level of active and intelligent participation is taken as a given, so failure to participate at this level including by virtue of excessive absences (even excused absences), can reduce your grade, as can negative or inappropriate participation. To get an ‘A’ in class participation, you should not only speak during class discussions and be willing and able to answer questions, but also encourage participation in others by asking thoughtful and appropriate questions and by listening carefully.
Peer ReviewPeer review is a crucial part of improving professional writing and will be essential to your success in this course. You must bring the required number of copies of your paper for all group members or peer reviewers on the day they are due.
Failure to make substantive commentary during peer editing will reduce your grade for that assignment and/or affect your overall participation grade.
TardinessTardiness is not tolerated in the professional world. However, this campus is large, and another instructor may keep you late. So if you do arrive late on occasion, do not disrupt class, and let me know by the end of the schedule adjustment period if you anticipate ongoing conflicts. Remember that it is your responsibility to catch up on your own time, not the class’s. Thus, two late arrivals (or unexplained early departures) will convert to one absence.
Attendance will be taken within the first 5 minutes of each class session. If you are late, it is your responsibility to see me at the end of class so that I can adjust my records.
Early DismissalsThere is only one circumstance in which a class may leave the classroom early without my express consent. If I am late more than 20 minutes without sending a message about my late arrival the class may dismiss itself. If I know I am going to be late, I will make every effort to get a message to the class. Messages may be presented in the form of a Canvas announcement or as a verbal announcement/written message posted at the classroom from the Professional Writing Program office or other PWP representatives. If such a late notice is relayed, it is expected that you remain 20 minutes beyond my estimated time of arrival. This policy is in accordance to the policy set forth by the University.
Plagiarism and Academic IntegrityPlagiarism is totally unacceptable in this class. It will result in an automatic grade of F on the assignment and will be reported to the University Honor Council. The Honor Council can take further action that may impact your educational career. Beyond the University, it can impact your prospects for a job. The workplace, especially in light of current events, is extremely sensitive to this issue.
The Student Honor Council has requested this passage be included:
“The University of Maryland, College Park has a nationally recognized Code of Academic Integrity, administered by the Student Honor Council. This Code sets standards for academic integrity at Maryland for all undergraduate and graduate students. As a student you are responsible for upholding these standards for this course. It is very important for you to be aware of the consequences of cheating, fabrication, facilitation, and plagiarism. For more information on the Code of Academic Integrity or the Student Honor Council, please visit http://www.president.umd.edu/policies/iii100a.html”
AccommodationsStudents with documented disabilities should provide documentation from Disability Support Service by the end of the schedule adjustment period (end of the second week of class) to arrange necessary accommodation. If this information is not provided in a timely manner, accommodations will begin when the information is provided. If you have a registered disability that will require accommodation in this course, please set up a time to speak with me about it as soon as possible so we can work together to develop solutions.
If you have a disability and have not yet registered it with Disability Support Services in the Shoemaker Building (301-314-7682), you should do so immediately.
For disabilities that develop during the semester, students must submit documentation within two weeks of the onset of the disability in order to arrange necessary accommodation.
Personal Electronic DevicesCell phones and similar devices are not allowed. Please turn your cell phone off before entering the classroom, not on vibrate.
Classroom and personal computers may not be used on non-assignment related activities during class. Personal computers may only be used during in-class workshop sessions. They may not be used during lectures and discussions and may not be placed on the desktops during these times.
Emergency situation: If you are in an emergency situation (illness in the family, babysitters who may need to contact you, etc.), you should explain the situation to me before class begins, put your phone on vibrate, and when the call comes through, excuse yourself and leave the classroom quietly to take the call. Such emergencies should be rare exceptions.
Penalties: Any unauthorized use of electronic devices for non-class/assignment activity will be held against your grade since you are not participating in class when using such devices for non-class related contact. This includes accessing websites unrelated to assignments or in-class work (no Facebook, Twitter, Texting, etc.)
Classroom Computers (if applicable)Along with the many benefits of learning in a fully equipped computer lab come some responsibilities. Food and drink are expressly forbidden; likewise, if you think terminals give you a chance to sneak in a Gchat or change in Facebook status, you’ll want to reassess that thought. Our class time is solely for work related to this class; any student who checks email or surfs the web during class will receive a zero for the day.
As with many professional environments, we’ll be fortunate enough to have our terminals when we need them, but we’ll also use our class time for discourse, group projects, and other activities that won’t necessarily be computer-based. Throughout the semester, we’ll complete in-class writing assignments, but most of the writing for the papers and projects due in this course will take place outside the classroom. Please do not ever plan to use the printers in this room to print out-of-class or homework assignments. You’ll be required to obtain a Terrapin Express print account for the rare times when in-class printing is necessary.
And speaking of computers, mistakes happen. Be particularly careful to back up all work both in and out of the classroom; tales of printer problems, crashed hard-drives, and dead laptops will earn my empathy, yet they will not extend any deadlines. You’ll want to always carry a jump drive to back up work done on any computer.
Assignment SubmissionsAll assignments must be submitted on time in Canvas, regardless of whether I am also requiring a hard copy.
Hard copies should be printed prior to the start of the class. I will not waste class time waiting for everyone to print assignments. In most cases, our classroom will not have a printer, so please come prepared.
GradingAs of Fall 2012, plus/minus grading is the University’s new official grading policy. Points translate to letter grades according to the following:
Minus (e.g. A-) / Plus (e.g. A+)A / 90 to 93.9 / 94 to 96.9 / 97 and above
B / 80 to 83.9 / 84 to 86.9 / 87 to 89.9
C / 70 to 73.9 / 74 to 76.9 / 77 to 79.9
D / 60 to 63.9 / 64 to 66.9 / 67 to 69.9
Assignment Weights:
Assignment / ValueParticipation & Professionalism / 5%
Oral Presentations (Impromptu & Prepared) / 5%
Canvas Responses & Activities / 15%
Personal Statement / 10%
Application Packet / 10%
Technical Proposal / 10%
Instruction Manual / 25%
Usability Report / 20%
Total: / 100%
The grading criteria for each assignment are listed in the corresponding prompts.
CanvasPlan on logging into Canvas frequently. It is the most up-to-date source for everything pertaining to this course. It will contain all due dates, assignment prompts, announcements, and of course, your grades. Many of my students have found it helpful to sync the Canvas calendar with the their Google calendar, or whatever electronic organizer you may use on your phone or home computer.
Modules: All course materials, prompts, and discussions will be organized by week in Canvas modules. I will update these modules frequently. You are responsible for all information in the weekly modules.
Notifications: Syncing my announcements with your text messages or e-mail is another useful feature in Canvas. To receive a text when I make an announcement, click the ‘Settings’ link in the upper right hand corner of our Canvas course. Under e-mail addresses, you may add your personal e-mail address. To receive updates via text, click the plus sign next to ‘Add Contact Method’ under ‘Other Contacts.’ Select your carrier (Verizon, AT&T,etc) and then enter your cell phone number. Click the blue ‘Register SMS’ button.
Then, on the left hand navigation bar, select ‘Notifications.’ On the left, you will see a list of options including ‘Due Date, Grading Policies, Files.’ On the right, you will see a column for each form of communication you added to Canvas, most likely just e-mail address and cell number.