English 379: Technical Communication, S08D Internet (3 credit hours)
South Dakota State University
L. Madsen
“The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.” -- Mark Twain
Instructor: Lisa Madsen
Office: West 121
Phone:688-6002
Mailbox:Scobey 016 mailroom
Office Hours: T/Th 1:30-4:00 p.m.; Wednesdays 2:00-4:00 p.m.; also by appointment
Email: D2L class email
REQUIRED TEXT
Markel,Technical Communication, 10thed.
ONLINE MATERIALS
Textbook Companion Website, TechComm Web at
(See also your textbook for links, etc.)
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Catalogue Description:
The South Dakota State University Bulletin Quarterly: Undergraduate Programs, 2009-2010 provides the following overview of English 379: “Study of and practice in writing of a technical nature” (314).
Additional Course Description:
Technical communication will help you in developing those skills which prove practical in the workplace. While the field of Technical Communications involves written, oral, and computer skills, this course concentrates on writing. Technical writing ranges from short memos and business correspondence to analytical reports, proposals, and specialized documents such as technical definitions, descriptions, and abstracts. Effective methods of presenting information also contribute to this discipline, including proper use of visuals and matching style to an audience’s needs.
COURSE PREREQUISITES
Previous Courses/Experience: English 101*; P English 201
*For non-SDSU English 101 students: If your English 101 course or equivalent did not include university-requirement goals of successfully conducting academic research writing and demonstrating application of a documentation style, please discuss this with your instructor and see SDSU Briggs Library's website or in-library schedules of tutorials and free review courses. English 379 students are expected to enter the course having met these described goals.
Technology skills: Word processing to create documents with text and basic graphics; credible Internet research and information literacy; basic file management (saving, uploading, downloading); threaded discussions tool management.
SDSU LINKS
See your Desire2Learn (D2L) Course Home page SDSU Resources menu.
INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS
This course follows a reading, lecture, discussion, and application format with textbook readings, review of model documents, online forum discussions, practice exercises, group work, peer reviews, and research. Methods of evaluation will involve discussion forum contributions, group work, and drafting and revising technical documents (both single-draft and multiple-draft submissions). See Course Outline for more details.
COURSE DELIVERY
The entire course will run online, asynchronously--i.e., you will not have to be online at any particular time, affording you greater scheduling freedom.Assignment deadlines are 11:55 p.m. on their given days.
INSTRUCTOR AVAILABILITY
I check my D2L email and the course discussions daily on weekdays and on most weekend days. Please contact me via email if you have an individual question, or use the Discussions tool Student Questions Forum for questions that other students may also have.
INSTRUCTOR RESPONSE TIME
Students can expect a response to emails within 24 hours on weekdays and 48 hours on weekends and holidays. Work will be evaluated, graded and returned within ten days or less of deadlines.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:SYSTEM GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
Goal #1: “Students will write effectively and responsibly and will understand and interpret the written expression of others.”
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES / ASSESSMENT- “Write using standard American English, including correct punctuation, grammar, and sentence structure.”
- “Write logically.”
- “Write persuasively, using a variety of rhetorical strategies.”
- “Incorporate formal research and documentation into their writing, including research obtained through modern, technology-based research tools.”
Goal #7: “Students will recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, organize, critically evaluate, and effectively use information from a variety of sources with intellectual integrity.”
While working on your research, you should make use of SDSU Briggs Library’s online review guide atInformation Evaluation.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES / ASSESSMENT- “Determine the extent of information needed.”
- “Access the needed information effectively and efficiently.”
- “Evaluate information and its sources critically.”
- “Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose.”
- “Use information in an ethical and legal manner.”
IDEA Learning Objectives:Gaining factual knowledge.
Learning to apply course material.
Developing skill in expressing myself orally or in writing.
Acquiring skills in working with others as a member of a team.
Learning how to find and use resources for answering questions or solving problems.
Learning to analyze and critically evaluate ideas, arguments, and points of view.
COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES
CONTENT MASTERY
- Students will study, review, and apply the core principles of technical writing in revised and unrevised documents.
- Students will demonstrate understanding of the entire writing process by completing a number of extensively drafted and revised documents.
- Students will demonstrate knowledge of core terminology by finding, explaining, and evaluating real-life examples of said concepts.
- Students will demonstrate techniques for formatting and creating document supplements, producing all written assignments through word processing.
- Students will generate visuals through word processing programs and integrate those visuals into text.
- Students will assess effectiveness of technical documents forconciseness, readability, and usefulness.
CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS
- Students will choose a current, applicable, pragmatic technical topic for the Formal Report project.
- Students will evaluate and discuss with peers real technical writing and discipline-based scenarios presented in the textbook and found in cross-curricular experiences as well as the professional public.
CORE LEARNING SKILLS
- Students will research, study, evaluate, and document electronic and print sources pertinent to their profession and their chosen topics for technical reports and collaborative documents.
- Students will apply clarity of expression to present themselves via electronic communication as growing professionals in their fields of expertise.
- Students will practice and evaluate collaboration skills in the online environment.
To pass this course, students must do the following:
1. Choose a Formal Report topic approved by the instructor.
2. Complete all major writing assignments, the group project, and the Formal Report.
3. Submit the Formal Report on time.
4. Earn passing points for Discussion.
ASSESSMENT
LETTER GRADE / PERCENTAGE RANGESA / 90-100%
B / 80-89%
C / 70-79%
D / 60-69%
F / 0-59%
ASSIGNMENT / MAJOR CATEGORY VALUE / INDIVIDUAL VALUE
5 Writing Assignments (WAs) / 40% / 10% WA 1a-b (3% WA 1a in Discussions; 7% WA 1b in Dropbox)
10% WA 2
7% WA 3
5% WA 4
8% WA 5
Discussion Posting (DQs) / 16% / 8 units x 2% per week
Discussions tool Reading / 2% / All or nothing points at end of semester
Peer Reviews / 5% / 1 peer review per WA
Formal Report / 20% / for final draft only
Groups / 17% / 14% Learning Styles Memo
3% Self and Group Member Evaluations (done individually)
WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
Students will submit 5 major Writing Assignments. Chapter groupings in the text will present the content and examples for each Writing Assignment, although all material learned is cumulative.
ONLINE DISCUSSION FORUMS
Students will participate in online discussions to ask and answer critical and experiential questions of one another; explore core content areas; analyze practical, realistic situations; offer observations and analyses from your own experiences; work and write collaboratively to earn “team” status; and constructively review peers’ Writing Assignments. Discussion will include both individual and group/team items.
GROUPS: BI-WEEKLY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS, PEER REVIEWS, and GROUP LEARNING STYLES MEMO PROJECT
Students will begin Week 3 in groups with the goal of reaching team status via participating in weekly collaborative discussion postings. You will work in teams to plan, organize, draft, revise, and polish a learning styles memo as well as conduct peer reviews for each of the WAs.
FORMAL ANALYTICAL RECOMMENDATION REPORT
Students will build the skills necessary to plan, develop, draft and revise a Formal Report due at semester's end. This project will begin with the Proposal. You will work throughout the course on the various elements of the Formal Report, beginning with topic selection and research.
INTERNET COMPONENTS/NON-GRADED PRACTICE ITEMS
Students should use the textbook companion site (TechComm Web) for individual review and practice as desired. You will find additional, discipline-specific links, examples, and models that maintain a current, pragmatic and application-based (in that you will be able to put our course material into practice) perspective. You will also find practice quizzes associated with each unit and chapter.
MAJOR WRITING ASSIGNMENT GRADING CRITERIA, ENGLISH DEPARTMENT FORMAL STANDARDS
South Dakota State University Bulletin: Undergraduate Programs, 2012-2013.The grade of “A” (“exceptional”) designates:
- fulfillment of the requirements and objectives of the assignment
- an excellent, impressive command of content
- a clear explanation, development, and application of ideas
- independent thought and analysis
- thorough and persuasive substantiation of claims
- clear and effective organization
- precise, fluent, and distinctive expression—written or oral
- correct grammar, punctuation, documentation, and format
The grade of “B” (“above average”) designates:
- fulfillment of most of the requirements and objectives of the assignment
- a competent command of content
- mostly clear explanation, development, and application of ideas
- a capacity for independent thought and analysis, though it is not fully realized
- sufficient and mostly persuasive substantiation of claims
- mostly clear and effective organization
- mostly precise, fluent, and clear expression—written or oral
- mostly correct grammar, punctuation, documentation, and format
The grade of “C” (“average”) designates:
- fulfillment of the major requirements and objectives of the assignment, though minor ones are only partially fulfilled or unfulfilled
- an adequate command of subject matter
- adequate explanation, development, and application of ideas, though lack of depth is evident
- lack of independent thought or sustained analysis
- inconsistent substantiation of claims
- adequate organization, though lapses are evident
- adequate expression—written or oral—though lapses in precision, fluency, and clarity are evident
- adequate grammar, punctuation, documentation, and format, though errors are evident
The grade of “D” (“lowest passing grade”) designates:
- insufficient fulfillment of the requirements and objectives of the assignment
- an inadequate command of content
- insufficient explanation, development, and application of ideas
- unexamined, clichéd thinking and little analysis
- inadequate substantiation of claims
- inadequate organization, making the text hard to follow
- inadequate expression—written or oral—with significant lapses in precision, fluency, and clarity
- numerous and significant errors in grammar, punctuation, documentation, and format
The grade of “F” (“failure”) designates:
- a failure to follow or complete the assignment
- a failure to control or comprehend the content
- a failure to sufficiently explain, develop, or apply ideas
- a failure to analyze
- a failure to sufficiently substantiate claims
- a failure to organize the content, making the text or oral presentation largely incoherent
- a failure to write or speak with any degree of precision, fluency or clarity
- a failure to abide by the conventions of grammar, punctuation, documentation or format
ATTENDANCE POLICIES
LOG-IN REQUIREMENTS
Students should "attend" class by generally contributing to Discussion Questions (DQs) a minimum of 3 days per week, Monday-Thursday. (See the Course Outline for standards for posting and other details.) All forums except for the Student Introductions and Lounge are required reading. Students must read all of my posts throughout all of the Peer Reviews Forums, and should read all of the document models in that forum as well.
MAKE-UP WORK
- Excused make-up work must be arranged in advance of the absence if possible.
- Unexcused make-up work is not allowed.
- University-approved absences should be addressed at least 1 week in advance of the absence (University policy) so that the best alternative plan may be implemented for the student and, as relevant, his or her group members.
The University states that the instructor will determine what defines additional excused absences, including but not limited to serious and confirmed illness, death in the family, and dire emergencies. It remains your responsibility to notify me as soon as possible if an emergency arises.
Late Writing Assignments will lose 10 percentage points for each day late. Late submission of the Formal Report will result in automatic failure of the course.
NETIQUETTE/ONLINE WRITING STANDARDS
- When emailing instructors, use the appropriate conventions: a professional greeting, details of the issue, formal Standard English, and a professional closing. Your instructors reserve the right to ignore unprofessional emails from students.
- Concentrate on logic versus emotion.
- Concentrate on the text, content and issues versus the writer.
- Include the history text when emailing.
- Remember to think broadly about issues, and remain open to new ideas and the differing views of others.
- Use specific yet concise headings for topics, subject lines, etc.
- Avoid beginning sentences with pronouns, and follow formal guidelines for point of view (1st, 2nd or 3rd person).
- Write with complete sentences.
- Write with concision and clarity.
- Strive to use concrete details to support abstract ideas and concepts.
- Strive to use active voice versus passive voice.
- Always use formal Standard English, which excludes Internet jargon and requires adherence to rules of grammar, syntax and mechanics. All technical document correspondence should reflect a formal register (cf. formal, informal and familiar registers).
- Use a dictionary, handbook, and the course textbook to ensure correctness.
- Avoid wordy phrases, cliches, slang and culturally-insensitive language.
- Use color only for specific and logical reasons.
- Follow basic conventions for email, discussion forums, and technical documents. See rules and examples in your text.
- Review/edit all emails, assignments and discussion posts before submitting.
CONCERNING HONESTY IN ACADEMIC WRITING
The English Department announces herewith that it will not tolerate plagiarism—representing another’s work as one’s own—in any form. Students must abide by the principles governing academic research and writing. Students who willfully violate this principle will fail the assignment and the course. They also will report to the Dean of Student Affairs and face possible expulsion from the university.
Willful violation of this principle includes the following:
- Submitting another student’s essay or one essentially the same as another student’s essay. Both students will fail the assignment and the course.
- Submitting an essay that you have procured online or from a commercial supplier of essays.
- Incorporating material from sources—data, analysis, organization—without providing appropriate documentation.
- Fabricating sources or information.
Please note that an essay or assignment may receive a passing grade initially, but receive a failing grade later if I discover that it contains questionable. If you have any questions about these matters, discuss them with me.
STUDENT SUPPORT
WINTRODE TUTORING CENTER
All students are encouraged to schedule sessions at the Writing Center (in the Wintrode Center, 688-6559)for guidance as needed in the writing fundamentals or other areas of concern. The Center is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday-Thursday and from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Friday. Depending upon availability of tutors, walk-ins are also welcome. When attending the Writing Center, always (for all of your courses) take with you your textbook and the writing prompt as well as your drafts.
HILTON M. BRIGGS LIBRARY
Briggs Library offers a full range of assistance to students, both on campus and online (at sdstate.edu/library). The Briggs site includes a comprehensive list of guidelines for the University standards for information literacy. The Briggs Library staff is an excellent resource for any research question or for difficult research tasks or for rare documents or information, with librarians available on campus and online. Briggs also maintains an open, rotating schedule of sessions addressing both review and specialized topics.
DISABILITY SERVICES
“Any student who feels s/he may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact Nancy Hartenoff-Crooks, Coordinator of Disability Services (605-688-4504 or Fax, 605-688-4987) to privately discuss your specific needs. The Office of Disability Services is located in room 065, University Student Union.” Academic Affairs, August 2011
FREEDOM IN LEARNING
“Under Board of Regents and University policy student academic performance may be evaluated solely on an academic basis, not on opinions or conduct in matters unrelated to academic standards. Students should be free to take reasoned exception to the data or views offered in any course of study and to reserve judgment about matters of opinion, but they are responsible for learning the content of any course of study for which they are enrolled. Students who believe that an academic evaluation reflects prejudiced or capricious consideration of student opinions or conduct unrelated to academic standards should first contact the instructor of the course to initiate a review of the evaluation. If the student remains unsatisfied, the student may contact the department head and/ or dean of the college which offers the class to initiate a review of the evaluation.” Academic Affairs, August 2011