Rebecca Smith Teaching Assistant 1- English University of Texas San Antonio ENG 2313

Rebecca Smith
Teaching Assistant 1- English
University of Texas @ San Antonio
ENG 2313

MB 2.306E
Office Hours: Wednesday, 11:00-12:00 am and by appointment
(210) 458-7884
preferred contact: (note: if you do not include the 1, you will be contacting an instructor in another field)

Clutter is the disease of American writing. We are a society strangling in unnecessary words, circular constructions, pompous frills and meaningless jargon…But the secret of good writing is to strip every sentence to its cleanest components…Clear thinking becomes clear writing: one can’t exist without the other. —William Zinsser, On Writing Well

List of Class Requirements

Unannounced quizzes (NO MAKE UPS)25%
Document Design5%
Informal Report10%
Translation of Technical Document10%
Manual 15%
Professional Editing10%
Proposal and Annotated Bibliography5%
Recommendation20%

Students with 6 or more absences will fail the course, regardless of grades. Students are responsible for keeping track of their attendance. Instructor will not provide individual updates on dates of student’s absences.

Quizzes are part of class participation. Therefore, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES can a student receive a make-up. Quiz.

Grades are ONLY posted to ASAP.

EACH ASSIGNMENT MUST HAVE A WORKPLAN ATTACHED. Failure to submit workplan may result in a reduced grade for the assignment.

Materials and Text:

Houp, et. all. Reporting Technical Information. 11th Ed., Oxford, 2008.
Folder to store my (endless) handouts
A few blank diskettes
A ream of copy paper

Note Regarding Syllabus:

There is no webct or online information for this course. I do not send students copies of documents or powerpoints. If you miss class (don't!) or lose a handout, they are available only at the office (MB 2.306E) during office hours. During the week assigned a more detailed handout will be given for most assignments.

Class attendance is required. A roster will be circulated the first five minutes of class. More than six unexcused absences will result in an F for the course. SeeUniversity Code.

Course Objectives:

to understand the purpose and process of technical writing;
to create clear, accurate, and succinct content;
to produce documents reflecting different types of technical communication such as technical descriptions, proposals, reports, web pages, and instructional manuals;
to use mechanically and grammatically correct language in written and oral communication;
to learn how to adjust technical content to meet the needs of a specific target audience;
to appreciate principles of document design and how they enhance meaning;

Grading

Quizzes (cannot be made up) 25% / 25%
Assignments 75% / 75%

Holistic grading method used.

Course Information:

Plagiarized work will not be accepted. Document your sources (texts and visuals) both internally and in reference page. All work in this course MUST be documented. Any questions, ask before assignment is due. We will cover MLA and APA.
Computers are to be used for technical writing. Please do not abuse the privilege of having computers in the classroom.
Students may not print from our classroom/lab.
All work MUST be submitted in hard copy form the day it is due at the beginning of class unless student has a document excused absence. LATE WORK MAY NOT BE ACCEPTED. All work must be in by the last day classes meet, not the last day of term.
NO EMAILED VERIONS OF WORK WILL BE GRADED OR PRINTED. The university permits students 200 copies at the lab. Instructor will not pay for printing your work. Emailed copies will receive a 50 point penalty.
BE PROACTIVE about questions, especially if you are falling behind in work. Instructor will no longer be teaching at this institution as of May 20, 2009.
The usual courtesies to fellow students apply in this class. We are here to learn from each other. Leading students by questions, comments, observations, and/or discussions about class related topics on a substantial basis is appreciated and will lead to extra credit points.
Student’s with Disabilities (see online Student Handbook)
Students are asked to assist one another in this course; this semester, however, there are no group assignments.
Group work will be considered on some projects, but page requirements are doubled, per University guidelines.

Assignment: Document Design

To make a good impression on readers
To help readers understand the structure and hierarchy of the information
To help readers find the information they need
To help readers understand information
To help reader remember the information

Jan. 12Syllabus and Introduction to Technical Writing

Orientation and Introductions
Discussion of syllabus and scope of course
Definition of technical writing and types of technical writing
“Chopping block” of tech writing: clarity and audience

Homework: Locate several online job postings in their fields and be prepared to discuss how many of the postings list requirements about communication skills. Students may go to job search sites like Monster.com, or they may choose to search sites of specific employers. Does a job listing identify broad communication skills as a requirement of the job or does it identify specific communication skills (presentation skills, grant proposal writing skills, etc.).

Jan. 14Before class Read Chapter 1: An Overview of Technical Writing

Homework: Bring in one example of technical writing for class.

Fundamentals of Document Design - excellent website on design
Websites:
Common Page Design (by David McMurrey)
Typography and Page Layout (by Ron F Wolley)

Jan. 16Chapter 2: Composing

Locate Web sites that discuss the writing process in their fields and/or future professions. Encourage them to locate sites that specifically address their fields/professions rather than sites that provide general writing advice. Have the students summarize the advice provided on the sites, and then post the summaries and the site URLs on the discussion list (or in an e-mail).

Homework: Bring in example of good technical design and example of poor technical design for next class (be prepared to explain why examples are good or poor).

Jan. 19Martin Luther King HOLIDAY

Jan. 21Chapter 3: Writing for Your Readers (Assignment One Given)

Homework: Go to an online journal or magazine that they choose (or perform a search for one). Once on the sites, identify the audiences for the publications. Locate the “About Us” section of the site or its equivalent (sometimes found in a “For Advertisers” section). Once you have identified the audience (or not, if the publication doesn’t clearly identify its audience), you should examine the publication to identify the ways in which the publication communicates with its audience (or perhaps fails to).

Jan. 23Designing Brochures and Flyers (Handout)

Jan. 26Chapter 4: Technical Writing Style

Homework: Declare an opposite day.Rewrite good, straightforward sentences with the sentence-style problems covered in this chapter. Rewrite active voice to passive voice; jam nouns together in long noun strings; knock the action right out of the

sentences; begin with interminable openers; and interrupt the subject and verb with huge modifiers. Rewrite one paragraph to share with the class.

Document Design Due today

Assignment: Informal Report

Adapt written reports to audience
Incorporate Document Design aids for reader
Adapt introductions to guide reader through document

Jan. 28Handout “On Reading Visual and Verbal Texts”

Task analysis

Jan. 30Inserting Images and Captions

Bring copy of a powerful or moving image to class. Be prepared to discuss its impact.

Feb. 2Roger C. Parker’s design site. Click on Links Library for Ch. 12 on <bedfordstmartins.com/techcomm>.

and John Magnik’s essay “Typography & Page Layout” at same website.

Feb. 4Color Vision Simulator from Vischeck Link Library for Ch. 12 on <bedfordstmartins.com/techcomm>

Visual design and Graphics – in-class work and assignments
Summary Design document - Summarydesign.doc
Memo re-design document - Wasson.doc

Feb. 6Guest Speaker-Grant Writing

Feb. 9Informal Report Due/ Finding Technical Journals

Assignment: Translation Project

Feb. 11Chapter 5: Writing Ethically

Feb. 13Chapter 6: Writing for International Readers

Principles of technical description and instructions (in-class exercises and assignment)
Structural-Fuctional Technical description assignment
Effective technical descriptions - handout

Feb. 16Chapter 7: Gathering Information

Feb. 18Chapter 8: Designing and Formatting Documents

Feb. 20Summary and Paraphrase

Feb. 23In-text documentation

Feb. 25Guest Speaker

Feb. 27Guest Speaker

Mar. 2MLA and APA Reference Pages

Mar. 4Translation Project Due

Assignment: Instruction Manual

Mar. 6Chapter 17: Formulating Instructions, Procedures, and Polices

Mar. 9-14Spring Break

Mar. 16Chapter 13: Creating Reports for any Occasion

Instructional Chapter/manual assignment explained - in-class work and discussion - handout

Mar. 18Chapter 9: Creating and Managing Texts

Mar. 20In-Class Work

FullShot directions - handout
How-To Guide for FullShot - website

Writing Effective Instructions
Tips for Creating Effective Computer Instructions - website
How to Write Instructions for Busy, Grouchy People - Dr. Dennis Jerz website (an excellent resource)

Mar. 23Manual Due Today/ Conferences

Assignment: Professional Editing

Mar. 25Chapter 4: Review

Mar. 27Chapter 12: Planning Your Correspondence and Email

Mar. 30Editing Marks (Handouts)

Apr. 1Edited works due today

Assignment: Proposal and Annotated Bibliography and Recommendation

Apr. 3Chapter 16: Proposals and Progress Reports

Progress/Status report explained and assigned - handout

Apr. 6Chapter 14: Developing Analytical Reports

Types of reports explained and discussed (in-class exercises and assignments).

Apr. 8Chapter 15: Developing Empirical Research Reports

Principles of proposal writing
Online technical writing - Proposals website
A Practical Guide to Writing Proposals website - Alice M. Reid, M.Ed.

Apr. 10Types of Sources (Handout)

Apr. 13Chapter 10: Developing Main Elements of Report

Apr. 15Chapter 18: Writing Collaboratively

Apr. 17Chapter 17: Preparing Oral Reports

In-class work and discussion on presenting effective oral communication – film on effective oral presentations - handout

Apr. 20Web writing

Apr. 22Creating Forms

Apr. 24Chapter 20: Understanding the Job Search

Apr. 27`LAST DAY OF CLASS-RECOMMENDATION DUE