Fall 2006
Textbook: Sharon J. Gerson and Steven M. Gerson, Technical Writing: Process and Product, 5th Edition, Pearson, Prentice Hall, New York.
ASSIGNMENTS
August 30-
September 8: Introductory Week
Welcome to the class. Discussion board check-in. Getting acquainted: Tell us about yourself. For example: your name; where you live and work; what hobbies you have; etc. Tell us anything that you think we should know about you.
Please check in with me also by email to make sure that you have easy access and that there are no problems.
Also, since all tests are take-home work, there will be no proctors needed for this class. However, the University’s Honor System is still in effect regarding plagiarism and outside help.
Make sure you have the fifth edition of the textbook! Please send all assignments in Word format as an attachment.
Sept. 11 – 15: Week 1: Chapter 19
E-mail assignments:
Activities 1-10, p. 536
Activities 1-5, p. 538
Activities 1-5, p. 539
Grammar Quiz, pp. 665-67
Discussion-board assignments:
1. What are the most common types of communication that you have to write in your profession?
Sept. 18 - 22: Week 2: Chapters 1 & 2
E-mail assignments:
Textbook, page 44; Activities 1a; 1c;
Textbook, page 45; Activity 2; rewrite the memo
Discussion board:
1. You are writing an instruction for testing . . . (Pick any electronic component on your console)
Sept 25 - 29: Week 3: Chapter 3
E-mail assignments:
Textbook, page 79; Specify, #1-5
Textbook, page 79; Obscure Words, #1-5
Textbook, page 80; Active Voice, #1-3
Textbook, page 81; Sentence Length, #1-5
Discussion-board question:
1. Using spatial organization, describe your work environment.
2. How would you define the word ethics? Explain how the definition is applicable to your profession.
SEPTEMBER 29: TEST 1
Deadline for submission is October 6, 2006. No late tests will be accepted.
Oct. 2 –6: Week 4: Chapter 4
E-mail assignments:
Textbook, p.121-22; Revision, 1-a-e; 2a-f; 3a-d;
Discussion-board assignments:
1. What guidelines should you follow to write to a multicultural audience? What are three ways to avoid sexist writing?
E-mail assignments:
Textbook, p. 167. Write a memo following the instructions.
Discussion-board assignments:
1. What are five distinctions between memos and email messages?
2. What do you hope to accomplish in the introduction to a memo or email?
Oct. 16 – 20: Week 6: Chapter 6
E-mail assignments:
Textbook, page 216, #2 (Writing Letters)
Textbook, page 216, #6 (Writing Letters)
Discussion-board assignment:
1. What supporting details should you include in the introduction to a letter of complaint?
2. Why is it so hard to write a bad-news letter?
3. What societal influences make us reluctant to write a bad news or 100 percent no letter?
Oct. 23- 27: Week 7: Chapters 8-9
E-mail assignments:
Textbook, p. 301, #3
Discussion-board assignments:
1. What are five types of figures?
2. When would you use a Gantt chart?
OCTOBER 27: MIDTERM EXAM MEMO IS DUE
Oct. 30 –Nov.3: Week 8: Chapters 11-12
E-mail assignments:
Improve the various, random pages of the SOP sent to you by email.
Discussion-board assignments:
1. In what way should you begin each step in an instruction?
2. What do graphics achieve in instructions?
Nov. 6 - 10: Week 9: Chapter 13
E-mail assignments:
Textbook, page 442, #1
Discussion-board assignments:
1. What information should be included in a linked page?
2. What are characteristics of successful web sites?
Nov. 13 – 17: Week 10: Chapter 14
E-mail assignments:
2. Open the article sent to you by email and practice note taking. Write your notes (in bold) between the paragraphs.
Briefly note the key point(s) made in each paragraph. (The notes can be limited to one or two words.)
Write a brief summary of the above-mentioned article.
Discussion-board assignments:
1. Please state whether you are going to write a proposal, SOP, or training manual for your final paper. State the topic and why you think it has merit in being used for a final paper.
2. Summarize in one sentence any paragraph from this textbook. Provide a parenthetical source citation and works cited information.
NOVEMBER 17: TEST 2
Nov. 20 – 24: Week 11: Chapter 15
E-mail Assignments:
Textbook, p. 480; #5
Discussion-board Assignment:
1. In what ways can you organize a summary?
Nov. 27 – Dec. 1: Week 12: Chapters 16-17
E-mail assignments:
Textbook, p. 535, #4. Draw on your work experience to write an incident report. (Don’t use a form, but write it out.)
Discussion-board assignments:
1. Please let me know if you consider yourself a better writer now. If not, let me know that also. BE HONEST!
December 8: FINAL PAPERS ARE DUE. NO LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED.