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English 306 –
Professional Writing
During their careers most people find that
effective communication, both oral and written, is one of the most important
aspects of their job. This course has been created to train students in the
types of communication that are important for future professional
development. Students will practice writing in professional situations,
including reports, proposals, letters and memoranda, and how to convey
technical information. You will learn about the contexts and audiences you
are likely to confront in professional situations, and we will pay close
attention to the rhetorical issues that arise in such settings. You should
leave this class with the ability to perform the following:
Text: Handbook of
Technical Writing (Alred, Bursaw,
Oliu, 11th edition) and you must have access to RU
email. Also, you'll need access to your “h drive” (or a flash drive) for days
we're in the computer room.
COURSE POLICIES In
order to replicate, as much as possible, an actual working environment,
you’ll want to be aware of the following realities: attendance is not
optional and a deadline is a deadline; also, the paper or project is due when
it is announced and not at some other time. If you think of this class as a
place of employment, where I am Chief Information Officer (CIO) and you are
hired, then anticipate what happens when you don’t show up on time or not at
all. You are expected to be in class (work) every day, body and mind--that
is, read the links on the schedule carefully and be ready to listen, ask
questions, and engage in conversation. As
a professional, you are responsible for being in class on time and staying until the close of the business
day. You must follow your assignment specifications and take
responsibility for asking questions when you don't understand. Absences may
certainly harm your performance on the final or affect your grade in other
ways. As in a working environment, if you must miss class because of a
bona-fide excuse please, as in a work situation, notify me by phone or
e-mail. I will "excuse" your absence if you notify me well before
class or, in cases of emergency, shortly after. Generally, you can deduct
about two points from your class contribution grade for each unexcused
absence. Persons missing one class or none will receive extra credit. Note
that you will sign a contract when you form a group to work with. If
you commit three "infractions" (including absences)
when you work with a group, you will be fired
and required to write your own report. Also,
as a courtesy, please turn off cell phones and pagers prior to class meetings
and keep hidden from view.
Preferably from the moment you walk in the door. Instead of checking your
phone before class, talk with you classmates or read you text. While I
realize they are an important means to communication (a subject of this
class) and that they provide a dopamine
rush,
they also lead to continuous
partial attention.
Deduct two more points from contribution each time you text or check your
phone. If an emergency necessitates leaving one on, please let me know prior
to class. If you must snack or eat in class, please don’t disturb others or
let it interfere with your ability to write, take notes, or evaluate others’
work. Come to class as if you are coming to a business meeting. As leaving
during the middle of class can be disruptive, please take a bathroom break before class. While
these guidelines can sound rigid, they are needed to ensure that English 306
constitutes a pre-professional experience. Beyond that, this class can be fun
if you allow it to be. How much fun we have is up to you, but fun usually
results from a person’s capacity for enjoyable engagement (boredom from the
lack thereof). Collaboration
– We will spend some time in
class analyzing problems or pieces of communication in groups. Also, since
some of your assignments require a team effort, be responsible for your individual
work but also understand your importance as a group member. This means that
you must be mature enough to recognize potential (group-related) problems and
to inform the instructor of any larger conflicts. Of course, this also means
that you should rely upon one another in the event of a missed lecture. Document
Appearance – Professional quality work
will be the class standard. Envision all assignments as projects written for
business situations. Other than work done in regular class meetings, assignments
may not be handwritten. Each submitted document should be printed on
high-quality white paper with dark ink and stapled or clipped (before class),
with proper margins, font, and line spacing. (I may ask you to double space
for the purposes of editing, though single spacing with a double space
between paragraphs is often the standard). Also, please left justify—full
justification creates uneven word spacing and makes the document harder to
read. Finally, remember to proofread (not just run through the spell check)
carefully. Most
assignments will take the form of a memo, unless otherwise stipulated. Late
Work – You may receive an extension
if you contact the instructor before
the assignment is due (also called the
get-out-of-jail-free-card) by means of a memo (in which you explain your
excellent reason for the delay and your expected time of completion). You
may use this option once. Oral reports can be re-scheduled only for documented
emergencies. I cannot overstress the value of finishing work on time: outside
the university, there are few extensions granted. Academic
Dishonesty – Radford University supports
an Honor Code to which each of you is obliged to adhere. "By accepting
admission to Radford University, each student makes a commitment to understand,
support, and abide by the University Honor Code without compromise or
exception. Violations of academic integrity will not be tolerated. This class
will be conducted in strict observance of the Honor Code. Please refer to
your Student Handbook for details."
COURSE REQUIREMENTS Resume Set -- The resume set includes a
resume, cover letter, and follow-up (thank you) letter and a formal memo to
the instructor with the subject line: "Re: Strategies Used in Resume,
Cover Letter, and Follow-Up Letter." The set should be for a real vacancy
in your field—INCLUDE THE AD. In this memo, do exactly that. Failure to
include the memo will result in a loss of 10 points. Interview/Analysis of Writing in Your
Career-- We'll talk about tips for interviewing and
gathering information. You will interview someone in your field, preferably
in their workplace, to learn about the kinds of writing and communication
issues they confront and learn more about the contexts of their writing
situations. Not due until late in the semester (to give you time to
schedule), but you should schedule this early so the information may benefit
your preparation of career materials. You should also try to find at least
one document to learn how it is produced, for whom it is written, and the
function it serves in the organization. You will write up your findings in a
two page memo Web Resources -- The purpose of this project
is to teach you to create an effective on-line document with annotated web
resources related to your career, to professional writing in your career,
volunteer activities, service organizations, etc. You'll learn how to gather
and present information on the world wide web, and design the page so that it
is effective from a user's point of view. Your other option is to
evaluate the effectiveness of some piece of online and to make recommendations
for improvement to the design and/or content. Instructions / Brochure /
Process Explanation -- How to perform a process in your field,
with at least two graphics that you created (1 – 1.5 pages). You
should write a set of instructions that will enable your readers to operate
some device, perform some process used in your major, or build some object to
specifications. Other options here include a paper that explains how
something works (supplemented with graphics) or an evaluation of the design
of some document, such as a brochure. Final Project Report -- This project should be the
capstone of all we do in the course. It should consider the variables
surrounding the text and discussed in the course--design, layout, visuals,
tone, diction, etc.--and should be written to a specific audience. You can
design the project on your own, but most likely it will take the form of a
problem-solving report. Look around at places you work
or play for a problem that needs to be solved. Listen to things people are
griping about, what is annoying them, or what is costing time/money. There
may be a procedure that needs to be changed, a piece of equipment that needs
to be fixed, replaced or added, or something else that needs improvement.
Your means of gathering information will be probably be through primary
research--talking with people, designing questionnaires, performing time studies,
observing people or places—though some secondary research may be required. An
alternative is to provide some valuable service (as in service learning) to
an organization, individual, or group, such as designing their web page or
newsletter. In such projects, the final deliverable would be the final
project and you would hand in a shorter, 2-3 page report detailing the work
you performed. After submitting individual proposals, we will select several
to work on collaboratively to take to the final report. The stages of the report are
briefly described here:
Quizzes – I will occasionally quiz
students on class material. Though usually unannounced, such short tests will
present no problems to those who keep up with the work. These quizzes will
reward more than punish, but they do offer one indication of an individual’s
commitment to our course projects. Quizzes cannot be made up. You can only receive
credit for taking a quiz if you are present.
GRADING
– Grades are calculated according to your performance on the assignments
designated throughout the term. Regular attendance, participation and personal
investment are vital to success in the course and provide a solid foundation
for all out out-of-class production. Moreover, borderline grades are usually
determined by a student’s in-class efforts. At any point on the course,
you can check your progress toward the grade you want to earn by totaling the
points you’ve earned and dividing that by the total number of points
possible. If you ever have a question about your standing in the course or
the grade on an assignment, let’s discuss it.
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