| Sep
1
|
Introduction to course and policies.
|
| 3
|
Intro to professional writing: purpose, audience and
writing strategies.
Due: Diagnostic
Essay: Your freshman survival tips (1-1/2 pages)
|
| 8
|
Read "Five Steps to Successful Writing" in TWC
(xiii - xix).and "You-attitude."
See also this
email. Would it be successful?
Due: A piece of junk mail.
|
| 10
|
MEET
IN WALKER 225.
Due: Find a story in the news about writing, communication, or a change in
your profession. We’ll format a memo (html sample
and one in MS
Word format) and summarize the piece for two different audiences in class.
(Imagine two that would have a need for the information. One, say, a
specialist in your field, and one a friend or a general audience).
Also, check out this website on memo writing
and read TWC 209 - 214.
|
| 15
|
Intro
to career correspondence (Read 218 - 248). Interview(s)
of what kind of writing is performed in your field (TWC 73 -
74). See this sample.
Due: two memos with two different summaries. Staple them
together and attach your article.
|
| 17
|
MEET
IN WALKER 225. Career Correspondence. Read the online
resume tutorial and your resume.
Also, see the
resume guide from our career center. Yet another resume
sample (especially for teachers). And, a follow-up
sample.
|
| 22
|
MEET
WALKER 225 to work on resumes. Action words
to describe your skills. Tips for cover
letters, and this cover
letter sample. Also, this cover
letter guide from the career center and this one from The
New York Times. For those interested in graduate school, see the personal
statement and this sample
and this
one. Here's one more from a COSD
major. Also, some tips for organizing
the personal statement.
|
| 24
|
Resume
and cover letter workshop. Print out two copies of each and bring to class
and get two
sets of feedback. Here's another site on resumes
and application letters from The Washington Post.
|
| 29
|
Reports
and Proposals (TWC 144 - 150, 119 - 121). Read the RFP and the sample
internal/research/problem solving proposal and this sales
proposal. Also, see the report
and proposal superstructure. We'll plan for
the proposal in class.
|
| Oct 1
|
Review
of Grammar, Usage and Mechanics. Come to class with your "Achilles
heel" to teach us. Use TWC, our handbook, a dictionary or an
online service such as this Guide to Grammar and
Style or the Purdue Online
Writing Center. See also Dear John
letter and Actual
Writing from Church Bulletins and Insurance Claims.
Due: Resume
Set Draft (here's a sample designer's
memo)
|
| 6
|
Style
Workshop: Clarity and Concision. Read Chapter 9 in TWC. Eight Principles
of Effective Writing.
|
| 8
|
Instructions
(TWC 122-24).
|
| 13
|
Document
Design and Visual Aids (TWC 89 - 115). Quiz.
|
| 15
|
Descriptions
and Definitions (TWC 8-10).
Due: Draft
of Proposal.
|
| 20
|
WALKER
225 to work on instructions. See also the Michigan Law Abuse Watch's "Wacky Warning Labels." Hand back
proposals and sign up for groups.
|
| 22
|
Collaboration
(TWC 4-6). Form Groups. (TWC 15-16).
|
| 27
|
Revising
and Evaluating: Document Testing (124)
Bring draft of
instructions. Use this
usability testing sheet.
|
| 29
|
Research (TWC
Chapter 3).
Due: Agreement to
Form Group. Sample Team
Contract.
|
Nov 3
|
Overview
of the report and report structure (report
checklist. Document Supplements (front and end
matter). Read TWC, Chapter 6.
Due:
Instructions
|
| 5
|
Ten Steps to
Longer Sentences. PPT version.
|
| 10
|
Workplace
Technology (TWC Chapter 2). Find a website in your field to evaluate in terms
of its reliability, accuracy, organization and design, and overall ease of
use. Write this in a one page evaluation.
Due:
Results of Interview and "Analysis of Writing Practices in My
Field."See this sample.
|
| 12
|
Read 306
Report Notes. STC
Code of Ethics and “Ethics in Writing” (260-262).
|
| 17
|
(TWC
141 - 144). Along with your progress report, provide evidence of your progress,
such as a survey, interview questionnaire, or request for information.
WALKER 225 to work on web projects.
Due:
Progress Report
|
| 19
|
MEET
IN WALKER 225. Outlining and formatting the report using templates. Inserting
charts. Presentations (132 - 141)
|
|
|
Thanksgiving
break
|
| Dec 1
|
Teamwork
and pep talk. Checklist and
survival guide to the end of the semester.
Due:
Project Outline.
|
| 3
|
Group
meetings 12:30—Safe Ride; 12:45—Street Lights; 1:00—Dedmon;
1:15—Printing; 1:30—Recycling.
|
| 8
|
Exam
Review
|
| 10
|
Oral
Briefings. Groups give 5-7 minute summary of their project and major
recommendations. Use at least one visual.
Due: Final Report (in class). Load your self-evaluation
into WebCT
Due: Web
Resources Page (please load directions to your link into WebCT).
|
| Exam
|
Essay: Please explain, in several well-written
paragraphs, how one’s audience affects the production of technical and
professional documents. You should rely on examples from this course’s
proceedings--from proposals to presentations, resumes to cover letters,
instructions to reports, email to web pages. In your answer, you should
consider the variables surrounding the text itself: design, layout,
visuals, tone, diction, etc. Provide at least three specific writing
situations where you had to conduct some audience analysis. In a nutshell:
How do we create reader-friendly documents? If you wish, review
"audience" in TWC. Here are a few samples: sample 1, sample 2, sample 3.
|
