606 Schedule

Week

Activity

1, 1/17

Writing Warm-ups. Who, What, When, Where.

The Undergraduate Technical Writing Class at RU. An intro to technical writing.

"10 Tips to Improve Your Science and Technical Writing" and "You-attitude."

2, 1/24

Where Do We Write?

Here's a link to the informational web page assignment I use in English 306. See also the resume set.

	"Writing Resumes and Letters in the Language of Employers," Munschauer.
	Read the online resume tutorial and your resume. Yet another resume sample (especially for teachers). And, a follow-up sample. Action words to describe your skills. Looks at this site from Monster. Tips for cover letters, and this cover letter sample.

Due: a job ad for a position you'd like to apply for.

3, 1/31

Where cont’d

Walker 225

	Yale Web Style Manual
	Here are some other web design sites you could check out.

Due: Your plan of study (a short description with rationale about what you’ll do during the semester)

4, 2/7

What is Technical Writing?

	Hays, Robert. "What is Technical Writing?" The Teaching of Technical Writing. Eds. Donald Cunningham and Herman A. Estrin. Urbana, IL: NCTE, 1975. 3-8.
	Britton, W. Earl. "What is Technical Writing: A Redefinition." The Teaching of Technical Writing. Eds. Donald Cunningham and Herman A. Estrin. Urbana, IL: NCTE, 1975. 9-14.
	"The Case Against Defining Technical Writing," Jo Allen, Teaching Technical Communication. Ed., James m. Dubinsky.

5, 2/14

A Professional Writer

John Lane, author of Circling Home, is reading during classtime (and I'm hosting).

Due: Resume Set draft.

6, 2/21

When Did it Become a Discipline?

	Staples, Katherine. "Technical Communication from 1950-1998: Where Are We Now?" TCQ 8.2 (1999): 153-64.
	Killingsworth, Jimmie. "Technical Communication in the 21st Century: Where Are We Going?" TCQ 8.2 (1999): 165-74.
	"The Rise of Technical Writing Instruction in America," Robert J. Connors. Teaching Technical Communication. Ed., James m. Dubinsky.

7, 2/28

Who Are Technical Writers?

	Lutz & Storms, The Practice of Technical and Scientific Communication. Greenwich, CT: Ablex, 1997. Who are Part 1 (Typhaine); Who are Part II (Kelley).
	Meyer, Paul R., and Stephen A. Bernhardt. "Workplace Realities and the Technical Communication Curriculum: A Call for Change." Foundations for Teaching Technical Communication: Theory, Practice, and Program Design. Eds. Katherine Staples and Cezar Ornatowski. Greenwich, CT: Ablex, 1997. 85-98. Kelley's Wanted Poster

8, 3/6

How Do We Teach It?

	Morgan, Meg, John McNair, and Deborah Bosley. Strategies for Technical Communication: A Collection of Teaching Tips. STC. 1997
	Teaching Technical Communication: Critical Issues for the Classroom. James M. Dubinsky, St. Martin's, 2004 (selections)

9, 3/20

How Do We Do It?

	"What's Practical About Technical Writing," Carolyn R. Miller
	"The Writing of Abstracts," Christian K. Arnold
	"Creating Visuals," Oliu, Brusaw, Alred

10, 3/27

Why Do We Do It?

	Nash, Steve. Blue Ridge 2020
	The New River, an American Heritage River
	Ethical Issues associated with technical writing: Challenger Accident, Lying with Statistics, STC Code of Ethics.

11, 4/3

Workshop (meet in computer room)

Walker 225--Work on web pages and write-ups.

12, 4/10

Proposals and RFPs

Possible field trip to office of grants and proposals, or guest speaker.

"Proposals," Philip C. Kolin

ATTW on proposals

14, 4/17

Technologies and Software

If possible, we’ll attend one of the multi-media center's workshops on web graphics at some point in the semester. If not, at this point, we’ll talk about some new directions in technology and software. Or, we may need more time in the electronic classroom.

Due: Whatever option you chose.

15, 4/28

Wrap up

Due: Online Portfolio by exam time.