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Description:
Principles and practices of effective communication in the workplace,
with an emphasis on computer-mediated communication. Topics
include analyzing audience needs in context, visual communication,
computer-mediated documents, ethics, and team writing. Typical
assignments include e-mail, memos, letters, reports, documentation
and oral presentations.
Prerequisite: ENGL 150
Instructor: Iris Dunkle
Office: 410 Guilford
Phone: 368-2346
Hours: T 2:30 – 3:30 or by appointment
Email: ijd3
(This is the best way to reach me.)
Class web site:
http://home.cwru.edu/~ijd3/
Required Texts:
• Anderson. Technical Communication: A Reader-Centered
Approach. Boston, MA: Heinle, 2003.
• Tufte, Edward. Visual and Statistical Thinking: Displays
of Evidence for Making Decisions. London, UK: Graphic Press,
1997.
Primary Course Objectives:
• That you master the practice and principles of technical
communications with particular emphasis on planning, audience
analysis, clear and effective writing style, organization, graphics
and information design.
• That you refine a writing process that will allow you
to communicate well, meet deadlines, and work as part of a team.
• That you design and execute successful memo, letter,
extended definition, proposal, progress report, and procedure
assignments.
• That you produce significant, professional quality analysis/recommendation
report or feasibility report in which you analyze a real problem
from your field of study and recommend a solution.
• That you demonstrate the ability to speak persuasively
in a professional setting, including the ability to select and
design effective presentation graphics.
Course Requirements:
You will be evaluated on graded documents, oral presentations
and class participation. There are approximately 9 reading quizzes.
The lowest quiz grade will be dropped. If you are absent you
can make up a quiz. Quizzes can include everything covered up
to the class when the quiz is given.
You shall produce your
work on a word processing/computer system. Each written assignment
shall include a completed document planning sheet (QPS)
that describes the situation, audience and purposes of your
document.
Class participation includes attendance, active discussion,
and in-class exercises. We do a great deal of this type of work.
Lectures are not as common. Note that active participation in
course activities constitutes roughly 10% of your grade. If
you’re not here and do not complete assignments you will
not pass. If you miss a class it is your responsibility to complete
all required work (including in-class work.) As most of our
work in this course is done collaboratively, it is important
that you inform your classmates if you will be missing class.
Here is the outline of the graded work required:
| Assignment |
Possible Points |
| Case letter |
50 |
| Employment documents |
100 |
| Extended definition |
25 |
| Procedure/Instructions |
25 |
| Reading quizzes |
100 |
| Project proposal |
100 |
| Storyboard |
50 |
| Web page presentation |
50 |
| Project web page |
100 |
| Course project |
200 |
| Final project presentation |
100 |
| Class participation |
100 |
Total: |
1000 Points |
Grading Criteria:
Your final course grade will be based upon a straight percentage
of possible points converted to the university’s grading
scale.
Attendance and Other Policies:
You participation grade is directly related to your attendance and your completion of in-class excercises.
Please show up for class on time. If you are more than 15 minutes
late, you will be marked as absent. If you need more time for
an assignment, plan to miss required work because you are observing
a religious holiday, are away participating in a university
activity, or even have pressing personal matters, please contact
me ahead of time.
Primary Case Studies:
We will consider two primary case studies in which technical
communications problems played a major role:
• John Snow and the Cholera Epidemic
• The Decision to Launch the Space Shuttle Challenger
Written Assignments and Rewrites:
For each written assignment you will receive a detailed assignment
sheet that specifies the assignment requirements and the criteria
for success. There will be some assignments that you will have
the opportunity to re-write if you wish. I will inform you of
these assignments. When your first draft is returned, you have
one week to rewrite it.
Note: When you turn in a rewrite, you must attach the original
draft or I will not grade the paper. I will not accept late
assignments without penalty unless we agree beforehand that
you need more time to complete your work. (Late papers are graded
based on a 10% deduction for each day the assignment is late.)
The Course Project:
The course project is essentially a formal analysis and recommendation
report or a feasibility study. You will propose the subject
and it must be a real case for a real audience. This assignment
will normally be a collaborative effort. The length will depend
on the scope of the problem addressed. The entire course project
sequence consists of several separate assignments.
I expect you to collaborate on your course project. Up to four
people may decide to work on a single project. You shall negotiate
the subject and scope of the project with me, as well as set
up some procedures appropriate for collaborative work.
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