ENC 2210: Technical
Writing
Course Description
and Schedule, Spring 2006
Section number:
1746 Class place
and time: MWF 4, Rolfs 314
Instructor’s name: Cari
Crumrine Office location: Rolfs
501
Office hours: M3, W5 Email:
ccrumrin@english.ufl.edu
Webpage:
http://www.nwe.ufl.edu/~ccrumrin/
Texts:
Technical
Writing in the Twenty-First Century. Preliminary Edition. Sidney I. Dobrin,
Christopher
J. Keller,
and Christian R. Weisser. Pearson
Custom Publishing, 2005. (available at
Goering’s)
Catalog Description:
Credits: 3; Prereq: ENC 1101 or test score equivalency.
A survey of the forms
and methods of communication used in business, industry and
government, including nonformal
and formal reports, letters, resumes and proposals. (C)
(WR) (from the 2005-2006
Overview:
ENC 2210 Technical
Writing is an introduction to technical and professional writing. This
course presents students with practical information
about communicating in different kinds
of workplace environments and professional/technical
discourse communities. Throughout
the semester students will produce and analyze a
number of common technical writing
genres, including emails, letters, resumes, memos,
reports, proposals, technical descriptions,
technical definitions, technical manuals, and proposals.
Students will work toward
understanding how to analyze and react to rhetorical situations
each genre and writing
situation presents, including issues of audience, organization,
visual design, style, and the
material production of documents.
Class meetings provide
students with the opportunity to participate in on-going class
discussions about assigned readings and writing projects, to
work closely with the
instructor, to work with peers in writing and revision
workshops, and to collaborate with
peers on projects. Because as much of the communicative
work produced in the
workplace is collaborative as it is individual, ENC 2210
emphasizes both individual
writing projects and collaborative writing projects.
Course Outcomes:
By the end of the
course, students enrolled in ENC 2210 Technical Writing should be
able to
· identify and
understand the facets and functions of the primary genres of
technical writing,
including letters, memos, emails, resumes, reports, proposals,
technical
descriptions, technical definitions, and technical manuals
· produce professional
caliber technical documents
· analyze and adapt to
the constraints of specific rhetorical situations, including
audiences,
purposes, and uses
· develop strategies
for addressing multiple audiences in any given technical
document, including
accommodations for expert and lay audiences
· write documents that
are accessible and reader-centered
· strategically
orchestrate elements of document design and layout, including type,
spacing, color, and
medium
· integrate tables,
figures, and other images into documents
· produce documents
both collaboratively and independently
· develop and
administer user tests; analyze and synthesize user test data
· refine writing style
for clarity, concision, coherence, cohesion, and emphasis
· critique and revise
your own documents to insure that they fulfill their purposes
· work
with peers in order to provide written and oral feedback to one another
Grading:
Letters (3); 100 points
Memos (3); 100 points
Project: Job
Application Packet: Resume and Cover Letter; 100 points
Project: Technical
Definition; 100 points
Project: Proposal; 100
points
Project: Progress report;
100 points
Project: Manual; 200
points
Project: User Test /
Report; 100 points
Professionalism and
Participation
(includes
performances in discussions, in-class work, workshops, quizzes) 100 points
Final Grade= Average of
these grades
Grade Equivalencies
(Including Final
Grade):
A 92-100
B+ 86-91
B 81-85
C+ 76-80
C 71-75
D+ 66-70
D 61-65
E 60 or
below
General
Education Requirements
Successful
completion of ENC 2210, Technical Writing, satisfies the University of
(for more about the
Composition
see http://www.registrar.ufl.edu/catalog/policies/advisinggened.html )
Successful completion
of ENC 2210, Technical Writing, satisfies the requirements of the
State of
(for more about the Gordon Rule, see http://www.cba.ufl.edu/publications/gened/gr.htm
)
Assignments:
Letters
Over the
course of the semester students will write three letters:
1. The
first letter assignment is written in response to the case study provided on
page
410-411 in Chapter 12 of TCTC. In this case study, students are asked to
write
a letter in response to a series of letters written by the National Park
Service in 2004. The memo documents are available on line as listed in the
textbook. This letter will be submitted in draft form for instructor
comment,
will
be presented in workshop for peer evaluation, and will be revised before
submitted for a final grade. (word count: 150
words)
2. Students
write their second letter to inform the instructor as to what
subjects/terms they intend to address in their technical description and
technical definition assignments. (word count: 150
words)
3. The
third letter is written as an assessment and evaluation of the manual
collaborative project. This letter is written from the student to the
instructor.
(word count: 150 words)
Total Word
Count: 450 words
Memos
1. The
first memo assignment serves as an introduction between students and
teacher.
Memo format is located at
http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/sdobrin/ENC2210Memo1.pdf
(word count: 50 words)
2. The
second memo is more detailed. For this project, students will read and
analyze
the case study found in chapter 2 of TCTC. Once students are
familiar with the case study, they will write a memo to the instructor
explaining the relationship between ethics and technical writing as it is
manifest in the case study. The memo should address how
the writers
involved in this case might have avoided both the disaster
explained in the
case study as well as how they may have acted more
ethically by way of their
technical documentation. Of course, students may also argue
in their memos
that the writers identified in the case study did act
ethically. In such cases,
students should explain this conclusion in their memos.
(word
count: 250)
3. For the third memo,
students will explain to their instructor why they made
the rhetorical choices they made in designing their
job application packet.
(word
count: 100)
Total Word Count: 400
Project: Resume and
Cover Letter
Students produce
professional-caliber job application materials: a cover letter and
a resume. This assignment is explained in detail in
exercises 2 and 3 on page 459
of TCTC. Students will submit drafts for peer
evaluation and instructor feedback.
Word Count: 300
Project: Technical
Definition
For this project,
students will respond to the case study in chapter 14, page 492 of TCTC.
Students will write the
extended definition portion of the assignment and will do so in a
web page.
Word Count: 250 words
Project: Proposal
This project is the
first of four linked projects.
Working in groups of three,
four, or five, students will identify a problem that requires
detailed technical instructions, policies, and/or
procedures in order to solve. The problem
should be one with which students are familiar and that
is relevant to student lives. Once
the group has identified the problem, they will
produce a proposal (see chapter 20 of
TCTC) that identifies how they intend to produce a
manual that guides others through the
process, procedure, or policy. The proposal will contain
subject, schedule, method, and
format for the manual. Draft versions will be submitted
for peer evaluation and for
instructor feedback prior to submission of the final
proposal.
Word Count: Each
student will produce 1000 words of writing.
Project:
Progress Report
This project is the
second of four linked projects.
Once each group’s
proposal has been approved and evaluated by the instructor, each
group will begin work on its manuals (see below).
Mid-way through the manual project,
each group will be required to submit a formal progress
report (see chapter 21). The
progress report will detail what the group has
accomplished, what remains to be
completed, a revised schedule for completion, and a general
assessment of the group’s
efforts thus far. Draft versions will be submitted for
peer evaluation and for instructor
feedback prior to submission of the final proposal
Word Count: Each
student will produce 1000 words of writing
Project: Manual
This project is the
third of four linked projects.
For this project, each group
will produce a technical manual (see chapters 18 and 19 of
TCTC) that defines and provides instructions,
policies, and/or procedures for solving the
problem students have opted to solve (see proposal). This
project is substantial,
requiring not only the production of a large amount of
text, but specific consideration of
design, layout, images, organization, and accessibility.
Word Count: Each
Student will produce 2500 words of writing
Project: User Test
and Report
This is the fourth of
four linked projects.
For this assignments
student groups will develop a user test methodology, including
procedures and protocols (see chapter 10 of TCTC).
Using test groups from outside of
the class population, groups will conduct their user
tests in order to measure the
functionability and readability of their technical manuals. Based
on the data they gather
and the group’s evaluation of that data, each group
will then revise the technical manual
before final submission for grade. In addition, each
group will produce a user test report
(see
chapters 10 and 21 of TCTC) that identifies the user test methodology,
the materials,
the processes, and procedures. The report will
provide evaluation of that data and will
address how that data was considered in regard to the
final revision of the manual. The
report will also detail what revisions were made as a
result of the user test.
Word Count: Each
student will produce 1000 words of writing.
TOTAL WORD COUNT FOR
FINAL SUBMISSION: 6,900 words
Course Policies
Text Requirements
All assignments,
including visuals, should be computer generated and should be rendered
in the most professional-caliber method available to
students.
Bring two copies of the
assignment to the writing workshop. Drafts for writing
workshops should not be “rough,” but complete and polished.
You will be graded on
this.
Writing
workshops are mandatory. Final submissions that have not been reviewed in the
workshop will not be accepted for evaluation. If you miss a workshop, it
is your
responsibility to arrange for a make-up session with your classmates and/or
tutors at the
Submit all
drafts of assignments with the final versions.
All
assignments are due at the beginning of the class indicated on the schedule.
Late
assignments will not be accepted unless the student has
made arrangements with the
instructor prior to the
submission of the late work. Part of the role of this course is to
instruct students in producing documents within given time constraints as
is often the
case
in workplace writing; hence, it is crucial for students to abide by required
deadlines.
Please
note: the policy regarding late submissions of work applies to collaborative
assignments, too. In the case of a late collaborative assignment, all members
of the
writing
group are penalized equally.
Attendance
Promptness
and attendance are imperative in a discussion- and workshop-based class. It
should
go without saying that you should arrive to class on time and well prepared.
Tardiness,
like sporadic absences, disrupts the class. Don’t enter the class more than ten
minutes
after it has begun. Being tardy three
times will count as an unexcused absence. If your cell
phone
rings during class, you will count as being tardy for that class period.
Your letter
grade will be lowered one full letter grade after the fourth unexcused absence
(university-sponsored events and documented illnesses are
usually excused). Additional
absences may cause you to fail the course. If you miss class, you are
responsible for
getting
any assignments and making up any work.
Academic
Dishonesty
Unless it
is specifically connected to assigned collaborative work, all work should be
individual. Evidence of collusion (working with someone not connected to the
class or
assignment), plagiarism (use of someone else’s published or unpublished
words or design
without
acknowledgment) or multiple submissions (submitting the same paper in
different courses) will lead to the Department’s and the University’s
procedures for
dealing
with academic dishonesty. All students are expected to honor their commitment
to
the university’s Honor Code [available online at
http://www.registrar.ufl.edu/catalog/policies/students.html].
Harassment
Every
student in this class is expected to participate in a responsible and mature
manner
that
enhances education. Any conduct that disrupts the learning process may lead to
disciplinary action. See http://www.aa.ufl.edu/aa/affact/harass/
Because
this course requires much contact, collaboration, and dialogue among students,
it
is
essential that each student work to create an environment of respect and
tolerance.
From the
(http://www.registrar.ufl.edu/catalog/policies/students.html): “One of the major benefits
of
higher education and membership in the university community is greater
knowledge of
and
respect for other religious, racial and cultural groups. Indeed, genuine
appreciation
for
individual differences and cultural diversity is essential to the environment
of
learning. Another major aspect of university life involves sexual
relationships. Sexual
attitudes or actions that are intimidating, harassing, coercive or abusive,
or that invade the
right
to privacy of the individual are not acceptable. Organizations or individuals
that
adversely upset the balance of communal living are subject to university
disciplinary
action.
Only in an atmosphere of equality and respect can all members of the university
community grow.”
Conferences
I encourage
you to see me during my office hours, especially when you have questions
about
an assignment, need help with a particular writing problem, want extra feedback
on
a
draft, or have questions about my comments on your work. Of course, we can also
correspond via e-mail.
Schedule
Week 1:
1/9-1/13 Drop/Add ends 1/12 11:59pm
Course
Introductions
What is
Technical Writing? TCTC Chapter 1
Writing
Memos and Email Correspondence; TCTC Chapter 11
Assignment:
Memo 1; see http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/sdobrin/ENC2210Memo1.pdf
Week 2:
1/16-1/20 1/16-Martin Luther King Jr. Day; No classes
Ethics and
Technical Writing; TCTC Chapter 2
Rhetoric
and Technical Writing; TCTC Chapter 3
Assignment:
Memo 2
Week 3:
1/23-1/27
Writing
Letters; TCTC Chapter 12
Technical
Writing and Electronic Technologies; TCTC Chapter 4
Assignment:
Letter 1
Week 4:
1/30-2/3
Research
and Technical Writing; TCTC Chapter 5
Organization,
Drafting, and Technical Writing; TCTC Chapter 6
Job Application
materials; TCTC Chapter 13
Week 5:
2/6-2/10 No class 2/8 or 2/10
Revising, Editing, and
Rewriting; TCTC Chapter 9
Week 6: 2/13-2/17
Workshops for Job
Application materials
Conference for Job
Application materials
Job Application
Materials due
Week 7: 2/20-2/24
Layout and Design; TCTC
Chapter 7
Technical Definitions; TCTC
Chapter 14
Assignment: Technical
Definition
Week 8: 2/27-3/3
Workshops for Technical
Definition
Conferences for
Technical Definition
Technical Definition
due
Week 9: 3/6-3/10
Assignment:
Collaborative Projects—Proposal, Manual, Progress Report, User
Test/Report
Proposals; TCTC Chapter
20
Spring
Break – 3/11-3/18
Week 10: 3/20-3/24
Workshops and
Conferences for Proposals
Technical Instructions;
TCTC Chapter 18
Week 11: 3/27-3/31
Manuals; TCTC Chapter
19
Reports; TCTC Chapter
21
Week 12: 4/3-4/7
User Tests; TCTC Chapter
10
Workshops and
Conferences for Manuals and User Tests
Week 13:
4/10-4/14 4/14 Last day to drop by petition
Progress Reports due
Workshops and
Conferences for Manuals and User Tests
Week 14: 4/17-4/21
Workshops and Conferences
for Manuals and User Tests
Assignment: Letter 3
Week 15:
4/24-4/26 4/26 Last day of classes
Workshops and
Conferences for Manuals and User Tests
Course wrap up;
evaluations
Manuals, User Test
Reports, and Letter 3 due ON OR BEFORE 4/24