ENG-10602-60

Technical Writing Online

Syllabus

Winter 2009

Syllabus Contents

Instructor Information
Textbooks
I. Focus of the Course
II. Course Goals
III. Major Assignments
IV. Assignment Preparation
V. Online Office Hours
VI. Grades
VII. Kirtland Writing Center
VIII. Due Dates and Late Assignments
IX. Academic Honesty
ADA, Title IX Statements

Frederic Giacobazzi
Kirtland Community College
21 Academic
989 275-5000, Ext 321
Office Hours: 8:30-10 a.m. MW
E-Mail: giacobaf@kirtland.edu
Instructor's Home Page
Exploring the Disciplines Interview: Technical Writing
KCC Writer's Resources Page
Kirtland English Department
Kirtland Library Home Page
Kirtland Writing Center

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Required Textbooks:
Gerson, Sharon J., and Steven M. Gerson. Technical Communication: Process and Product, 6^th ed.
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2008.
Silverman, Jay et al. Rules of Thumb: A Guide for
Writers. 7^th ed. McGraw-Hill, 2008.

Recommended:
A large-format American dictionary in its latest edition (e.g., Webster's New World Dictionary or The American Heritage Dictionary).

Other Materials:
Flash drive or CD / DVD-ROM burner to back up all of your course-related files

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I. FOCUS OF THE COURSE
ENG-10602-60 is an online course that offers an introduction to technical and professional communication, and to the use of computers for writing and document design. The course is intended both to meet the needs of students who want to satisfy the technical writing requirement of certain majors and programs, and the needs of any students who wish to gain useful practice in professional communication. Students will practice college research skills, including the use of the Internet for research, and will learn World-Wide Web authoring and create their own Web media.

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II. COURSE GOALS

Effective Writing
To develop through structured practice writing that is clear, concise, concrete, direct, logical, mechanically and grammatically correct, and suited to purpose and audience.
To be accomplished by: writing and revising a series of technical and organizational documents, along with shorter writing exercises, and developing effective techniques for analyzing and evaluating one's own and classmates' writing.
To develop an awareness of the principles of effective writing within organizations.
To be accomplished by: studying and practicing communication principles in the context of technical organizations.
Document Design
To develop effective skills in designing organizational documents.
To be accomplished by: studying, applying, and practicing the principles of effective formats for organizational documents.
Attentive Reading
To develop and practice the habit of close and careful reading of written texts.
To be accomplished by: reading, analyzing, evaluating, and discussing a series of assigned professional writings, and reading, analyzing, and evaluating published research materials.
Critical Reasoning
To practice and develop higher order thinking skills through critically analyzing writing and information sources.
To be accomplished by: developing an understanding of informal logic through critically analyzing, interpreting, and evaluating writing, popular persuaion, and information sources.
Communication
To practice effective communication skills through individual presentations, small-group, and full-class discussions about writing and research.
To be accomplished by: conducting peer interviews and individual, small-group, and full-class discussions about writing, research, and other course-related topics.
Research
To develop effective information-gathering and college research skills.
To be accomplished by: including a formal research requirement in most course assignments, as well as requiring a major college research project which involves library and online research techniques and procedures, effective bibliographic methods, and appropriate documentation skills.
Computer-Assisted Writing
To practice the use of computers and networks for writing, research, and document design.
To be accomplished by: practicing in every writing assignment the use of computers and computer networks for writing, information-gathering, and research.
Collaborative Work
To develop effective collaborative interpersonal, writing, and editing skills.
To be accomplished by: practicing collaborative writing tasks typical of organizations.

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III. MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS

INDIVIDUAL

WRITING and READING

Readings

--Assigned readings must be read by the day listed in the weekly assignment calendars. Read all assignments in Technical Communication (and become familiar with unassigned parts, too). In addition, make Rules of Thumb your first resort for help with questions about grammar and mechanics.
Job Unit (resume, cover letter, follow-up letter)
Mechanism Description
Instructions
Meeting Minutes
Document Design Project

Peer Evaluations

--Regular Written Analyses and Evaluations of Classmates' Writings in small Peer Groups

Discussion Forums

Information Literacy Unit

Note: If you have already completed CAR-10400 you do not need to repeat it. Just contact Debra Shumaker and ask her to re-post your score.

MEDIA

Personal World-Wide Web Media

COLLABORATIVE

WRITING

Long Report Project

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IV. Assignment Preparation

Writings

All papers and other formal writing assignments must be typed using a computer word processor (following the standard conventions of paper formatting) and submitted to the instructor and to members of the student's peer-review group via the course Web site.

Please submit all writing assignments to the instructor and peer group members in either Microsoft Word (.doc) or Rich Text (.rtf) format. If you use a word processor other than Microsoft Word to write your essays (such as Microsoft Works, Wordperfect, etc.), then be sure to save and submit them in Rich Text (.rtf) format. Files in Rich Text format generally can be opened and read in any standard word processor, and most word processors can save files in this format. To do this, select "Save As" and choose "rich text" from the file formats menu of your word processor.

Note: When sending files to the instructor via the course Web site, always give them a name which clearly identifies the writer and the assignment (e.g., "Joan Smith's Mechanism Description" or "John Jones' Research Notes").

Discussion Board Postings

Discussion Board postings (reader responses, peer evaluations, etc.) must not be in the form of file attachments but must be immediately visible to users when they click threads on the discussion board. Create your postings by typing or pasting them into the message thread window.

E-mails

Follow these guidelines when sending e-mails to the instructor and classmates:

only

2. Give each e-mail a clear subject heading related to its content.

3. Always "sign" your e-mail at the end with your name.

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V. Online Office Hours

The instructor will be available during most weeks of the course in an online office hour via the chat function in the course Web site. See the weekly assignment calendars for the dates and times of these scheduled office hours. Note: Attendance at these office hours is not mandatory.

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VI. GRADES

Assignment(s)	Total Points
Job Unit	20 pts.
Mechanism Description	20 pts.
Instructions	20 pts.
Personal Web Media	20 pts.
Document Design Project	20 pts.
Minutes	10 pts.
Long Report Project	80 pts.*
Information Literacy Modules (6)	50 pts.
E-mail Assignments (2)	10 pts.
Peer Evaluations (5)	25 pts.
Discussion Forums (5)	20 pts.
TOTAL =	295 pts.	(may vary in some semesters)
Bonus Participation**	15 pts.

* The 80 long report project points are allocated as follows: Group (30), Individual Performance (50)

** Bonus participation points may be awarded over and above the designated course total. Bonus points are given only at the discretion of the instructor for clear evidence of participation beyond what is called for in the requirements of activities and assignments -- such as attending online office hours; multiple responses to other students' posts in the discussion forums especially detailed and helpful Peer Evaluations; useful and encouraging replies to other students' e-mails, and so on.

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VII. Kirtland Writing Center

All students living near, or attending classes on, the Kirtland Community College campus who would like extra help with their writing are encouraged to visit the Kirtland Writing Center (in the Administration Bldg.) during any of its hours of operation (walk-ins are always welcome!). In addition, all online students who need writing help are encouraged to use Kirtland's HOWL (Helpful Online Writing Lab), which provides help via e-mail. Some Comp. II Online students with significant mechanical or grammatical writing problems may be formally assigned to seek help through the Writing Center. They will be permitted to continue in ENG 104, but with the condition that they complete specific individualized work in the Writing Center during the semester.

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VIII. Due Dates and Late Assignments

Be aware of all due dates listed in the weekly assignment calendars (and check them regularly for changes). All assignments are due on or before the due date designated in the calendar. An assignment submitted to the instructor or peer-review group after the due date is a late assignment. In general, a first late assignment will be accepted and graded down; a second late assignment will not be accepted.

Note: An assignment more than two weeks late will not be accepted!

"Attendance"

Although you can't and won't attend class meetings on the Kirtland campus, all of your class "attendance" must happen online. The "proof" of your attendance will be your prompt and on-time participation in all course activities and assignments; a record of poor or marginal participation will lower a final grade substantially more than 20%.

Participation

Passivity and writing courses don't mix; passivity and an online writing course is almost a contradiction in terms! Your active participation in this course is not only expected; it is vital to the success of this course and the experience of every student in it. Your timely interactions with the instructor and your fellow students; your participation in all assignments and activities--both individual and group; your questions, comments, and reactions; are expected. You must participate fully as a writer, a reader, a helper, a critic, and a reviewer of other students' writing.

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IX. Academic Honesty

A few words about academic honesty: All members of the Kirtland community share the responsibility for maintaining standards of academic honesty. This principle is a cornerstone of the development and acquisition of knowledge, and a condition of continued membership in the college community. Academic dishonesty, like other forms of dishonesty, is misrepresentation with intent to deceive or without regard to the source or the accuracy of statements or findings. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the college; it is, furthermore, unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly.

In English courses, particularly, a cardinal principle of honesty must always be observed:

Students must never plagiarize. That is, they must never submit the work of another person as if it were their own. In practical terms, this means:

2. Students must never incorporate the ideas of others into their own writing--whether quoted, paraphrased, or summarized--without properly documenting them.

The willful violation of these principles will result in a failing grade for the course.

KCC's Official Statement on Ethical Conduct

This instructor requires the highest level of honesty, integrity and professionalism from everyone all the time. Any infraction will be dealt with in a strict manner the first time. No excuses will be accepted, no second chances given. It is expected that all students have read the student policy and procedure handbook and understand it. Student rights, responsibilities and regulations are also published in the college catalog.
Simply stated, DO YOUR OWN WORK. If you choose to help another student, it is your responsibility to provide real help. Do not just give them answers or show them your work or loan them your work. This would constitute academic dishonesty.
If for some reason you have a question or due to special circumstances are unsure of the right thing to do, it is your responsibility to contact your instructor and ask before you act.
Ethical Conduct, Kirtland Community College, 2000

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ADA Statement
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if you have medical information to share, or if you need special arrangements in the event the building must be evacuated, please e-mail me as soon as possible. You must also see Betty Ehinger, Special Populations Coordinator, in room 212 of the ADM Center; ext. 252. Betty coordinates services for students with disabilities and will assist you in obtaining verification of your disability, if necessary.

Title IX Statement
Kirtland Community College is an equal opportunity institution, encourages diversity, and does not discriminate against race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, or other protected category under Michigan and federal law. Compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a priority of the college. Dale Shantz, Director of Human Resources, is the ADA Compliance Officer and 504 Coordinator. .

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