ENGL 421: Technical Writing

ENGL 421: Technical Writing Spring 2015 TTH CRN 18996 Section 005 Instructor Course Meeting Info Office Hours Instructor s Office Course Site Liz Lane, lane34@purdue.edu TTH 1:30-2:45 in HICKS G959 Lab Wed. 1:00-3:00 PM & by appointment HEAV 303E Drupal: sites.rhetorike.org/lane1 Syllabus Contents Required Materials... 2 Technical Requirements... 2 Technical Responsibility... 3 Contacting the Instructor... 3 File Submission Guidelines... 3 Project Management... 4 Participation & Ethos... 5 Assignments... 5 Memos... 5 Large Projects... 5 Grading... 6 Attendance Policy... 6 Course Calendar... 7

Course Description ENGL 421 helps students become better technical communicators, meaning that you will be trained for professions that require clarity and brevity in workplace communication. This course will place heavy emphasis on the presentation of technical material in written and visual formats that are user centered and aware of audience & context. This course and its principles are grounded in rhetorical theory and informed by current research in technical communication. Communication across multiple audiences and for multiple purposes continues to be a desired skill set in technical and professional fields. The structure of this course will enable you to capitalize upon such skills. Beyond field- specific knowledge and experience, successful and ethical communication drives the professional world. This class aims to model these successful communication practices. Working individually and in groups, you will learn effective strategies for communicating about and with technology, particularly in networked workplaces and through usability testing. To achieve success in this course, students must display the ability to succeed in their future workplaces by developing a variety of informative and visually effective documents designed with digital audiences and media in mind. Required Materials Textbook: Technical Communication Today (5th Edition*). Richard Johnson- Sheehan. ISBN: 9780134059341 [This ISBN includes a printed book + access to the etext for $36.50 net]. *Please do not purchase any edition other than the 5 th edition. Additional Readings: Available in PDF or linked on the course site, as needed. Design/Layout Software: Access to Adobe InDesign CS6, either through the Adobe Creative Cloud (personal) or on campus computers (available in all Purdue campus ITaP labs). We'll be using InDesign in each of our major assignments for this class. A trial download is available for 30 days/free. The program can also be purchased on subscription basis of $30/month for student users if you wish to have a personal copy on your computer. You can find more trial and purchasing information from Adobe. Technical Requirements You'll need access to the following technology tools to successfully participate in this course: Mac OSX or Windows Vista or 7 (this includes Microsoft Office for PC or Mac equivalents) Adobe Acrobat and Reader or Preview (Mac) for PDF documents and collaborative review Daily access to your Purdue email & the 421 Drupal course site Access to Adobe InDesign (see "Required Materials" for info) Usage of Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome browsers strongly suggested. They simply work better. ENG 421 L. Lane Spring 2015 2

Technical Responsibility Given that this is a technical writing course, you must develop a working knowledge of the technology platforms that are commonly used in the workplace. All assignments require the use of Adobe InDesign, no exceptions. If you need any assistance at any point during the semester, please do not hesitate to ask. We will spend a great deal of class time gaining familiarity with this program and practicing usage. Over the progress of this course, you will be expected to: Check the course calendar regularly for each week's assignments/tasks (and ask for clarification if needed) Become proficient participating in the class Drupal web space & discussion boards Send professional emails to your instructor and classmates, send and receive attachments, resolve compatibility issues, and follow professional email decorum Become more proficient with unfamiliar computer technologies and applications, including design software, desktop publishing applications, and graphics programs Maintain back- up copies of all assignments via your Purdue home directory, cloud storage, or USB drives. Contacting the Instructor Email I am available to answer questions via email from M- F, 9-5 at lane34@purdue.edu. I do not respond to emails over the weekend or outside those hours. Keep in mind that this is a professional writing class and professional email etiquette should be followed. You should treat all emails that you send for this class as professional, workplace quality communication. Office Hours For office hour interactions, I expect you to be professional and prepared, meaning that you treat our time like a business meeting. If you say you ll show up for office hours, appear at the prompt and proper time. File Submission Guidelines This is a large class. To keep your projects organized and easy for me to find on the course site, you must submit all memos and project documents in the following file naming manner. All course projects, drafts, and memos must be submitted in PDF format. This means both saving your files following this format and uploading them to the course site in this manner as well: Last Name_ENGL 421_Assignment X Final Academic Integrity Academic dishonesty is defined as follows: "Purdue prohibits "dishonesty in connection with any University activity. Cheating, plagiarism, or knowingly furnishing false information to the University are examples of dishonesty." [University Regulations, Part V, Section III, B, 2, a] Furthermore, the University Senate has stipulated "the commitment of acts of cheating, lying, and deceit in any of their diverse forms (such as the use of substitutes for taking examinations, the use of illegal cribs, plagiarism, and copying during examinations) is dishonest and must not be tolerated. Moreover, knowingly to aid and abet, directly or indirectly, other parties in committing dishonest acts is in itself dishonest." [University Senate Document 72-18, December 15, 1972]" If you have any questions about this policy, please ask. Don t plagiarize. ENG 421 L. Lane Spring 2015 3

What Skills Will You Gain from This Class? Writing in Context Analyze the invention, manufacture, and distribution of technologies in context and use writing to communicate these attributes in a variety of media & genres. Write to the different levels of technical expertise of a range of audiences and stakeholders to foster technical understanding. Understand the ethical implications of working within the nexus of technology and culture. Project Management Understand, develop and deploy various strategies for planning, researching, drafting, revising, and editing documents both individually & collaboratively. Select and use appropriate technologies that effectively & ethically address professional situations & audiences. Build professional ethos through documentation and accountability. Document Design Understand and adapt to genre conventions and expectations of a range of audiences, including technical & non- technical readers. Understand and implement design principles of format & layout. Interpret and argue with design. Draft, research, and test revising visual design & information architecture. Ensure the technical accuracy of visual content. Teamwork Work with colleagues to determine roles & responsibilities. Manage team conflicts constructively. Respond constructively to peers work. Solicit and use peer feedback effectively. Achieve stated team goals. Research Work ethically with research participants, subject matter experts, and technical experts. Locate, evaluate, and use print & online materials selectively for particular audience purposes. Triangulate sources of evidence. Select appropriate primary research methods such as interviews, observations, focus groups, and surveys to collect data. Apply concepts of usability research, such as user- centered design. Technology Use and evaluate the writing technologies frequently used in the workplace, such as email, memos, document design, image editing, presentation, design & delivery, content management, and desktop publishing. ENG 421 L. Lane Spring 2015 4

Participation & Ethos Professional Ethos Each class interaction should be treated like a professional environment. Therefore, it is imperative that students participate maturely, professionally, and are accountable for their own actions. In discussions and collaborative projects, conduct yourself professionally and evoke a mature, informed ethos. Assignments Memos Each assignment will have approximately 2-3 memos for you to compose and submit over the course of the project. These memos should be written in the professional memo format outlined on each assignment sheet and be addressed to me, your instructor. They will be graded on a 0-100 point scale and will influence your final project grade. A percentage breakdown of memo value is included with each project assignment sheet. Large Projects Your final semester grade will be determined from the following large projects, in addition to a participation grade: Unit 1: Professional Portfolio (25%) Approx. Due Date: Feb 19 For our first project, you will create a number of professional documents suitable for use in applying for a job or internship. This assignment appears first in our sequence in hopes that you might use them for fall application seasons. We will focus on professional online presence including microblogging, webspaces, and credentialing sites. We ll explore principles of document design, layout, and technical language with a resume/cover letter, an online portfolio/space, and memos. Unit 2: Technical Description & Instructions (25%) Approx Due Date: March 12 & April 2 Part 1: Instructions- Individual Part 2: Technical Description- Partnered The second assignment will carefully consider a variety of readers, situations, and safety concerns that audiences need to be aware of for specific products. Technical descriptions are important documents for insuring quality and consistency in a technical workplace. This project includes two portions the description and the instructions. This assignment will require you to revisit and rethink the process and message behind everyday instructions. Unit 3: Usability Testing & Product Improvement Approx Due Date: April 28 &30 (Collaborative) (25%) Usability testing is a crucial step in how products or processes eventually come to reach consumers. For this collaborative project, you will form groups and select a product or process that needs improvement, either in communication or design. Your task is to present an analytical report that presents your research data and clear suggestions for effective communication. Your audience should be industrial designers, meaning that your group must compose an informative and visually engaging white paper document. This collaborative project will require precise delegation of tasks, a final group assessment memo that grades your group members, and a brief oral pitch summarizing your overall project. Semester Attendance & Participation (25%) Given the workshop nature of this class, your individual in- class participation is paramount to your final grade. Discussion boards & engagement in class make up a large portion of this grade, as do emails and your overall professional ethos. ENG 421 L. Lane Spring 2015 5

Grading All major assignments we be graded on the standard plus- minus letter grade scale: A= 100-94 A- = 93-90 B+ = 89-87 B= 86-84 B- = 83-80 C+ = 79-77 C = 76-74 C- = 73-70 D+ = 69-67 D= 66-64 D- = 63-60 F= 59 or below Attendance Policy Given that this 400- level course meets twice a week, you are allowed to miss a total of three (3) classes over the course of the semester, equivalent to a week and a half of class, without a grade penalty. If you miss four or more classes, your final participation grade will decrease.5 overall points per each subsequent absence. If you are absent in class, you will be marked as unexcused unless you present official documentation from a medial professional, university administrator, or military leader. Late Work & Emergency Policies Late Work If you encounter a personal emergency or unforeseen circumstance, please get in touch with me about submitting your course work. I am willing to work with you when life happens and we will discuss an appropriate due date together. However, all assignments must be submitted on the designated due date or agreed due date that you and I determine. Assignments that are not submitted receive a zero. Emergencies If class is delayed or cancelled due to a weather or campus emergency, I will email you in addition to posting an announcement on our course site. Our course calendar will be adjusted to accommodate any such events. Below is Purdue s boilerplate statement for addressing such emergencies. In the event of a major campus emergency, course requirements, deadlines and grading percentages are subject to changes that may be necessitated by a revised semester calendar or other circumstances beyond the instructor s control. Relevant changes to this course will be posted onto the course website or can be obtained by contacting the instructor via email. You are expected to read your @purdue.edu email on a frequent basis. For more information about Emergency Preparedness, see http://www.purdue.edu/ehps/emergency_preparedness/ ENG 421 L. Lane Spring 2015 6

Course Calendar The items in this calendar are subject to change based on the emergency policy and other factors. Please look for the updated version on our course site. Week 1: Jan. 13 & 15 Week 2: Jan. 20 & 22 Week 3: Jan. 27 & 29 Week 4: Feb. 3 & 5 Week 5: Feb. 10 & 12 Week 6: Feb. 17 & 19 Week 7: Feb. 24 & 26 Week 8: March 3 & 5 Week 9: March 10 & 12 Material Covered Intro to Technical Writing, Course Site sign- up, the Rhetorical Situation, 140 character introductions; Connors discussion, practicing the technical memo genre Find 5 job/internship/graduate school postings, Exploring Weebly, Wix, & portfolio sites; Memo 1: Job Postings review & drafting; Intro to InDesign The principles of design & visual rhetoric; InDesign work day: the Grid & overview; Professional online presence, re.vu profile set- up, credential visualizations; Clear & precise language, cover letters & personal statements InDesign tutorials continued, web spaces and data; digital presentation of documents Peer Review of Employment Documents; InDesign tutorials & studio time continued Unit 1 Employment Portfolio due (continuous PDF portfolio) Unit 2 Introduction, Instructables, technical instructions critique InDesign: Master Pages, instruction graphics, instructions rough draft; Part 1: Instructions DUE; Choose technical description topics; Midterm check- ins To Prepare for Next Class Meeting For Thurs: Connors, The Rise of Technical Writing Instruction in America (PDF), Technical Communication Today p. 9-15; TCT p. 85-103 ( Letters & Memos ); For Tues: TCT Ch. 21, p. 558-565( Writing for the Web ); Lisa Gietelman, Paper Knowledge, Introduction & Chapter 4, Near Print and Beyond Paper: Knowing by.pdf (Online access to ebook available through library); Find 5 job postings For Thurs: TCT, Ch 21, p. 566-569 ( Writing for the Web continued ); Lifehacker, Establish a Professional Web Presence (links) For Tues: TCT Ch. 17, p. 447-466 ( Design Principles ); InDesign CS6 guide (PDF), video, How to Make a Simple Document Grid in InDesign (links)watch Adobe InDesign video tutorials: the Frame & Working with Tools in InDesign (links) For Thurs: Carter, Typography and Visual Hierarchy (PDF); How to Submit Assignments to ENG 421 Course Site (PDF); For Tues: TCT Ch. 11, p. 295-317 ( Career Materials & Writing Application Letters ); develop draft of cover letter For Thurs: Continue to prepare rough drafts of job documents; Read and complete exercise #3 on p. 572 of TCT. Write your report as an informal memo and bring it and the website link to class Thurs. For Tuesday: Prepare rough drafts of job documents to bring to peer review in- class Tuesday For Thursday: Prepare for instructor consultations; intro to Assignment 2 For Tues: TCT, Ch. 7, p. 152-616 ( Instructions & Documentation ) For Thurs:TCT, Ch. 7, p. 167-179; p. 192, Exercise 1 For Tues: For Thurs: TBD For Tues: Van Ittersum, Crafts & Narrative in DIY Instructions (Technical Communication Quarterly 23.3 avail through library databases online) For Thurs: TBD For Tues: TBD For Thurs: TBD Week 10: SPRING BREAK NO CLASS Continue partnered work/stay in contact Week 11: March 24 & 26 Technical descriptions critique, Visuals in descriptions, structuring partnered pitches Tues: Partner check- in, group calendar development; TCT, Ch. 6, p. 144, complete the Microgenre: Technical Definition writing activity for your topic ENG 421 L. Lane Spring 2015 7

For Thurs: TCT, Ch. 6, pp. 119-145 ( Technical Descriptions & Specifications ) Week 12: March 31 & April 2 Structuring analytical reports & presenting information clearly, summaries & research Week 13: April 7 & 9 Part 2: Technical Descriptions DUE Unit 3 Intro; Usability overview; Collaborative research & editing; managing information to persuade; Purdue Professional Writing Showcase in the Stewart Center during class time (1:30-2:15 PM) Week 14: April 14 & 16 Usability testing & research; Normalizing collaborative writing; InDesign white paper tips Week 15: April 21 & 23 Solutions, Usability, & analytical reports; knowing your audience & presenting suggestions; crafting pitches Week 16: April 28 & 30 Product Improvement/Analytical Report Pitches For Tues: Reader testing review; Drafting continued, final research & Memo 2 For Thurs: Finalize Assignment 2, Part 1 For Tues: Part II Due; Quesenbery, "What Does Usability Mean"? (links); Sullivan, Beyond a Narrow Conception of Usability Testing (PDF); TCT p. 518 Case Study, A Machine by Any Other Name For Thurs: TCT, Ch 19, pp. 498-511 ( Editing for Usability )- Pay special attention to Levels of Editing For Tues: TCT, Ch. 19, pp. 512-515, complete Exercise 1 on p. 516, bring example and notes to class. For Thurs: Studio time For Tues: Studio time continued; Complete online course evaluations (purdue.edu/eval) For Thurs: Continue work on Assignment 3 Usability Project Presentations; Final Assignment 3 documents DUE ENG 421 L. Lane Spring 2015 8