TRM 316/ISAT 366 Applications of Technical Writing Instructor: Brad Hagy, Senior Lecture School of Information Systems and Applied Technologies, Mail Code 6614 College of Applied Sciences and Arts Southern Illinois University at Carbondale Carbondale, Illinois 62901-6614 E-...: My E-mail My Homepage...: My Homepage My Syllabus...: Syllabus Office Hours: ASA Room 117..: Schedule bradh@siu.edu http://www.bradh.siuc.edu/ http://www.bradh.siuc.edu/sylbsisat366-trm316.pdf http://www.bradh.siuc.edu/timespring_13.pdf Office Hours: In Office ASA Room 117 M,W,F 12:00pm-1:00pm ASA # 453-8887 -- Home Office 549-5268 MEETING TIME: Monday, Wednesday & Friday 11:00am-11:50am; Class Room: ASA 112D FINAL EXAM: May 7th, 12:50pm-2:50pm, ASA 112D COURSE DESCRIPTION: The course will increase students competencies in writing, analyzing, utilizing, and communicating various types of technical information in the information technology and electronic systems fields. Emphasis will be placed on formal report writing, business letters, memos, e-mails, resumes, and instructions. Oral presentations will use computerized presentation software. This course is designed to meet the writing component of the College s Communication-Across-the Curriculum initiative. PREREQUISITE TO: Junior standing and English 101. REQUIRED TEXTBOOK AND SUPPLIES: Markel, M. (2012). Technical Communication (10th ed.) Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin s Press. MEETING TIME: Monday, Wednesday & Friday 11:00am-11:50am; Classroon: ASA 112D COURSE OBJECTIVES: 1. Students will learn the fundamental concepts and principles of technical communication essential in writing effective technical documents and making effective oral presentations. 2. Students will learn to build team skills through the construction of team projects. 3. Students will utilize computer software programs that facilitate the written communication process and understand how to integrate disparate items into one document. 4. Students will learn various methods of literature search, including gathering information through interviews, questionnaires, surveys, computer networks, and other resource materials. 5. Students will learn strategies, techniques, and skills that will enable them to design technical various types of technical documents for various audiences and purpose. Page 1 of 6 TRM 316/ISAT 366 Applications of Technical Writing
ATTENDANCE POLICY: Attendance to classes is mandatory. Absence from a class without prior permission from the instructor will result in a 3.4% deduction of the student s total grade points received to date for each infraction. If an absence is unavoidable due to health or an emergency related problem, the student is responsible for contacting the instructor at their earliest convenience to ensure arrangements can be made to submit class assignments. GENERAL GRADING CRITERIA: All assignments must be neat and professional. As a technical manager or supervisor, professional, clear, and concise written documents are paramount in effective communications. Spelling, grammar, ability to analyze situations, and following directions will be stressed and graded accordingly. Course Assignments: All assignments have deadlines for submission. Late assignments will NOT be accepted. Class Participation: Meaningful participation in weekly class discussions are a part of your final grade. This course will be delivered in a discussion group format in which your views, comments, and experience are valued. CLASS DELIVERABLES / PRODUCTS AND GRADING SCALE: Deliverables are weekly course assignments to be completed by each student/team. These deliverables include but are not limited to: selected end of chapter Questions, assignments, and instructor assigned materials. Collaborative work between students on homework assignments is allowed, but each student is responsible for submitting their own assignments, when individual assignments are required. See the definition on Academic Dishonesty for further guidance on this subject, below. E-mail address to correspond directly with instructor. E-mail Subject line should be formatted as follows..: ISAT366/TRM316-004 = Your Name = Reason for Message Grading Scale Deliverables / Products Point Value A = >= 90% Participation 80 B = 80 89.9% Assignments Ethics Case Study 25 C = 70 79.9% Technical Description 25 Business Correspondence 25 D = 60 69.9% Summary: Current Technology 50 Instructions Guide (Team Project) 100 F = < 60% Resume 25 Points Earned / Points Available Test #1 Test #2 Final Exam 40 40 40 450 Total Points Page 2 of 6 TRM 316/ISAT 366 Applications of Technical Writing
Deliverable / Product Submission Requirements: Course submissions of deliverables and product(s) will be submitted in MS Office Word format. Use of other word processing formats may distort and/or provide unreadable content. Assignment submissions will be preferably uploaded to Desire to Learn on the required assignment due date. All assignment submissions will have your name/team names on the assignment. Failure to do so will result in 0 points for the assignment. Confirmation of assignment receipt will be provided to each student via the D2L website or email. Specific document submission layouts and formats will be provided for each deliverable/product. A complete breakdown of class readings, assignments, and due dates are provided in the following table: TRM 316/ISAT 366 Course Text Chapters, Supplemental Reading Assignments, and Deliverables Meetings (Week of) Class Content/Discussion Readings (before each class) Deliverables (required the day of class) 1/14 First class meeting and course requirements/overview. Introduction to Technical Communication Correct text in hand, Login to SIUC Blackboard, Q&A; Chapter 1 Read Chapter 1 and pages 379 382 (E mail Guidelines) 1/21 Understanding Ethical and Legal Considerations Chapter 2 Discussion Chapter 2 and Case Study #2, pp. 39 40, Questions 1 and 2 1/28 Writing Coherent Documents Assign Ethics Case Study Chapter 9 Discussion Chapter 9 2/4 Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose Chapter 5 Ethics Case Study Due 2/11 Communicating Persuasively Assign Technical Description Chapter 8 2/18 Organizing Your Information Chapter 7 Technical 2/25 Writing Definitions and Descriptions Chapter 20 Discussion Chapter 20, pp. 540 557 3/4 Business Correspondence Spring Break 3/9 3/17 Chapter 14 Technical Description Due Page 3 of 6 TRM 316/ISAT 366 Applications of Technical Writing
Meetings (Week of) Class Content/Discussion Readings (before each class) Deliverables (required the day of class) 3/18 Writing Informational Reports Assign Business Correspondence Chapter 17 3/25 Creating Graphics Chapter 12 Business Correspondence Due 4/1 Writing Collaboratively Assign Current Technology Summary Chapter 4 4/8 Writing Instructions Chapter 20 Current Technology Summary Due 4/15 Team Project and Instruction Guide Topics/Outline Assign Guide Chapter 20 4/22 Preparing Job Application Materials (Resume) Chapter 15 4/29 In class work on Instructions Guide Resume Due 5/7 Finals Week Final Exam 12:50pm 2:50pm Instructions Guide Due ACADEMIC DISHONESTY: For this class, it is permissible to assist classmates in general discussions of computing techniques. General advice and interaction are encouraged. Each person, however, must develop his or her own solutions to the assigned projects, assignments, and tasks. In other words, students may not "work together" on graded assignments. Such collaboration constitutes dishonesty. A student may not use or copy (by any means) another's work (or portions of it) and represent it as his/her own. If you need help on an assignment, contact your instructor, not other classmates. Students assume full responsibility for the content and integrity of the academic work they submit. The guiding principle of academic integrity shall be that a student's submitted work, examinations, reports, and projects must be that of the student's own work. Students shall be guilty of compromising academic honesty if they: 1. Represent the work of others as their own. 2. Use or obtain unauthorized assistance in any academic work. 3. Give unauthorized assistance to other students 4. Modify, without instructor approval, an examination, paper, record, or report for the purpose of obtaining additional credit. 5. Misrepresent the content of submitted work. Students that risk academic honesty are subject to receive a failing grade for the course. If a student is unclear about whether a particular situation may constitute a violation, the student should meet with the instructor to discuss the situation. Page 4 of 6 TRM 316/ISAT 366 Applications of Technical Writing
ISAT Policy on Academic Dishonesty Approved 3/30/01 The Student Conduct Code of SIU clearly spells out the University policy on Academic Dishonesty. Courses involving the use of the computer require extra consideration, because computer work is easily copied. This departmental policy is intended to provide additional guidelines for such cases. A copy of this policy will be included in the departmental student handbook and will also be available on the ISAT website. Each faculty member will have a copy for his or her own use and for distribution to students. Definition of Academic Dishonesty We define academic dishonesty to mean turning in material created by someone else and representing it as your own work or permitting others to represent your work as their own. The following guidelines may be used to help in determining whether or not academic dishonesty has occurred: Some Examples: 1. The student turns in work (i.e., computer work) that is identical to or extremely similar to work turned in by another student or students, unless identical work is the expected norm. 2. When confronted, the student cannot explain the details of his or her work and the methods used to arrive at the solution. Academic Dishonesty has occurred: When a student turns in work created by someone else and represents it as his or her own work. When a student permits someone else to turn in his or her work and represent it as his or her own work. When a student copies work from another student. When a student copies answers from another student on a quiz, exam, or test. When a student uses notes or materials of any kind during a quiz, exam, or test (unless it is announced by the instructor as open notes or open book ). When a student deliberately changes parts of computer work in an attempt to disguise the origin. When two or more students collaborate on a project that is supposed to be completed individually. Academic Dishonesty has not occurred: When students have the instructor s permission to collaborate on a project. When students receive appropriate help from instructors, graduate assistants, or other staff members involved with the course. When students help each other with syntax errors or other application-specific information that makes computer work easier. When students participate in a general discussion about the assignment, such as discussing the requirements for the assignment or general strategies for completion of the assignment. Penalty for Academic Dishonesty First offense: from a zero on the specific lab/assignment/project/exam to course grade of F. Second offense: from course grade of F to suspension from the department. Third offense: permanent suspension from the department. Records of academic dishonesty will be maintained in the student s file in the departmental advisor s office, as well as in a master academic dishonesty file in the department chair s office. When an incidence of academic dishonesty occurs, the faculty member will meet with the department chair to discuss the situation and determine the appropriate penalty. Page 5 of 6 TRM 316/ISAT 366 Applications of Technical Writing
SIUC Emergency Procedures Southern Illinois University Carbondale is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for study and work. Because some health and safety circumstances are beyond our control, we ask that you become familiar with the SIUC Emergency Response Plan and Building Emergency Response Team (BERT) program. Emergency response information is available on posters in buildings on campus, available on BERT s website at www.bert.siu.edu, Department of Safety s website www.dps.siu.edu (disaster drop down) and in Emergency Response Guideline pamphlet. Know how to respond to each type of emergency. Instructors will provide guidance and direction to students in the classroom in the event of an emergency affecting your location. It is important that you follow these instructions and stay with your instructor during an evacuation or sheltering emergency. The Building Emergency Response Team will provide assistance to your instructor in evacuating the building or sheltering within the facility. Page 6 of 6 TRM 316/ISAT 366 Applications of Technical Writing