main | courses | syllabus | materials | calendar
.pdf of syllabus —be sure to check this website often for the most current information on assignments
Professor Dr. Ann Brady:
STC-STA DirectorPhone 487-2066 mabrady@mtu.edu Office 329A Walker Office Hours Tuesday & Thursday 2-3 Wednesday 2-4 & by appointment Course Title HU2600: Introduction to Scientific & Technical Communication Time & Place Tuesday & Thursday 12:35 - 1:50 Walker 134 Course Texts • The Practice of Technical & Scientific Communication
• Technical Report Writing Today
• Selected readingsClass Listserv 2600-l@mtu.edu Class Website http://www.hu.mtu.edu/~mabrady Course Description
HU 2600 is designed to broaden your understanding of scientific and technical communication. Grounded in the knowledge that the best rhetorical theories have to offer, the course not only prepares you to write effectively in a variety of contexts and to consider thesocial and ethical responsibilities of the workplace.Course Goals
Scientific and technical documents include a wide range of subjects, goals, information sources, readers, and circumstances that lead to their preparation. To be successful as a writer in the many genres that comprise the field, you need to be rhetorically informed and thus able to assess your audience and identify your own purposes.The course thus has two goals.
• First, it teaches you what science and technical communication is and how it differs from the conventional writing that is typically taught in high school and college.
• Second, it teaches you how to think rhetorically and to produce transactional documents—that is documents that are designed to get things done.
Course Requirements
Readings:
I expect you to read the texts assigned in the syllabus before the class session and to actively and thoughtfully discuss in class the topics for a given session. Additional readings may be assigned during the semester for which you will be responsible.Written assignments:
Although I may modify the assignment topics and due dates during the semester, I plan for six different types of written assignments.1. A letter to a “live” and specific audience for a class client (1-2 pages).
2. A memo report based on your interview with someone who writes or designs as a professional communicator (2-4 pages).
3. A communication assessment report written for an organization to which you belong and (3-5 pages).
4. An original piece of science writing (3-5 pages).
5. A self-assessment letter and revision introducing a portfolio sample due at semester’s end (1 page).
6. A suite of shorter documents:
• Proposals, peer reviews, and self assessments (1 page each) are required for each writing assignment. More specifically, the documents you produce will typically go through a cycle that includes a proposal, a peer-reviewed rough draft, comments from me, and a final draft accompanied by a self-assessment memo.
Proposals indicate your audience, purpose, goals, and concerns.
Peer reviews prepare you for the collaborative and critically demanding work of document production, both in the classroom and the workplace. Since the reviews are a privilege and a responsibility, use them well. Come prepared, be clear, specific, and complete in your assessment of your peers’ work, and demand the same for your own.
Self-assessments indicate what you like about what you produced, what you’d change about it, and what you’ve learned.
• You can write a trip report. The STC/A Program brings professional communicators to campus to talk about their work. Dates and times are announced on the STC list (stcadvise-l). If you’d like, you can attend one of the talks and write a trip report about it for “extra” credit.
Keep a digital copy of each assignment you complete
Submit your assignments in hard-copy using:
• 12-point font—Ariel, Bookman, Century Schoolbook, Garamond, Palatino, Times New Roman
• appropriate headings
• left justified paragraphs
• single-space paragraphs
• double-space between paragraphs
Teamed oral reports and abstracts
You’ll be assigned to a team to investigate a particular area in the profession that is described in the required text by Lutz & Storms, or that you are interested in investigating (i.e. web design).. If you use topics from Lutz & Storms your investigation and report should begin with this text but should go beyond it using the additional resources at the end of each chapter to reinforce or amplify what you have to say.In your oral report, you should introduce the professional area, explaining its applications, responsibilities and employment outlook. The presentation should not exceed 20 minutes; you should plan to devote 5 minutes of this time to audience questions. You should include one visual, although not necessarily PowerPoint. You should plan to submit a summary of your presentation on the day of your talk.
Portfolios
Throughout the semester, you should keep a running file of your work, which will serve as the basis for two portfolio pieces you will turn in at the end of the semester. In November, I’ll ask you to choose one document you’ve produced in this class, revise it, and write an accompanying introduction in which you reflect on the piece and what you’ve learned as a result of working on it.Professional writers use their portfolios to showcase their best work for possible employers and for professional awards. You’ll begin yours in this class, watch it grow as you advance through the program, and present it as part of your capstone before you graduate.
Academic honesty
Unless the assignment calls for a collaborative effort, I expect that the work you submit to me will be yours. If you are referring to or using other sources, acknowledge them, using proper form. Evidence of copied or plagiarized work is cause for serious disciplinary action by the University.Attendance
I expect you to attend every class meeting and every conference, ready to participate fully and thoughtfully. If you miss more than three of our classes/individual meetings, I will drop your final grade. If you must be absent, please contact me via e-mail or speak with me in person.Grading
You can earn an A or B in this class if you complete all assignments and reach deadlines, do quality work, and show some genuine commitment. You’ll earn a C if you meet deadlines with satisfactory effort or if some of your assignments are incomplete. You’ll receive a D or F if your assignments are poorly executed or overdue, or if your attendance, participation, or effort is unsatisfactory.Note that while there is no formal category for participation and attendance, they will both influence how I evaluate your performance at the end of this semester. This is a class in professional communication; I expect you to behave professionally.
Portfolio self-assessment letter & revision 10% Teamed oral reports & abstracts 15% Client letter 15% Memo report 15% Science writing piece 20% Assessment report 25% If you have questions about your grade at any time during the semester, let me know so that we can discuss your progress
Grading Standards
A—truly excellent.
A work is an example of highly effective professional writing. It makes its purposes clear, reflects concern for its audience’s needs and responses, and is detailed, persuasive, effectively organized, exhibits appropriate format and tone, and is grammatically correct.B—very good
B work is effective and would succeed in most professional communication circumstances. It may lack the polish or effectiveness of an A.C—satisfactory
C work is effective though it lacks features necessary to succeed completely with a professional audience. Its purpose may not be entirely clear, it may not be effectively organized, it may not exhibit an appropriate tone or format, or it entails grammatical errors that make it difficult to read or understand than necessary.D—poor
D work does not communicate effectively for several reasons. It may display an inadequate understanding of purpose or audience. It may lack information or b e unpersuasive. Its organization may be confusing or misleading, and its tone or format may be inappropriate. It may be difficult to understand or contain serious errors in grammar.F—unacceptable
F work does not satisfy the requirements of the assignment.
Grading Criterion
Content
Meets assignment Yes Yes Most aspects Significant gaps Argument Interestingly & clearly advanced Clearly advanced May be good, but only implied Ambiguous or absent, generic or trite Support Valid & sufficient support provided Some gaps or weak support Some support, but weak or not clearly relevent Poor support or connections not shown Insight Original & creative Demonstrates thought Conventional or generic Superficial or incomplete
Organization
Logical ordering Establishes & foll9ows a pattern Follows a pattern Generally follows a pattern; some gaps Unapparent pattern or hard to follow Paragraphs Coherent & unified Usually coherent and unified Some incoherent or not unified Incoherent or lacking unity Transitions Provided as needed Provided as needed Sometimes missing Enough missing to cause confusion
Style
Sentences Correct & varied, according to meaning Correct, with some variety Correct, but elementary Surface errors, such as comma splices or fragments Diction Precise, correct, creative Correct Some debatable word choices Frequent misuse of words Spelling Correct Correct Very few mistakes Misspellings confuse meaning