San Diego City College - Education Cultural Center

San Diego City College Introduction to Technical Writing - TEHW 101 Spring 2008

Alison J. Butler (858) 485-2836 Thursdays 6:55 – 10:00 pm Room T-306 [email protected] Advisement is available weekly from 6:00-6:45 pm on Thursdays in the Teacher’s Lounge.

Catalog Description This course teaches how to evaluate and organize technical information, develop ideas, and establish good working relationships with technical experts. The course provides practice in technical writing formats and techniques, and offers an overview of career opportunities. (FT). Transfer Credit: CSU and/or private college/university.

Prerequisites ENGL 101, with a grade of "C" or better, or equivalent; or Assessment Skill Level W6 & R6.

To do well in this course, you should already be able to do the following:  Use correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling in your writing.  Use a word processing application (such as Microsoft Word) on a computer.  Have a way to make enough copies of your work to share with class members for peer editing sessions.  Access the WebCT Web site at: http://webct.sdccd.net/webct/public/home.pl, where you’ll find helpful resources and information about class assignments.

Required Texts and Supplies Handbook of Technical Writing 5th to 8th edition By Gerald J. Alred, Charles T. Brusaw, Walter E. Oliu Technical Communication, 8th to 11th edition By John M. Lannon

 A dictionary published within the last seven years (paper cover or hard cover)  Handouts and readings as assigned.  Paper, a pen, and a pencil with for every class meeting.  A binder specifically for this class.

Course Objectives Successful completion of this course means that you are able to do the following: 1. Identify in writing basic technical editing terms. 2. Identify in writing basic technical writing principles. 3. Identify in writing various technical writing techniques. 4. Write clear and grammatical sentences.

1 Introduction To Technical Writing TEHW 101 Spring 2008

5. Demonstrate through written assignments, proficiency in grammar and usage.

Course Content and Scope The following topics may be included in the framework of the course but are not intended as limits on content. The presentation order and relative emphasis may vary each week.

Introduction Communications Theory Career Opportunities Audience Audience types Semantics Levels of technicality Organization Research Partition and classification Organization types Outlining Industry specific documentations standards Validation and verification of content Writing and editing techniques Grammatical and descriptive sentence types Definition Description Instruction Analysis Sentence structure Active voice and passive voice Levels of editing Standard editing/proofreading marks Typography Software for documentation Document Formats Resumes Reports Visual Aids Manuals Proposals Liaison with Technical Personnel Collaboration Conflict avoidance and resolution Interviewing

Reading Assignments Reading assignments are required and may include but, are not limited to, the following: style manuals, grammar books, professional journals (technical communication), newspaper articles, and excerpts from various publications in the field of technical communication, science, and engineering as well as various other professional disciplines.

Writing Assignments All assignments in this course support writing skills. In-class exercises may be oral or written. In-class exercises are reinforced by outside writing assignments. Assignments are required and may include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Edit technical documents. 2. Create a resume and cover letter. 3. Create a proposal. 4. Create a technical description. 5. Create procedures. 6. Create an analytical report.

In-class Work In-class work will include lectures, discussions, reading, writing, and group work.

Out-of-class Work Out-of-class work will include reading assignments, writing assignments, and grammar exercises. Out-of-class writing assignments must be turned in typed (rather than handwritten) unless specified by the instructor.

Grading On the basis of my evaluation, each assignment in this course will be classified in one of three categories:  Superior – A document that meets professional requirements: worthwhile content, sensible organization, readable style, and appropriate form, format, visuals, and mechanics.  Acceptable – A document that satisfies most of these requirements, or one that satisfies all of these requirements, but contains a reasonable number of mechanical errors that can be easily corrected.  Unacceptable – A document that needs extensive revision to meet all requirements, or that has the type or amount of mechanical, rhetorical, or design errors that would distract readers.

All out-of-class (numbered) assignments, once they are assigned a grade, may be revised one time in an attempt for a higher grade. Revised assignments are due the next

week after the graded assignment is returned to the student, and will not be accepted in lieu of any other assignment. All assignments graded as Unacceptable must be revised.

Point values for individual assignments:

Assignment Unacceptable Acceptable Superior 1. Audience Analysis U 1 2 2. Survival Guide U 2 4 3. Resume/Cover Letter U 2 4 4. Proposal U 2 4 5. Project Outline U 1 2 6. Visuals U 2 4 7. Technical Description U 3 6 8. Procedures U 3 6 9. Formal Report U 4 8

Point totals 0 20 40

In addition, tests and class participation will account for an additional 40 points:

 Class participation U 1 2  Quizzes/In-Class Writing (10) U 5 10  Final U 4 8

Point totals 0 10 20

Point values can fall anywhere in the ranges above. Final grades are based on the total points earned, and are assigned according to the following scale.

54 to 60 A 44 to 53 B 30 to 43 C 26 to 29 D 25 or Below F

Course Requirements and Student Responsibilities In this course, you are responsible for your own learning. As a member of the class, you are expected to be punctual, considerate, and respectful. All work should be done promptly and diligently.

You will be expected to do the following throughout the semester:

 Attend all class sessions.  Come to class prepared. Do not plan to do homework during class.  Listen to and understand all instructions.

 Be an active participant in all classroom discussions and activities.  Complete all assigned reading.  Complete all in-class and out-of-class assignments.  Turn in all assignments on time.  Refrain from using personal electronic equipment (cell phones, pagers, computers) in class. TURN OFF YOUR CELL PHONE WHEN YOU ENTER THE CLASSROOM. If your cell phone goes off during class, you may be asked to leave for the remainder of the class session.  Contact the instructor if you have any questions about the course or assignments during the semester.

In addition, no student may interfere with another student’s learning. Interfering with another student’s learning includes, but is not limited to, talking while I or another student is talking, constant chattering, frequent bathroom trips while class is in session, harassing or fighting with another student, passing notes in class, etc.

All students are expected to abide by the Student Code of Conduct outlined in SDCCD Policy 3100, Section 3.0 (consult your City College Catalog p. 57). Violations will be referred to the appropriate authorities.

Cheating and Plagiarism Cheating is defined as taking an examination in a dishonest way, for example, improperly accessing the answers to the examination. Cheating includes copying from someone else’s paper during an exam or bringing in notes to use during the exam or quiz.

Plagiarism is the unauthorized use of the language and thoughts of another author, and representing them as your own. For instance, if you copy something off the Internet or out of a book to use in your paper without giving a reference, then you have plagiarized. This is also true if you rewrite the paragraphs/pages and submit them as your own work. Plagiarism is another form of cheating. It is dishonest.

Any student caught plagiarizing or cheating will receive a zero score grade for the assignment or exam in question and his/her name will be given to the Dean of Students for administrative counseling. A second offense shall result in an “F” grade for the course.

Attendance Regular attendance is an integral part of success in this class. It is also required by the Community College System. According to the San Diego Community College District policy, a student who misses 6% of the course due to absences may be dropped; a student who misses 12% of the class will be dropped. If you miss a class, it is up to you to find out what was assigned in class. Call your phone buddy.

Being late to class once or twice during the semester is understandable. However, habitual tardiness and/or leaving early is strongly discouraged, for it is discourteous and disruptive. If you continue to arrive late or leave early after are warned, every two occurrences will be counted as an absence.

Conflict Resolution If you have an unresolved conflict during the class, you must first contact me in an attempt to resolve the problem. If you believe the results are unsatisfactory, you should next contact the department chairperson, Fred Julian. If the results are still unsatisfactory, you should contact the School of Engineering Dean.

Dropping the Class I hope you will not drop the class. If, however, you find you must drop the class, remember that the responsibility to drop the class is yours. It is your responsibility to observe official procedures and to abide by the different dates for dropping courses. If you withdraw after the drop date, you will earn an ‘F” as your final grade.

To drop a class, log on to http://studentweb.sdccd.net and click on Reg-e, or call ClassTalk at (619) 624-2100 or the tty at (619) 624-2121. Students do not need the instructor's permission to drop a class. It is the student's responsibility to drop by the deadline published in the printed schedule.

Academic Accommodation Students with disabilities who may need academic accommodations should discuss options with me during the first two weeks of class.

Schedule Week 1 – January 31 First day of Class – Welcome! Week 2 – February 7 Course foundations and audience analysis Week 3 – February 14 Good writing; brainstorming techniques Week 4 – February 21 Page and document design Week 5 – February 28 Résumés; ideas for final project due Week 6 – March 6 Workshop résumés; introduce visuals Week 7 – March 13 Workshop visuals; résumés due; intro proposals March 20 Spring break Week 8 – March 27 Workshop proposals Week 9 – April 3 Intro to technical definitions/descriptions Week 10 – April 10 Workshop descriptions Week 11 – April 17 Intro to procedures; descriptions due Week 12 – April 24 Workshop procedures; outlines for reports Week 13 – May 1 Procedure due; outlines dues Week 14 – May 8 Workshop on final reports Week 15 – May 15 Workshop on final reports; review Week 16 – May 22 Final exam; final report due

No make up of in-class writings, exams, or quizzes will be allowed. A late paper will be penalized 1 point for each day it is late.

Please note: This syllabus might be changed or updated at any time to better meet student needs.