• Read Syllabus. Print out for your records or copy to your own permanent media.

• Read up to page 14 in Textbook.

• Read http://www.admin.utep.edu/Default.aspx?tabid=41047 for UTEP rules on web portfolio use

• Read http://www.utsystem.edu/News/StyleGuidelines.htm for the UT System Style Manual: all work in this course should adhere to instructions from  these two sources!

• Homepage and Web portfolio assigned: Call 915-747-5257, activate your own utminers.utep.edu web portfolio this week!

• Get a Facebook page if you have not done so already.

• Exercise I: Exploring Real Technical Rhetoric in your Major  Post results by beginning of 1/30 class on your Facebook notes.  This is the first weekly entry on your own class blog.

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Week 2: 1/26-30/09

 

Post results of exercise 1 on your Facebook Notes by beginning of 1/30/09 class.

 

Begin poster presentations:

1. Accessibility 1/28

2. Audience  1/28

3. Audience and Purpose Assessment 1/30

4. Content Management Systems 1/30

 

Style and levels of style.

Kairos: Time and situation for technical writing.

 

1/30 discuss results of Exercise 1.

 

 

• Visit an example of a high school student's technical website: http://weirdosonlesson.synthasite.com/ .

• Read Style Sheet for technical writing. Save, bookmark or print as desired.

 

 

Exercise 2: Explore Creative Commons Copyright info. . Discuss the question of "Intellectual Property" in technical writing: Would you put your own academic or technical written work under copyright, or into the public domain?  Why?  Do not use facile reasoning like "So other people won't plagiarize it." Instead, analyze the nature of intellectual property and who benefits/loses when copyright is strictly enforced.  Discuss knowledge as a scarce commodity in print society, knowledge as abundant/unlimited in a digital age.  If someone takes your ideas and spreads them, are they stealing from you, or actually giving you a gift? Address the recording industry's campaign against "piracy," and the world movement away from strict copyright enforcement for intellectual property. Exercise is weekly Blog, and is due on Facebook Notes by beginning of 2/4/09 class.

 

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Week 3:  2/2-6/09

 

Exercise 2 results due by beginning of 2/4/09 class. 

 

Delivery.  McGraw & Hubbard's Principles.

1. Delivery Medium 2/4

2. Ethics (pages 17-20, 402, and 412-414 in Textbook) 2/4

3. Copyright and Intellectual Property (396-7) 2/6

4. Plagiarism (p. 429-432 in Textbook) 2/6

 

Intro. to Focus Groups: Project TRIM & Collaboratory.

 

Intro Usability and User Testing (Instructions)

 

Instructions.

 

SWOT analysis.

 

• Read pages 49, 76-77, 406, and 438-443 in Textbook.

• Read http://www.utsystem.edu/bor/rules/90000Series/90101.doc (Intellectual Property)

• Read Chapter 4: Intellectual  Property, in the UTEP Handbook of Operations. Be sure to read all 6 pages!

• Exercise 3: Prepare a subject proposal for your TRIM project, including a SWOT analysis of your project.   Post on your own web portfolio (not on your homepage, on a separate page) by 2/9/09 at beginning of class. Post a link to your proposal on your homepage.

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Week 4: 2/9-13/09

 

Exercise 3 due 2/9/09 by beginning of class.   Present results.

1. Descriptive Documents 2/11

2. International Communication 2/11

3. Project Management 2/11

 

 

 

The "Who Cares?" test.

 

2/13 Instructor will be at Border Learning Conference. No class session.

 

• Read pages 15-23 and 30-32 in Textbook.

• Read article, "Ask the Dumb Questions," by Prof. Seth Freeman.

• Read "Project Memorandum." (Example of a real-world Project Memorandum).

• Read Minnesota Project Memorandum Template (reproduced under fair use.)

• Respond to "Ask the Dumb Questions."How would this apply to you personally in your chosen professional field? Post this as your weekly blog on your Facebook Notes.

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Week 5: 2/16-20/09

 

Technical Rhetoric: Read pages 24-43 in Textbook.

 

Collaboratory collectives formed.

 

Sample tech writing: Rhetorical analysis. Cloning a professional website--technical and copyright considerations.

 

Tech communication and virtual reality:  Listen 2/18/09 to Science podcast.

 

You set the agenda, or become part of someone else's agenda: Tech writing as power. Tech. writing literacies:

• Functional (receiving);

• Critical (Receiving and Critiquing / Interrogating);

• Rhetorical (Transmitting /receiving).

1. Persuasion 2/16

2. Purpose 2/16

3. Situation 2/18

4. Stages in the Writing Process 2/18

5. Style Sheets and Templates 2/20

6. Task-based Documents 2/20

• Read http://www.onlineuniversity.net/education/teaching-resources/. Possible in-class exercise next week. [Thanks to Jennifer Jenkins for this link!  O.W., 9/12)

• Read "Found in Translation" about minorities in tech writing. [Link might not work off campus--to be sure, use a UTEP computer to view.]

• Briefly view the government's DTV transition website.

• Read "Switch to Digital TV Wins Delay..." by Brian Stelter.

 

• Exercise 4 Analyze Secret Work as a technical document (instructions), based on pps. 76-77 of textbook.  Due 2/23/09 by beginning of class. Counts as weekly blog.  Post on own website.

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Week 6: 2/23-27/09

 

Project TRIM begins.  GROUPS

 

Exercise 4 due 2/23. Be ready to present results in class.

 

Intro Usability-Test Progress Report (Instructions)

 

STEP factors in producing or analyzing tech writing (Social, Technological, Economic and Political).

 

Doc Usability Test Design

 

Friday,2/27 Sun Conference. No class session.

 

 

• Read pages 156-216 and 434-435 in Textbook

• Read "Online Technical Writing: Progress Reports."

• Briefly review the syllabus of this course.

• Browse through Dr. Mary Godwyn's syllabus from her course Minority Voices in Entrepreneurship.  Compare and contrast the two syllabi (in your mind).

 

• Respond to "Found in Translation" re. minorities in tech writing. Post as weekly blog.

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Week 7:  3/2-6/09

 

Intro Project assessment memos  Usability-test Progress Report : Project Assessment Memo #1. Follow guidelines (not dates) on Project Assessment Memo link.  To be posted on CourseMine forum by 3/9.

 

View Discourse Community PowerPoint. Professional Discourse Community Map assigned 3/2. Due Friday, 3/6, at beginning of class, computer-printed, in hardcopy on standard-sized sheet of paper.

 

"The vast majority of households are prepared for the conversion, but despite an estimated $1 billion information campaign, millions of households with older TV sets are not yet ready. When stations turn off their analog signals, those households will not be able to view the channels unless they install converter boxes to translate the digital signals." ("Switch to Digital TV Wins a Delay to June 12 ," by Brian Stelter.).

*3/2 in-class exercise: When tech writing fails: What went wrong with the TV Digital transition? 

 

1. Project management visuals  3/2

2. Syllabi 3/4

3. Lesson Plans 3/4

4. Instructions 3/6 [POSTPONED until 3/11/09]

5. Reports 3/6

6. User Manuals 3/6

7. Incident Reports 3/6

 

 

 

• Read Project Assessment Memo link.

• Read pages 120-124 in Textbook.

• Read How to Write a Memorandum.

• Read pages 345-346 in Textbook.

• Assignment: Professional Discourse Community Map assigned 3/2. Due Friday, 3/6, at beginning of class, in hardcopy on standard-sized sheet of paper.

• Assignment: Usability-test Progress Report: Project Assessment Memo #1. Follow guidelines (not dates) on Project Assessment Memo link.  Address memo to Instructor. Post on class CourseMine forum by 3/9.  Post on your web portfolio as well, as part of your TRIM web portfolio. This is worth 20% of your grade!

• Post this week's blog on your own web portfolio (not on your homepage, or on Facebook). Considering that some of you might be less than 15 months from graduation:

  • If you are currently a member of a national, regional or local campus organization or club in your major or profession, describe in at least four well-written paragraphs the benefits (current and future) you derive from that membership.  Name the organization, and be specific and professional. Or,

  • If you are not a member of any club or organization, national, regional or local, related to your major or profession, defend in at least four well-written paragraphs your decision not to identify yourself in that way with your profession, particularly this close to graduation.  Be specific and professional in describing the basis you used for your negative decision, particularly in terms of your future job search.  ["I don't have time,"  "I'm not interested," "I don't care to spend the money to join,"  or "I just don't wanna!" are not professional responses!]. 

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Week 8:  3/9-13/09

 

Due 3/9: Usability-test Progress Reports: Project Assessment Memo #1. Follow guidelines (not dates) on Project Assessment Memo link. Post on CourseMine Forum and on your web portfolio.

1. Teamwork and Collaboration 3/9

2. Tools and Technologies 3/9

3. Virtual Teamwork 3/11

4. Writing for Regulated Environments 3/11

5. Instructions 3/11 [postponed from 3/6]

6. Proposals. 3/13

7. Recruiting letters 3/13

At the beginning of the March 9 class, each student completes and submits a hardcopy "Collaborative Project Evaluation Form"

 

Equality, diversity and workplace writing.  Discuss responses to "Found in Translation." (Week 6).

 

STEP factors in producing or analyzing tech writing (Social, Technological, Economic and Political)--continued conversation.  Possible in-class exercise.

 

Popularizations. Audience considerations: Writing for a student audience, for colleagues, for supervisors, for the general public. Exercise: popularizing a professional article for a general audience. 

 

Web Analysis Project assigned (due Week 14)

 

• Read pages 44-52 and 244-251 in Textbook.

• Explore GLSEN website and "Coming Out from Behind the Badge." Also explore "LGBT Scientists."

 

• Exercise 5:  [CORRECTION--this is an individual report!]: What is the situation of GLBT persons in your chosen major or career field? How does this affect technical communication in the field? Assigned 3/9, due 3/23 by beginning of class. (Suggestion: talk to major prof. in field.) Post on CourseMine Forum only. This counts for week 9 blog entry.

• Begin Web Analysis Project: due 4/27/09. [This is a collective report]!

• Post weekly blog on your own web portfolio (not on your homepage or on Facebook): Write four well written paragraphs in the form of a letter addressed to your dream employer or graduate or professional school admission committee (identify this employer or grad school), convincing them why you should be hired or admitted before all the dozen other highly-qualified applicants for that one opening.  Assume the hiring or admission process is extremely competitive (since it almost always is!).  What do you have special or out of the ordinary to offer, that the other twelve highly-qualified and degreed final candidates for that position probably do not? Do not use empty phrases like "I am highly motivated, honest, reliable, hard-working, have a positive attitude, am a quick learner, etc., blah, blah, blah..."  Instead, give specific, verifiable reasons why you are (or expect to be when you graduate) the best of the best.

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SPRING BREAK 3/16-20/09

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Week 9:  3/23-27/09

 

Exercise 5 due 3/23 by beginning of class. (present results in class).  Postponed to 3/25.

 

Discuss "How to Aid the Less Fortunate."

 

Refresher on SWOT analysis.  Research proposals.

 

Summaries and abstracts: How to do.

 

Workplace writing. Management /Labor / Professional / Occupational communications within a framework of power.

 

Incident reports. See UAB template and classroom template. Possible practice incident report.

 

HTML.  Resource "If you know nothing about HTML, this is where you start."  

 

Mar. 27, Frontera Retórica Symposium. Class meets in Bloomburg Auditorium, in basement of Library.

 

• Read pages 146-155 in Textbook.

• Grant Applications: Read "Expository Writing Skills."

Exercise 5:[Correction: INDIVIDUAL REPORT] What is the situation of GLBT persons in your chosen major or career field? How does this affect technical communication in the field? Assigned 3/9, due 3/23 [POSTPONED to 3/25] by beginning of class. (Suggestion: talk to major prof. in field.) Post on CourseMine Forum only. This counts for this week's blog entry.

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Week 10: 3/30/09-4/3/09

 

Monday, Mar. 30: Discuss "Learning How to Think" (about "expert power.")  Power in tech writing. Different forms of power: Financial Power. Physical Power (health, strength).  People Power.  Others' Power (assigned/ legit., borrowed/referred). Inertial Power (tradition, mortmain).  Possible exercise: Power relationships in tech writing..

 

Tuesday, March 31: Cesar Chavez Day, no classes.

 

Wednesday, April 1: See brochure: "To Pave or Not to Pave?"  Analysis practice.  Use STEP (Social, Technological, Economic and Political) factors to analyze this issue as tech writing.

 

Genres of technical communication. 

 

Friday, April 3: Course Drop Deadline.  TRIM Memo 2 due (see below).

Read Homepage instructions document..  See sample professional homepages.

Graphs.  Technical Document Types: html; .doc/docx; .pdf; .rtf; PowerPoint..

1. Blogs and Wikis 3/30

2. Brochures  3/30

3. Email and attachments  4/1

4. Forms 4/1

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 4/3

6. Reprimands 4/3

• Reread pages 44-47, read pages 53-73 in Textbook.

• Read "Writing Science: The Story's the Thing."

• Read "The Job Seeker's Lexicon." Be ready to discuss in class next week! (Link may not work on off-campus computers.)

 

• TRIM Project Assessment memo 2 (5% of grade) due by April 3. Post on own website. Report/comment on the results of the group Usability Test, including the pre- and post-tests, plus post-evaluation by group (which is located on Collaboratory page on Facebook).  On your web portfolio, post copies of the Pre-test, Post-test and Instruction Set you provided to your group members, along with memo.  Be sure you make a separate TRIM sub-homepage, linked to your professional homepage, with an index of all your TRIM materials!

 

• Exercise 6. (Collective assignment) In your team, research labor, union, or professional association writing in your field or profession (or a team member's professional field).  Analyze actual writing on chosen website in terms of power, as discussed in class and on attached link. Post team report on the CourseMine Forum  by 4/13/09. This counts as your weekly blog for that week. Be sure to list all members of your group participating). 

• Offer a brief research proposal on a given topic within your chosen major or professional area. Post on CourseMine by beginning of class 4/20. Tell how your proposed research will meet each of the CARS criteria for research. This counts as your weekly blog for that week.

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Week 11:   4/6-8/09

 

Assignment issued 4/6//09: Web analysis (collective assignment). Post one copy on CourseMine Forum by 4/27 before class--be sure to list all collective group members who participated!  Worth 10% of your grade.

 

1. Job Search documents 4/6

2. Lab and Field Notebooks 4/6

3. Letters 4/6  * UPDATE

4. Medical communication 4/6 *UPDATE

 

Wednesday, 4/8/09 Guest presentation: Résumé writing, by Moises Buenfil, of UTEP Career Services.

 

April 10:  Good Friday, no class session.

 

• Read pages 78-119 in Textbook.

• Read "E-Persona Non Grata: Strategizing your Online Persona" and carefully consider how you are constructing a positive e-persona (or not) for your career goals.

• IMRAD format for scientific writing. Ref. "Writing Science" article.

 

• Due April 8: Project TRIM materials (worth 35% of semester grade!). Post on your web portfolio. This means, analysis of POSTTEST RESULTS (if not posted already), and a corrected Instruction Set based on the results of your Usability Test with your Collaboratory Group and their post-project feedback, Make sure TRIM material is well organized and has its own homepage, with links to this updated Instruction Set as well as the original instruction set, and to all TRIM files and memos!

• Review / touch up homepage design for E-Portfolio. Read Homepage instructions document.

• Exercise 7: Following instructions by Moises Buenfil, prepare your own résumé. First prepare in MS Word, and then post on line on your own web portfolio in .html. Due April 13.

• Weekly Blog:  Read http://blogs.wsj.com/management/2009/03/24/the-facebook-generation-vs-the-fortune-500/ , and then, in your Facebook Notes, cite the link and comment on the article. Answer: Is what the author writes true or false for you?  How will it affect you personally in your own job or professional practice?

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Week 12:  4/13-17/09

 

Due 4/13: Exercise 6 report on labor communication in your field or profession to be posted on CourseMine by beginning of 4/13 class.  This counts as blog entry for this week. Present/discuss in class.

1. Newsletters 4/15

2. Online help 4/15

3. Presentations 4/17

4. Press releases 4/17

 

Web 2.0 and tech. writing. Tentative: Discuss "The Facebook Generation..."

 

Tentative: Discuss "Job Seeker's Lexicon."

 

Hidden job market: At least 60% to 70% of open positions are "hidden"--invisible because they are not advertised. These positions are filled by managers tapping their networks, by recruiters, or by temp agencies. " ("Tooling Up: The Job Seeker's Lexicon") Possible class discussion or exercise: How do you plan to access or tap into this "hidden" market.

 

Assignment: Final wrap-up memo on TRIM Project due 5/4/09 before class.  Post on your web portfolio.

 

Respond to "E-Persona Non Grata." re. your own e-persona.

 

 

• Read pages 125-141 of Textbook.

• Read "Press Release Content Basics."

 

• Exercise 8: After reading "Press Release Content Basics," prepare an actual press release about something newsworthy your team, organization, union, club, group, frat or sorority, church, company or employer is doing. For full credit, send it to the El Paso Times, the Prospector, KTEP-FM, or other appropriate media. (Note that you must have the approval of your organization to actually send the release to the media!)  Post the text of your news release on the CourseMine forum by 4/22/09 [corrected date!] before class, and bring hardcopy of text to class 4/22.

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Week 13:  4/20-24/09

 

Due Monday, 4/20 by beginning of class:  Research proposal on topic in your chosen subject area, with CARS analysis. Group assignment: Post on class CourseMine blog and be ready to present informally/discuss in class. This counts as your weekly blog.

 

Due Wednesday, 4/22: Press Release due to be posted on CourseMine before beginning of class, plus, bring hardcopy of this assignment! Exercise 9: Analyze your own press release, using Self-test for a writing-draft. Analyze the intended audience for this release using Audience questionnaire.  

 

1. Multimedia: 4/22

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4/24: Peer review of Press Releases. Other activities TBA.

 

• Read pages 329-30  in Textbook

• Read "The Cover Letter: Door Opener Par Excellence."

• Read "The Commandments of Cover Letter Creation." (links may not work on off-campus computers.)

• Assignment 4/24: Analyze one of several assigned KTEP informative programs broadcast this weekend (click for list) as technical communication. Analysis must be posted on your own web portfolio by 4/29/09 before the beginning of class. Be ready to present results to class.  This counts for 10% of your grade.

 

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Week 14:  4/27/09-5/1/09

 

Due Monday,  4/27/09 before class: Web Analysis Report on a work-related website in your major. Each collective member must post analytical report on his or her own web portfolio.

 

Due Wednesday, 4/29 before class: KTEP analysis must be posted on your own web portfolio by 4/29/09 before the beginning of class. Be ready to report informally to the class. This counts for 10% of your grade.

 

Due Friday, 5/1/09: Exercise 10: Read "Writing a Winning Cover Letter," and "A Cover Letter is not Expendable," and then prepare a cover letter for your résumé, addressed to your dream-employer.  Turn in cover letter in hardcopy at beginning of 5/1/09 class session.

 

Other activities TBA.

1. Product descriptions 4/27

2. Specifications 4/27

3. Surveys 4/29

4. Web sites 4/29

5. White Papers  4/29

 

 

• Read pages 142-145, 217-222, and 252-262 in Textbook.

• Read "Writing a White Paper." [Purdue OWL]

 

• Exercise 10: Read "Writing a Winning Cover Letter," and "A Cover Letter is not Expendable," and then prepare a cover letter for your résumé, addressed to your dream-employer.  Turn in cover letter in hardcopy at beginning of 5/1/09 class session.

• Google yourself. (Be sure to try different forms of your name; i.e. Fulano de Tal; de Tal, Fulano; F. de Tal; Fulano Zutano de Tal;  Fulano Z. de Tal, and so on.) Report results on your Facebook notes and informally in 5/4/09 or 5/6/09 class sessions.  This counts as your weekly blog entry.

• A final Project Wrapup Analysis Memo (5% of grade) is due 5/4/09, assessing the overall success or failure of this project, both in terms of your group’s reaction and assessing what you yourself learned about technical writing, and about yourself as a professional, during the project. This is the final Project TRIM item in your Web Portfolio. .

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Week 15: 5/4-7/09: ONLINE WORK!

There will be no face-to-face meetings this week!

 

Final Project Analysis Memo due 5/4/09 by beginning of class (Post on Web Portfolio)

 

Polish up Web Portfolios, complete Blogs.  Blogs will be graded 5/5/09.

 

Web portfolios will be graded 5/8/09.

 

Final grades officially available to students via Touchtone, online and UTEP e-mail

May 26