Mon: Introduction to the course. Review of key parts of syllabus. Review the syllabus by Wednesday and bring in any questions you have.

Those who do not yet have the textbook can go to the link below for free temporary access to the electronic version. You are still expected to obtain a copy of the book, print or electronic, for use for the entire semester.

http://www.macmillanhighered.com/launchpad/techcomm11e 

Wed: Introduction to Technical and Professional Communication, Chapter 1, To Solve the Skills Gap in Hiring, Create Expectations in the Classroom, and 5 Workplaces Changes Your Boss Is Eying for the Future.

Review of Employment Project and beginning discussion of employment documents.

Complete Exercise 1 on page 16 by the end of class time. Below is the description of exercise 1 above from the textbook, for those who do not yet have the book.

"Form small groups and study the home page of your college or university's website. Focus on three measures of excellence in technical communication: clarity, accessibility, and professional appearance. How effectively does the home page meet each of these measures of excellence. Be prepared to share your answers with class."

In addition to explaining how effectively the website meets these measures, explain why your group believes it does or does not. Your answers should be in complete sentences that go beyond surface-level analysis, i.e. more than "Accessibility: very well. Because it looks good." Only one response per group is required for submission, and be sure to record every contributor's name.

Fri: Writing Technical Documents, Chapter 3, Importance of Writing Skills in Business, and engineers: what kind of writing do you have to do on a regular basis? (x-post r/engineering). Discussion of the readings and the types of communication commonly used in the workplace.

By the end of class respond to questions 1-3 on page 50 and complete exercise 3 on page 56. Your response to exercise 3 may be turned in as a revision of the paragraph or a list of recommended revisions.

Mon: Martin Luther King Jr. day, no class.

Wed: Employment Materials, Chapter 15; Audience and Purpose, Chapter 5; skim Purdue Owl: Writing the Personal Statement, and Writing the Curriculum Vitae. Beginning review of cover letters, resumes, personal statements, and curriculum vitaes.

We will also workshop resumes and cover letters on this day. If possible, bring a laptop or tablet you can use to work on your drafts.

Fri: *** Audience Analysis due by 11:59 p.m.*** Designing Technical and Professional Documents, Chapter 11. Bring your resume and cover letter drafts for further workshopping.

By the end of class complete Exercise 4 on page 113 in groups. Only one submission per group is required.

Mon: Complete exercises 3 and 5 on pages 292-293. In-class workshop of employment documents.

Wed: Memos, Chapter 14. You may find additional resources at Purdue Owl: Parts of a Memo, Format of a Memo, and Sample Memo.

Fri: Group conferences, groups and times to be determined. Bring your employment documents. Location: Classroom.

Mon: Workshop. Bring or have access to a working copy of your reflection letter that can be read by classmates.

By the end of class complete exercises 3 and 4 on page 417. Per the instructions, responses must be formatted as memos.

Wed: Peer review of cover letter/personal statement and resume/curriculum vitae.

Fri: Employment Project due for a grade by 3 p.m. Read Serving Those Who Have Served and Veterans in the Workplace. We will use these articles as a launching point for the Proposal project.

Mon: Introduction to Proposal project, and formation of teams. Anyone who misses this day may be placed in a team at the instructor's discretion.

Wed: Writing Proposals, Chapter 16. Proposal workshop.

Fri: Workshop on proposals.

By the end of class please respond as a team to the following questions, in paragraph form:

1. Identify one to three topics your partner(s) and you are considering for your proposal. Explain the value of a proposal for each topic.

For the topic you have chosen:

2. Your proposal topic may be used for the next project. In consideration of this, explain what you believe the possible scope may be for your project if approved.

3. Who will your target audience be for this proposal? Explain why and how your proposal will address your target audience's needs.

4. What is your plan of work to complete this proposal? Be specific and go beyond summarizing due dates.

Mon: Collaboration in Technical and Professional Communication, Chapter 4.

Wed: Evaluating technical and professional communication, Chapter 13. By the end of class answer questions 1-3 on page 354 and complete exercise 1 on page 356. You can turn in both in the same file or the same print document.

Fri: Team Conferences. Location: Classroom.

Mon: President's Day, no class.

Wed: Proposal Peer Review. Start of Proposal Presentations (attendance required). Location: Avery Hall Bundy Room 111.

Fri: Proposal Presentations (attendance required). Location: Avery Hall Bundy Room 111. Proposal due by 11:59 p.m.

Mon: Introduction to R&D Project. Formation of teams. Anyone who misses this day may be placed in a team at the instructor's discretion.

Wed: The research process, Chapter 6. Research and Project Planning Workshop. During class you will be given time as teams to identify your main goals, expected roles as of this point, and the key tasks your team intends to have completed by team conferences. I will be asking about the above when we meet in conference.

Fri: Informational Reports, Chapter 17.

OPTIONAL: Resubmission of revised Employment Project for consideration for a higher grade.

Due date:  11:59 p.m. to the original project drop box.

What is required:
Copies of what you originally turned in
Final revised drafts
A memo in which you document what you revised to improve your documents, how they reflect improvement and learning, and highlights of specific features/examples that show this.

Submissions missing any of the above will not be considered.

Mon: Recommendation Reports, Chapter 18.

Wed: Creating Graphics, Chapter 12. By the end of class complete exercises 2 and 4 on page 336-337. Team conferences.

Fri: Review of Nielsen's Usability 101: Introduction to Usability and 10 Usability Heuristics for User Interface Design.

Spring Break, no class.

Mon: R&D Progress Report due. Chapter 2 Ethics and Legality.

Wed: Continued discussion of ethics and legality. By the end of class complete exercises 1 and 2 on page 39.

Fri: Bring or have access to a copy of a code of ethics from your major or future employer. Discussion of Ethics Scenario.

Mon: Graphic and Report workshop.

Wed: Conferences, times to be determined. During this class I will be meeting with each team to discuss the following:

With a week and a half left in the project, what tasks and/or goals does your team have between now and the due date for final project documents? How do you plan to meet these goals? What kinds of technical and professional communication will/may be necessary to achieve these tasks and/or goals?

Location: Classroom.

Fri: Graphic peer review.

By the start of class, one person must post your graphic, or access to it, to the R&D Graphic Peer Review topic thread in the Discussions section in Blackboard. You MUST include your team number in the subject line.

Each member of your group will complete a review for the group assigned to you, which should provide five responses for each group.

Who do you read?

402-14

Group 2 will read Group 3
Group 3 will read Group 4
Group 4 will read Group 5
Group 5 will read Group 6
Group 6 will read Group 2

402-15

Group 1 will read Group 2
Group 2 will read Group 5
Group 5 will read Group 7
Group 7 will read Group 8
Group 8 will read Group 1

Reviews must be completed by noon, Saturday, in order to receive credit.

Mon: Written Report peer review.

By the start of class s have ONE member of your team post a copy of your report to the R&D Report Peer Review forum in the discussions section in Blackboard.
You MUST:  Post your team number and report title in the subject line.  I.e. "Team 0 Why The Packers Will Win in the Superbowl By 50 Points"

Each member of your group will complete a review for the group assigned to you, which should provide five responses for each group.

Who do you read?

402-14

Group 2 will read Group 3
Group 3 will read Group 4
Group 4 will read Group 5
Group 5 will read Group 6
Group 6 will read Group 2

402-15

Group 1 will read Group 2
Group 2 will read Group 5
Group 5 will read Group 7
Group 7 will read Group 8
Group 8 will read Group 1

Wed: R&D Presentations. Location: Avery Hall Bundy Room 111.

402-14

Teams 2, 5

402-15

Teams 5, 8

Fri: R&D Presentations. Location: Avery Hall Bundy Room 111. Final draft of all materials due, including Completion Report. *Note:* due to a department event in the Bundy at 3 p.m., most presentations for Eng402-15 will need to take place on Wednesday.

402-14

Teams 3, 4, 6

402-15

Teams 1, 2, 7

Last day to withdraw.

Mon: Review of Information Interview and Redesign projects. * Note:* you will choose one, but not both, of these projects to do as your final graded project. More details will be provided in class.

Wed: What Is an Information Interview Anyway? and Questions to Ask at the Informational Interview. Interview questions workshop.

Fri: Interview questions workshop.

Mon: Interview Request due. Read How to Ask for an Informational Interview (and Get a “Yes”) and reread/review Chapter 6 section on Interviews (pages 136-143).

By the end of class complete exercise 3 on pages 144-145.

Wed: Progress report due. Read Networking: How to Make Contact and Informational Interviews. Workshop.

Fri: Group conferences.

Mon: Workshop and review. Bring or have access to your findings and letter.

Wed: Information Interview Letter peer review or Redesign Letter and Graphic Peer Review.

Fri: Final review.

No class, no exam. Monday, Information Interview Letter due for a grade by 12 p.m. to Blackboard.