Phil Druker/Department of English/ University of Idaho

 

Phil Druker  phild@uidaho.edu                                                                                  Brink 204 

 

TECHNICAL WRITING SYLLABUS English 317-04/05 and

TEACHING TECHNICAL WRITING (Engl 504-03)

FALL 2009 

 

 Notes:

1. * = new assignment , à = rough draft due, è = final draft due   RED = Chapters in Markel - the suggested readings
2. The suggested readings cover all the chapters in Markel except these (because the current technical writing course does not deal with the topics): Ch. 4 (writing collaboratively), Ch. 19 (instructions/manuals), Ch 20 (designing Web sites), Ch. 21 (oral reports), and Appendix D (ESL matters).  I urge you to read the chapters when you have a chance, especially Ch. 4.
3. The writing assignments due dates for 504 are noted in blue.
4. Lecture topics and assignments are in GREEN.

 

Week

Tuesday

Thursday

1

 8/25

·         Introduction to the course

·         Introductory email

·         Ch 1 (introduction), 5 (audience)

8/27

·          The research project for the course.
·         The objectives, nature, and style of technical writing.

·         Audience

·         Ch 2 (legal and ethical issues)

2

9/1

·          Audience.

*  Assignment: Résumé, letter of application,    thank-you letter.

·         Final report topics

·         Ch 14 (letters), 15 (job application)

9/3

à  Due: rough draft, résumé

·         Writing letters: tone and style

·         Paragraphs. 

·         Punctuation

·         Ch 3 (Writing Process)

3

9/8

à Due: rough draft, letter of application and thank-you letter

·         Sentence style: punctuation

·         Avoiding Passive Sentences

·         Pre-proposal assignment

·         Ch 11 (sentences)

9/10

èDUE:  Résumé, letter of application, and thank-you letter ç

·         Punctuation

·         Style analysis.  An approach to technical writing tasks.

*Assignment: Library Assignment

4

9/15
NO CLASS

·         Ch   6 (research)

9/17

èDUE: Pre-proposal for final report (email assignment)

 Proposals:

  * Assignment: Writing proposals: RFPs

Ch 8 (persuasion) , Ch 16 (proposals)

5

9/22      Proposals:

·         Problem identification and solving
The proposal as a persuasive document

·         Proposal objective section

**Assignment: Progress Report I on preliminary    research

      

·         Ch7 (organization)

 

 

Objectives

 

9/24

 Proposals:

·         Objectives and approach in writing proposals

à Due: Rough draft, proposal: objective section 

àDue: Rough draft, proposal: problem section

·         Writing methods sections

·         Paraphrasing, quoting, and citing sources.  Avoiding plagiarism.

Writing abstracts/summaries

 App A (using sources)
App B (citing sources)

 

Methods  

6

9/29  Proposals:

 

àDue: Rough draft, proposal: methods section

·   background section/level of technicality

 

 

·         Discuss Progress Report I

Definitions//audience

         Ch 9 (definitions pp. 176-187)

 

10/1

  Proposals:

·         Some basics on graphics

·         Other sections of the proposal

Definitions//audience

Paragraphs, key terms

 

Ch 17 (informal reports)

 

Definitions

Citing soures/paraphrasing 

7

10/6

è Due: Progress Report  ç

 

10/8

·         Proposals

·         Some basics on graphics

à Due: Rough draft, proposal: background section

 

 

8

10/13

à Due:  Rough draft, proposal: all sections

App C (Editing and proofreading)

 

 

10/15

èDue: Proposal Final Draft  ç

 

 

Sentence style and wordiness

9

10/20

*Description of a mechanism (in-class assignment).

·         Definitions and descriptions

·         *Assignment:  Section of final report
*Assignment:  Final report

·         Ch 9 (descriptions pp. 187-193)

10/22
è Due: Description of a mechanism (in-class assignment).

Ch 18 (formal reports)

10

10/27

·         Work on section of final report.

·         Completion reports, objectives, and approach.

·         Analyzing information

·         Ch 10 (coherence)

èProposal due

10/29

·         Work on section of final report

·         Analyzing information

·         More on graphics.

à  Due: Section of final report, rough draft

Analysis:

11

11/3

àDue: Section of final report, rough draft

·         Analyzing information.

·         Format

·         Ch 13 (graphics)

 

Graphics

 

11/5

èDue: Section of final report ç

·         Sentence style analysis

·         Progress report II

·         Final reports

Sentence style and wordiness

12

11/10

 

11/12

Style check due

·         Progress report II -- discuss/introduce

·         Sentence style.

·         Elements of the final report

 

 

 

13

11/17

èDue: Progress report II ç

·         Final report introductions (revising the proposal sections that fit in the final report)

·         Work on elements of final report: front matter

·         Editing the final report

 

19

·         Final reports: front matter

·         Criteria for evaluating the final report

 no class

 

Fall Break

Fall Break

14

12/1

·         Editing the final report.

àDue: rough draft of other sections of the final report (optional but encouraged) – by 12/4

 ·         Conclusions

·         Recommendations

 

Final Reports: Front Matter:

letter of transmittal
title page
table of contents

 

Writing conclusions and recommendations

 


 

12/3 Final Reports:

Front Matter:

Abstract
Executive Summary
Comparison of front matter

Criteria for final report

 

 

Writing abstracts


 

 

Writing Executive Summaries 

SAMPLE SYLLABUS-- email the doc to me and the others in 504-03

 

15

12/9

è Due: Final Report, Dec. 9ç

12/11

 No class