Text
Markel, Mike. Technical Communication . Tenth ed. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2012. E-Book.
Check out the textbook companion website for self-study quizzes and additional information. Take the self-study quizzes as many times as you like, to prepare for the in-class quizzes. The class quiz questions come directly from this site.
Attendance
Expect to attend class every day prepared, with all reading and writing assignments done. Bring any supplementary materials with you.
To be as fair as possible, our course policy allows you a number of “free” absences (three for MWF; two for TT). These are absences that you can take with no penalty, grade-wise. As a result, “excused” absences are not granted, so plan any absences accordingly. Beyond that, let me state English department policy: A student whose absences are excessive “may run the risk of receiving a lower grade or a failing grade.” If you miss class, it is your responsibility to get assignments, complete any work, and submit any due papers.
It is particularly important for you to attend–and be prepared to participate in–in-class workshops on drafts of your documents. The more you have written before peer-review sessions, the more you will benefit from them. Although your drafts need not be “polished,” in general they should be full and complete enough for you to receive substantial help from your peers.
If you must miss a draft workshop, take your draft to the Writing Center. The Writing Center will inform me of your session.
Under no circumstances will I accept a “final” assignment unless I’ve seen your rough draft.
In addition, you must hand in all assignments in order to pass the course.
Conferences
I encourage you to see me anytime. Have questions about an assignment? Want to try out some new ideas? Need help with your writing? Want to suggest ways to improve the course? Come see me. Really.
You may also take your ideas and/or written work to the Undergraduate Writing Center (219 Boucke, 865-1841), where trained peer tutors are available. No appointment is necessary.
Grades and Assignments
In this course, I will try to hold you to the professional standards that prevail in your field. For example, of the requirements listed below, your employer will take some completely for granted, such as promptness, neat appearance, and correct mechanics.
Promptness. In this course, as in the working world, you must turn in your work on time. All projects are due at the beginning of class on the dates indicated on the syllabus. Assignments turned in late will be penalized one letter grade for each day late unless you have made other arrangements with me in advance.
Appearance. All work should be neatly prepared on a computer, using margins and spacing and design techniques that are conventional for the genre. Whether it is a resume, memo, or report, your communication should exhibit complete and appropriate format. All writing for the course should be printed clearly, including draft work.
Grammar, Spelling, Proofreading. At work, even a single error in spelling, grammar, or proofreading can jeopardize the effectiveness of some communications (depending on the rhetorical situation). Grading will reflect the great seriousness with which these matters are frequently viewed in the working world. If you would like special assistance with any of these skills, I can recommend sources for extra help.
Back-up Copies. Always back-up your electronic files. I do not accept excuses of work lost because of a computer error.
Revisions. You will receive feedback on your writing at various stages of the writing process. You should try to apply the comments to improve not only the particular assignment you are working on at the time but also your strategies for writing in general.
Your final grade will be determined by the grades you receive on written and in-class assignments, according to the following weighting:
- Assignment 1: Job Application Packet 10%
- Assignment 2: Professional Blog 15%
- Assignment 3: Technical Definition and Description 10%
- Assignment 4:Instruction Set 15%
- Assignment 5:Special Topics Video 10%
- Assignment 6:Redesign E-Portfolio 15%
- Reading Quizzes 10%
- Class Participation (Attendance) 15%
Instructions for each assignment will be explained in detail. When grading each of your assignments, I will ask one overriding question: “Does this document do its job successfully?” That is, would your communication have the intended effect on the reader you are addressing. I will, of course, recognize the difference between a competent performance (a “C”) and good and excellent performances (“B” and “A”). A competent performance is one that stands a chance of succeeding; an excellent performance is one that seems assured not only of success, but also of winning praise:
A superior; the work is of near professional quality. The document meets or exceeds all the objectives of the assignment. The content is mature, thorough, and well-suited for the audience; the style is clear, accurate, and forceful; the information is well-organized and designed so that it is accessible and attractive; the mechanics and grammar are correct.
B good; the document meets the objectives of the assignment, but it needs improvement in style, or it contains easily correctable errors in grammar, format, or content, or its content is superficial.
C competent; the document needs significant improvement in concept, details, development, organization, grammar, or format. It may be formally correct but superficial in content.
D marginally acceptable; the document meets some of the objectives but ignores others; the content is inadequately developed; or it contains numerous or major errors.
F unacceptable; the document does not have enough information, does something other than the assignment required, or it contains major errors or excessive errors.
The Penn State grading scale does not allow the option of awarding final grades of C-, D+, or D-.
Plagiarism (Cheating) and Other Policies
Academic Integrity – Penn State defines academic integrity as the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest and responsible manner. All students should act with personal integrity, respect other students’ dignity, rights and property, and help create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their efforts (Faculty Senate Policy 49-20).
Dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated in this course. Dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarizing, fabricating information or citations, facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others, having unauthorized possession of examinations, submitting work of another person or work previously used without informing the instructor, or tampering with the academic work of other students. Students who are found to be dishonest will receive academic sanctions and will be reported to the University’s Judicial Affairs office for possible further disciplinary sanction.
Talking over your ideas and getting comments on your writing from friends are NOT plagiarism. Taking someone else’s published or unpublished words and calling them your own IS plagiarism: a synonym is academic dishonesty. When plagiarism amounts to an attempt to deceive, it has dire consequences, as spelled out in the English department regulations.
Disability Policy – The Pennsylvania State University encourages qualified people with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities and is committed to the policy that all people shall have equal access to programs, facilities, and admissions without regard to personal characteristics not related to ability, performance, or qualifications as determined by University policy or by state or federal authorities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation in this course or have questions about physical access, please tell me as soon as possible.