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Lecture Notes for Technical Communication, 15th Edition

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Lecture Notes for Technical Communication, 15th Edition - Page 1 preview imageInstructor’s Resource ManualForTechnical CommunicationFifteenth EditionJohn M. Lannon,University of Massachusetts, DartmouthLaura J. Gurak,University of MinnesotaPrepared byLee Scholder
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Lecture Notes for Technical Communication, 15th Edition - Page 2 preview image
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Lecture Notes for Technical Communication, 15th Edition - Page 3 preview imageiiiContentsTable of Master SheetsvThe Composition Instructor as Technical Writing Instructor1Using the Masters for Classroom or Online Instruction3Annotated Bibliography of Resources for Instructors5General Suggestions8The Workshop Approach10Working with Service-Learning Projects13Using the Objective Test Questions15Grading Procedure16Sample Syllabi17Part I Communicating in the Workplace24Chapter 1Introduction to Technical Communication25Chapter 2Meeting the Needs of Specific Audiences33Chapter 3Persuading Your Audience46Chapter 4Weighing the Ethical Issues60Chapter 5Teamwork and Global Considerations79Chapter 6An Overview of the Technical Writing Process90Part IIThe Research Process104Chapter 7Thinking Critically about the Research Process105Chapter 8Evaluating and Interpreting Information118Chapter 9Summarizing Research Findings and Other Information124Part IIIOrganization, Style, and Visual Design128Chapter 10Organizing for Readers129Chapter 11Editing for a Professional Style and Tone163Chapter 12Designing Visual Information207Chapter 13Designing Pages and Documents228Part IVSpecific Documents and Applications235Chapter 14Email236Chapter 15Workplace Memos and Letters238Chapter 16Résumés and Other Job-Search Materials250Chapter 17Technical Definitions264Chapter 18Technical Descriptions, Specifications, and Marketing Materials268Chapter 19Instructions and Procedures277Chapter 20Informal Reports283Chapter 21Formal Analytical Reports287Chapter 22Proposals299Chapter 23Oral Presentations and Webinars305
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Lecture Notes for Technical Communication, 15th Edition - Page 4 preview imageiv
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Lecture Notes for Technical Communication, 15th Edition - Page 5 preview imagevChapter 24Blogs, Wikis, and Web Pages310Chapter 25Social Media314Objective Test Questions317Answers to Objective Test Questions347Answers to Chapter Quiz Questions349
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Lecture Notes for Technical Communication, 15th Edition - Page 6 preview imageviTable of Master SheetsSheet NumbersTitlePage1How a Document Is Evaluated282Chapter 1 Quiz303Deciding on a Document’s Level of Technicality374-6Audience and Use Profile Sheet39-437Chapter 2 Quiz458Standard Shape for an Argument539-10A Sample Audience Analysis for Additional Team Assignment55-5711Chapter 3 Quiz5912-17Paraphrasing Source Material65-7518Ethics Site Analysis7719Chapter 4 Quiz7820Team Pledge8321Sample Form for Evaluating Team Members8422Team Evaluation Form8524Chapter 5 Quiz8825How a Document Is Composed9126A Flowchart of the Writing Process9227Decisions in Planning the Document9428Decisions in Drafting the Document9629-30Decisions in Revising the Document100-0231Chapter 6 Quiz10332Examples of Research Topics11133A Flowchart of the Research Process11334Chapter 7 Quiz11435Chapter 8 Quiz12336Chapter 9 Quiz12737–44Examples of Sequencing134-4845-46The Purpose of Classification and Partition150-5247Example of Classification15448Example of Partition15649Using the Topic Sentence for Orientation15850Common Transitions and the Relations They Indicate16051Chapter 10 Quiz16252-53Efficiency and Your Documents166-6854–71Responses to Chapter 11 Exercises170-20472Chapter 11 Quiz20673-80Responses to Visuals Exercises209-2381Examples of Visuals for Emphasis22582Chapter 12 Quiz22783A Flowchart for Decisions in Page Design23084Ineffective Page Design23285Effective Page Design23386Chapter 13 Quiz23487Chapter 14 Quiz23788Summary Memo in Email Format24289A Complaint Letter About a Political Issue244
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Lecture Notes for Technical Communication, 15th Edition - Page 8 preview imageviiiTable of Master Sheets, continuedSheet NumbersTitlePage90An Effective Claim Letter24691Chapter 15 Quiz24892Letter Openings: Good and Bad25593Letter Closings: Good and Bad25794A Job-Hunting Assignment25995A Group Assignment in Job Hunting26196Chapter 16 Quiz26397Chapter 17 Quiz26798A Product Description27299Chapter 18 Quiz274100Three Ways of Making a Peanut-Butter Sandwich280101Chapter 19 Quiz282102Chapter 20 Quiz286103Refining the Analytical Question290104-105Additional Topics for Analysis294-96106Chapter 21 Quiz298107Proposal Topic Ideas302108Chapter 22 Quiz304109Peer Evaluation for Oral Presentations308110Chapter 23 Quiz309111Chapter 24 Quiz313112Chapter 25 Quiz316
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Lecture Notes for Technical Communication, 15th Edition - Page 9 preview imageixRevelRevel is an interactive learning environment that seamlessly blends the author’s narrative, media,and assessment, enabling students to read, practice, and study in one continuous experience.Informed by extensive research on how people read, think, and learn, Revel is designed to booststudents' understanding, retention, and preparedness across an expanding range of discipline areasfor less than the cost of a traditional textbook.
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Lecture Notes for Technical Communication, 15th Edition - Page 10 preview image
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Lecture Notes for Technical Communication, 15th Edition - Page 11 preview image1The Composition Instructor as Technical WritingInstructorTechnical Writing’s Practical FocusIn a technical writing class, you don’t need to struggle for answers to the student’s impliedquestion on each assignment: “Why are we doing this?” Because students choose subjects withobservable limits, and because they write for a specific reader in a specific situation, they areable to make the connection between writing in the classroom and writing in the workplace.And with high motivation, skills improve quickly.Students learn to masterrhetoricalstrategies bywriting about subjects of primary orimmediate interest. The issues are more substantive than abstract. A report analyzing why thecampus has no day-care center may require these expository skills: classification, definition,description,narration,andpersuasion,inadditiontostrategiesforsummarywriting,outlining, primary and secondary research, and letter writing. Along with obtaining valuablewriting practice, then, students in this course develop a clear sense of purpose because theywrite about problems that touch them and their community. The range and variety of topicsare infinite, with repeated emphasis on highly informative writing. Writing is taken out of therarefied English classroom and based in the real world. As an act of communication for aspecific purpose to a specific audience, writing becomes more a cognitive than an affectivetask, more than an exercise in creative self-expression. Justification for such assignments isboth implicit and explicit. With practice in thinking and writing for a tangible situation andpurpose, for an audience who willusethe information, students in any major leave the coursebetter prepared to think and write incisively about any subject.A report-writing assignment is, in effect, an instructor’s call to “teach me,” rather than“discover yourself.” The practical purpose for writing is always clear. Unlike the rhetoricalerrors in more personal writing, deficiencies in a factual message can be identified readily;moreover, a summary, an expanded definition, a set of instructions, a physical description, ora proposal provides common ground for student-teacher discussion of content, arrangement,and style.Technical Writing as a Point of ViewFor the skeptical newcomer, technical writing’s greatest liability is its name. The term“technical,” often misleading for both instructors and students, leads to misunderstandingabout what goes on in a technical writing course. It is one thing to discuss atechnical subject(aspecialized subject, usually mechanical or scientific); it is another to discuss any subject,technical or not, from atechnical point of view(an informed and precise perspective from whichthe writer sees the related particulars of a subject). Even the most abstract subjects arediscussed from a technical point of view if interpretations and conclusions are predicated ondemonstrable evidence and if the writing has utility beyond self-expression; literary criticism
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Lecture Notes for Technical Communication, 15th Edition - Page 12 preview image2is an example.In technical writing, the cognitive tasks of observing, interpreting, and reporting discourageany tendency to make absolute or sweeping statements. And, because guidelines for structureand format include an explicit and inclusive title, a clear statement of purpose, a detailedoutline, and relevant headings, students maintain a sense of direction consistent with purpose.Far from enforcing mindless, mechanical transcription, technical writing assignments elicitthought and expression that are deliberate; volition rather than chance shapes the message.Because of its concrete subject matter, technical writing encourages analytical thought.Students learn to pose imaginative questions, to answer them by precisely interpreting factualevidence, and to communicate their findings in a “professional” format. The approach isempirical, not mechanical. Students see that they are writing for a reason and that good writingis the product of a good plan and a clear sense of the specific reader’s specific needs. Writtenassignments,oralreports,andclassdiscussionsaboutanalogues in the real world—evaluating your college’s internship program, establishing a student-operated food co-op,comparing four popular wood-burning stoves, analyzing safety devices at a local nuclearpower plant—all have practical translations, are easy to justify, and are carried out withenthusiasm. Ideally, a student report will also satisfy an assignment in another course.Assignments with a PurposeAs a major course project, the analytical report can evolve from shorter assignments insummarywriting,definition,description,andthelike.Studentsaremotivatedwhenconvinced that they are not performing an exercise in busy work or philosophical rambling;instructors are pleased to learn something informative instead of suffering the usual thanklessand bleary-eyed plodding through unmemorable essays.In short, teaching technical writing is one way in which instructors can make the requiredconceptual and practical adjustment from education for its own sake to education with avisible purpose. Such a change hardly means settling for second best. This kind of teaching,as many continue to discover, offers the occasion for growing professionally and for activelyinvolving our students in reciprocal teaching and learning.
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Lecture Notes for Technical Communication, 15th Edition - Page 13 preview image3Using the Masters for Classroom or Online InstructionThis manual includes master sheets associated with each book chapter, which youmight use in a number of ways. You can copy and distribute this material as handouts.You can also integrate these into your presentations during class by projecting themright from the digital version of this instructor’s manual, integrating excerpts into yourPowerPoint or other digital presentations, or projecting them via document cameras ortransparencies. If you are teaching an online or hybrid course, you can also extract theseas PDF files and distribute them via email or your learning management system (LMS).For QuizzesNo book will do students any good unless they read it. To ensure that your studentshave (1) done the reading and (2) understood what they have read, you might use thequiz at the end of each chapter discussion section. Each quiz has ten questions that canbe answered in ten to fifteen minutes. You can reproduce the quizzes directly from thePDF of this manual. You may also enter the questions directly into the quiz tool of youronline learning management system.For Writing SamplesIn addition to quizzes, many chapter discussions are supplemented by master sheets ofvisuals and writing samples. In the discussions of the letter and short-report chapters,master sheets of student writing illustrate successful responses to exercises in order tocomplement many of the on-the-job examples from the textbook.For Syllabi andCourse DescriptionEither of the two sample syllabi, the course specifications, and the description of agrading system can be reproduced directly.Advantages of a Visual FormatBesides enhancing class discussion and lectures and improving students’ attention,routine exposure to visuals is valuable preparation for students’ careers. Researchsuggeststhat, in any presentation, speakers who use visuals are regarded as better prepared thanspeakers without such aids.How Master Sheets Are Distributed in This ManualTo follow the same principles of efficiency set forth in the textbook, Master Sheets havebeen deliberately omitted (except for quizzes) from some chapters. Most of the MasterSheets are found in Part I (to enhance discussions about the writing process) and in PartIV (to provide guidance in planning and revising typical documents). For Part II,documents produced by your own students should provide abundant examples.
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Lecture Notes for Technical Communication, 15th Edition - Page 14 preview image4As a quick survey of the Table of Master Sheets suggests, the emphasis in this materialis on theprocess, not just theproduct.Instead of merely showing sample responses to thisor that assignment, many of the masters illustrate the writing process as athinkingprocess.In addition to the Master Sheets, you might also consider using the electronic Revelversion of the textbook to project examples and visual representations of various aspectsof the writing process. A wide variety of examples is provided in the textbook for youto draw upon.
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Lecture Notes for Technical Communication, 15th Edition - Page 15 preview image5Annotated Bibliography of Resources for InstructorsBibliography of Resources for InstructorsInstructors of technical communication come from a variety of backgrounds. While manyinstructorshavedegreesandexperienceintechnicalwritingandcommunication,workplace/business writing, or professional communication, still others may come to thiscourse with credentials in English composition or literature, creative writing, journalism,communication studies, law, engineering, science, and other fields. Especially for those whodo not have a technical communication background, this bibliography offers resources andreadings that provide history and context for technical communication theories and practices.HistoryConnors, R. J. (2004). The rise of technical writing instruction in America. In J. Johnson-Eilola& S. A. Selber (Eds.),Central works in technical communication(pp. 3-19). New York:Oxford University Press.(Original article was published in the (1982)Journal of Technical Writing andCommunication, 12(4), 329-52).O’Hara, F. (2001). A brief history of technical Communication.STC’s 48th Annual ConferenceProceedings(pp. 500–504). Arlington, VA: Society for Technical Communication.Journals and professional societiesJournals affiliated with a professional society are typically included as part of the membershipdues (some offer discounted rates for students). Many of these organizations have regionalmeetings as well as national/international conferences. Search on these titles to find theorganization or journal’s Web site and social media feeds.IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication. Institute of Electrical and ElectronicsEngineers Professional Communication Society (ProComm).Journal of Business Communication. Association for Business Communication.Journal of Business and Technical Communication. Sage Publications.Journal of Intercultural Communication Research. Taylor & Francis Group.Journal of Mass Media Ethics. Taylor & Francis Group.Journal of Technical Writing and Communication. Sage Publications.Technical Communication.Society for Technical Communication (STC).Technical Communication Quarterly. Association of Teachers of Technical Writing (ATTW).User Experience Magazine and Journal of Usability Studies. User Experience ProfessionalAssociation (UXPA).
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Lecture Notes for Technical Communication, 15th Edition - Page 16 preview image6Edited collectionsConklin, J., & Hayhoe, G. F. (Eds.). (2011).Qualitative research in technical communication. NewYork: Routledge.Johnson-Eilola, J., & Selber, S. A. (Eds.). (2004).Central works in technical communication. NewYork: Oxford University Press.McKee, H. A., & Porter, J. E. (Eds.). (2017).Professional communication and network interaction:A rhetorical and ethical approach. New York: Routledge.Spilka, R. (Ed.). (2010).Digital literacy for technical communication: 21st century theory andpractice. New York: Routledge.St. Amant K., & Sapienza, F. (Eds.). (2017).Culture, communication and cyberspace: Rethinkingtechnical communication for international online environments. Amityville, N.Y.: Baywood.Selected articles and booksAndersen, R. (2014). Rhetorical work in the age of content management.Journal of Businessand Technical Communication, 28(2), 115-157.Breuch, L. K. (2018).Involving the audience: A rhetoric perspective on using social media to improvewebsites. New York: Routledge.Lauer, C., & Brumberger, E. (2016). Technical communication as user experience in abroadening industry landscape.Technical Communication,63(3), 248-264.Lundgren, R. E., & McMakin, A. H. (2018).Risk communication: A handbook for communicatingenvironmental, safety, and health risks(6thed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-IEEE Press.Miller, C. R. (1979). A humanistic rationale for technical writing.College English, 40(6), 610-617.Reyman, J. (2008). Rethinking Plagiarism for Technical Communication.TechnicalCommunication,55(1), 61-67.Rude, C., & Eaton, A. (2011).Technical Editing. New York: Pearson.Sarker, S., Ahuja, M., Sarker, S., & Kirkeby, S. (2011). The role of communication and trust inglobal virtual teams: A social network perspective.Journal of Management InformationSystems,28(1), 273-310.Sun, H. (2006). The triumph of users: Achieving cultural usability goals with userlocalization.Technical Communication Quarterly, 15(4), 457-481.Blogs and social mediaThe U.S. Department of Labor publishes a Web site called theOccupational Outlook Handbook.Go to that site and from there, search on “technical writers” to see median pay for that year,number of jobs, and the job outlook for the coming year.TheSociety for Technical Communication’sWeb site offers a wealth of information includingwebinars and other content; salary information and trends in the field; professional activitiesincluding local chapters and the annual international STC conference.TechWhirlis a Web site popular with technical communicators, especially those involved withcontent management. The site offers information from “educational and research content tothe latest news, features, and commentary.”
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Lecture Notes for Technical Communication, 15th Edition - Page 17 preview image7The Web siteusability.govdescribes itself as “the leading resource for user experience (UX) bestpractices and guidelines, serving practitioners and students in the government and privatesectors.” This site is popular with academics and practitioners alike.
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Lecture Notes for Technical Communication, 15th Edition - Page 18 preview image8General SuggestionsBackground ReadingBecause technical writing is (at least by one definition) applied rhetoric, a new instructor’spreparation should build on a solid foundation in classical rhetoric. For this purpose, aconcise and comprehensive source is Edward P. J. Corbett’sClassical Rhetoric for theModern Student(Oxford University Press).Classroom LayoutA technical writing class works best in the workshop format. In a classroom withoutcomputers, the optimal set-up will include several tables large enough for students towork in small editing groups and have plenty of room for paper shuffling. In computerclassrooms, the “pod” configuration works well, with four to six computers arrangedaround a large table. In this environment, students are able to work together orseparately on the computers while also having desk space for working with hard copies.SchedulingAlthough sometimes difficult to schedule, two meetings a week seems to work best fora workshop. Because technical writing students are generally well motivated, they willeasily tolerate 75-minute classes. These longer periods provide more continuity to thesmall-group and full-class sessions.HardwareAll of the exercises and activities in the textbook can be delivered in a classroom equippedwith only an overhead projector (or document camera) and apermanent screen. Thisequipment is also useful for class discussion of student papers and other specimens.Internet access is essential for demonstrating research techniques, analyzing publiclyavailable documents, and accessing a course Web site or online learning managementsystem during class time.
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Lecture Notes for Technical Communication, 15th Edition - Page 19 preview image9Learning Management SystemsColleges and universities across the country are increasingly delivering courses, includingtechnical writing, through distance education. Hybrid (or blended) courses, those thatcombine classroom and online sessions, are also popular. For these courses, a functionalonline learning management system (LMS) is vital. An LMS allows instructors to deliver allcourse materials electronically as well as to lead class discussions via forums.Privatecommunication spaces can be created for individual students as well as teams, and studentsare able to upload their papers into an assignment submission tool. The advantages for aninstructor are clear: less paper to manage, a convenient one-stop location for accessing studentwork and communicating with students, and an easy method for tracking students’ progressand participation. The challenges are equally clear: developing a relationship with students,explaining difficult material, encouraging vibrant class discussion, and implementing theworkshop approach. Seeking the advice of experienced LMS users will help you overcomethese challenges as will workshops offered by your university’s distance education unit.Guest SpeakersInvite speakers from business and industry (the director of communications at your localpower company, a digital communications specialist at a local business, or the head of a localengineering firm, for example). Companies that strive for good public relations, such asutilities,areespeciallycooperative.Campuslibrarianswhospecializeinscientific,engineering, and business disciplines can provide students with valuable research strategies.If your campus library is equipped with a learning lab, holding a class session there is ideal.
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Lecture Notes for Technical Communication, 15th Edition - Page 20 preview image10The Workshop ApproachWorkshops focus on the texts that students themselves have produced. The workshopapproach operates on the premise that students can evaluate someone else’s writingbetter than their own. Designed to take students out of their traditionally passive roles,the workshop involves them actively in evaluating and discussing writing. It helpsfamiliarize students with the challenge of writing for audiences other than theirinstructor.When first drafts or revisions are due, ask students to proofread and edit each other’sassignments, using the appropriate revision checklist at the end of each chapter as aguide. Ask for a detailed evaluation of each assignment, including specific suggestionsfor revision. You might ask your students to keep a journal of their most troublesomemechanical and stylistic errors and to submit the journal periodically with a briefprogress report.If a general reading audience is assumed, groups at each table should be heterogeneous(assorted majors). If a more specialized audience is assumed, the groups should be ashomogeneous as possible. Provide a situational context for each workshop:•For heterogeneous groups: “Assume that you are a customer, executive, or client whoneeds this information for [the specific purpose for which the assignment is written].Would the information in this report fully serve your needs? Is it well presented[format, style, mechanics, usage]? What is effective about this piece? What needsimprovement?”•For homogeneous groups: “Assume you are a section head who has to approve thispiece [instructions, product description, and so on], written by one of your staff,before it is published in a company manual or prospectus. What specific advicewould you give the writer for revising and refining the document?”After allowing enough time (20 to 25 minutes) for small-group editing, ask for one ortwo nominations for outstanding papers to be discussed by the entire class. Display thesepapers in class using an electronic version projected onto a large screen or a documentcamera and read them aloud. Invariably, other class members will have additional
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Lecture Notes for Technical Communication, 15th Edition - Page 21 preview image11insights and suggestions for improvement. By discussing a paper already recognized assuperior, you can avoid damaging the writer’s ego. Try the “sandwich” method: first discussthe effective components of the document, then identify weak areas, and end with an overallpositive comment about the work.Finally, ask students to revise their papers at home, applying their editors’ comments,beforethey submit them to you for grading. Have them turn in both their revisions and their editeddrafts.In addition to marginal notes, require that editors provide a brief evaluation (one or twoparagraphs) of the individual features ofcontent, arrangement, style,andpage design. Allstudents initial their summaries and receive extra credit for consistently good editing.NOTE: Expect some resistance to the workshop for the first few sessions. Initially, somestudents feel they have nothing useful to say about a piece of writing. But with cheerleadingand guidance on your part, the whole business soon will run smoothly. In fact, once studentsbecome accustomed to this approach, you can save class time by asking them to editclassmates’ papers at home.Have students identify a specific audience and use for each assignment. To reinforce theworkplace connection, begin early with samples of not-so-good writing from business andindustry (memos, letters) that the class can edit together, using the document camera or anelectronic document projected onto a large screen, with the software’s track changes functionenabled.Here are more suggestions for helping the workshops run smoothly:1.Give periodic quizzes to ensure that students have read and understood the assignedchapters. For a workshop to succeed, students need to know the assigned reading.2.Ask students to specify (in writing) an audience and use foreachdocument they submit.3.Emphasizerepeatedlythat all editors should assume the role of the writer’s stipulatedaudience.4.You generally should not see first drafts. Ask students to submit their edited draft alongwith the final draft.5.Because an uninformed audience usually is a writer’s biggest challenge, heterogeneousediting groups generally are more effective than homogeneous groups.6.For full-class discussion of edited documents, use only those nominated assuperior.7.Before having students revise at home, hold at least one full-class workshop on that typeof document.8.For variety, use a projector to show examples from time to time.9.The workshop’s purpose is toactivelyinvolve students in evaluation and thinking.Don’t hesitate to call on members of the silent majority for commentary during full-classsessions.10.For motivation and perspective, frequently bring in samples of real-world documents,both good and bad—or, better yet, ask your students to submit samples they’ve collected.
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Lecture Notes for Technical Communication, 15th Edition - Page 22 preview image12The Online WorkshopIncorporating the workshop approach into online education classes or in online sessions ofhybrid courses can be challenging, but not impossible. An online learning managementsystem will make this task easier via creative use of group discussion forums or internalwikis. If your LMS does not include a built-in wiki, one of the free options offered on theInternet will be helpful.Due Dates for AssignmentsStudents should be given specific due dates for first drafts (for workshop editing) anddeadline dates for all revisions. It’s a good idea to impose a limit of only one revision forthe assignments you have corrected. Besides preserving your sanity, this arrangement helpsyou avoid the role of instructor as proofreader.Hard Copy and e-PortfoliosHavestudentsassemblee-portfolios.Thiscollectedworkcomesinhandyduringindividual conferences. It also ensures that material is retrievable for those assignments thatare cumulative. Instructors who grade electronically will benefit from the assignmentupload tool offered in a learning management system. All drafts and final versions ofassignments will be readily available to both instructor and student.ConferencesSchedule frequent conferences. These meetings are especially important early in thesemester for students selecting topics for analytical reports (or proposals) and are importantlate in the semester as they work on these reports. For online classes, a chat tool canapproximate the conference experience, especially for discussing topic ideas and addressingspecific questions students have.Document StandardsExcept for complex visuals (Chapter 12), require that all assignments be “camera ready.”Besides providing an occasion for editing and revising, standards help students to developa sense of professionalism and to anticipate formal requirements on the job.Attendance PolicyA workshoparrangementrequiresregularattendance.Subtractingpointsfromthesemester ’s total for each unexcused absence beyond two or three helps keep everyonecoming.
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Lecture Notes for Technical Communication, 15th Edition - Page 23 preview image13Working withService-Learning ProjectsAservice-learningassignmentenablesstudentstoapply,test,andrefinetheircommunication skills as they address a specific need in their community. This instructor’smanual suggests service-learning projects in appropriate chapters.Examples of Service-Learning ProjectsIn working with a nonprofit agency, students might complete these types of assignments:•newsletters or other publicity for a local food bank•a series of brochures and news releases for a women’s center•a training manual for volunteers at a local hospital or animal shelter•an orientation guide for commuters to your campus•a Web site or social media campaign for a local environmental group or otheradvocacy group•a grant proposal for a social service agency•fundraising literature for a public radio or television station•revised and redesigned user manuals for the campus computer labsAdditional possibilities for worthwhile engagement are virtually endless.Benefits of Service-Learning ProjectsBeyond enhancing community welfare, as well as enriching “town-grown” relationships,service-learning projects benefit our students in ways such as these:•Students gain direct experience in writing for “real-world” audiences and incollaborating on projects from an actual workplace.•Students tend to feel motivated and to enjoy a sense of achievement from writing thatmakes a measurable difference: for example, moving readers to act or to reconsidertheir biases, increasing readers’ knowledge, broadening their understanding, orwinning their support on an important social issue. As opposed to writing for acorporation, writing for a nonprofit agency arguably evokes a greater sense ofmission, of dedication to the organization.
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Lecture Notes for Technical Communication, 15th Edition - Page 24 preview image14•Workplace interaction calls on an array of social and interpersonal skills: for example,in negotiating entry to an organization, in learning to work collaboratively, and innavigating an organization’s culture and politics.In short, service-learning assignments introduce students to the instrumental role ofcommunication—and to its myriad complexities—within an organization.Avoiding the PitfallsDespite the promise and potential in a service-learning project, plenty can go wrong: forexample, the student might lack commitment to the cause; the fit might be wrong; theclient might have unrealistic or vague expectations; the student might feel isolated in theorganization or lack the assertiveness and rhetorical skills to negotiate the supportshe/heneeds to get the job done. The reputation of both a school and a program can be damagedby projects that turn out badly.A successful service-learning experience requires substantial preparation on the part ofboth instructor and student. To avoid problems, consider these suggestions:•Consult the rich array of print and online resources for service learning (beginningwith those listed in the following) and assign selected readings for your students aswell.•Be sure the student cares about the organization and the issue and has a genuine senseof commitment. Allow students to choose their own agency but try to verify that thestudent and the agency are a good fit in terms of social, political, and ethical outlook.•Workcloselywiththeagencysupervisortospelloutthestudent’sexactresponsibilities, as well as yours and the supervisor’s. Agree precisely on the types ofassignments and tasks, deadlines, evaluation mechanisms and criteria, and sources ofin-house support and information for the student. Try to identify and addressbeforehand any ethical issues or conflicts that may arise, say, from the types of claimsstudents may be asked to communicate in an agency’s promotional campaign.•Require a contract with the agency. Also, draw up a set of guidelines that describesthe project in detail, answering such questions as: Why have you chosen this project?What are its benefits? What qualifies you for this work? If you’re working on a team,what are your specific responsibilities? Where will you get the information you need?What specific document(s) will you submit to fulfill your project requirement?•Spell out your role in this project. The extent of required faculty involvement may beexcessive (say, line-by-line analysis versus “this document is too technical for theintended audience” or “it should be more concise” or “the tone is too informal”). Howmuch feedback should you reasonably provide on drafts of a document? Facultymembers should not be expected to be editors or unpaid consultants.•Ask the student for a written assessment of the experience: what worked or didn’twork, what might be done to avoid future problems, and so on.
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Lecture Notes for Technical Communication, 15th Edition - Page 25 preview image15Using the Objective Test QuestionsNear the end of this manual is a bank of objective test questions that supplement the chapterquizzes. Of course, improvement in students’ writing is the true measure of their progress. Butan objective test at midterm or at semester’s end can be useful:1.For instructors who choose not to give weekly quizzes, the test helps differentiate weakerwriters who have given theirbesteffort from those who have given minimal effort.2.Early announcement of a test is likely to motivate some students to read the bookcarefully, instead of merely skimming the chapters and focusing on the models.3.The test itself is an occasion for students to review—and, presumably, to better absorb—key material.To accommodate the chapter sequences used by different instructors, all test questions areorganized and labeled by chapter.
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Lecture Notes for Technical Communication, 15th Edition - Page 26 preview image16Grading ProcedureTo emphasize the mind-set of workplace success as the goal of technical writing, you mightconsider translating your grades for assignments to more authentic workplace meanings,such as the following.AYour employer would be thrilled with the work product. The writer has exhibiteddistinguishedperformancethroughaparticularlywell-structured,clearlyworded,effectively designed communication meeting the needs of the intended audience.BYour employer would be pleased with this work product, which will generally meet thepurpose for the intended audience and does not contain any major missteps that wouldturn off the intended audience. There are some issues with content, design, or wording, butthey do not cause significant damage to the effectiveness.CYour employer would have reservations about having this work product be seen byaudience members in or outside the company, as it contains a major problem or a numberof smaller problems that could impact its effectiveness and potentially affect the company’sreputation.DYour employer would send this back to you with a request for significant rework becauseof extensive issues in wording, design, or content that make this unusable.FYour employer sees that this is too far from the mark and asks that this be completelyredone.
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Lecture Notes for Technical Communication, 15th Edition - Page 27 preview image17Sample SyllabiEachsyllabusofferedherecoversarigorous—butrealistic—scheduleofactivitiesandassignments, based on 45 class meetings.Syllabus A—Basic ApproachIf your students have little technical background (as with career-education students, first-yearstudents in any major in two- or four-year programs, and two-year technical students who willnot often be expected to write long documents on the job), you might use some version of thissyllabus. Because the textbook chapters are self-contained, you can easily modify the suggestedsequence to suit your goals.Students following this syllabus will work on the long report in teams.Syllabus B—Accelerated ApproachIf your students are juniors and seniors with substantial backgrounds, or sophomores in four-year programs that require many long reports, you might use a version of Syllabus B. Theworkload is heavy, but the results are gratifying.Syllabus B differs from Syllabus A in that it yields these additional assignments: projectproposal, progress report, email, and oral report.Both syllabi have ungraded exercises for the opening sessions, to get students writing earlywithout them worrying about being penalized for poor writing.For weeks when you need more material or activities than what is on the syllabus, considerhaving students do projects from Chapter 24, “Web Pages, Blogs and Wikis,”as well as Chapter25, “Social Media.”Library Resources TourWhatever your approach, try to arrange a tour of your library resources. Since most campuslibrary resources today are digital, a "tour" is possible without physically going to the library.You or a visiting librarian can show students how to use your library's databases and availablesearch options as well strategies for searching the Internet effectively. Ideally, your class will bein a hands-on computer lab so that students can experiment with and receive guidance on theuse of these resources.
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Lecture Notes for Technical Communication, 15th Edition - Page 28 preview image18Syllabus AWeekly Assignments and ActivitiesWeekTopics and AssignmentsMilestones forFinal Project1Introduction: Discuss course goals, grading, workshop concept, teamprojects and final project, graphics and page-design requirements.Read Chapter 1; do General Project 2 and the Team Project. See Chapter15 for memo elements and format. Read Chapter 6; do the Digital andSocial Media Project.2Information Delivery: Read Chapter 2; do General Project 1 and theTeam Project; workshop.Persuasive Reasoning: Read Chapter 3; do General Projects 1 and 2.3Ethical Presentation: Read Chapter 4; do General Project 2.Good Teamwork: Read Chapter 5; do the Team Project; workshop. ReadChapter 7 in preparation for the research project. Begin work on theChapter 7 General Project, Phase One. Read Chapter 21, “TypicalAnalytical Problems.”4Style: Read Chapter 11; do all exercises.Page Design: Read Chapter 13. Take a tour of library resources. Reviewassigned sections of Chapter 7.List of possible topicsfor research project due.5Summarizing Information: Read Chapter 9; do General Project 1 and theTeam Project; workshop; revised summary and abstract due next classmeeting.Definition: Read Chapter 7; do the Global Project and the Team Project;workshop; revised definition due next class meeting.Topic and tentativebibliography forresearch project due.6Organizing for Readers: Read Chapter 10; do the General Project; developworking outlines for the final project. Sign up for team conferences onresearch project.Page Design: Review Chapter 13; do General Project 3.Tentative outline forresearch project due.7Visual Information: Read Chapter 12; do General Projects 1, 6, and7; do the Team Project; workshops. Continue work on tentative outlinesfor final project.Reviewing Findings: Read Chapter 8; do the General Project.
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Lecture Notes for Technical Communication, 15th Edition - Page 29 preview image19WeekTopics and AssignmentsMilestones forFinal Project8Memos and Letters: Read Chapter 15 for memo and letter parts, format,design, and tone; do General Project 5 in class. Inquiry Letters: ReadChapter 15, “Inquiry Letters”; do General Project 2; workshop; revisedinquiry due next class meeting; mail inquiry letters for research project.Claim and Adjustment Letters: Read Chapter 15, “Claim Letters” and“Adjustment Letters”; do General Project 3 or Team Project; workshop.Begin work on Chapter 7, General Project, Phase Two.9Résumés: Read Chapter 16, “Résumés”; General Project 1 and the Digitaland Social Media Project; first draft of résumé due next class; workshop;revised résumé due next class.Interview questions andquestionnaire due.10Application Letters: Read Chapter 16, “Application Letters”; compose theapplication and follow-up letters in response to General Project 2;workshop; revision due next class session; workshop on outlines. ReviewChapter 7 and work on General Project, Phase Two. Read Chapter 21.Detailed outline forresearch project due.11Technical Description: Read Chapter 18; do General Projects 1 and 2 inclass; group brainstorming workshop; do a description outline based onTeam Project 1; outline workshop; prepare the description; workshop;revised description due next class meeting.12Instructions and Procedures: Read Chapter 19; do General Projects1 and 2; do outline for instructions based on one of the Team Projects;workshop; prepare the instructions; workshop; revised instructions duenext class.13Formal Report: Review Chapters 7 and 8; begin work in Chapter 7 on theGeneral Project, Phase Three; workshops on material that is volunteered.Supplements: Read Chapter 22, “Front Matter and End MatterSupplements”; discussion and workshop on supplements.
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Lecture Notes for Technical Communication, 15th Edition - Page 30 preview image2014Research Project: workshopDocumentation: Read “A Quick Guide to Documentation”; discussvarious documentation systems.If you want me to read your best draft of your proposal or long report,you must turn it in by the end of this week.First draft of researchreport due15Final Project: proofreading workshop.Final draft of report due
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Lecture Notes for Technical Communication, 15th Edition - Page 31 preview image21Syllabus BWeeklyAssignments andActivitiesWeekTopics and AssignmentsMilestones forFinal Project1Introduction: Discuss course goals, grading, workshop concept, teamprojects, graphics and page-design requirements. Read Chapter 1; doGeneral Project 2. Read Chapter 6; do the Digital and Social MediaProject.Information Delivery: Read Chapter 2; do General Project 1.2Persuasive Reasoning: Read Chapter 3; do General Project 2; workshop.Ethical Presentation: Read Chapter 4; do General Project 2 and the TeamProject. Discuss final project (proposal or report). Read Chapter 21,“Typical Analytical Problems,” and Chapter 22, “Types of Proposals.”Look over the General Project in Chapter 21 and General Project 3 inChapter 22.Collaborative Guidelines: Read Chapter 5.3Style: Read Chapter 11; do all exercises. Read Chapter 7 in preparation forfinal project.List of possible topics forfinal project due.4Summarizing Information: Read Chapter 9; do General Project 1 and theTeam Project; workshop; revised summary and abstract due next classmeeting.Definition: Read Chapter 17; do the Global Project and the TeamProject; workshop; revised definition due next class meeting.Topic and tentativebibliography for finalproject due.5Organizing for Readers: Read Chapter 10; do the General Project.Visual Information: Read Chapter 12; do General Projects 1, 6, and7; do the Team Project; workshop.Sign up for office conferences on final project.Tentative outline forfinal project due.6Page Design: Read Chapter 13; do General Project 4; workshop onGeneral Project 4.Project Proposal: Read Chapter 22, “Elements of a Persuasive Proposal”;do General Project 2; workshop; revised proposal for final project duenext class meeting.Memos and Letters: Read Chapter 15 for memo and letter parts, format,design, and tone; do General Project 5 in class.Reviewing Findings: Read Chapter 8; do General Project 1.
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Technical Communication by John M. ...

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