202C Course Syllabus
Instructor:
Jeanette Novakovich
Office:
Burrows 256
Office Hours:
Tuesday 6:45-8:00
Office Phone:
861-6741
Text
Technical Communication by
Mike Markel. Bedford/St. Martin's, 2007. Ninth edition. E-book.
Objectives
ENGL 202C, Technical Writing, serves
students who are studying and preparing for careers in the sciences and applied
sciences, including engineering. This advanced course in writing familiarizes
students with the discourse practices prized in their disciplinary and
institutional communities--and helps them to manage those practices effectively
in their own written work. In this way the course teaches those writing
strategies and tactics that scientists, engineers, and others will need in
order to write successfully on the job.
Accordingly, students in the course can
expect the following:
- To write several specific kinds of
documents that recur in technical, scientific, and other communities
- To learn to use the Blogs@PennState
program to create an E-Portfolio
- To collaborate effectively with their
peers in a community of writers
- To communicate in an ethically
responsible manner
In addition, when designing and
writing documents, students will utilize the following process:
- Identify their readers and describe
the characteristics of their readers in a way that forms a sound basis for
deciding how to write to them
- Research and invent the contents of
their communications
- Observe the appropriate generic
conventions and formats for technical documents and arrange material to
raise and satisfy readers' expectations
- Reveal the organization of their
communications by using forecasting and transitional statements, headings,
and effective page/document design
- Design and use tables, graphs, and
technical illustrations
- Evaluate and revise their documents
to be sure that the documents fulfill their purpose
Expectations
In this course, I will try to hold you
to the professional standards that prevail in your field.
Professional
Standards
Promptness. In this course, as in the working
world, you must turn in your work on time. All projects are due on the dates
indicated on the syllabus. Assignments turned in late will be penalized one
letter grade unless you have made other arrangements with me in advance. I will
not accept late papers after a week has passed the due date.
Appearance. All work should be neatly prepared,
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 will be
posted on the Blogs @ Penn State Web space assigned to each student, but I also
reserve the right to ask you to turn in any assignment as a word processing
file or in hard copy.
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.
Sometimes I will request a copy of one of your documents so that I can use it
as a sample, to illustrate effective and problematic responses to assignments.
Unless I completely obliterate any marks that might identify it as yours, I
will never use your work in class without your permission.
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.
Appropriateness. When publishing text on the
World Wide Web, you will need to consider the broad spectrum of possible
audiences your writing may reach. The blogging platform allows you a high
level of personal control, and you should be creative in your design of that
space; you should also be aware, however, of the public nature of Web texts.
Possible audiences for your blogging sites include, but are not limited to:
potential or future employers, professors, and University administration.
Please restrict the content of your site accordingly.
In addition to the requirements
outlined above, you are expected to work until the class period has ended; to
complete all reading assignments on time; to help your classmates learn by your
responses to their writing; to choose projects that require significant
research and analysis; to spend at least six hours per week out of class for
writing and class preparation; and to be courteous and considerate.
Attendance
You are expected to attend class every
day and to have your work with you. Regular attendance is required, because
course instruction depends on your active participation. Two or three absences
will probably not affect your performance too much (unless you miss a rough
draft session--a major problem); but try to limit it to that.
Excused absences
are appropriate, of course, but beyond that, let me repeat English department
policy: A student whose absences are excessive "may run the risk of
receiving a lower grade or a failing grade," whether some of those
absences are considered "excused" or not. 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 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 complete enough for you to receive substantial help
from your peers. Under no circumstances will I accept a "final"
version of a document unless I have seen rough drafts.
In addition, the following University-recommended flu protocols will be observed in this course:
Special
Fall 2009 Flu Protocols -
In compliance with Pennsylvania Department of Health and
Centers for Disease Control recommendations, students should NOT attend class
or any public gatherings while ill with influenza. Students with flu symptoms
will be asked to leave campus if possible and to return home during recovery.
The illness and self-isolation period will usually be about a week. It is very
important that individuals avoid spreading the flue to others.
Most students should be able to complete a successful
semester despite a flu-induced absence. Faculty will provide students who
are absent because of illness with a reasonable opportunity to make up missed
work. Ordinarily, it is inappropriate to substitute for the missed assignment
the weighting of a semester's work that does not include the missed assignment
or exam. Completion of all assignments and exams assures the greatest chance
for students to develop heightened understanding and content mastery that is
unavailable through the weighting process. The opportunity to complete all
assignments and exams supports the University's desire to enable students to
make responsible situational decisions, including the decision to avoid
spreading a contagious virus to other students, staff, and faculty, without
endangering their academic work.
Students with the flu [or who are experiencing any other
illness] do not need to provide a physician's certification of illness.
Conferences
See me when you have questions about an
assignment, when you would like to try out some ideas before a document is due,
or when you have questions about a comment. You should also see me to get help
with particular writing problems, to resolve differences about grades, or to
suggest ways to improve the course.
Grades
Your final grade will be determined by
the grades you receive on written and in-class writing projects, according to
the following weighting:
Project/Quiz
Values
Job Application Package
15%
Portfolio
15%
Weblog
10%
Annotated Bib 10%
Proposal
10%
PA Center for the Book Article
20%
Video Project
10%
Daily Writing Assignments/quizzes
10%
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:
Grades
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.
When grading your papers, I will also consider your participation during the unit, including the completion of the planning worksheet and participation in the draft workshop.
Note: It will be difficult to get an "A" for the
course if you miss more than five classes and turn your work in late. Unless
you make arrangements ahead of time, late work will be docked one letter grade
per day that it is late. Work without drafts or peer review participation will
not be graded. If you miss a peer review date, it is your responsibility to
make an appointment with the writing center to have your work officially peer
reviewed.
GRADING
SCALE
A
95-99
A-
90-94
B+
85-89
B
80-84
B-
75-79
C+
70-74
C
65-69
C-
60-64
D
55-59
F
Below 55
0
No work turned in
Plagiarism
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.
Disabilities
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.
Class Cancellations
In
the event that class is canceled by the instructor, an email will be sent
directly to students at least one-hour prior to the start of class. Be
sure to check your Angel email before each class. Information concerning
University-initiated cancellations can be secured through the usual channels.
*Note this syllabus is a guideline only and subject to change.
No TrackBacks
TrackBack URL: https://blogs.psu.edu/mt4/mt-tb.cgi/66066
2 Comments
Leave a comment
I really like the colors here on your blog. did you design this yourself or did you outsource it to a professional?
Do you have any more info on this?Juicy Couture sale