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Course Calendar - Fall 2007

 Numbers below link
to weekly lessons		 Tuesday Thursday
1
Definitions
& Documents
 August 21st
  • Opening remarks
  • Review of syllabus
  • Discussion of course content
  • First assignment of semester
  • Getting-acquainted exercise
 August 23rd
  • Definition of technical communication
  • Example documents
  • Discussion of readings

Readings due:
  • Read Chapter 1
  • Exercise 4, pp. 29-30
2
Reading & Writing		 August 28th
  • Discussion of writing process
  • In-class writing exercise

Readings due:
 August 30th
  • Discussion of reading strategies
  • In-class writing exercise.

Work due:
  • Interview reports
  • Chapter 3
3
Audience Analysis		 Sept. 4th
  • Audience analysis
  • Gender-fair language

Readings due:
 Sept. 6th
  • Presentations of analyses


Work due:
  • Website analysis
4
Research & Organization		 Sept. 11th
  • Library research
  • Internet research
  • Using search engines

Readings due:
 Sept. 13th
  • Organization
  • Information architecture


Work due:
  • Research assignment
  • Chapter 10
5
Doc Design
& Visuals		 Sept. 18th
  • Document design
  • Stylesheets
  • Typography

Readings due:
  • Chapter 11 & 12
 Sept. 20th
  • Information design
  • Visual rhetoric
  • Assign collaborative partners

Readings due:
  • Chapter 13
6
Collaboration		 Sept. 25th

Work due:
  • Chapter 5
  • Prep for collaborative memo
 Sept. 27th
  • Face-to-face and computerized collaboration

Work due:
  • Collaborative memo
7
Descriptions/
Explanations		 October 2nd
  • Definition/description
    group exercises

Readings due:
 October 4th
  • Explanation exercise
  • In-class proposal workshop

Readings due:
  • Chapter 16
8
Proposals		 Oct. 9th
  • Proposal discussion
  • Proposal peer response workshop

Work due:
  • Draft proposals
  • Chapters 19
 Oct. 11th
  • Conference sign-up
  • Continued discussion of proposals

Work due:
  • Final proposals
9
Midterm
Conferences		 Oct. 16th
  • CONFERENCES (No Class)

Readings due:
  • None
 Oct. 18th
  • CONFERENCES (No Class)

Readings due:
  • Chapter 18
10
Résumés &
Cover Letters		 Oct. 23rd
Work due:
  • Drafts of résumé & cover letter
 Oct. 25th
  • More peer response
  • Adobe Dreamweaver software instruction exercise

Work due:
  • Final résumé & cover letter
11
Instructions		 Oct. 30th
  • Writing software instructions
  • Usability workshop

Readings due:
  • Chapter 21
 Nov. 1st
  • Oral communication
  • PowerPoint workshop

Work due:
  • Procedure instructions
  • Chapter 17
12
Progress
Reports 		Nov. 6th
  • Progress Report Presentations

Work due:
  • Progress reports
 Nov. 8th
  • Progress Report Presentations
13
Single
Sourcing		 Nov. 13th
  • XML and single sourcing
  • Content management systems

Readings due:
 Nov. 15th
  • DocBook demo
  • DITA examples
14
Thanksgiving		 Thanksgiving
15
Formal Reports		 Nov. 27th
  • Formal Reports

Readings/work due:
  • Chapter 20
  • Continue projects
 Nov. 29th
  • Formal Reports

Work due:
  • Continue projects
16
Workshop
Week		 Dec. 4th
  • Project Workshop

Work due:
  • Continue projects
 Dec. 6th
  • Project Workshop
17
Final Project
 Final projects due during final exam period:
Wednesday, Dec. 12th, 9:45-11:45 am