Course Information
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Summer 09
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Number |
ENGL 314
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Title |
Technical Communication
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Description |
Students in this course will learn to effectively write and
design documents, both printed and electronic, most often
encountered in scientific and engineering professions.
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Objectives |
Upon successful completion of this course, students will
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Be more conscious of the processes for planning, drafting,
revising and editing written work,
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Be able to analyze audience and purpose in rhetorical
situations and make rhetorical choices based on this
analysis,
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Generate the type and amount of information required by a
given rhetorical situation,
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Arrange materials to elicit the intended audience’s response
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Achieve an effective tone and voice for a given rhetorical
situation,
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Create a variety of documents for effective communication,
and
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Make stylistic choices appropriate for a given rhetorical
situation.
Students will also be able to
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Write and design various technical documents effectively
with attention to purpose and audience,
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Generate electronic documents to fit technological
developments in scientific or engineering settings, and
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Understand and incorporate techniques for delivering
effective oral presentations.
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Instructor
Office
Email |
Jeni DiSalvo
350 Carver
disalvo@iastate.edu
All email submissions should be acknowledged by a “Reply” from
instructor. |
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Texts |
none |
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Submission |
All assignments will be submitted as a printout from a computer
program. No handwritten or typed papers will be accepted.
Computers are available in the library and Ross Hall for those
who do not have access to computers at home.
All group assignments will contain individual submissions
assembled in “portfolios” as specified on the assignment sheets,
as well as a single group submission of final draft. Group
projects will not be accepted as email submissions.
Email versions of assignments are an option to hard copy
submissions—but email submissions are not required. All email
submissions must be acknowledged with a “Reply” from the
instructor and verification of the receipt date. Email problems
and/or faulty disks are the responsibility of the student, and
late and/or defective files are not considered submitted. The
student is responsible for ensuring that all files are received,
acknowledged, and in working order prior to the due dates.
All papers must be turned in to the instructor—not to the
office or in the instructor’s mailbox (or under my office door).
KEEP COPIES OF ALL YOUR WORK! Do not delete or throw away
anything until after semester grades are posted. You are
responsible for keeping records of your own papers and grades. |
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Grading |
Your course grade will be based on four major writing projects
(100 pts), which include portfolios that contain materials
specified in assignment sheets, two minor writing projects (50
pts.), a PowerPoint presentation (100 pts), attendance (100
points), in-class exercises (variable pts.), and a final exam or
project (100 pts.). (Point values are subject to change.) The
exercises conducted during class will also count towards your
grade. (These assignments are subject to change based on time
constraints and instructor discretion.)
Due to the collaborative nature of some projects, no assignments
or drafts will be accepted after the due dates on those group
assignments. Only ONE non-group assignment will be accepted
late with a 10% penalty for each week late with a two week
maximum—after two weeks, the assignment will not be accepted for
a grade. In-class exercises can only be completed during those
class periods in which they were assigned—NO EXCEPTIONS!
Absence is not an acceptable excuse for late papers or homework.
No assignments will be accepted after
midnight
(via email) on the last scheduled day of regular classes (not
the final exam date).
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|
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98-100%
93-97
90-92
87-89
83-86
80-82
77-79
73-76
70-72
67-69
63-66
60-62
<60 |
A+
A
A
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
D-
F
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Evaluation |
Assignments and papers will be evaluate based on the following
criteria:
50% Content and following the directions on the assignment
sheet),
20% Mechanics (spelling grammar, punctuation, and
organization),
20% Application of course material, and
10% Creativity and preparation.
I will occasionally offer extra credit assignments. Points from
extra credit assignments will be added to your cumulative score. |
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Plagiarism |
·
Sources for all papers must be available for the instructor to
check at any time,
·
Sources in all papers need to be fully documented using current
MLA format,
·
Failure to document sources or turning in someone else’s paper
with your name on it could result in a failing grade on
the paper. Opportunity to rewrite will be
at the instructor’s or department’s discretion. Plagiarism on
any assignment may result in a failing grade for the class and
official action by the college.
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Attendance |
You are not required to come to class; however, your final grade
includes 100 points for attending class plus the points that are
derived from exercises that we do during class time. Those
exercises cannot be made up outside of class, so you will need
to come to class to get those points. Since much of this course
involves collaborative work, your attendance will affect the
quality for the entire group. |
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Weather cancellations |
Listen to
the radio and/or television for school delays and cancellations.
If class is cancelled for any reason, I will post the
information on the class web page on the message board at least
30 minutes before class start time. You should check the
message board before going to class if you are in doubt. |
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Writing
Center
(not available in the summer) |
This
center will help you with any part of the writing process. They
will not, however, serve as a proofreading service.
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Accommodation |
If you have a documented disability that requires assistance,
you will need to go to the Disability Resource (DR) Office for
coordination in your academic accommodations. The DR is located
in the Student
Services
Building, Room 1076. Their phone
number is 515-294-6624, TDD 515-294-6335 or email Beatrice
Awoniyi at awoniyib@iastate.edu. |