Lesson Guide
COMM 393X Technical Writing Mid Fall 2006
Dr. Nancy Hoagland

Week One

10/25-10/31

Orientation to Class
Lesson 1 Basic Concepts: Audience, Purpose, and Copyright Law

• Introduce yourself to the class in the Conference:
  • Getting to Know Each Other
• Make sure you study Read Me First.
• Read Markel, Chapter 1: Introduction to Technical Communication, pp.3-14.
• Read Markel, Chapter 5: Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose , pp. 74-87, 96-97.
• Read Course Guide, Unit 1: Defining Technical Writing
• Read Course Guide, Unit 2: Understanding Your Audience, pp. 2-1 - 2-13.
• Read Markel, Chapter 2: Understanding Ethical and legal Considerations, "Copyright Law," pp.18-20.
• Read Markel, Chapter 21: Creating Web Sites, "Ethics, Copyright Law, and the Web," pp. 562-563.
• Post responses to conference topics for Lesson 1 Basic Concepts:
  • What is Technical Writing?
  • Your Experience Writing for an Audience
  • Responding to Copyright Issues

Week Two
11/1-11/7

• Read Markel, Chapter 5: Analyzing Your Purpose and Audience, "Communicating Across Cultures" pp. 87-96.
• Read Course Guide, Unit 2: Understanding Your Audience, pp. 2-13 - 2-15.
• Post responses to conference topics for Lesson 2 Basic Concepts:
  • Writing English for an International Audience
  • Insights into Writing for a Multicultural Audience
  • Writing a Sales Letter to a Japanese Customer
  • Writing a Formal Letter of Apology to China
    

• Read Markel, Chapter 9: Drafting and Revising Definitions and Descriptions, pp. 193-204.
• Read Course Guide, Unit 9: Defining Terms, Describing Objects, and Explaining Processes, pp. 9-1 - 9-14.
• Identify your tentative topic for the class project as a post under the Conference:
  • Possible Topics for the Class Research Project
• Post responses to conference topics for Lesson 3 Writing Definitions:
  • Defining a Term for Two Different Audiences (counts 10% of Course Participation Grade)
  • Compiling a Group Definition: e-Learning

• Assignment Sheet for Assignment 1: Audience Analysis
• Evaluation Sheet for Assignment 1: Audience Analysis
  

• Read Markel, Chapter 7: Researching Your Subject, pp. 123-158.
• Read Markel, Appendix: Reference Handbook, "Part A: Documenting Sources, MLA Style" pp. 592-593 and 610-620.
• Read Course Guide, Unit 3 Gathering and Documenting Information, 3-1 - 3-29.
• Post responses to conference topics for Lesson 4 Gathering and Documenting Information:
  • Meeting the Needs of Your Audience
  • Past Research Experience Counts
  • What Research Methods Do You Plan to Use?
  • Developing Items for a Questionnaire
  • Completing the module "How to Avoid Plagiarism" (counts 10% Course Participation Grade)

• Read Markel, Chapter 7: Researching Your Subject, pp. 123-158 (continued)
• Read Course Guide, Unit 3 Gathering and Documenting Information, 3-1 - 3-29 (continued).
• Read Markel, Appendix: Reference Handbook, "Part A: Documenting Sources, MLA Style" pp. 592-593 and 610-620 (continued)
• Read Markel, Chpt. 17: Writing Proposals, pp 431-461.
• Read Course Guide, Unit 4 Proposing a Project, pp. 4-1 - 4-22.
• Post responses to Conference topics for Lesson 5 Internet Research; Writing a Proposal:
  • Study Group Reports on Using Internet Research Tools
  • Using MLA Guidelines for Documenting an Internet Source
  • What Is a Planning Proposal?
• Study Groups: Group Reports on Internet Research (counts 20% of Course Participation Grade)

NOTE: Deadline for Group Reports Extended to Friday, Dec. 1

Lesson 6 Organizing Information; Writing a Progress Report

Assignment 2: Planning Proposal due 12/5.

• Assignment Sheet for Assignment 2: Planning Proposal
• Evaluation Sheet for Assignment 2: Planning Proposal.
  
  
• Read Markel, Chpt. 8 Organizing Your Information, pp. 159-186.
• Read Markel, Chpt. 18 Writing Informal Reports, "Writing Progress and Status Reports," pp. 463-476.
• Read Course Guide, Unit 5 Writing Reports, pp. 5-1 - 5-32.
• Post responses to Conference topics for Lesson 6 Organizing Information, Writing a Progress Report:
  • Organizing Your Analytical Report
  • Writing a Progress Report
  • Tips for Using UMUC Databases

• Read Markel, Chapter 19 Writing Formal Reports, pp. 482-519..
• Read Markel, Chapter 12 Drafting and Revising Front and Back Matter, pp. 267-282.
• Post responses to Conference topics for Lesson 7 Organizing Information; Writing a Formal Report; Front and Back Matter:
  • What Is Your Definition of a Formal Report?
  • What Elements Do You Plan to Include

Assignment 3: Progress Report due 12/19.

• Assignment Sheet for Assignment 3: Progress Report
• Evaluation Sheet for Assignment 3: Progress Report.
  

• Read Markel, Chpt. 12 Drafting and Revising Front and Back Matter, "The Abstract," pp. 269-273.
• Read Course Guide, Unit 6 Summarizing Information, pp. 6-1 - 6-21
• Post responses to Conference topics for Lesson 8 Summarizing Information; Writing an Abstract:
  • Writing an Abstract of an Internet Source (counts 10% of Course Participation Grade)

Week Nine
12/20-1/1

Winter Break

12/24-1/1

• Read Markel, Chpt. 13 Designing the Document, " pp. 287-315.
• Read Markel, Chpt. 14 Creating Graphics, pp.318-367.
• Read Course Guide, Unit 7 Designing Documents and Using Graphics, pp. 7-1 - 7-30.
• Post responses to Conference topics for Lesson 9 Designing Documents; Using Graphics:
  • Applying Elements of Document Design
  • Evaluating the Design of a Web Site
  • Has the Internet Changed the Design of More Traditional Documents?
  • Planning Graphics for Your Final Report

• Read Markel, Chpt. 20 Writing Instructions and Manuals, " pp. 521-545.
• Read Course Guide, Unit 10 Developing Instructions, pp. 10-1 - 10-28.
• Post responses to Conference topics for Lesson 10 Writing Instructions:
  • Venting Your Frustrations
  • Evaluating Instructions
  • Analyzing the Audience for Writing a Set of Instructions
• Study Groups: Review of Rough Drafts of Analytical Reports ( Counts 10% extra credit on the Course Participation Grade)

Assignment 4: Analytical Report Due 1/15

• Assignment Sheet for Assignment 4: Analytical Report
• Evaluation Sheet for Assignment 4: Analytical Report

• Read Markel, Chpt. 9 Drafting and Revising Definitions and Descriptions, "Writing Descriptions," pp. 204-215..
• Read Course Guide, Unit 9 Defining Terms, Describing Objects, and Explaining Processes, "Describing Objects," pp. 9-14 - 9-24.
• Post responses to Conference topics for Lesson 11 Writing a Technical Description
  • Identifying a Technical Description
  • Using a Technical Description

• Read Markel, Chapter 15 Writing Letters, Memos, and E-mail, pp. 364-388.
• Read Course Guide, Unit 8 Writing Letters and Memos, pp. 8-1 - 8-31.
• Post responses to Conference topics for Lesson 12 Business Correspondence I.
  • Avoiding E-mail Misunderstandings

Assignment 5: Instructions/Technical Description/Definitions due 1/29

• Assignment Sheet for Assignment 5: Instructions/Technical Description/Definitions
• Evaluation Sheet for Assignment 5: Instructions/Technical Description/Definitions

Assignment 6: Business Letter due 1/29

• Assignment Sheet for Assignment 6: Business Letter
• Evaluation Sheet for Assignment 6: Business Letter

• Read Markel, Chapter 16 Preparing Job-Application Materials, pp. 393-427.
• Read Course Guide, Unit 13 Resumes and Employment Correspondence, pp. 13-1 - 13-35.
• Post responses to Conference topics for Lesson 13 Business Correspondence II.
  • Writing a Resume
  • The Electronic Resume
  • The Job Search in 2006
  • Post Your Resume (an opportunity, not a requirement)

• Final Exam Week
• All course work must be submitted by 2/5