Technical Writing--2311.004

L. Lennie Irvin
San Antonio College
Fall 2005
Tech Writing Home

BASIC COURSE INFORMATION:
INSTRUCTOR: Mr. Lennie Irvin
OFFICE: GH 208D; 733-2522; email lirvin@accd.edu
OFFICE HOURS: MW 11-12 am, 1-2pm; TR 11-12 or by appointment
HOMEPAGE ADDRESS: http://www.accd.edu/sac/english/lirvin
COURSE ACCESS: http://www.accd.edu/sac/english/lirvin/TechW/

REQUIRED TEXT AND MATERIALS:
Technical Communication, Tenth Edition by John Lannon, Longman Press, 2005

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Prerequisites: ENGL 1301 and 1302. (from SAC Bulletin)
Writing business letters, technical papers, and reports. Emphasis on form and method. For the improvement of students' ability to gather and to communicate technical information in their major fields of study.

COURSE OBJECTIVE:
English 2311 students should be able to demonstrate the ability
A. To adapt the particular rhetorical demands of audience to appropriate style, purpose, and structure;
B. To apply the appropriate modes of expression, including informative, persuasive, descriptive, narrative, and scientific;
C. To understand professional writing as a recursive, connected, and interactive process which includes prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading;
D. To read, analyze, and synthesize various professional materials;
E. To apply the proper integration of cited materials and documentation from appropriate style manuals;
F. To construct and integrate graphic/visual aids coherently into professional documents; G. To understand the importance of cooperative and collaborative discussion leading to a group?generated document;
H. To use professional formats, such as letters, memo, and reports.

COURSE GRADE:
You will write a variety of types of business forms, from letters to reports to presentations. You will participate in the class discussion. This is a participatory class, not lecture. You are expected to interact regularly with classmates and ask questions for clarification from the instructor. Following instructions and keeping up with the work are mandatory. Successful students will be those who are attentive to details.

POLICIES:
1. Reviewing the syllabus is the first thing students should do for the class. If students have any questions about any of the items on the syllabus, they should ask them immediately.
2. Attendance is mandatory. According to college policies, if students miss more than two weeks of classes (i.e. 4 classes for a TR class), they may be dropped or receive an F for the course. Please note that being absent, regardless of the reason, does NOT excuse students from the assignments for that day. There are NO excused absences.
3. Academic Dishonesty Policy: The full text of the policy may be found in the "Student Code of Conduct," which is in the San Antonio College Bulletin. The text reads, in part: "Students found guilty of an act of academic dishonesty may be subject to an academic penalty, including one or more if not inconsistent: 1) A requirement to complete additional academic work not required of other students in the course; 2) A reduction in grade; or 3) Assignment of a grade of "F" in the course."
4. ADA Statement for Students Requiring Special Accommodations: As per section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, if accommodation is needed, contact the Office of DisABILITY Support Services (CAC 124C) at 733?2347. (SAC Bulletin)
5. Discrimination: The Alamo Community College District, including its affiliated colleges, does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability with respect to access, employment programs, or services. Inquiries or complaints concerning these matters should be brought to the attention of: Director of Human Resources, Title IX Coordinator, 210/208-8051. Address: Human Resources Department, 201 W. Sheridan, Bldg. AA, San Antonio, Texas 78204. For special accommodations or an alternate format, contact the San Antonio College DisABILITY Support Services at 733?2347.
6. Tutorial Assistance: Tutorial assistance is available to students in the English Department Writing Lab (GH 118) and in the Student Learning Assistance Center (SLAC Lab in MLC 726). The Internet Skills Center is located in MLC 400B.
7. Privacy: Information about other students in the class is limited to members of this class. Do not share contact information or other private information with other people.
8. Assignments are due on the date specified in the syllabus or by the instructor at time specified. Daily type assignments or journals may not be made up, but more significant "essays" or "reports" follow this late policy: Late essays automatically lose ten points off the grade. You have one week in which to complete the assignment or the grade is a zero.
9. Readings. All assigned readings are mandatory. Students are expected to have read or skimmed (as assigned) all the appropriate readings before they participate in the class discussions.
10. Editing. This is a 2000 level class so use of proper grammar, vocabulary, syntax, punctuation, and other conventions is a prerequisite and will be expected in ALL written work. Excessive grammatical errors (fragments, comma splices, fused sentences, misplaced modifiers, misspelling, preposition errors, etc.) seriously detract from effective communication and will be detrimental to students' grades. Students should get a tutor or come see me for help, or otherwise solve their grammatical problems before they turn their papers in for grading. Proofread carefully.
11. Following Instructions: All students must read the syllabus and text carefully and follow instructions. Students should ask questions when they are confused, but first they should reread the assignments and text, then ask questions as appropriate.
12. Timelines and Planning: Students must set timelines for themselves so that they finish all assignments in a timely manner, allowing for unexpected difficulties either with computers, Internet connections, or collaborative group problems.
13. Discussions: All discussions will be held in our Forum. Students must check that forum regularly and read and respond to the Message Board.
14: Emergency Numbers:
ACCD DPS Emergency Number 222-0911
ACCD DPS General Phone 208-8099
ACCD DPS Weather Phone 208-8189 (for information on college closures)

15. Netiquette: Guidelines for Students Using E-mail

· Always fill in the subject line. Start it with 2311004. For example, if you have a question, do the subject line this way:
Subject: 2311400 Instructions question.
My email program will sort the emails into the proper accounts if you address them correctly.
· Keep the content course-related. Non-course related humor is best shared with friends outside of class.
· Make sure that everything in the content is respectful. Write nothing that violates or infringes the rights of others. Examples of such violations include statements that are libelous, invade someone else's privacy, or are offensive, sexually suggestive or discourteous. Write nothing that violates the college policies for student behavior, harasses people, or incites others to take violent or otherwise unlawful action.
· Sensitive topic queries may be sent by email.
· If the e-mail program you use does not show the date, type it in the message box.
· Don't type in all caps. Many interpret it as SHOUTING and find it rude. As one site recommends, "Treat contacts with respect so the dialogue on the Internet continues to grow in a valuable way."
· Be direct and to the point.
· Explain the project you're working on or the situation about which you are writing to provide a context for the reader. Then ask the question or make the request that causes you to write.
· Say, "Thank you" when it is appropriate.
· Include a signature because not all e-mail programs make the sender's name clear. At minimum for this class, it should include your first and last name and a phone number. Some people include a favorite saying, a disclaimer, and/or a graphic. It should be no longer than five lines.
· When you click the reply button, look at the To: line on the screen to make sure the program is replying to the correct address.
· In replying to a message, quote only the part to which you are responding. Delete the rest before you send it.
·<http://www.webfoot.com/advice/email.top.html?author> is a web site with extensive description of netiquette for email

17.Other Policies: All other policies and procedures outlined in the SAC Bulletin and in the College "Student Code of Conduct" will be enforced in this course.

GRADING INFORMATION
Course Evaluation
Assignment Possible points:
Assignments #1 through #20 (each assignment will be rated superior = 5 to 0) 100

Total Points 1000
Possible extra credit for no more than 50 points
Final Grade:
1050-900=A; 899-800=B; 799-700=C; 699-600=D; 599 and below=F

Grading Criteria
The general criteria for evaluation written documents are as follows:
A=Outstanding, B=Above Average, C=Average, D=Below Average But Passing, F=Failure
A: Meets the requirements of the assignment and presents an outstanding perspective on it. The thesis might be exceptional or the material used to support it may be highly inventive. The organization is logical, the prose is cohesive and clear, and there are only one or two minor technical errors, such as an occasional typo. The prose is stylistically interesting, containing a varied and skillful sentence structure and effective word choice.
B: Meets the requirements of the assignment and builds upon a solid unified thesis. The organization is logical, prose is cohesive and clear, and adequate evidence is presented. Sentence construction is skillful with no major problems. There are only one or two lapses in consistency of presentation. Technical errors are few and relatively minor such as misplaced commas or poor word choice.
C: Meets the requirements of the assignment. The thesis is generally clear, although does no more than rely upon ideas often presented about the subject. The concepts may be disorganized, and evidence may be insufficient. Some ideas may lack development or be unsupported. There are several technical errors, and a few of them may be serious: faulty agreement, run?on sentences, garbled constructions. On the whole, the C paper is still understandable and contains some good points.
D: Fails to meet the requirements of the assignment adequately. The thesis may lack clarity, and the evidence presented in its support may be insufficient or poorly presented. The organization is not clearly presented. There are many errors. Sentences are so poorly constructed that they interfere with meaning. The D paper does show some understanding of the subject and an effort to establish and support a thesis.
F: Fails to meet the requirements of the assignment. The thesis is never established or lacks unity. The organization is illogical, and transitions between ideas are insufficient. Support for ideas is scant. Technical errors are numerous. Sentences are incoherent because of construction. The paper shows little understanding of the subject.