Advanced Japanese for Technical and Business Professions2

Winter 2013

HCDE 562

Advanced Japanese for Technical and Business Professions2

(4 credits)

Course outline

This is the second course of the second-year sequence of technical and business Japanese for professionals. HCDE562 reinforces the skills taught in HCDE561 and prepares students for research activities in HCDE563. The course focuses on reading skills (e.g., grasping main ideas), oral skills (e.g., presentation), and writing skills (e.g., summary writing). Students also practice translation.

Course objectives

Reading:

• Strengthen skills to grasp main points accurately and quickly.
• Strengthen skills to grasp paragraph structures.
• Improve accuracy in comprehension.
• Expand general vocabulary and common technical/business vocabulary

Oral:

• Polish presentation skills.
• Improve the control of different speech levels.

Writing:

• Develop skills for summary writing

Other:

• Strengthen skills for J-to-E translation.

Class hours and classroom

12:30 p.m. - 1:50 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays

MGH 282

Instructor

Michio Tsutsui

Office: 209 Sieg Hall

Phone: 206-685-2566

Email: <>

Office hours: 2:00 p.m. -3:00 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays, or by appointment

Course websites:

• CommonView:
• Dropbox:

Communication

• Students are asked to use Japanese in class unless it is necessary to use English or the instructor asks them to use it.
• Students are encouraged to use Japanese whenever possible in sending an email to the instructor. (New students should send a test email in Japanese to the instructor soon after the first class.)
• After each class, assignments and next class activities are posted on the CommonView site. There will be no individual reminder of assignments, due dates, and class activities.
• Occasionally the instructor send students important emails. Students are responsible for checking their emails daily.

Reading materials

Reading materials (articles, vocabulary lists, and comprehension questions) will be provided via the CommonView site.

Main assignments

• Reading comprehension questions
• Summaries of articles
• Paragraph translations
• Mini-presentations
• Pair oral presentation and a written report on pair reading

Assignments submission

Students are asked to submit some assignments via the Dropbox. (When submitting assignments using the Dropbox, the file names should start with “HCDE562” and no Japanese characters should be included in the file names.)

Tests

There are three Unit Tests. There are no midterm, final, or quizzes.

Grading

• Unit tests(x 3)30%
• Homework assignments 40%

Comprehension exercises 30%

Summary (x 2) 5%

Translation exercises (x 2) 5%

• Mini-presentations (x 2) and a pair presentation15%
• Short report on pair reading 5%
• Participation in discussion10%

______

100%

Policies

• There will be no make-up for tests unless the student notifies the instructor of his/her absence in advance and the reason for the absence is acceptable.
• A missed oral presentation with no advance notification receives no grade.
• Homework assignments are not accepted after the questions have been discussed in class or the answer keys have been posted.
• Homework assignments submitted after the deadlines will receive the next lower letter grade or 20% off.
• Students are responsible for making sure that all the homework assignments have been submitted.
• Students are responsible for collecting missed materials.

TJP Lab access

The TJP lab (211 Sieg) provides a comfortable study space for TJP students. It is equipped with seven PCs and a printer. Japanese language reference books, textbooks, and other Japan-related materials are also available there. Students need to have their Husky Cards activated at the HCDE front desk (428 Sieg) in order to enter the TJP Lab.

References

Grammar dictionaries:

• Makino, S. and M. Tsutsui. A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar, The Japan Times, 1986.
• Makino, S. and M. Tsutsui. A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar, The Japan Times, 1995.
• Makino, S. and M. Tsutsui. A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar, The Japan Times, 2008.

Online dictionaries:

• POP jisyo.com:
• Rikai.com:
• Space ALC:
• Goo:
• Reading Tutor:
• Yamasa Online Kanji Dictionary:

• Jim Brean’s WWWJDIC:

Japanese news sites

• Nikkei Business Online:
• Asashi Shinbun Globe:
• TechOn
• IT media:
• CNET Japan:
• NHK Online:
• Nikkei Net:
• Asahi.com:
• Mainichi Jp:
• MSN Sankei News:
• Yomiuri Online:

Schedule

Tuesday

Thursday

1/29

(The unit topics are subject to change.)

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