COMM313 – Professional Communication – Fall 2009

1:00 – 1:50PM Snell Hall 130

JULIE M. DAVIS, Adjunct Instructor Director of Web Development

Office: Science Center Room 312E-mail Address:

Office Hours: MWF 9 – 5:00 by AppointmentPhone: 268-6713

TTH 9 – 5:00 by AppointmentAIM: JulieDavisNY

Yahoo IM: digital_julie

Textbook:

  • Technical Communication Today, 3rd edition, by Richard Johnson-Sheehan, ISBN#: 0-205-63244-0
  • Additional resources are provided on the discussion board, through the text website located at

Course Description: Professional communication is intended to teach students how to design and present effective professional documents. Students will learn through analyzing the rhetoricalapproach used in communication. They will examine the issues and details important to producing materials (e.g., audience, style, format and purpose). Students will practice writing both individually and collaboratively and will be expected to present their work orally on occasion. The course will cover genres such as, but not limited to:resumes, letters and memos, technical documentation, proposals, presentations and web sites.

Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to:

  • Follow a systematic process in planning and writing business and technical documents.
  • Select, write and organize information to meet the needs of the reader.
  • Understand the process and importance of research in the creation of technical documents
  • Complete various forms of technical documents such as but not limited to: resumes, claim letters, technical instructions, proposals, presentations and web sites

Course Website:

Throughout the course you will be assigned reading in your text as well supplemental reading or videos you will be asked to review. As part of your grade you will be asked to post a response to posted questions on a discussion board.

Grading:

The final grade in COMM313: Professional Communication will be determined by the evaluation of sixmajorprojectsand twelve weekly discussion posts that will account for each individual’s grade.

  • Resume & Cover Letter10 pts
  • Claim Letter10 pts
  • Technical Instructions10 pts
  • Proposal Project15 pts
  • Group Marketing Pitch Presentation15 pts
  • Group Website Design20 pts
  • Discussion Board Posts (1.5 – 2 pts)20 pts

100 pts

Grades for all above are based on:

  1. Organization and Effectiveness: How well does the assigned document, project or presentationflow through introduction and various content requirements to the conclusion
  2. Document Quality: How successful the project is as a technical document using the concepts and theories discussed in class. Did the assignment reach a high standard of accomplishment and show a level of sophistication of that approaching a professional technical communicator.
  3. Audience:How successful is the message in communicating with the reader. The assignment aligns with ethical standards of society and those involving the intended reader.
  4. Assignment Submission:Did the design meet the deadline, does it incorporate all given specifications and contain the necessary information.

Grading system is as follows:

100 – 95= AWow! You did amazing work that showed initiative and originality

94 – 90= B+It’s good, you did a very good job and showed good use of technical skills.

89 – 82= BAlright, you meet all the expectations but didn’t push the boundaries.

81 – 77= C+Ok, You did just enough to get by.

76 – 72= CMinimal, you didn’t try very hard, shows poor understanding of the concepts

71 – 66= D+Woops! You didn’t follow directions, lack effort

65 – 60= DBelow expectations, did not meet lesson objectives

Classroom Policies: Attendance is required. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor as soon as possible in the case of illness or other unavoidable cause of absence. Prolonged illness of three or more consecutive days must have an excuse from a medical professional or the Dean of Students. Excessive absence from class, three or more unexcused, may result in failure of the course. Attendance is taken at the beginning of class; don’t be late.

Plagiarism is not tolerated and will result in a failing grade. Using or handing in anyone else’s work or doing someone else’s work is plagiarism.

Assignment Descriptions:

Résumé & Cover Letter– 10 points
Find a job posting that interests you and begin writing a résumé to applyfor the position. In the next few days we will cover the process for writing and understanding your audience. These topics will assist you in focusing and tailoring your resume for the specific job you hope to obtain. Your first draft will be due for review on day 3 with the final version due on day 5.

Claim Letter – 10 points

Select a company to that you would like to write a complaint letter to. The object of the letter is to request amends in some way. In an effort to make the assignment as effective as possible, at the assignments completion your letter will be mailed to the individual or company that it the letter is addressed to.

Technical Instructions – 10 points

As a group you will be given an object that you must write a detailed set of instructions for. During this exercise you need to keep in mind all of the concepts that we have covered to date. For example: the writing process, your audience needs and ethical considerations. At the completion of this assignment your set of instructions will be given to another team to test and provide feedback on their accurateness ease of use, or missing information.

Proposal Project – 15 points

As a group you will write a proposal for the creation of a company website, information about the company will be provided to you as we approach the assignment. Your proposal should cover all of the basic features of proposals discussed in the text. This project will lead into your next assignment.

Persuasive Marketing Pitch Presentation – 20 points

You are required to research and explore a company you will be given as a group. The team will function as a design firm which has been asked to make a pitch about their skills and talents in order to gain the business of their client. Your team will design a formal presentation to be given to a group of 10 or more people. The previous assignment may be used in the creation process for the presentation.

Group Website Design - 20 points

Now that you have done a website proposal and pitched your company to the client it is time to design the site. Put your knowledge and new skill set to the test to create the site. Don’t forget to think of your audience, graphic choices and design principles. At the completion of the assignment you should be able to provide the URL of a fully functional and complete websitethat demonstrates all of the relevant principles discussed throughout the course.
Sample Grading Rubric for Assignments

5 (Excellent) / 3.75 (Good) / 2.5 (Average) / 1.25 (Weak) / 0 (Failing)
Organization and Effectiveness /
  • The document is organized well
  • The document flows easily from beginning to end
  • It’s objective is clear and well supported
/
  • The document is organized
  • The document flows easily from beginning to end
  • It’s objective is clear and well supported
/
  • The document is organized well
  • The document struggles to flow from beginning to end
  • It’s objective is clear and well supported
/
  • The document is unorganized
  • The document does not flow easily from beginning to end
  • It’s objective is not clear or well supported
/
  • The document is unorganized
  • The document does not flow easily from beginning to end
  • It’s objective is not clear and is unsupported

Document Quality /
  • The document is designed well with all concepts and theories addressed
  • Assignment reaches a high standard of design and approaches the quality of a professional technical designer
/
  • The document is designed with all concepts and theories addressed
  • Assignment reaches a high standard of design and approaches the quality of a professional technical designer
/
  • The document is designed with all concepts and theories addressed
  • Assignment reaches a standard of design and approaches the quality of a professional technical designer
/
  • The document is designed but missing some of the key concepts and theories addressed
  • Assignment does not approach the quality of a professional technical designer
/
  • The document is missing a number of the concepts and theories addressed
  • Assignment does not meet a standard of design and does not approach the quality of a professional technical designer

Audience /
  • The audience is well researched and addressed
  • The assignment is ethically sound
/
  • The audience is researched and addressed
  • The assignment is ethically sound
/
  • The audience is researched and addressed
  • The assignment is borderline ethically sound
/
  • The audience is marginally researched and addressed
  • The assignment is borderline ethically sound
/
  • The audience is not researched and addressed
  • The assignment is not ethical.

Assignment Submission /
  • Assignment is completed precisely and submitted on or before the deadline
  • All criteria of the assignment is complete
  • Any citations needed are complete
/
  • Assignment is completed and submitted on or before the deadline
  • All criteria of the assignment is complete
  • Any citations needed are complete
/
  • Assignment is completed precisely and submitted on or before the deadline
  • One or more of the criteria have not been met
  • Citations are incorrect or not complete
/
  • Assignment is not adequately completed as assigned
  • Significant criteria are absent
  • Citations are incorrect or not complete
/
  • Assignment is not completed as assigned
  • Significant criteria are absent
  • Citations are incorrect or not complete

Adjustment of point variations based on maximum points for an assignment:

Total Point Value: 20 (5 Excellent, 3.75 Good, 2.5 Average, 1.25 Weak, 0 Failing)

Total Point Value: 15 (3.75 Excellent, 2.81Good, 1.87Average, .94Weak, 0Failing)

Total Point Value: 10 (2.5 Excellent, 1.87Good, 1.24Average, .63Weak, 0Failing)

Schedule

Key: TCT = Technical Communication Today textbook

board – Class Discussion Board,

Week 1
Day 1 / First day of class. Review course syllabi and schedule.
Homework: Post to the board, topic: Day 1 – What is Technical Communication?
After posting read TCT Chapter 1 – Communicating in the Workplace. & Chapter 15 – Starting
Your Career
Assign: Résumé & Cover Letter
Day 2 / What is Technical Communication?& Résumés
Homework: Read TCT Chapter 2 – The Technical Writing Process Today
Post to the board, topic: Day 2 - Résumés
Day 3 / The Writing Process
Homework: Read TCT Chapter 3 – Readers and Contexts of Use& Chapter 13 – Working in the Wired
Workplace
Due: Draft of Résumé& Cover Letter for review
Week 2
Day 4 / Understanding Your Audience & The Wired Workplace
Homework: Read TCT Chapter 4 – Working in Teams
Post to the board, topic: Day 4 – Know Your Audience
Day 5 / Working Collaboratively
Homework: Read TCT Chapter 17 – Letters and Memos
Post to the board, topic: Day 5 – What is Your Personality Type
Due: Completed Résumé & Cover Letter
Day 6 / Genres: Letters and Memos
Homework: Read TCT Chapter 5 – Ethics in the Technical Workplace
Assign: Claim Letter
Week 3
Day 7 / Ethics
Homework: Read TCT Chapter 6 – Planning and Persuasion & Chapter 9 – Using Plain and Persuasive Style
Watch the Business Ethics YouTube Video,
Post to the board, topic: Day 7 - Ethics
Day 8 / Communicating Persuasively and Developing a Project Plan
Homework: Read TCT Chapter 18 – Technical Definitions & Chapter 19 – Technical Descriptions
Due: Draft of Claim Letter for review
Day 9 / Genres: Technical Definitions and Descriptions
Homework: Read TCT Chapter 20 – Technical Instructions and Documentation
Post to the board, topic: Day 9–Technical Definitions
Week 4
Day 10 / Genres: Technical Instructions & Documentation
Due: Claim Letter
Assign: Technical Instructions
Day 11 / Workday for Technical Instructions
Homework: Read TCT Chapter 7 – Researching and Managing Information
Day 12 / Research
Homework: Read TCT Chapter 8 – Organizing and Drafting
Post to the board, topic: Day 12–Research
Due: Technical Instructions draft for review
Week 5
Day 13 / Drafting Documents
Homework: Read TCT Chapter 12 – Revising and Editing for Usability
Day 14 / Revising Documents
Homework: Read TCT Chapter 21 –Proposals
Post to the board, topic: Day 14–Technical Instructions
Due: Technical Instructions
Day 15 / Proposals
Assign: Proposal Project
Week 6
Day 16 / Workday for proposal project.
Day 17 / Workday for proposal project.
Day 18 / Workday for proposal project.
Due: Draft of Proposal Project for review
Week 7
Day 19 / Workday for proposal project.
Homework: Read TCT Chapter 22 – Activity Reports
Day 20 / Activity Reports
Homework: Post to the board, topic: Day 20 – Proposals
Due: Proposal Project
Day 21 / In class activity – As a class we will select a topic and will work through the process of creating an activity
Report while reviewing example reports for guidance.
Week 8
Day 22 / Continuation of in class activities on activity reports
Homework: Read TCT Chapter 23 – Analytical Reports
Day 23 / Analytical Reports
Homework: Post to the board, topic: Day 23 – Analytical/Activity Reports
In class activity – As a class we will select a topic and will work through the process of creating an analytical
Report while reviewing example reports for guidance.
Day 24 / Continuation of in class activities on activity reports
Week 9
Day 25 / Continuation of in class activities on activity reports
Homework: Read TCT Chapter 10 – Designing Documents and Interfaces
Day 26 / Designing Documents
Homework: Read TCT Chapter 11 – Creating and Using Graphics
Day 27 / Creating Graphics
Homework: Read TCT Chapter 16 – Preparing and Giving Presentations
Week 10
Day 28 / Oral Presentations
Assign: Group Marketing Pitch Presentation
Day 29 / Workday for presentations
Day 30 / Workday for presentations
Week 11
Day 31 / Workday for presentations
Day 32 / Group Marketing Pitch Presentations – Day 1
Day 33 / Group Marketing Pitch Presentations – Day 2
Homework: Read TCT Chapter 14 – Designing Websites
Post to the board, topic: Day 33 – Group Presentations
Due: Group Marketing Pitch Presentation
Week 12
Day 34 / Designing Websites
Homework:
Assign: Group Website Design
Day 35 / Workday for website.
Day 36 / Workday for website.
Week 13
Day 37 / Workday for website.
Day 38 / Workday for website.
Day 39 / Workday for website.
Week 14
Day 40 / Workday for website.
Day 41 / Workday for website.
Day 42 / Final Homework: Post to the board, topic: Day 42 – Designing Websites
Due: Complete Web site