Introduction

This course will provide in-depth instruction in scientific and technical writing—which I prefer to call “technical communication.” During the semester, we’ll work individually, in small groups, and as a class to learn the theory and practice of technical communication. We’ll focus on written forms, but will also consider speaking, graphic design, and electronic communication. Our class will often meet in a computer lab, where you’ll have an excellent array of document production tools. I hope that during the semester, you’ll learn to enjoy technical communication—or at least how to make its difficulty more manageable.

The course has two major units. In the first seven weeks, we’ll build some theoretical foundations, discussing ways to plan, develop, revise, and polish technical communication. During this time, you’ll produce a full set of job application materials. In the concluding nine weeks, we’ll work as a class to redevelop the Web site of the Department of English & Journalism, producing a variety of resources which will enhance the site’s sustainability. This project will give you the opportunity to leverage your expertise and academic interests to benefit the University community.

Two formalities:

1. The course has two prerequisites: ENG 180 and ENG 280. Unfortunately, if you have not earned credit for both those courses, you may not be able to take this course. Please speak with me immediately if this is the case.

2. This is a Writing in the Disciplines (WID) course which requires a substantial amount of original writing.

Course objectives

• Learn conventional genres of technical communication from our textbook and by producing, revising, and using communications. Learn how to select the best form for a given situation, and when to bend (or break) the rules which govern that form.

• By writing frequently, with feedback from me and your fellow students, learn how to use writing to generate and improve ideas.

• Learn to recognize and differentiate common writing styles by analyzing writing from periodicals, our textbook, and other sources. Cultivate the ability to write with a certain style, and understand the way style affects the form/content relationship.

• Work collaboratively to generate ideas, evaluate drafts of communications, develop strategies for revision, and conduct usability testing—following procedures outlined in our textbook and further explained by me and other University professionals.

• From our textbook and through the production of visually rich forms, learn some of the basic principles of graphic design, and common methods for the visual display of quantitative information.

• By using the Web, composing Web pages, and applying lessons from our textbook, learn common conventions of Web design and information architecture.

Required texts

1. Paul Anderson, Technical Communication: A Reader-Centered Approach (5/e). See the companion Web site at http://english.heinle.com/anderson/.

2. A current college-level dictionary, such as The American Heritage College Dictionary (4/e).

3. A current writing handbook, such as Andrea Lunsford’s The Everyday Writer (2/e).