I. Class Description and Objectives II. Course Personnel III. Course Communication IV. Required Course Materials V. Minimum Technical Requirements VI. Attendance Policies VII. Cell Phone Policy VIII. Technical Communication: The Literal Side
I. Class Description and Objectives/Learning Outcomes
English 393 BL81 The intent of ENGL393 is to prepare you for the type of professional communication you are likely to engage in during your first post-college jobs and beyond. This course focuses on technical communication – learning how to present specialized information in an accessible way to a variety of different audiences, but audiences who, no doubt, will expect clarity, accuracy, and professionalism from you.
This class stresses the key skills that highlight a successful professional technical communicator. Specifically, we focus on the process of writing (including the planning, drafting, and revising stages) and look carefully at the work that goes into the final polished product. As collaboration is often a key part of the professional realm, you’ll spend much of the semester working with your classmates – which will include participating in brainstorming sessions, providing constructive criticism, and preparing for your final projects. In all, you can expect to:
Analyze a variety of professional rhetorical situations and produce appropriate texts in response.
Understand the stages required to produce competent, professional writing through planning, drafting, revising, and editing.
Identify and implement the appropriate research methods for each writing task.
Practice the ethical use of sources and the conventions of citation appropriate to each genre.
Write for the intended readers of a text, and design or adapt texts to audiences who may differ in their familiarity with the subject matter.
Demonstrate competence in Standard Written English, including grammar, sentence and paragraph structure, coherence, and document design (including the use of the visual) and be able to use this knowledge to revise texts.
Produce cogent arguments that identify arguable issues, reflect the degree of available evidence, and take account of counter arguments.
II. Course Personnel
If you have any questions about the course or if I can assist you in any way, please feel free to email me or see me during my office hours.
III. Course Communication I will send all course-wide communication through the course website/email. For assignments please check the course calendar to ensure you are submitting assignments on time. This page will be updated as the need arises throughout the semester.
We will use the university's course management system ELMS/Canvas to manage all course activities and resources throughout the semester. To ensure you have reliable access to the internet, find more on the UMD wireless network hereLinks to an external site..
You should bring a laptop to use if our classroom does not have a computer lab. If you do not have one, or if yours isn't working at any time, you can borrow one from the library, as described hereLinks to an external site.. Please make sure your laptop is charged and/or please bring a power cord. For synchronous online days you will need a computer and a microphone.
You will need a self contained notebook to use for class notes, in class writing, brainstorming, and homework.
V. Minimum Technical Requirements As this is a blended learning course, it is imperative that you are comfortable using an updated internet browser and accessing/using online resources including digital media and applications. You can access the UMD Division of Technology's Help Desk hereLinks to an external site.. You will need a microphone and a computer to log on to synchronous online days through AdobeConnect.
VI. Attendance Policies Attendance in this course is mandatory. For most of the semester, we’ll be meeting in person on Thursdays, and we’ll be using our online environment on Tuesdays. Please make sure to keep our Tuesday class time free in order to participate in synchronous activities and conferences.
Much of what we do this semester will be collaborative, and it is difficult to engage in successful discourse with your classmates if they are not there or not meeting course-related deadlines, such as posting drafts by certain deadlines. Please note that repeated failure to post content on time or missing more than two class meetings may cause you to fall behind in this course and may jeopardize your final grade.
Unexcused Absences: You may miss two class meetings for no-questions-asked absences per semester for both the expected (i.e., attending a professional conference) and the unexpected (i.e., a flat tire). If you take a no-questions-asked absence, however, you are still responsible for whatever material was covered in class as well as on-time submission of assignments due that day. More than two absences will negatively affect your final grade in the course. Missing either or both of your in-person conferences (scheduled at the midway point and at the end of the semester) will account for unexcused absences. Being late two times counts as one absence. Being punctual and professional are important.
Excused Absences:
Students are expected to attend classes regularly. Consistent attendance offers students the most effective opportunity to gain command of course concepts and materials. Events that justify an excused absence include: religious observances; mandatory military obligation; illness of the student or illness of an immediate family member; participation in university activities at the request of university authorities; and compelling circumstances beyond the student’s control (e.g., death in the family, required court appearance). Absences stemming from work duties other than military obligation (e.g., unexpected changes in shift assignments) and traffic/transit problems do not typically qualify for excused absence.
Students claiming an excused absence must notify the course instructor in a timely manner and provide appropriate documentation. The notification should be provided either prior to the absence or as soon afterwards as possible. In the case of religious observances, athletic events, and planned absences known at the beginning of the semester, the student must inform the instructor during the schedule adjustment period. All other absences must be reported as soon as is practical. The student must provide appropriate documentation of the absence. The documentation must be provided in writing to the instructor in class and communicated via email.
If the University is closed for extended periods of time, I will email the details of what is expected.
Academic integrity:
The UMD Honor Code prohibits students from cheating on exams, plagiarizing papers, submitting the same paper for credit in two courses without authorization, buying papers, submitting fraudulent documents and forging signatures.
On every examination, paper or other academic exercise not exempted by the instructor, students must write by hand and sign the following pledge:
I pledge on my honor that I have not given or received any unauthorized
assistance on this examination (or assignment).
Allegations of academic dishonesty will be reported directly to the Student HonorCouncil: http://www.shc.umd.edu
Tardiness:You’ll find that in the professional world tardiness is not tolerated. Furthermore, it is disrespectful to your instructor and your classmates. On the other hand, this is a particularly large campus and sometimes other instructors will keep you late. Please do your best to be on time and provide advance information about class-related conflicts.
Please Note: If you are absent or miss any part of class, it is your responsibility to find out what you've missed.
VII. Phone Policy Phone calls are not permitted during class time. Please power down your phone before class begins. This includes texting or other forms of communication.
VIII. Technical Communication: The Literal Side As upper-level college students, you've probably already experienced several different types of communication. In the electronic realm, for instance, you have realized that the texts you send to your friends from home contain a different level of formality than the emails you’ll send to potential employers and future co-workers. In this class, we’ll practice becoming adept at communicating with each other in a professional manner. In other words, emails sent to your classmates and instructor will use correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization, as well as proper salutations. Emails that follow these guidelines will be answered in a timely fashion during normal business hours. Please include “ENGL393” and your section number in your subject line.
IX. Written Assignments X. Grades and How they are Determined XI. Academic Integrity and Honor Pledge XII. Special Needs XIII. Course Evaluations XIV. Privacy Policy XV. General Note
XVI Revision Policy for Graded Work
IX. Written Assignments Assignments are expected to be submitted electronically, by the stated time, using the ELMS/Canvas space.
Please plan document submission in advance because late submissions due to technical difficulties – such as computer failure, corrupted documents, or files that don’t follow exact naming directions – will not be excused. Late work posted electronically will be subject to a grade penalty of up to 10 points per day. An assignment is considered late even if it is a minute or five minutes past its due time and day.
Every new draft of an assignment should be just that, new. All editing advice/notation should remain only in previous drafts. Final drafts in particular should be free of all earlier editing and should represent your very best, polished work.
X. Grades and How they are Determined*** Your semester grade will be based on a variety of assignments, some individual and some collaborative, accounting for approximately 25+ pages of final, polished writing (approximately 6,250 words). The specific breakdown is as follows, although these percentages are subject to change during the course of the semester. All changes will be announced on this course site, via email, and/or during class time:
Your grades on each major assignment will adhere to the following general standards:
Assignment
Weighted Average
Reflective Assignments
9%
Project Proposal (to include resource review)
15%
Definition – Expert/Non-expert
13%
Survey/Interview Questions
6%
Instructions
12%
Project Presentation
10%
In-Class Writing, Professional Conduct, Participation
10%
Final Project
25%
If you have a question about a grade, please come see me early on in the semester. Please do not wait until the end of the semester. I provide opportunities to revise work to improve your writing and your grade. Please review the policy regarding revisions. Therefore, please take advantage of this and do not ask to have your final grade rounded up.
A papers: exhibit excellence & correctness expected in professional environment(what a future boss might expect as a final draft) A+ 97+ A 94 to 96.9 A- 90 to 93.9
B papers: exhibit competency in subject matter but still need revision(ready to be shared with colleagues, but still needs extra polishing) B+ 87 to 89.9 B 84 to 86.9 B- 80 to 83.9
C papers: meet most basic requirements but require extensive revision(a first complete draft: whether or not this is actually your first draft, these submissions appear unedited and unproofread) C+ 77 to 79.9 C 74 to 76.9 C- 70 to 73.9
D/F papers: do not meet requirements/are inappropriate and unprofessional D+ 67 to 69.9 D 64 to 66.9 D- 60 to 63.9
***If you do not turn in every major assignment, you will not earn a passing grade for this course.***
XI. Academic Integrity and Honor Pledge
The UMD Honor Code prohibits students from cheating on exams, plagiarizing papers, submitting the same paper for credit in two courses without authorization, buying papers, submitting fraudulent documents and forging signatures. On every examination, paper or other academic exercise not exempted by the instructor, students must write by hand and sign the following pledge:
I pledge on my honor that I have not given or received any unauthorized assistance on this examination (or assignment).
Students with a documented disability should inform the instructors within the add-drop period if academic accommodations will be needed. NB: You are expected to meet with your instructor in person to provide them with a copy of the Accommodations Letter and to obtain your instructor’s signature on the Acknowledgement of Student Request form. You and your instructor will plan together how accommodations will be implemented throughout the semester. To obtain the required Accommodation Letter, please contact Disability Support Service (DSS) at 301-314-7682 or dissup@umd.edu
XIII. Course Evaluations Your participation in CourseEvalUM is your responsibility as a member of our academic community. Your feedback is confidential and important to the improvement of University teaching and learning. CourseEvalUM will be open at www.courseevalum.umd.eduLinks to an external site. for you to complete your evaluations at the end of the semester.
In addition, the Professional Writing Program uses its own evaluation for each of its courses, which will be distributed by the end of the semester.
XV. General Note To succeed at Technical Writing requires a mastery of the process of writing: learning and developing skills that will assist you in communicating highly specialized content to a variety of audiences. For most of you, this class will take a significant amount of time and energy, and you may have inferred from these pages that we have high expectations from you. However, it is likely that an effort on your part to meet – and exceed – the requirements outlined will successfully prepare you for professional communication in the world beyond our classroom.
Copyright notice: Class lectures and other materials are copyrighted. They may not be reproduced for anything other than personal use without written permission from the instructor. Copyright infringements may be referred to the Office of Student Conduct.
Academic accommodations for students who experience sexual misconduct:
The University of Maryland is committed to providing support and resources, including academic accommodations, for students who experience sexual or relationship violence as defined by the University’s Sexual Misconduct Policy. To report an incident and/or obtain an academic accommodation, contact the Office of Civil Rights and Sexual Misconduct at 301-405-1142. If you wish to speak confidentially, contact Campus Advocates Respond and Educate (CARE) to Stop Violence at 301-741-3555. As ‘responsible university employees’ faculty are required to report any disclosure of sexual misconduct, i.e., they may not hold such disclosures in confidence. For more information: http://www.umd.edu/ocrsm/Links to an external site.
The University of Maryland values the diversity of its student body. Along with the University, I am committed to providing a classroom atmosphere that encourages the equitable participation of all students regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, national origin, race, religion, or sexual orientation. Potential devaluation of students in the classroom that can occur by reference to demeaning stereotypes of any group and/or overlooking the contributions of a particular group to the topic under discussion is inappropriate.
XVI Revision Policy for Graded Work: I encourage you to revise graded work during the course of the semester. To turn in a revision for re-grading, you must prepare a memorandum to discuss your intention to revise. You must also identify the specific outcomes you want to achieve in revising your work. I will not be able to make exceptions to the revision policy.
The date for resubmission must be within two weeks of when you receive your graded work and comments back. (Any work submitted after two weeks will not be graded.) The exception for this due date is any assignments due in the last two weeks of class. Those assignments must be resubmitted no later than the due date of the final project. Your grade will be incrementally affected for narrow changes; a greater impact on your grade will require a greater effort to rethink, redesign, and refine your finished product.
The final grade will be an average of the grades for the original and the rewrite. Assignments that cannot be revised include the oral presentations and the final project. However, I encourage peer editing of drafts as well as discussion of those drafts with myself. Another exception to revisions is late assignments. If an assignment is handed in late, the assignment cannot be revised. If a team assignment is selected for revision, there are two options: 1) a single individual may redo the assignment and only that person’s grade will be affected or 2) the entire team may work on the assignment and the entire team’s grade will be affected.