Course Schedule
Please NOTE all assignments are due before Midnight on the due date.
Late assignments will lose .05 per day
There is NO Final Exam for this course.
The final assignment, the Web Folio, replaces the final exam due on August 11th.
Please note – instructions in red below – are in red so you do not miss them. These are instructions that students too often miss!
Introduction and setting up Student Blogs
Objectives:
- Access and explore textbook: Technical Communication 15th Edition by John M. Lannon; Laura J. Gurak and Publisher Pearson
Technical Communication 15th Edition by John M. Lannon; Laura J. Gurak and Publisher Pearson. Save up to 80% by choosing the eTextbook option for ISBN: 9780135203255, 0135203252. The print version of this textbook is ISBN: 9780135164785, 0135164788.www.vitalsource.com
- Learn how to set up your UBC blog
- Study the Course Description and the Introduction to our course on the Instructor’s blog
Readings:
- Instructor’s Blog
- How to set up your UBC Blog
- Technical Communications Part One: Communicating in the Work Place
- I would also like you to spend some time exploring the index of this textbook and acquiring an idea of the range of writing concerns we have to traverse as technical and professional writers in the workplace.
1:1 Assignments:
DUE Monday May 24: Set up your UBC Blog and include a menu with:
- A Home page that introduces this course of studies, based on the course description, and comments on your expectations for this course (300 words)
- A ‘BIO’ page that outlines your academic and professional interests. Please use a first person voice and be both friendly and professional, this is appropriate when writing for peers (300 words)
- A Blog page – where you will post your reflections as instructed; be sure to categorize this page as ‘Blog’ and click ‘new post‘ in your menu when you want to compose a new blog. (NOTE the difference: clicking ‘new page’ in the menu creates a separate page – clicking ‘new post’ creates a new entry on the BLOG page). If you have difficulties please reach out to Arts IT for assistance.
- Please send me a link to your website via erika.paterson@ubc.ca. Thank you.
Blog set up instructions:
Be sure that the blog theme you choose includes:
- Automatic dating when you post
- Allows comments without approval
- Has a sidebar widget that indicates recent posts and recent comments.
Specific Documents: letters, memos, emails
Objectives:
- Create Writing teams or four people based on your letters of introduction
- Study and practice techniques for writing professional letters, memos and emails
Readings:
- Technical Communications: Part One
- Instructor’s Blog
1: 2 Assignments:
- Due Wed May 26: A letter of application addressed to the class to be posted on your blog [and included as word doc file linked into your blog]. Be sure to name your file appropriately: 301 Your name Application letter.
- Due Wed May 26: An email memo to your instructor providing a brief summary of your letter and an attached word doc of your letter – POSTED on your blog. Please do not email.
- Due Mon May 31: An email message to your prospective writing team partners. Send the message and post on your Blog
- Be sure to name your attached file appropriately: 301 Your name Application letter.
Definitions and Peer Review
Objectives:
- Study writing techniques for Definitions & Peer review
Readings:
- Technical Communications; Chapter 17
- Instructor’s Blog
1: 3 Assignments:
- Due Wed June 2: Write three definitions of the same term: a parenthetical definition, a sentence definition, and an expanded definition on your writing team forum
- Due Fri June 4: Peer review of definitions on your writing team forum.
- Due Wed June 9: Unit One Reflection Blog on your Student Blog page
- Edit your definition assignment according to your peer review feedback — post on original team page and rename: ‘Revised Definition’.
- Write a Reflection Blog on both the original writing, the peer review process and the editing process: what did you learn?
- Include a link to your edited definition (self-edit your definition on the team page according to your feedback).
- Post on your Student Blog (NOT the team page)
Formal Report Proposal Writing
Objectives:
- Study writing techniques for Proposals and Formal Reports
- Brainstorm ideas for a formal report following the guidelines set out in 2:1
Readings:
- Technical Communications: Chapter 21
- Instructor’s Blog
- Hand out: 301-Hand-out-Formal-Report
2: 1 Assignments:
- Due Mon June 14: Formal report proposal to be posted on your Team forum and included as word doc file in an email memo to your Instructor posted on your team forum as well.
- Due Fri June 18: Peer review of a Formal Report proposal on your Team Forum.
Networking and Resume Building
Objectives:
- Study techniques for professional networking and building an online profile with resume
Readings:
- Technical Communications
- UBC Careers Online
- Instructor’s Blog
- Research articles about Linked-In
2:2 Assignments:
- Due Tue June 22: Write a memo to your writing team posted on your team forum with the purpose of providing a brief summary of your research concerning best practices for professional networking on Linked In.
Outlines and Progress Reports
Objectives:
- Study techniques for writing formal report outlines and progress reports
- Study techniques for reflection and self-editing
Readings:
- Technical Communications
- Instructor’s Blog
2:3 Assignments:
- Due Fri June 25 : Formal Report Outline posted on your team forum [p. 522]
- Due Fri June 25: A Progress Report for the Formal Report in the form if an email memo with url links to surveys included: POSTED on your team forum before midnight. *Be sure to check the Instructor’s blog re: Ethical Introductions for surveys. I will say this one more time because too many times students neglect this very important element of a survey: BE SURE TO CHECK THE INSTRUCTOR’S BLOG FOR HOW TO WRITE AN ETHICAL INTRODUCTION to include at the top of your survey. Thank you
- Due Mon June 28: Unit Two Reflections Blog
- Include a link to your Revised Report Proposal (self- edit your proposal according to the feedback received)
- Include a link to your Report Outline
Writing with the Right Attitude – YOU attitude
Objectives:
- Study and review writing techniques
- Learn how to write with “You Attitude”
Readings:
- Technical Communications
- Instructor’s Blog
3: 1 Assignments:
- Due Fri July 2: Writing with You Attitude Memo to Evan Crisp posted on your team forum
- Due Wed July 7: Business Letters: Complaint & Bad News letter posted on your team forum
Formal Report Peer reviews
Readings:
- Technical Communications
- Instructor’s Blog7
3:2 Assignments:
- Due Wed July 14: Formal Report Draft posted on your team forum with a word doc file. Please ensure that you include your reader’s name and title on your cover page
3:3 Assignment:
- Due Mon July 19: Peer Review of Formal Report Draft posted on your team forum
- Due Wed July 21: Unit Three Reflections Blog posted on your Student Blog
Formal Report
Assignment 4:1:
- Due Wed July 28: Formal Report posted on your team forum as a pdf
Application Package
Objectives:
- Draft the necessary documents for your application:
- Cover Letter for email applications
- Letter of introduction
- Resume: online and PDF attached
- Request for references
- Post Complete Application Package on your Team Forum
Assignment 4:2 :
- Due Wed Aug 4: Application Package posted on your team forum
Web Folio
Assignment 4:3 Web Folio
- Due Wed August 11: Web Folio posted on team forum
Congratulations! You have completed an intensive writing course.