Course Syllabus and Overview

ORIENTATION SESSION: SPRING CREEK CAMPUS
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 7:00-8:00 P.M., H224
OR THURSDAY, JANUARY 17, 3:00-4:00 P.M.H228

All Technical Writing - English 2311.WW1 syllabus information, expected outcomes, course activities and communication, e-mail correspondence [plain text], and related web resources exist on this site.

As a reference, print out this frame and read the basic syllabus or click on the various parts of the syllabus policies (left menu) and calendar (right menu) for specific information about the course and activities. Please read and follow these basic communication principles:
  1. This course requires Cougar mail for all correspondence. If you have your user name and password, go to http://cougarmail.ccccd.edu, or go to the college Current Students User name page information sheet at http://username.ccccd.edu/username/ for further instructions - you must have a current password and username (the last six numbers of your college-wide ID).

    Please remember to periodically clean-up your cougar mail account and delete all non-academic or work from previous semesters.
  2. As a matter of formality, put your full name in the text of each e-mail submission, either at the beginning or end, and always write the course number, week number and/or author/assignment number, as is appropriate, in the subject box of your e-mail submission - example (in the e-mail subject box): ENGL 2311 - Week 10 - Letters, A Writing Exercise, p. 457, 2.
  3. Please cut and paste your assignments into your Cougar mail submissions. I do not accept Word attachments.
  4. Submit assignments promptly (each week, Wednesdays, by 12 noon).
Please test your Cougar mail link by sending a message to me now at my permanent e-mail address - click: cgrooms@ccccd.edu

 

Course Expected Outcomes

Students should be able to:
  • communicate complicated, technical information in a simplified manner.
  • improve or reinforce their understanding of the fundamentals of good writing in Standard American English (usage, grammar, mechanics, tone, clarity, organization, and editing).
  • recognize and be familiar with the basic formats and types of writing they will likely encounter in the business world (letters, memos, and reports).
  • compose these types of technical communication with confidence, grace, and polish.
  • be aware of and appreciate various ethical concerns such as the "you-attitude" approach, audience awareness, sincerity, extent of politeness or abruptness.
  • apply these newly acquired skills to "real life" situations in the professional world.
 

ADA statement

reasonable accommodation

It is the policy of Collin County Community College to provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals who are students with disabilities.

laws and guidelines

This college will adhere to all applicable Federal, State and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford equal educational opportunity.

student responsibility

It is the student's responsibility to contact the faculty member and/or the ACCESS office (G 200) or (972) 881-5958 (TDD - 881-5950) in a timely manner to arrange for appropriate accommodations.






 

Grades: Expected Outcomes, Calendar Dates and Late Policies

Do Not Pass Beyond the Calendar Weekly Due Date (by Wednesday, 12 noon) Before Turning In Exercises or Applications. Late Submissions Will Cost You Grade Points.

All Applications Receive Grades (Skipped Applications will receive a "0"), But You Must Submit And Receive A Grade For At Least Five Applications And The Final Proposal Application To Pass This Course.

You Cannot Pass This Course If You Pass More Than Three Successive Weekly Due Dates Without Submitting Work.

Last Day to Withdraw from Classes: Friday, April 11.

No Late Applications Accepted after Wednesday, April 9, 12 noon.

I Do Not Accept Multiple Submissions.

The Final Application (Proposal) is Due on Monday, May 5, 12 noon.
Read these course instructions and policies carefully. Do not wait until the last minute to write and send your assignments. Based on the assignment date/calendar:

  • This course requires that you use your Cougar mail for all correspondence. If you have your user name and password, go to http://cougarmail.ccccd.edu, or go to the college Current Students User name page information sheet at http://username.ccccd.edu/username/ for further instructions - you must have a current password and username (the last six numbers of your college-wide ID).

    Please remember to periodically clean-up your cougar mail account and delete all non-academic or work from previous semesters.
  • The "CALENDAR" link (right menu) provides a weekly readings structure to the course to aid your responses and web activities, including chapter sites and web icons for the specific chapter subjects as additional resources. As it outlines your readings, exercises, and applications, follow the calendar with consistent effort and energy.
  • Submit only one e-mail assignment (exercise or application)at a time, and wait until I return it (marked and returned within 48 hours, excepting weekends); then review all markings for purposes of future revision before submitting more work. Do not revise and resubmit work - please note what I mark, go on to the next reading and assignment, and apply those revisions and corrections to the next e-mail submission.
  • I will reduce the grade on any application by 10 points if submitted after its calendar due date (by Wednesday, 12 noon).
  • Any submissions after Wednesday, 12 noon of the calendar week (from Wednesday afternoon through the following Wednesday morning) count towards the following week.
  • I will not accept an exercise or application after Friday, 12 noon, of the calendar week of its due date.
  • I will not accept any late applications after Wednesday, April 9, 12 noon.
  • Although exercises and applications are due by Wednesday, 12 noon, of each calendar week, the final application (proposal) is due on Monday, May 5, 12 noon, of the last week of the semester.




How I Mark

Based on the expected outcomes for the course, I mark your exercises and grade your applications according the editing guidelines (left menu) and the specific usability checklists in the textbook (proofread with these guidelines for each application) - I follow them religiously as to what I mark in your writing - nothing more, nothing less.

I employ a simple set of bracket marks when I grade your applications and exercises: [  ] - a hard bracket to mark the error in your text, followed by a space and a {  } - a soft bracket to set off my comment.

As a matter of formality, put your full name in the text of each e-mail submission, either at the beginning or end, and always write the course number, week number and/or author/assignment in the subject box of your e-mail submission - example (in the e-mail subject box): ENGL 2311 - Week 3 - Writing Exercise, p. 56, 2.

Again, submit only one e-mail at a time, and wait until I return it (marked and returned within 48 hours, excepting weekends); then review all markings for purposes of future revision before submitting more work. Do not revise and resubmit work - simply note what I mark, go on to the next reading and exercise or application assignment, and apply those revisions and corrections to the next submission. I do not accept multiple submissions, nor do I accept Word attachments - please cut and paste your work into your Cougar mail submission.

Two sets of writing strategies measure the percentage grade for course activities and progress:

 

Writing and Style Exercises

Grade Percentage - 20%:  e-mail (plain text, edited, fully revised) - Nine  writing exercises. Twenty percent of your final grade will come from writing and style exercises (weeks 2-8) designed both to broaden your response to this course and provide a few additional writing tools to help you prepare for your applications. Although individually marked but not individually graded, successful completion of nine exercises earns a grade of "100"; seven exercises, "80"; five exercises, "60", less than five writing exercises earns a grade of "0".

 

Applications

Grade Percentage - 60%:  e-mail (plain text, edited, fully revised) - Sixty percent of your grade will derive from specific applications and documents (weeks 9-16) that follow the readings and writing exercises (weeks 1-5) and the Style exercises (weeks 6-8). These six documents provide a practical and technical variety to the compositions in the course. You must submit and receive a grade for at least five applications to pass this course.

Grade Percentage - 20%:  The final application, a proposal, counts as twenty percent of your grade. You must submit and receive a grade for the final proposal application to pass this course.



Companion Textbook Web Site

Listed under this title, these links to the textbook site allow you to explore specific chapters, perform self-tests for reading comprehension (under Student Resources) and allow you to explore other sites and topics within a specific chapter topic (cross-referenced in your textbook in the margin as Web Icons). They exist on the site for your edification but carry no graded weight.







 

Plagiarism

Submitting previous or current work in another course, work by other writers (especially Web-based materials), or previous or current public or professional communication from your current or former workplace as one's own original work for this course,i. e.. plagiarism, constitutes a ground for failure in this course (see The New Century Handbook, 4th ed., Chapter 11, 251-285, and MLA Handbook, 6th ed., Chapter 2).

All work submitted must be in response to the exercise and application prompts from this specific course during this semester.



 

Textbooks

Lannon, John M.
Technical Communication.   Longman, 10th ed.

ISBN: 0-321-27076-2




Hult, Christine A., and Thomas N. Huckin, eds.
The New Century Handbook, Pearson, Longman, 4th ed.

ISBN-13: 978-0-321-45637-3





recommended: Joseph Gibaldi,
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 6th ed.

ISBN: 0-87352-986-3