Instructor: Debra L. Jenemann
Office: Room 521
Phone: (513) 922-2300, ext. 70521
E-Mail: [email protected]
Office Hours: 7:30 – 8:00 and 3:00 – 3:30, Monday – Friday
Catalog course description:
A continuation of ENG 101. Topics include: audience analysis; planning, preparing, and revising technical and professional documents used for reference, persuasion, or instruction; using and reporting on research; and integrating visuals with text.
Prerequisites:
ENG 101 and minimum 8 credit hours of core courses in technical area (major)
At OHHS, you may take this course for college credit if you have successfully taken Honors Composition (English 101) for college credit OR if you scored a 3, 4, or 5 on either the AP English Language and Composition or the AP English Literature and Composition exam.
Textbooks:
Markel, Mike. Technical Communication. Ninth edition. Bedford/St. Martins, 2010.
The Concise Wadsworth Handbook: Cincinnati State. 1st ed. Ed. Laurie G. Kirzner and Stephen R. Mandell. Cengage, 2005. (IF AVAILABLE)
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Rhetorical knowledge -- Students will create documents that
- Have a clear purpose
- Respond to the needs of an intended audience
- Assume an appropriate stance
- Adopt an appropriate voice, tone, style, and level of formality
- Use appropriate conventions of format and structure
- Analyze and employ argumentative strategies and persuasive appeals (as applicable)
- Use reading and writing for inquiry, learning, thinking, and communicating
- Analyze relationships among writer, text, and audience in various kinds of texts
- Use various critical thinking strategies to analyze texts
- Analyze and critique various types of documents
- Integrate ideas and arguments from sources
- Develop a clear line of argument that incorporates ideas and evidence from sources
- Understand writing as a series of steps that includes generating ideas and text, drafting, and revising
- Recognize that writing is a flexible process
- Work with others to improve their own and others’ text, both in class and out of class
- Balance relying on others with taking responsibility for one’s own work
- Employ appropriate conventions for structure, mechanics, and format
- Use standard document formats
- Control syntax, grammar, punctuation, and spelling
- Understand the possibilities of electronic media for composing and publishing texts
- Use electronic environments, including blogs or Google docs, to support writing tasks
- Locate, evaluate, organize, and use research in electronic and non-electronic environments
- Select and use appropriate formats for technical writing
- Plan, draft, and revise work consistent with professional standards
- Use electronic resources and tools to conduct research, to write, and to share writing
- Conduct and report on research on technical topics
- Select and use appropriate visual aids
- Prepare technical documents, including memos, letters, instructions, proposals, and reports
COURSE POLICIES:
Attendance
To earn credit for this course, you are expected to attend. In the event of absence, you are responsible for all missed work, but the privilege of making up missed assignments, quizzes, tests, and other course activities is not automatic. Missing more than 20% of the classes will result in course failure.
Assignments
Your assignments will demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively about subjects relevant to your technical area of expertise. When it is assigned, it is required. When possible, you will write about things you know.
All assignments must be typed and each assignment must apply the appropriate technical writing format, as discussed in class and demonstrated in the textbook.
Each submitted assignment must include the following information in the upper right hand corner:
- Your name
- Instructor’s name
- Course number and section
- Title of the assignment
Late assignments will be accepted one day late for 50%. If missing assignments is chronic, disciplinary action will result. Please consult the Student Handbook and Planner.
ACADEMIC HONESTY:
Departmental Plagiarism Policy
Plagiarism is the most serious form of academic dishonesty and is subject to disciplinary action as outlined in the Cincinnati State Student Code of Conduct, published in the College Catalog. Quite simply, plagiarism is theft.
Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, the intentional use, by paraphrase or direct quotation, of the published or unpublished work of another person without full and clear acknowledgment. It also includes the intentional unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling or distribution of essays or other materials.
Sanction for plagiarism is at the sole discretion of the instructor and will be addressed on a case-by-case basis. Penalties may include failure of the assignment, failure of the course, and/or institutional action through the Office of the Provost.
Plagiarism is copying or paraphrasing material that is not your own work without giving proper documentation of the source. Plagiarism includes copying another student’s work, copying work from the Internet, books, or periodicals, and purchasing work.
Cheating in any form will result in an “F” on that test, paper, or assignment. A student's second offense will result in an "F" for the quarter. A student's third offense will result in an "F" for the course.
Students with Disabilities
If you have a disability that requires accommodation, please contact the Director of Disability Services at 569-1613 (Room 181, Main Bldg.). To ensure that reasonable accommodation can be arranged, please meet with a Disability Services counselor no later than the second week of the semester.
Grading:
Course grading is based on possible points allocated for required writing assignments and tests. Students will be aware of the point value for each required writing assignment and test.
Additional points may be allocated by your instructor for course elements including:
- preparing drafts of assignments in and out of class
- using electronic tools including online journals, blogs, and/or wikis
- attendance and participation
The course schedule is subject to change. Due dates for assignments will be given by your instructor. Late work may not be accepted, depending on your instructor’s policies as stated on his or her syllabus.
Grading of writing assignments is based on the following criteria:
- Accuracy and effectiveness of content for designated audiences (including appropriate and effective use of visual aids)
- Organization of the content, by correctly applying structures that are appropriate to various forms of technical communication
- Use of appropriate technical writing style
- Demonstrating correctness in spelling, punctuation, grammar, syntax and other elements of writing mechanics
The final grade computed from the total point value of the writing assignments is as follows:
100 - 90 = A
89 - 80 = B
79 - 70 = C
69 - 60 = D
The weight of other criteria designated by your instructor may be used raise or lower the final course grade, as indicated by your instructor.
Like most students, you likely have two goals in taking this course: 1) to improve your writing and communication skills and 2) to get a high grade. To get a high grade, my best advice is “COME TO CLASS.” For you to improve your skills, you must write frequently and have your documents edited. My job as your mentor will be to offer you editorial commentary to help you improve your writing. I will not mark or comment on every problem in your writing because part of the learning process is for you to learn to identify and correct problems yourself. But I will comment in detail on portions of each assignment.
One other note: if you are concerned about the grade you received on an assignment, please go home, let it sit overnight, then study the relevant portions of the textbook/notes that discuss the issues I raise. If after studying the text/notes you do not understand my comment/the grade or you don't see how the comments apply to your document, talk with me, and I will try to help you understand my comments/the grade. Your grade is not a starting point for negotiations, and in all likelihood, I will not change it, but I will listen and try to understand your point of view.
The grade you get in this course is largely determined by two factors: your current skills in reading, critical thinking, and writing; and the effort you put into the course. I place a high value on the effort that a student puts forth and consider attendance and participation to be the two crucial factors for success in this class.
Reminder: To pass a semester course, a student must earn a 60% in the class.
This class is a public forum. Please consider every piece of writing you do for this class to be "public property." Part of becoming a good writer is learning to appreciate the ideas and criticisms of others, and in this course our purpose is to come together as a writing community. Remember that you will often be expected to share your writing with others, so avoid writing about things that you may not be prepared to subject to public scrutiny or things you feel so strongly about that you are unwilling to listen to perspectives other than your own. This does not mean that you are not entitled to an opinion but that you adopt positions responsibly, contemplating the possible effect on others.
Test/Paper Policy:
All students are expected to prepare adequately for all tests. If a student is absent on the day of a test, he or she is expected to take the test the day he or she returns to school. If a student is absent on the day a paper is due, he or she should send it via email or with another student (or share a Google Doc). Extenuating circumstances will be handled separately.
Extra Help Policy:
Students having problems of any kind are encouraged to schedule time for extra help either before or after school.
Make-up Work Policy:
Students who are excused from school have the same number of days to make up the work that they missed. For example, if a student misses three days of school, he or she has three days of school to make up and turn in the missing work. Tests or quizzes must also be made up in this time frame. It is the student's responsibility to ask for any work missed during an absence. Students who are truant are unexcused and cannot make up work. Suspended students should check Oak Hills High School's policy on make-up work.
Classroom/Behavior Rules:
Students are responsible for adhering to all rules stated in the Student Handbook and Planner. In addition, the students need to be aware of the following rules:
1. Attend class regularly. Missing more than 20% of the classes will result in failure of the course.
2. Read assigned materials prior to class discussions.
3. Complete all homework, tests, and assignments.
4. Participate in class discussion.
5. Be on time (students who are tardy need a pass). **Students who are tardy will stay after school the
amount of class time they miss. Three tardies denote chronic tardiness and the offending students
will be referred to their principal.
6. Bring all necessary materials to class (students may not go back to lockers after the bell has rung).
7. Be courteous and respectful.
8. Follow the guidelines in the Student Handbook and Planner.
9. NO GUM! NO FOOD! NO DRINKS! NO CELL PHONES! Water only. Bring your Chromebook!
Cell phones are to remain on SILENT (not vibrate) in your handbag or backpack. If an activity allows
you to use your phone, I will give you explicit permission; however this will be rare as you will now
have your Chromebook to use in class daily. Never assume that it is acceptable to have your phone
out. Please note: You get one warning about your cell phone (all semester). After this warning, a
phone call will be made home, and your cell phone will be collected at the start of class each day for
the rest of the semester.)
Students who ignore these rules will face disciplinary action, which will vary depending upon the severity of the misconduct.
TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE