ENTC 3030 Technical Communications

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ENTC 3030Technical Communications

• Syllabus

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ENTC 3030Technical Communications

• Instr. Dr. Hugh Blanton
• Phone [phone]
• email blanton_at_etsu.edu
• web http//faculty.etsu.edu/blanton
• Office Wilson-Wallis 222-A
• Office Hrs T1130 am 230 pm
• or by appointment

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Books

• Paradis, James Zimmerman, Muriel. The MIT
  Guide to Science and Engineering Communication,
  2nd Ed. MIT Press. Cambridge, MA. 2002.
• Valiela, Ivan. Doing Science Design, Analysis,
  and Communication of Scientific Research. Oxford
  University Press. New York, NY. 2001.

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• The primary focus of the course will be hot
  topics in technology or science.
• Each student will present before the class one
  topic chosen from the list of suggested topics
  and references.
• The topic choices are due no later than Feb.
  10th.
• Hand in the title of your seminar topic, followed
  by a sentence explaining the reason for choosing
  it.
• Students who could not decide will be assigned
  one of the available topics on the list.
• All students will be given two public speaking
  opportunities about their respective topic,
• a short (5 min) overview and
• a longer (40 min) seminar talk.

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Short overview  (5 min.)

• This is a brief warm-up presentation
• explaining what the topic is about,
• why it was chosen,
• why it is interesting,
• why it is important,
• what is new,
• etc.

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Seminar (40 min.)

• This is a more detailed seminar-style talk
  followed by a classroom discussion.

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Presentation styles and formats include  

• Blackboard presentations--Technically simplest
  but limited in amount and quality of presenting
  data and visual information.
• Transparencies--Requires printing or writing on
  (expensive) transparencies.
• Allows display of graphics but no animations.
• A limited number of transparencies will be
  available for the class.
• Ask the instructor.
• Slides- Same as transparencies but has to be
  prepared professionally.

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Presentation styles and formats include  

• Computer presentations - This is the most
  versatile and convenient format.
• It easily allows integration of animation, sound,
  graphics and  interactive displays.
• One of the best presentation programs is
  Microsoft Power Point.
• The class will have a projector for computer
  presentations.

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Course objectives

• Write effective technical and research reports,
  proposals, procedures and process explanations,
  memoranda, and professional correspondence
  addressing a variety of audiences
• Prepare and deliver professional presentations
  and briefings, using visuals and computer
  technology
• Identify, retrieve, and critically analyze
  technical and related information through on-line
  networks and databases to investigate an issue or
  solve problems
• Develop, integrate and edit tables, charts, and
  diagrams
• Review and revise written and oral communication
  
• Work productively in a team, with emphasis on the
  team process, decision making strategies, and
  project planning and
• Understand ethical responsibilities of providing
  accurate information and communicating
  effectively with the general public and
  professionals.

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Topics covered

• Communication context situation, purpose,
  audience
• Communication attributes content, structure,
  format, language, illustrations
• Writing as a process
• Correspondence
• Library resources and research strategies
• Technical Proposals
• Strategies for designing persuasive, informative,
  or motivational documents
• Standards for technical reports
• Revising and editing technical documents
• Grammar review
• Technical presentations
• Illustrations, graphs, and tables
• Collaborative writing

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Relationship of course to undergraduate degree
program objectives and outcomes

• This course serves students in a variety of
  technology majors.
• This course partially fulfills the Technology
  Core requirements for the Dept. of Technology.

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Assessment of student progress toward course
objectives

• Correspondence (memos, letters, resume)
• Proposal for the technical report
• Progress report (written or oral)
• Formal technical report
• Oral presentations (individual and team)
• Process explanation, Instruction set, or
  Illustrations (team project)
• In-class workshops and computer-based exercises
• Peer reviews
• Conferences with instructor

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• Revision Option

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Method

• Revision means literally "seeing again,"
  developing a new perspective on the writing task.
  
• Just correcting the original work based on my
  comments or your own observations will not be
  accepted as revision
• instead, you'll have to rewrite the document
  significantly.
• Some revisions can raise your grade
• all revisions should help you learn more about
  writing well.
• Im happy to help you to revise
• I highly recommend that you check in with me at
  some point before you submit a revised assignment
  so I can help you
• focus on the most important areas,
• brainstorm options,
• assess your progress, and
• otherwise assist you to improve.

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Revision Grading

• Revisions of two assignments can be submitted for
  re-grading.
• No risk is involved (you cannot receive a lower
  grade than the one originally assigned)
• but neither do you have a guarantee of earning a
  higher grade for your effort.
• In order to insure that you work hard on your
  initial assignments, revision grades will not be
  more than one full grade higher than the original
  grade.
• Revision grades replace the original grades
  rather than being averaged with them.

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Materials

• The original document containing my comments and
  grade must accompany the revision,
• along with old and new background material.

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Timing

• You may submit a revised assignment at any time
  during the semester
• all revisions are due one week before the last
  day of classno exceptions.
• Students often find it useful to delay revision
  until later in the semester for the following
  reasons
• They can apply the additional course material to
  improve their writing
• They learn by practicing their writing skills in
  other assignments
• They gain perspective by putting the work away
  for a time
• They have more assignments to consider for
  revision, so they can choose the ones that will
  count most toward their course grade

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• Course Schedule

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Course IntroductionWeek 2

• Introduction to ENTC 3030
• Students
• Instructor
• Office Hrs
• Assignments
• Grading
• Read
• Chapter 1 of Paradis/Zimmerman
• Chapter 5 of Valiela

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No ClassWeek 3

• Observance of Martin Luther Kings birthday.

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ReviewWeek 4

• Review of Grammar
• Introduction to Technical Communications
• Read
• Chapters 2, 17 of Paradis/Zimmerman

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Week 5

• Searching the Literature
• Goals
• Homework
• Read Chapters 7,8, 9 of Paradis/Zimmerman

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Week 6--February 10, 2003

• Writing Proposals
• Progress Reports
• Memos, Letters, and email
• Homework
• Read Chapters 12 of Paradis/Zimmerman

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Week 7

• Instructions Procedures
• Selection of project due.
• Homework
• Read Chapters 4 5 of Paradis/Zimmerman

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Week 8

• Revising Documents
• Developing Graphics
• Read
• Chapters 16 18 of Paradis/Zimmerman
• Chapter 8 of Valiela

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Week 9

• Document Design
• Citation Reference Styles
• Homework
• Read Chapters 3 10 of Paradis/Zimmerman

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Week 10

• Organizing Drafting Documents
• Reports
• Homework
• Read Chapters 14 15 of Paradis/Zimmerman

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Spring BreakMarch 17, 2003
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Week 11

• Job Search Documents
• Oral Presentations
• Read
• Chapters 14 15 of Paradis/Zimmerman
• Chapter 7 of Valiela

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Week 12

• Oral Reports

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Week 13

• Oral Reports

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Week 14

• Oral Reports

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Week 15

• Oral Reports

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ENTC 3030

• GRADING

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• Grades will be calculated as follows
• Oral presentations 25
• Short overview 10
• Proposal presentation 15
• Written presentations 60
• Topic choice 5
• Overviewreport 15
• Resume 10
• Proposal report 15
• Memo 10
• Procedures 5
• Subjective 15

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Grade guidelines
A Outstanding Exceptional in form and content
B Above average Fine work, few minor flaws interesting, insightful, logical, well designed, well developed, well organized, clear and attractive style, grammatically correct, no major flaws
C Average Generally correct, shows understanding of course concepts, reasonably competent but with some important flaws, a mixture of strengths and weaknesses
D Below average Seriously deficient in content, form, or style
F Failing Incoherent ideas, very disorganized presentation, many grammatical problems, other excessive flaws
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ENTC 3030

• PROJECTS

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Request for Proposal (RFP)

• Request for proposal to
• Develop a method for non-destructively testing
  the quality and taste of watermelons.
• Analyze the newly established lottery system in
  Tennessee and its effects on higher education.
• Analyze the effect of the proposed class fee on
  the Department of Digital Media curriculum.
• Develop a strategy for marketing a specific
  curriculum taught at ETSU.
• Analyze the effects of the development of an
  income tax in Tennessee.
• Analyze a topic covered in Scientific American.

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Homework Brief Biographical Sketch

• Id like to know more about you, so I can work
  with your interests, experiences and attitudes to
  create a comfortable and effective learning
  environment for you.
• Id also like to see what you already know about
  writing.
• So, please design a document that gives me the
  information that I request in a useful form.
  Thanks!
•  
• Name
• E-mail and/or phone and any limitations (e.g.
  calling times)
• Websites (your own, ones you like)
• Year and academic area
• Career direction
• What do you consider to be the most interesting
  thing about yourself?
• Name some scientific or technical subjects that
  you find particularly interesting.
• What are some of your nonacademic
  interests/activities?
• When did you last take a writing course? What
  kind?
• What are the three most recent communications you
  have written (papers, reports, memos, proposals,
  etc.) and for whom?
• What would you like to improve about your
  writing? Confess your chief anxiety about writing
  and about this course.
• What other courses are you taking this semester
  (please include instructor name and/or section
  number)?