ENGL 202C: Effective Writing: Technical Writing (3 credits): Writing for students in scientific and technical disciplines. (A student may take only one course for credit from ENGL 202A, 202B, 202C, and 202D.) Prerequisite: ENGL 015 or ENGL 030; fourth-semester standing.
Overview
ENGL 202C, Technical Communication, serves students who are studying and preparing for careers in the sciences and applied sciences, including engineering. This advanced course in writing familiarizes students with the discourse practices prized in their disciplinary and institutional communities—and helps them to manage those practices effectively in their own written work. In this way the course teaches those writing strategies and tactics that scientists, engineers, and others will need in order to write successfully on the job.
So how will this work, you ask? This course is paced, which means that there is an established start and end date, and that you will interact with other students throughout the course. The course consists of an electronic book, lesson commentaries and communications tools (i.e., discussion forum, drop box, and e-mail) within Angel.
The course is divided into 15 lessons:
Lesson 1—Getting Started
Lesson 2—Defining Technical Communication
Lesson 3—Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose
Lesson 4—Researching Your Subject
Lesson 5—Understanding the Writing Process
Lesson 6—Preparing Job Application Materials
Lesson 7—Communicating Persuasively
Lesson 8—Organizing Your Information
Lesson 9—Drafting and Revising Definitions
Lesson 10—Writing Coherent Documents
Lesson 11—Writing Instructions
Lesson 12—Designing Documents
Lesson 13—Understanding Ethical and Legal Considerations
Lesson 14—Creating Graphics
Lesson 15—Writing Effective Sentences
You will have one week to work through each lesson, with additional time to complete the final project (course wrap-up). Within each lesson you will find on-line "lecture" material, as well as reading assignments and both individual and group activities. The lessons of study are available through the Lessons link in the left-hand navigation.
Like taking a course on campus, it will be important to keep up with the course work, as you will be required to participate in class discussions and activities that have specific time frames associated with them. It is assumed that students will spend an average of 15 hours per week (or lesson) on this three credit course. For a more detailed look at what each lesson will entail, as well as due dates for our assignments and activities, please refer to the semester-specific Course Schedule on this page.
Course Objectives
Students in the course can expect to:
- Discover and understand the discourse features that distinguish their disciplinary and institutional communities from others.
- Discover and specify the purpose(s) of their writing.
- Develop a range of writing processes appropriate to various writing tasks.
- Identify their readers and describe the characteristics of their readers in a way that forms a sound basis for deciding how to write to them.
- Invent the contents of their communications through research and reflection.
- Arrange material to raise and satisfy readers’ expectations, using both conventional and rhetorical patterns of organization.
- Reveal the organization of their communications by using forecasting and transitional statements, headings, and effective page/document design.
- Observe appropriate generic conventions and formats for technical documents.
- Design and use tables, graphs, and technical illustrations.
- Compose effective sentences.
- Evaluate their documents to be sure that the documents fulfill their purpose and to ensure that they can be revised if necessary.
- Collaborate effectively with their peers in a community of writers who Providence feedback on each others’ work and occasionally write together.
- Write several specific kinds of documents that recur in technical, scientific, and other communities.
- Employ computer technology effectively in the solution of communication problems.
- Communicate in an ethically responsible manner.
Required Course Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.Library Resources
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
Software
One of the benefits of being a registered Penn State student is that you are eligible to receive educational discounts on many software titles. If you are interested in learning more about purchasing software through our affiliate vendor, please visit the Buying Software section of the Course Materials page.
Technical Specifications
| Operating System | Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8*; Mac OS X 10.5 or higher *Windows 8 support excludes the tablet only RT version |
|---|---|
| Processor | 2 GHz or higher |
| Memory | 1 GB of RAM |
| Hard Drive Space | 20 GB free disk space |
| Browser | We recommend the latest ANGEL-supported version of Firefox or
Internet Explorer. To determine if your browser fits this criterion,
and for advice on downloading a supported version,
please refer to the following ITS knowledge base article: Supported Browsers and Recommended Computers.
Note: Cookies, Java, and JavaScript must be enabled. Pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. Due to nonstandard handling of CSS, JavaScript and caching, older versions of Internet Explorer (such as IE 6 or earlier) do not work with our courses. |
| Plug-ins | Adobe Reader [Download from Adobe]
Flash Player (v7.0 or later) [Download from Adobe] |
| Additional Software | Microsoft Office (2007 or later) |
| Internet Connection | Broadband (cable or DSL) connection required |
| Printer | Access to graphics-capable printer |
| DVD-ROM | Required |
| Sound Card, Microphone, and Speakers | Required |
| Monitor | Capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Course Schedule
The schedule below outlines the topics we will be covering in this course, along with the associated time frames and assignments. Note that assignments are due based on the Eastern Time (ET). This ensures that all students have the same deadlines regardless of where they live.
- Course Length: 16 weeks
You’ll notice patterns in the course. For most assignments, you will read a textbook discussion, review an assignment sheet, conduct analysis of a sample document, complete a planning worksheet, and submit your own work for peer review. Although you are provided with due dates for each of these steps (Wednesday and Sunday of each week, with a few Friday due dates), it would be a good idea to pace yourself, completing and posting some of the work before it’s due.
Note: Each lesson runs Monday to Sunday. That is, weeks start on Mondays and end on Sundays.
| Lesson 1 - Getting Started | |
| Readings: |
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| Assignment: |
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| Lesson 2 - Defining Technical Communication | |
| Readings: |
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| Assignment: |
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| Lesson 3 - Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose | |
| Readings: |
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| Assignment: |
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| Lesson 4 - Researching Your Subject | |
| Readings: |
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| Assignment: |
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| Lesson 5 - Understanding the Writing Process | |
| Readings: |
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| Lesson 6 - Preparing Job Application Materials | |
| Readings: |
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| Assignment: |
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| Lesson 7 - Communicating Persuasively | |
| Readings: |
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| Assignment: |
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| Lesson 8 - Organizing Your Information | |
| Readings: |
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| Lesson 9 - Drafting and Revising Definitions and Descriptions | |
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| Assignment: |
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| Lesson 10 - Writing Coherent Documents | |
| Readings: |
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| Assignment: |
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| Lesson 11 - Writing Instructions | |
| Readings: |
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| Lesson 12 - Designing Documents | |
| Readings: |
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| Lesson 13 - Understanding Ethical and Legal Considerations | |
| Readings: |
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| Assignment: |
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| Lesson 14 - Creating Graphics | |
| Readings: |
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| Lesson 15 - Writing Effective Sentences | |
| Readings: |
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Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please refer to Graduation at the Chaiken Center for Student Success.
Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Course Requirements and Grading
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Class Participation |
20% |
Self-study quizzes, peer review, homework assignments |
|
Assignment 1 |
5% |
Basic Rhetorical Analysis |
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Assignment 2 |
15% |
Internet Resource Guide |
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Assignment 3 |
15% |
Job Application Package |
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Assignment 4 |
10% |
Technical Definition |
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Assignment 5 |
15% |
Instruction Set |
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Assignment 6 |
20% |
Redesign Project |
Class Participation
Your class participation grade encompasses two important parts of the course: reading and collaboration. All reading assignments will be followed by a self-study quiz that will help you review important concepts from the chapter. Additionally, peer-review worksheets and assignment planning worksheets will contain references to the reading that ask you to evaluate writing in terms of the textbook. You must be familiar with the textbook material to complete these assignments satisfactorily.
In addition to reading the textbook, you will frequently collaborate with your classmates by reading and responding to their drafts. Each major writing project will require peer feedback organized around review questions pertinent to the assignment. Students failing to take the task of peer review seriously will be penalized.
Writing
This course will hold you to the professional standards that prevail in your field. Each of your formal writing assignments is expected to look professional and polished. At work, even a single error in spelling, grammar, or proofreading can jeopardize the effectiveness of some communications (depending on the rhetorical situation). Whether it is a resume, memo, or report, your communication should exhibit complete and appropriate format. Grading will reflect the great seriousness with which these matters are frequently viewed in the working world. If you would like special assistance with any of these skills, I can recommend sources for extra help. Your textbook, however, is the best and primary source.
There are six major assignments: Basic Rhetorical Analysis, Internet Resource Guide, Job Application Package, Technical Definition, Instruction Set, and Redesign Project.
Basic Rhetorical Analysis
Technical communication is meant to be used and not just read. Good technical communication communicates information to an audience who will act on that information in a variety of ways: in making hiring decisions, in following technical procedures, in developing research plans, and more. In this assignment, you will evaluate the usability of a piece of technical communication—that is, you will analyze whether the document effectively communicates the necessary information to its audience and where it fails to do so. In this way, the assignment will introduce you to basic elements of technical communication.
Final Length: 1000-word memo
Internet Resource Guide
Through this assignment, you will become familiar with online communication resources specific to your field of study, including research tools, professional societies, and other Internet sites that members of your field should find useful. You will present and describe those resources to other members of your field in a technical guide. You will need to make decisions about organization, format, and style as a means of creating a usable document for readers. And you will need to learn to write effective abstracts.
Final Length: Eight abstracts (one or two paragraphs each) plus front matter
Job Application Package
The process of applying for a job is an extremely important scenario for technical communication. As a job applicant, you have a vested interest in communicating your suitability for the position with the specific audience making employment decisions. This assignment will ask you to create resumes and application documents attuned to the rhetorical situations of two actual job offerings in your field. You will also discuss your writing and communication decisions in a reflective memo.
Final Length: Two resumes, two cover letters, and a 1000-word cover memo
Technical Definition
Engineers and scientists are often required to describe a technical object, concept, or process to someone who has little knowledge or experience with the subject at hand. For example, an engineering firm might write a proposal to bid on a contract to develop a helicopter for the Defense Department; one section of the proposal would be a detailed description of the product the company proposes to develop. Technical descriptions are used before products and processes are developed (as part of proposals and planning documents), during development (in progress reports, for instance), and afterwards (as part of marketing and promotional literature and technical support documents). You will write a technical definition for an object, concept, or process in your field.
Final Length: Approximately 1000 words
Instruction Set
Instruction sets are common technical documents for many disciplines and occupations. Employees read instructions to learn how to assemble a product or complete a procedure. Supervisors write out company policies that oftentimes serve as instruction sets. Customers read instructions for using a product. You will develop a set of instructions advising users to perform a specific task.
Final Length: Approximately 1000 words
Redesign Project
Design is an increasingly important facet of technical communication. With even basic computer programs like Microsoft Word, writers can adjust the visual aspects of their documents to enhance communication and clarity. They can also design text in sophisticated ways. This assignment will require you to redesign a given piece of text for a specific rhetorical situation and to reflect on the decisions you made in the design process.
Final Length: Redesigned document plus 1000-word reflective memo
The World Campus follows the same grading system as the Penn State resident program. The grades of A, B, C, D, and F indicate the following qualities of academic performance:
A = (Excellent) Indicates exceptional achievement
B = (Good) Indicates extensive achievement
C = (Satisfactory) Indicates acceptable achievement
D = (Poor) Indicates only minimal achievement
F = (Failure) Indicates inadequate achievement necessitating a repetition of the course in order to secure credit
Please refer to the University Registrar's information about University grading policies.
If, for reasons beyond the student's control, a student is prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, the grade in that course may be deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. The symbol DF appears on the student's transcript until the course has been completed. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested by the student before the beginning of the final examination period. In an emergency situation, an instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable, authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; or the campus chancellor of the student's associated Penn State campus.
For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade page.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity (for undergraduate students in undergraduate courses) and policy GCAC-805 Academic Integrity (for graduate students and undergraduate students in graduate courses), an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity or GCAC-805 Academic Integrity as appropriate). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and personal
integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and property; and help
create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the
fruits of their own efforts. An environment of academic integrity is
requisite to respect for oneself and others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, procedures allow a student to accept or contest/appeal the allegation. If a student chooses to contest/appeal the allegation, the case will then be managed by the respective school, college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. Review procedures may vary by college, campus, or school, but all follow the aforementioned policies.
All academic integrity violations are referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response, which may assign an educational intervention and/or apply a Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, or Expulsion.
Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page.
Accommodating Disabilities
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University’s educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities, including World Campus. The Disabilities and Accommodations section of the Chaiken Center for Student Success website provides World Campus students with information regarding how to request accommodations, documentation guidelines and eligibility, and appeals and complaints. For additional information, please visit the University's Student Disability Resources website.
In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Students with disabilities participating in internship, practicum, student teaching, or other experiential learning opportunities as part of their degree requirements may also be eligible for reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access and opportunity. These accommodations are determined through an interactive process involving the student, their University supervisor, and the site supervisor. Student Disability Resources can assist students with identifying potential barriers, facilitating accommodation requests, and coordinating with University supervisors to promote inclusive learning experiences.
Late Policy
Descriptions of each assignment, as well as evaluation criteria, will be provided throughout the course. The dates listed for assignments may change as the semester progresses (don't worry—you'll be notified of any changes through ANGEL announcements or coursemail!). Nonetheless, we expect assignments to be completed on time, as evidenced by the date stamp given to them by the ANGEL drop boxes. Major assignments will be docked one full letter grade for each day after the syllabus due date that they are late; everyday course activities (e.g., reading responses, smaller writing activities, peer-review exchanges) cannot be made up if missed.
We use this system even in the event of excusable situations, such as minor sicknesses or other unforeseen conflicts. However, any exceptions to this policy are made at our discretion. If you have conflicts, or something unexpected arises, do not hesitate to contact your instructor, and we'll arrive at a solution together. You must hand in all major assignments to pass the course. Incompletes (I's) will not be given except under extenuating circumstances that are discussed with your instructor prior to assignment of final grades.
Additional Policies
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.