Week 1 2

Date W 9/7 M 9/12

Topic Introductions, Course Overview History and Definition of Scientific and Technical Communication Sign up for Group Discussion and Blog

Assignments/Readings Introduction, course schedule Readings on Moodle: Allen: The Case Against Defining Technical Writing OHara: A Brief History of Technical Communication In Class: SAMPLE Group Discussion Questions Due: Practice Journal, Find an example of Technical Communication and bring to class. Reflect on this question: What is Technical Communication? In class: Review the 3001 Blog. Make format decisions and guidelines.

W 9/14

How to Contribute to the 3001 Blog Intro to S&TC Major What do Technical Communicators do?

M 9/19

Readings on Moodle: Pringle & Williams: The Future is Past Giammona: The Future of Technical Communication Due: Group 1 Discussion Questions Due: Journal 1, The Reading addresses a variety of work that technical communicators do. What work interests you the most and why? Readings on Moodle: Lanier: Analysis of the Skills Kraska Recruiting Advice for New Writers Scott: Portfolios for technical Communicators Due: Group 2 Discussion Questions Due: Journal 2, What skills appeal to you in technical communication? What areas do you need to learn more about? Refer to readings in your journal Readings on Moodle: Germaine-Madison: Localizing Medical Information Wang: Cultural Contexts in Technical Communication Due: Group 1 Blog Post Due: Journal 3, How do you plan to ready yourself as a technical communicator in a trans-cultural context? What sorts of experiences or training will help you adapt to the increasingly global contexts of technical communicating? TBA Readings on Moodle: Hayhoe: The Future of Technical Writing and Editing Buehler: Defining Terms in Technical Editing McNeill Editing Symbols Paramedic Method Due: Group 2 Blog Post Due: Group 3 Discussion Questions Due: Journal 4, What did you learn about editing from the readings? What is important to you about editing well? how can you practice your ability to edit?

W 9/21

Job Skills in Technical Communication Portfolios

M 9/26

Technical Writing in Trans-Cultural Contexts

W 9/28 M 10/3

Guest Speaker Writing and Editing

W 10/5 M 10/10

Guest Speaker Usability Evaluation and Testing Readings on Moodle: Brooks: Career Development: Filling the Usability Gap Postava-Davignon, et al: Incorporating Usability Testing Due: Group 3 Blog Post Due: Group 4 Discussion Questions Due: Journal 5, What interests you most about usability testing and why?

W 10/12 M 10/17

Guest Speaker Writing in the Financial Industry Readings on Moodle: Lazzaro: How to Know Your Audience Larsen: Technical Writing and the Financial Industry Statt: When Technical Writers Dont Write Technically Due: Group 4 Blog Post Due: Group 5 Discussion Questions Due: Journal 6, What does it mean to understand audience, and how might audience apply to writing in the Financial Industry?

W 10/19 M 10/24

Guest Speaker Science and Biomedical Writing Readings on Moodle: Hart: The Scientific Method Van der Waarde: Patients, Medicines, and Information Samson: Writing about Science for General Audiences Tanrikulu: Biotechnology Due: Group 5 Blog Post Due: Group 6 Discussion Questions Due: Journal 7, The readings address a variety of scientific writing. What kinds of scientific writing appeal most to you and why? Refer to readings in your journal

W 10/26 M 10/31

Guest Speaker Information and Visual Design Readings on Moodle: Kostelnick: Visual Rhetoric Hoffmann: Successes and Challenges of Visual Language Redish: What is Information Design? Due: Group 6 Blog Post Due: Group 7 Discussion Questions Due: Journal 8,

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W 11/2 M 11/7

Guest Speaker Information Architecture and Designing for the Web Readings on Moodle: Redish Letting go of Words Ames & Corbin: Information Architecture Due: Group 7 Blog Post Due: Group 8 Discussion Questions Due: Journal 9, From our readings, address at least two insights that you found interesting about designing for the web. Explain those insights and what you learned

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W 11/9 M 11/14

Guest Speaker Field Trip Field Trip to Usability Testing Lab Due: Group 8 Blog Post Due: Proposal Drafts Due: Peer Review. Bring one-page memo with feedback on your peers proposal Due: Proposals Happy Thanksgiving Readings on Moodle: Eyman Computer Gaming Kastman Breuch A Work in Process Van Velson Personalized Systems

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W 11/16 M 11/21 W 11/23 M 11/28

Proposal Workshop Presentation Overview and Sign Up No Class New Media

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W 11/30 M 12/5 W 12/7 M 12/12 W 12/14

TBA Class Presentations Research Report Workshop Class Presentations Class Presentations Last Day of Class

TBA Due: Final Research Report DRAFTS Due: Peer Review. Bring one-page memo with feedback on your peers report Due: Final Notebook

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Due: Final Research Reports