ENGL& 235: Technical Writing

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Class Program

English

Credits

Weekly Contact Hours

Course ID

091100

Meets Degree Requirements For

Communications

Description

Focuses on communicating technical information. Emphasis is on audience analysis, clear writing style, visual information displays, document design, and ethics in technical writing. Computer use required. Students must earn a grade of 'C' (2.0) or better to apply this course to the Writing Skills requirement for AAS, AST, or DTA.

Grading Basis

Graded

Prerequisites

ENGL& 101 with a grade of C (2.0) or better

Course Learning Outcomes

Clearly convey specialized information from a technical field to a non-specialized audience.

Understand the ethical dilemmas inherent in technical writing.

Identify and use appropriate formats and conventions derived from individual disciplines and professional fields, including documentation style.

Write clear, concise and understandable technical text.

Develop strategies for information design, including producing visually enhanced documents.

Understand, analyze and create visual displays of information and evidence.

Develop and organize documents based on the audience’s needs and how the documents will be used.

Evaluate sources for credibility (author, publisher, date of publication)

Use correct and appropriate documentation and citation.

Successfully peer review others’ texts as a technical writer.

Present information multi-modally (can include text, oral, video, audio, etc.).

Core Topics

Understanding audience analysis and conveying specialized information from a technical field to a non-specialized audience.
Evaluating sources for credibility (author, publisher, date of publication).
Understanding, analyzing, and creating visual displays of information, which may include charts, graphs, diagrams, tables, figures, or pictures.
Choosing the appropriate type of document and organization for point, purpose, and multiple audience needs.
Developing strategies for information design, to include producing visually enhanced documents.
Using multi-modal formats to present information.

Evaluation:

Rubrics for each type of technical writing document setting standards for idea, organization, development, expression, formatting and layout, documentation, and grammar and syntax.
3-4 original documents (draft, revisions, final version)