Introduction to Professional Writing Sue Webb AIM: webbsuza Session 1

COURSE HOMEPAGE

Today in Class… Introductions Syllabus Goals Policies Projects Schedule Getting Started: Individual Assessment Town Hall Project

For Next Time Familiarize yourself with syllabus & schedule Familiarize yourself with syllabus & schedule Order Florida Book Order Florida Book Read Peeples Read Peeples Read Gurack Read Gurack

Introduce Yourself Give us your name, major (track in the major) etc. A description of your writing experience, including other writing courses you have taken Tell us if you are from Michigan, what part, and if you plan to stay (or would consider staying) in Michigan when you graduate…

Course Goals To learn basic principles, skills, and technologies for professional writing To learn basic principles, skills, and technologies for professional writing To gain fluency in common PW genres To gain fluency in common PW genres To practice strategies of inquiry vital to success in PW To practice strategies of inquiry vital to success in PW To learn effective teaming strategies To learn effective teaming strategies To engage in reflective practice, laying a foundation for a career in professional writing To engage in reflective practice, laying a foundation for a career in professional writing

Let’s Look at the Syllabus Goals Textbooks Policies and procedures Projects

202 Project Timeline September October November Dec. Invitation Letter Press Release Employment Docs Report Town Hall Planning To do well, you’ll need to be consistently writing and revising throughout the semester. Plan for 2 hours or so outside of class for each hour in class. Individual Assessment Ind. Assessment

Individual Assessment 1. Go to the course home page and look under “Current Class Materials.” I’ll frequently post materials here. 2. Right-click for Windows or Option Click for Mac on the link to download the source file to your desktop. 3. Fill out the “Initial” questions, save the file as a.pdf, and send it to me as an attachment >

Major Project: PW Town Hall What is it? A public meeting to discuss Professional Writing as a career and the future of PW in Michigan Context: Michigan’s transforming economy and the emerging skillset of PW Your first task: Drafting letters of invitation to participants in one of two audience groups: professional writers or policy makers

Can Michigan Keep You? Have a look: Links to some of Governor Granholm’s Plans for Michigan What connections, if any, do you see between these and PW? Of course…this begs the Of course…this begs the question… What is PW?

For Next Time… 1. Familiarize yourself with syllabus & schedule 2. Order the Richard Florida Book 3. Finish up and submit your Initial Individual Assessment 4. Read Peeples & Gurak pieces in Angel We will start discussing the rhetorical situation we find ourselves in for Project 1: Town Hall Invitation Letters. You’ll need to make a connection between Michigan’s economic outlook and the expertise/skills of a professional writer…