1. CM240: UNIT 1 SEMINAR

2. Tonight’s Agenda Class Overview Class Overview Technical Communication Technical Communication Final Project Information Final Project Information

3. Seminar Guidelines Actively Participate Actively Participate Stay on topic Stay on topic Stop me for questions or to catch up Stop me for questions or to catch up Review archive Review archive Option 2 Option 2

4. Instructor Information Email: LPutnam@kaplan.edu Email: LPutnam@kaplan.eduLPutnam@kaplan.edu IM: LuEllaPutnam IM: LuEllaPutnam Education: B.A. in English; M.A. English, PhD Student in Literature Education: B.A. in English; M.A. English, PhD Student in Literature Work Experience Work Experience

5. What about you? Name Name What are your expectations for the course? What are your expectations for the course? Do you have technical writing experience? Do you have technical writing experience?

6. Syllabus Highlights Rubrics – Project expectations – Discussion and peer responses – Seminar participation/Option 2 Course policies – Accept late work, with penalties – Extenuating circumstances – Plagiarism policy When a project is due? When are my instructor’s office hours? All this information (and a lot more!) is contained in the course syllabus.

7. Discussion Board Postings 100 words 100 words Refers to the assigned reading Refers to the assigned reading Uses good grammar and punctuation Uses good grammar and punctuation Don’t forget to respond to two classmates! Don’t forget to respond to two classmates!

8. Projects APA format, citations, references page Format:.doc,.docx,.ppt,.pptx Dropbox submission

9. Project Schedule Unit 2: Memo Proposal Unit 3: Project Plan & Schedule Unit 4: Annotated Bibliography Unit 7: Power Point Presentation Unit 9: Proposal Final, plus Portfolio (revised versions of Unit 2, 3, and 7 projects)

10. Project Overviews Videos –Video slide presentation, include audio – Download from classroom; view on website, or download PDFs –Doc Sharing – Slide view, plus script – No audio/video

11. Software Links SOFTWARELINKS(FREE) If you don’t have Word or Power Point: --OpenOffice.org --Google docs Viewing PDFs: Acrobat Reader

12. Course Objectives 1. What do you think you’ll learn in this course? 2. What do you want to learn in this course?

13. Objectives Introduction to various workplace writing formats and styles Study and practice audience analysis, and evaluate the components of successful business correspondence, technical reports, instructions, proposals, and presentations. Create a portfolio of technical documents Practice research, document design, and organization and writing styles consistent with technical communication.

14. Key Characteristics of Tech Writing Meets needs of identified audience Created for specific goal/objective Clear Concise Accurate Often, “translates” complex information

15. General Forms of Tech Writing Instructions, Manuals (policy, user) Specifications, descriptions Reports, proposals Genres: legal, medical, IT, science, business, engineering

16. Final Project: Proposal Identify problem – Community, work, organization – Must be realistic to solve Identify solution – Realistic solution – One solution for problem Identify audience – One individual (primary) – Others (secondary)

17. Example Problem: local walking/running trail has no place to warm ‐ up/cool ‐ down Solution: install basic outdoor exercise equipment Audience: Park District authority (primary), city counsel (secondary)