Welcome to EH 3315, Technical Writing.
This course offers instruction and experience in writing:
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descriptions of mechanisms & processes
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memos & formal correspondence
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formal & informal reports
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resumes & job application letters
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science journal critiques
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HTML documents, either by using WebCT's internal editor or another editor
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analysis of technical documents
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About half the number of available points come from quizzes on the Markel text. The other half comes from fairly short writing assignments. This is not an analytic class where you can succeed by recognizing theoretical principles in someone else's writing. Document design (how a document looks on a page) is important. Like it or not, readers make a first judgment of your resume, letter of job application, proposal, or other similar document based on how they look. Attention to detail is a watchword for this course. Tech writing differs from composition or analytic essay writing (that you may have done in composition or literature classes) in several ways. Tech writing:
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Relies on explicit, formal organization by headlines or a decimal outline instead of narrative development.
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Is not author-centered writing that expresses your feelings & ideas. It is reader-centered producing job-related information used by readers to solve problems.
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Integrates visual material, which in the sciences, is likely to be at least as important as the exposition.
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Is a team process involving SMEs (subject matter experts), graphic artists, editors, usability testers, & others. Documents are not single-author controlled. The document belongs to the company, not you. That is why it is called professional writing -- because you get paid to do it.
As we work together to achieve our goals, please feel free to initiate discussion, ask questions or add insight.
--Cindy