Week 1: 1/6-1/9

Tuesday: Course overview; what is tech writing?; memo format
Assignment: Markel chapters 1 & 15; introductory memo; Notes

Thursday: Introductory memo due; student introductions; discuss chapters 1 & 15 and rhetorical approach; introduce job application package
Assignment: Markel chapters 3 and 16; Notes

Week 2: 1/12-1/16

Tuesday: discuss chapters 3 and 16; brainstorm about possible target jobs
Assignment: packet 31; Notes

Thursday: Resume superstructure and guidelines; relevancy and memorableness
Assignment: Markel chapter 21

Week 3: 1/19-1/23 (MLK Day 1/19—No Classes)

Tuesday: Discuss chapter 21; electronic and web resume designs
Assignment: study samples in Markel and packet 33-46

Thursday: Letter format; cover letter superstructure and guidelines;Critique packet samples; prep for writing workshops
Assignment: Markel chapters 10 & 11, Williams Lessons 3 & 7

Week 4: 1/26-1/30

Tuesday: Concision; discuss Markel chapters 10 &11, Williams lessons 3 & 7
Assignment: packet 67 - 74

Thursday: Writing workshop for job application package (p. 47); discuss writing for cases using example of Farnsworth case
Assignment: packet 85 - 94

Week 5: 2/2-2/6

Tuesday: Job application package due; Introduce Four Oaks
Assignment: packet 5-30

Thursday: Role play about rhetorical situation; Invent for recommendation report
Assignment: Redish et al. article in packet 117-133

Week 6: 2/9-2/13

Tuesday: Accessibility; setting the context
Assignment: Markel chapters 18 & 19; web samples

Thursday: Report Superstructure and Guidelines; critique samples
Assignment: packet 75-78

Week 7: 2/16-2/20

Tuesday: Writing workshop for Four Oaks assignment; introduce Heated Sidewalk case
Assignment: packet

Thursday: Discuss rhetorical situation and ethical dilemma

Week 8: 2/23-2/27

Tuesday: Invent for letter/memo; Ethics of technical communication
Assignment: Markel chapter 2, Williams Lessons 3 and 4

Thursday: Discuss Markel chapter 2; Clarity

Week 9: 3/1-3/5

Tuesday: Writing workshop for Heated Sidewalk assignment; introduce proposal and instructions assignments; proposal superstructure and guidelines
Assignment: Markel chapter 17

Thursday: Heated Sidewalk assignment due; Collaboration; assign groups
Assignment: Markel chapter 4

Week 10

3/8-3/12 SPRING BREAK—NO CLASSES

Week 11: 3/15-3/19

Tuesday: Problem statement exercise; invent for introduction and problem sections
Assignment: Markel chapter 13 & 14

Thursday: Invent for solution and management sections; designing and integrating visuals
Assignment: Markel chapters 7 & 8, Williams Lesson 5

Week 12: 3/22-3/26

Tuesday: Coherence/cohesion

Thursday: Proposal due; review instructions assignments; instructions superstructure and guidelines
Assignment: Markel chapter 20

Week 13: 3/29-4/2

Tuesday: Task analysis; invent for step-by-step and troubleshooting sections

Thursday: Document design and visuals (focus on figures); Thumbnail sketches and grids; verbal and visual clarity; legal and ethical considerations
Assignment: packet; Markel chapter 13 (review), study samples in Markel and packet

Week 14: 4/5-4/9

Tuesday: Grids due; Critique samples

Thursday: Instructions due; self and peer evaluations; introduce user testing
Assignment: Markel chapter 10, exercises 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, User testing

Week 15: 4/12-4/16

Tuesday: Empirical research reports; User test reports due; discuss revision
Assignment: user tests

Thursday: User test reports due; discuss revision
Assignment: revisions

Week 16: 4/19-4/21

Tuesday: Revision of instructions due; course evaluations