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English 300, section 70 -- Writing in the Professions [This is an online course]

Overview and Objectives :: Homework & Schedule :: Assignments & Grading

Overview:
You will learn the difference between academic and workplace writing through reading, research, and writing for specific needs.

This course will --

• require reading texts which will provide a basis of strategies for producing similar texts and documents
• encourage consideration of an audience's system of aesthetics, values, and ethics
• require responses to supplemental texts and provide strategies for producing responses through oral, written, and electronic responses
• provide students with strategies for developing and supporting various professional communication modes.

The course objectives not only include equiping students with a wealth of strategies for lifetime writing situations in their chosen field of study, but also enables students to:

• develop their processes for critical reading and writing [Analytical report]
• develop strategies for "reading" audiences and analyzing texts [Annotated bibliography]
• develop their professional communication strategies in oral, written, and electronic formats [Class discussions, Progress report, Letters, Memos]
• develop strategies for using visual communication [Syllabus response]
• initiate or supplement a resume [Letter of transmittal]
• develop and fine tune interaction with small groups and project teams [Evaluate 1st draft of analytical reports].

If you need to contact me by e-mail at "fidallas@svsu.edu," the subject line should contain your last name, course and section number [for example, using my name the subject line would be: Dallas, English 300-70] to prevent your e-mail from being misplaced as possible spam.

NOTE: All responses and work for the course (course portfolio) along with your resume will be burned to CD and turned in at the final exam period. (This CD will be your *ticket* to entrance to the final).

Required Texts:

• Porter, Sullivan, and Johnson-Eilola. Professional Writing: Custom Edition for Saginaw Valley State University. ver. 2. Pearson, 2007. ISBN 0536322937
• Reynolds & Valentine. Guide to Cross-Cultural Communication. Pearson, 2004. ISBN 0130497843

Other resources:

• Online student support webpage here
• Student Technology Center, 2nd Floor, Zahnow Library http://www.svsu.edu/library/stc/
• The Writing Center, 3nd Floor, Zahnow Library http://www.svsu.edu/writingcenter/
• Research assistance at SVSU Zahnow Library here
• Information Technology Services @ SVSU here
• Evening Services here
• Graduate Programs here
• Your local public library *elsewhere*

Course weekly schedule:
Activities are DUE on the date indicated by the course schedule. Please review to plan your time wisely.
Class days: T = Tuesday; R=Thursday; IC=in class; OL=online
Texts: PW=Professional Writing; GCCC=Guide to Cross-Cultural Communication
Assignments: HO=hands on; "Dallas1.rtf" = sample name for assignments--you will replace my last name with your last name when turning in your assignments

Each response will be typed for this class. The cover page of the document should be formatted as such:

[your name]
English 300-70
Dr. Dallas
[date]

Then start your response on the next page. The documents will be typed, single-spaced, with one-inch margins. Use Arial 12 point, Bookman Old Style12 point, or Century Gothic 11 point fonts. You should name your file by this format: [your lastname+assignment number], or "Dallas1.rtf" (Examples are listed in the assignment schedule above). Please ensure your original file has the same name, or change it in the Properties box in the document. Your paper should be saved as an RTF (rich text format) document, and not a DOC or WPD file. I will deduct one point for incorrectly named files. I will deduct one point for incorrect font types.

The online assignments are due by 1:30 p.m. on the date indicated. Place your paper in the VSpace 'Assignments' section. For each day (or portion thereof) that your assignment is late, two (2) points will be deducted.

Syllabus response -- 5 points:
Read over the three webpages to the online syllabus and formulate a response (see above specifics) in the following format:
~ Structure--one page, one image, and at least 300 words covering the Content and Question sections below:

Annotated bibliography -- 15 points:
This is a ten-citation bibliography for a research paper or analytical report, with 100- to 150-word summaries of each article read. Included in the summary is a comment on the usefulness of the articles read. The summaries are single-spaced, and follow the reference cited. There should be a minimum of ten sources, and at least seven must be print sources. The three electronic sources should not come from wikipedia.com.

Genres - Progress reports -- 10 points:
This report will provide information on your status on the reseach paper.

Discussions:
Some of the discussions on Guide to Cross-Cultural Communication will occur in VSpace. In an effort to think about how communication in professional contexts may be complicated by differences in understanding, each student will discuss provided situations with your classmates. This situational prompt will be provided in a message thread at VSapce, where you can discuss the implications of the event, and consider how communication --as presented by the reading assignment--may be interpreted in letters and memoranda.

Genres - Letters and memos -- 4 points each; total of 16 points:
This writing will provide guidance for the preparation and structure of many typical business, educational, governmental, and public documents. Guidance will consider audience composition, audience feedback, and organizational constraints. The structure of these documents will be in the form of responses to chapters in Guide to Cross Cultural Communication.

GCCC Quiz -- 4 points:
There will be a quiz on Guide to Cross-Cultural Communication.

Genres - Analytical report -- 25 points:
This is an in-depth research project that reflects research in your field. Research will be conducted in the Zahnow Library and online to locate resources within your respective disciplines. A research paper that reflects academic style for your discipline may be written for this course. The final paper will be a five-page document that may use some visual graphics and figures, but is primarily a research venue for a topic of interest. (Your visual images should not constitute the majority of your paper) This paper will be an individual effort, but collaborative discussions and feedback on the first draft will show how writing is always social in nature.

The first draft is due 10/30/07 and will be peer-reviewed by your classmates. It should be at least one and one-half pages, single-spaced, and include the annotated bibliography of at least ten sources (seven print and three electronic). Bring three copies for this review. This is worth 10 points.

The final draft of of three pages (five maximum!), single-spaced, will be due on 12/4/07, and should include your annotated bibliography of at least ten sources (seven print and three electronic). These sources are in addition to any assigned text or article for the class that you might cite. This is worth 15 points.

NOTE: Include your annotated bibliography with your analytical report drafts. Please make sure you use the same font type for the report and the annotated bibliography. The annotated bibliography is not counted with the requisite page totals for the analytical report.

Genres - Letter of transmittal -- 5 points:
This letter will provide a synopsis of your analytical report.

CD - Course portfolio -- 10 points:
This CD is a compilation of your responses and work for the course. Your resume should be included!

Final exam -- 10 points:
The final exam details will be provided during the examination period.