Northeastern University Online College of Professional Studies

Course Syllabus

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TCC 6430 Writing for the Computer Industry Fall 2017, 6 week term October 30 – December 16

Instructor Name: Julia Cho E-mail: ju.cho@northeastern.edu

Required Texts:

• Developing Quality Technical Information: A Handbook for Writersand Editors, 3rd Edition By Michelle Carey, Moira McFadden Lanyi,Deirdre Longo, Eric Radzinski, Shannon Rouiller, Elizabeth Wilde, IBMPress, ISBN-13: 978-0-13-311897-1

• Microsoft Manual of Style, 4th Edition By: Microsoft CorporationPublisher: Microsoft Press Print ISBN-13: 978-0-7356-4871-5

Recommended Text:

Writing Software Documentation, Second Edition, Thomas T. Barker, Longman Publishers, ISBN: 0-321-10328-9. This is an older textbook, but it still covers a lot of good fundamentals.

Required Software:

Microsoft Word (as part of the MS Office Suite, available for free to students through NEU: http://www.northeastern.edu/its/services/software/student-advantage/)

Course Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for this course.

Course Description

Introduces students to writing and editing professional-quality computer user documentation. Focuses on techniques for creating usable documentation, including attention to text organization and visual elements. Students have the opportunity to design and write a computer user manual and collateral technical documents, given a functional specification and software developed from that specification. To simulate a common work environment, class members will work in teams.

Course Outcomes

All of the assignments lead up to the creation of a user manual, which will describe a software program that I will provide in class. Each student will have the opportunity to produce a documentation plan, an outline of the manual, a style sheet, and the manual itself. Students are also expected to participate in editing each other’s work and become knowledgeable about the particulars of how to get reviewer feedback on their writing.

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This simulates the type of writing expected in the computer industry, as well as gives an understanding of how writers fit into the development cycle of a product. Course Methodology

Every week there are discussion questions to respond to and writing assignments that are due. In addition, you will work with a fellow student editing their manual for one assignment. I expect you to start working on your manual the first week of class and continue to work on it for the remaining 6 weeks. I also expect you to participate in the discussion board topics, help each other by answering each others’ questions, and read the appropriate sections in the text book each week.

Each week, you will be expected to do the following: 1. Review the week's learning objectives. 2. Complete all assigned readings. 3. Complete all lecture materials for the week. 4. Participate in the Discussion Board. 5. Complete and submit all assignments by the due dates.

Participation/Discussion Board

Participation in this class is mandatory and counts towards 25% of your grade. Participation comes in the form of the Discussion Board.

• Post one response to my question on the Discussion Board, per week. Primary responses are due by 11.59 pm every Thursday.

• Post one response to a post from another student in the class, per week. Secondary responses are due by 11.59 pm on Sunday.

You must post at least twice a week on the board, each week in the week that it is due. Late discussion board posts will receive no credit without a prior written extension from the instructor. Primary and secondary responses are expected to adhere to the guidelines in the discussion board rubric posted on Blackboard.

Communication/Submission of Work

In Blackboard, in the Course Materials section, go to the week that your assignment is due. In the Assignments folder, click on the Assignment link to view each assignment. Attach your completed assignments in the Assignment Materials area (scroll down to the bottom of the Assignment page) and click Submit. After I have graded your assignment, you will be able to view the grade and feedback I have provided by clicking on Tools -> View Grades from the Northeastern University Online Campus tab. See the Grading and Class Schedule sections below for the specific due date of each assignment. All times listed are Eastern time. Make sure to review the due dates at the beginning of the semester and plan your time accordingly.

Grading/Evaluation Standards

Class participation, the homework assignments, and your final project combined form the basis of your grade. All times listed are Eastern Time.

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Points possible Grade Item Due Date

25 pts Class Participation Participation is required each week. See the Participation section for details.

10 pts Homework Assignment 1 Due 8am 11/6

10 pts Homework Assignment 2 Due 8am 11/13

15 pts Homework Assignment 3 Due 8am 11/27

10 pts Homework Assignment 4 Due 8am 12/4

30 pts Final Project Due 8am 12/16

IMPORTANT: Homework submitted after the dates and times listed above without prior permission will be marked down. Late work will seriously impact your ability to keep up in the class, as each week builds on the previous week. You must contact the instructor prior to the assignment due date listed above if you have an issue that will impact your assignment.

Assignments

This is preview of the assignments that are due for the course. The full details of each assignment will be posted in Blackboard in the Assignments area. You should refer to the Course Materials section on Blackboard for full assignment details when preparing your assignment. The information here is high-level planning information so that you have an idea of the work that we will do in the course. NOTE: I will provide the class with a free software program. This program will be the one you are documenting throughout the class for all of the assignments. You’ll need to download and start to become familiar with the program when the course begins. Please see the special section on Blackboard called “Software Program” for download information.

Homework Assignment 1 – Prepare a Documentation Plan

Prepare a documentation plan for the final project user manual. I will provide sample doc plans and a template that you can follow. Dates in the doc plan should come from this syllabus (see the Class Schedule section).

Homework Assignment 2 – Outline and Style Sheet

Write a detailed outline for the user manual, down to the task level. In addition, you need to prepare a style sheet for your project.

Homework Assignment 3 – First Draft Due

Complete the first draft of your manual. The draft is not expected to be complete. It should, however, be more than just an outline. There should be some attempt at organization, some completed procedures, and the start of a cover page, TOC, and index. While the draft will not be complete, the writing that is there is expected to be carefully proofread and free of grammar/spelling/punctuation mistakes. A draft is not synonymous with sloppy writing.

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Homework Assignment 4 – Peer Editing

You will be assigned to edit one of your fellow student’s drafts. You will exchange drafts via email. Edit your peer’s paper following the peer editing guidelines provided in class.

Final Draft of User Manual

The user manual will detail all of the features of the software program that I will provide you with at the start of the class (see NOTE above). All of your previous assignments build up to the final. The final manual is expected to be a complete manual, with title page, TOC, chapters, and an index. The manual might also contain a list of figures, appendices, and a glossary if any of these are considered necessary by the writer.

Class Schedule / Topical Outline

This is a preliminary schedule. Please make sure to review the final syllabus on Blackboard for all final due dates.

Week Dates Topic Assignments

1 Oct 30- Nov 5 Ready, Set, Plan!

Readings as posted on Blackboard; Respond to discussion topics on the Week 1 forum; Homework 1: DUE 11/6 at 8am

2 Nov 6 - 12 Task and Style

Readings as posted on Blackboard; Respond to discussion topics on the Week 2 forum; Homework 2: DUE 11/13 at 8am

3 Nov 13-19 Getting Good Reviews

Readings as posted on Blackboard; Respond to discussion topics on the Week 3 forum. Work on first draft.

Thanksgiving Break

4 Nov 27- Dec 3 Editing Styles and Conventions

Readings as posted on Blackboard; Respond to discussion topics on the Week 4 forum Homework 3: DUE Nov 27 at 8am

5 Dec 4 - 10 Layout and Design Considerations

Readings as posted on Blackboard; Respond to discussion topics on the Week 5 forum; Homework 4: DUE

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12/4 at 8am

6 Dec 11-16 Graphics and Indexes

Readings as posted on Blackboard; Respond to discussion topics on the Week 6 forum Final: DUE 12/16 at 8am

Northeastern Grading Rubric: 95-100 A Outstanding, insightful work. Goes beyond requirements of the task to

develop a response, which is thoughtful, reflective, considers alternative views and makes connections among ideas and information from different sources or from different aspects of the course. Well researched and documented (if research is part of assignment). Displays creativity and originality.

90-94 A- Very good work. Purposefully and logically developed. Thoroughly addresses all aspects of the task. Synthesis of details and concepts from various sources or topics shows evidence of sound understanding and thoughtful examination. Research information appropriately cited (if research is part of assignment).

87-89 B+ Good work. Generally clear, accurate and relevant. Adequately addresses all requirements of the task. Demonstrates understanding of course concepts, with evidence of some thoughtful examination and reflection. Development is generally logical, facts generally correct. Tends to focus on one interpretation.

84-86 B Satisfactory work. Shows basic understanding of concepts with minimal evidence of reflection or thoughtful analysis. Complies with the basic requirements, relies on limited sources of information, little integration of concepts.

80-83 B- Minimally satisfactory work. Shows some understanding of concepts with little reflection or analysis. Barely meets basic requirements of assignment.

77-79 C+ Unsatisfactory work. Fails to address the topic in a meaningful way. May be extremely brief, inaccurate, illogical or undeveloped.

74-76 C

70-73 C-

69% or below

F

*Please note that CPS does not award grades below a C- for graduate level courses. For information about Northeastern's grading policy, see the Student Handbook: http://www.cps.neu.edu/student-services/student-handbook

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Academic Honesty and Integrity Statement

The University views academic dishonesty as one of the most serious offenses that a student can commit while in college and imposes appropriate punitive sanctions on violators. Here are some examples of academic dishonesty. While this is not an all-inclusive list, we hope this will help you to understand some of the things instructor looks for. The following is excerpted from the University’s policy on academic honesty and integrity; the complete policy is available at http://www.cps.neu.edu/about-cps/policies-and-procedures. Cheating – intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information or study aids in an academic exercise. This may include use of unauthorized aids (notes, texts) or copying from another student’s exam, paper, computer disk, etc.

• Fabrication – intentional and unauthorized falsification, misrepresentation, or invention of any data, or citation in an academic exercise. Examples may include making up data for a research paper, altering the results of a lab experiment or survey, listing a citation for a source not used, or stating an opinion as a scientifically proven fact.

• Plagiarism – intentionally representing the words or ideas of another as one’s own in any academic exercise without providing proper documentation by source by way of a footnote, endnote or intertextual note.

• Unauthorized collaboration – Students, each claiming sole authorship, submit separate reports, which are substantially similar to one another. While several students may have the same source material, the analysis, interpretation and reporting of the data must be each individual’s.

• Participation in academically dishonest activities – Examples include stealing an exam, using a pre-written paper through mail order or other services, selling, loaning or otherwise distributing materials for the purpose of cheating, plagiarism, or other academically dishonest acts; alternation, theft, forgery, or destruction of the academic work of others.

• Facilitating academic dishonesty – Examples may include inaccurately listing someone as co-author of paper who did not contribute, sharing a take home exam, taking an exam or writing a paper for another student.

Northeastern University Online Policies and Procedures For comprehensive information please go to http://www.cps.neu.edu/online/

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