Technical and Business WritingENG 232.40Winter 2019

Number of Credits: 3 credits

Days Class Meets: Mondays and Wednesdays

Meeting Times: 1:00 p.m.-2:44 p.m

Location: North Campus, Room 202

Instructor: Alyson E Doulos

Office: Adjunct Faculty Office

Contact Email: doulosalysone@jccmi.edu

Office Hours: By appointment

Online: Please contact me through JC email,

not through JetNet messaging. I do not accept

assignments or discuss via email; assignments

must be handed in and grades discussed in

person.

Course DescriptionBusiness and Technical Writing is a course designed to provide practice in a variety of written and video

communications to meet the requirements of the workplace. Projects may include descriptions,

instructions, resumes, letters, memos, proposals, reports, and oral presentations.

This class prepares you for the writing and communication standards expected in the professional

workplace. You will be expected to work collaboratively, participate consistently and communicate

clearly and directly. You will hone your critical thinking skills, learn how to analyze workplace culture

and audience expectations in order to make effective decisions about how to best achieve your purpose in

each assignment and the final portfolio.

Prerequisite(s)ENG 131

Course GoalsENG 232 course goals and objectives incorporate specific General Education Outcomes (GEO’s) and

Essential Competencies (EC’s) established by the JC Board of Trustees, administration, and faculty.

These goals are in concert with four-year colleges and universities and reflect input from the professional

communities we serve. GEOs and ECs guarantee students achieve goals necessary for graduation credit,

transferability, and professional skills needed in many certification programs. The GEO addressed in this

class:

Writing clearly, concisely, and intelligibly – GEO 1.

Class discussions, activities and practice will focus on:

· Refining the writing and peer responding processes.

· Writing with attention to purpose and audience.

· Composing meaningful documents.

· Organizing, developing, and supporting ideas.

· Connecting prior knowledge and new information.

· Integrating sources with proper documentation.

· Employing proper grammar, mechanics and format, with attention to word choice, tone and style

Textbook Technical Communications: A Practical Approach by William Sanborn Pfeiffer and Kaye Adkins.

Eighth edition. 2013. ISBN: 9780132785785.

Text Book Zero! This text is available in a digital format. Please see the links posted on our class

Jet Net site. This text is available to rent or purchase in digital format through the JC Bookstore.

ExtrasYou will also need:

A flash/thumb drive to save course work

Paper and a writing utensil for class notes and assignments

Access to a computer and the internet in order to complete homework and major projects.

Grading ProcedureAssignment sheets will be distributed in class and posted on JetNet. You will choose a real company to

which to address the major assignments in this course. The assignments below, other than in-class

assignments and quizzes will all be directed to the company you choose during the first week of class.

In-Class Assignments and Quizzes: These may be announced or unannounced. These are to further

understanding of class lecture, stimulate discussion and promote critical thinking.

Instruction Manual, Newsletter or Brochure: You will write a 2-3 page instruction manual, newsletter or

brochure.

Career Writing: You will create a short portfolio of career-oriented documents, such as a memo

describing your ideal job, a résumé and cover letter directed toward that job, and two letters accepting and

declining the position..

Proposal: You will write a 5-page formal, researched proposal to a company/organization of your choice

proposing a solution to a problem. The proposal must include an annotated bibliography of at least five

sources.

Presentation: You will share a 5-minute presentation with the class (assuming them to be the

company/organization “board of directors”) describing the problem you have identified and your

proposed solution. Some form of visual aid (e.g., PowerPoint or handout) is required.

Final Portfolio: You will submit a portfolio including at least 12 pages of formal, professional writing,

including the proposal, career writing, a written response to your oral presentation and other documents as

assigned. A rubric and specific requirements for submitting the final portfolio will be posted on JetNet.

Grading Scale

GPA GRADE RANGE

4.0 94-100%

3.5 89-93%

3.0 84-88%

2.5 78-83%

2.0 72-77%

1.5 66-71%

1.0 60-65%

0.5 55-59%

0.0 0-54%

NOTE: While I do keep track of attendance, I do not provide a specific grade for it. That said, missing class severely impacts your ability to complete these assignments on time (especially using the computers), and it will likely affect the quality of the work. As a result, absences will likely appear as penalties in your assignment grades, so it is imperative that you attend class.Grading Procedure

Quizzes, In-Class Assignments and Peer Review (200 points) 20%

Career Writing Assignment (100 points) 10%

Instruction Manual/Newsletter/Brochure Assignment (100 points) 10%

Proposal & Presentation (200 points) 20%

Final Portfolio (400 points) 40%

Total: 1000 points 100%

FailureIn addition to violations of the academic honesty policy, students who are asked to leave the classroom

for threatening, disrespectful or hateful speech or behavior may not be allowed to return, resulting in

failure of the course.

Students must receive a 2.0 or above in order to successfully pass the course.

Academic Honesty PolicyAcademic Honesty is defined as ethical behavior that includes student production of their own work and

not representing others' work as their own, by cheating or by helping others to do so.

Plagiarism is defined as the failure to give credit for the use of material from outside sources. Plagiarism includes but is not limited to:

Submitting other's work as your own

Using data, illustrations, pictures, quotations, or paraphrases from other sources without adequate

documentation

Reusing significant, identical or nearly identical portions of one’s own prior work without

acknowledging that one is doing so or without citing this original work (self-plagiarism)

Cheating is defined as obtaining answers/material from an outside source without authorization. Cheating includes, but is not limited to:

Plagiarizing in any form

Using notes/books/electronic material without authorization

Copying

Submitting others' work as your own or submitting your work for others

Altering graded work

Falsifying data

Exhibiting other behaviors generally considered unethical

Allowing your work to be submitted by others

Course ManagementIntermediate Grading: To comply with college policy and federal regulations, students earn a progress

grade indicated at approximately two weeks, five weeks, and eight weeks. The grades assigned are H =

student needs additional support to pass the class; Q = has stopped attending and is being dropped from

the class; V = student is attending and participation

Dropping this class: Students who want or need to drop this class, must do so after the first week to have

their tuition refunded.

Withdrawal: After the add/drop period, a student may withdraw from a course in accordance with the

dates published in e-services. Because your tuition will not be refunded, speak with me before

withdrawing in order to attempt to determine the best solution. A W will appear on your transcript and

may or may not impact your financial aid status.

Incomplete: In accordance with JCC policy, an Incomplete or “I” grade is only issued to students who

have demonstrated good standing in the class and hold a passing grade at the time of an extenuating

circumstance that precludes completion of the class. Documentation validating the circumstance may be

required. I do not intend to give out incomplete grades this semester unless your circumstances are

extreme; they tend to not work in the student’s best interest of successfully completing the course.

However, please speak to me if you have any questions about incompletes or you are facing any barriers

throughout the semester that may hinder your progress, whether they are personal, academic, or

professional. I will assist however I can and direct you to resources you may find useful.

Makeup PolicySince this is a professional writing course, the stakes are always high regarding assignments.

Much like the “real world,” you have many different tasks to complete, and you must meet your

deadlines. As a result, submitting late assignments is costly; you lose 25% of your grade per class period

that an assignment is late (i.e., -25 points on a 100-point assignment; -50 points on a 200-point

assignment). Since your presentation is due the last week of class, it is impossible to submit it late.

It is always better to ask permission than to beg forgiveness, so extensions may be granted for appropriate

extenuating circumstances. Communicate with me as soon as possible if requesting extra time, and be

aware that I may require documentation to verify your circumstances.

Important Note: Peer Review cannot be made up! When peer review sessions are scheduled during

class, you must be present and have a completed draft of the assignment in order to participate. No

polished drafts of major assignments will be accepted unless they have been part of the peer review

process with a member of the class, so absence on the day of peer review will have a substantial negative

effect on your grade for the course.

HelpCenter for Student Success Located in Bert Walker Hall, Room 138, the Center provides tutoring and other services. Please call (796-8415) or visit for more information. The staff are there to help you succeed in your studies, so please do not hesitate to make use of this free resource for any of your classes.

Writing Fellows Located in Bert Walker Hall, Room 148, the Writing Fellows provide tutoring and assistance with writing assignments are stationed in BW 148 and are ready for walk-in conferences as well as appointments. More information is available here: https://www.jccmi.edu/english/writing-fellows/

Students with Disabilities Students with disabilities who believe that they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact the office of Learning Support Services at 787-0800, extension 8270/8553 as soon as possible to ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion. You must have written authorization to receive accommodations.

The Oasis Center Located in Whiting Hall, the Oasis Center provides counseling and a variety of mental health and substance abuse resources. Call 517.990.1300 or After-Hours: 517.787.7920. More information is available here: https://www.jccmi.edu/the-oasis-center/

Checking Your Progress You can always check your progress by accessing JetNet. You can access this from the JC Website. It will show what percentage of credit you have earned. Midterm and final grades (0.0 - 4.0) are posted to your student account on e-services, accessible from the JC Website. Any discussion of grades must be done in my office. Because of FERPA, I don’t discuss grades during class or via email.

CalendarHere is a general outline of the course and important due dates. A more specific course calendar with

additional readings and homework assignments, as well as paper assignment sheets and rubrics, will be

available on JetNet.

*Instructor reserves right to make changes to the course calendar in the case of unforeseen

circumstances, such as campus closings or instructor illness. Any changes will be posted on JetNet and

announced via email or in-class. If class is canceled for any reason, be sure to check your JC email for

instructions on how to proceed with course work.

WEEK # DATE TOPIC HOMEWORK

1 2/4/19

2/6/19

Introduction to course, syllabus,

each other. Rhetorical situations

and appeals.

Discuss Corporate Culture and

Ethics in the Workplace

Read and annotate Chapters 1 &2

and complete reading quiz on

JetNet by the start of class on 2/6.

Read and annotate Chapter 16

and identify and investigate the

company you will use as the

audience for assignments in this

class by the start of class on 2/11.

2

2/11/19

2/13/19

Introduce Career Writing

Assignment

Cover Letters and Resumes

Read and annotate Chapters 4-6.

Begin drafting your resume. Find

a job posting within your

company that is consistent with

your goals and skill sets.

3

2/18/19

2/20/19

More on Correspondence in the

Workplace.

Peer Review of Career Writing

documents.

Read and annotate Chapters 3 and

17.

Draft your cover letter and

positive, negative and neutral

letters.

Peer Review drafts of Career Writing Documents due at start of class on 2/20.

Revise Career Writing

Assignment documents for

submission on 2/25.

4

2/25/29

2/27/19

Introduce Instruction

Manual/Newsletter/Brochure

Assignment

Adding Graphic Elements to your

Document

Polished Draft of Career Writing Assignment due at start of class on 2/25.

Read and annotate Chapters 7, 8,

11.

Complete draft of Instruction

Manual, etc. Assignment

5 3/4/19

3/6/19

Peer Review of Instruction

Manual/Newsletter/Brochure

Assignment

Complete Peer Review draft of Instruction Manual…Assignment by start of class on 3/4.

Revise Instruction Manual…

Assignment, which is due by the

Workshop/Submission of

Instruction Manaul…Assignment

by end of class on 3/6

end of class on 3/6.

63/11/19

3/13/19

MID-SEMESTER BREAK-NO

CLASSES

7

3/18/19

3/20/19

Introduce Proposal Assignment

Introduce Technical Research

Read and annotate Chapters 9, 10,

12

Identify a problem within your

chosen company for which you

could propose a solution.

Begin research process for

Proposal Project.

8

3/25/19

3/27/19

Research and Proposal Process

Work

Introduce Annotated

Bibliographies

Research, research, research!

Complete a draft of the annotated

bibliography for peer review

workshop on 4/1/19

9 4/1/19

4/3/19

Peer Review of Annotated

Bibliography

Workshop Letters of Transmittal

and Executive Summaries

Annotated Bibliography due at start of class on 4/1.

Draft Letter/Memo of Transmittal

and Executive Summary by start

of class on 4/3.

104/8/19

4/10/19

More on Organizational Strategies,

Appendices

Workshop Introduction and

Discussion Sections

Draft Introduction and at least

two Discussion Sections of

Proposal for class on 4/10

Complete Peer Review draft of

Proposal Assignment by start of

class on 4/8.

114/15/19

4/17/19

Peer Review on 4/8/19

Discuss Proposal Presentation

Requirements

Draft of Proposal due for Peer Review at start of class on 4/8.

Polished draft of Proposal Assignment due at end of class on 4/10/19.

124/22/19

4/24/19

Revision Workshops/Conferences

PowerPoint Workshops

Portfolio Expectations

Revise Career Writing,

Instruction Manual/Brochure and

Proposal Assignments.

Prepare and create visual element

for Proposal Presentation.

134/29/29

5/1/19

Proposal Presentations

Class wrap-up and evaluations

Final Portfolios Due 5/1—No Late Submissions Accepted!

Practice your Presentation and Polish your Portfolio.

Important Dates: Fall 2018

DATE EVENT

JAN 14, 2019

FEB 4, 2019

DAY AND EVENING CLASSES BEGIN

LATE START CLASSES BEGIN

JAN 12-MAY 5, 2019 SEMESTER DATES

MARCH 11-17 MID SEMESTER BREAK. NO CLASSES

MAY 5, 2019 END OF WINTER SEMESTER

May 7, 2019 Grades Due

Student ResponsibilitiesYou are responsible for coming to class prepared, completing coursework on time, participating actively

and respectfully in class discussions and activities, commenting productively and constructively on the

work of your peers and revising your work as needed throughout the semester.

Thoughtful, engaged and respectful discussion of ideas and each other’s work is essential to the

successful operation of this course. We will engage with diverse viewpoints, difficult subjects and each

other as individuals. In order for the course to function and for every student to have the opportunity to

progress as a writer and a thinker, the classroom must be a safe space to express ideas. And class

discussions must always focus on ideas, not identities. Active listening and an open mind are encouraged;

disrespectful behavior, intolerant language, raised voices, hate speech or demeaning or dismissive

comments about an individual or group identity will not be tolerated. Students asked to leave the class for

displaying such behavior may not be allowed to return

Teacher Responsibilities

My role is to facilitate class activities and discussions, guide your writing progress and evaluate your

work in the class as whole. I am available during and encourage you to attend open office hours, or to

schedule a conference at a mutually convenient time, so that I can comment on revisions of papers, assist

with pre-writing, or discuss class progress. I have high expectations for the quality of your work, and I

will provide all the assistance I can in order to help you meet those expectations.

I will make written comments on the graded, polished drafts of each individual essay when it is submitted

on time and with the appropriate process folder. After an individual essay has been graded, I am available

to comment upon and guide you through the revision process during office hours or scheduled

conferences. I will not accept or comment upon revisions submitted via email.

Caveat

Instructor reserves the right to make changes to course calendar and assignments as necessary in case of

weather-related closings, instructor illness or other unforeseen circumstances. Any changes will be

announced in class and on JetNet.