Goals

• Analyze the rhetorical situation and determine the appropriate audience or users of written communication, considering the needs of global audiences and people with disabilities. [CLO 1]
• Use conventions of various workplace genres, such as proposals, instructions, correspondence, reports, and slide decks, with understanding of how the genre conventions can be used as heuristics and as principles of arrangement. [CLO 4]
• Identify and apply the principles of effective style in the composing of usable, reader-centered written communications. [CLO 7]

The Task

What I Want You to Do

This week you have the chance to do your very worst work. Yes, you read that correctly. You will write a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad email excuse for missing class work. You will review information on effective technical writing and then violate the guidelines as you write your excuse. You will share your excuse with members of your feedback group.

Why I Want You to Do It

Okay, I admit that you may consider this task busywork, but it’s fun busywork and I have a reason for asking you to do it. During this course, you will provide one another feedback to improve your drafts. To learn about the feedback process we’ll use, you will share your bad email excuse with your group and then practice giving one another polite but honest advice on how to improve.

How You Do It

1. Review the readings on correspondence and email messages, since you will violate the advice they provide:
   • Chapter 1 of Markel & Selber, “Understanding the Technical Communication Environment”
   • Strong Subject Lines
   • How to Email Your Professor
2. Create a rough draft of your project that responds to this writing scenario:

   Imagine that you have been offline for a few days. As a result, you have fallen behind on your work for this class. Write an email message to me about your situation, but make it a terrible message, following these guidelines:

   • Make up any additional details you need.
   • Violate any and all of the information in Markel & Selber Chapter 1 and on the Characteristics of a Technical Document & Measures of Excellence in Technical Documents page.
   • Feel free to ignore the advice from the How to Email Your Professor page of the Short Guide.
   • Disregard the suggestions on the Strong Subject Lines page.
   • Even though you are writing a bad message, make sure your email draft is appropriate for the class.

3. Keep the following expectations in mind:
   • Technology Requirement: Use your word processor or Google Docs.
   • Fake the email headings (To, From, Subject, and Date).
   • Make your message humorously incorrect if you want. Have fun with it.
4. Share your rough draft in this week’s Discussion in Canvas, following the Feedback Discussions Instructions.
   • Aim to post your draft by Wednesday so that others in your group have time to provide feedback.
5. Submit your rough draft:
   • Submit your rough draft here by 11:59 PM on Friday, January 29.
   • If you need more time, submit your rough draft by 11:59 PM on Monday, February 1.

Obtaining the Points for Your Work

You track and grade your own work in this course. Be sure to complete the following tasks:

• Track your work in your Weekly Work Log.
• Post your rough draft in Discussions in Canvas with a specific question, for this week’s Feedback Discussion.
• Claim points for submitting your rough draft when you complete the Week of 01/25 Self-Assessment in Canvas.

Grades in Canvas will show this activity as Incomplete until I have the chance to give you feedback on your draft and mark your work as Complete.

The points for your work will show when you complete the self-assessment. If I ask you to revise because you have not met the assignment requirements, I will lower the points for the week. Once you revise to meet the requirements, I will restore the points.