Assignment Dates

• Target Due Date: By 11:59 PM on Friday, February 7, 2025.
• Checkpoint Deadline: By 11:59 PM on Monday, February 17, 2025.
• Grace Period: Ends at 11:59 PM on Friday, May 2, 2025.

See the Short Guide for an explanation of these dates.

What I Want You to Do

You will examine types of writing produced by those who work in your field by identifying at least four different kinds of technical writing that someone in your prospective career typically writes. You will compose a memo to me, summarizing your findings. Step-by-step instructions and a template are provided.

Why I Want You to Do It

To write effectively in the workplace, you need to understand the basic rhetorical and ethical expectations involved. Every piece of writing people do as part of their day-to-day tasks in the workplace requires decisions about the purpose, audience, kind of writing, and ethical issues. I want you to find example types of writing and make similar decisions by examining how they work.

Where You Can Find Help

• Survey of Website Writing in Your Field Criteria
• Resources for Identifying Types of Writing
• Week 02 Readings
• Week 03 Readings

How You Do It

1. Review the Survey of Website Writing in Your Field Criteria to understand the requirements for the project.
2. Choose the webpages that you will describe:
   • Pick specific webpages that a professional in your field typically uses while working. Check the Example Websites page for help.
   • Avoid overly general pages, like the Google homepage or the Wikipedia homepage.
   • Choose webpages that focus on four different types (or genres) of writing.
3. Make a backup of the webpages you choose. Websites can change frequently. By saving a backup, you’ll avoid the situation where the page changes while you are drafting. If that happens, the information in your project (the answers you provide) can change. Here are some ways to make a backup:
   • Print out the webpage on paper, ensuring all the information on the page prints.
   • Print the webpage and choose to print a PDF, so you’ll have a digital backup.
   • Save a backup to the Wayback Machine by following these instructions.
4. Follow the layout and format for a memo, using the Annotated Website Survey Memo Template and the Website Survey Memo Template (Format Only).
5. Use the structure outlined below to compose your project to compose your memo.
   • Memo Headers
     • Set up your informal report as a memo from you (your name) to me (my name).
     • Use all four memo headers.
     • Use a Strong Subject Line.
   • Introduction
     • Do not include a heading for the Introduction.
     • Explain the purpose of your project and summarize what you discovered.
     • Aim for a short, clear statement: a single sentence or two sentences.
     • Use this example if you desire: The purpose of this report is to X. Researching for the report, I discovered Y.
   • Approach
     • Include a first-level main heading for the section.
     • Identify and discuss the approach you took to finding the information.
       • Did you interview someone? If so, who? Where do they work? What’s their job title? How do you know them?
       • If you researched online, where did you find the information? Identify your sources in writing.
     • You don’t have to list all of the bibliographical material. Just indicate the source titles.
   • Types of Writing
     • Include a first-level main heading for the section.
     • Introduce the four types of writing you’ve examined in an advance organizer.
     • Add four Types of Writing Subsections, one for each type of writing you found. For each subsection, include the following:
       • Begin with a second-level subheading for the subsection that identifies the type of writing (its genre).
       • Identify the website you found, providing its name and linking to it in a sentence.
       • Explain these details in paragraph form:
         • genre (What type of writing is it, and what are its characteristics?)
         • purpose of the type of writing (What is this type of writing meant to do?)
         • the traditional audience for the genre
         • Usual mode of delivery (paper, electronic, etc.)
         • Its usual length (in paragraphs or pages)
   • Conclusions
     • Include a first-level main heading for the section.
     • End the body section by discussing briefly what you learned about the types of writing you might be producing in the workplace.
     • Do not summarize the webpages themselves.
   • Conclusion
     • End cordially.
     • Provide your contact information so the reader can follow up if desired.
6. Success Tip
   You should be able to answer “True” to each question in the Self-Check before you submit your project. If you do not meet each of the criteria listed, your draft will be marked Incomplete and you’ll need to revise.
   Review your draft by comparing it to Survey of Writing Self-Check.
7. Decide whether to submit your project based on your Self-Check:
   • If you answered “True” to every question OR AI confirmed that you met all the criteria, move on to the next step (#8). You’re ready to submit your work.
   • If you did not answer “True” to every question OR AI said you did not meet all the criteria, follow this process:
     • Return to your draft and revise it to meet all of the criteria.
     • Review your draft with the Self-Check after you revise.
       • If you answered “True” to every question, move on to the next step (#8). You’re ready to submit your work.
       • If you did not answer “True” to every question OR AI said you did not meet all the criteria, continue revising until you can.
8. Submit your project here once you are ready. See How do I submit an online assignment? if you need help with Canvas.

How to Find Feedback After Your Submit Your Work

• Find feedback in annotations and comments on your submissions in Canvas, according to one of these options:
  • I will add feedback and mark your work Complete in Canvas Grades, if you have met all the criteria for the assignment.
  • Canvas will mark this activity Incomplete in Grades automatically if you do not submit your work by the Target Due Date. You can still submit your work by the Checkpoint Deadline or Final Grace Period.
  • I will mark this activity Incomplete if I find your project does not meet the Survey of Website Writing in Your Field Criteria.
• Watch for this assignment to reappear in your to-do list if you are eligible to revise. See the information on Target Due Dates and Checkpoint Deadlines for details.