• Time Required
• 5 to 6 hours, including reading time

Welcome to Technical Writing. Information on all assignments, weekly activities, and related resources for this course will be posted here on Canvas. Check this site regularly for the details on what to do for the course.

As noted in the Course Manual, this course is designed to acquaint you with the concepts and modes of writing that you will encounter in the workplace. In terms of what you will be writing about and the genres you will be learning, you should expect this course to be very different from first-year writing (composition) and other courses in which you have produced written work.

This first module is designed to introduce you to the structure and the expectations for this course and to make you aware of resources that are available to you as a student.

Holidays & Events This Week

Each week, I mention religious holidays and cultural events that I know about. If I leave out a religious holiday that should be included, please email me so that I can add.

Here’s what’s coming up this week:

• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day was Monday, January 16. The 2023 Martin Luther King Jr. celebration on campus includes activities during the entire week.
• Lunar New Year is observed on Sunday, January 22. It will be the Year of the Rabbit.

If either holiday will interfere with your work in the class, send me a message with Canvas Inbox and let me know how you need me to adjust your due dates.

 

Objectives for this Module

After completing this introductory module, you will be able to

• Identify the course policies, schedule, and expectations.
• Describe the course grading policies and standards.
• Identify the technology requirements for the course.
• Understand what learner support services are available to you, as well as identify privacy and accessibility policies and resources.

 

Activities to Complete

📚 To Read This Week

These readings are designed to orient you to the course plan, expectations, and assessment system, as well as to provide you with information about technology requirements, learner support, and privacy.

1. A Short Guide to Technical Writing
   This guide explains how the course works. It provides details on the typical course schedule, the assessment and feedback system, and advice on how to do well in the course.
   
   
2. Course Manual
   This manual includes all the details, requirements, and policies for the course. The links below take you to the specific section of the manual. It may take a moment for the section to scroll into view:
   • • Accessibility
     • Communication Guidelines
     • Honor Code
     • Late Policy (Grace Period)
     • Learner Support
     • Privacy
     • Religious Holidays & Events
     • Technology Requirements
3. Kinds of Work in the Course
   
   
4. Markel & Selber, Chapter 1, “Understanding the Technical Communication Environment”
• Details on the Course Textbook:
  Technical Communication by Markel & Selber. 13th ed. Macmillan, 2021. Print or ebook of 13th ed. is fine. Other editions may work, but page numbers will differ. I can’t provide page numbers for every edition. If you choose an alternate edition, consult a classmate to find resources that are not in the text you have. If you purchased an eBook access code, use this link: https://achieve.macmillanlearning.com/courses/5tz3bd
  
  
5. Characteristics of a Technical Document & Measures of Excellence in Technical Documents
   
   
6. 5 Mistakes People Make in This Course
   
   

 

📝 To Write This Week

• Submit the Syllabus Review, after reading the material for the week.
• Fill out the Student Information Form, to provide some basic information about yourself.
• Try out strategies from the course by submitting these activities:
  • Try-It #1: Workplace Writing Secrets (Tuesday)
  • Try It #2: Analyzing a Technical Document (Thursday)

 

💬 To Discuss This Week

• Optional ways to discuss class issues:
  • Post public questions in the General Q&A Discussion in Canvas if it can be shared with the class.
    
  • If you have a private question, send me a message with the Canvas Inbox.
  • Ask a question or make a suggestion anonymously with the Anonymous Questions & Suggestions form.

 

📓 To Check-In This Week

• Fill out the Week 1 Check-In Survey to let me know how the week has gone for you.

Photo Credit: Typer by Caleb Roenigk on Flickr, used under a CC-BY 2.0 license.