- Time Required
- 6 to 8 hours, including reading time
This module explores how audience and purpose shape technical writing and how persuasion can help you make effective recommendations.
The concepts you read about this week apply to every project you will do in the course—and ultimately to the projects you will do in the workplace.
Holidays & Events This Week
Here’s what’s coming up this week:
- Al-Isra’ wal-Mi’raj is an Islamic holiday marking the Night Journey and Ascension of the prophet Muhammad. This highly significant event is observed on Monday, January 27.
- Lunar New Year, which you may know as Chinese New Year, is Wednesday, January 29. This year is the Year of the Snake. The name of the event (and in some cases, the date) varies by country and culture. For instance, the Lunar New Year is referred to as TαΊΏt in Vietnam.
- Black History Month in American and Canada begins on February 1 and runs through the entire month.
- Imbolc, which marks the beginning of Spring in Ireland, takes place on Saturday, February 1.
If any of these events interferes 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
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to perform the technical writing tasks defined by the learning objectives for the course:
- Assemble and analyze research from diverse sources appropriate to problem solving (e.g, literature review, evaluation of online resources, interviewing, and site inspection) [CLO 1]
- Analyze the context; determine appropriate audiences for or users of planned communications; assess needs of global audiences and people with disabilities. [CLO 2]
- Practice workplace genres related to specific fields (e.g., proposals, instructions, correspondence, reports, technical specifications and slide decks); illustrate how genre conventions can serve as heuristics and as principles of arrangement [CLO 3]
- Practice team and collaborative work in all phases of project management: planning, researching, writing, revising, and presenting information; include genres associated with team work (e.g., meeting minutes, summaries, poster presentations; pitches) [CLO 4]
| Event | Date | Work Effected |
|---|---|---|
| 3-Day Grace Period | By 11:59 PM on Wednesday, January 29 | Week 1 Try-Its, Student Information & Group Preferences Form, and the Check-in Survey |
| Target Due Date for Weekly Activities | By 11:59 PM on Friday, January 31 | Week 2 Try-Its and the Check-in Survey |
| 3-Day Grace Period | By 11:59 PM on Wednesday, February 5 | Week 2 Try-Its and the Check-in Survey |
See the information on Target Due Dates and Checkpoint Deadlines for additional details on these dates. The full list of course due dates and deadlines is listed in the Technical Writing Dates and Deadlines.
Activities to Complete
π To Read This Week
- Week 02 Readings on Rhetorical Situation, Correspondence, Organization
π To Do This Week
- Begin work on the Survey of Website Writing In Your Field Informal Report Assignment, which has a Target Due Date next week (February 7). Use these resources:
- Survey of Website Writing in Your Field Criteria
- Example Websites
- Resources for Identifying Types of Writing
- Identifying Kinds of Writing with AI (optional)
- Survey of Writing Self-Check (if you want to check your project yourself)
- Try out strategies from the course readings from Chs. 1.3 and 2.3 by submitting these activities:
π¬ To Ask Questions (Optional)
- 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.
π To Check-In This Week
- Fill out the Week 2 Check-In Survey to let me know how the week has gone for you.