Course Syllabus

Course Overview

Basic Information:

Title: Introduction to Technical Writing and Design
Number: ENG 204-001
Time & Location: T&R 12:30–1:45 (MO 204)
Instructor: Dr. Jeremy Tirrell
Office Hours: Morton Hall 161, M–F 11:00–12:00 (or by email or appointment)

 

Summary:

Students in this course will engage core professional writing concepts such as audience analysis, document design, usability, and ethical composing practices. Students will produce material including public relations documents and technical instructions in both print and electronic formats. Individual and group projects are a feature of this course, as is directed service-learning with community partners.

This course affirms the Seahawk Respect Compact Links to an external site., which will guide class interactions. All class members are expected to treat each other with appropriate courtesy and decorum, and all coursework should be completed in a thorough, timely fashion. All students must read and abide by the policies articulated in this syllabus.

ENG 204 is the gateway course for the Professional Writing major track, which emphasizes conscientious intention, rhetorical composition, and explicit reflection. Professional Writing majors will complete a personal portfolio of work for the ENG 496 capstone course. This portfolio collects artifacts from throughout a student's academic career and asks the student to reflect on their educational experiences. To facilitate the production of this portfolio, Professional Writing majors should retain copies of their academic work and practice conscientious intention, rhetorical composition, and explicit reflection in their courses.

 

Catalogue Description:

ENG 204 - Introduction to Professional Writing
Credits: 3
An introductory survey of concepts in professional writing, including audience analysis, research methods, visual thinking, and composing processes. Includes a service-learning component. University Studies: Building Competencies/Writing Intensive, Building Competencies/Information Literacy, Explorations Beyond the Classroom

 

Course Learning Outcomes:

To complete this course successfully, students should demonstrate the ability to:

  • develop strategies for analyzing the components of organizational contexts, including audiences, purposes for writing, and organizational cultures (WI 1, IL 1, IL 2)
  • design documents, including memos, instructions, and reports, through an iterative process of drafting and revision that meet the needs of their audiences and accomplish their goals (WI 2, IL 3, IL 4)
  • construct arguments that appeal to several audiences at once and are based upon multiple sources of evidence (WI 1, IL 3)
  • conduct original, archival, textual, database, and/or internet research that can be used to support arguments (IL 1, IL 2)
  • read and compose multimedia texts critically and learn strategies for critiquing the medium itself (WI 1, IL 4)
  • work with others to improve their writing and produce texts and presentations (WI 2)
  • understand ethical considerations involved in organizational communication (WI 1, IL 3)
  • produce documents for an authentic third-party partner through an iterative design process and reflect critically on the experience (EBC 1, EBC 2, EBC 3)
  • use computer technologies necessary to communicate, research, design, and publish texts
  • conduct usability testing to support document/product design and revision
  • design effective graphics for use in documents and presentations

 

Required Materials:

  • Online readings provided through the course Canvas site

Be aware that electronic/loose-leaf/ring-bound/rental versions are perfectly usable, but they do not have any resale value.

Course Policies

Technology Expectations:

  • ability to interact with the course website
  • an email account checked regularly for course-related business
  • a flash drive or other means to backup coursework
  • ethical academic use of generative AI applications

Students need not be technological experts to succeed in this course, but digital technology interaction is an aspect of contemporary society, and computer problems are not valid excuses for incomplete work. Practice the core principle of digital data use: redundant backup. Digital technology will fail; be prepared for that eventuality. (If Canvas experiences outages or other issues, the instructor will make the necessary curricular exceptions.)

Generative AI applications (such as ChatGPT and Copilot) are an aspect of contemporary society in general and professional writing in particular. This course will engage with generative AI as needed, and some deployments may be proscribed. This course is focused on original research and writing, and it will address using such tools ethically. Using any prohibited generative AI deployments will constitute an honor code violation.

Students may use laptops, cell phones, and other digital devices during class, provided that they do not disrupt other students’ learning or the instructor's classroom management. This course is situated in an increasingly connected multimedia environment. Students are responsible for their own engagement with class meetings, and thus their resultant success or failure. Articles such as this Links to an external site., this Links to an external site., this Links to an external site., and this Links to an external site. suggest that students will be better served by not using such devices in class.

 

Availability of Material Online:

Some material on this website may be publicly accessible on the Web, including video recordings of class meetings.

 

Professionalism:

This course seeks to uphold the Seahawk Respect Compact Links to an external site.. Our culture has become conscious of the rhetorical implications of language used to name and describe beings, objects, and concepts. Students in this course have agency over how they choose to be addressed by the instructor and other class members. If students encounter challenging concepts or language in this course, they are encouraged to discuss them with the instructor either inside or outside of class. This is a rhetoric course, predicated on examining language's grounding and effects. It is a forum for such conversations.

 

Collaborative Work:

Teamwork and group projects are required elements of the course. When a group project is assigned, students will participate in activities that help foster successful collaboration. Student groups will be mostly autonomous and all members are expected to function professionally. After the conclusion of group activities, individuals will complete forms assessing the contributions and behavior of group members and the global performance of the team.

 

Attendance and Punctuality:

Because this class contains a strong workshop and discussion component, class attendance is crucial. Students who are not present when role is taken will be considered absent. If there are extraordinary circumstances that will prevent a student from attending class—including illness or concern about a possible COVID-19 exposure—the student should contact the instructor.  (The Abrons Student Health Center Links to an external site. provides COVID resources and information.) There is no separate attendance component of the course grade, but any student who misses more than five in-class meetings without clearance from the instructor will fail the course automatically. Additionally, any work missed because of an absence cannot be made up without clearance from the instructor. The class abides by the maxim that all members of the class should show respect to one another by meeting at designated times and places prepared to work.

 

Late Work:

If an emergency arises that will prevent a student from submitting coursework on time, they should contact the instructor.  

 

Statement on Academic Integrity:

All UNCW community members are expected to adhere to the guidelines set forth in the UNCW Student Academic Honor Code Links to an external site.. Students are expected to produce original work in this course. Collaboration and incorporation of external material and ideas into original work is of course necessary and acceptable, but all students are ethically obliged to document external sources through appropriate citation practices. The course will guide students through specific uses of generative AI tools; use outside of these practices may constitute an honor code violation. Students who are uncertain if some element of their work constitutes plagiarism or another honor code violation should speak with the instructor. The point of any class is to educate, not to punish; nevertheless, the consequences of honor code violations are appropriately dire. Please consult the UNCW Code of Student Life Links to an external site. for more information.

 

Copyright and Intellectual Property Policy:

Any dissemination of class notes, lecture slides, recordings, handouts, copies of exams, or any other course materials without permission of the instructor is prohibited by the UNCW Copyright Use and Ownership Policy Links to an external site., which specifies that class notes and related materials are considered derivative of original intellectual property of the course instructor. Therefore, the instructor (not the student) owns the copyright and must provide specific permission to distribute and/or reuse those materials for anything other than personal use and scholarship by the student. Commercial use, display, or dissemination of such notes, copies, or recordings—as well as posting to websites—will generally constitute an infringement of copyright and the Honor Code.  Materials that qualify as student-owned are listed in the policy.

 

Statement on Services for Students with Disabilities:

The university will make every effort to accommodate students with disabilities. Students requiring accommodations should contact the Disability Resource Center Links to an external site., as the instructor can take no action without its guidance. Students should do this as soon as possible, as accommodations cannot be made retroactively.

 

Statement Regarding Violence and Harassment:

UNCW practices a zero tolerance policy for any kind of violent or harassing behavior. Students experiencing an emergency of this type should contact the police at 911 or UNCW CARE at 962-2273 (24-hour crisis line: 910-512-4821). Students should be aware that all university employees, including instructors, are legally obligated to communicate any report of alleged sexual misconduct, on or off-campus, to the Dean of Students. Three university entities are confidential resources exempt from this obligation: CARE Links to an external site., the Counseling Center Links to an external site., and the Abrons Student Health Center Links to an external site..

 

Statement on Religious Observance:

In accordance with NC SL 2010-211, students are entitled to two excused absences for religious observances per academic year. Students must inform the instructor in writing the first week of class if they will miss any classes due to religious observance. Additionally, students should inform the Registrar the first week of class who will then coordinate with the corresponding course instructors. Any absence for religious purposes will be considered unexcused unless a student submits the request in writing the first week to the instructor or Registrar.

Course Grading

Grade Disbursement:

Students will have private, secure access to their grades online through this Canvas site.

 

Grade Components:

Engagement Assignments = 14 points (individual)
Reading Responses = 36 points (individual)
Corporate Communication Project = 100 points (individual)
Instructions Project = 100 points (individual)
Service Learning Project = 100 points (group)
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Total = 350 points

 

Final Course Grades:

This courses uses the plus/minus grading system on final grade reports. The breakdown is as follows:

  • 92%–100% = A
  • 90%–91% = A-
  • 88%–89% = B+
  • 82%–87% = B
  • 80%–81% = B-
  • 78%–79% = C+
  • 72%–77% = C
  • 70%–71% = C-
  • 68%–69% = D+
  • 62%–67% = D
  • 60%–61% = D-
  • 0%–59% = F