Technical and Industrial Correspondence and Report Writing
ENGLISH 2311
SYLLABUS – SUMMER 2013
Campus: SaigonTech Tower, Quang Trung
Software Park, District 12, HCM City
Instructor: BÙI THỊ PHƯƠNG THẢO
Email address: thaobtp@saigontech.edu.vn
Office hours: By appointment
SEMESTER:
Summer 2013
TEACHING TIME: Wednesday
afternoon
(13:00 – 15:00) - (15:10 – 17:10)
Course Overview:
Prerequisite: ENGL 1301
Credit: 3
Course Objectives:
_ Provide the fundamentals of technical communication.
_ Train students to write standard business documents including résumé, letters, memos,
proposals, meeting minutes, informational reports.
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
1
Analyze communication contexts rhetorically by understanding audiences,
purposes, and situations
2
Communicate effectively with diverse audiences
3
Write effective technical prose and edit documents for clarity and conciseness
4
Create technical documents that solve problems and improve situations through
5
communication
Collaborate on communication projects
Learning Objectives (LOs)
2.1
Identify FACTORS that help make effective documents
2.2
Examine Cultural Variables in a Business Letters
2.3
Determine your Purpose of Writing
3.1
Make the documents coherent and clear
3.2
Revise a text by adding cohesive devices
3.3
Format a document with coherent Design with appropriate Titles, Headings, and
Lists
4.1
Write an effective Application Letter and a Follow-up Letter After an Interview
4.2
Write Proposals
4.3
Write memos and Informational Reports
5.1
Prepare an oral presentation
5.2
Draw, describe and interpret tables and graphs
Text book: Markel M. (2010). Technical Communication. (9th ed.). MA: Bedford / St. Martin’s
Reference books:
1. Houp K.W., Pearsall T.E., Tebaux E., &Dragga S. (2006). Reporting Technical Information
. (11th ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.
2. Alfred G. J., Brusaw C.T.,&Oliu W.E. (2003). Handbook of Technical Writing.(7th ed.).
New York: St. Martin’s Press.
Course Requirements and Expectations:
1. Attendance: Class attendance is necessary, mandatory, and expected. Students
are expected to be present for all classes unless there is an urgent reason to be
absent. It is impossible to pass the course without attending the class. If a student
is absent, s/he should meet with the instructor about missed assignments as soon as
the student returns to class. It is the student’s responsibility to ask about
assignments or material missed.
2. Tardiness: Punctuality is expected. Students are expected to arrange their
schedules so that they can be on time. If a student comes to class after class
begins, s/he must check with the instructor after class that day to have the
attendance record corrected.
3. Etiquette: College students are expected to be adults and to abide by the school’s
Code of Ethics. Persons who do not behave accordingly will be dismissed from
class – perhaps for the session. Refrain from carrying on private conversations,
attending to personal hygiene, or working on material for other classes. Cell phones
and pagers are not allowed except in emergencies.
4. Assignments: Assignments will be announced in class. Students are expected to
prepare the lesson before class.
5. Make-up work: Assignments must be submitted on the due day. Students are
permitted to turn in late work or missed assignments provided that they complete the
work within a reasonable time frame as established by the instructor. Ten (10) points
will be deducted if the assignment is up to one week late; twenty (20) points will be
deducted if the assignment is more than two weeks late. No make-up work will be
accepted during the final week of classes or during final exams.
This class aims to establish and maintain a positive learning environment based
upon communication and mutual respect. It will be conducted in accordance with
SaigonTech's commitment to social justice and academic honesty. Therefore, the
regulations above will be applied throughout the course.
Course Evaluation:
Percent
30
20
Item
2 assignments
report and presentation
25
MID-TERM TEST
25
100
FINAL TEST
Total
Grade Equivalents:
Grade
A-Excellent
B-Good
C-Satisfactory
F-Failure
Score
90-100 %
80-89 %
70-79 %
0-69 %
Course Calendar: 12 weeks
WEEK
TEACHING ITEMS
Course Orientation
Week 1
Wednesday
(12June)
CHAPTER 3
OVERVIEW on Writing technical
documents (pp. 41 – 53)
Steps (Planning, Drafting, Revising, Editing,
and Proofreading)
Understanding Your Audience and Purpose
(pp. 80 – 105)
Assignments & Other
Activities
Week 2
Wednesday
(19 June)
CHAPTER 7
Organizing Your Information
Basic Patterns of Organizing information
(pp. 152 – 170)
Organizing your information: Practice
Week 3
Wednesday
(26 June)
CHAPTER 9
Writing Coherence Documents
Coherent Titles, Headings, Lists, and
Paragraphs.
Coherence Devices Within and Between
Paragraphs
Homework (p 217)
Practice: Coherence devices
Week 4
Wednesday
(3 July)
CHAPTER 14
Writing Letters (pp. 368 – 376)
Writing Memos & Emails (pp. 377- 382)
Week 5
Wednesday
(10 July)
Practice: Inquiry letters, claim letters, “good
news” adjustment letters, and “bad news”
adjustment letters
Practice: writing Memos & Emails
Homework (p 385)
Week 6
Wednesday
(17 July)
Review for the Midterm exam
Assignment 1
Handout ONE
MID-TERM TEST
(closed-book essay test)
Week 7
Wednesday
(24 July)
Week 8
Wednesday
(31 July)
CHAPTER 15
Writing Job – Application Letters (pp. 415 –
422)
Elements of the Letters
Preparing for a Job Interview (pp. 422 –
424)
Homework (p 427)
Practice: Writing an Application Letter
Handout TWO
CHAPTER 16
Writing a Proposal (pp. 441 – 446)
Practice: Writing a Proposal (group work)
Week 9
Wednesday
(7 August)
CHAPTER 17
Writing Informational Reports (pp. 458 –
477)
Practice:
Writing Directives
Writing Field Reports
Week 10
Wednesday
(14 August)
Practice:
Writing Progress and Status Reports
Writing Meeting Minutes
CHAPTER 21
Making Oral Presentations (pp. 578 – 606)
Preparing a presentation
Handout THREE
Practice: Presentation graphics
Week 11
Wednesday Assignment 2
(21 August)
FINAL TEST
( closed-book essay test )
Week 12
Wednesday
(28 August)
Students’ Oral Presentations
FEEDBACKS on Students’ performance