ENG 314 Summer Course Calendar
Note: Calendar is subject to change
Week 1
May 20:
Discuss course policies and syllabus
Introductions
Introduce Assignment #1: Persuasive message
For Next Session: read Chapter 1: Communicating in the Technical Workplace
read Chapter 2: Readers and Contexts of Use
May 21:
The 7 C’s of communication
For next session: Read Chapter 13: Persuading Others
read Chapter 5: Letters and Memos
May 22:
Discuss Topics for persuasive message
Persuasive messages: Good examples
For next session: Read Chapter 12: Strategic Planning and Being Creative
Bring Rough Draft of persuasive message (daily grade)
May 23:
Peer Review of Persuasive Message (15 daily grade points)
Audience and organization
For next session: Final draft of persuasive message
May 24:
Work Day: Work on Persuasive message
May 27:
Holiday
May 28:
Final draft of persuasive message and audience analysis due (75 pts.)
Discuss Technical Description assignment
Definitions and descriptions
For next session: Read Chapter 6: Technical Descriptions and Specifications
Read Chapter 17: Using Plain and Persuasive Style
May 29:
Writing a short technical description (15 daily grade points)
For next session: read Chapter 18: Designing Documents and Interfaces
Read Ch. 4: Ethics in the Technical Workplace
May 30:
Levels of Edit
Given/New Strategy
Grammar and Conciseness
For next session: read Chapter 16: Organizing and Drafting
May 31:
Optional Lab: Using Publisher and In-Design
Meets in Durham 91
Week 2
Week 3
June 3:
Peer review of Technical/Process Description (20 pt. daily grade)
Looking at tech. description examples
For next session: read Chapter 20: Revising and Editing for Usability
June 4:
Introduce Bad Brochure assignment
Effective illustrations and photos. Text to Visual transfers
Lab: Working toward a direct style
For next session: Final draft of tech/process description due
June 5:
Technical/Process Description Due (150 pts.)
Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, and Proximity
Discuss instructions assignment and topics
For next session: read Chapter 7: Instructions and Documentation
June 6:
General Intro to Instructions
For next session: read Chapter 14: Researching and Research Methods
June 7:
Work Day: Work on instructions outline
June 10:
Instruction Outline Due (5 point daily grade)
Grouping information (Sesame Street presentation)
Levels of Reading
June 11:
Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, and Proximity
Conducting your usability test
June 12:
Holiday (work on bad brochure)
June 13:
Bad Brochure editing assignment due (75 pts.)
Instructional photography
Independence of the visual: callouts, arrows, and descriptions
June 14:
Work Day: Work on instructions rough draft
June 17:
Peer Review of Instructions ( 20 daily grade points)
Look at examples
June 18:
Using Photoshop
For next session: read Ch. 10: Analytical Reports
June 19:
Using Sketchup
For next session: read Ch. 8: Proposals
June 20:
Final draft of Instructions and Usability test report due (225 pts)
Introduce Proposal/Report assignment
What makes a good proposal/report topic
Form Groups
For next session: read Ch. 3: Working in Teams
Read Ch. 15: Using Sources and Managing Information
June 21:
Work Day: Work on proposal/report topic memo
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
June 24:
Submit proposal/report topic memos (8 pt. daily grade)
Discuss report topics
For next session: read Chapter 9: Activity Reports
June 25:
Parts of the Proposal/Report
For next session: read Ch. 19: Creating and Using Graphics
June 26:
Using evidence
For next session: meet with team to construct outline
June 27
Submit proposal/report outline (8 pt. daily grade)
Visual Display of Quantitative Information
June 28:
Work day: Work on rough draft of group assignment
July 1:
In-Class writing assignment: Progress report on proposal/report (50 pts.)
Note: This is an individual assignment on group activity
July 2:
Logic Tree: Finding the thesis and weaving the logical thread
Week 7
For next session: Bring rough draft of proposal/report
(4 copies)
July 3:
Peer review of proposal reports (9 pt. daily grade)
Looking at proposal models
For Next Session: Read Ch. 21: Preparing and Giving Presentations
Lab: Using Word’s style guides and automation features
July 4:
Holiday
July 5:
Work Day: work on group assignment
July 8:
Proposal/Reports due (200 pts.) (one paper, one electronic)
Giving Presentations
Discuss Oral Presentations, schedule oral presentations
July 9:
Creating slides for presentations
July 10:
Group Presentations (50 pts.)
July 11:
Group Presentations
July 12:
Finals Day
Week 8