MASTER COURSE OUTLINE
Big Bend Community College
Date: March 2008
DEPT:
ENGL
NO:
109
(Formerly: ENG 112)
COURSE TITLE:
APPLIED TECHNICAL WRITING
CIP Code:
Intent Code:
Program Code:
23.9998
21
897
Distribution Desig.:
General Elective
PREPARED BY:
Fred M. Rhodes, Instructor
Credits:
Total Contact Hours Per Qtr:
Lecture Hours Per Qtr:
Lab Hours Per Qtr:
Other Hours Per Qtr:
3
44
22
22
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The course will prepare technical/vocational students, and
others, for successful careers in their respective fields by developing skills in written
communications commonly used in the workplace.
Teaching strategies will address reading, interpreting, planning, organizing, composing, and
word processing technical writing as applied in business and industry.
PREREQUISITE(S):
TEXT:
ENGL 098 or placement test
Workplace Communications, Searles, George J., first edition.
COURSE GOALS: To prepare students for success on the job by improving their technical
writing skills.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
1. Define technical writing and the properties that differentiate it from other writing;
2. Understand the purpose of various commonly-used technical documents;
3. Understand what makes technical writing effective in fulfilling its purpose;
4. Apply proven strategies and techniques to develop the content of technical documents;
5. Write clear, accurate and concise technical documents;
6. Locate, extract, comprehend, evaluate, and apply information on the internet; and
7. Use a personal computer for word processing and accessing the internet.
COURSE CONTENT OUTLINE
1. Instructions
Students will be able to:
A. Analyze a procedure to determine the steps necessary to perform it;
B. Write formal instructions, simple and more complex, and informal instructions; and
C. Write instructions that effectively enable the reader to perform the procedure.
2. Process Descriptions
Students will be able to:
A. Analyze a process to determine the discrete steps in it; and
B. Write a description of a process so that the reader can understand how it is carried out.
3. Definitions
Students will be able to:
A. Analyze a mechanism to determine what it does and how it works; and
B. Write a description of a mechanism so that the reader can understand how it works.
4. Proposals
Students will be able to conceive and write a proposal that the reader can evaluate and
use as a basis for deciding whether to accept or decline.
5. Reports
Students will be able to:
A. Make an investigation of an incident to determine the facts surrounding it by
interviewing other students who will play roles simulating the incident;
B. Evaluate the facts to conclude the root causes and contributory causes of the incident;
C. Formulate recommendations, based on the conclusions of the causes, to prevent
recurrence of the incident; and
D. Write a report presenting the foregoing material.
6. Resume & Letter of Application
Students will be able to:
A. Identify their employment goals, long and short term, through introspection; and
B. Write a resume and letter of application that will lead them to their goals
EVALUATION METHODS/GEADING PROCEDURES
Writing Assignments
50%
Mid-Term Test
Class Participation
20%
Final Examination
10%
20%
Class participation requires attendance. Attendance at word processing laboratory sessions, which
comprise about half of the class time, is recommended regardless of whether the student has access
to a computer elsewhere because elaboration of text material and hands-on coaching is provided
there. Some material presented in the classroom is not on the text, so attendance is necessary to
obtain this material. Basic skills in word processing are needed; students who do not have them
may acquire them during the course with extra effort.
PLANNED TEACHING METHODS/LEARNING STRATEGIES
X Lecture
___ Small Group Discussion
___ Special Project
X Laboratory Computer ___ Audiovisual
___ Other (List)
__ Supervised Clinical
___ Individualized Instruction
________________________________________
Division Chair Approval