WRA 202: Introduction to Professional Writing
MW 8:30-9:50, 317 Bessey
Instructor :: Shreelina Ghosh
Office :: 267 Bessey
Office Hours :: MW 10:00-11:00 or by e-mail/appointment
Email :: ghoshsh2@msu.edu
Course website: https://www.msu.edu/~ghoshsh2/202/
COURSE GOALS
WRA 202 introduces you both to the rhetorical principles and professional practices
that you will need as a professional writer and to the field of professional writing as it is
defined by the professional writing program here at MSU. The principles and practices
you engage in for this class will help you understand and respond effectively to
professional and workplace writing scenarios. We will devote time to understanding what
"professional writing" means and its relevance and place in the corporate world. We will
address issues related to genres of workplace writing, design principles, digital writing,
and research skills and methodologies. Given the nature of professional writing, the
course will involve both individual and collaborative work. This course will primarily
focus on the identity and work of the professional writer, and what skill sets should be
honed to be ahead in the job market. We will also explore how rhetorical problemsolving
principles may be applied to diverse professional writing tasks and situations.
The major goal of the course is for you to learn strategies and methods to write
effectively as a professional in the workplace. We will make the class a workshop
symposium on professional communications relevant to your intended vocational goals.
You are reflect and write about the writing you explore and about how writing "works" in
a professional context. We will investigate the work and professional identities of
professional writers: What are professional writers? What kind of work do they do? How
are professional writers related to other kinds of writers, such as creative writers,
technical communicators, and journalists; equally important, how are they related to
designers, information architects, and project managers? By the end of the course you
should have a solid idea of what it means to be a professional writer and a sense of which
track (Digital and Technical Writing, Writing in Communities and Cultures, or Writing,
Editing, and Publishing) you would be most interested in pursuing in this program.
READINGS
Required text: Writing on the Job: A Norton Pocket Guide by John C. Brereton and
Margaret A. Mansfield
All of our course readings are available on our class ANGEL site (angel.msu.edu) in the
“Readings and Materials” tab in ANGEL. You will find a folder for each week with the
readings of both the days of the week. The readings due each day -- along with guiding
questions to consider as you read – are listed on the schedule.
GRADING
Project ONE: Professional writer's portfolio: 300 pts
Project TWO: Investigating professional writing: 300 pts
Project THREE: Workplace simulation: 400 pts
The final course grade will convert to the University's 4-point scale as follows:
93.5-100% 4.0
86.5-93.5% 3.5
79.5-86.5% 3.0
74.5-79.5% 2.5
69.5-74.5% 2.0
64.5-69.5% 1.5
60-64.5% 1.0
POLICIES
Submission Format: You may write your assignments in MSWORD documents –
Times New Roman – double spaced – font size 12 – one inch margins on all sides. All
submissions should be in PDF format.
Attendance and participation: Participation is absolutely essential. Come to class
prepared to discuss the readings due that day. Plan on expressing your ideas, frustrations,
questions, confusions, etc., even if you're not able to articulate them without some
hesitation—sometimes ambivalent or ambiguous remarks spark the liveliest discussions.
If you are absent, you miss valuable class time with your peers and will have difficulty
keeping up with the pace of the class. If you miss class, you are still responsible for
obtaining class notes and completing work you missed.
A third absence will make a difference in your final grade; for every absence after two,
your final grade will go down .25. Please see your student handbook or the university
Ombudsman's web page http://www.msu.edu/~ombud/ for procedures for obtaining an
excused absence at MSU. Should a serious medical or family emergency arise that will
require your absence beyond four classes, please notify me as soon as possible-and make
sure that you notify your academic advisor as well.
Reading: Careful reading is an important form of participation in this course. Assigned
readings are intended to help you understand the writing assignments and spark ideas for
paper topics.
Late policy: If you miss more than ten minutes of class, it counts as an absence. Keep in
mind that you're responsible for completing all assignments on time, even if you're
away—so if you plan to be gone the day something is due, remember to turn it in before
you leave. The due date of each paper is mentioned in the agenda. The policy for late
paper submission is -- NO LATE SUBMISSION. However, if you are faced with a
personal or medical emergency and have already turned in one late assignment you will
need to make arrangements with me as much in advance of the due date as possible.
Electronic Device Policy: No Instant Messaging, no facebook , or game playing while
we are having class. Only class related emails and web-surfing will be allowed. Keep
your cell phones SWITCHED OFF during class.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the act of using language and ideas from published sources
without proper attribution (see your Spartan Student Handbook for policies on Academic
Honesty, pp. 76-77). Unfair usage of copyrighted stuff without proper citations will lead
to a loss of points and even failure in the course. It is essential that you are very careful
about this. In this class, we will work on how to cite others' ideas and words. If you have
questions please ask.Americans with Disabilities Act: MSU complies with all federal and
state laws and regulations regarding discriminations, including the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990 ( ADA ). If you have a disability that could affect your
performance in this class or that requires an accommodation under the Americans with
Disabilities Act, see me as soon as possible so that we can make appropriate
arrangements.
Project Descriptions
PROJECT 1: PROFESSIONAL WRITER'S PORTFOLIO
> Job analysis
> Tailored résumé
> Portfolio
> Reflection
Goal
In the present state of the nation's economy, it is essential to make effort to optimize your
chances of ending up with a job that is best suited to your qualification and interest. For
this, it is important to know how to make your résumé look perfect for the job advertized.
We will practise some of those tactics in this assignment. There will be three parts to this:
you will search for three positions and work on résumé and portfolio to nest suit the
requirements of the job.
Job analysis
As part of this assignment, locate professional writing job advertisements. Please note
that you need not be concerned about the possibility of gaining any of the jobs based
upon your current résumé. In fact, one of the goals of the project is to use these ads to
assess your current qualifications and find ways of building even more experience as a
professional.
Keeping in mind your area of specialization and interest Select 3 job advertisements
related to professional writing. You may find some exciting positions in the fidls of
technical writing, journalism, public relations, web design, publications management,
training, proposal writing, instructional design, advertising, and so on. You may also
locate opportunity in another field that is writing intensive.
Select an ad that has a substantial job description and organizational information. Locate
areas of development for yourself as a professional writer. Also, look for a position
(entry-level or likewise) where you can apply upon graduation. A good way is to start by
search by looking for specific job titles within the field. For example, select one specific
job title and collect three ads for that one title.
You may consult Professional Writing Career Finder <
https://www.msu.edu/~wrac/pw/careers/index.html>, Lansing Businesses page
<http://www.iloveoldtown.org/index/businesses/all>, MSU Career page
<http://careernetwork.msu.edu/> the PW townhall meeting blog <
http://beyondwordsblog.com/tag/jobs>, or
<http://beyondwordsblog.com/2008/05/13/open-positions-in-the-lansing-area>.
Look for key phrases, terms, and descriptions in the ads which you will include in your
tailored résumé. Once you have identified the three positions, write out a brief
justification of your choice. (2 pages, 50 pts, due 1/18)
Tailored résumé
For each of the three jobs that you have selected, you will require to write meticulously
tailored résumé. You will need to make decisions regarding what info you decide to or
not to include in your résumé, given the protocols of your field and the job that you are
applying to. How did you change the wording of some of your work details and/or
educational details to best match the protocols of the business and the job that was
advertised. (3 tailored résumés, 150 pts, due 1/31)
Portfolio
The Professional Writing program at MSU asks its majors to develop and maintain
electronic portfolios of their work in the program. The E-Portfolio will serve as a
professional portfolio for employment purposes, showing potential employers what you
have learned, what skills and experiences you have as a professional writer.
You can approach this assignment in one of two ways:
• If you are new to the major, just starting out, and do not yet have an e-portfolio, then
your assignment is to create an e-portfolio for your work in WRA 202 only .
• If you are an advanced student in the major, have already taken several courses in the
major, and already have a professional e-portfolio, then you can opt to use this
assignment as an opportunity to expand, develop, and revise your existing e-portfolio,
adding in the work that you have done in WRA 202.
Basically, creating this portfolio will involve
• designing a portal web page ("home page") that will serve as the entry point or index for
your portfolio (in your AFS space),
• providing an overall reflective statement about your work in WRA 202, and
• loading, organizing, and labeling projects and documents from this and other courses to
be included in the portfolio
You may revise the work you have done in this program before including it in your
portfolio. You may decide to include drafts, notes, design mockups, or other materials to
show how you engage the writing *process*. You might decide to include notes for each
of the projects, or even your project reflections, to explain what the project was and what
your contribution was.
The reflective statement is especially important — and all students should include a
reflective statement about their work in WRA 202 . Focus the audience's attention on
your key strengths as a writer —> what do you want them to SEE about your writing? In
this case, the main audience is likely to be a potential employer. Articulate on the aspects
of professional writing and how your qualification, experience and interest makes you an
ideal candidate.
One of the aims of the portfolio is not only to organize and present your work, but also to
create an identity for yourself as a professional writer: What characterizes your work in
general? What are your key strengths as a writer? What does the work show about you?
What have you learned how to do?
Design and Architecture
Your portfolio needs to be online. In case you are new to web authoring you may use the
basic website template provided in class by me. If you are aquainted with web designing,
you may design your own websites, use web templates available online or use your
existing web page. You can also go to CSS Tinderbox and other sites to find OS ("open
source") templates that you can use for this project. The CSS Tinderbox site is only one
of many that offers templates for writers/designers to use. What you would do is
download (a) the HTML code for the content, and (b) the CSS style sheet that controls
the styles and designs of the page. (Important note: If you use or repurpose someone
else's template, be sure to credit their work!)
The architecture of the site would look like this:
Level One: Main e-portfolio page
- Link: Reflection/overview of professional writing
- Link: Projects, Contact, cv etc.
Level Two: Brief reflections on each separate project (including WRA 202)
- Links: to the projects themselves (either PDFs, or URLs to your AFS space)
Reflection
Reflect on the process of creation of the portfolio. Critical reflection is obviously an
important component of your work in the Professional Writing major. It is not enough to
simply be a good writer or good web designer — you also have to understand what good
writing is and be able to articulate that understanding, explain it to others, and, at times,
argue for it. When you create a web site (for instance), you need to be able to explain the
rationale behind your choices: Why did you design it THAT way? How did you decide
what users needed? What guided your content decisions, your design decisions? If you
can't explain your choices, then you haven't really achieved "professional" status. An
effective e-portfolio should do more than merely collect your good work ... it should also
demonstrate your ability to explain that work, to articulate what you are doing and why.
You have been practicing that kind of reflective ability in your WRA 202 project
reflections — and you should demonstrate that skill in your e-portfolio as well. (2-3
pages, 100 pts, due 2/7)
Evaluation Criteria
The following criteria are especially important for this project:
PURPOSE
- Does this e-portfolio help you establish a distinctive identity as a professional writer?
- Does this e-portfolio show that you have learned and developed as a writer in WRA
202?
PRODUCT
- Does the design of the entry page help establish your professional writing identity?
- Is the design of the entry page professional? Does it convince an audience that you are a
capable designer?
- Are the documents well organized? Are they accessible? Is the navigation clear? Can an
audience find and download the documents from your portfolio?
PROCESS
1. An e-portfolio can show the products that you have produced in your course work — it
can show your design skills, your stylistic strengths, your critical and analytic abilities.
But how do you show professional writing skills that are not necessarily represented in
the products themselves — for instance, the ability to copyedit and proofread, or the
ability to work effectively in teams, or the ability to manage and coordinate large-scale
projects? Many professional writing skills are not easily "captureable" in the written
products that you produce in classes. How do you represent/capture the invisible work
that is nonetheless critical to being an effective professional writer? (People in
management and administration have this problem. How do you make administrative
work, management work visible?)
2. Here's a challenge: How do you explain the group projects in your e-portfolio? The
overall product itself represents the work of 4 or 5 or more people. How do you represent
your contribution to the project in your e-portfolio?
3. Does your e-portfolio show your ability to reflect critically on what you have done and
why?
Sample E-Portfolios of Professional Writing Majors
https://www.msu.edu/~wrac/pw/portfolios.html
Heather Carlile (MSU) -- http://www.msu.edu/%7Ecarlileh/portfolio/
Adam Treadwell (MSU) -- http://www.msu.edu/%7Etreadw10/adamportfolio.html
Tarbox (Rensselaer) -- http://www.rpi.edu/~tarboj/
Brown (Kennesaw State) -- http://pigseye.kennesaw.edu/~abrown15/
Schuerman (Clemson) -- http://people.clemson.edu/~aschuer
Byers (MSU) -- http://www.kristenbyers.net/portfolio/
Kuhnmuench (MSU) -- http://www.akuhnmuench.com/portfolio/
Parker (MSU) -- http://www.msu.edu/%7Eparke131/portfolio/
Van Duinen (MSU) -- http://www.msu.edu/~vandui11/portfolio/
PROJECT 2: INVESTIGATING PROFESSIONAL WRITING
> Shadowing project
> Report on shadowing project
> Presentation: What is professional writing (group)
> Reflection (individual)
Goals
The aim of this project is pretty straightforward: to research what "professional writing"
might be. There will be scope for both individual and group work in this assignment. You
will be observing how professional writing happens in the real world and also observing
how the MSU program is designed to meet those needs. Your primary goals for this
research are:
(a) To develop a description and definition of professional writing (What is it? What are
the key issues for the field at this time? What kind of work does the professional writer
do? In what contexts?)
(b) Examine how the program you are entering at MSU constructs its view of
professional writing and the work of professional writers.
(c) How your knowlegde of professional writing may be applied in the real world.
(d) Work out on a plan for the shadowing assignment as you go around observing the
field.
There are a number of approaches you could take to answer these questions. You could
explore the professional writing major, both here at MSU and at other institutions. You
could examine how "professional writing" is used in the academic literature. You could
explore jobs or workplaces that employ professional writers. You might explore the trade
or professional literature for professional writers. You could examine the archives of
professional writing listservs and online discussion groups.
You have all of these options plus other ideas that you might come up with. Whatever
you do, your work, to be successful, must meet the following criteria:
1.
Your report must make an argument--a claim, backed by evidence, about
"professional writing"
2.
In order to produce the evidence, you must perform research that utilizes both
primary and secondary sources.
3.
You must demonstrate the ability to design and write an effective short report
(we'll go over the basics together)
4.
You must demonstrate the ability to write well, which means a document that is
well-argued, designed, organized, and correct. Part of your task is to identify the
audience for the report and design it appropriately for that audience.
Shadowing project
This is the individual part of the assignment. You will spend some time (two hours to a
workign day) observing a professional writer at work. Imagine where you would like to
see yourself after graduating from this program or may be five years from this day. A
person who is currently employed in such a position is an ideal candidate. It is important
to clearly articulate in a detailed and complete profile of this person. Refer to Weiss.
Go about conducting your inquiry by choosing what you want to watch, how you will
collect data, how you will analyze data. What are the points at where writing happens
(meeting memos, notices, intra or inter office communications, on paper, online, sticky
notes, pads etc.) Articulate on the different genres and point out some differences
between workplace and academic writing.
Reciprocity is important as you go about conducting your field study. When you
approach the person who you want to shadow, negotiate a reciprocity agreement with
them. The goal is for your participant to get as much out of this project as you do. In most
cases, having a conversation about how to do this will suffice. The terms of your
agreement may involve producing a special report for your participant, reading
something, helping out with some organization activity, interning, giving feedback, etc.
Here is how the project hopes to help you as a professional writer: in addition to
exploring the career possibilities, you will also have a chance to work on ways in which
you can hone your skillsets as you progress in this program. The purpose is to familiarize
yourself with the writing and rhetoric of your future workplace environment. You will
require to submit a report based on this experience.
Writing about your Shadowing Project (invidual report)
In your individual report explain what aspect of workplace writing were you specifically
looking for in this shadowing exercise. You should also spend some time explaining what
you found and, of course, discussing the implications of what you found. Think of a
couple of different perspectives on implications: 1) how do you see this experience as a
way of developing your skills as a professional writer; and 2) how does this experience
help you in understanding professional writing as a field. Now, it is this second question
that will lead you to the secodn part of the assignment, which will be collaborative. (upto
7 pages, 100 pts, due 3/14)
What is professional writing? (group report)
In the report answer questions like what is professional writing? The differences between
being a professional who writes and a professional writer? What skills may be
recommended and/or required to be a successful professional writer? What are the current
key issues and trends in the professional writing field? I will expect the submission to be
a report addressing the issues of professional writing. Along with that include individual
reports of what professional writers function in the workplace. (6-7 pages, 100 pts, due
3/14)
Group Presentation
This will be an oral presentation of findings on professional writing, what it is and how it
happens in a real-world setting. This may be done in the form of a formal presentation
with speakers talking about their field experiences and concept of what professional
writing is. There are other exciting ways of presenting your findings. You may present a
skit on professional writers at work, shoot a documentary on professional writing
<https://www.msu.edu/~wrac/pw/vivapw/youtube/index.html> and participate in the
documentary contest. You may also design an interactive session to demonstrate a
workplace writing scenario in class. Or else, do something entirely different. (10 - 15
minutes, 100 pts)
Reflection
Reflect on the process of learning through the shadowing exercise and investigating what
professional writer really means. Write about the successes and difficulties you faced in
the process and how it contributed to your understading of the practical application of
professional writing in workplace. (2 - 3 pages, due 3/14)
Evaluation rubrics
The following criteria are especially important for this project:
PURPOSE
- Does your individual report demonstrate a clear understanding of what you are trying to
achieve through the shadowing project?
- Does the presentation show that you have tried to grasp an understanding of the field
and how it functions?
PRODUCT
- Does the report succeed in giving a detailed and insightful commentary on the activities
you encounter as you shadow the professional writer?
- Are there sufficient illustrations and specific examples of writings or writing situations
to support your findings?
- Does the presentation give a comprehensive idea of how the group understands the
definition and possibilities of professional writing?
PROCESS
- What were your criterion for choosing the person to shadow? How did you approach the
exercise?
- What was your contribution to the group project?
- What were the challenges and successes in the process of developement of both the
documents?
PROJECT 3: WORKPLACE SIMULATION
> Company profile
> Client profile
> Audience profile
> Product
> Team and self evaluations
Goals
In modules one and two you have interacted with a working environment and also
worked on strategies to make your profile best suited. The goal was to help you start
building a strong portfolio to keep you ahead in the job market as a professional writer
and to familiarize you with genres of the workplace writing through real-time
observation.
For this third project you will use these strategies and knowledge of genre to create a
workplace simulation. You will define a workplace problem (opportunity) that relates to
sustainability or a project proposal that involves intensive professional writing (writing
memo, report, meeting minutes, program agenda, press release, etc.), create a task force
within a company or outside consulting firm that will address it, and design documents to
solve it. You'll map your management strategy, work through stages of brainstorming and
production, and finally pitch your product or approach you propose as your solution.
Here are some examples of corporate situations that you can simulate:
- High level corporate meeting (documents: notification emails, memo, agenda, meeting
minutes, report)
- Usability testing (documents: test proposal, test questions, note taking, report)
- Advertising (documents: project proposal, ad script or design, report)
- Brochure design (documents: project proposal, brochure wireframe, content design,
client communication)
- Make-it-yourself table directions (documents: you may choose a crappy book-case
building manual and create a more usable document)
- Technology translator (document: create a user-friendly manual of a software.)
- Translator (document: translate a technical document written in a foreign labguage and
include images. eg. manual for using a toy written in Chinese.)
Each team will have a project manager (communicate meeting dates, plans, decisions to
team members), secretary (upload files in Angel in time, keep record of communications
in meetings and with client) and presentation planner (in charge of the group
presentation). We can decide on other positions like brand manager, technical
coordinator, editor, art director etc. depending on the nature of your project. This is an
opportunity to showcase your professionalism and rhetorical/marketing/ethical insight in
your management process, end product and pitch.
Company Profile
As a project team, first create a company/in-house taks force and describe its function, its
style, and your individual roles within the company/in-house task force. You may create
a brand for your company. (3 pages, 50 pts)
Client Profile
Next create a job for your team to complete for this project. Define the problem or
opportunity in terms appropriate for the client your company will be working for.
Articulate on the needs and expectations on the client and if your company has made any
negotiations in case of disagreements, problems. Include written communications, if any.
(3 pages, 50 pts)
Audience Profile
The audience profile you create should be a powerful tool as you develop your project.
Your final product might be anything thing: a website, a business report, a usability
report, a toy or a book case or an ad jingle or anything. Who will be using your website
or tool? Who are your theories describing? Who will encounter your writing? Personas
are archetypal definitions of your "typical users." Each persona should have three or four
important goals that help focus the design of the document you will create. Keep in mind
that goals and tasks are different: tasks are not ends in themselves, but are merely things
we do to accomplish goals. Not just any goals will do, though, so it's important to
understand which types will help you make design decisions. Experience goals describe
how the persona wants to feel when using a product; having fun and not feeling stupid are
experience goals. Think carefully about how you present your personas. The information
you present should be polished, easy to understand, and in a consistent format. We will
have a number of models to examine, critique, and extend. You can turn your assignment
in as a web page, word document, or pdf file. Think about the best way to exhibit your
work as part of portfolio that presents your work to a variety of audiences including me,
other students, other faculty in the department and, most importantly, key individuals in
the network that constitutes your future professional or academic career. (4 personas, 1
page each persona, 100 pts)
Final Documents
As mentioned under the project proposal section, the Major Document must be a
substantial piece of professional writing, though the specific length may vary depending
on the complexity of the text. The work may be an extensive proposal (usually external)
or a feasibility/recommendation report. (The length should be a minimum of 8 pages.)
Document choice will have been negotiated and finalized via the company/client
profiling and team/instructor meeting. (200 pts, due 4/29)
Presentation
For your Presentation you are to simulate an interaction with your client when you
present your completed document (or some other appropriate situation approved prior to
the day of the presentation). This presentation must be a minimum of 15 minutes in
length, and maximum of 20 minutes in length.
Support Materials
As a team, submit materials that were written to support the work of the team. These will
include minutes of meetings, email messages, notes from phone calls and any other
procedural pieces of writing. Place these in a folder and clearly label and organize them.
(due 4/29)
Team and Self Evaluations
At the end of the project, each team member will evaluate themselves and the other
members. (upto 4 pages, due 4/29)
Evaluation Criteria
The following criteria are especially important for this project:
PURPOSE
- Did your team clearly identify a job situation?
- Did this project develop you as a future professional writer?
PRODUCT
- Do the products developed by your company help establish your professional writing
identity?
- Do the reflections show that you have succeeded in identifying your client and
audience?
- Are the documents well organized? Are they accessible? Has the team functioned well?
PROCESS
- Many professional writing skills are not easily "captureable" in the written products that
you produce in classes. How do you represent/capture the invisible work that is
nonetheless critical to being an effective professional writer? (People in management and
administration have this problem. How do you make administrative work, management
work visible?)
- Here's a challenge: The overall product itself represents the work of 4 or 5 or more
people. How do you represent your contribution to the project?
- Does your reflection (team and self evaluation) show your ability to reflect critically on
what you have done and why? Critical reflection is obviously an important component of
your work in the Professional Writing major. It is not enough to simply be a good writer
or good web designer — you also have to understand what good writing is and be able to
articulate that understanding, explain it to others, and, at times, argue for it. During the
process of creating the product you need to be able to explain the rationale behind your
choices: Why did you design it THAT way? How did you decide what users needed?
What guided your content decisions, your design decisions?
SCHEDULE
WEEK DAY
1
M 1/12
WORK DUE
Introduction Syllabus, semester overview
1
module 1: Job analysis
W 1/14
Danielle's session
Activity: wiki entry <http://writing.msu.edu/> Professional Writing Job Resources page
2
2
Sun
1/18
M 1/19
W 1/21
Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition <http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos089.htm>
Job proposal due
NO CLASS —MLK Day
module 1: résumé design
Activity: Résumé composition
3
M 1/26
Brandt: Writing for a Living
OWL resource for Workplace writers <http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/681/01>
module 1: Portfolio development
Workshop: Intro to Dreamweaver part i
Powell, Jankovich: Student Portfolios: A Tool to Enhance the Traditional Job Search
3
4
W 1/28
Activity: Accessing AFS (& your “p-drive”)
Intro to Dreamweaver part ii
Sat 1/31 Tailored résumé due
M 2/2
module 1: Web Portfolio due in class
Activity: Peer reviewing of portfolio, individual meeting
Kent: The "Remapping" of Professional Writing
4
W 2/4
Group formation, individual meeting
Sat 2/7
Reflection on portfolio due
5
M 2/9
module 2: What is professional writing
Sullivan, Porter: Remapping Curricular Geography: Professional Writing in/and English
5
W 2/11
Schreiber: From Academic Writing to Job-Related Writing: Achieving a Smooth Transition
Guest: Tyler Smeltekop
6
M 2/16
module 2: Shadowing
Weiss: Technical Communication across Cultures: Five Philosophical Questions
Guest: Courtnet Chapin
6
W 2/18
Group activity.
7
M 2/23
Kristen Flory
module 2: Report
Beaufort: Learning the Trade: A Social Apprenticeship Model for Gaining Writing Expertise
7
W 2/25
Clark: Is Professional Writing Relevant? A Model for Action Research
8
M 3/2
module 2: Presentation
8
W 3/4
Is Professional Writing Relevant? A Model for Action Research
blakeslee: Bridging the Workplace and the Academy
T
3/10
Job Shadow Day ay MSU Career Services
9
<http://careernetwork.msu.edu/employers/fairs/msu-spring-break-job-shadow-program>
Sat 3/14 project two due
SPRING BREAK
M 3/16 module 3: Company profiling
Jones: From Writers to Information Coordinators: Technology and the Changing Face of
Collaboration
9
W 3/18
final project proposal due
10
M 3/23
module 3: Client profiling
Goby: Business Communication Needs: A Multicultural Perspective
10
W 3/25
Group conferences
Guest: Lindsey Latour
11
M 3/30
module 3: Audience profiling
Persona exercise
11
12
W 4/1
M 4/6
module 3: Product
Geisler: Textual Objects: Accounting for the Role of Texts in the Everyday Life of Complex
Organizations
12
13
W 4/8
M 4/13
Tufte, “The Decision to Launch the Space Shuttle Challenger”
module 3: Reflections
Tebeaux: Redesigning Professional Writing Courses to Meet the Communication Needs of Writers in
Business and Industry
13
14
W 4/15
M 4/20
conferences
module 3: Presentations
14
15
W 4/22
M 4/27
final presentations
final presentations
15
F
W 4/29
W 4/30
final presentations
all final work due by 5pm