Syllabus for ENG310
Welcome to ENG 310: Technical Writing v2-h
Please read the information on this page before proceeding to the course materials.
Credits: 3 semester credits
Prerequisite: ENG 160: English Composition I
Contact Information
Deborah Malenfant
Home Phone: 252-267-6920
Work Phone: 252-267-6920
Instructor:
Fax:
Email:
Office hours:
PSA:
Phone:
dmalenfant@allied.edu
8-4 EST
Brett Gaines
888-712-2733
Fax:
Email:
bgaines@allied.edu
Office hours:
AAU Technical Support
888-384-0849
Fax:
949-707-2978
Email:
aauhelp@allied.edu
Office hours: 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PST, Monday through Friday
Phone:
Textbook Requirement
Barker, T. T. (2003). Writing software documentation: A task-oriented approach (2nd ed.
Course Description
ENG310: Technical Writing. This course teaches the fundamentals of writing technical
Course Overview
This course examines the process of writing software documentation with an e
manuals. Topics include audience analysis, task orientation, general rules of writing, inte
for publishing and updating the finished product.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
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Describe the role of the technical writer in a data processing environment.
Write in clear, concise language, incorporating specific rules for writing.
Create and follow a model for documentation development or manual production.
Organize a user manual by task orientation.
Explain why the interview is a critical element in the manual development process.
Determine questions to ask subject matter experts and explain why such questions are appropriate.
Choose a correct page layout, as well as font styles and font sizes that will make the document readable.
Discuss different procedure formats and choose the most appropriate format for specific situations.
Apply the use of appropriate graphics to enhance the learning process.
Discuss the importance of editing and proofreading the manual to insure usability and integrity.
Describe the pros and cons of various ways to present the finished product.
Describe different types of manuals and identify situations where each is applicable.
Course Schedule and Topics
This course will cover the following topics in eight modules:
Week
Module Title/Assignments
1
Module 1 Overview
Module 1 Lecture Notes
Module 1 Discussion Board
Module 1 Check Your Understanding
Module 1 Homework Assignment
Module 2 Overview
Module 2 Lecture Notes
Module 2 Discussion Board
Module 2 Check Your Understanding
Module 2 Homework Assignment
Module 3 Overview
Module 3 Lecture Notes
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Module 3 Discussion Board
Module 3 Check Your Understanding
Module 3 Homework Assignment
Module 4 Overview
Module 4 Lecture Notes
Module 4 Discussion Board
Module 4 Check Your Understanding
Module 4 Homework Assignment
Module 5 Overview
Module 5 Lecture Notes
Module 5 Discussion Board
Module 5 Check Your Understanding
Module 5 Homework Assignment
Module 6 Overview
Module 6 Lecture Notes
Module 6 Discussion Board
Module 6 Check Your Understanding
Module 6 Homework Assignment
Module 7 Overview
Module 7 Lecture Notes
Module 7 Discussion Board
Module 7 Check Your Understanding
Module 7 Homework Assignment
Module 8 Overview
Module 8 Lecture Notes
Module 8 Discussion Board
Module 8 Check Your Understanding
Module 8 Homework Assignment
Final Exam
Study Guide
COURSE: The course is divided into eight topic-related modules. In general, each
cumulatively so a best approach to successful completion of the course is to study these
in the Course Schedule and Topics. Study any supplemental resources provided with
understanding of the subject matter. The course content is available to you at all times
assignments. This will help you anticipate your workload and to understand how the cour
one another.
TEXTBOOK: Your textbook may be in the form of hard copy or e-text. E-text mean
textbook may have a companion website (and a CD) which offers you opportunities for a
material covered in the textbook. If so, take advantage of these excellent resources
objectives.
RESOURCES: You are encouraged to use AAU’s Academic Resource Center (ARC) for al
your courses from writing and researching to doing case studies. You will also find use
assignment outcomes. The ARC contains important information about accessing LIRN, A
(www.lirn.net/accounts/login), as well as the APA Style Guide, which is required by AAU f
Access the Center by clicking the ARC link at the portal links in the upper right corner of iBoard.
Course Requirements
As a 3-credit course, this course has been designed to include 45 hours of academic e
Academic engagement may include, but is not limited to: submitting an academic assign
or exam; completing an interactive tutorial or computer-assisted instruction; contrib
initiating contact with a faculty member to ask a question about the academic subje
laboratory work. Preparation is typically homework, such as reading and study time,
projects.
Check Your Understanding
The Check Your Understanding assignment is an opportunity to facilitate your review
concepts to be learned. These exercises may appear in a lesson to test your level of u
studied, and to better prepare you for the final exam or final project. The
attendance. Check Your Understanding assignments count toward 15% of the final grade
Homework Assignments
The Homework Assignments are in-depth questions that address a particular module’s
assignment criteria are designed to address critical depth and integrated understandin
criteria to measure a demonstrated level of understanding of the subject matter covere
employed. The submission of assignments constitutes attendance. Homework Assignmen
Discussion Boards
The Discussion Board allows students to participate in focused module discussions to
module concepts and how these ideas apply to the discussion topic. Please read the Mini
Posting in the Discussion Boards constitutes attendance. Discussion Board p
grade.
Final Examination
The
ENG310
final
exam
is
a
Please
read
the Proctored
Final
Exam
Instructions.
The
final
exam
coun
The student will have two (2) hours to complete the exam.
Grade Weight
Check Your Understanding
Discussion Board
Final Exam
Homework Assignment
15%
20%
15%
50%
Accessibility Statement
Pursuant to AAU’s compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), AAU re
institutional atmosphere in which students with disabilities have the opportunity to be
may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the Stu
or fvazquez@allied.edu for further assistance. Please note that proper document
accommodations must be reasonable.
Please see the Course Policies tab for policy information such as Academic Honesty,
Grading Scale, including Withdrawals, Cancellations, and Incompletes, Grade Disputes, an