English 303-084
Read this syllabus in its entirety before attempting any coursework related to this class.
Instructor: Ms. Susan L. Eller
Cell Phone: (318) 512-5709
Traditional Mail: Louisiana Tech University
Dept. of English
Attention: Ms. Susan L. Eller
Online Office: Moodle Office Chat
Physical Office: GTM 246
Office Hours: See Moodle
Email: seller@latech.edu
Post Office Box 3162
Ruston, LA 71272
Course Description
ENGL 303: This course focuses on development of technical writing skills and styles,
employing various technical writing assignments, including a technical report, to achieve
that growth. If you have not completed the required prerequisites of English 101 and 102,
you must withdraw from the course, for you will not receive credit without the
prerequisites. Junior or senior standing is strongly advised due to nature of the required
technical report.
Course Goals
The purpose in this course is straightforward: provide you the opportunity to learn about
effective technical communication and to practice writing texts appropriate in the workplace so
that you become a more effective and versatile writer who:
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Prepares useful documents for specific audiences of technical communication,
Increases research skills in professional fields of study and uses results ethically,
Fine-tunes writing and editing skills for professional life.
Required Texts
Markel, Mike. Technical Communication. Tenth ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2010.
Print.
Department of English. Technical Writing Course Packet: Fall 2013- Summer 2014. Louisiana
Tech University, 2014. Print.
NOTE: The Technical Writing Course Packet is only available through the campus bookstore.
If you are registered with Student Services and need a digital copy, take the print version to tat
office. However, you can easily find Markel’s book online. Be sure you get the tenth edition;
there are significant differences in the editions—vastly different page numbers and chapters.
You can get the book in electronic form online, and the bookstore has rentals available:
http://latech.bncollege.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/BNCBHomePage?storeId=65097&catalog
Id=10001&langId=-1. You must have the books by the end of the first week of classes to
continue in the class!
Course Requirements
• Standard college writing skills, including knowledge of sentence structure, grammar,
and organization. If you need review, I urge to consult Appendix C in Markel, any current
college handbook, hire a tutor, or if you’re on-campus, check in with The Writing Center:
http://www.latech.edu/barc/writing-center/index.shtml>. In fact, during announced hours, you
can call the Writing Center’s Grammar Hotline and avail yourself of online tutoring services if
you are truly at a distance. In other words, you already need to know standard usage on the
college level or get help right away. Ours is not a basic grammar review class. You should
also be proficient in citing of research sources. For this review, see the course packet, Markel’s
appendix, and the Moodle link to Purdue University’s OWL.
• General computer skills, including word-processing, email, and the Internet.
• Basic knowledge of a scientific or technical field. If you are not at least a Junior in a
declared major, you will have problems with the research and subject knowledge necessary for
the final report.
• An independent learning style. I urge you to reflect on your learning expectations and
to take a quiz to become more aware of your own individual learning style at
http://www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/Learning_Styles.html. Look for the
self-assessment under “Assessment of learning styles preferences.” Make notes on your learning
style and others, for I will call upon you to discuss these in an early forum for points.
• Moodle Account. I will post assignments, announcements, and course materials to
Moodle; you should make it a habit to check-in at least once a day for Moodle messages or
News. Edit your profile so that you’ll receive email to your preferred account. I would really
like everyone to post a picture of him or herself for me to identify you more easily. It doesn’t
have to be a realistic picture, just something you’d like associated with yourself.
• Access to a reliable computer throughout the quarter. If at any point you lose this
reliability and are unable to participate in the course for more than three calendar days, you may
have to drop. But try some “problem solving” such as our Computing Center at
http://helpdesk.latech.edu/index.php first. Perhaps you can you get enough access through your
local public library, a school, or a friend? Start networking right away; then, if you can’t solve
the problem in three days, contact me to discuss options.
Course Assignments and Policies
All assignments for this course will be relevant to technical communication and applications of
the assigned readings. In addition to specific assignment guidelines, all assignments will be held
to a set of general grading guidelines as required by the Department of English and College of
Liberal Arts. See the Technical Writing Course Packet for details, and please ask questions
before assignments are due! Anyone needing a special accommodation who is registered with
the Office of Disability Services should contact me immediately. Although I reserve the right to
modify assignments, you may expect the following tasks for the class:
Introductory Writing
Assignment
Formal Proposal of
ARR, Outline, and
Bibliography
Formal Progress
Report on ARR to
Instructor
Forums (5)
100
Handouts (2)
50
100
Midterm Exam
100
50
Analytical Research
Report (ARR)
200
100
Workshop for Resume 15
Workshop for ARR— 15
Full Draft of ARR due
RCs (11 quizzes) &
120
Syllabus quiz
Résumé , Letter, and
position description
Final Exam
50
Total:
1,000 points
100
All assignment deadlines must be met. Reading checks and other assignments may sometimes
be made-up within a reasonable time with my permission. To have a quiz opened or an
assignment accepted late, you must contact me through email, Moodle message, or by cell
(318.512.5709--no calls too early or late, please) quickly for permission.
Forum postings often cannot receive evaluation when posted late. All major writing assignments
will receive a 10% penalty for missing the initial deadline and an additional 10% for every 24
hours over that initial deadline. I advise you all to do as I do--get a daily planner to help keep
you on track with deadlines. I will have a list of due dates for all major assignments by the first
day of class if not before.
Plagiarism and Academic Honesty
Plagiarism is a serious offense in college and professional life and will not be tolerated in any fashion
in this class. Every major writing assignment must be submitted to Tunrnitin.com (done through our
Moodle class), or I will not accept the assignment for evaluation. Plagiarism is the use of ideas or
words belonging to someone else without giving appropriate credit. Even one significant word
not your own or someone’s idea must be acknowledged. Again, how to make those
acknowledgements may be found in our course packet, in Markel’s appendix, and through the
Moodle link to Purdue University’s OWL. Ignorance is not a defense.
Furthermore, you must read, fill out, and sign the current, original (Fall 2014) Plagiarism
Statement found in The Technical Writing Course Packet and send it to the English Department
through the mail so that it reaches the office by end of the second week of classes. I will not
evaluate writing assignments without this statement, and the Department of English will place a hold
on your university account. Find the mailing address at the top of the syllabus. If you are oncampus, you may take it to Ms. Donna Banks, Administrative Coordinator in GTM 236, during
working hours. She will inform me as to whose has been turned-in and whose has not. I will not, I
repeat, not grade any writing assignment without the current, original, signed statement on file for
you.
Academic dishonesty in any form is also intolerable in this course. A first offense of plagiarism or
academic dishonesty, intentional or not, receives minimally a failing grade for the assignment. Any
subsequent plagiarism or academic dishonesty will carry the penalty of failure in the course; further
action may be recommended to or taken by Judicial Affairs. I urge you to inform yourself about
responsibilities as a Tech student and the consequences of dishonesty through the Student Handbook,
for I will report violations: http://www.latech.edu/students/judicial-affairs/.
Students registered with the Office of Disability Services and who require any special
accommodations must make me aware of their needs. The letter from ODS should be taken or sent
to the English Department immediately.
A Final Note: While I am very serious about ethical work being completed in a timely
manner, I want you all to know that I enjoy working with technical writing students and
look forward to an interesting, productive term. This class will be what you and I
together make of it. Let us make it good!