Technical Communication Summer 2014

Welcome to TCO 341 online!

This site will serve as your home for the online version of TCO 341. We will work mostly from the weekly guides and the assignment pages, as well as content in Dropbox and Google Drive.

Syllabus

Course Purpose
This syllabus is subject to change at any time.

TCO 341, required for all students earning a bachelor's degree from the School of Engineering, is designed to acquaint you with the forms and conventions of technical documents. You will produce a resume, letters, memos, reports, instructions, and a proposal. Additionally, you will make informal and formal oral presentations. Professional standards will be expected as you learn the importance of skilled communication in working contexts.

This course emphasizes writing as a process of thinking, of clarifying ideas and discovering questions, as well as a means of information transfer. You should expect to write a great deal and to gain fluency and ease as you master different techniques.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to do the following:

1. Analyze audience and purpose for a document and design an appropriate document to achieve the communication goals.
2. Identify the types and purposes of documents used in a professional context.
3. Prepare an effective resume of your skills and experience.
4. Write informal reports concerning the feasibility of a decision.
5. Prepare and deliver an effective oral presentation.
6. Conduct peer reviews.
7. Participate in team writing activities.
8. Use effective proposal writing techniques to develop a brief proposal.

Prerequisites: Successful completion of EGR 108 / TCO 141 or equivalent.

Required Cloud collaboration tools

All students will use these accounts for all assignments:

• A Google account to use Google Docs and Google Drive shared with me.
• A Dropbox account with a folder shared with me.

We will use a combination of Google Drive and Dropbox to exchange files.

Course Standards

1. Assignments are due at the beginning of the class period on the date due. In an exceptional circumstance you may petition to hand in an assignment late. If granted, the grade will be reduced one letter grade per day late.

2. Prepare all out-of-class writing using either Microsoft Word or Google docs.

3. Correct grammar (usage, spelling, and punctuation) is the standard requirement for technical communication. It is assumed that you know the mechanics of writing and this will not be the focus of this course. Therefore, errors will count in class.

4. Attendance is required due to the large amount of in-class work and team activities we will complete. Therefore, if you must miss a class, please notify me in advance. You are allowed to miss one online web conference session. Every additional absence will result in a letter grade reduction. It is especially important that you be present when your classmates give peer reviews and oral presentations, since you will be giving feedback.

5. Collaborative work will be assigned regularly because companies routinely use teams to accomplish their business goals. Collaborative work is a learned skill that you must consciously develop. You will be learning to manage the group process as well as the communication principles in this course. A single group grade is not given. Instead, each group member will be asked to rate the participation and effectiveness of others in groups, and this feedback will be used to determine final grades.

6. Grading encompasses every aspect of the course, from participation through final products. You can assume that every task requested directly or indirectly factors into your grade. For example, having your work prepared for your group is as important as having it ready for me. Regular feedback will be given on documents submitted.

7. You are encouraged to email me anytime at codone_s@mercer.edu.

8. Because computer-assisted communication is so critical to your survival in the technical world, we will include in this class instruction on methods for online library searches. You also will be expected to use PowerPoint or an equivalent for two presentations.

9. Students bear the sole responsibility for ensuring that papers or assignments submitted electronically to a professor are received in a timely manner and in the electronic format(s) specified by the professor. To the best of my ability, I will acknowledge receipt of your assignments via online comment or email.

12. Out of courtesy for all those participating in the learning experience, mute your communication devices and avoid background noise during web conferences. You must have a webcam and a microphone to participate in our online web conference sessions.

13. The honor code provisions as outlined in the Bulletin and in the student handbook, The Lair, will be assumed for everyone. It should be clear from class discussion which projects will be collaborative and which ones must be individual.

14. Students requiring accommodations for a disability should inform the instructor at the close of the first class meeting or as soon as possible. The instructor will refer you to the Disability Support Services Coordinator to document your disability, determine eligibility for accommodations under the ADAAA/Section 504 and to request a Faculty Accommodation Form. Disability accommodations or status will not be indicated on academic transcripts. In order to receive accommodations in a class, students with sensory, learning, psychological, physical or medical disabilities must provide their instructor with a Faculty Accommodation Form to sign. Students must return the signed form to the Disability Services Coordinator. A new form must be requested each semester. Students with a history of a disability, perceived as having a disability or with a current disability who do not wish to use academic accommodations are also strongly encouraged to register with the Disability Services Coordinator and request a Faculty Accommodation Form each semester. For further information, please contact Carole Burrowbridge, Disability Services Coordinator, at 301-2778 or visit the Disability Support Services website at http://www.mercer.edu/studentaffairs/disabilityservices

15. Your work may be used in future classes as examples of previous assignments; if so, your name will be removed.