Technical Writing

COMM 4240: Technical Writing
Professor: Hayden Coombs

Technical writing is used in many technical and professional fields. Its goal is to accurately and concisely convey direction, explanation, or instruction to specific audiences of varying levels of technical knowledge so that each reader clearly understands the information they need.

Objectives

In an increasingly complex world, good technical writing is increasingly important. This course will teach you how to create and design quality communication for the professional environment.

After the successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

1. Communicate using Markel’s Eight Measures of Excellence: honesty, clarity, accuracy, comprehensiveness, accessibility, conciseness, professional appearance, and correctness.
2. Evaluate the communication situation: audience, purpose, and context.
3. Create effective professional memos, proposals, technical definitions, and reports.
4. Integrate visual items in technical documents,
5. Understand how to analyze, incorporate, and attribute data from research.
6. Use a cover letter, résumé, and LinkedIn profile in an effective job search.
7. Continue developing life-long learning and self-editing skills.
8. Continue developing as a professional and leader.
9. Use Word effectively in document design.

Required Course Materials

• Practical Strategies for Technical Communication
  Mike Markel, ISBN: 978-1319261023
• Red pen
• Printing funds
• Internet access

Class Policies:
1. Academic Dishonesty– Cheating on exams and plagiarism of papers constitutes grounds for failure of that assignment, and potential failure of this course.
2. Late Work– Unless we have made previous arrangements, late work will not be accepted. Please don’t even ask.
3. Out of Class Contact– The best way to get in contact with me outside of class is with a simple text message. Feel free to text, call, Facebook message, or email me at any time. I will respond at my earliest convenience, but will most likely to give you a quick response if you text me.
4. Respect & Flexibility- This semester will be unlike any other that you’ve taken and I’ve taught. As long as you remain patient with me and your classmates, I promise to always do the same. Give each other the benefit of the doubt and I promise we will get through this together.

Writing Projects

• Tech Writing Memo
• Team Exercises 
• Edit & Revise Document
• Job Materials
  • Resume
  • Cover Letter
  • LinkedIn Profile
• Final Exam

All writing assignments for this course need to be printed off and handed in to me during class. You will not submit your assignments on Canvas. Specifics for each assignment will be discussed at a later time.