L. Lennie Irvin
San Antonio College
Fall 2011
Tech Writing Home

All groups should be working on

1. Making last improvements to your guides
   --We will negotiate together our common formatting styles for the storyboard and script in today's period.
   
2. Writing the Final Analytic Report: A7s are due ideally by 1/2 through class Friday or as a fall back by the end of the day Saturday. Late Reports lose 10% off the grade and are due at the utter latest at our Exam) --Second Final Report Example
   
   Final Version of the Deliverable
   Though ideally this final version of your script and storyboard will go into your Report, it will be ok to keep working on it up until the final exam. But be ready to include it with the copy of your report.

What is a Concept?
A concept is an idea, a theory, a principle. A concept is what helps explain and guide our actions.

What is a Skill?
A skill is some capacity to perform a specific task, often accomplished through the use of a tool and following certain strategies.

Homework:

1) Finish A7 Analytic Report and Deliverable
2) Participate in final Discussion Exploration forum 11/28-12/5 (Extra-credit forum)

Today, I may say a couple of words and answer any questions you all have about A7. The rest of the time will be devoted to the groups working on the A7-1, first draft of the Analytic Report that is due today (in-class or by the end of the day).

Be sure to post your A7-1 as an attached file in the A7-1 forum.

FINAL EXAM

Our final will be Wed. 5/9 from 11-1:30
--count on our Final Exam taking the entire two and ahalf hours, so plan accordingly.

I will provide more details about the Final on Wed.

Today we finish our Usability Testing. Groups may need to do a bit more outside of class, but you should finish this testing off ASAP.

Once the testing is done, your group will need to begin processing the results. You can tabulate and compile date, but also begin to generate conclusions and talk amongst your own group about what needs to be changed.

Tasks from here:

1) A7 Analytic Report
Review the assignment sheet for this report, and begin working on it as a group. You will find key parts of it you can pull from your previous Proposal and Usability Test plan BUT you will need to "repurpose" this content for the new document and its purposes.
--parts of Introduction
--Background on the Problem
--Description of your Project and Product
--Benefits of the Project and Product
--Theory, Methods, and Procedures for doing the project and producing the product

The first draft of this report will be due by the end of the day on Monday, so definitely get started on it right away.

2) Work on your Script and Storyboard.
Please get a draft of this script + storyboard to me as soon as you can but no later than Monday.
Be sure that your script is designed especially for the verbal delivery of this show and tell video tutorial. Work on how you can make it both clear and personable, but also crisp and economical (i.e. short and sweet).

Any rewrites of Assignments #1-4 should be turned in to me by no later than next Monday.

For most of the groups, today is Usability Testing preparation day!

If you are able, try a pilot test. Grab me if you like.

Make final changes to your scripts (Usability Testing script and eClip Guide script) and even adjustments to your actual Usability Test Plan.

Any groups that would like to swap out the A6 Usability Test Plan that they turned in before should resubmit their plan today (in class or by the end of the day). I will be grading these for Friday.

Groups should also figure out WHERE they will test and WHO they will have as test participants. Each group is responsible for recruiting one to two people for usability testing each day we test (Friday and Monday, perhaps even Wed.).

Homework:
At this point, we are exclusively focusing on our Usability Testing and work on the prototype. Communicate. Work as a team.

View answers to the Shoulder Rehabilitator exercise!

Today the groups will have time to work wherever you are. I will try to provide feedback on Usability Test Plans as well as prototypes.

If your group is ready to start Usability Testing Wednesday, you will need to be sure to recruit one or two people to come to our classroom to do the testing. Bring treats to reward them.

Alternative testing sites are available:
--a group can use my office
--two other groups could use the Writing Center

Let me know if you want to explore these alternative sites for testing.

Homework: (other than work on the Service Learning Project)
Editing Notebook: Today I am giving out an editing exercise. This Editing Notebook will be due next Wednesday.

Final Drafts of the Usability Test Plans are due today by the end of class.

These plans need to be complete in content, carefully formatted to follow our guidelines for page and document design, and edited carefully. Groups still working on their plans can get them to me by Saturday without their plan being counted as late.

I have created a Forum inside the Write Place for your group to turn in your Plan. Please create a new message and attach your group's A6 Assignment there.

Monday will be our day to do a Pilot Test of your eClip guide, so your group will need to have your prototype ready by then. The fall back plan would put this Pilot Test to happen on Wednesday.

The pilot test day should likely be a kind of walk-through of the entire test using classmates for the actual test.

NOTE: Be thinking about recruiting test participants to come and do Usability Testing next Wednesday and Friday. We may need participants for the following Monday as well. We need six test participants per day, and we can anticipate that these participants will do two to three tests per day. Each group should seek one person per day. These Test Participants should roughly fit your User Profile from your Usability Test Plan

Homework:
Editing Notebook: Today I am giving out an editing exercise. This Editing Notebook will be due next Wednesday.

Groups need to work from where they are and at their pace. I did not receive usability test drafts from three of the groups???? If these groups would send me their drafts, I will respond to them before Friday. For groups that did send me their draft, I returned your draft to the person who sent it to me.

We are doing a hard thing by doing two things at once

--developing our protype eClip guide to test
--developing our Usability Test Plan

To clarify, these are the three things that your group will need to create for your eClip prototype

1. A step-by-step written guide for the tasks you want to include in your guide. You should seek to achieve the principles of good instructions discussed in our chapter in Lannon on writing instructions: especially, readibility, informed content, logical structure.
   (even though you are not producing a print guide, YOU need to have a clear sense of how to do and how to explain steps and tasks for your part of Canvas)
2. A "story board" draft of your eClip guide that has the script of what you say in your guide, and also screen captures of the program for points in your script
   Suggested format: Create a table with two columns and a row for each screen capture. In the left hand column is the text of your script that goes with that screen capture and in the right column is the actual screen capture image. This format is only suggested, and if you find a better way to format your storyboard that is great.
3. Larger copies of your screen captures to use as the mock video while you do the usability testing

PERHAPS the best thing for your group at this point is to work on your prototype before finishing the Usability Test Plan?

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Below is more information on Usability Metrics. This materials should be read and discussed by EVERYONE in each group. (Don't just dump the job of creating the usability metrics section on one person. ) This is the portion of the Usability Test Plan I want you to create and insert on Friday.

Usability Metrics (what to measure as data during testing)
Usability Metrics-- from Nielson
It is easy to specify usability metrics, but hard to collect them. Typically, usability is measured relative to users' performance on a given set of test tasks. The most basic measures are based on the definition of usability as a quality metric:

• success rate (whether users can perform the task at all),
• the time a task requires,
• the error rate, and
• users' subjective satisfaction. (quote from Nielson)-
  -this metric can be done with post-test questions using a Likert scale (1-5 satisfaction scale)
  --About Liker Scale | Options for designing a Likert Scale instrument

In the test plan in the section on "Evaluation measures," you need to
A) describe both the quantiative measures (what you can count) and the qualitative measures (what you can't count) in your test. Also, discuss the definition of usability as a quality metric (i.e. the five key criteria of usability) and how your test will help assess these criteria.

B) Provide actual copies of the data sheets you will use to log your data. You can design your own data logging sheet, but it might look something like this:

(User's subjective satisfaction would be logged with questions in the post-task questions.)

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Special Note: Working in a team is different and hard. What is hard is that your collaboration needs to extend beyond our time in the classroom. Assess how well your team is doing in communicating and getting work done outside of class. Consider that our outside workload has not changed--you each should be doing roughly two to four hours of homework for each class period we have. Google Docs is your main collaborative drafting tool.

Foundational Knowledge
The readings for this project really are "foundational" for what we are doing, so be sure that you have read the chapters on Usability Testing as well as the other links I have provided. Also, be sure you have read the chapter on instructions carefully. You might do some extended exploration about the creation of video tutorials or guides and their features. Also, our work on technical editing is very very important as you edit and complete documents. Be sure to ALL edit your work.
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Don't forget to complete the Discussion Board Exploration on "Plain Language" today.

Homework:
1) We are targeting having a finished draft of your Usability Test Plan by the end of class on Friday. Monday will be a day to do the Pilot Usability Test Plans. Monday may be the day when your Story Board and script gets completed. Groups may be one day off from that schedule. Test Plan in Mon and pilot test Wed.

Today we will start with a show and tell walk through of what a Usability Test will be like.

Then your group will work on ONE key thing to add to your test plan: Your Scenario(s) and Task-Based Questions

Set the Scenario:
Create a fictional context for your test participants that simulates the user situation you want to test. That means creating something like a play for the participant to act a role within. Define for the participant:

1. Who they are
2. Where they are
3. What they are doing or needing to do

Example: You are a student in Dr. Irvin's online English 1301 class. You have just logged in to Canvas for the first time. You have read your instructors class materials and done your first assignment which is a description of your self. Your teacher wants you to post it in a Discussion Board post. You aren't sure how to do this, so you watch the short eClip video provided on how to turn in the first discussion board post. For this usability test, we are going to ask you to post your homework as a message in the discussion board.

Create Tasks for the Participant to Perform that Test Your Guide:
After you set the scenario, and "play" your eClip video guide prototype for the test participant, you will then ask them to perform a few tasks.

Example Script of these Task-Basked Questions

Now that you have viewed the guide, we are going to ask you to do a few tasks. While performing these tasks, you can replay the video at any time.

Task #1: First, we would like you to open the Discussions portion of the program.

Task #2: Next, can you find the particular Discussion labeled "Homework #1" and open it.

...

Homework:
1) An updated first draft of the Usability Test Plan is due by the end of today. Continue to work on the entire draft except the Evaluation Measures. We will add that on for the final draft.
2) Your group should be actively preparing your prototype for testing. You'll want the screen capture pages that work as a mock video AND the script that will accompany it. Remember, the precurser of each is your step by step how to of the tasks you decide to cover in your guide.
3) Discussion Board Exploration on Plain Language due Wed.
4) Editing Notebook due Friday (passage to edit given out in class). Pick part of your own Usability Test Plan as the other portion to edit.

Today, the teams will spend 25-35 minutes doing a Pre-Writing Activity for the Usability Test Plan
--see pre-writing activity
--see A6 Usability Test Plan Assignment

Pick one member of your team to start a Google Doc and work the assignment as a google doc.

Before you leave today, be sure you have talked about the Usability Test Plan and how you will have a draft of it for Monday, and actually started the Google Doc that is the Draft and that is shared with everyone in team

Homework:
1) A draft of A6 will be due by class time on Monday. This draft does not need to include detailed information on
--your scenarios and task-based questions
-- Evaluation Measures
(We will work on and add these on Monday)
2) The new Discussion Board Exploration will focus on "Plain Language." Very cool stuff.
3) Keep working on building your prototype script and storyboard for your task. You should be working through options and coming to a version you want to pursue. We have until 4/13 probably to generate this prototype draft of your e-Clip guide.

We will start today looking at and talking about your eClip scripts and storyboards. What can we say about how to do them and how they look?

The remainder of the time will be focused on time for the groups to work on prototyping. AT THIS STAGE, GROUPS WILL NEED TO CONTINUE COORDINATING PROTOTYPING OUTSIDE OF CLASS. Ideally, your group can get together for an additional hour or two session focusing on your task.

Suggestions for the prototyping:

1. Think of variations of WHAT should be in the guide
2. Think of variations for HOW you will sequence and present the different variations
3. Think of variations for the "persona" you will want to present in the guide (what kind of voice and how you will relate to your audience (the user))

At this stage, you should be open and nimble. Sketch out various possiblities for these three approaches to your guide and take it to someone outside your group for some feedback. Show them your part of canvas, show them your protype, and get their impression. Ask them, "Do you like this way better or this way? Why?"

Homework:
1) It will be important for you to read about Usability Testing and do your Discussion Board Exploration for this week BEFORE class. We will do an exercise in class related to Usability Testing that will actually help your group compose a key part of the Usability Test Plan. (We will actually start composing the test plan (A6) next class, and don't worry about it until Wed.)
2) Keep learning your part of Canvas, and keep prototyping.
3) If you have not read our key chapters for this project--14, 20,21--read them!

As we sink our teeth into this project, it will be important for you to read (and re-read and refer back to) the important resource chapters for this project:

Chapter 21--Instructions and Procedures
Pay particular attention to page 494 and the Guidelines for Providing Appropriate Detail and page 500 Design Instructions. Notice it also has material about Digital and Online Instructions (like we are making) and some about Usability testing for instructinal documents.

Chapter 14--Designing and Testing Documents for Usability
This is a very important chapter to understand the how and why of doing usability testing.

Chapter 20--Technical Descriptions
In places, you will need to describe something that is technical about your task. This chapter has good suggestions for technical descriptions.

What we are up to today!

Today I want the groups to focus on familiarizing themselves with their portion of Canvas and begin sketching various approaches to putting together your eClip. Try to come up with different ways to present your guide as well as different versions that might contain different things.

These are your "low-fidelity" prototypes!

Sketch these versions on paper. Show them to classmates for impressions and feedback.

We will get the A6 Assignment and creating the Usability Test Plan on Monday.

Homework:
1) Review chapter 21 and read chapter 14.
2) Continue to familiarize yourself with Canvas. Continue to work on various ways to do your guide. Communicate with your group members even between class about these different versions.
3) The Discussion Board Exploration this week will be on Usability Testing and Chapter 14. Due on Wed.
4) No Editing Notebook this week.

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NOTE: I think all (almost) A4s are returned. You have the option of REVISING one of your first four assignments. You pick which one. This revision should be turned in to me within two weeks. Please include the original with my evaluation included.
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Today we will talk about where we are with the project, discuss low-fidelity prototyping, and then let the groups work.

Everyone should have an email invitation to join our Canvas class as a student:

https://alamo_sandbox.instructure.com

Remember, you also have "instructor" access through my email: lirvin@alamo.edu and the password (I will tell you in class)

What to work on:
--Some groups may still be working on revising their Proposal. That is fine. That is important.
--All group members should be working on getting to know the program and getting to know their particular part of the program. Let me know what may need to be created as assignments or whatever to enable you to use the program and see how it works.
--Begin charting out WHAT may need to be in your guide, and HOW you might present this information. Start trying different approaches and means for presenting this information--i.e. develop prototypes for content and approach.

Your low-fidelity prototypes will be sketches or outlines of your guide that will be in "storyboard" form

Homework:
1) Editing Notebook exercises 10-13 for Friday
2) Read Chapter 21on writing instructions
3) Pick a short 1-2 minute eClip and do two things:
--transcribe the script (all of it)
--create a storyboard for the eClip (what is shown on the screen at what point) that includes timeline markers
http://www.alamo.edu/sac/ots/ --Due Monday.

Today groups will work on finishing their draft of the Proposal.

I have just a couple notes about key weak areas:

1. Introductions should announce what kind of document it is and its purpose and audience. It should also briefly summarize the expected content.
2. Background and Needs Statement: This section has to express the SPECIFIC and real need that the SAC Office of Technology has for these guides. What is going on at the college (and the district) that is precipitating the need for these guides? Also, it should express the GENERAL need for this kind of short video guide. Why are guides needed? Why are short video guides, in particular, needed? (Does the documentation from Canvas include short video guides?)
3. The two "deliverables" (that is, what you will produce) will be
   --a print "How to" step by step guide
   --a storyboard version of the eClip video version that includes a script of the guide
4. Methods, Procedures, and Theory
   --almost no one talked about the Iterative Development Cycle. You MUST describe and explain this cycle as the method and theory for how and why you will produce this video in this way. Iterative Development Cycle
5. Timeline: It needs to include the whole semester. You can use various MSWord tools to put these timeline into a table or other flow chart type graphic.

Proposals are technically due by the end of class today, but I will allow groups to turn theirs in by the end of today. Use Google Docs to continue to collaborate on the document.

Homework:
1) A5-2 is due today. Turn in print copy to me (or email with attachment if turning in later today).
2) Discussion Board Exploration #8 on low-fidelity prototyping is due BEFORE class on Wednesday.
3) Editing Notebook due Friday will be exercises 10-13.

We all should have access to Instructure Canvas by today (let's hope)...

The address is: https://alamo_sandbox.instructure.com

IF YOU MISS TODAY, BE SURE TO CHECK IN WITH YOUR GROUP.

Groups will work today on

1. Picking what part of Canvas you will explore
2. Get everyone set up in Google Docs (create an account, share a document)
3. Start working on your Proposal. Create a Google Doc that is shared with everyone in the group and let this be your group's collaborative drafting space.

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I will be away at a conference on Wednesday and Friday, so here is the game plan for the rest of the week

Wednesday--you will have all class day to work together on completing a draft of your Proposal
(be sure to follow the structure of a proposal that is described in the Online Technical Writing site. Also read A5 Assignment sheet and our textbook.

Draft Proposals need to be posted into the A5-1 Proposal Draft forum by creating a new message and attaching your file to this message.
****I will read these and respond to them by class on Friday. Look for these responses as replies to your original posts.***

Wednesday also starts a new Discussion Board Exploration on Low-Fidelity Prototyping. This will be due 3/29.

Friday your group will review the responses to your draft and begin revisions.

The Revised, final draft version, that should be carefully formatted following our Doc Design Principles and the requirements of the A5 Assignment sheet will be due on Monday. You can count on having at least two-thirds of the class time on Monday to finish this document.

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LOOK for an in The Write Place Announcement page for some words from me on Friday
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Spring Break is almost here!!!

Last class we set our groups for the Service Learning Project. Today we will explore the program and let the groups decide on which tasks they will tackle. We may modify the choice of these tasks some when we get back. The challenge will be to find equivalent tasks for all six groups. Some groups may have a larger task while others may have a smaller one. In the case of smaller tasks, groups may be charged with doing two small eClips. We shall see how it works out.

List of proposed tasks from Heather Cura:

Profile & Notifications Preferences
Quizzes
Assignments
Discussions
Conversations
Collaborations
Using the Rich Content Editor
What-IF Grades
Adding Audio/Visual Comments
Modules
ePortfolios

IF you missed class Fri, please be sure to check your ACES email where your group will attempt to contact you with information about your project.

There are a lot of students starting to use Canvas for Flex II, so we might also do a short survey of these students to see what tasks they found most confusing as they began the program.

Homework:
1) Have a great and safe Spring Break
2) Read up about Proposals. We really are following the structure of a proposal that is described in the Online Technical Writing site. Also read our textbook.
3) Work some on your portion of your group's Proposal draft that will be due the Wed. after we return from Spring Break.

Today we begin our service learning project and the second half of the semester!

First, we will review the Editing Notebook exercises for this week.

Then we will take a look at Assignment 5 (A5) and learn about what our particular project will be.

Project Overview:

Goal: to develop e-Clip short guides for students using the new Instructure Canvas Learning Management System.

Purpose: to facilitate the use of this interface for learning

Client: The San Antonio College Office of Technology Services

We will talk about the Iterative Development Cycle as well.

Homework:
1) If you have not completed the Discussion Board Exploration on working in teams, it is due by the end of the day (plus the short responses).
2) We will take a break on the Discussion Board Exploration for next week and start up again after Spring Break.
3) Editing Notebook--continue with conciseness. Work exercise 9 and 10, read this guide on Conciseness (explore Garbl's conciseness links) and also work any sentences in the conciseness exercise that we have not already done (due next Fri.)

In the interest of time, we will not review the Editing Notebook exercises 6-8 this morning. Hold on to them, and we will review them on Monday.

Completing our Doc Design Project (Assignment 4)
Included with these redesigns will need to be a 350-500 word explanation of each of your redesigns and the principles of document design you implemented in order to make these more accessible and readable.

Format for document:
Please write this explanation as a memo to me. Consider how you will make this memo readable and concise as a memo. I suggest that you take a problem-solution approach to discussing each text you redesigned.
a) discuss the problems with the document before redesign in terms of document design principles
b) discuss your redesign as a solution for these problems

Your two document redesigns, along with the accompanying memo, are due by the end of class. Please turn in print copies in this order:
Memo
--old version document; new version document
--old version flier; new version flier

Homework:
1) A3 Rewrites due on Monday. (I still haven't had a chance to conference with many of you who had required conferences).
2) Discussion Board WK7 on Teamwork due Monday
3) Editing Notebook--continue with conciseness. Work exercise 9 and 10, read this guide on Conciseness (explore Garbl's conciseness links) and also work any sentences in the conciseness exercise that we have not already done (due next Fri.)

Today we will talk a bit about MSWord and some of its tools related to Doc Design. Then the rest of the time will be devoted to working on your own project with a partner. Share what you have done with your design and work on refining your own.

Homework:
1) draft of flier redesign due next time. We will have class time to work on this redesign
2) Note: Both the document and flier redesigns will be due at the beginning of class on Friday. We won't have class time to work on them.
3) The new Discussion Board Exploration #7 for this week will help prepare us for starting our Service Learning Project. Please read chapter 5 on Working in Teams.
4) Editing Notebook exercises 6-8 due THIS Friday 3/2.

After we discuss the editing notebook exercises for this week, we will focus on Document Design of your first artifact--the redesign of the document.
Exercise in the Reporting, Objective Voice

These two resources, including our text, are our main guides:
--handout on Doc Design Principles
--Online Technical Writing: Page Design

Next week's agenda:
M--draft due and workshop day on redesign of artifact #1 (document)
W--draft due and workshop day on redesign of artifact #2 (flier)
F--Final drafts of both the document and flier redesigns due

Homework:
1) Work on your redesigns. Continue to study and familiarize yourself with Doc Design principles from chapter 13. Draft of redesign of document due Monday.
2) Discussion Board Exploration #6 due Monday. See previous class announcement for details.
3) Editing Notebook Exercises 6-8, plus Application to your own writing.

Today we will talk about Document Design and our project for A4 Assignment 4.
--handout on Doc Design Principles

2/22 Focus will be on Robin William's design principles of Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, and Proximity

More Williams links:
Alignment
Repetition
Proximity
Contrast

Readings for next class:
Robin William's non-designers principles of design
--from William's book
-- All About Presentations blog
-- handout
Do a general search for her design principles of Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, Proximity

Homework:
1) Review chapter 13 on Doc Design, our handout, and begin thinking about the document you will redesign.
2) Do the readings on design and visual principles
3) Discussion Board Exploration #6: Shriver Again! on Information Design
Read this interview from Karen Shriver. It is kind of long, but excellent. The topic is in the Write Place
4) Editing Notebook exercises are Exercise 3 and 4 on page 216-219 in our text. --due next Fri. *

To start today's class, we will review the Editing Notebook exercises for today.

Then, I would like you to post your final drafts of your Memo Reports into the A3-2 Final Draft Forum.

For this draft, please post your draft as an attachment into a new message.

Once you post yours, get your PRINT copy and pass it to neighbors. Take a look at what other people have done with their reports. See how the document looks (and feels). Eventually, you will turn in the print copy to me.

Congratulations on getting this Memo Report finished!!!

Homework:
1) Read chapter 13 on Page Design
2) Discussion Board Journal on Page Design is due Mon.
3) Editing Notebook exercises are Exercise 3 and 4 on page 216-219 in our text. --due next Fri.

.

In preparation for the final draft of our A3 being turned in next class, we will review:

Format Requirements
--follow the guidelines for Common Page Design. Look particularly at the links with more information on Headings and Lists
--it is OK to use a MSWord Template Memo
--final draft MUST be documented correctly. You decide if you want to use MLA or APA. Those heading into Occupational Therapy and anything social science or medical related should use APA. Short review of MLA. | EasyBib

Content Requirements
--A3 Guidance | Guidelines for Memos found on page 351 |Outline for an Analytic Report found on page 549
--review guidelines for using quotes
--review example A3

Homework:
1) A3 Final Draft due. You should come to class with both your PRINT copy and ELECTRONIC copy of your final draft.
**Suggestion: I strongly urge that you take advantage of the Writing Center to get feedback and guidance on your draft.
2) Editing Notebook #3 due next class
3) Discussion Board Exploration #5 due next Monday.

Our primary goal today is to engage in peer response.

Our class time is short, so be focused. I am asking you to do THREE peer responses with the fourth being extra-credit. You may only get two done in class. If you don't complete all three in class, then the rest is due by the end of today.

Please post your draft into the A3-1 Forum and begin. You will find the peer response questions there.

***NOTE: Peer response only really works when you have in your mind a clear concept of the goals for this assignment and what might constitute success for this assignment. Look again at the A3 assignment sheet, Chpts. 15, 22, and 23 and the extra guidance on putting together your Memo Report I shared last class.***

1) Complete peer response if you did not finish by the end of today
2) Complete WK4 Discussion Board Exploration--do four short replies by end of today
3) WK3 Editing Notebook (see the 2/10 CA for details)
4) Work on revising and finishing your A3 Memo Report--due Friday

Today we will start by looking at our Editing Notebook #2 materials on punctuation.

Next, we will talk more about our Memo Report and view this YouTube video, "What is Technical Communication" by Carol Siri Johnson from New Jersey Institute of Technology : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fi5eZ2XLJc4

Also, look at the Occupational Handbook entry for Technical Writer.

Here is some more A3 Guidance

Homework:
1) The first draft of A3 (A3-1) is due next time. Please bring it in electronic format so that we can post it for peer review.
2) Discussion Board Exploration 4 is also due Mon.
3) WK3 of Editing Notebook is
--Read pages 212-219
--Work exercises 1,2, and 5. Write out answers on a separate sheet of paper to turn in. Also, apply this editing to a sample of your own writing.

Today we will discuss the A3 Memo Report assignment and what it requires. We will look at a couple examples too.

With the remaining time, I thought we would listen to Karen Shriver's podcast and discuss it.

Homework:
1) Editing Notebook #2 due. Don't forget to do the Application section as well.
2) 1st draft of A3-1 is due Mon. Read the chapter readings in the A3 assignment on memos and reports.
3) Discussion Board Exploration 4 is due Mon.

Good morning!

Today we will begin by reading and responding to our Discussion Board Explorations. I hope you found the stories of technical communicators found from the same Defining TC page titled "For Employers."

Then we will polish off and send our professional correspondence. Unfortunately, I have not secured a technical communicator to come and speak with us. I struck out three times. I'm trying to see if we can get one gentleman on speaker phone during class to answer some questions. We shall see.

In the meantime, let's address this letter fictionally to Alex Mornes (who I had hoped could come).

Dear Mr. Morones, ...

But address the email address to me: lirvin@alamo.edu
And cc: this email to my other email address: llirvin@gmail.com

BE SURE TO
--read carefully through the email before you send it. Proofread it one last time.
--adjust the line spacing if needed
--attach your resume

Once you have sent your email, please also PRINT a copy of it. Go back to your ACES email, and look in your FOLDERS. You should find it in the SENT folder or SENT ITEMS folder. Open it and print it as it is. Then print your resume as well. Staple these together and turn it in.

Homework:
1) Read chpt. 15 on Memos for next class
2) DBE#4 is up and ready to go. I urge you to work on it soon. Good stuff from Karen Shriver.--due next Mon.
3) Editing Notebook homework detailed in 2/3 class announcement--due Fri.

Today we will review punctuation and our first Editing Notebook exercise.

We will also discuss the A2 email correspondence and resumes.

Homework:
1) Final draft of A2 due--A2.2 (email + resume). Shifted to be due Monday.
2) Discussion Board Exploration WK 3 due (topic found in The Write Place). Due Monday
3) Editing Notebook exercise #2: Work practice exercises #2 and 3 from the Punctuation and Sentence Structure guide. Don't forget to do the "Application" part also where you take some of your writing, 1-2 pages, and edit it for punctuation issues.

My apologies for not setting up the Discussion Board Exploration for this week. I have posted it, and you can turn it in for next Monday.

Today we will post and respond to our first drafts of A2 (A2.1). Please post your A2.1s in the forum set up for peer response in The Write Place. Your goal is to do three brief responses. A fourth can be done for extra-credit. We only have 35 minutes for this peer response, so please don't dawdle.

Lastly, we will discuss how the Editing Notebook will work and our first Editing Notebook assignment
Punctuation and Sentence Structure

Homework:
1) Final draft of A2 due--A2.2 (email + resume). Shifted to be due Monday.
You are encouraged to revise your resume if you like.
3) Editing Notebook Exercise #1 on Punctuation. Due Friday.
a) Read Appendix B: A Quick Guide on Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics
b) Review the webpage on Punctuation, exploring any links that seem appropriate. Look at the video!
c) Work exercise 1--print a copy and mark your answers on the page. Don't forget to include the "Application" section where you fix punctuation issues in some of your writing AND identify places where you have used punctuation correctly (idendity them in terms of the five functions used in the punctuation guide: e.g. "connect complete thoughts, comma after introductory element). I suggest you do this Application on your A2 email correspondence.
4) Discussion Board Exploration WK 3 due (topic found in The Write Place). Due Monday

BONUS: I found a pretty good definition of "Technical Writing" that I liked. Check it out.
Tameri Definition of Technical Writing

We will turn in our A1 writing pieces first thing today. Please print the final copy of your assignment.

Next, we will move on to Assignment #2: Email Correspondence
Chapter 16 is our home base for reading about professional email correspondence.

Homework:
1) First draft of your email A2-1.
2) Discussion Board Exploration for this week posted (due Friday)

Resume Workshop Today!

First, we will talk about "genres" and some considerations when analyzing a genre for writing.
--Primer on Genre Analysis

Next, we will talk about the genre features of a resume
--features
--examples

Homework:
1) WK 2 Discussion Board Exploration. By class time, your response to this week's prompt should be posted. Topic found in The Write Place.
2) Complete revised Assignment 1 (A1 draft 2) is due on Monday. Includes revised personal descriptions and revised resume.
3) Should have chapters 1-3 read by next class (or Monday at the LATEST)

Today we will be reviewing your A1.1 (first drafts of A1--just the personal description part). Post these A1.1 drafts into The Write Place and begin reading the drafts of your peers.

We will be talking a lot about the concept of tu prepon or decorum.

Homework:
1) A first draft of your resume is due next time. Have an electronic AND a print copy of it.
2) Keep reading through Chapts. 1-3 in our book

Notes on doing your draft resume:
Please follow the guidelines and read the resources (chpt. 18 and textbook website) within our A1: Assignment #1 as you do your first draft of the resume. I just want to add these other guidances:

• Objective: Make sure you shift your objective statement to an academic objective--not a job objective.
  (e.g. Objective: To complete an associates degree from San Antonio College and transfer to Texas A&M and get a degree in Mechanical Engineering. --or-- To transfer to Texas A&M and earn a degree in Mechanical Engineering)
• The type of resume you are going to do is a "Reverse Chronological Resume"--not a "Functional Resume" (see pp. 409-10)
• Be sure your resume fits on one page!

Please post your Discussion Board Exploration #1 into The Write Place.

Begin reading the posts of your peers, and make a short reply to two to four of your peers' posts. These are informal, conversational responses.

Next we will review a few of the "technical" details about our syllabus and the class.

Then we will get a overview of Assignment #1: Personal Description
--I urge you to print this assignment and read it carefully
--readings will come from chpt. 19, 1, and 18.

Homework for next time:
1) Write a draft of each of the four different personal descriptions (but NOT the resume yet). These descriptions need to be in electronic format for posting in The Write Place (MSWord or RTF).

2) We will be reading chpts. 1-3 in the next week, so I urge you to begin reading it on your own. Due by 1/27.

Good morning and welcome to Technical Writing (2311.001)

Please review our syllabus .

We will be focusing today on getting to know one another and on familiarizing ourselves with the course goals.

Be sure that you have written down our class website address and that you bookmark it on your own computer.

Homework: 1st Discussion Board Exploration

What do Technical Communicator's do? (thus, What is Technical Communication?)
Go to the Society for Technical Communication's home page. Look under the menu items About STC > Communities > Professional Chapters and explore five different chapters. Look at the Chapter site for Austin. Read around a bit. Then look for any job listings. From three different chapters, copy and paste 8-10 job descriptions (total) into a new document. Study this document. After this review of the document, at the top write a 200-400 word piece that discusses (that is, in addition to the pasted job descriptions):

1) Based on your review of these job listings, what are the skills and knowledge of a technical communicator?
2) Based also from this review, describe the field of Technical Communication. What is it about, what does it do, what is its purpose

This first assignment is due next class in electronic form. (If you do not have MSWord, please save your file as an RTF file).

Get your textbook ASAP (if you haven't gotten it already)