Rory Lewis PhD JD
INOV 2100
Technical Writing, Proposals and Presentations
Spring 2011 Tues 9:25 - 12:05, Science And Engineering Building A206)
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Dr. Terry Boulttboult@vast.uccs.edu Phone: 719.255.3510 |
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Dr. Rory LewisOffice: 188 Engineering and Applied Sciences Building Phone: 719.255.3149 |
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Course Objective
Welcome to the interesting world of technical writing, proposals and presentations specifically designed for the Bachelor of Innovation. In the world of high tech business, one's ability to communicate and persuade efficiently and affectively is crucial to one's success. No matter how fabulous your technical skills are, you will need to also have the skill to communicate and persuade others to focus on you and not your competition. This course replaces ENGL 309 and develops technical writing skills necessary for success in high tech domains. This course should to be taken in the sophomore year, and is required before students can enroll in INOV 301. The course will address five major types of technical writing: project reports, funding) proposals, magazine/trade articles, technical reports, and journal articles. It will also cover financial reports and oral presentations. The course will also include peer review and critical assessments of the writing of others. The course assignments will be related to their Innovation Team efforts.
Workload
We expect students to devote an average of 6-7 hours per week OUTSIDE OF CLASS on the work for this class. When working on brainstorming or other activities its difficult to estimate how much effort some student will need to spend to achieve the results. Ineffective team work can dramatically expand an hour exercise into much more. A few lectures will have "guest" speakers who will present and then we will lead the discussion of issues. Other classes will be lead by you, the students. If reading is assigned, come to class having done the reading. We are generally not going to "summarize it" for you, rather we will discuss it or do things using it.
Books
Essentials of Technical Communication, by Tebeaux (9780195384222) The Essentials of Technical Communication clearly and concisely highlights the basic rhetorical guidelines that will help you successfully get your message across in today’s workplace. This brief text incorporates a wealth of real-world documents and scenarios to help you understand key communication principles (Chapters 1-6) and then apply those principles to the most common types of professional documents, including e-mails, letters, memos, technical reports, proposals, progress reports, instructions, websites, and oral presentations (Chapters 7-12).
Write to the Top: Writing for Corporate Success, by Deborah Dumaine (ISBN: 0812968980)This book addresses how productivity is vital to corporate and personal success. Yet business people spend countless hours deciphering vague and rambling written messages. The results: information overload, sluggish operations, delayed decisions, and plummeting morale. When you receive a business document, an e-mail, letter, report, or proposal, do you immediately know what it’s about? Do you know what you’re supposed to do about it? When you send messages, do your readers act on them? They quickly will, if you use the proven Write to the Top process.
Grading
We don’t grade on a curve, and we also don’t grade on a rigid “90-100 is an A” type of scale. We are perfectly willing to give the entire class A’s or the entire class F’s. We grade how society will grade you: A – Guru B – Vice President C – Middle Manager - with a bookmark at Monster.com D – Frankly, you should start looking for another job. F – Come on, you’re not even trying
A – Guru
B – Vice President
C – Middle Manager - with a bookmark at Monster.com
D – Frankly, you should start looking for another job.
F – Come on, you’re not even trying.
Grading Scheme
| Class Participation | 15% |
| Individual Assignment | 15% |
| Team Assignments | 20% |
| Discussions | 15% |
| Mid Term | 15% |
| Final | 20% |
Attendance
Its important to make it to each and every class. Grades are given for work that is presented by you at each class. If you do miss a class please be aware of the following. It is your responsibility, not the professor's responsibility to both find out what work you missed and then handing it in on time. For example, if you are unable to make class, you need to call, text or email your classmates (if you do not have one find one now) and ask them for the assignment and the due date. If you know you'll miss a class: Tell us the reason beforehand. If its a good reason there will not be a subtraction of your Class Participation grades.
Cheating
Cheating is heinous, rude, and bad karma. It is not only unfair to other students but it rots your moral character and threatens the very fabric of our society. There are very few things that make us mad, but cheating is one of them. Please do not do it. We will prosecute all cheating to the fullest extent of the law.
Late Policy
I usually have an extremely lenient late policy in my classes. And I will be happy to work with you if something unexpected comes up and you can’t complete an assignment by the time it’s due.