ENGL 379; Introduction to Professional Writing
Syllabus / Calendar -- Fall 2008
Christian Pulver
___________________________________________
required texts:
Johnson-Sheehan, Richard. Writing
Proposals: Rhetoric for Managing Change (2nd edition) Boston: Longman, 2007. # ISBN-10: 0205583148; # ISBN-13:
978-0205583140
Williams, Joseph M. Style:
Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace (9th Edition) 2006. # ISBN-10: 0321479351; # ISBN-13:
978-0321479358
(Johnson-Sheehan and Williams are
available at Amherst Books, 3 Main Street Amherst.)
Toomey, David and Christian Pulver. ENGL 379; Introduction to Professional
Writing Course Packet.
2008.
(available
at Campus Design and Copy in the Student Union)
web resources:
The main page of ENGL 379 Introduction to
Professional Writing is here:
http://www-unix.oit.umass.edu/~pwtc/tw/
It features links to the online versions of
assignments pages, useful because they are linked to examples. It also features an online textbook.
course requirements:
Four short written assignments
averaging five pages each, and participation in an oral presentation of a
scientific, medical and/or technical controversy. Each of these (the short written assignments and the
presentation) is weighted as 14% of the final grade for a total of 70% of the
final grade. The remaining
assignment is a twenty-page formal grant proposal. It is counted as 30% of final
grade.
Because professional
communicators often work in teams, this course will require some
collaboration. Grades for two
assignments (Assignment #2 LIBRARY RESEARCH EXERCISE and Assignment #4:
PRESENTATION ON A SCIENTIFIC, MEDICAL AND/OR TECHNICAL CONTROVERSY) will be
shared.
You should be familiar with the assigned reading
or website links by the date at which they appear on the calendar. Participation in class and in-class
writing assignments will be expected, and especially constructive and
enthusiastic participation may raise a final grade by several points.
late papers
Deadlines are important in the professional
world; they will be regarded as important in this class. Please notify me at least one class day
in advance that you will be late with an assignment. You will not be
penalized for the first late paper.
Each subsequent second late paper lowers your final grade half a letter
grade (e.g., from B to B-).
attendance
The classroom is an intellectual community, and
your participation in that community is necessary to its well-being. Accordingly, attendance in all class
meetings is expected. If you miss
more than two meetings without sufficient cause, your final grade will be
lowered by half a letter grade (e.g., from B to B-).
plagiarism
Your instructors have been known to deal quite harshly with
plagiarists.
ENGL 379: Introduction to Professional Writing
September W 3 introduction
to the Professional Writing and Technical Communication
program, the Nonfiction Writing
specialization;
F 5 brief
definitions of types of writing within the purview of the course
(technical writing,
science writing, medical writing, general non-fiction writing), and writing
outside the purview of the course (business writing, journalism and memoir).
M 8 prep:
familiarize yourself with class website and bookmark it:
http://www-unix.oit.umass.edu/~pwtc/tw/
class: correspondence (memos,
email and formal letters); cover letters; how to read a job ad
W 10 prep: look at resumes of last year's
class at:
http://www-unix.oit.umass.edu/~pwtc/software/. Print out two resumes on which you
might model your own.
class: resumes
F 12 prep: none
class: resumes
M 15 prep: none
class: the job application process: references, portfolios and
interviews
W 17 prep: draft of cover
letter and resume due
class: in-class workshop of
cover letter and resume
F 19 prep: (short assignment #1:
COVER LETTER and RESUME due)
class: introduction to physical
description
M 22 prep:
none
class: introduction to functional
description
W 24 prep:
read Williams, Part One: Style as
Choice (pp. 3-30); review Appendix
(on punctuation) and Glossary (pp.
236-268)
class: review and discussion of
reading; punctuation; passive and active voice; misplaced modifiers and
dangling modifiers. Please bring the Williams text to class.
F 26 prep:
read Williams, Part Two: Clarity. Give special attention to the
ÒHereÕs the pointÓ boxes.
class: review of reading;
introduction to scientific research and review articles; overview of scientific
journalism. Please bring the Williams text to class.
M 29 prep: none
class: abstracts; book reviews.
October W 1 prep: see class research
resources website; glance through Chapter 4:
"Conducting
Research" in the online textbook.
class: introduction to research strategies and materials
F 3 prep:
none
class: research exercise; class meets in DuBois
Library in main lobby on first
floor
M 6 prep: none
class: research exercise; class meets in DuBois
Library in main lobby on first
floor
W 8 class:
research exercise; class meets in DuBois Library in
main lobby on first floor
F 10 class: research exercise;
class meets in DuBois Library in main lobby on first
floor
M 13 (no class)
T 14 (Monday class schedule)
class: research exercise; class
meets in DuBois Library in main lobby on first floor
W 15 prep: (short
assignment #2 -- LIBRARY RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT
due)
class: 1) review and discussion
of research answers; 2) introduction to FORMAL GRANT PROPOSAL assignment, which
will necessitate introductions to foundations, nonprofits, formal grant
proposals and the grant-seeking process.
Please bring Johnson-Sheehan to class, as we will be referring to the
text.
F 17 prep:
read Chapters One and Two in Johnson-Sheehan's Writing Proposals (pp.
1-33). Skim the rest of the book
to familiarize yourself with its range
and subject coverage. Note
especially the "example proposals" that begin on page 235.
class: video ÒSpider.Ó
M 20 prep:
be prepared to present three ideas for grant proposals.
class: presentation and discussion of ideas for grant
proposals
W 22 prep:
be prepared to present three ideas for grant proposals.
class: presentation and discussion of ideas for grant
proposals
F 24 prep: none
class: nonfiction books; the publishing process; careers in
publishing
M 27 (mid-semester – last day to drop with
a ÒW.Ó)
prep: read Williams, Part Three: Grace / Lesson Seven: Concision
(pp. 111-30)
class: practice with concision; feasibility studies and
progress reports. Please bring the Williams text to class.
W 29 prep: read Williams, Part Three: Grace / Lesson Eight: Shape /
Lesson Nine: Elegance (pp. 131-182)
class: practice with shape and elegance.
Please
bring the Williams text to class.
F 31 prep: none
class: group brainstorming of
scientific, medical and/or technical controversies
November M 3 prep: none
class: group brainstorming of
scientific, medical and/or technical controversies; controversy topics and
teams are chosen.
W 5 prep: none
class: research day for
controversy presentation teams
F 7 prep: (short
assignment #3: FEASIBILITY STUDY due)
M 10 prep: none.
class: research day for
controversy presentation teams
W
12 (Tuesday schedule –
no class meeting)
F 14 class:
a crash course in public speaking; using Microsoft PowerPoint
M 17 class:
rehearsal day or research day (as necessary) for controversy presentation teams
W 19 class:
PRESENTATION ON A SCIENTIFIC, MEDICAL AND/OR TECHNICAL CONTROVERSY #1
F 21 class:
PRESENTATION ON A SCIENTIFIC, MEDICAL AND/OR
TECHNICAL CONTROVERSY #2
M 24 class:
PRESENTATION ON A SCIENTIFIC, MEDICAL AND/OR
TECHNICAL CONTROVERSY #3
W 26 class: PRESENTATION ON
A SCIENTIFIC, MEDICAL AND/OR TECHNICAL
CONTROVERSY #4
THANKSGIVING RECESS
December M 1 class: PRESENTATION ON A SCIENTIFIC,
MEDICAL AND/OR
TECHNICAL CONTROVERSY #5
W 3 prep: Look
at online proposal guidelines and examples on the course
website.
class: intellectual property: patents.
F 5 prep:
(short assignment #4: PROGRESS REPORT due)
class: more intellectual property: copyright and trademarks.
M 8 prep: read Williams, Part Four: Clarity of Form
(pp. 183-210)
class: workshop proposals. Please bring the Williams text to
class.
W 10 prep: (First draft of FORMAL GRANT
PROPOSAL due). This draft will
not count toward your final
grade.
class: workshop proposals
F 12 class:
conclusions; evaluations.
___________________________________________________________
(reading
period: Dec 13-14; exams: Dec 15-20)
M 15 I
will examine and comment upon your FORMAL GRANT PROPOSAL first drafts and leave
them (for you) in my mailbox by 4 PM.
W 17 Final draft of Formal
Grant Proposal due in my mailbox in Bartlett (corridor outside the main offices
on the first floor) before 4 PM.