ENC 3242 - University of South Florida Sarasota
Contents
1. August 12 2015 page 9 of 10 XI ENC 3242 ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS Detailed instructions will be discussed in the course lectures and made available on the course website and in the FILES section on Canvas An overview of likely topics and objectives of assignments subject to change is presented below Assignment 1 Teach a Technical Task 500 1000 words 20 of grade due Sept 7 2015 In this assignment you will choose a task that you know how to perform and then try to teach another person how to do the same task using various media including prose user manual PowerPoint slides audio similar to the lectures in this course video of the kind to be posted on YouTube website or even hands on instruction The objective is for you to gain greater understanding of the linguistic professional and pedagogical challenges involved in communicating a subject that is known to you but not to the person s you are trying to teach This can be compared to the job of a person who translates a legal document or court proceeding in real time from say Spanish to English This activity is related to many everyday tasks of a professional or technical communicator Your submission will be the equivalent of 500 to 1000 words in prose 12 PowerPoint slides two or three web pages or one three to five minute video The following links may be helpful http en wikipedia org wiki Instructional_design http Avwww nd edu learning powerpoint http Awww open2. Religious Observances USFSM recognizes the right of students and faculty to observe major religious holidays Students who anticipate the necessity of being absent from class for a major religious observance must provide notice of the date s to the instructor in writing by the second week of classes Instructors canceling class for a religious observance should have this stated in the syllabus with an appropriate alternative assignment G Protection of Students Against Discrimination and Harassment 1 Sexual Misconduct Sexual Harassment Reporting USFSM is committed to providing an environment free from sex discrimination including sexual harassment and sexual violence USF System Policy 0 004 2 Other Types of Discrimination and Harassment USFSM also is committed to providing an environment free from discrimination and harassment based on race color marital status sex religion national origin disability age genetic information sexual orientation gender identity and expression or veteran status USF System Policy 0 007 The Counseling and Wellness Center is a confidential resource where you can talk about incidents of discrimination and harassment including sexual harassment gender based crimes sexual assault stalking and domestic relationship violence This confidential resource can help you without having to report your situation to either the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities OSSR or the Office of Diversity Inclus
3. Your job is to perform as well as possible My job is to evaluate your performance fairly based on experience judgment and workplace expectations There is nothing personal in this process it is simply a matter of defining applying and meeting professional criteria am not judging your appearance gender sexual preference ethnicity philosophy politics religion personal values or social status In fact because my contact with and knowledge of students occurs almost completely in an online environment am not even aware of most of those characteristics am interested only in your academic performance and your demonstrated improvement thereof Please don t ask for a grade to be rounded to a higher mark The grading system is designed to record your achievement accurately to three decimal places so the effect of rounding has already been considered Grades are calculated by the Canvas system based on the instructor s individual scale but if you believe a mathematical error has occurred notify me immediately Read carefully and repeatedly the definitions of grades in this syllabus so you have a clear understanding of the standards that students are expected to meet If you are confused simply ask me for clarification Read this helpful statement regarding errors in this course http Awww todroberts com USF grade_penalties pdf Education begins with you not with a university course or teacher IX PLAGIARISM AND CHEATI
4. ENC 3242 Assignment 2 If a student question or comment appears of general value or relevance will send it and my response to all students in the course For my background see http usfsm edu faculty members prof thorold tod roberts For students numeric scores and comments on my past USF courses see http Awww todroberts com USF Roberts_Evaluations htm If you want to meet with me in person please arrange an appointment Because of my driving distance from campus and because all of my teaching is online prefer to schedule such meetings when am present for other faculty activities It may also be possible to meet off campus via phone or via Skype over the internet Please schedule a call first via email For help with Canvas USF email OASIS or other technology see http it usf edu send an email help usf edu or call 866 974 1222 Ill COURSE DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE From the USF Catalog Prerequisites ENC 1101 and ENC 1102 or ENC 1121 and ENC 1122 The study of the range of possible careers for technical communicators with special emphasis on the issues that professional writers face in various workplace contexts and on the skills needed in word processing not restricted nor repeatable IMPORTANT Students enrolled in this course should be pursuing the B A in Professional and Technical Communication the Business and Technical Writing concentration within the English major or minor at USFSM if you first enrolled bef
5. a person who understands and observes the basic civilities of a free and educated community Every student is expected to prepare flash cards for these tips and to commit this information to JEN a PUNCTUATION Comma splice this means joining two independent clauses together with a comma this often happens when the word however is used An easy fix is to begin a new sentence with However and separate this word from other words with a comma However he missed the plane Apostrophe this seemingly unimportant punctuation mark can create confusion if not used correctly If used in it s it means it is When referring to possession its never has an apostrophe Hyphen this is needed in compound modifiers such as end of century art movement or Bush influenced domestic policy Dash a space plus two hyphens and a space This can be used to introduce an amplifying phrase or to join two clauses Example The student saw a major opportunity in graduating early he could begin his career immediately WorDINESS Writing concisely takes perception to see alternative ways to express a thought and practice to eliminate unnecessary words In addition to passive voice verbs common phrases that contribute to wordiness are these due to the fact that there is are in light of the fact that under these circumstances being that the reason is because PRO
6. effort is understandably beyond what some students prefer to do or ENC 3242 Syllabus T Roberts Instructor Fall 2015 August 12 2015 page 7 of 10 have time to do However do not discriminate in any way against those who do not want to perform this extra work merely offer an opportunity for this expanded learning experience to those who see value in such an approach IMPORTANT Students have no obligation to take advantage of the rewriting process and will suffer no direct penalty for not participating in this additional work It should be obvious to you however that optimal learning is more likely with than without the extra work Special Note for pre Fall 2013 Students Concentrating in Business and Technical Writing BTW or those enrolled in Fall 2013 or later pursuing the B A in Professional and Technical Communication PTC Students in this discipline should not enroll in ENC 3242 merely to satisfy a graduation requirement They should be serious about honing their writing and editing skills to the level required of a professional who can earn a living using the knowledge and experience gained in this field of study at USFSM They are therefore expected but not required to request detailed markup and to submit revisions of their work Word to the wise any BTW student or PTC major who fails to request detailed markup should be aware that this fact will be noted as negative feedback on future Letters of Reference prepa
7. from a course without penalty check with your advisor Format for Written Assignments See the formatting instructions included with the assignment directions Formatting is an important element of professional writing and as such will play a role in your learning experience and grade All written assignments must be prepared ona computer Macintosh or PC using Microsoft Word or equivalent software NOTE If you use MS Works or WordPerfect or any software package other than MS Office you must create and save a document as a WORD file ending in doc or docx Do not use the proprietary Apple software PAGES for your documents You will not receive credit for work that cannot read using MS Office on the Macintosh If you lack MS Office for your personal use you may also use a shareware program called OpenOffice www openoffice org but you may find it limited compared to the Microsoft version Check with USF Computer Store http www computerstore usf edu for discounts on MS Office software Computer Use All professional writing today requires use of a computer and the internet for document preparation and revision research and communications Put all work for the course assignments drafts email messages syllabus bookmarks lectures etc into a separate folder labeled 3242_Fall14 Back up that folder at least weekly on a USB flash drive CD ROM or online archive Send a copy of your messages and attachments to your secondary email address
8. noun such as group or band takes a singular not plural verb It also takes a singular not plural pronoun Other collective nouns treated as singular include company organization and management Example The management of ABC Corporation has ensured its survival by use of the golden parachute tactic PARALLELISM When listing items using bullet points or as a series in a sentence or paragraph put these items in parallel grammatical form Don t mix verbs and nouns in such a list GENERAL USAGE TIPS In prose spell out as words all numbers ten or smaller use the word percent not the percent sign An exception to this practice is allowed in a table or chart Use either or neither nor and between only with two items of comparison never three or more Use the word among for three or more Differentiate ensure insure and assure We ensure a result we insure an auto against damage and we assure a person of his safety Distinguish between the verbs serve and service The latter refers to the process of having the oil changed in your car or to bringing a bull and cow together in unholy matrimony If you say your company services customers you may lose business Learn how the verbs effect and affect differ To effect means to bring about The dean effected an important change in the way office space was allocated To affect means to influence The actor s performance in Hamlet deeply affecte
9. EDULE DATE EVENT OR TASK LECTURES amp WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS Semester begins Aug 24 intro lecture will cover course objectives and content send background Bebe Aug 24 WEEK TEECTURE information A ial by Saturday Aug 29 midnight you will be dropped from anise Sep 1 Mon WEEK 2 LECTURE Lecture topic relevant to current assignments readings will be assigned via email Sep 7 Mon Assignment 1 6 pm Assignment 1 20 of grade Teach a technical task prose slides website and or YouTube video send codes for Weeks 1 2 Sep 14 Mon WEEK 3 LECTURE Lecture topic relevant to current assignments readings will be assigned via email Sep 21 Mon WEEK 4 LECTURE Lecture topic relevant to current assignments readings will be assigned via email Sep 28 Mon WEEK 5 LECTURE Lecture topic relevant to current assignments readings will be assigned via email Sep 28 Mon Assignment 2 6 pm Assignment 2 20 of grade Interview a BTW Professional send codes for Weeks 3 4 5 Oct 5 Mon WEEK 6 LECTURE Lecture topic relevant to current assignments readings will be assigned via email Oct 12 Mon WEEK 7 LECTURE Lecture topic relevant to current assignments readings will be assigned via email Oct 19 Mon WEEK 8 LECTURE Lecture topic relevant to current assignments readings will be assigned via email Oct 19 Mon Assignment 3 6 pm Assignment 3 20
10. NG The use of others words images sounds ideas or expressive work regardless of medium without permission and or without providing proper credit is PLAGIARISM Taking credit for another person s work or submitting your own work as that of another person is CHEATING Both activities constitute a serious breach of ethics that harms other students and society in general The penalty for such an act may include any or all of the following A score of zero points on an assignment the same as if no assignment were submitted at all with no opportunity to resubmit the plagiarized work Failure in a course the student s permanent USF transcript may bear the grade of FF to indicate academic dishonesty Dismissal from school and or Formal prosecution for theft of intellectual property USF s Policy 3 027 on Academic Integrity of Students is stated in the USFSM Undergraduate Catalog http www usfsm edu catalog academics academic integrity of students Every student must read and follow this policy Before you stoop to ENC 3242 Syllabus T Roberts Instructor Fall 2015 August 12 2015 page 8 of 10 stealing someone else s words images or ideas ask yourself Would accept this behavior in other students if it helped them and harmed me The student code of conduct and related documents are also available here http sarasota usf edu students SRR WARNING Plagiarism from onl
11. NOUN REFERENCES A common error in student writing is the use of they their them when a singular pronoun he his him is needed This often occurs after indefinite pronouns such as anyone someone no one each one Each of these is singular and requires a singular reference Modern teachers and editors recognizing concerns about sexist language may insist on the awkward he she his her him her combination in such cases but find these forced pairs awkward and bureaucratic sounding Use either the masculine or feminine but not both Contrary to some feminists claims the masculine he him his historically has nothing to do with male biological identity it simply refers to a person It appears masculine but only in an archaic sense of grammatical gender This is still evident in languages such as German which assigns a masculine gender to moon der Mond the French do just the opposite calling the moon feminine la lune Considering these genders in the same way a person is male or female is absurdly ignorant Better yet convert the reference into a plural to eliminate the problem Instead of Any person who goes into business for himself herself write People who go into business for themselves Another pronoun reminder in formal professional writing use that or which to refer to ideas and objects and who or whom to refer to persons SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT In U S English a collective
12. SYLLABUS FOR ENC 3242 TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION FOR MAJORS e FALL 2015 University of South Florida Sarasota Manatee USFSM Instructor T E Roberts tr sar usf edu Website for this course on the public internet http Avww todroberts com USF 3242_welcome htm Date August 12 2015 WELCOME This syllabus is a contract It sets forth expectations responsibilities instructions and policies that obligate both instructor and students Read and consult it throughout the Fall 2015 semester Every student is expected to submit via email a signed information sheet indicating that he or she has read this syllabus and agrees to abide by its terms this form also functions as a record of first week attendance in this online course If it is not received by the student will be reported to the registrar as not attending and will be dropped from enrollment The link for this form is here http Avww todroberts com USF 3242_Fall15_Bkgrnd docx It is also available in the FILES section of the Canvas space for this course This document is subject to change before the term begins on Aug 24 2015 If you find an error in the syllabus please accept my apology and notify me immediately To download the student information sheet and the most current version of the syllabus please see the course website http www todroberts com USF 3242_welcome htm In cases where information in this syllabus differs from what appears on the course website the website sho
13. alty here s a thought to ponder Lateness in meeting a deadline on the job usually results in your being demoted or even fired or if you are an independent contractor freelancer losing a client Grade Penalty for Failing to Hear Lectures On Time The codes embedded in the lecture audio files must be sent to me via email along with your written assignments as shown in the weekly schedule noted above For example your email transmission of Assignment 1 will not only include your attached submission with doc file extension but also in the body of your email you will note the audio codes for the Week 1 and 2 lectures by matching a specific code to a specific slide EXAMPLE Slide 3 document Slide 7 edit Slide 11 submit You will lose two points from your final grade calculation for each missing set of codes and one point for each set sent late This will be computed manually at the end of the Fall 2015 term EXAMPLE your total points earned on assignments are 86 B but you sent three lecture code sets late and failed to send two sets at all This means you would lose seven points from your total resulting in a final grade to be reported to the registrar of 79 C Inability to Complete Course Requirements On Time A mark of Incomplete is allowed only in rare cases such as a documented health crisis or family emergency You may be required to submit a Medical Form to the Academic Regulations Committee available at http www usf edu reg
14. ce which allows instructors to submit student assignments to be checked for plagiarism reserve the right to submit assignments to this detection system Assignments are compared automatically with a huge database of journal articles web articles and previously submitted papers The instructor receives a report showing exactly how the student s paper was plagiarized Privacy Protection Pursuant to the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act FERPA prior to submitting work to Turnitin students should delete any personal information e g name address telephone from the work being submitted This protects students from having personal information disclosed to vendors or other outside agencies X OFFICIAL USFSM POLICIES AND PROCEDURES A Academic Dishonesty The University considers any form of plagiarism or cheating on exams projects or papers to be unacceptable behavior Please be sure to review the university s policy in the USFSM Catalog the USF System Academic Integrity of Students and the USF System Student Code of Conduct B Academic Disruption The University does not tolerate behavior that disrupts the learning process The policy for addressing academic disruption is included with Academic Dishonesty in the USFSM Catalog USF System Academic Integrity of Students and the USF System Student Code of Conduct C Contingency Plans In the event of an emergency it may be necessary for USFSM to
15. ces 1974 and 1997 and in both cases my original grade and teaching approach were upheld by a grievance committee of students and faculty take seriously my duty to be not only a competent and effective instructor but also to help you succeed not fail If you believe am not meeting your objectives as a student talk with me will listen to your perspective and seek a mutually satisfying solution to problems Any student who writes an anonymous negative review of my teaching or course content at the end of a term but who has never communicated with me in person by phone or by email about specific issues lacks credibility Such a person demonstrates immaturity ignorance cowardice and indifference regarding professional and ethical standards of conduct That person should in turn expect similar disrespect from others The time to focus on your grade if you worry about such a thing is during the term not at the end after you receive the final grade calculation Students who complain about final grades but who have made little if any sincere effort to excel on each assignment can count on little response from the instructor You have four written assignments for three of which you are invited to receive detailed markups and to prepare revisions and a final exam to build a satisfactory final grade and you are urged to communicate with me at any time regarding your work Contrary to many students view a grade is earned by you not given by me
16. culture com 2008 04 teaching_on_youtube html http www usersmanualguide com http Awww smartteaching org blog 2008 08 100 best youtube videos for teachers Sample video from 2013 USFSM student Assignment 2 Interview a BTW Professional 500 1000 words 20 of grade due Sept 28 2015 Talk in person by phone and or via email or internet chat with a person who earns his or her living as a professional writer editor or communications consultant Specific contacts will be suggested based on research still being conducted by the instructor at the time this syllabus was prepared The student s objective will be to learn about this individual s path into this line of work the nature of the person s background and training and the person s advice to you as a person contemplating a career in business and technical communications Target length of the submission is about 500 words but the actual interview transcript may be considerably longer than that See this website for helpful tips on conducting and writing an interview http freelancewrite about com od getpublished ss interview htm Assignment 3 Crisis Management and Ethical Leadership 500 1000 words 20 of grade due Oct 19 2015 This assignment allows ENC 3242 to You will create a plan supported by necessary public messages to define evaluate and avert a major communications crisis The scenario may be something like this subject to change HappySass Corporat
17. d me Don t confuse the noun forms of these words See dictionary Spell out an acronym the first time it is mentioned in your paper so the reader knows what it refers to Alot vs a lot The first is a common misspelling of the second it s too informal for professional writing Between you and vs between you and me The pronoun me is required because it is the object of a preposition using l in writing or speaking will brand you as ignorant Lay vs lie These verbs are confused even by supposedly educated speakers and writers so those who understand their proper use will be a step ahead lay is normally used as a transitive verb one that takes a direct object for instance If you lay your head on the pillow you ll fall asleep lie is an intransitive verb and thus cannot have a direct object If you lie down on the bed you ll fall asleep More confusion lay is the past tense of lie today he lies in a ditch yesterday he lay in bed Hopefully vs it is hoped or hope This confusion is commonplace but still a sign of ignorance hopefully means full of hope as in She looked hopefully upon the teacher as a source of forgiveness for her goofing off all term Who s vs whose The first one is a contraction of who is or who has the second is a possessive relative pronoun There vs their vs they re these homophones are commonly confused the f
18. e missing assignment therefore is eligible for an I e student s grade including a zero for the missed work would be a D e student and instructor complete the I Grade Contract assigning an ID Incomplete D grade Deadline Agreed Upon in Contract e g two weeks If the student completes the work as agreed upon in the Contract by the noted deadline e instructor submits a change of grade e student earns final grade comprised of all completed course work If the student does not complete the work as agreed upon in the Contract by the noted deadline e T automatically drops off and the grade of D remains e GPA is recalculated for the current semester and retroactively recalculated for the semester in which the I was granted Although the instructor establishes the deadline for completion of the work the deadline may only extend through the end of the subsequent semester Grading Process do not return your graded submission to you except upon your request You have two options in this process Option 1 If you want the submission returned with detailed marks and comments you must agree to rewrite or revise the entire paper in response to those comments and marks The revision is due to me no later than one week after you receive the marked paper from me If you choose this option the submission ogee where X refers to the assignment number You will receive from me a document labeled You will th
19. eading it the intensity of this process combined with other faculty duties permits me to evaluate only about 10 to 15 submissions per day given my typical workload of 75 to 80 students per semester you should not expect a grade to be posted sooner than a week after you submit your work Reason for This Grading Process Because of my heavy teaching load around 450 000 words of graded student writing per semester lack the time needed for marking all student work in sufficient detail as a regular procedure My grading process therefore offers a compromise It recognizes that some students are content merely to pass the course in order to satisfy a graduation requirement This usually means they are willing to settle for an acceptable grade A student s definition of acceptable varies but based on my experience many students are satisfied with anything from a C to an A Students who are enrolled just to satisfy a graduation requirement will likely have personal reasons for not wanting to submit a complete revision They may be too busy with other courses jobs or other responsibilities or they may simply regard the revision process as not worth the required work However this opportunity is open to every student The amount of effort for me as instructor to prepare a detailed mark up typically requiring 30 to 40 minutes per individual submission is commensurate with the extra effort required by the student to revise it This
20. en rewrite revise this and return it to me labeled Lastname_3242_X_revised doc Omit spaces and insert underscores in filenames exactly as shown Leave all of my original marks and comments in place and insert your revisions nearby in blue boldface text so that can quickly compare the original and the revision See detailed revision instructions and sample revision on course website http Avww todroberts com USF 3242_welcome htm Option 2 If bi want a grade simply posted on Canvas with no marks comments or returned submission just name your file The rewriting revision process is entirely your option not a requirement You may choose to revise one or more of Assignments 1 through 3 Assignment 4 occurs too late in the term to allow revision however will email you a comment if you submit with this filename Lastname_3242_4 comment do of course evaluate your work carefully but provide detailed comments only for those papers on which students are willing to perform the extra work needed for revising the submission IMPORTANT Submitting the revised rewritten submission will NOT result in a change in your grade except under this condition If you request the detailed mark up you must submit the revised work within one week of receiving it graded from me If you do not your grade will be dropped by one grade 10 points for example from a B to a C Please note that grading a student paper is considerably more demanding than simply r
21. enalty to your final grade in the course Email Messages You will send me all assignments attached to email messages as MS Word files with the doc or docx file extension will evaluate and grade your work electronically and as explained below return it to you by email upon request Be sure to indicate your preferred email address if it is not obvious from your message will acknowledge via email the receipt of your email message and attachment All of your written work must bear a filename in this format Lastname_3242_X doc or docx no spaces where X refers to the assignment number 1 2 3 or 4 Do not send your work with a generic name such as Assignment2 doc or research doc The first time you do this will ask you to fix it If this happens again your submission will simply be counted as missing and will be penalized accordingly Orderly procedures and file naming are essential because serve scores of students who submit hundreds of thousands of words of gradable work to me receive and answer 100 to 150 student emails per week Occasionally a student or instructor or both may experience problems with email If this happens notify me by phone 941 927 2898 and if necessary send a message to my alternative email address thorsdag comcast net If you do not receive my prompt response to an emailed assignment or a question contact me as soon as possible As noted above each email requires a subject line with your na
22. for safe keeping An assignment lost as a result of carelessness or ignorance will diminish your learning experience and grade If an assignment calls for the use of unfamiliar tools such as PowerPoint for slides advanced application of MS Word or Excel or a website composition tool such as WordPress budget the time and effort required for you to learn them Those seeking a professional career today simply cannot survive without such knowledge Course Website http www todroberts com USF 3242_welcome htm Links to syllabus assignments lectures and helpful resources are available on this site Students should visit this page at least daily Read all links on this page before the end of the Fall 2015 session they are all subject to being covered in the final exam Specific links of most relevance to the final exam will be highlighted a short time before the exam If you find a link not functioning correctly please report it to me promptly by email Student Success in This Course To succeed in ENC 3242 think and act like a professional not like a student Put learning ahead of grades and challenge yourself to work beyond your comfort zone Read and respond to email submit work on time read all assigned material listen to and take notes on lectures on schedule keep your mind open and unbiased and ask questions If you are like most USF Sarasota Manatee students you are probably not only studying for a degree but also earning a living and perhap
23. ine and other sources is easy for me to detect using the USF supplied Turnitin software and other means of analysis Students who violate the rules will tell you that the experience of being caught by me in an act of plagiarism is something they regret now and probably for the rest of their lives Potentially exemplary careers can be and indeed have been ruined by such short sighted selfish unethical behavior see http www todroberts com USF plagiarism effects pdf ec el teh eo eipea rt If your work appears unusually better than might reasonably expect it to be based on your academic and or workplace experience may suspect plagiarism and will investigate You may be required to submit complete citations and copies of all source material consulted for a given assignment Note that in addition to listing all references used in your work under the heading Sources Consulted at the end of a submission you must also provide parenthetical citations within the text to any direct or indirect quote idea concept observation expression image audio video or words derived from a work other than your own The Modern Language Association MLA format for parenthetical citations and listing of references is explained through a link on the course website http leo stcloudstate edu research mlaparen html USF Official Statement regarding use of TurnltIn The University of South Florida has an account with an automated plagiarism detection servi
24. ion a producer of the HappySass line of snack foods has discovered the presence of e coli in the Tastee Pastree products coming out of its California manufacturing facility Two or three truckloads of the tainted goods have already left the factory and are headed to San Francisco for distribution at selected retailers Your team discovers that one of the truck drivers trying to win a company prize worth 500 has broken speed limits and other motor vehicle laws by driving non stop through the night so he could deliver his load early to several convenience stores and in fact consumers have already purchased some of the Tastee Pastree items Never mind the fact that these products could probably kill a person even without the e coli problem The company is about to have a major communications and legal crisis on its hands and you must devise an effective plan that will 1 stop the distribution of the remaining truckloads immediately 2 recall the product that has already been delivered 3 make an official announcement to government authorities about what has happened 4 beg the public and the investment community for forgiveness and 5 create a Plan B backup maneuver in case these efforts are ineffective This problem is typical of the kind of PR disaster that professional and technical communicators are called upon to help solve in many big consumer goods companies Helpful websites to consider will be provided later In Assignment 3 you must demo
25. ion and Equal Opportunity DIEO unless you request that they make a report Please be aware that in compliance with Title IX and under the USF System Policy educators must report incidents of discrimination and harassment including sexual harassment gender based crimes sexual assault stalking and domestic relationship violence If a student discloses any of these situations in class in papers or to a faculty member personally he or she is required to report it to OSSR or DIEO for investigation Students who are victims or who have knowledge of such discrimination or harassment are encouraged to report it to either OSSR or DIEO The Deputy Coordinator for USFSM is Allison Dinsmore Coordinator of Disability Services amp Student Advocacy 941 359 4714 or adinsmore1 sar usf edu Campus Resources Counseling Center and Wellness Center 941 487 4254 Victim Advocate 24 7 941 504 8599 Off campus resources HOPE Family Services 941 755 6805 Safe Place amp Rape Crisis Center SPARCC Sarasota 941 365 1976 First Call for Help Manatee 941 708 6488 Sarasota amp North Port 941 366 5025 Manatee Glens 941 782 4800 24 hr Hotline 941 708 6059 H Web Portal Information Every newly enrolled USF student receives an official USF e mail account Students receive official USF correspondence and Canvas course information via that address The web portal is accessed at http my usf edu ENC 3242 Syllabus T Roberts Instructor Fall 2015
26. ion clear logical thought originality creativity and maturity B meets objectives of assignment no more than four major errors in language usage sentence structure or organization logical but uninspired thought no major surprises C meets objectives but just barely five or more major errors in language usage sentence structure or organization some lapses in logic often a cautious effort to give the instructor what he wants ENC 3242 Syllabus T Roberts Instructor Fall 2015 August 12 2015 page 5 of 10 D tries but fails to meet objectives six or more major errors in language usage sentence structure or organization jumbled weak flow of ideas confused understanding of the assignment F complete failure to meet objectives of the assignment NOTE A major error is defined as one that creates confusion or an impression of unprofessional practices this includes but is not limited to comma splices sentence fragments fused or run on sentences pronoun misuse punctuation mistakes spelling errors and misused words for instance using service as a verb when the correct word is serve Note also that an accumulation of several minor errors may cause as much harm as a few major errors A misspelling of moral for morale or vice versa may appear minor but your reader may find it grounds for doubting your knowledge skill and credibility Such errors may even cause you t
27. irst is an expletive or adverb the second is a third person plural possessive adjective the third is a contraction of they are Your vs you re The first is a second person possessive adjective the second is a contraction of you are Number vs amount The first is used as a collective noun referring to countable items as in the number of hours in a day the second is a collective noun referring to uncountable items as in the amount of lust generated by excessive testosterone Different from vs different than The first is standard in U S English the second is preferred by the British And don t spell than as then Verbal vs oral The first refers to any communication expressed in words whether written or spoken the second refers only to communication expressed in speech Verbal agreement in reference to a spoken agreement is misleading Imply vs infer Only a speaker or writer can imply only a reader or listener can infer Anxious vs eager Although used interchangeably by some speakers these two words differ considerably in meaning Anxious refers to having anxiety Eager means looking forward to or anticipating with pleasure For additional information on grade penalties in this course see http Avww todroberts com USF grade_penalties pdf
28. istrar resources forms aspx Allowing an I grade is up to the instructor s discretion it must be requested in writing The policy as stated in the USFSM 2015 2016 undergraduate catalog is as follows I Grade Policy http usfsm edu catalog graduate academic policies regulations graduate grading system incomplete i Definition An Incomplete grade I is exceptional and granted at the instructor s discretion only when students are unable to complete course requirements due to illness or other circumstances beyond their control This applies to all gradable courses including pass fail S U Students may be eligible for an I only when e a majority of the student s work for a course has been completed before the end of the semester e the work that has been completed must be qualitatively satisfactory e the student has requested consideration for an I grade as soon as possible but no later than the last day of finals week ENC 3242 Syllabus T Roberts Instructor Fall 2015 August 12 2015 page 6 of 10 The student must request consideration for an Incomplete grade and obtain an I Grade Contract from the instructor of record Even though the student may meet the eligibility requirements for this grade the course instructor retains the right to make the final decision on granting a student s request for an Incomplete The course instructor and student must complete and sign the l Grade Con
29. l be presented in the first lecture before the session begins on Aug 24 2015 Your official USF email address will be used for most communications if you forward mail from there to your personal address be sure you are receiving all messages An individual student s questions and my emailed responses will be sent to all students if the questions and answers appear to be generally relevant and useful welcome student emails about assignments lectures or other aspects of the course as long as they are focused relevant and professional Although receive hundreds of messages from students try to answer all email promptly If you use a mobile phone to receive and respond to email be sure that you are saving all course related messages and attachments to your computer Students who fail to do this may encounter problems leading to possible loss of learning progress and grade points Canvas and Other USF Technology Tools For help on the USFSM campus please email or call Tony Spall 941 359 4202 or aspall sar usf edu or visit this web page http usfsm edu e learning services instructional support For general off campus help with Canvas USF email OASIS or other USF technology see http it usf edu send an email help usf edu or call 941 359 4295 or 4215 or 813 974 1222 Tampa For live online help see http usffl service now com Lectures As noted on the course website you will download two lecture files mp4 audio and PowerPoin
30. me the course number 3242 and a brief phrase such as Assignment 2 question Make sure your USF email account is working especially if you have messages forwarded from there to a different address ENC 3242 Syllabus T Roberts Instructor Fall 2015 August 12 2015 page 3 of 10 If you do not receive such a message by 9 p m following a 6 p m deadline send the document to me again Otherwise your work will be penalized for being late or missing will normally use the email header time stamp to determine whether you have met the deadline or not See Section VIII Grading and Evaluation for information on the penalty for late submissions for information on email headers see http www todroberts com USF Email_Headers pdf Check the clock in your computer to ensure that it is accurate am too busy to acknowledge all submissions as they arrive so please do not call or email me about your submission if you send it before the 6 p m deadline will usually acknowledge submissions AFTER the 6 p m deadline not before Last Day to Withdraw from a Fall 2015 Course Without Academic Penalty and Without Refund of Fees Confer with your academic advisor before this date to discuss the impact of this action on your degree progress and student loan status If you are not submitting required work but remain in the course you will likely earn an F USF imposes limits on the number of times one can withdraw
31. nstrate the following General and high level understanding of ethics leadership and or ethical leadership Understanding of the subtleties of ethics and leadership in the context of the HappySass corporate decisions Assignment 4 Outline 150 words required but not graded due Nov 2 2015 send earlier if possible Send a 150 word summary of your topic thesis and likely research sources for Assignment 4 This important assignment will not be accepted without an outline approved in advance Assignment 4 Three Options 1500 to 2000 words 30 of grade due Nov 30 2015 Each option will include a website and PPT slides Possibilities are as follows Option 1 Solving a communications problem to be announced for an employer or client Option 2 Researching and reporting on career opportunities in a specific communications field Option 3 Creating your own customized assignment in consultation with instructor Final Exam via Canvas 45 minutes 10 of grade Dec 6 9 Mix of multiple choice and true false questions covering the content of the course ENC 3242 Syllabus T Roberts Instructor Fall 2015 August 12 2015 page 10 of 10 ENC 3242 English Usage Tips Memorize and Apply These in All Assignments Listed here are some common errors found on student papers While some errors result simply from careless proofreading others may represent a deeper misunderstanding A respect for language customs is the mark of
32. o lose a job Although some students may believe that strict standards of correctness in speech and writing are pass they will be in for a major surprise when a boss or client explodes in a fury over a simple misspelling or typo For more details about the definitions of grades see http Avww todroberts com USF grade_penalties pdf Use old Final Grade in Course Your final grade in the course will be computed on Canvas using the following weighted formula 60 Assignments 1 2 and 3 20 each 500 1000 words each 30 Assignment 4 1 500 to 2 000 words 10 Final Exam via Canvas Dec 6 9 The final grade as explained below will be reduced by penalty points if any for failing to send lecture audio codes on time To repeat my earlier point no extra credit do overs grade rounding makeup work grade forgiveness or grade negotiation are allowed so please do not request such considerations The grade you earn not the grade that give is what report to the registrar using the following plus and minus scale A 4 00 B 3 00 C 2 00 D 1 00 A 3 67 B 2 67 C 1 67 D 0 67 Bt 3 33 C 2 33 D 1 33 F 0 00 Student Evaluation of Instructor and Course All students are required to submit a fair and complete online evaluation of the course through eXplorance and to send the instructor verification of this submission Instructions and deadline for this will be announced via email G
33. of grade Solve a communications crisis send codes for Weeks 6 7 8 Oct 26 Mon WEEK 9 LECTURE Lecture topic relevant to current assignments readings will be assigned via email Oct 31 Sat LAST DAY TO DROP Nov 2 Mon WEEK 10 LECTURE Lecture topic relevant to current assignments readings will be assigned via email Nov 2 Mon Assign 4 outline 6 pm Assign 4 150 word outline required but not graded send codes for Weeks 9 and 10 Nov 9 Mon WEEK 11 LECTURE Lecture topic relevant to current assignments readings will be assigned via email Nov 16 Mon WEEK 12 LECTURE Lecture topic relevant to current assignments readings will be assigned via email Nov 30 Mon WEEK 14 LECTURE eee Assignment 4 30 of grade Three options to be discussed in lectures and emailed directions Perea Sane Send Was Hes and 14 eh 1500 2000 hai i Dec 4 Fri End of Fall semester Classes end final exams are held Dec 6 through 11 Dec 6 Sun 8 45 minute exam 10 of grade multiple choice and true false covers syllabus website links am to Dec9 Final Exam Canvas readings assignments course related emails and lectures USFSM Commencement on Sunday Dec Wed 11 pm 13 final grades will be posted on OASIS by Tue Dec 16 2015 VIII TEXTS AND OTHER RESOURCES Required texts all free downloads Technical Communications Career Research links Chapter 1 of Technical Communication A Reader Centered Approach 7th edition free PDF download at thi
34. ore Fall 2013 or the Professional and Technical Communication Undergraduate Certificate If you are not such a student Ge should consult te academic advisor about peui this course and BE it with one appropriate to a field of study Note also that IV COURSE GOAL To help the student identify and appreciate business and technical writing career opportunities and to pursue the skills and knowledge needed to exploit those opportunities V COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1 Show ability to create clear concise and complete messages that meet needs of intended users and readers 2 Meet stated deadline for assigned project 3 Show ability to create and transmit messages in such diverse media as print audio video in person presentation and internet 4 Show knowledge and sound judgment in using effective communication concepts theories tactics and strategies appropriate for intended project results ENC 3242 Syllabus T Roberts Instructor Fall 2015 August 12 2015 page 2 of 10 5 Show ability to interpret and edit messages from advanced Subject Matter Experts SME s and transmit said messages effectively to non expert users VI ENC 3242 COURSE CONTENT AND METHODS OF INSTRUCTION The assignments draw on the instructor s experience as a professional writer and editor serving clients and employers in diverse business settings and as a university teacher of writing In addition to written as
35. rade Penalty for Missing an Assignment Deadline Because deadlines for on the job communication are taken seriously by clients and employers deadlines in this course will be treated the same way An assignment loses one entire grade for example from a B 85 to a C 75 for each 24 hour period or portion thereof it is late including weekends and holidays A penalty for late submission begins at the hour when the assignment is due usually Monday at 6 00 p m via email The clock time noted by your outgoing email server will determine whether you have sent the submission by the deadline As mentioned previously am too busy to acknowledge all submissions as they arrive so please do not call or email me about your submission if you send it before the 6 p m deadline will usually acknowledge submissions AFTER the 6 p m deadline not before To extend a deadline without penalty you must present compelling evidence of need as defined by the instructor This varies in individual circumstances but such leniency is more likely for a student who has demonstrated a desire to work hard and succeed in the course by for example submitting optional revised work You are always much better off turning in a late assignment than none at all The grade of F at 59 points will be far less damaging to one s final course grade than a score of zero points for a missing assignment If you re inclined to regard this as a harsh pen
36. red by the instructor Grievance Procedure for USF Students The USFSM Undergraduate Catalog USF Policy 10 002 Student Academic Grievance Procedure http usfsm edu catalog academics student academic grievance procedure emphasizes that a student should first contact the course instructor before filing a grievance lll Statement of Policy A Resolution at the Department Level 1 The student shall first make a reasonable effort to resolve his or her grievance with the instructor concerned with the date of the incident triggering the start of the process i e the issuance of a grade the receipt of an assignment and if the instructor determines is feasible and may be productive the instructor shall accommodate a reasonable request to discuss and attempt to resolve this issue If after conferring with the instructor the student believes he or she is justified in filing a formal grievance the procedures outlined in the USF Undergraduate Catalog must be carefully followed A grievance is an extremely grave and formal matter that requires many hours of attention from the student the faculty and USF administration Therefore pursue it only when other means of redress have completely failed Advice About Grades A grievance will not automatically or necessarily result in a change of grade for an assignment or a course Over the course of several decades teaching thousands of college students have seen only two of my students file formal grievan
37. s caring for a family Thus to succeed in ENC 3242 especially in a primarily online environment prioritize your time and effort wisely Your investment in improved writing and thinking skills will pay off significantly over the course of your career If you doubt this talk to students who have already taken my writing courses at USFSM and are now working as successful professionals As the instructor am eager for you to experience an excellent return on your investment of time money and intellectual energy If you are not having such an experience contact me immediately so that we can work together in solving problems and taking advantage of opportunities Do not assume that you are a mere number in a vast bureaucracy To me you are an individual human being who is sincerely willing to improve his or her abilities using the opportunities available to you Attendance Absences Making Up Work Extra Credit Because this course is delivered 100 percent online conventional attendance records are irrelevant However the required submission of audio codes for online lectures functions as a simulated means of checking attendance The specific rules regarding audio codes are explained above see Lectures There is no provision for the following privileges instructor review of a draft submission in advance of grading re doing an assignment already submitted re writing a plagiarized submission grade forgiveness grade rounding extra credi
38. s link Online Technical Writing Text free See list of recommended texts on course website http www todroberts com USF 3242_welcome htm e Computer literacy Mac or PC Microsoft Office or equivalent software Internet access email account and collegiate dictionary e Competence in English grammar vocabulary spelling sentence structure document organization and research skills expected of 4th year college undergraduates e Access to handbook of English usage online or on paper an effective online handbook is at http owl english purdue edu also memorize the USAGE TIPS at the end of this syllabus e Miscellaneous web based information assigned or recommended by instructor IX GRADING AND EVALUATION The grade you earn on an assignment will be a numerical score For assignments in this course and for the Fall 2015 semester total weighted score numerical values are equated with letter grades as shown below A 100 95 B 85 999 84 C 75 999 74 D 65 999 64 A 94 999 90 B 83 999 80 C 73 999 70 D 63 999 60 B 89 999 86 C 79 999 76 D 69 999 66 F 59 999 0 No assignment submitted zero points note that this scale differs from the generic scale on Canvas just as students and instructor differ from their generic counterparts Definitions of Grades A exceeds objectives of the assignment three or fewer major errors in language usage sentence structure or organizat
39. signments the course requires familiarity with an online textbook writing handbooks online lectures basic website design and email exchanges as detailed in the Schedule of Weekly Assignments below It also requires the use of computerized word processing using MS Office software electronic communications and internet based research Each student must have access to a reliable computer and knowledge of how to use it for word processing email internet search and access to the password controlled USF Canvas online learning system my usf edu Course Content Each of the first three writing assignments will be around 500 to 1 000 words long Assignment 4 will consist of a 1 500 to 2 000 word prose document and other components No conventional printed textbook is required instead you will be assigned selected readings from the internet which supplement web posted audio PowerPoint lectures A final exam covering course content will be taken online via Canvas between Dec 7 and 10 All students are required to complete an online evaluation of the course via my usf edu at the end of the semester and to email the instructor a confirmation of that evaluation directions for this will be posted later on the course website See Official USFSM Policies and Procedures in Section XI of this syllabus Method of Presentation Students will perform in a distance learning environment with guidance from the instructor Course objectives and procedures wil
40. suspend normal operations During this time USFSM may opt to continue delivery of instruction through methods that include but are not limited to Canvas online conferencing collaboration tools email messaging and or an alternate schedule It is the responsibility of the student to monitor Canvas for each of their classes for course specific communication as well as the USFSM website their student email account and MoBull messages for important general information The USF hotline at 1 800 992 4231 is updated with pre recorded information during an emergency See the Campus Police Website for further information D Disabilities Accommodation Students are responsible for registering with the Office of Students with Disabilities Services SDS in order to receive academic accommodations Reasonable notice must be given to the SDS office typically 5 working days for accommodations to be arranged It is the responsibility of the student to provide each instructor with a copy of the official Memo of Accommodation Contact Information Disability Coordinator 941 359 4714 disabilityservices sar usf edu http usfsm edu disability services E Fire Alarm Instructions At the beginning of each semester please note the emergency exit maps posted in each classroom These signs are marked with the primary evacuation route red and secondary evacuation route orange in case the building needs to be evacuated See Emergency Evacuation Procedures F
41. t makeup work or grade negotiation Grades are calculated mathematically by the Canvas learning management system based on the instructor s grade weighting scheme Penalties for late submission of student work are specified below in Section VIII Grade Penalty for Missing an Assignment Deadline USF Academic Calendar Fall 2015 for details see http www usf edu registrar calendars index aspx Mon Aug 24 first day of classes Wed Nov 11 Veteran s Day Mon Sep 7 Labor Day Thu Fri Nov 26 27 Thanksgiving holiday Sat Oct 31 Last day to drop class without Fri Dec 4 Last day of classes academic penalty Sat Fri Dec 5 11 Final exam week Vil SCHEDULE OF ENC 3242 WEEKLY ASSIGNMENTS FALL 2015 Detailed directions for all written assignments will be provided via lectures email and website posting Assigned readings will be announced via lecture and email Note that unless modified by email announcement all written assignments are due to me on Mondays by 6 00 p m but may be submitted earlier if you wish Lectures discussing assignments and course content will be posted on the course website and in the FILES ENC 3242 Syllabus T Roberts Instructor Fall 2015 August 12 2015 page 4 of 10 section on Canvas as both PowerPoint slides and as audio recordings in MP4 format usually by Monday You must send lecture audio codes via email as noted below ENC 3242 FALL 2015 SCH
42. t slides each week Depending on the capabilities of your computer you may need use either Apple QuickTime or VLC Media Player see links for these free downloads on course website to hear the MP4 files on your computer Do not try to hear the lecture audio as a streaming file over the internet you may find it interrupted Just download and listen to each lecture on your computer while viewing the PowerPoint slides Save the audio and the slides inside your 3242 folder you will need to review them to prepare for the final exam The lectures provide important information on written assignments and overall learning content in the course Note that the MP4 audio and PPT lectures are also downloadable from the FILES section of the Canvas listing for this course Audio Codes to Facilitate Attendance Checking To simulate in an online environment the required tracking of student attendance expected in an on campus class each audio lecture will contain embedded spoken code words which you must send to me via email by deadlines noted in the Weekly Schedule below This will ensure that you are listening to the lectures soon after they are posted and not letting them accumulate for later listening Regular listening to and note taking on lectures is vital to your success in the course Failure to send the audio codes by deadline may result in two unpleasant consequences 1 ignorance about assignment instructions leading to weak performance and 2 a p
43. tract Form that describes the work to be completed the date it is due and the grade the student would earn factoring in a zero for all incomplete assignments The due date can be negotiated and extended by student instructor as long as it does not exceed one semester from the original date grades were due for that course The instructor must file a copy of the I Grade Contract in the college that offered the course by the date grades are due The instructor must not require students to either re register for the course or audit the course in order to complete the l grade Students may register to audit the course with the instructor s approval but cannot re take the course for credit until the grade is cleared An l grade not cleared within the next academic semester including summer semester will revert to the grade noted on the contract l grades are not computed in the GPA but the grade noted on the contract will be computed in the GPA retroactive to the semester the course was taken if the contract is not fulfilled by the specified date When the final grade is assigned if applicable the student will be placed on academic probation or academically dismissed refer to Automated Academic Probation Procedures for information Students cannot be admitted to doctoral candidacy or certified for graduation with an l grade Example Current Semester e student has a B in the course not including the grade for th
44. uld be regarded as the most current and authoritative source I COURSE NUMBER AND TITLE ENC 3242 Technical Communication for Majors Fall 2015 Section 521 CRN 93021 ONLINE COURSE There will be no meetings on campus at all However this is not a correspondence course in which one merely writes and submits assignments Students will be required to hear and take notes on lectures complete assigned reading and communicate with the instructor and fellow students as needed regularly via email or the Canvas discussion forum Il INSTRUCTOR CONTACT AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION Instructor Thorold Tod Roberts Please refer to me as Mr Roberts Send email to tr sar usf edu Spell my email address accurately Most of our communications will be via email but if necessary please phone me at 941 927 2898 Sarasota residence between 9 00 a m and 5 00 p m Monday through Friday I prefer email because it creates a written record of our communications and because it gives students practice in writing one of the main purposes of the course Because am rarely on campus do not leave a message on my campus phone or in my campus mailbox You have no restrictions on the length or number of emails you may exchange with me but please use good judgment in this matter Because of the large volume of email handle every message you send must bear your last name and the course number in the SUBJECT line for example Robinson Question on
Download Pdf Manuals
Related Search