Author: Jason W. Ellis

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Extra Credit Opportunity

If you attend this event and write up at least 250 words about who spoke, what you learned, and what connections you made between the event and your own knowledge, you can earn some extra credit. For your event summary, copy-and-paste it into an email to Prof. Ellis.

Please join us on Thursday, April 27th at 1pm in N227 (Faculty Commons) for the City Tech Community Roundtable - a new seminar series made of short talks that aims to bring together faculty and students to share our scholarly and creative work and learn about what our colleagues across disciplines are doing, and restore and nurture our college's vibrant intellectual community.

Our second event features three awesome speakers:

Dr Javiela Evangelista, who will tell us about "Race and Technology Academic Program",

and a student-faculty team composed by

Jake Postiglione and Dr Giovanni Ossola, speaking about "Smart Physics: A Lab in your Pocket."

As you can see, the topics promise to be of wide interest for faculty and students, and we hope to see many there. Also, you are welcome to bring your lunch, but as usual we will have coffee and the good cookies!

Looking forward to seeing you on Thursday.

The Research Council WG4
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Week 11 Lecture

cat and human using a laptop computer
Be prepared for in-person and remote work.
  • Brief Introduction
  • Beginning of Class Writing Assignment
    • Click on the title of this blog post, “Week 11,” scroll down to the comment area, and write at least 250 words in response to this week’s readings. You can summarize the readings, you can relate the readings to your own experience or something else you have read or learned about, etc. Any writing of 250 words or more that are related to the readings are fair game for this weekly assignment at the beginning of class.
    • Post your comment after 15 minutes even if you don’t reach the 250 word minimum threshold.
    • Why we are doing this: It helps you organize your thoughts before discussion and it gives you regular writing practice.
  • Discuss the readings assigned for Week 11.
  • Discuss internships
    • How are they going?
  • Discuss the Professional Portfolio
    • Include at least 10 deliverables (can be from internship, classwork, or your own initiative)
    • Each deliverable needs an accompanying reflection of at least 250 words that describes the document’s purpose and context, your rhetorical strategy, and your methodology of creating it (i.e., workflow).
    • In the coming classes, I will demo two different ways to create your portfolio so that it is public facing and easily linkable on your resume, LinkedIn Profile, etc.:
  • Weekly Log
    • Remember to add an entry to your logbook for each week until the end of the semester and keep all of your logs in a single file (Google Doc, Word docx, OpenOffice odf, etc.). Include the first date of a given week for each entry at the top of the page. Write at least 250 words about your current or past experience as appropriate. For example, if you are currently in an internship, your logs should record your experiences, thoughts, challenges, solutions, etc. that you find significant each week. Or, if you have completed your internship, your logs can be about experiences, projects, interactions with people in the workplace, challenges, solutions, etc. based on your past experience. And, if you are continuing in a new internship for additional experience, you can write about that, too. The point is to write at least 250 words per entry with one entry per week about your experience in the internship.
    • Why we are doing this: It helps you articulate your work experience so that you may better reflect on, consider, remember, and act on those experiences as you transition into the workplace. Additionally, it gives you extra writing practice, which research shows will automatically improve your writing ability.
  • Review readings and homework for next week.
  • Look through your course work and internship work for examples of your writing to include in your professional portfolio. This can include deliverables that you wrote by yourself and as part of a team. Have at least 5 on hand for next week’s class when we will work on the reflections for these deliverables during class.
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Week 10

Thank you notes addressed and stamped.
Thank you notes addressed and stamped.
  • Brief Introduction
  • Beginning of Class Writing Assignment
    • Click on the title of this blog post, “Week 10,” scroll down to the comment area, and write at least 250 words in response to this week’s readings. You can summarize the readings, you can relate the readings to your own experience or something else you have read or learned about, etc. Any writing of 250 words or more that are related to the readings are fair game for this weekly assignment at the beginning of class.
    • Post your comment after 15 minutes even if you don’t reach the 250 word minimum threshold.
    • Why we are doing this: It helps you organize your thoughts before discussion and it gives you regular writing practice.
  • Discuss the readings assigned for Week 10.
  • Discuss internships
    • Where is everyone at in work or applications?
  • Discuss the Professional Portfolio
    • Include at least 10 deliverables (can be from internship, classwork, or your own initiative)
    • Each deliverable needs an accompanying reflection of at least 250 words that describes the document’s purpose and context, your rhetorical strategy, and your methodology of creating it (i.e., workflow).
    • In the coming classes, I will demo two different ways to create your portfolio so that it is public facing and easily linkable on your resume, LinkedIn Profile, etc.:
  • Weekly Log
    • Remember to add an entry to your logbook for each week until the end of the semester and keep all of your logs in a single file (Google Doc, Word docx, OpenOffice odf, etc.). Include the first date of a given week for each entry at the top of the page. Write at least 250 words about your current or past experience as appropriate. For example, if you are currently in an internship, your logs should record your experiences, thoughts, challenges, solutions, etc. that you find significant each week. Or, if you have completed your internship, your logs can be about experiences, projects, interactions with people in the workplace, challenges, solutions, etc. based on your past experience. And, if you are continuing in a new internship for additional experience, you can write about that, too. The point is to write at least 250 words per entry with one entry per week about your experience in the internship.
    • Why we are doing this: It helps you articulate your work experience so that you may better reflect on, consider, remember, and act on those experiences as you transition into the workplace. Additionally, it gives you extra writing practice, which research shows will automatically improve your writing ability.
  • Review readings and homework for next week.
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Week 9

2023 Georgia Tech Distinguished Alumni Award Ceremony
Dr. Kelly Ritter introducing me at last week’s Ivan Allen College Distinguished Alumni Awards at Georgia Tech. Seek out events where you can meet and talk with other professionals in the field. Being a member of STC opens some of those doors to opportunities like this. Less organized but potentially important ad hoc meet ups are good to attend, too.
  • Brief Introduction
  • Beginning of Class Writing Assignment
    • Click on the title of this blog post, “Week 9,” scroll down to the comment area, and write at least 250 words in response to this week’s readings. You can summarize the readings, you can relate the readings to your own experience or something else you have read or learned about, etc. Any writing of 250 words or more that are related to the readings are fair game for this weekly assignment at the beginning of class.
    • Post your comment after 15 minutes even if you don’t reach the 250 word minimum threshold.
    • Why we are doing this: It helps you organize your thoughts before discussion and it gives you regular writing practice.
  • Discuss the readings assigned for Week 9.
  • Discuss internships
  • Weekly Log
    • Remember to add an entry to your logbook for each week until the end of the semester and keep all of your logs in a single file (Google Doc, Word docx, OpenOffice odf, etc.). Include the first date of a given week for each entry at the top of the page. Write at least 250 words about your current or past experience as appropriate. For example, if you are currently in an internship, your logs should record your experiences, thoughts, challenges, solutions, etc. that you find significant each week. Or, if you have completed your internship, your logs can be about experiences, projects, interactions with people in the workplace, challenges, solutions, etc. based on your past experience. And, if you are continuing in a new internship for additional experience, you can write about that, too. The point is to write at least 250 words per entry with one entry per week about your experience in the internship.
    • Why we are doing this: It helps you articulate your work experience so that you may better reflect on, consider, remember, and act on those experiences as you transition into the workplace. Additionally, it gives you extra writing practice, which research shows will automatically improve your writing ability.
  • Review readings and homework for next week.
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Week 8

Liberace's autograph on a piano in Atlanta, Georgia.
Like Liberace, who signed the cast iron frame of the piano above, find a way to leave your mark!
  • Brief Introduction
  • Beginning of Class Writing Assignment
    • Click on the title of this blog post, “Week 8,” scroll down to the comment area, and write at least 250 words in response to this week’s readings. You can summarize the readings, you can relate the readings to your own experience or something else you have read or learned about, etc. Any writing of 250 words or more that are related to the readings are fair game for this weekly assignment at the beginning of class.
    • Post your comment after 15 minutes even if you don’t reach the 250 word minimum threshold.
    • Why we are doing this: It helps you organize your thoughts before discussion and it gives you regular writing practice.
  • Discuss the readings assigned for Week 7.
  • Discuss internships
  • Weekly Log
    • Remember to add an entry to your logbook for each week until the end of the semester and keep all of your logs in a single file (Google Doc, Word docx, OpenOffice odf, etc.). Include the first date of a given week for each entry at the top of the page. Write at least 250 words about your current or past experience as appropriate. For example, if you are currently in an internship, your logs should record your experiences, thoughts, challenges, solutions, etc. that you find significant each week. Or, if you have completed your internship, your logs can be about experiences, projects, interactions with people in the workplace, challenges, solutions, etc. based on your past experience. And, if you are continuing in a new internship for additional experience, you can write about that, too. The point is to write at least 250 words per entry with one entry per week about your experience in the internship.
    • Why we are doing this: It helps you articulate your work experience so that you may better reflect on, consider, remember, and act on those experiences as you transition into the workplace. Additionally, it gives you extra writing practice, which research shows will automatically improve your writing ability.
  • Review readings and homework for next week.
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Extra Credit: Book Review

While the other extra credit that I’ve mentioned in the class is an opportunity for you all, it is small game. It can give you a boost on a missed log book entry, a skipped beginning of class writing assignment, or points added to your final portfolio. If you’re interested in big game, I have an extra credit option for you that can add up to 10 points to your final grade. To earn these points, you need to read Sullivan and Savage’s Writing a Professional Life: Stories of Technical Communicators On and Off the Job (Allyn and Bacon, 2001) or another book about the professional work related to our field that you clear with me in advance (this means a book about the work experience in the field or a field related to your specialization and not a handbook, textbook, or reference guide).

After reading it, write a 1,000 word book review that includes an introduction (provide a thesis, such as reviewing this work as an exercise in your professionalization; and give a road map for the rest of the review), a discussion of each section/chapter, and a conclusion that connects what you’ve read to what we’ve discussed in our class or other things that you’ve learned in the PTW Program. Include a Reference section with a single entry for the book in APA style at the end of your document. If you quote or paraphrase any material, remember to parenthetically cite it using APA style (see the Purdue OWL APA site for more info).

Copies of the book can be found in the New York Public Library and Archive.org. Amazon has used copies and used bookshops likely have copies, too.

Everyone should be doing this kind of work anyways–learning as much about the field as you can in preparation for beginning your career–but I can give you these points as encouragement.

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Week 7

Prof. Ellis with his Grandpa and Granny Ellis.
Prof. Ellis with his Grandpa and Granny Ellis in 1995. Prof. Ellis’ grandpa was a master at networking, which we’ll discuss in relation to today’s reading from The New York Times.
  • Brief Introduction
  • Beginning of Class Writing Assignment
    • Click on the title of this blog post, “Week 7,” scroll down to the comment area, and write at least 250 words in response to this week’s readings. You can summarize the readings, you can relate the readings to your own experience or something else you have read or learned about, etc. Any writing of 250 words or more that are related to the readings are fair game for this weekly assignment at the beginning of class.
    • Post your comment after 15 minutes even if you don’t reach the 250 word minimum threshold.
    • Why we are doing this: It helps you organize your thoughts before discussion and it gives you regular writing practice.
  • Discuss the readings assigned for Week 7.
  • Discuss internships
  • Weekly Log
    • Remember to add an entry to your logbook for each week until the end of the semester and keep all of your logs in a single file (Google Doc, Word docx, OpenOffice odf, etc.). Include the first date of a given week for each entry at the top of the page. Write at least 250 words about your current or past experience as appropriate. For example, if you are currently in an internship, your logs should record your experiences, thoughts, challenges, solutions, etc. that you find significant each week. Or, if you have completed your internship, your logs can be about experiences, projects, interactions with people in the workplace, challenges, solutions, etc. based on your past experience. And, if you are continuing in a new internship for additional experience, you can write about that, too. The point is to write at least 250 words per entry with one entry per week about your experience in the internship.
    • Why we are doing this: It helps you articulate your work experience so that you may better reflect on, consider, remember, and act on those experiences as you transition into the workplace. Additionally, it gives you extra writing practice, which research shows will automatically improve your writing ability.
  • Talk about new extra credit opportunity.
  • Review readings and homework for next week.
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Week 6

Standing desk setup for an online video interview.
Use a standing desk or elevate your computer/webcam so that you stand during your interview. You will speak and use body language differently when you are standing versus sitting.
  • Brief Introduction
  • Beginning of Class Writing Assignment
    • Click on the heading of this blog post title above–“Week 6,” scroll down to the comment area, and write at least 250 words in response to this week’s readings. You can summarize the readings, you can relate the readings to your own experience or something else you have read or learned about, etc. Any writing of 250 words or more that are related to the readings are fair game for this weekly assignment at the beginning of class.
    • Post your comment after 15 minutes even if you don’t reach the 250 word minimum threshold.
    • Why we are doing this: It helps you organize your thoughts before discussion and it gives you regular writing practice.
  • Discuss the readings assigned for Week 6.
  • Discuss internships
  • Weekly Log
    • Remember to add an entry to your logbook for each week until the end of the semester and keep all of your logs in a single file (Google Doc, Word docx, OpenOffice odf, etc.). Include the first date of a given week for each entry at the top of the page. Write at least 250 words about your current or past experience as appropriate. For example, if you are currently in an internship, your logs should record your experiences, thoughts, challenges, solutions, etc. that you find significant each week. Or, if you have completed your internship, your logs can be about experiences, projects, interactions with people in the workplace, challenges, solutions, etc. based on your past experience. And, if you are continuing in a new internship for additional experience, you can write about that, too. The point is to write at least 250 words per entry with one entry per week about your experience in the internship.
    • Why we are doing this: It helps you articulate your work experience so that you may better reflect on, consider, remember, and act on those experiences as you transition into the workplace. Additionally, it gives you extra writing practice, which research shows will automatically improve your writing ability.
  • Review readings and homework for next week.
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Extra Credit and Resume Building Opportunity: Literary Arts Festival

I want to encourage everyone in class to submit something to this year’s Literary Arts Festival writing contest. Not only might you win an award, but your work might be included for publication in City Tech Writer. Either or both of these accolades would be great additions to your resume. To sweeten the deal, I’m willing to give you extra credit if you submit something that you’ve revised/worked on before submission (you can screenshot your confirmation after submitting your work with the Google Form and email that to me). There are many categories for submissions. The deadline is March 20. See below and read the LAF website here for more details.

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