Weekly Course Schedule

Week 1: Welcome and Introductions: Aug 25.-Aug. 29

1. Read “How to Email Your Professor Without Being Annoying AF.”
2. Go ahead and peruse our online textbook, Technical Writing.
3. Read the first chapter, “Introduction (pp. 1-3) and Chapter 1, “Email,” (1.2/ pp. 8-9) in our book.

Due: Go into Blackboard and complete the syllabus quiz and Discussion Board 1 by 11:59 p.m., Sunday, August 29.

Week 2: Job Application Materials: Aug. 30-Sept. 2

1. Read about your first assignment, Job Application Materials, from this site’s Assignments menu.
2. View the video by Nicky Bleiel, “Technical Writing 101: Introduction to Technical Writing,” on Youtube.
3. Read “Chapter 12: Employment materials,” (pp. 183-205) from your textbook.
4. Listen the video “short” on the job application assignment in Week 2 module in Blackboard.
5. View the Resume Powerpoint.

Due: PLANNING EMAIL due in Blackboard Dropbox by Thursday, September 2, 11:59 p.m.

Week 3: Job Advertisement: Sept. 9-Sept.12

1. Do some research! Using sources as books, articles, websites, campus resources, and interviews, research into the nature of the job market in which you plan to enter.
   1. To help you in the research process, read “4.4. Research Tools” (pp. 44-48) and “4.5. Search Strategies” (pp. 49-54) in your textbook.
2. Find a job advertisement that you are interested in (it should list things such as required education, salary, skills, location, etc.). This is the job advertisement you will write your cover letter and resume towards.

Due: Upload the job advertisement (not as an outside link) to Week 3 Blackboard Dropbox by 11:59 p.m., Sunday, September 12.

Week 4: Sample Cover Letter and Resume: Sept. 13-Sept.19

Complete Blackboard Discussion Board Week 4:

1. Find a sample cover letter and resume. You have two options here: 1) find a good one that you could use as an example for your own, which means that you point to its strengths and try to follow them, or 2) find a bad one that you will use as a cautionary tale for your own, which means you will find the weaknesses so you can avoid them.
2. Find at least 3 discussion points about the document. Your initial posting is due by 11:59 p.m., Friday, September 17. Respond to at least 2 classmates by 11:59 p.m., Sunday, September 19.

Next: Begin drafting your own resume and cover letter.

Week 5: Videos and Quizzes: Sept. 20-Sept. 26

1. View the video by Professor Heather Austin, “How To Write A WINNING Resume in 2020 –Resume Examples INCLUDED.”
2. Complete the video quiz in Week 5 Blackboard by 11:59, Sunday, September 26.
3. View the video by Professor Heather Austin, “How To Write An INCREDIBLE Cover Letter In 2020 – Cover Letter Examples INCLUDED.”
4. Complete the video quiz in Week 5 Blackboard by 11:59 p.m., Sunday, September 26.

Next: Keep working on your own resume and cover letter.

Week 6: Peer Review: Sept. 27-Oct. 3

Week 6 Blackboard Discussion Board:

1. Create a cover letter and resume based off of the job advertisement you chose and post it to the discussion board by 11:59 p.m., Friday, October 1.
2. Choose one of your peer’s resume and cover letter.
3. Review the cover letter and resume and offer guidance to the writer. Find strengths and weaknesses for each document. Post your review by 11:59 p.m., Sunday, October 3.

Next: Keep working on your own resume and cover letter.

Week 7: Video “Shorts”: Oct. 4-Oct. 10

1. Go into Week 7 in Blackboard and view the video “shorts” I made on the Ideal Candidate and Analysis of Your Qualifications.

Next: Upload the Ideal Candidate and Analysis of Your Qualifications to the Week 7 Blackboard Dropbox by 11:59 p.m., Sunday, October 10.

Week 8: Job Packet Due: Oct. 11-Oct. 17

1. Finish all materials for your job packet. To help you with the letter of recommendation that you have to write for a classmate, read “Letters” (1.5/pp. 15-17) in our eBook and “Positive Recommendations Letter Samples” and “How to Write a Letter of Recommendation (With Template and Example)“.

Next: Upload your Job Packet Materials as ONE document into Week 8 Blackboard Dropbox by 11:59 p.m., Sunday, October 17.

***Note: I will send you a classmate’s document to write a recommendation letter.

Week 9: Letter of Recommendation Due: Oct. 18-Oct. 24

Due: Upload your peer letter of recommendation to Week 9 Blackboard Dropbox as a Microsoft Word document by 11:59 p.m., Sunday, October 24.

Week 10: Conferences: Oct. 25-Oct. 31

We will meet on Zoom to discuss your progress so far.

Week 11: Instructions and Manuals: Nov. 1-Nov. 7

1. Read about your second assignment, Instructional Manual, from the site’s Assignments menu or here.
2. View PowerPoint 2 on Instructions.
3. View “Writing Instructions and Procedures” on Youtube.
4. Complete Discussion Board 7: Locate a document on the Web that you believe to be an example of an instructional manual. You have two options here: 1) find a good one that you could use as an example for your own, which means that you point to its strengths and try to follow them, or 2) find a bad one that you will use as a cautionary tale for your own, which means you will find the weaknesses so you can avoid them. Find at least 3 discussion points and write a paragraph explaining each. Post your initial reaction by 11:59 p.m., Friday, Nov. 5. Respond to 2 classmates by 11:59 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 7.
5. Start thinking of a possible topic for your instructional manual.

Week 12: Instructions and Manuals Contd.: Nov. 8-Nov. 14

1. Listen to the video “short” on instructions in Week 12 Blackboard.
2. Read “Instructions” by David McMurrey.
3. Review this example of an instructional manual.

Due: PLANNING EMAIL due in Blackboard Dropbox by 11:59 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 14. ***Note: In the planning email, you must indicate what you liked/disliked about the example instructional manual you reviewed this week.

Week 13: Audience Analysis: Nov. 15-21

1. Read “Chapter 2: Audience Analysis” (2.1-2.3//pp. 19-26) from your textbook.
2. Complete the audience analysis assignment due in Week 13 Blackboard Dropbox by 11:59 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 21.
3. Read “Chapter 8: Creating and Integrating Graphics (8.1-8.5//pp.81-90).
4. Find at least 2 graphics to use in your manual. ***Note: you will need to discuss these in your progress report next week.
5. Continue working on your instructional manual.

Week 14: Progress Report: Nov. 22-Nov. 24

1. Continue working on your instructional manual.
2. View two sample student instructional manual, “How to Pack a Suitcase” and “How to Remove Red Wine“.
3. Read “Chapter 6 Progress Reports” (6.1-6.5//pp. 67-73) in your textbook.
4. Follow the guidelines to begin drafting your progress report.

Due: Upload your progress report to Week 14 Blackboard Dropbox by 11:59 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 24.

***Note: You will not peer review the instructional manual; instead, you will conduct a usability test as a peer review.

Week 15: Usability Testing: Nov. 29-Dec. 5

1. Read about your third assignment, Usability Testing, from the site Assignments menu or here.
2. Listen to the video “short” on Usability Testing in Week 15 Blackboard.
3. Read “Usability Evaluation Basics” at usability.gov.
4. Read “Usability 101: Introduction to Usability”
5. View video, “Principles of Human-Centered Design” by Don Norman.
6. Put the finishing touches on your instructional draft. Use the checklist found on the Assignments tab.

Due: Planning Email due in Week 15 Blackboard Dropbox by 11:59 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 5.

****Note: Based off of the next week’s reading, be prepared to run your first usability test of your draft instructional manual.

Week 16: Conducting a Usability Test: Dec. 6-Dec. 12

1. Read “Usability Testing” at Usability.gov.
2. Read “Planning a Usability Test” at Usability.gov.
3. Read “Running a Usability Test” at Usability.gov.
4. View the student sample usability test report here.
5. Conduct your usability test.

Due: Upload usability test document to Week 16 Blackboard Dropbox by 11:59 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 12.

Week 17: Instructional Manual Due: Dec. 13-Dec. 19

1. Make revisions to your instructional manual based off of the usability test. Upload it to Week 17 Blackboard Dropbox by 11:59 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 15.
2. Read “Chapter 3: Proposals (3.1-3.7//pp. 27-36) in your textbook.
3. Complete Final Exam Test in Week 17 Blackboard by 11:59 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 19.

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