Major Assignments

Maintain a Webpage all Semester

Refer to our Webpage Guide for these requirements. Here's a good overview for what should be on your webpage:

I'd like your webpage to have the following on your homepage:

• Your name or alias

• A link to our class home page

• A link to a classmate's webpage

• A link to UNC Charlotte's homepage

• A link to your department's homepage

• Other links?

• Updates Page

• Social construction of Technology (Maybe...)

• Library Hunt (Maybe...)

• Definitions (Maybe...)

• Cite all "borrowed" images

• Any work associated with your portfolio that you include online

Make sure your webpage link works on the Classmates Webpage List. I know you've been doing these webpage requirements as they were assigned, so I'm sure you are all finished.

Résumé and Cover Letter (DUE July 9th)

Go to the lesson page for July 3rd and review the supplemental reading online.  STAPLE YOUR COVER LETTER AND RÉSUMÉ TOGETHER. No folders, dog ears, or glue--staples. Staple your work before you come to class.

SHOW. DON'T TELL.

This is a portfolio assignment, so you’ll have a chance to revise it.

Prose Revision Assignment (DUE July 15th)

Go to the Prose Revision Assignment page to see the three paragraphs you are to revise--using the ideas we've discussed.

I, Robot Essay (DUE July 23rd)

This quick read is perfect for you. It's filled with suspense, drama, humor, and robots! Take a look at possible short essay topics to choose from. Feel free to create your own, but remember that you have to read the entire book in order to do the essay.

Set of Instructions Assignment (DUE July 25th)

Your instructions shouldn’t be more than five pages.  Use a visual, and follow the other directions below.  Don’t think too big on this assignment:  you aren’t going to put a car together, but you might change a tire or the oil (“don’t you just ditch the car when the oil gets dirty”).  Please come up with a procedure that you can describe step by step in two and a half pages.  Obviously, you won't be writing in paragraph form  Remember to include DANGERS, WARNINGS, CAUTIONS, and NOTES as applicable:

• Dangers identify immediate hazard to life or limb
• Warnings protect users from injury and manufacturers from legal action.
• Cautions protect machinery.
• Notes are tips for better performance and ease of use.

Use the following directions to create your instructions:

1.      For a technology (an object, tool, or system) prepare an order form for all the parts.  Each part will need a part number in addition to the name.  Consider the appearance of the order sheet, its columns and spaces, the complicating factors of model year and interchangeable parts in your design of the media.

-or-

Instead of an order form, list the items (parts, tools, skills, time, etc.) a user may need to complete the task.  For instance, if you’re describing how to fix a computer, you may list the following items as necessary:

1. Small screw drivers
2. Anti-static wrist band
3. Thermal glue
4. Other tools
5. Parts the user will be replacing, adding, “modding” (heatsink, CPU, disk drive, power supply, etc)

-or-

If you’re describing a simple procedure, list the main terms that a lay or semi-technical audience may need defined before reading the instructions. For instance, if you’re describing how a toilet refills itself, you may have to list and describe the following items:

1. Fillvalve—the valve that opens to fill the toilet…I guess.
2. Flushvalve—the valve that opens to flush…why not?
   Flushvalve washer—it’s got to be something connected to the thing above.
3. Lever—if you don’t know this piece, you aren’t allowed in my house.
4. Brass float rod—the rod attached to the flushvalve that holds the float ball.
5. Plastic float ball—that plastic ball that hangs on the end of the float rod.
6. Chain and stopper—the chain that rises with the float ball; the stopper is attached to the end of the chain.
7. Toilet tempering valve/mixing valve—valve that mixes hot and cold water to prevent sweating (condensation).

2.      Write a brief description of the technology or procedure for a lay or semi-technical audience (for example, college students, storeowners, catalog customers, etc.).  This is a description and NOT a set of instructions.  It should be about two paragraphs (8-10 college-level sentences).

3.      Write ONE explanation (set of instructions) on how the technology or procedure is carried out.  By “carried out” I mean explain one of the following:  how is it set; how is it set up; how is it used; how does one go about doing…you know…doing the steps; how does it (or the system) work.  Be sure to include warnings, cautions, notes, and dangers if needed.

4.      List the sources you used to create the instructions or describe the procedure.  I realize that some of you won’t need to do this, so it isn’t a requirement, but, if you do use sources, be good students and list them.

5.   An alternative assignment can be to describe a science. For instance, why does rain fall? What's Global Warming? But be forewarned!!! These descriptions must be in your own words. I'm sure you'll consult sources, but do not steal material word for word from ANY source (print or online).

6.   Please do not do instructions on the following:

• recipes
• uploading webpages
• games

7.  Questions?

This is a portfolio assignment, so you’ll have a chance to revise it.

Proposals, Annotated Bibliography, Visuals (DUE July 29th)

I’m going to have you find 5 sources for your annotated bibliography (10 sources for groups of 2). Normally, the annotated bibliography shows the reader (me) that you've explored a topic, done background research. This research is supposed to inform your research questions and, ultimately, your final report, design, presentation, etc. Because of the abbreviated nature of a summer term, we won't be doing a full research project. Instead, you'll be setting one up and talking about how you might approach it.

Please consider topics that revolve around one of the following:

• Proposing a technical or scientific solution to a problem.
• Expanding a company or organization's business model(s).
• Describing a technology (must be different from your set of instructions).
• Describing a science (must be different from your set of instructions).
• Something else related to technology or technical communication.

Please make sure these are actual, real world problems--no magic wands or science fiction technologies.

Because this is in place of a research project, include a 200-word (per group member) description of how you would go about conducting a project with the information you found. Your research question or questions would be a part of this description. Things to consider would be the following:

All the topics below do not have to be addressed--use your best judgment.

• Purpose of the project--what or why or how are you going to address the project's research question
• Scope of the project--what are the boundaries of the project (you can't cover everything)
• Methodology of the project--how might you go about gathering the necessary information or items for the project
• Timeframe of the project--how long might an actual project of this size take
• Budget for the project--how much might a project you're proposing cost (if applicable)
• Possible impact of the project--what result or results might you expect (this might already be addressed in the purpose)

Annotation Requirements

The goal of this assignment is to do research the right way. By “the right way” I mean that you should always gather more information than you need; then, you should sort through the information in order to learn more about your topic. Some information might be more helpful than other information, but you wouldn't know that if you simply gathered the first few sources that came from google. In order for me to see what topic you’re considering, I want to read an  annotated list of sources. Check here for more details about annotation requirements.

Ethical Dilemmas (DUE July 31st)

Here's the link to your ethical dilemma homework we discussed on April 4th. Remember, this is a "writing intensive" course, and I'm sure no one will debate it isn't.

Although this definition isn't hermetic, we're focusing on ethics as it--the subject--relates to professions; therefore, ethics can be consider a code of conduct, which Ch. 3 in Tebeaux and Dragga suggests (p. 32). This assignment (as well as our discussions) is designed to get you thinking about the gray area of ethics...no absolute right or wrong.

Final Presentations (August 5th and August 6th)

I always try to give students the opportunity to do some kind of public speaking in every class I teach. Although this isn't a public speaking class, presenting information to an audience orally is germane to the spirit of the field of technical/professional communication. Most of you will have to do some kind of public presenting in the future, so it's a good idea to get all the practice you can. You're welcome.

I have a final oral presentations page up that gives you more details about adapting your final projects to a 4-5 min presentation.

Final Portfolios (DUE August 1st)

I have a list of portfolio requirements for you to follow as you're putting together the final portfolio.

Final Exam (August 7th)

Your Final Exam is Thursday (8/07) from 2:00-4:00 in our classroom (Fretwell 219). If you've read and paid attention in class it will be easy. If you haven't read and IMed, Facebooked, or MySpaced most of class, this might be difficult. Make sure you go over the following:

• Using simple, direct verbs for résumé duties

• Revising for passive voice, parallelism, and other wordiness

• General guidelines for block and modified block letter formats

• Key Terms and Ideas from Chapters 3, 6, and 8 in Dragga and Tebeaux (This is your textbook)

  • Ch. 3: Writing ethically (and inclusively)

  • Ch. 6: Designing effective and ethical visuals

  • Ch. 8: Parts of reports

• Effective presentation guidelines--preparation, eye contact, voice projection, relevance, and...
• I, Robot issues related to technology and technical communication
• Research strategies and databases commands
• Source credibility and authority
• Ethics as a personal philosophy--Utilitarianism, Deontology, Teleology, Theologism, Objectivism, and Toscanoism
• Statistics...well, manipulation with statistics (see Darrel Huff)
  • Mean, median, mode
  • Relative size of graphics
  • Four out of five people know stats are bogus...
• And other pertinent stuff we brought up in class

If all goes according to plan, the Final Exam should only take you 45-60 min.  Please do not expect to use the computers to "assist" you during the exam...that's called cheating.

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