English 316 Technical Communication

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Name: Mandy Teerlink
Office: 3004 JKB
Email: [email protected]

COURSE INFORMATION
Course Description
English 316 focuses on effective processes of written, oral, and visual technical
communication for academic and professional settings. Students study how scientists
and engineers communicate to solve problems and answer questions, including
conducting library and empirical research and usability testing. Students learn
conventions of organization and style appropriate in their majors, including how to
incorporate tables and figures and how to use appropriate documentation styles.
Students also learn how to adapt their writing for the various audiences, purposes, and
contexts that they will encounter in their chosen careers.

Required Text
Technical Communication Today (5th Edition) by Johnson-Sheehan

Case Studies & Application to Real Life

This course employs a combination of real life situations and case study assignments to
give you an idea of how technical communication operates in the professional world.
For our case study assignments, well be working with a fictional conglomerate named
Amicus Systems. A conglomerate corporation owns a variety of different companies,
which means that we will have ample opportunity to relate your own field to the case
studies. Its up to you to make the experience meaningful in some way to your own
education.
You'll start by applying to a job that somewhat matches your own interests and
abilities. If you're hired, you'll be working with a team of 4 other new hires as you work
through the challenges of the industry and try to make a name for yourself and your
team at Amicus Systems.

LEARNING OUTCOMES
The Writing Process
The main purpose of this course is to remind what youve learned in Writing 150 or
freshman writing and build upon the knowledge you have attained. Your current
academic writing process may not cut it in the professional world, and thats why youre
here!

Grammar and Usage

Part of the professional expectation in any career is that you enter the workforce with a
working knowledge of the English language and how to use it. Part of the content of
the class (and grading for assignments) will involve grammar and usage to boost your
current knowledge.

Style and Design

Another important, and underrated, element of technical communication is adapting to
a plain, professional style of prose, as well as having the ability to create cohesive, welldesigned documents.

Technical Genres
While you may not use all of the genres that we cover in this class, understanding how
to adapt to workplace writing genres is an important professional skill.

ASSIGNMENTS
Group Projects
Team Contract 2-3 pages, 50 points
Before you can fully collaborate with your team, you will need to set some ground rules
so that you can function well. You will establish basic rules and processes for your
group, as well as a firing clause.
Technical Description 5-6 pages, 100 points
You will take an existing product from one of the companies under Amicus Systems
and write a description
Proposal 9-11 pages, 100 points
Your team will draft a proposal for Amicus Systems based on a company-wide
problem. You will identify the causes of the problem and propose a solution.

Presentation 100 points

Based on your groups proposal, you will be asked to present your idea to the
companys executives. Presentations will be made with some sort of visual and will be
between 18 and 20 minutes.

Individual Assignments
Grammar and Usage Presentations 25 points
You will create a presentation based on a usage or grammatical principle and lead the
class through an exercise or provide examples of the principle. The presentation will be
a maximum of 5 minutes.
Email Memo 1 page, 15 points
Using email etiquette that we learn as a class, you will revise a poorly written email.
Rsum and Cover Letter 2 pages (total), 100 points (50 each)
You will create a rsum according to a job description of your choice. A cover letter
will be included with your rsum detailing a narrative of your pertinent experience.
Unconventional Journal Article Analysis 3-4 pages, 100 points
Journal articles are known for using obscure, technical jargon, which makes them
difficult to decipher. Your job will be to sift through a journal article of your choice and
restructure the information into a press release format.
Expert Blog 100 points
You will create a 1000-word blog on any given topic in your field and publish it on
Medium.com.
Analytical Report 9-11 pages, 250 points
This assignment will be a well-researched report identifying a problem at Amicus
Systems. You will determine a solution to the problem and identify the pros and cons
of your solution.
Final Project 250 points

Reflection (2-3 pages, 50 points)

Interview (200 points)

The final project for this class will entail a written reflection on what you have learned.
You will bring your reflection to an interview with me, where I will interview you for
whatever you find will be most useful to you.

CLASS POLICIES
Technology
I assume that you will bring technology to class. The majority of our class periods will
require you to write, and that writing will be most useful if done electronically. We will
also do a lot of collaborative work, so working access to Google Docs will be key to
success in the class. Many of you already own laptops or tablets. Bring those to class.
For those of you who do not, there are several options:
1. Rent one for the semester from BYU. The earlier you go, the better laptop you'll
receive.
2. Borrow one from a friend, roommate, family member, or spouse.

Library Instruction
One of our instruction days will be spent in the library. I also highly recommend
meeting with your fields subject librarian at some point throughout the semester.

Revision
If you are unsatisfied with your scores you may revise and resubmit that paper to be regraded. The highest grade a revision may receive is a 90%. You will be required to turn
in the revised copy, the previously graded copy, and a letter explaining the changes
that you made and why those changes merit a better grade on the assignment. Your
opportunity to revise will expire within two weeks of receiving your grade.
Keep in mind that you are limited to only one revision for individual assignments and
one revision for group projects. Choose wisely!

Participation/Attendance
You should not miss class. That being said, I will grant you three free class periods out
of the goodness of my heart. However, each additional absence after the initial three
will affect your final grade. Significant time away may also expose you to expulsion
from your group and any related consequences.
If you happen to be on a team or have other university-excused absences come up,
please let me know and we can adjust accordingly.
Please also let me know if you have other extenuating circumstances in your life
(chronic sickness, youre expecting a baby, or something else). Feel free to appeal to
my mercy!

University Policies
Honor Code
In keeping with the principles of the BYU Honor Code, students are expected to be honest in all of their academic
work. Academic honesty means, most fundamentally, that any work you present as your own must in fact be your
own work and not that of another. Violations of this principle may result in a failing grade in the course and
additional disciplinary action by the university. Students are also expected to adhere to the Dress and Grooming
Standards. Adherence demonstrates respect for yourself and others and ensures an effective learning and working
environment. It is the university's expectation, and every instructor's expectation in class, that each student will
abide by all Honor Code standards. Please call the Honor Code Office at 422-2847 if you have questions about
those standards.

Sexual Harassment
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits sex discrimination against any participant in an educational
program or activity that receives federal funds. The act is intended to eliminate sex discrimination in education and
pertains to admissions, academic and athletic programs, and university-sponsored activities. Title IX also prohibits
sexual harassment of students by university employees, other students, and visitors to campus. If you encounter
sexual harassment or gender-based discrimination, please talk to your professor or contact one of the following: the
Title IX Coordinator at 801-422-2130; the Honor Code Office at 801-422-2847; the Equal Employment Office at 801422-5895; or Ethics Point at http://www.ethicspoint.com, or 1-888-238-1062 (24-hours).

Student Disability
Brigham Young University is committed to providing a working and learning atmosphere that reasonably
accommodates qualified persons with disabilities. If you have any disability which may impair your ability to
complete this course successfully, please contact the University Accessibility Center (UAC), 2170 WSC or 422-2767.
Reasonable academic accommodations are reviewed for all students who have qualified, documented disabilities.
The UAC can also assess students for learning, attention, and emotional concerns. Services are coordinated with the
student and instructor by the UAC. If you need assistance or if you feel you have been unlawfully discriminated
against on the basis of disability, you may seek resolution through established grievance policy and procedures by
contacting the Equal Employment Office at 422-5895, D-285 ASB.

Academic Honesty
The first injunction of the Honor Code is the call to "be honest." Students come to the university not only to
improve their minds, gain knowledge, and develop skills that will assist them in their life's work, but also to build
character. "President David O. McKay taught that character is the highest aim of education" (The Aims of a BYU
Education, p.6). It is the purpose of the BYU Academic Honesty Policy to assist in fulfilling that aim. BYU students
should seek to be totally honest in their dealings with others. They should complete their own work and be
evaluated based upon that work. They should avoid academic dishonesty and misconduct in all its forms, including
but not limited to plagiarism, fabrication or falsification, cheating, and other academic misconduct.

Plagiarism
Intentional plagiarism is a form of intellectual theft that violates widely recognized principles of academic integrity as
well as the Honor Code. Such plagiarism may subject the student to appropriate disciplinary action administered
through the university Honor Code Office, in addition to academic sanctions that may be applied by an instructor.
Inadvertent plagiarism, which may not be a violation of the Honor Code, is nevertheless a form of intellectual
carelessness that is unacceptable in the academic community. Plagiarism of any kind is completely contrary to the
established practices of higher education where all members of the university are expected to acknowledge the
original intellectual work of others that is included in their own work. In some cases, plagiarism may also involve
violations of copyright law.