This document describes
what instructional goals motivate this project, the tasks you need to complete
for the project, what documents you will produce, and guidelines for each.
To begin, you should read the PWOnline
description of the WPS (CorporateWeb) Project (also located on the Calendar).
Additional links from this page will be helpful to you at different points
in the project and should be scanned and bookmarked for future reference.
Project summary
For the WPS project you will assume the
role of research analyst/consultant employed by a consulting firm called Web
Page Solutions, Inc., or WPS. Our firm exists to advise clients about issues
regarding the design and implementation of web sites. Toward that end, the
project will be made up of the following components, all of which you will
need to complete.
In step one you will write
a proposal to me recommending a specific, real client for this project.
For step two you will, together with your group, devise a plan for completing
the project to the satisfation of the client and myself. Step three
requires you to conduct research and begin compiling the information with
which you will make the best recommendation to the client. Each of you will
produce a progress report email to me about midway through this process. Step
four requires that you complete your research and write a recommendation report
to your client. For the fifth and final task you will complete
a group memeber evaluation form.
Project goals
The primary goal of the WPS project is for you to do research into your client's
need/problem and to do research into whether or not a webpage/presence will
meet that need. At the end of your research, you will write a report
to the client outlining the research you conducted and your specific recommendation.
This project emphasizes several important goals that all professional writers
should bear in mind and that are consistent with those of the Professional Writing Program
at Purdue.
Writing in Context
Analyze professional cultures, social contexts,
and audiences to determine how they shape the various purposes and forms of
writing, such as persuasion, organizational communication, and public discourse.
Writing Process
Develop and understand various strategies
for planning, researching, drafting, revising, and editing documents that
respond effectively and ethically to professional situations and audiences.
Research
Understand and use various research methods
to produce professional documents, including analyzing professional contexts,
assessing and using information resources, and determining how various media
and technologies affect and are affected by users and readers.
Technology
Develop strategies for using and adapting
various communication technologies to manage projects and produce informative
and usable professional documents.
Document Design
Learn to argue with visual data, understanding
and implementing various principles of format, layout, and design of professional
documents that meet multiple user and reader needs.
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Deliverables
Step 1: Indivdual--Client Proposal
A brief memo proposing that WPS, Inc. accept the organization you've selected
as a client for our research/consulting services. The memo should be well-written,
professional in design and content, and should give sufficient detail about
the potential client organization (background, history, location, etc.),
the client's need or problem, and potential benefits to both the client and
WPS, to allow the manager and/or WPS consultants to make an informed decision
about taking this organiztion on as a client. For exact design and content
requirements see the proposal overview. This component is due on
_______.
Step 2: Group--Project Plan Memo
A brief memo (ideally one page and no more than two) outlining the plan your
group has devised for successfully completing this project. Attached
to the project plan should be your research methodology chart and your project
timeline. For more specific details, see the project plan overview.
This component is due on _______.
Step 3: Group--Conduct the necessary research
This step forms the main body of the project and among several group activites
will include an:
Individual--Progress Report Email
An email to me in memo format outlining your group's progress to date,
each individual's contribution so far, your comments and observations about
group dynamics, etc. See progress report overview. This component
is due on _______.
Step 4: The Recommendation Report
This step is made up of two main components:
Group--First Final Draft Recommendation Report
A draft of the final recommendation report, as complete and ready to submit
to the client as you can make it, turned in to me in two copies for evaluation
and feedback from me and your Red Team. This component is due on _______.
Group--Final Recommendation Report Packet
A bound and well organized packet containing the final recommendation report,
both first final drafts with comments, the original group project plan with
comments, the original proposal with comments, and any other pertinent information.
You will need to turn in two (2) copies if you want one back. This component
is due on _______.
Step 5: Individual--Group Member Evaluations
You can download the evaluation form by clicking on this link: Group
Member Evaluation . You will each fill these out either on-line
or by hand, and turn them in to me in hard copy (paper). No electronic
copy is necessary. Group member evaluations provide me with your evaluation
of your own contribution to the project and that of your group members and
are to be filled out completely and individually (so don't get together
at Harry's and do them over a beer ~_~). This step is due at the
end of the project and should be handed in separately from the project materials.
All documents (both paper and electronic) should, of course,
indicate your professionalism.
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Resources
Grading
The WPS, Inc. (Corporate Web)
Project is worth 40% of your course grade. The breakdown for each of its components
is as follows:
|
Client
Proposal
|
15% (60pts) |
|
Project
Plan Memo
|
10 % (40pts) |
|
Progress
Report
|
15% (60pts) |
|
Final Recommendation Report Packet
|
45% (180pts) |
|
Group
Member Evaluation
|
15% (60pts) |
|
Total
|
100% (400pts) |
Grading criteria
In general, your grade for the WPS project will be based, as ususal, upon
the Product
, Process
, and Purpose
criteria discussed in the syllabus and in class throughout the semester.
Specifically, all documents (the proposal, the project plan, the progress
report, and the final report) will be evaluated for appropriate design, format,
content, tone, and organization, as well as effectiveness and clear evidence
of audience awareness, etc. Keep in mind that though this is a group
project, some components will be completed individually, and that your final
grade will be an individual one.
Revision
The WPS project is uniquely designed to
give you several opportunities for feedback from myself and from your peers
and therefore several opportunities for proof reading, fine tuning, and all
necessary revision. Since you will have had the benefit of my written
comments, as well as those of your peers, on the first final draft of the
report, there will be no revisions accepted after the final draft is turned
in.
project summary | project
goals | deliverables | resources | grading | grading criteria | revision
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Rebecca Whitus Longster 2000
updated 10.11.03
Please send corrections and suggestions to: RebeccaL@purdue.edu
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