instructor: Rebecca Whitus Longster

office: Heavion Hall 303c

office hours: Wednesday, 7:30-11:00(am); 12:30-3:00 or by appointment (office hours will be held (in Heav 303c or Stew G068 lab)

office phone: 496-2803

e-mail: RebeccaL@purdue.edu

home: http://icdweb.cc.purdue.edu/~rebeccal/420

description materials assignments grading criteria web resources policies top

course description

objectives
  • To prepare you to be an effective professional writer and communicator in the 21st-century workplace and in the age of online information

English 420 introduces you to the rhetorical principles and writing practices necessary for producing effective business letters, memos, and reports. We will cover the following:

  • Audience and Purpose: Writing to multiple audiences and for various purposes (e.g., to persuade, to inform, to elicit action, to support decision making, to earn or maintain good will); understanding how workplace readers process and use documents
  • Production: Planning and managing short- and long-term writing projects; drafting, designing, revising, and editing documents
  • Technology: Gaining practice working with various writing technologies and electronic genres
  • Research: Identifying and exploring problems in organizations; designing and implementing appropriate research strategies; evaluating sources
  • Collaboration: Writing collaboratively (e.g., co-authorship); providing colleagues with useful feedback on their work
  • Style: Developing effective style and tone; following and adjusting business writing conventions
  • Visual Communication: Designing visually effective documents (e.g., layout, formatting, incorporating graphics/visuals into documents)
  • Oral Communication: Giving oral presentations
  • Ethics: Writing ethically and responsibly within the business organization and as a member of society

The professional writing program and I, as your instructor, are committed to helping you become a more effective professional writer. If you have questions or need help as the course progresses, be sure to let me know.  

required materials

texts and places

A fundamental assumption of this course is that an increasing amount of workplace writing will take place online -- not merely as documents word processed then printed out, but in email, realtime remote discussion, and other forms. In order to help you learn to communicate online more effectively, much of your work in this course (more than half) will take place in virtual spaces. Your course "textbook" (PWOnline) exists as a website; your classroom will sometimes be a physical computer lab but also frequently a virtual space called "ProNoun." You'll learn how to access use these resources and be given userids and passwords during the first few class periods.

other materials

During the semester, you'll need frequent access to the Internet (including email, ftp, and WWW). If you have a computer at home, you'll be responsible for configuring your system to access course materials and pArticipate in online discussions and other work. (Your Internet Service Provider should be able to help you configure your system.) If you do not have a system at home or cannot get your system configured, you will be able to use any of the standard PUCC labs. You will be required to complete a technology assessment to demonstrate that you can meet the technology requirements for the course.

required assignments

major assignments

  • Technology Task List (5%)
    (a short informative memo informing the instructor of your technology setup and access in the course)

  • Employment Project (15%)
    (a set of materials in support of a job search -- job application letter, print resume, web resume)

  • ISP Case (10%)

  • Corporate Web Project

    • proposal (10%)
    • planning report (10%) *
    • recomendation report (25%) *
    • oral presentation (10%) *

      * = collaborative project (co-authored project, but grade based on individual contribution)

miscellaneous assignments Miscellaneous assignments are worth a total of 15% of your course grade. There will be about 18-25 of them during the semester. They include editing exercises, technology tutorials and exercises, short memos, required e-mail postings, oral presentation evaluations, groupwork evaluations, project assessment memos (PAMs), evaluations of classmates' writing, and other short in- and out-of-class assignments.

grading criteria

Major assignments will be graded on a point scale:

A = 90-100 pts
B = 80-89 pts
C = 70-79 pts
D = 60-69 pts
F = 0-59 pts

Specific criteria for each major assignment will be explained by the instructor. Generally, however, the three significant criteria pertain to Purpose, Product, and Production (or Process).

  • PURPOSE. How effectively does the document accomplish its intended task for its intended purpose and audience?

    • meet its goals and the demands of its context (both academic and organizational)? solve a problem or address a significant organizational need? help people? improve people's lives?
    • provide a sound argument in support of its claims?

    • meet readers' needs? improve relations between people? provide relevant, useful, and accurate information?

  • PRODUCT. How well constructed is the document?

    • orderly and coherent presentation of material?
    • effective design and formatting? correctness?
    • effective use of visuals?

    • professional tone and style?

  • PRODUCTION/PROCESS. How effectively was the document produced?

    • quality of planning, collaboration, research & invention, drafting, editing, proofreading?

Miscellaneous assignments and exercises will be graded on a Pass/Fail basis.

  • Pass = the assignment is done reasonably well (and completely) and is submitted on time

  • Fail = the assignment is not done, is done incompletely or poorly, or is not submitted on time

Other policies

  • You must complete all the major assignments to pass the course. If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to find out the assignments you missed and be prepared for the next class.

  • You will not receive credit for late or missing miscellaneous assignments or exercises.

  • For some major written projects you will turn in a portfolio of your work (including preliminary assignments, research notes, drafts, project assessment memos, etc.). Since one of the principle grading criteria is production (or process), your instructor needs to see evidence of your writing process and not just its final outcome.

  • You should submit your work on time. Late work will only be accepted if you consult with me prior to the class period in which the work is due. Work is due at the beginning of the class.

  • An act of plagiarism (or other form of academic dishonesty) will usually result in an F for the course.

web resources

Information is available on a number of areas related to business writing. If you have general questions or you are looking for a specific URL, check here first.

course policies

Students are required to know and comply with course policy. Please read carefully to fully understand course expectations and regulations.

description materials assignments calendar web resources policies top

page last updated: 07.01.00
syllabus developed by Jim Porter, Summer 1999
modified by Rebecca Whitus Longster, Spring 2000
corrections and suggestions to: RebeccaL@purdue.edu

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