WR Assignments
Job Application Packet (50 points, 600 words)
In this multi-part assignment (Cover Letter, Resume, & Follow-Up Letter) you will first identify an internship or job you would like to apply for (preferably one that is currently accepting applications). Next, you will research the field and construct a profile for the ideal candidate for this position. Finally, you will write a cover letter and a resume for this particular job, as well as a follow-up letter thanking your prospective employer for your interview which restates your interest.
Instruction Manual (100 points, 800 words)
You will construct an instruction manual for a product, process, or task. The manual will contain descriptions and specifications, product warnings, maintenance and troubleshooting advice, and any other information the user is likely to need to complete the task, use the product, or follow the process. The manual will be assessed on the quality and readability of the instructions, on the functionality of the instructional visuals, on the effectiveness of the design, and on the rhetorical style of the steps, sequencing, and transitions.
Technical Definition (100 points, 900 words)
You will first select an item from a list of technical terms and then identify an audience and a purpose for the term using a profile sheet. You will first write a sentence definition of the term, then an expanded definition for a first-year student in your professional field. Next, you will write an expanded definition for a lay person. You will also detail the four expansion strategies you use for both versions, including at least one visual and one rough diagram. You must cite and document at least four outside sources, using APA or IEEE, for both expanded versions.
Formal Research Report (200 points, 1200 words)
Derived from the scientific method, the research report is the most common type of report written in academia. It is the form taken by lab reports and other documents that are based on original data collected by the researcher or research team. Working in a small group, you will establish a research question, devise a method of gathering original data, and collect the data. Individually, you will write a research report that presents and analyzes the data that you collected as a group.
Proposal (250 points total, 1600 words)
Your final project is a group effort, where you and a small group of your peers will write a technical proposal for the campus or for an academic unit within UF. Your proposal will seek to persuade a target audience that something needs to be done, and offer a specific solution to a problem your group has identified. The assessment of this final project will be on the proposed course of action, your audience analysis, your rhetorical strategy, your document design, and the visual quality and effectiveness of your graphics. The final proposal will include a set of smaller writing assignments to be distributed as a whole project. Included in the proposal is a formal, individual Progress Report. This report will track activities, problems, and progress for both your individual assigned tasks, and the group’s overall task. The focus will be on schedules, setbacks, problems solved, and the dates and stages of your progress.
Challenge (100 points, 900 words)
By the end of the semester, you will choose one professional communication challenge from a list of prompts and then complete the exercise. These exercises urge you to connect the objectives of this course to your life. Your responses should be between 1.5-2.5 pages double spaced. You will be evaluated on your engagement with course ideas, your ability to give a thoughtful, synthetic response to the challenge’s questions, and on general writing mechanics.
New Media Assignments
Video Presentation (40 points)
By the end of the semester, students will record a presentation and upload the video to a video-hosting site (e.g. YouTube). After locating a hosting site and creating an account, students will record themselves giving a presentation utilizing presentation techniques discussed in the course. Students will choose to present information derived from their Technical Definition essay or their Instruction Manual.
Research Website (40 points)
The Formal Research Paper includes a sub-assignment, where students will construct a website that details their progression of the research process.
Digital Portfolio (70 points)
For the final project in this class, students will choose 3 major assignments to revise (options include: Resume, Instruction Manual, Technical Definition, and Formal Research Report). After revising, students will construct an online portfolio that showcases their technical writing skills, including the 3 revised documents.
Writing Process (50 points)
Throughout the term, students will work on assigned activities designed to strengthen specific writing skills. These activities include drafting, peer reviews, editing, workshops, writing exercises, discussion board posts, etc. For peer reviews, a completed paper must be submitted; missed peer reviews will lower the final grade on the paper by 10%.
Digital Portfolio (70 points)
For the final project in this class, students will choose 3 major assignments to revise (options include: Resume, Instruction Manual, Technical Definition, and Formal Research Report). After revising, students will construct an online portfolio that showcases their technical writing skills, including the 3 revised documents.
Writing Process (50 points)
Throughout the term, students will work on assigned activities designed to strengthen specific writing skills. These activities include drafting, peer reviews, editing, workshops, writing exercises, discussion board posts, etc. For peer reviews, a completed paper must be submitted; missed peer reviews will lower the final grade on the paper by 10%.
Extra Credit Opportunities
Memo
