• To prepare you to be a better communicator in your profession by helping you improve your report writing, presentation and documentation writing skills, as well as your management of electronic tools

• To improve your understanding of how reports function for readers in an organization (when readers read, how readers read, where readers look for information they need, and what purposes various documents serve) and how informative materials function for users (what users want from documents, how and when they read, and how they look for needed information)

• To give you practice collaborating with other professionals

• To give you practice analyzing situations and responding to them through writing

• To teach you strategies for planning, writing, and revising documents that you can flexibly apply to future writing tasks

• To improve your understanding of how technology impacts on your future as a writer at work

• Attendance: Regular attendance is required. Much of the work in a writing class happens in the classroom, and whatever you miss cannot be made up. Each absence over four will result in a 50 point deduction from your final grade. Any absence over four must be excused in advance and documented afterward to prevent the grade reduction. Excessive tardiness or leaving early without prior notice may also be considered an absence. .It is a good idea to inform me of planned absences; at the very least, be sure to talk to a classmate about what you missed.

• Assignments. Your work must be in laser-printed form or electronic form, depending on the assignment. If you hand in sloppy or poorly proofread documents, they will be downgraded significantly. As in the workplace, there will be no "rewrites" for a higher grade.

• Late Work. You must submit your work on time. Late work will downgraded two grades for each day late. Assignments are due at the beginning of the class period, unless specified otherwise.

• Plagiarism: An act of plagiarism or other academic dishonesty usually results in an F for the course.

• Disabilities: Students with a disability that may affect their performance in this class should contact me individually as soon as possible.

1) Documentation Project: 300 points

Project analysis memo 25

Handouts 100

Oral presentation/workshop 50

Group Evaluation/Project Assessment Memo 25

User testing plan/report memos 50

Final Revision 50

2) Employment Package 100 pts

Resume 50

Cover letter 50