WRTC
510:
Seminar
in
Technical
and
Scientific
Communication


This
document
outlines
the
main
class
policies.
For
information
about
specific
assignments
and
the

class
schedule,
please
visit
the
class
website.


Instructor
Information


Dr.
Pavel
Zemliansky

School
of
Writing,
Rhetoric,
and
Technical
Communication

Office:
2285
Harrison
Hall

Office
Hours:
TTh,
9.30am‐12.00pm,
and
by
appointment

e‐mail:
zemliapx@jmu.edu
(preferred
method
of
getting
in
touch)

office
phone
number:
568‐7056

class
website:
www.pz‐writing.net/wrtc510




Course
Description
from
the
JMU
Graduate
Catalog



WRTC
510
is
a
foundations
course.
It
is
a
study
of
the
theories
and
history
of
technical
and

scientific
communication
and
its
major
figures
and
issues.
The
course
introduces
students
to

foundational
texts
in
the
field.




Course
Goals
and
Objectives


The
main
question
for
investigation
in
this
class
is
“What
is
Technical
and
Scientific

Communication
as
a
Field
of
Practice
and
of
Study?”
Most
of
our
efforts
this
semester
will
be

directed
at
exploring
this
question.


This
class
is
a
seminar
and
the
word
"seminar"
implies
active
and
lively
discussion
of
important

issues
by
everyone.
Therefore,
the
success
of
this
class
as
well
your
individual
success
in
it

depends
heavily
on
the
level
of
your
engagement
every
time
we
meet.
For
more
information
on

participation
requirements,
please
see
below.



By
the
end
of
the
course,
the
students
will:


• Understand
the
main
theories
and
trends
in
contemporary
technical
and
scientific

communication


• Gain
a
historical
perspective
of
the
discipline


• Engage
in
conversations
about
the
discipline
through
independent
research
and
writing




Required
Texts


• Datacloud:
Toward
a
New
Theory
of
Online
Work,
by
Johnson‐Eilola


• Central
Works
in
Technical
Communication.
Eds.
Johnson‐Eilola
and
Selber.
Oxford

University
Press,
2004.
The
book
is
available
at
the
JMU
bookstore.


• Rhetoric,
Innovation,
Technology:
Case
Studies
of
Technical
Communication
in
Technology

Transfers,
by
Stephen
Doheny‐Farina


• Online
articles
which
I
will
post
on
the
class
website
as
needed







Course
Projects


For
detailed
descriptions
of
each
project,
please
visit
the
Units
and
Assignments
section
of
the

website.


• In‐class
and
online
participation
20%


• 4
connected
exploratory
blog
posts
20%


• Collaborative
case
study
report
30%


• Final
Project
30%




Evaluation
of
your
Work


You
can
find
the
evaluation
criteria
for
each
project
in
the
Projects
section
of
the
website.

However,
as
a
general
policy,
to
receive
an
"A"
in
this
class,
you
will
need
to
exceed
the
minimum

standards
and
expectations.
Any
time
you
have
a
question
about
either
evaluation
criteria
for
a

particular
assignment
or
about
your
standing
in
the
class,
please
do
not
hesitate
to
talk
to
me.




Attendance
and
Participation


Attendance
in
this
class
is
mandatory.
You
are
allowed
two
absences,
no
questions
asked.
Any

more
absences
will
result
in
a
lower
participation
grade.
If
you
do
miss
a
class,
you
are
still

responsible
for
doing
the
homework
and
coming
to
the
next
meeting
prepared.




Academic
Integrity


As
members
of
the
JMU
community,
we
must
follow
the
JMU
Honor
Code
.
Needless
to
say,
any

attempts
at
plagiarism,
fabrication
of
data,
or
collusion
will
be
dealt
with
severely
and
swiftly.




Late
Work



I
do
not
accept
late
work,
regardless
of
the
project,
unless
an
extension
has
been
arranged
with

me
before
the
submission
deadline.

Late
work
will
receive
grade
deductions.





Americans
with
Disabilities
Act
Information



If
you
require
special
accommodations,
please
provide
a
letter
from
JMU's
Office
of
Disability

Services
during
the
first
week
of
class.





Inclement
Weather
Policy



To
find
out
about
weather‐related
closings
and
delays,
please
visit
the
JMU
website
or
call
JMU

weather
like
on
the
morning
of
the
class