Académique Documents
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Professor Information
Ms. Carie S. Lambert
Office and hours: JO 5.109—MW 9:30am–10:30am and by appointment
Email: carie.lambert@utdallas.edu
Class Website: http://www.utdallas.edu/~carie.lambert/
Course Description
This class will prepare engineering and computer-science student to efficiently and effectively
communicate through oral and written documents that correctly, concisely, and ethically present
information. Therefore, in this class, you will develop competency to
Identify your audience
Determine your audience’s information needs
Assess what information is correct, reliable, and relevant
Evaluate how to best present that information to meet your audience’s needs
Create tools to inform your audience
You will accomplish this through individual and collaborative activities including projects and
presentations. In addition, you will
Meet deadlines
Follow instructions
Organize your time so you can work productively on more than one activity at a time
Commit to present accurate work
Course Syllabus—Page 1
Prepare a presentation using effective speech skills, including organization, argument development,
visual aids, and delivery
Students who master these objectives will develop the ability to
Research, draft, and edit major research papers in a professional context
Analyze, edit, revise, and proofread technical documents created by the author, peers, or other
technical writers—individually or as a team
Write professional correspondence, such as concise memos, letters, and emails for diverse purposes
to different audiences and levels of management
Research, plan, outline, and present an individual presentation with visual aids adapted appropriately
to the audience and rhetorical situation
Develop collaborative strategies to research, plan, and present a team presentation with visual aids
adapted appropriately to the audience and rhetorical situation
You also need access to www.turnitin.com to submit your assignments (unless otherwise indicated on the
syllabus). You may also check your attendance and grades on turnitin.com.
Monday, August 24 Introducing the Course, the Instructor, and the Students
By 11:59pm, register at www.turnitin.com:
course 2790826, password lambert.
Wednesday, August 26 Applying Prof & Tech Comm Skills in the Workplace
To prepare, read Finkelstein—Chapters 1 and 18.
Submit Bio Memo by 11:59pm.
Wednesday, September 2 Applying Ethics to Prof & Tech Comm, Ethics and Judicial Affairs
To prepare, read Finkelstein—Chapters 2 and 14 and Guide—Chapter 8.
Wednesday, September 9 Applying Ethics and Professionalism to Prof & Tech Comm
To prepare, read Finkelstein—Chapter 12 and 20.
Course Syllabus—Page 2
Monday, September 14 Assessing Your Audience, Introducing Semester Projects
To prepare, read Finkelstein—Chapters 6, 7, and 8.
Email your Project Idea to the instructor by 11:59pm on Friday.
Course Syllabus—Page 3
Wednesday, November 11 Editing Drafts of Team Reports
To prepare, bring a draft of your team’s report.
Assignment Values
Course Syllabus—Page 4
Grading Criteria
Course assignments together are worth 1000 points, and students will receive grades according to the
following scale:
• 930–1000 = A
• 900–929 = A–
• 870–899 = B+
• 830–869 = B
• 800–829 = B–
• 770–799 = C+
• 730–769 = C
• 700–729 = C–
• 670–699 = D+
• 630–669 = D
• 600–629 = D–
• 0–599 = F
Extra Credit
I do not offer extra credit, and I do not award extra points at the end of the semester to raise grades.
Attendance
Learning requires attendance and participation. If you come to class or meetings and conduct non-related
work, you will be considered absent. Perfect attendance is worth 10 points on your participation grade. If
Course Syllabus—Page 5
you arrive more than 10 minutes late for class, you are considered absent. You may miss up to two
classes without penalty; after two absences, you lose 10 points of your participation grade for each
absence. Students with more than 5 absences fail the class.
Classroom Citizenship
Each student receives a grade for participation and professionalism. You will treat each other and the
instructor with respect, and you will prepare for class and arrive on time. During class, you should
cooperate, listen, and respect others’ opinions. Turn off your cell phones and other electronic
equipment during class, and use your laptop only for class work.
Technical Support
If you experience any problems with your UTD account you may send an email to:
assist@utdallas.edu or call the UTD Computer Helpdesk at 972-883-2911.
Academic Integrity
The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty. Because the
value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the work done by the student for that
degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrate a high standard of individual honor in his or her
scholastic work.
Scholastic Dishonesty, any student who commits an act of scholastic dishonesty is subject to
discipline. Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, collusion, the
Course Syllabus—Page 6
submission for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another person,
taking an examination for another person, any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the
attempt to commit such acts.
Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and from any other
source is unacceptable and will be dealt with under the university’s policy on plagiarism (see general
catalog for details). This course will use the resources of turnitin.com, which searches the web for
possible plagiarism and is over 90% effective.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies
or other reproductions of copyrighted materials, including music and software. Copying, displaying,
reproducing, or distributing copyrighted works may infringe the copyright owner’s rights and such
infringement is subject to appropriate disciplinary action as well as criminal penalties provided by federal
law. Usage of such material is only appropriate when that usage constitutes “fair use” under the Copyright
Act. As a UT Dallas student, you are required to follow the institution’s copyright policy (Policy
Memorandum 84-I.3-46). For more information about the fair use exemption, see
http://www.utsystem.edu/ogc/intellectualproperty/copypol2.htm
Email Use
The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of communication between
faculty/staff and students through electronic mail. At the same time, email raises some issues concerning
security and the identity of each individual in an email exchange. The university encourages all official
student email correspondence be sent only to a student’s U.T. Dallas email address and that faculty and
staff consider email from students official only if it originates from a UTD student account. This allows
the university to maintain a high degree of confidence in the identity of all individual corresponding and
the security of the transmitted information. UTD furnishes each student with a free email account that is
to be used in all communication with university personnel. The Department of Information Resources at
U.T. Dallas provides a method for students to have their U.T. Dallas mail forwarded to other accounts.
Course Syllabus—Page 7
Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of
Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and regulations.
Disability Services
The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational opportunities equal to
those of their non-disabled peers. Disability Services is located in room 1.610 in the Student Union.
Office hours are Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to
7:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The contact information for the Office of Disability Services
is:
The University of Texas at Dallas, SU 22
PO Box 830688
Richardson, Texas 75083-0688
(972) 883-2098 (voice or TTY)
disabilityservice@utdallas.edu
If you anticipate issues related to the format or requirements of this course, please meet with the
Coordinator of Disability Services. The Coordinator is available to discuss ways to ensure your full
participation in the course. If you determine that formal, disability-related accommodations are necessary,
it is very important that you be registered with Disability Services to notify them of your eligibility for
reasonable accommodations. Disability Services can then plan how best to coordinate your
accommodations.
It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an
accommodation. Disability Services provides students with letters to present to faculty members to verify
that the student has a disability and needs accommodations. Individuals requiring special accommodation
should contact the professor after class or during office hours.
These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Professor.
Course Syllabus—Page 8