English 3153 Instructor: Dr.

Will Kurlinkus
E-Mail: wkurlinkus@gmail.com
Technical Writing (June 5-Aug 1) Office Hours: Upon Request

Materials
Overview
Rocket Surgery Made Easy
From the most basic lab report to medical aftercare instructions, from Other readings made
museum displays to airplane safety guidesin English 3153, students learn
to analyze and produce technical documents across a variety of settings. available online for free
In particular this course will take a user-centered design research
approach to writing for science, workplace, and consumer settings. Assignments

Goals 1. Application Packet: 20%

Learn to produce technical communication genres, 2. Instructions Set: 20%

Learn to respond to the rhetorical situations of professional settings, 3. Grant: 20%
designing documents in specific ways for specific audiences,
4. Usability Test: 25%
Learn the basics of scannable document design,
Learn to translate technical information to non-technical 5. Forum Participation/Small
audiences, Activities: 15%
Learn how to run a usability test and research users,
Learn to work, write, and present collaboratively. Email Policy
Forums and Late Work
I will check and respond to emails
Participation is vital to your ability to understand course materialyou will once a day at 1PM. You can expect
participate in this course as if it were on a MWF schedule as seen in the feedback around that time. So,
course schedule. Each weeks work will be released Saturday at noon. please do not worry if you dont
receive a response quickly if you
Forums: You will be required to participate in 2 forums a weekresponding
send an email at 5pmI will respond
to reading questions, activities, and your colleagues. Forum responses are
the next day at noon.
due by 5PM the day they appear on. If they are not received by 5pm, you
will receive no points. 3 to 4 discussion leaders will be assigned at the time
each forum question is posted, and they will be expected to respond to 3 Other Expectations
other students. These responses will be due by noon the next day, if they
are not posted the discussion leader will receive no points. Peer Review: If you dont submit a
draft for peer review 2% off your final
Late Work: All major assignments are due Mondays at midnight. For each
grade. If you dont return your 2
day assignments are late they will receive a 5% deduction.
commented on drafts back on time
for peer review 2% off your final
Access
grade. You will be assigned peer
Students requiring academic accommodation should contact the Disability review partners. All peer review
Resource Center for assistance at http://www.ou.edu/drc/home.html Any drafts are due Thursday by 5pm
student who has a disability that may prevent him or her from fully comments are due back Friday by
demonstrating his or her abilities should contact me personally ASAP so we
7pm.
can discuss accommodations to ensure full educational opportunities.

Technical Writing (June 5-Aug 1) 1