Hey associates, this lecture is about technical writing and presentation as a form of communication. It is an overview of our field, and this class, focused on STEM, professional, and business writing contexts.

The lecture has three sections:

Follow the notetaking guide

Read the Transcript/Textbook Chapter

This month, we took a summer break! We will return with a full interview at the end of August. Enjoy the rest of the summer, prepare for Fall, and stay inspired in higher ed.

Transcript:

This is the biggest project of the semester and may take 10-15 active hours over the project cycle. You must conduct research, analyze sources, and write ~3,000 words of content (about 10-20 single-spaced pages total).

Requirements List: Imagine you work for a think tank in your field (a collection of thought leaders and researchers tasked with solving problems). You are focused on comparing solutions to an issue with sustainability, equity, or economic impacts. You’ve found the leading TWO solutions and are researching the best option given the current technological, social, and economic climate. 

You need to conduct primary (you generate data) and secondary research to directly compare the solutions on 3 standards (think effectiveness, costs, logistics, social perceptions, acceptability, etc.). You then write a formal recommendation report that details the results of your research, targeted toward decision-makers on the topic. You write a cover letter addressed to that stakeholder.

Full Transcript to Read

Follow along with all the assignment details in Canvas while listening to this episode. I talk through the timeline, milestones, requirements, and group project grading.

Introduction (00:18), Milestone/Progress Assignments (01:27), Support Level Choices (02:40), Due Date and Revisions (03:55), Expectations (05:02), Requirements (08:15), Grading (13:20), Skills to Practice (15:35), Rubric Overview (18:15)

It is due Feb. 18 and is worth 15% of your grade. Review Canvas for written details, supporting materials, and the rubric for this assignment.

This episode is the audio version/explanation of the recommendation report assignment sheet for TCID 2090 in the Fall of 2023.

This episode offers and audio version of the user e-book instructions.

A user guide is a document or set of documents that provide specific instructions on how to use a product. It typically includes an overview of the product (remember from descriptions), step-by-step instructions for performing tasks, troubleshooting tips, and a reference section. User guides can be created for a variety of products, including equipment, software programs, and hardware devices.

Your design challenge is to create a useful, useable, equitable, and enjoyable manual (e-book) for students about a Microsoft 365 app to help them succeed. You will design a digital booklet with at (around) ten steps and visuals to walk them through a process. The e-book runs between 5 to 10 pages with the headings, visuals, tables, bullet points, and other design features included. This is not a hard page count, just an outcome of solving the writing & design challenge. Your e-book should be highly visual to practice showing users what to do.