C o u r s e s

How are digital tools changing the ways in which we compose and share our writing? What is the role of technology and communication in today's society? These questions are at the heart of Computers and Writing, an online course that examines rhetorical, theoretical, and practical issues surrounding computer-mediated communication. Students will gain hands-on experience with Internet-based communication technologies as they compose multimodal texts and create content for the Web. In Computers and Writing, students will develop the skills and gain the knowledge necessary to meet the challenges of twenty-first century communication.

Technical Writing engages students in the analysis and composition of business and technical documents from the perspective of technical personnel whose writing supplements but does not define their job description. By the end of this course, students should be able to

•  understand the connections between rhetoric and technical writing
•  appreciate the connections between usability and technical writing
•  define the audience and the purpose of your technical documents
•  write about technical subjects in a way that nonspecialists can understand
•  plan and organize your technical documents appropriately
•  write clearly, correctly, and concisely
•  become familiar with a variety of technical genres
•  use a variety of written communication formats (e.g., e-mail, discussion board postings, memos, reports)
•  evaluate your documents privately and with the help of others
•  criticize the documents of others constructively
•  communicate your ideas comfortably in a professional group setting

ENGL 3150 Computers and Writing (Online)

How are digital tools changing the ways in which we compose and share our writing? What is the role of technology and communication in today's society? These questions are at the heart of Computers and Writing, an online course that examines rhetorical, theoretical, and practical issues surrounding computer-mediated communication. Students will gain hands-on experience with Internet-based communication technologies as they compose multimodal texts and create content for the Web. In Computers and Writing, students will develop the skills and gain the knowledge necessary to meet the challenges of twenty-first century communication.

Professional Editing introduces students to editing as a practice and a profession. Students will learn proofreading and copyediting skills, as well as comprehensive editing procedures, including what is required in working with an author from a document’s inception to its completion. A series of exercises, quizzes, and activities will provide ample practice in applying the techniques of editing, including proofreading and copyediting for style, grammar, and punctuation.

PRWR 6850 Web Content Development

PRWR 6850 is a course in the writing and development of Web content for multiple, diverse audiences. Students will have the opportunity to develop informational multimedia Web content for real clients or for professional purposes. As the catalog description indicates, course topics will include site architecture, visual rhetoric, audience analysis, collaboration, ethics, accessibility, and other considerations.

We will study approaches to composing appealing, effective, user-friendly Web content for a variety of audiences and purposes, and students will learn about rhetorical strategies for reaching online readers, usability and design issues, and electronic communication environments and tools. The course offers hands-on experience writing multimedia content for the Web, and assignments will introduce students to the use of blogging and audio editing software, Macromedia Dreamweaver, and basic HTML (hypertext markup language).

 

ENGL 3150 Computers and Writing (Online)

How are communication technologies changing the way that we compose and share our writing? What is the role of technology and communication in today's society? These questions are at the heart of Computers and Writing, an online course that examines theoretical, ethical, rhetorical, and practical issues surrounding computer-mediated communication. Students will gain hands-on experience with Internet-based communication technologies as they study the social, political, and economic implications of those technologies. In addition to completing traditional academic writing assignments, students will create and maintain their own Weblogs and develop content for the Web. In Computers and Writing, students will develop the skills and gain the knowledge necessary to meet the challenges of twenty-first century communication.

ENGL 3140 Technical Writing (Online)

Technical Writing engages students in the analysis and composition of business and technical documents from the perspective of technical personnel whose writing supplements but does not define their job description. By the end of this course, students should be able to

•  understand the connections between rhetoric and technical writing
•  appreciate the connections between usability and technical writing
•  define the audience and the purpose of your technical documents
•  write about technical subjects in a way that nonspecialists can understand
•  plan and organize your technical documents appropriately
•  write clearly, correctly, and concisely
•  become familiar with a variety of technical genres
•  use a variety of written communication formats (e.g., e-mail, discussion board postings, memos, reports)
•  evaluate your documents privately and with the help of others
•  criticize the documents of others constructively
•  communicate your ideas comfortably in a professional group setting

ENGL 3111 Professional Editing (Online)

Professional Editing prepares students to become professional editors and information designers. Students will learn proofreading and copyediting skills, as well as comprehensive editing procedures, including what is required in working with an author from a document's inception to its completion. The process of editing will be studied from the perspective of the rhetorical context so that students learn how to edit and design a document to fulfill both the audience's needs as well as the author's purpose. A series of exercises, tests, and projects will provide ample practice in applying the techniques of editing, including proofreading and copyediting for style, grammar, punctuation, and visual design.

This course immerses students in the practice of editing professional and academic documents. Students will complete a series of proofreading and copyediting activities designed to improve their judgment, accuracy, and attention to detail. The course will also introduce students to book publishing, editorial responsibilities and approaches, and key issues in the industry.

ENGL 3140 Technical Writing (Online)

Students in this course will study and compose a variety of business and technical documents from the perspective of technical personnel whose writing supplements but does not define their job description. Writing assignments and course readings will emphasize rhetorical concerns and the principles of effective technical communication.

ENGL1102 Composition II (Online)

In this section of ENGL 1102, students will focus on the relationship between seeing and writing as they build on the critical reading and composition skills that they developed in ENGL 1101, explore different ways of and reasons for writing, and develop more advanced research skills. The course readings will encourage students to examine the power and impact of both text and images in American culture. As Donald and Christine McQuade, the authors of Seeing & Writing 2, suggest, "seeing leads to effective writing. The more your eyes are open and alert, the more you will have to write about--and the more you will write with conviction and clarity" (1).

In order to succeed in this online class, students will need to be flexible, self-motivated, and well organized. In addition to composing essays, students will respond to course readings in weekly electronic discussion board postings and take biweekly quizzes that will require them to demonstrate their mastery of key concepts.

SPRING 2005

ENGL 3150 Computers and Writing

What is the role of technology and communication in today's society? This question is at the heart of Computers and Writing, a course that examines theoretical, ethical, rhetorical, and practical issues surrounding computer-mediated communication. Students will gain hands-on experience with Internet-based communication technologies as they study the social, political, and economic implications of those technologies. In addition to completing traditional academic writing assignments, students will create and maintain their own Weblogs, design their own Web pages, join virtual communities, and create hypertextual multimedia arguments. Prior experience with communication technologies and Web design is NOT required.

ENGL 1102 Composition II (Online)

In this section of ENGL 1102, students will build on the skills that they developed in 1101 as they explore the relationship between reading and writing and practice writing for new purposes and audiences. Students will work on a semester-long research project that will require them to conduct high-quality research, evaluate source material, and effectively incorporate facts, figures, and quotations into their writing. Because online classes do not meet for weekly sessions, much of the work that students do will be in the form of electronic discussion board postings. These postings give students the opportunity to share their ideas and opinions and receive feedback from peers. Students will also complete a number of online quizzes that will test their close reading skills and understanding of key concepts. In order to succeed in this online class, students need to be self-motivated, well organized, and open-minded.

ENGL 1101 Composition I: Science, Technology, and Society

In this section of ENGL 1101, students will examine how and why arguments are made in a variety of contexts and focus on developing the skills necessary to analyze and engage in debates about technology and science. Early in the semester, students will focus on critical thinking and understanding rhetorical concepts. During the remainder of the course, students will apply these concepts as they read, talk, research, and write about what the author of Technology and the Future calls “the possibilities and the pitfalls of technology” (Teich xviii). Throughout the semester, students will develop their oral and written communication skills as they make individual and collaborative contributions to the dialogue about technology, science, society, and the future. A significant portion of the course will be devoted to workshopping student writing.

ENGL 1101 Composition I (Online)

In this section of ENGL 1101, students will examine how and why arguments are made in a variety of contexts, develop their critical thinking skills, and learn how to write effective and articulate college-level essays. Because online classes do not meet for weekly sessions, much of the work that students do will be in the form of electronic discussion board postings. These postings give students the opportunity to share their ideas and opinions and receive feedback from peers. Students will also complete a number of online quizzes that will test their close reading skills and understanding of key concepts. In order to succeed in this online class, students need to be self-motivated, well organized, and open-minded.