ENGL& 235 - Introduction to Technical Communication

Credits: 5
Prepare students to communicate effectively in a professional environment. Students become familiar with the processes, forms, and styles of technical writing as they create various documents and communication, including instructions, proposals, and discipline-specific and/or client-based research projects, using a variety of media. Emphasizes the purpose and audience, as well as clarity, concision, and communication design.

Prerequisite: ENGL& 101 with a grade of 2.0 or higher; and instructor’s permission.

Satisfies Requirement: Basic Skills/Communication

Course Outcomes:
Students who successfully complete this class will be able to:

Develop a sense of how purposes, audiences, situations, technologies, and methods affect writers’ and users’ perceptions of written documents.
Implement and demonstrate theories of document design (e.g. format, layout, graphics) in course projects.
Exhibit the recursive nature of writing process in terms of researching, drafting, reviewing/testing, editing, and revising.
Develop strategies for written and/or oral communication with peers, instructors, users, and/or clients that foster mutual respect and responsibility, including peer review and usability testing.
Implement and evaluate a range of research methods and information resources to develop and produce ethically responsible professional documents.
Create effective arguments in professional documents using discursive and visual information.
Demonstrate awareness of how various media genres and technologies affect and are affected by users and readers and, thus, are integral to the writing process.
Use and adapt various technologies, including MS Word, to produce attractive, persuasive, professional documents.

Program Outcomes
Produce effective written communication, which demonstrates critical thinking; writing and research processes; and knowledge of genres for workplace, expository, or research writing.

College-wide Outcomes

Written Communication - Written Communication encompasses all the abilities necessary for effective expression of thoughts, feelings, and ideas in written form.