New Common Syllabus 2010 -- 2011 ENG 3060 Technical Communication II: Presentations

New Common Syllabus/WSU Composition Faculty Handbook This New Common Syllabus sets out the requirements, recommendations, and essential information for GTAs and part-time faculty teaching ENG 3060 at Wayne State University. The WSU Composition Faculty Handbook wiki contains a wealth of supporting information, including information on WSU and the General Education Program; materials from previous Orientations and Grading Workshops; sample syllabi, assignments, and graded papers and presentations; and more.

http://wsucompositionfacultyhandbook.pbworks.com password -- teaching

WSU Undergraduate Bulletin Description for ENG 3060 Cr. 3 Prereq: grade of C or better in ENG 3050 (or equiv.). Instruction in basic technical presentation skills. Requirements include informative presentations, oral briefings, needs assessments, progress reports, and formal proposals. Topics include collaborative teamwork, audience and purpose analysis, textual and visual aspects of presentation design, and formatting. IC Prerequisite for ENG 3060 This prerequisite must appear on every ENG 3060 syllabus: To enroll in ENG 3060, students must have completed their WSU Intermediate Composition (IC) requirement in technical communication (ENG 3050 or equiv.) with a grade of C or better. Checking Prerequisites for ENG 3060 If you have doubts that a student has met the prerequisite, look up his/her record on Pipeline because there is one loophole still in the prereq registration system: a student may have been allowed to register in ENG 3060 but not have a passing grade in ENG 3050 if s/he took it in the previous term. To look up a student, log into Pipeline (http://pipeline.wayne.edu) and select the Faculty tab; under the Teaching menu, select Advisor’s Menu and then Student Academic Transcript. You may search for a student in your course by name or ID. If a student does not meet the prerequisite, s/he should be asked to drop the course. ENG 3060 General Education Designation This General Education designation must appear on every ENG 3060 syllabus: With a grade of C or better, ENG 3060 fulfills the General Education OC [Oral Communication] graduation requirement. More information on the General Education requirements is available from the Undergraduate Programs office:

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http://www.bulletins.wayne.edu/ubk-output/ubk%2009-11-wb-01-07.html Class Size/English Department Attendance Policy/Adding ENG 3060 Enrollment in ENG 3060 is capped at 24 students. Instructors should not feel pressured to add students over the limit. Instructors also should not feel pressured to add students or allow enrolled students to join the class after the class has been in session more than two times. The Department of English has a policy stating “Enrolled students in any English class must attend one of the first two class sessions; otherwise, they may be required to drop the course.” This policy appears on the online Schedule of Courses webpage, and it is displayed in the English Department. Place this policy on your syllabus and enforce it in appropriate cases. Balancing class size and student requests to add the course can be tricky at the beginning of the semester because of attrition. Generally speaking, if an enrolled student does not attend the first two class meetings, then that spot can be offered to a student who wishes to add, provided that this student has attended one of the first two class sessions. The student who did not attend the first two classes should be asked to drop. BACKGROUND -- ENG 3050 & ENG 3060 ENG 3050 (Technical Communication I: Reports) and ENG 3060 (Technical Communication II: Presentations) are a two-course sequence. At WSU, ENG 3050 and ENG 3060 are requirements in the College of Engineering, aimed at fulfilling one of the outcomes for accreditation: “Engineering programs must demonstrate that their graduates attain the following outcomes: [G] an ability to communicate effectively” (ABET [Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology]). Recently, students from a variety of programs and departments have also enrolled in ENG 3050 and 3060, including pre-med, allied health, business, science, and English majors. There is necessary overlap between ENG 3050 and ENG 3060, which is accommodated in part by using a single, required textbook for both classes, Paul Anderson’s (2011) Technical Communication, 7th ed. Certain chapters (see below) are required reading in ENG 3050, while others are required in ENG 3060. Students will be expected to read certain chapters twice over the course of the sequence (Chapters 6, 13-14), not as simple repetition, but as reading chapters from the perspective of working in new genres and configurations (e.g., individual reports in ENG 3050 and team presentations in ENG 3060). Rereading chapters is an old pedagogical trick with considerable value. The following chapters are required for use in ENG 3050: Chapters 2, 4, 6, 7, 13, 14, 16, 22 (memos), 24 or 25, and 27 The following chapters are required for use in ENG 3060: Chapters 3, 6, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 23, 26. Chapters may be assigned in any order. Instructors are free to assign additional chapters from Anderson in (e.g., Chapters. 8 and 15 on writing and revising drafts in ENG 3050, Chapter 21 on managing projects in ENG 3060).

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ENG 3060 also has a second required text for teaching collaborative writing: Joanna Wolfe’s Team Writing (see Required Textbooks in ENG 3060 below). Instructors are also free to assign additional required or recommended readings for their individual sections. Please note the following changes from 2009-2010. In ENG 3050, the major assignment remains the technical report, now with the choice of an empirical research report or a feasibility report (Anderson, Chapter 24 or 25). In ENG 3060, the major assignment is a research-based formal proposal (Anderson, Chapter 23). The rationale for this change is that ENG 3050 did not afford sufficient time to make both proposals and reports major assignments, and proposals are an important genre in the workplace, often combined with presentations. Making the technical report the major assignment in ENG 3050 and the formal proposal the major assignment in ENG will allow sufficient time for students in each course to design well-developed, research-based reports/presentations. In addition, focusing ENG 3050 on the technical report and ENG 3060 on the proposal allows sufficient time for instructors to review drafts/rehearsals of the major assignments in the course. In ENG 3050 and ENG 3060, there is a difference in the emphasis on individual vs. collaborative writing. The New Common Syllabus for ENG 3050 places the emphasis on the individual writer; the New Common Syllabus for ENG 3060 places the emphasis on the writer as a collaborating member of a team. Instructors may wish to include individual assignments in ENG 3060 (e.g., informative presentations at the beginning of the class to get a sense of students’ individual abilities); however, it is important that students meet the course goals by participating on teams. ENG 3060 is a combined writing and presentation course focusing on the formal proposal; given the emphasis in ENG 3060 on collaborative teamwork, the formal proposal and its interim assignments (e.g., oral briefings, needs assessments, progress reports) should be group assignments with students writing, designing, and presenting as a team. ENG 3060 Department of English Description This course description must appear on every ENG 3060 syllabus: ENG 3060 prepares students for researching and developing technical proposals and presentations as members of collaborative writing teams. Technical proposals are a central genre in the workplace, often developed collaboratively and delivered in presentation form to multiple audiences. Research-based technical presentations incorporate both textual (written information) and visual (graphics, illustrations, etc.) elements of design, often in digital environments (e.g., PowerPoint, Prezi, wikis, etc.). The main goals of the course are (1) to teach students to consider the audience(s) and purpose(s) in developing proposals and presentations as members of collaborative teams; (2) to teach students presentation delivery skills; (3) to integrate research, design, and writing in the effective development of technical presentations, including text, slides, visuals, format, and mechanics; and (4) to work with current technologies for technical proposal and presentation design. ENG 3060 Learning Outcomes Learning outcomes for all WSU composition courses encompass reading, research, writing/revising, and technology.

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The following learning outcomes must appear on every ENG 3060 syllabus: A passing grade in ENG 3060 indicates that students are able to:

• read/listen, analyze and evaluate the design of technical proposals and presentations, including text, slides, visuals (graphics, illustrations, etc.), format, and mechanics

• analyze the audience(s) and purpose(s) for technical presentation assignments

• design presentations using a collaborative process that includes coordinating tasks and schedules within a team, developing a flexible process of generating and organizing information and ideas, writing and designing, providing and responding to feedback, formatting, and editing and proofreading for mechanics

• conduct primary and secondary research in support of developing technical proposals and presentations, designing primary research and finding and evaluating print and electronic sources

• design and deliver effective documents and presentations in standard genres of proposal writing, including informative summaries, oral briefings, needs assessments, progress reports, and formal proposals

• demonstrate effective technical presentations skills for multiple audiences

• make productive use of current technologies for collaborative teamwork and for designing proposals and presentations

Required Textbooks in ENG 3060 Required Textbooks in ENG 3060 Instructors are required to use the following textbooks for ENG 3060:

Anderson, P. (2011). Technical communication: A reader-centered approach (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Wadsworth.

and Wolfe, J. (2010). Team writing: A guide to working in groups. Boston: Bedford/St.

Martin’s. Students should be asked to bring their textbooks to every class. The following chapters from Anderson are required for use in ENG 3060: Chapters 3, 6, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 23, 26. Instructors are free to assign additional chapters from Anderson (e.g., Chapter 21 on managing projects in ENG 3060). Wolfe’s Team Writing is a short textbook, with chapters on project management, team charters, task schedules, collaborative writing and revising, communication, and team dynamics. Her

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treatment of collaborative writing and revising is much more detailed than Anderson’s. There is a companion website for the text:

http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/teamwriting1e/. Additional Readings in ENG 3060 (optional) Instructors are free to add required or recommended readings for their individual sections of ENG 3060. Recommended Text in ENG 3060 (optional) There is one recommended text for use in ENG 3060:

Reynolds, G. (2008). Presentation Zen: Simple ideas on presentation design and delivery. Berkeley, CA: New Riders/Pearson.

Garr’s Presentation Zen is a trade publication that takes a holistic approach to the conception and design of textual, visual, and interactive presentations. There is a companion blog for this book:

http://www.presentationzen.com/. Recommended Handbook (optional) For consistency and cost, instructors are required to use the following handbook if they include a handbook in their ENG 3060 text selections:

Ruskiewicz, J., Seward, D., Friend, C., & Hairston, M. (2011). The Scott, Foresman writer (5th ed). Boston, MA: Longman.

The Scott, Foresman Writer is the recommended handbook for all composition courses at WSU, and it includes a free one-year subscription to MyCompLab, an extensive composition website. If students already own a copy of the Scott, Foresman Writer but their subscription has expired, they can purchase a new subscription for a reasonable cost on the MyCompLab website:

http://www.mycomplab.com/ The MyCompLab research space provides an excellent data base of print and internet sources for technical communication assignments. Desk Copies Desk copies of the Anderson textbook with the instructor’s manual are available in the English Department from the Director of Composition. Desk copies of Team Writing and Presentation Zen are also available. Ordering Texts The WSU Barnes and Noble bookstore will have the required and recommended texts in stock. If you require any additional books or readings, you must order them separately for your individual sections at Barnes and Noble. Marwil’s will stock the required and recommended texts for ENG 3060, but prefers that instructors order all of their books individually by sections. To order at Marwil’s, *all* of the books – the required textbooks, any recommended texts, the instructor’s additional readings, and

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the optional recommended handbook – should be ordered separately for each section. For the Scott, Foresman Writer, please ask Marwil’s to order the ISBN number that includes a subscription for MyCompLab. Reading/Listening, Presentation Skills, Collaborative Writing/Revising, Research, and Technology in ENG 3060 Reading/Listening Students enter ENG 3060 with a wide range of experience in developing technical proposals and presentations: for some students, ENG 3060 will be the first time they are preparing and presenting technical materials; other students, especially working students, will be familiar with technical presentations and proposals of many kinds. Students should read a variety of formal proposals and listen to a wide variety of technical presentations. There are many technical presentations available on the web (e.g., sites like T.E.D., IGNITE and Prezi), and there are examples of A-level ENG 3060 presentations on the WSU Composition Faculty Handbook wiki:

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Students should be explicitly taught listening skills for evaluating and providing feedback on technical proposals in ENG 3060. For listening skills, there is an excellent handout on Active Listening in the ENG 3060 box on the WSU Composition Faculty Handbook wiki:

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For providing feedback, Anderson has a section on reviewing in Chapter 15 (pp. 413-419); it is written in terms of document drafts but could be used for presentation feedback as well. Team Writing includes several sections on constructive feedback. Presentation Skills Early in 3060, students should receive basic instruction in oral presentation skills, with an emphasis on the importance of rehearsing. Basic presentation skills include verbal and nonverbal communication; text and graphics; eye contact and body language (posture, gestures); voice volume, pitch, and pace; strategic pauses; and staying out of the way of projectors. In Chapters 3 and 19 of the textbook, Anderson emphasizes both verbal and visual dimensions of technical presentations, including design principles and techniques (color, whitespace, headings, graphics, images, slides) and strategies for effective and appropriate delivery (involving the audience; forecasting the structure of the presentation; connecting content, situation, and delivery; answering questions; managing time limits; and coping with anxiety). Students should deliver their presentations in extemporaneous style. Extemporaneous style lies midway on a continuum between reading or memorizing a script and speaking off-the-cuff. Extemporaneous speeches are based on outlines, usually written in key words, not complete sentences, and visuals (graphics, illustrations, etc.). In ENG 3060, extemporaneous style means a professional style, again midway on a continuum between a formal scripted style and an informal conversational style. Extemporaneous style is considered the most effective method of delivery because it engages the audience and leads to interactive feedback. Please emphasize to students that extemporaneous style requires individual and team practice and rehearsals.

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As the semester progresses, students should be introduced to the standards of professionally designed slides; graphics (charts, maps, graphs, diagrams); images (photos, screen shots); videos; and animations (Anderson, Chapter 13). Students should also be introduced to the challenges of delivering proposal presentations to multiple audiences (stakeholders, colleagues, potential investors, employers, employees) (Anderson, Chapter 23). Students should gain experience in writing and presenting a variety of proposal genres and presentations (informative summaries, oral briefings, progress reports, and formal proposals). Practice presentations or rehearsals, along with forms of feedback (from instructors, peers, or invited guests and audience members), should be an important part of the process in ENG 3060, especially in working on the formal proposal. The final proposal presentation in ENG 3060 should mirror a formal proposal presentation in the workplace, complete with business dress. In the past, instructors have reserved the Bernath Auditorium in the Undergraduate Library for final presentations; the auditorium in the College of Engineering is also available to ENG 3060 classes. These rooms should be reserved early in the semester by calling the Office of Teaching and Learning (7-1980); be sure you know how to acquire a key for access. Instructors can arrange for Media Services to arrive 15 minutes or half an hour early so that equipment can be turned on and checked. Instructors and students are encouraged to assemble an audience for the formal proposal presentations. An evite brochure and progress memo are part of the assignment for the formal proposal (see Assignments in ENG 3060 below). Students should send invitations to their professors, to fellow students, to professional friends and acquaintances, to other English Department instructors teaching technical communication and the Director of Composition, and to their family and friends. Instructors should send an invitation to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and the Associate Dean of Student Affairs in the College of Engineering (use the Directory tab on the College of Engineering website to find current names and emails: http://www.eng.wayne.edu/). Collaborative Writing/Revising As the emphasis in ENG 3060 is on collaborative writing and presentations, the majority of writing and designing should take place within student teams. In Chapters 17-18 of the textbook, Anderson discusses collaboration and team work. Wolfe’s Team Writing has an entire chapter on the dynamics of collaboration, including frank discussions of problems that can emerge within teams (the Troubleshooting Guide includes topics such as missing deadlines, quality of work, and personal interactions). Instructors are free to organize students into teams as they wish. Some instructors allow students to choose their own groups, while others assign students to groups, sometimes balancing stronger and weaker writers on teams based on their early performances and/or grouping students by background and interests. Some instructors create teams based on competitive proposals (e.g., teams in groups of 2-3 present possible topics for the formal proposal, and the instructor and/or students pick those proposals that will go forward in the class by larger teams). Instructors are also free to organize roles within teams. Some instructors allow students to work out team roles by themselves; others set up specific roles that teams must include (e.g., project

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manager, lead presenters on assignments, etc.). Wolfe’s Team Writing has a chapter on the project manager role. Within groups, instructors should pay special attention to approving the topics for the formal proposal assignment, which is embedded into Assignment #2, the oral briefing (see Assignments in ENG 3060 below). The topic should be specific, technical, appropriately complex, and, importantly, it should somehow be connected to the backgrounds and interests of each member of the team. The connections do not have to be tight ones at the beginning of the project (e.g., the project does not have to be squarely within the major of every team member), but there should be connections that the students can build into their research (e.g., researching an aspect of the topic with respect to different majors on the team). Be wary of one particular group dynamic when the teams are brainstorming topics: sometimes one member of the team has a specific idea and argues successfully for it when other members of the team do not have such well-developed ideas; unless that idea has connections to all members of the team, though, it might not make a good choice for the team as a whole. Collaborative work on teams is common practice for most engineering projects in the workplace, and team collaboration is becoming increasingly common in academic and workplace settings of all kinds. In ENG 3060, special emphasis should be placed on how to coordinate teamwork (Anderson, Chapter 17-18, and Wolfe’s Team Writing): how to share leadership responsibilities; how to communicate digitally; how to manage conflict or debate; how to set objectives, agendas, and timetables; and how to keep members accountable. Students will also need instruction and practice in collaborative research and writing/revising processes (Anderson, Chapter 6; Wolfe, Chapters 5-6). Wolfe’s Team Writing has an extensive chapter on collaborative revising, explaining how to develop a team environment focused on constructive feedback and making a distinction between feedback and direct revision. Instructors should also create multiple opportunities within teams and within the class to provide feedback on presentations. The required assignments in ENG 3060 address each of these areas (see Assignments in ENG 3060 below): the oral briefing focuses on how the team will operate, the needs assessment memo and progress report will plan and report on this process, and the formal proposal assignment includes a required rehearsal for feedback from the instructor and other students. After taking ENG 3060, students should be prepared to collaborate on research-based technical presentations for upper-level college classes. Research Instructors can assume that ENG 3060 students have some experience in researching technical topics in ENG 3050 if they took their IC requirement in technical communication at Wayne State. In ENG 3060, students should continue to learn research skills for designing technical documents and presentations (Anderson, Chapter 6), including conducting primary research (interviews, observations, surveys); organizing a search to find primary and secondary materials in print and electronic sources; evaluating information from sources, especially online sources; and integrating information from sources with their own ideas in designing technical proposals and presentations.

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With respect to integrating information and ideas, students also should be explicitly taught the basics of intellectual property law and the details of citation and documentation in order to avoid plagiarism of language, text, and visuals (Anderson, Chapter 6, pp. 158-162). ENG 3060 students should become proficient in APA style (Anderson, Appendix A). The Anderson text and appendix have been updated with the 2009 APA style changes. The Undergraduate Library and its website should be a major resource for teaching research skills in ENG 3060. The Undergraduate Library offers a wide variety of sites and services for undergraduates and for instructors, including Ask-a-Librarian, reference tools (e.g., citation styles) and learning tools (e.g., assignment planner). More information is available on the library website and the pages for Reference Tools and Learning Tools:

http://www.lib.wayne.edu http://guides.lib.wayne.edu/referencetools

http://www.lib.wayne.edu/services/instruction/learningtools.php

The library also has a YouTube channel, which provides short videos on how to search for books and articles, how to evaluate websites, and how to recognize a research article:

http://www.youtube.com/wsuinst In addition, the library offers re:Search (formerly Searchpath), which is a set of self-directed online instructional modules on library research:

http://www.lib.wayne.edu/services/instruction/searchpath/ Modules include an introduction to the library (Starting Smart), choosing a topic, finding books using the catalog and articles using indexes and data bases, researching on the internet, and avoiding plagiarism by citing sources. Instructors can work re:Search into an assignment sequence: students can complete one or more modules, take quizzes, and have the quiz results emailed to instructors. Especially relevant for teaching ENG 3060, the Undergraduate Library website has Subject Guides for over 60 disciplines along with 15 How To Guides for students:

http://www.lib.wayne.edu/resources/guides/ How To Guides include materials about citing references, using APA style, and using reference tools. The subject Guides include a wide variety of fields. Each Guide is customized for the discipline, and most have tabs to relevant books, article databases, online journals, or websites for that particular field. The Engineering Guide has tabs for articles, books, and websites:

http://guides.lib.wayne.edu/content.php?pid=70949&sid=525522 There is a specific and extensive subject Guide for English:

http://guides.lib.wayne.edu/content.php?hs=a&pid=62407 The tabs across the top provide links to articles, books, and web resources, including links to data bases such as Proquest and Academic OneFile. On the English Guide, there is a special tab for ENG 3050/3060, which is organized with respect to the Anderson text:

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http://guides.lib.wayne.edu/content.php?pid=62407&sid=1133127

There are sidebars on searching the internet, creating a research plan, brainstorming tools, database best bets (including the Engineering index Compendex), and citing sources using APA style. There is a special box on Trade Publications – magazines and journals like Aviation Week, American Railway Engineering Association, and Machine Design – the box includes links to trade publication data bases. Trade publications are a useful research source for students relatively early in their technical programs or majors because they include summaries of current research, discussions of applications, and introductions to the areas of fields, such as chemical engineering or civil engineering. For access to primary research, the ENG 3050/3060 page has another box that provides links to the library subject Guides for Engineering, Environmental Science, Computer Science, and other technical disciplines of interest to ENG 3050/3060 students for their research. Finally, the Guide also has a graphic that poses questions for students to use in evaluating sources. Librarians are also available to students and instructors by appointment. Our English Department liaison librarian is Judith Arnold (ay4047@wayne.edu). Cheating and Plagiarism Assignment #1 in ENG 3060 includes a written informative summary. Please keep a copy of the informative summary to serve as a benchmark of each student’s writing in case there is a question of cheating or plagiarism. Students in Eng 3060 should be reminded how to avoid plagiarism, either deliberate or inadvertent. Anderson presents guidelines for observing intellectual property law in Chapter 6, (pp. 158-162), and Appendix A. All cases of plagiarism *must* be discussed with the Assistant to the Associate Chair in the English Department. A first case of plagiarism typically does not result in departmental action beyond the instructor’s plagiarism policy, but the Department does need to guard against serial plagiarism. Every ENG 3060 syllabus must include the following policy on cheating and plagiarism:

Cheating is the act of submitting papers or delivering presentations written by another person as your own. Cheating includes submitting papers or giving presentations that were written by another student in whole or in part as well as papers or presentations that were purchased or downloaded from the internet. Plagiarism is the act of copying work -- in whole or in part -- from books, articles, and websites without citing and documenting the source. Plagiarism includes copying language, texts, graphics, and visuals without citation (e.g., cutting and pasting from websites). Cheating and plagiarism are serious academic offenses: the minimum penalty for cheating or plagiarism is an F for the assignment; the full penalty for cheating or plagiarism may result in an F for the course. All cases of cheating or plagiarism in ENG 3060 will be reported to the English Department; information about plagiarism procedures is available in the Department of English.

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To detect plagiarism, all major assignments in ENG 3060 will be reviewed in SafeAssign on Blackboard. SafeAssign includes in its data base papers and presentations previously written by WSU students as well as papers and presentations copied or plagiarized from print or internet sources. All papers submitted to SafeAssign become part of the WSU data base. If you want extra instruction in avoiding plagiarism, the Undergraduate Library’s re:Search program includes a module on avoiding plagiarism:

http://www.lib.wayne.edu/services/instruction/searchpath/mod6/04-plagiarism.html You may also visit the WSU Writing Center for a tutorial on avoiding plagiarism. If you need assistance with your assignments, please go to the WSU Writing Center or the WSU Student Technology Studio:

http://www.clas.wayne.edu/writing/ http://www.lib.wayne.edu/services/computing/labs/sts

WSU tutors have been trained to assist students without crossing the line into providing excessive help.

Instructors must review the major written assignments in ENG 3060 -- the informative summary, needs assessment, and formal proposal -- with SafeAssign on Blackboard. SafeAssign will check presentations for plagiarism, too, but only if they are submitted in .rtf or PDF (and not .ppt) format. At the moment, SafeAssign cannot check for plagiarized graphics and images; however, all graphics and images from sources should be documented in presentations and written assignments using APA style. If you are not familiar with SafeAssign, please sign up for an introductory training on Deterring and Detecting Plagiarism with SafeAssign at the WSU OTL [Office for Teaching and Learning]:

http://www.otl.wayne.edu The OTL will also schedule individual appointment for instructors to learn SafeAssign. The class syllabus should include links on avoiding plagiarism, such as the UGL’s re:Search module on plagiarism:

http://www.lib.wayne.edu/services/instruction/searchpath/mod6/04-plagiarism.html If a student needs more help in writing without plagiarizing, instructors may also require a student to receive a tutorial on plagiarism in the Writing Center:

http://www.clas.wayne.edu/writing/ College and University policies on academic honesty can be found in the current Undergraduate Bulletin. These policies are as follows:

Cheating and Plagiarism (College of Liberal Arts) The principle of honesty is recognized as fundamental to a scholarly community. Students are expected to honor this principle and instructors are expected to take appropriate action when instances of academic dishonesty are discovered. An instructor, on discovering such an

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instance, may give a failing grade on the assignment or for the course. The instructor has the responsibility of notifying the student of the alleged violation and the action being taken. Both the student and the instructor are entitled to academic due process in all such cases. Acts of dishonesty may lead to suspension or exclusion. Information on procedures is available in the Office of the Dean. Student Academic Ethics (Wayne State University) Academic Work: Academic work submitted by a student for credit is assumed to be of his/her own creation, and if found not to be, will constitute cause for the student’s dismissal.

Technology Most classrooms in State Hall and Old Main are equipped with media carts, including a computer, projector, DVD and audio players with speakers; some classrooms are equipped with wireless internet access. To check the availability of equipment and internet access for your classroom, consult the University Library website:

http://www.lib.wayne.edu/services/media/rooms.php The upgraded media carts in State Hall classrooms are now unlocked, and they are easy to use. If you wish to use the computer in the cart, simply touch the screen to start and select “Room Computer” to display the computer screen on the projector screen. A mouse and keyboard have been installed in a sliding drawer in the front of the cabinet. A USB device can be used with the computer by inserting it into the USB port near the touch screen or on the front side of the computer in the cart. If you wish to use your own laptop, there are two connection cables located to the left of the touch screen: a combined monitor/audio cable and an Ethernet cable (for internet access). Each cart also has electrical outlets for plugging in laptops. The technology cart in the Bernath Auditorium uses the same media cart as the upgraded classrooms. Some Old Main classrooms still use the older, locked media carts, and instructors must make an appointment with Media Services in the Purdy/Kresge Library to learn how to operate the equipment and receive the combination for the lock. Call the Technology Resource Center (7-1980) to schedule training. If you are in a classroom or auditorium and need immediate assistance with technology, call Media Services at 7-1980. To avoid problems at final presentations in auditoriums, please arrange to have Media Services arrive 15 minutes or half an hour early so that equipment can be turned on and checked. All sections of ENG 3060 should have and maintain a Blackboard site. Wayne State students are familiar with Blackboard, and surveys indicate that they appreciate Blackboard sites for their courses and use them actively (especially the Grade Center). If you are not familiar with Blackboard, please sign up for one of the OTL’s several workshops on using Blackboard:

http://www.otl.wayne.edu

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If you use another technology to house your course (e.g., a wiki), please provide links to and from the Blackboard site for the course. If you use an internet course site in addition to Blackboard, please note that students who do not wish to post assignments on an internet site for privacy reasons should be given an alternative means of submitting assignments to Blackboard, which is WSU-sponsored and password protected. Students in ENG 3060 should use a variety of technologies available for reading/listening, research, collaborative writing/revising in the design of presentations, and delivering presentations, including presentation software (e.g., PowerPoint or Prezi), websites, data bases, blogs, and wikis. Collaboration software like Blackboard, PBWorks (wikis), and Google Docs are increasingly popular tools for collaboration in classes and workplaces. Compared to channels like email and instant messaging between team members and instructors, collaboration software functions like platforms (Blackboard, wiki, Google Docs), where information is centralized and easily reviewed and revised by small groups. In collaboration software, particularly wikis, team members can track and store feedback and edits, create specialized and general knowledge data bases for projects, and extend the reach of the project to audiences beyond instructors and peers (e.g., by posting projects to wikis or websites). Popular presentation software like PowerPoint and Prezi are introduced in Anderson (Chapter 19) and in the recommended text Presentation Zen. These introductions discuss basic design principles for slides; graphics (charts, maps, graphs, diagrams); images (photos, screen shots, etc.); videos; and animations. Presentation Zen draws on examples such as T.E.D., IGNITE and Pecha-Kucha to discuss how these online formats have successfully brought together design principles and presentation skills to popularize scientific and technical presentations. Many of these sites have interesting sample presentations students can analyze for presentation skills, text, slides, graphics, visuals, etc. For instructors and students not familiar with basic technologies for presentations, the Undergraduate Library has a How To Guide to Microsoft Office 2007, with a tab for PowerPoint:

http://guides.lib.wayne.edu/content.php?hs=a&pid=85127 http://guides.lib.wayne.edu/content.php?pid=85127&sid=633640

WikiHow has a useful page on creating a presentation with Prezi:

http://www.wikihow.com/Create-an-Online-Presentation-With-Prezi For multi-media projects, instructors and students may wish to make an appointment at the UGL Student Technology Studio (UGL 2305), which is staffed with media-savvy tutors:

http://www.lib.wayne.edu/services/computing/labs/sts/ For a first-time instructor in ENG 3060, PowerPoint and Blackboard are appropriate technologies to use. More experienced instructors are encouraged to experiment with Prezi for presentations and PBWorks for wikis in ENG 3060:

• Prezi http://prezi.com/ • PBWorks http://pbworks.com/content/edu-basic-edition

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Prezi is easy to learn, and PBWorks wikis are already in use in a number of WSU composition classes, so students might be familiar with them. For instructors interested even more sites, most of the collaborative platforms mentioned above are open access, and Googling the names will open up useful websites:

• Google Docs http://docs.google.com/support/bin/topic.py?hl=en&topic=15114 • MediaWiki http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/MediaWiki • T.E.D. http://www.ted.com/ • IGNITE http://www.ignitetech.com/ • Pecha-Kucha http://www.pecha-kucha.org/

For students who do not have access to computers, the Undergraduate Library has several hundred computer stations available for students, and there are other computer labs on campus as well. Teaching Methods in ENG 3060 ENG 3060 is a challenging course to teach because students may not have a solid background in collaborative proposal writing and technical presentation design. A further complication is that though ENG 3050 at Wayne State requires research, transfer students may not have had extensive experience in conducting research on technical topics. In teaching ENG 3060, *every* class period should include substantial attention to student writing and design, whether in direct instruction, small group work, presentation rehearsals, or other classroom activities. Assignments in ENG 3060 ENG 3060 fulfills the General Education Oral Communication [OC] graduation requirement. The General Education requirements for an OC course include at least 4 presentations of 5 or more minutes each, at least 3 extemporaneous style presentations, and at least 1 persuasive presentation. The required assignments in ENG 3060 easily meet these requirements. Required assignments in all sections of ENG 3060 include the following:

• informative summary (paper and presentation) • oral briefing (presentation) • needs assessment (memo) • progress report (presentation) • formal proposal (presentation and document) • performance review (memo)

These assignments are based on the project descriptions in Anderson (Appendix B):

• Assignment #1 informative summary (Anderson, pp. 319-321) • Assignment #2 oral briefing (Anderson, Project 13, pp. 702-703) • Assignment #3 needs assessment (see assignment sheet) • Assignment #4 progress report (Anderson, Project 11, pp. 700)

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• Assignment #5 formal proposal (Anderson, Project 12, pp. 701-702) • Assignment #6 performance review (Wolfe, Peer Evaluation, p. 127)

Assignment sheets with rubrics for each assignment are attached. Instructors are required to hold a rehearsal for feedback before the final presentation of the formal proposal (see the assignment sheet). Part-time faculty and GTAs teaching ENG 3060 for the first time must use the assignment sheets and rubrics provided in the New Common Syllabus. After that, instructors may specialize their assignments individually, while staying within the requirements of the New Common Syllabus. For the required assignments, instructors *must* provide students with written assignment sheets. Include your grading rubric on the assignment (see Grading Assignments below). An assignment sheet gives students a specific idea of the conventions for each of the genres in proposal design and presentation. It also helps keep students on track as they research, write, design, revise, and format. A written assignment sheet is an immense help should students go to the Writing Center or the Student Technology Studio for assistance. Assignment sheets *must* describe the process for individual/team grading for each assignment (see Grading in ENG 3060 below). On your syllabus, please label assignments and provide approximate page numbers or time frames so that it is clear how the syllabus fulfills the General Education Oral Communication requirements and the New Common Syllabus assignment requirements.

Example Assignments Written Requirements Oral Requirements

#1 informative summary (individual grading)

1-2 pages, single spaced 5 points

4-5 minute individual presentation 10 points

#2 oral briefing (collaborative grading)

n/a 12-15 minute group presentation 10 points

#3 needs assessment memo (collaborative grading)

4-5 pages, single spaced 10 points

n/a

#4 progress report (collaborative grading)

n/a 12-15 minute group presentation 10 points

#5 formal proposal (evite – collaborative grading)

(proposal -- individual grading)

Evite 5 points

18-20 pages, single spaced 20 points

10-12 minute rehearsal 0 points

20-25 minute presentation 20 points

#6 performance review (individual grading --

up to 5 points awarded)

Memo 1-2 pages, single spaced

n/a

attendance (individual grading –

up to 5 points maximum)

n/a n/a

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Grading in ENG 3060 Grading Assignments In ENG 3060, paper and presentation assignments are awarded grades from A-F. A grade of A-C indicates that the student or team has successfully met the requirements of the assignment. A grade of C- or below indicates that the student or team has not successfully met the requirements of the assignment. Final grades should reflect the quality of the writing and/or presentation, not the amount of effort expended. For the required assignments, instructors *must* use a rubric for grading. The rubric should be included on the assignment sheet. Using rubrics for grading in ENG 3060 gives students the evaluation criteria for individual assignments as well as an understanding of the standards for designing and presenting technical documents in upper-level college classes. Using rubrics helps instructors achieve consistency and efficiency in grading by focusing on selected criteria that grow steadily more complex over the course of the term. Rubrics also help combat grade inflation. Part-time faculty and GTAs teaching ENG 3060 for the first time must use the rubrics provided in the assignment sheets in the New Common Syllabus. After that, instructors may develop their own rubrics for assignments. A rubric can be designed in many forms, including a point system, a series of statements or questions, a checklist, etc. Some instructors design assignment rubrics in collaboration with the students in the class. For more on rubrics, including examples, see the WSU Composition Faculty Handbook wiki:

http://wsucompositionfacultyhandbook.pbworks.com password -- teaching

From the FrontPage of the wiki, click on the link to the Rubrics and More Rubrics page. Some A-level materials from Spring/Summer, 2010, are posted on the ENG 3060 box of the WSU Composition Faculty Handbook wiki:

http://wsucompositionfacultyhandbook.pbworks.com password – teaching

Although these materials were from an ENG 3060 class taught before this New Common Syllabus goes into effect, instructors may use them to demonstrate excellent design and execution of ENG 3060 work (this will help avoid grade inflation, too). Individual/Team Grading Instructors may set their own grading policies for individual and team grading. In the ENG 3060 syllabus template, for example, the informative summary (paper and presentation) is graded individually. For the collaborative assignments, a team grade is awarded (e.g., all members of the team receive the same grade). The final proposal and presentation are graded individually based on specific sections each individual wrote and delivered. Team members should be asked to evaluate their collaborative work (see the assignment sheet for Assignment #6, which asks students to write a performance review of their teammates).

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However grades will be calculated and awarded, please make the process of individual/team grading very specific and clear on your class syllabus and assignment sheets. Students do not like vague holistic statements about grading, and in a class with collaborative assignments, they do not like uncertainty about team/individual grading. Students especially fear that a poor performance by one or two individuals will affect the team grade, so instructors should strive to be fair to both the individuals and the team. The team/individual grading process should be included on each assignment sheet.

Example 65% of the final grade is based on individual performance:

• informative summary 15 points • formal proposal 40 points • collaboration grade 5 points • attendance 5 points

35% of the final grade is based on team performance: • oral briefing 10 points • needs assessment 10 points • progress report 10 points • evite 5 points

Occasionally, a team may have a egregiously non-functioning member, and it may be necessary to remove his/her grade from the team grade: e.g., the team may have submitted A, B, or C-level work, but one member submitted failing work or did not submit any work at all despite team and instructor efforts to the contrary (see Wofe’s suggestions in Team Writing, Chapter 8, about dealing with irresponsible team members). In these cases, instructors should use their judgment, perhaps to give the team grade to all contributing members and a failing grade to the non-contributing one. This should be a rare intervention in collaborative grading, however, and instructors should keep careful records (copies of work, emails, etc.) in case of a grade challenge or class complaint. Early Academic Assessment (EAA) Grades Although instructors are not required to file EAA grades for students in ENG 3060, the university system will work for ENG 3060, and instructors are encouraged to file EAA grades for students who are not performing at a C or better level. EAA grades are submitted through Pipeline:

http://reg.wayne.edu/faculty/eaa.php EAA grades do not become a part of a student’s permanent academic record, but they provide a timely opportunity for struggling students who need help. Students who receive an EAA grade of C- or below receive a letter referring them to university services. There is good educational research to show that early warning and referrals can be key to students’ success in college classes, and there is good institutional research at Wayne State showing that students (and faculty) can be unaware of resources to help struggling students (e.g., the Writing Center, the Academic Success Center, etc.).

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Instructors will receive emails from the EAA program early in the term. Please file your EAA grades in advance of the deadline. Grading Policies/Class Policies (See the English Department Syllabus Checklist and Policy Information handouts distributed by the Associate Chair’s office at the beginning of each term). Instructors largely set their own grading policies in ENG 3060, including expectations for assignments (rubrics), formats for assignments, individual/team grading, the policies and processes for drafts/rehearsals and revisions/final presentations, the policies on late assignments and making up work, and the weight given to each assignment in the final grade for the course. Instructors also set their own class policies in ENG 3060, including attendance, adding and dropping the course, and the use of I [Incomplete] and W [Withdrawal] grades. Developing an attendance policy is somewhat tricky in ENG 3060. On the one hand, the attendance policy cannot be too generous: for example, having 10% of the grade awarded primarily on the basis of attendance, under the assumption that participation will follow once students are in the class sessions, allows students to raise their grade by a whole letter not based on writing and designing papers/presentations (see Hints for Grading to the Guidelines below). On the other hand, the attendance policy must not be excessively punitive yet have a significant effect in deterring multiple absences, especially for collaborative assignments: for example, students who skip 6 or more classes probably shouldn’t pass the course with a C or better. The sample grading policy on the syllabus template attempts to meet both of these demands: attendance is rewarded by a maximum of 5%, and excessive absences are penalized 5% each:

Example Class Attendance – class attendance is required, and attendance will be taken at each class session. More than 20 minutes late will count as an absence. Attendance will figure in the final grade as follows:

• 0 classes missed 0 points penalized • 1 class missed 1 point penalty • 2 classes missed 2 point penalty • 3 classes missed 3 point penalty • 4 classes missed 4 point penalty • each subsequent absence 5 point penalty

The attached ENG 3060 syllabus template provides samples of grading policies and class policies. Final Grades The syllabus template uses a grading system built on a 100-point scale, with assignments and final grades calculated as follows:

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Assignments Written Requirements Oral Requirements #1 informative summary

(individual grading)

1-2 pages, single spaced 5 points

4-5 minute individual presentation 10 points

#2 oral briefing (collaborative grading)

n/a 12-15 minute group presentation 10 points

#3 needs assessment memo (collaborative grading)

4-5 pages, single spaced 10 points

n/a

#4 progress report (collaborative grading)

n/a 12-15 minute group presentation 10 points

#5 formal proposal (evite – collaborative grading)

(proposal -- individual grading)

Evite 5 points

18-20 pages, single spaced 20 points

10-12 minute rehearsal 0 points

20-25 minute presentation 20 points

#6 performance review (individual grading --

up to 5 points awarded)

Memo 1-2 pages, single spaced

n/a

attendance (individual grading –

up to 5 points maximum)

n/a n/a

65% of the final grade is based on individual performance:

• informative summary 15 points • formal proposal 40 points • collaboration grade 5 points • attendance 5 points

35% of the final grade is based on team performance: • oral briefing 10 points • needs assessment 10 points • progress report 10 points • evite 5 points

Class attendance will affect the final grade as follows:

• 0 classes missed 0 points penalized • 1 class missed 1 point penalty • 2 classes missed 2 point penalty • 3 classes missed 3 point penalty • 4 classes missed 4 point penalty • each subsequent absence 5 point penalty

Final grades are based on the following scale:

• 94-100 A • 90-93 A- • 87-89 B+ • 84-86 B

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• 80-83 B- • 77-79 C+ • 74-76 C A grade of C or better fulfills the Gen Ed Oral Communication

graduation requirement. • 70-73 C- • 67-79 D+ • 64-66 D • 60-63 D- • 00-59 F

With the General Education C or better requirement now in place, instructors must give careful thought to what it means for a student to pass or not pass ENG 3060. A passing final grade of C or better in ENG 3060 indicates that the student has clearly achieved all the learning outcomes of the course and is prepared to design technical proposals and presentations in a variety of upper-level courses in the university. A non-passing final grade of C- or below in ENG 3060 indicates that the student has clearly not achieved the learning outcomes and needs to repeat the course in order to be prepared to successfully design technical documents in upper-level college courses. It is important to note that not passing a student in ENG 3060 is not an absolute failure or a ticket to dismissal from the University. It simply reflects the student’s need to repeat the course in order to be prepared for successful technical communication assignments in upper-level college classes. There are repeating students in sections of ENG 3060 each term. The credibility of the Composition Program rests in part on consistency of grading across all sections of ENG 3060. Although exceptional classes can happen, the grading guidelines for ENG 3060 aim at a more standard grade distribution for a multi-section course: A up to 20% i.e., around 5 students in a class of 24 B up to 30% i.e., around 7 students in a class of 24 C+/C up to 25% i.e., around 6 students in a class of 24 C-/D/F/W apprx. 25% i.e., around 6 students in a class of 24 These guidelines suggest no more than a 50% distribution of As and Bs in a standard class. Grades in individual sections should normally be in line with these guidelines. Grade distributions in individual sections will be reviewed within the English Department. Hints for grading to the guidelines:

• do not make attendance and participation worth 10% of a course grade: on a 100 point scale, that allows non-writing to change an entire letter grade. Make attendance and participation worth no more than 5% of the grade (see the sample attendance policy above).

• leverage students’ interest in grades: especially in ENG 3060, students are often highly motivated by grades (so make ‘em work).

• make assignments challenging: if assignments are too easy, especially at the beginning of the term, you may find yourself giving too many As and Bs that have the cumulative effect of an inflated course grade.

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• grade conservatively at the beginning of the class: this gives you room to use the entire grading scale as the term goes on, especially for the later papers and presentations.

• read through an entire set of written assignments before beginning to grade individual papers: you will see the variation in the set and get an intuitive idea of how the range of grades – A, B, C+/C, C-/D/F should consistently be applied.

• grade with a rubric: rubrics help establish the focus and consistency of letter grading and are now required for assignments in ENG 3060.

• grade presentations as firmly as you grade written assignments: establish high standards for the design and delivery of presentations, and challenge students to perform at or near professional standards.

• make the formal proposal and presentation the most heavily weighted assignments: by the time students work on their formal proposal in the second half of the course, they will be experienced collaborative technical writers and presenters, and they will be familiar with the level of work required for an A, B, or C assignment.

• do not allow rewrites or repeats after final grades on an assignment: rewriting a paper or repeating a presentation solely for a grade is artificial revision, and it risks grade inflation.

Instructors, especially part-time faculty, are sometimes concerned about the relationship between grading and SET scores on teaching evaluations. The English Department is aware that students sometimes rate instructors in rigorous required courses lower than they may deserve. In the Department, decisions about staffing are never made solely or primarily on the basis of SET scores. WSU Writing Center The following information about the Writing Center must appear on every 3060 syllabus:

The Writing Center (2nd floor, UGL) provides individual tutoring consultations free of charge for students at Wayne State University. Undergraduate students in General Education courses, including composition courses, receive priority for tutoring appointments. The Writing Center serves as a resource for writers, providing tutoring sessions on the range of activities in the writing process – considering the audience, analyzing the assignment or genre, brainstorming, researching, writing drafts, revising, editing, and preparing documentation. The Writing Center is *not* an editing or proofreading service; rather, students are guided as they engage collaboratively in the process of academic writing, from developing an idea to editing for grammar and mechanics. To make an appointment, consult the Writing Center website:

http://www.clas.wayne.edu/writing/ To submit material for online tutoring, consult the Writing Center HOOT website (Hypertext One-on-One Tutoring):

http://www.clas.wayne.edu/unit-inner.asp?WebPageID=1330. Instructors may require individual students to attend the Writing Center to receive tutoring on a specific assignment, skill, or aspect of the writing process. Instructors may also require individual students to attend the Writing Center to receive instruction in grammar and mechanics. Instructors may *not* require entire classes to attend the Writing Center.

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For more information about the Writing Center, please contact the Director, Jule Wallis (phone: 7-2544; email: au1145@wayne.edu). WSU Student Technology Studio The following information about the Student Technology Studio must appear on every 3060 syllabus: The Student Technology Studio [STS] provides technology equipment and software for individual or small groups of students to use in creating multimedia projects, assignments, or other course-related activities. Currently registered WSU students can make appointments or drop in to use STS equipment and/or work with tutors. For more information, call the STS lab desk (7-5083), or consult the STS website:

http://www.lib.wayne.edu/services/computing/labs/sts/ For more information about the Student Technology Studio, instructors should contact the STS Coordinator (phone: 7-5947; email: stscoordinator@wayne.edu). WSU Resources for Students

• Adamany Undergraduate Library http://www.lib.wayne.edu/info/maps/ugl.php • Student Disability Services http://studentdisability.wayne.edu/ • Academic Success Center http://www.success.wayne.edu/ • Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) http://www.caps.wayne.edu

The Academic Success Center, in particular, is a valuable resource for students: it offers tutoring, study skills counseling, and a wide variety of workshops, including sessions on reading, note-taking, study skills, and learning styles. WSU Resources for Instructors The Office for Teaching and Learning [OTL] offers an extensive schedule of workshops and individual appointments for instructors, from introductions to Blackboard to videotaping and analyzing teaching sessions. The website also has a number of useful pages on WSU policies, including Cheating and Plagiarism and Copyright:

http://www.otl.wayne.edu The OTL has several regularly scheduled workshops related to ENG 3060, including Designing Effective Presentations with PowerPoint and Embedding Technology into PowerPoint Presentations. Instructor Emergencies If you will miss a class session because of an emergency, please notify your students via Blackboard email or text messaging. Please also notify the Department by calling or leaving a message at the front desk – 313-577-2450 -- include your name, date, class information, and reason for absence.

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Required Elements of an ENG 3060 Syllabus The following elements are required in an ENG 3060 syllabus:

• Department of English course description • ENG 3060 learning outcomes • required textbooks (Anderson’s Technical Communication, 7th ed. and Wofe’s Team

Writing) • required chapters in Anderson (Chapters 3, 6, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 23, 26) • required assignments – informative summary, oral briefing, needs assessment, progress

report, formal proposal, performance review o note: assignment sheets and rubrics are required for these assignments;

individual/team grading processes must be specified o note: assignments must meet the General Education Oral Communication

requirements • cheating and plagiarism policy • WSU Writing Center information • WSU Student Technology Studio information

ENG 3060 Syllabus Template The syllabus template follows the Department of English Syllabus Checklist and Policy Information handouts. Instructors should add any information specific to their section to their syllabus (e.g., instructions for posting assignments to Blackboard, additional assignments or exams, etc.). Required Submission of Syllabus to Department Per WSU policy, all instructors are required to submit a copy of their ENG 3060 syllabus to the Department of English (see the Syllabus Checklist). ENG 3060 syllabi will be reviewed within the English Department to check for the mandatory elements of the New Common Syllabus.

• Fall term deadline -- Friday, September 24 • Winter term deadline -- Friday, February 4 • Spring/Summer term deadline -- Friday, June 10