Dr. Dean Taciuch
George Mason University

Summer 2008


 

English 410:B01
Course Syllabus

Course Description

Intensive study and practice in various forms of technical writing, including formal and informal reports, proposals, and technical correspondence. Emphasis on writing for a variety of audiences, both lay and informed, and on writing within various professional and organizational contexts.

Textbook

Gurak and Lannon. Concise Guide to Technical Communication, 3rd Edition.
With My TechCommLab Access Code. Pearson/Longman.
ISBN-10: 0321469828 |
ISBN-13: 9780321469823
$70.67

Online

Pearson MyTechCommLab Class ID cm899150

Assignments

Customer Letter (15%)
Résumé (10%)
Short Report: Instruction or Procedure (15%)
Proposal (10%)
Progress Report (5%)
Analytical Report (25%)
Presentation (10%)
Exercises (10%)

Course Policies

Grading: Grades on the essays will be based primarily on the quality of the writing. I value clear, focused writing with plenty of examples. The audience for the essays will vary, but I expect all assignments to be written for a specific audience.

Late Assignments: Late papers will lose one-half letter grade per day unless you make prior arrangements with me.

Revision Policy: The Customer Letter, Résumé, Short Report, and Proposal may be revised for a higher grade, but they must be substantially revised. You cannot lose a grade by revising, but a higher grade is not guaranteed. I have found that "B" papers (or higher) are often more difficult to revise, since serious revision requires thoroughly changing the essay's structure, and "B" papers usually have a fairly good structure. "C" papers (or lower) often respond more dramatically to revision, since the major changes they require are often more straightforward. I recommend revising "C" papers or lower only. If you plan to revise a "B" paper, please see me beforehand so we can discuss a revision strategy.

All revisions must be turned in by July 10th.


Plagiarism: The GMU Honor code is available online. I will report suspected cases of plagiarism to the Honor Committee.


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

 

 

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