8/14/2019 WRTC 510 Syllabus
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WRTC510:SeminarinTechnicalandScientificCommunication
Thisdocumentoutlinesthemainclasspolicies.Forinformationaboutspecificassignmentsandthe
classschedule,pleasevisittheclasswebsite.
InstructorInformation
Dr.PavelZemliansky
SchoolofWriting,Rhetoric,andTechnicalCommunicationOffice:2285HarrisonHall
OfficeHours:TTh,9.30am12.00pm,andbyappointment
email:[email protected](preferredmethodofgettingintouch)
officephonenumber:5687056
classwebsite:www.pzwriting.net/wrtc510
CourseDescriptionfromtheJMUGraduateCatalog
WRTC510isafoundationscourse.Itisastudyofthetheoriesandhistoryoftechnicaland
scientificcommunicationanditsmajorfiguresandissues.Thecourseintroducesstudentsto
foundationaltextsinthefield.
CourseGoalsandObjectives
ThemainquestionforinvestigationinthisclassisWhatisTechnicalandScientific
CommunicationasaFieldofPracticeandofStudy?Mostofoureffortsthissemesterwillbe
directedatexploringthisquestion.
Thisclassisaseminarandtheword"seminar"impliesactiveandlivelydiscussionofimportant
issuesbyeveryone.Therefore,thesuccessofthisclassaswellyourindividualsuccessinit
dependsheavilyonthelevelofyourengagementeverytimewemeet.Formoreinformationon
participationrequirements,pleaseseebelow.
Bytheendofthecourse,thestudentswill:
Understandthemaintheoriesandtrendsincontemporarytechnicalandscientificcommunication
Gainahistoricalperspectiveofthediscipline
Engageinconversationsaboutthedisciplinethroughindependentresearchandwriting
RequiredTexts
Datacloud:TowardaNewTheoryofOnlineWork,byJohnsonEilola
CentralWorksinTechnicalCommunication
.Eds.JohnsonEilolaandSelber.Oxford
UniversityPress,2004.ThebookisavailableattheJMUbookstore.
Rhetoric,Innovation,Technology:CaseStudiesofTechnicalCommunicationinTechnologyTransfers,byStephenDohenyFarina
OnlinearticleswhichIwillpostontheclasswebsiteasneeded
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CourseProjects
Fordetaileddescriptionsofeachproject,pleasevisittheUnitsandAssignmentssectionofthe
website.
Inclassandonlineparticipation20%
4connectedexploratoryblogposts20% Collaborativecasestudyreport30%
FinalProject30%
EvaluationofyourWork
YoucanfindtheevaluationcriteriaforeachprojectintheProjectssectionofthewebsite.
However,asageneralpolicy,toreceivean"A"inthisclass,youwillneedtoexceedtheminimum
standardsandexpectations.Anytimeyouhaveaquestionabouteitherevaluationcriteriafora
particularassignmentoraboutyourstandingintheclass,pleasedonothesitatetotalktome.
AttendanceandParticipation
Attendanceinthisclassismandatory.Youareallowedtwoabsences,noquestionsasked.Any
moreabsenceswillresultinalowerparticipationgrade.Ifyoudomissaclass,youarestill
responsiblefordoingthehomeworkandcomingtothenextmeetingprepared.
AcademicIntegrity
AsmembersoftheJMUcommunity,wemustfollowtheJMUHonorCode.Needlesstosay,any
attemptsatplagiarism,fabricationofdata,orcollusionwillbedealtwithseverelyandswiftly.
LateWork
Idonotacceptlatework,regardlessoftheproject,unlessanextensionhasbeenarrangedwith
mebeforethesubmissiondeadline.Lateworkwillreceivegradedeductions.
AmericanswithDisabilitiesActInformation
Ifyourequirespecialaccommodations,pleaseprovidealetterfromJMU'sOfficeofDisability
Servicesduringthefirstweekofclass.
InclementWeatherPolicy
Tofindoutaboutweatherrelatedclosingsanddelays,pleasevisittheJMUwebsiteorcallJMU
weatherlikeonthemorningoftheclass
