traci – Technical Writing http://3764su15.tracigardner.com English 3764 for Summer II 2015 Mon, 17 Aug 2015 05:55:35 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.5.3 Course Grades Posted http://3764su15.tracigardner.com/course-grades-posted/ http://3764su15.tracigardner.com/course-grades-posted/#respond Mon, 17 Aug 2015 04:03:51 +0000 http://3764su15.tracigardner.com/?p=1365 Read more →

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I have finished grading all the work for the course and submitted course grades in HokieSpa. The grades are also available in the gradebook in Scholar. As a reminder, I use a Scholar’s default grade scale (no rounding). Thank you so much for your work this term.

Unsubscribing from the Course Website and Twitter Updates

If you subscribed to the course website at the beginning of the term, you probably want to unsubscribe now. Look for an unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email message that you get from the course website.

If you were following the course Twitter account (@HokieTengrrl), just go the the page in Twitter and click the Unfollow button.

Moving Forum Posts

I’ve moved the forum posts to a private archive, so that students in the future won’t find your work and get confused. Only people who were in the course can see those messages now. The messages are no longer available to the general public.


 

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Submitting Project 5 http://3764su15.tracigardner.com/submitting-project-5/ http://3764su15.tracigardner.com/submitting-project-5/#respond Fri, 14 Aug 2015 04:03:27 +0000 http://3764su15.tracigardner.com/?p=1362 Read more →

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This is the post for Friday, August 14.

Readings for August 14 &15

If you need a refresher, please review the following:

Work for August 14 &15

There are two parts to submitting Project 1:

  • Writing your transmittal memo.
    As I explained in the assignment, the transmittal memo is your chance to tell me anything you want me to know about your project. I will read your memo before I read your bio.

  • Sharing your project link.
    For this project, your transmittal memo will give me the link to your biography statement on Google Drive (or wherever it is). Since you may have worked on LinkedIn or elsewhere, your link for this project may not go to the Google Drive.

Writing Your Transmittal Memo and Submitting Your Project

Follow these instructions to submit your work:

  1. Go to the Assignments tab on the left menu in Scholar.
  2. Choose “P5: Completion Report (Final).”
  3. Scroll down to the text box below the headings Submission and Assignment Text. You will write your transmittal memo in this box. (Alternately, you can write in a word processor and copy/paste your text into this box.)
  4. Add your memo headers (To, From, Subject, and Date). For your transmittal memo, you’ll use the following:
    • Address your memo to me (Traci) and from you (use your name).
    • Add a subject line that indicates this is your transmittal memo and which project it is for.
    • Add the current date.
  5. Insert a horizontal divider line under the headers (using the button indicated with the red arrow in the image below):
    Insert Horizontal Line button in Scholar
  6. Introduce your project:
    • Tell me anything I need to know before I read your completion report.
    • Explain what grade you aimed for and how well you think you met your goals.
  7. Make sure that your document is a Google Doc (and not a PDF or Word Docx file). See the tips below for information on how to convert your files if necessary.
  8. Add the Share link to the document on your Google Drive. Use the instructions for how to get the Share link on the FAQ site if you are unsure how to share documents (see the tips below).
  9. Agree to the Honor Code by clicking the checkbox at the bottom of the page in Scholar. You cannot finish submitting the project without clicking that checkbox.
  10. Submit your Project, and save a copy of the confirmation and submission ID. If something goes wrong in Scholar, you can contact 4HELP with that information.

Tips on Using Google Drive

The FAQ site has step-by-step instructions for tasks you will complete with your Google Drive, including converting your document if you have worked in another word processor, adding comments, and sharing your documents are all included.

To make sure that you can submit your first project smoothly, pay attention to the following FAQs:

Note that if your documents are in the wrong format or the permissions do not allow me to comment, I will return your work ungraded.


 

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Project 5 Examples http://3764su15.tracigardner.com/project-5-examples/ http://3764su15.tracigardner.com/project-5-examples/#respond Thu, 13 Aug 2015 04:03:10 +0000 http://3764su15.tracigardner.com/?p=1358 Read more →

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This is the post for Thursday, August 13.

Today you will read some example self-assessment documents and consider how they use word choice.

Readings for August 13

For today’s session, please read the following:

Work for August 13

Course Evaluation

Please fill out the Student Perceptions of Teaching (SPOT) survey for this course. I do not see the feedback until after grades are submitted, and your comments are anonymous.

The feedback helps the department make important decisions about teaching methods, course content, and faculty promotion. Written comments help me decide what to keep or change the next time I teach the course.


 

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Overview of Project 5 http://3764su15.tracigardner.com/overview-of-project-5/ http://3764su15.tracigardner.com/overview-of-project-5/#respond Wed, 12 Aug 2015 04:03:21 +0000 http://3764su15.tracigardner.com/?p=1351 Read more →

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This is the post for August 12.

Today, you will read through the assignment for the final exam, read related information from the textbook, and post any questions you have.

Readings for August 12

Work for August 12

  • Review the Forum Posts and Participation page, which includes the goals you will report on in your final project. Note that the quantity requirements for participation will not change, and all forum posts must be submitted by 11:55 PM on the last day of classes, August 13.

  • Begin gathering data on your participation in the course by reading your posts in the forums and finding your best work.

  • If you have any questions about the assignment, go to Questions about Project 5 in the forum and add them.


 

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Submitting Project 4 http://3764su15.tracigardner.com/submitting-project-4/ http://3764su15.tracigardner.com/submitting-project-4/#respond Tue, 11 Aug 2015 04:03:19 +0000 http://3764su15.tracigardner.com/?p=1342 Read more →

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This is the post for Tuesday, August 11, 2015.

Today you will submit your fourth project.

Readings for August 11

For today’s session, please read (or review) the following:

Work for August 11

There are two parts to submitting Project 1:

  • Writing your transmittal memo.
    As I explained in the assignment, the transmittal memo is your chance to tell me anything you want me to know about your project. I will read your memo before I read your bio.

  • Sharing your project link.
    For this project, your transmittal memo will give me the link to your biography statement on Google Drive (or wherever it is). Since you may have worked on LinkedIn or elsewhere, your link for this project may not go to the Google Drive.

Writing Your Transmittal Memo and Submitting Your Project

Follow these instructions to submit your work:

  1. Go to the Assignments tab on the left menu in Scholar.
  2. Choose “P4: Genre Analysis Report.”
  3. Scroll down to the text box below the headings Submission and Assignment Text. You will write your transmittal memo in this box. (Alternately, you can write in a word processor and copy/paste your text into this box.)
  4. Add your memo headers (To, From, Subject, and Date). For your transmittal memo, you’ll use the following:
    • Address your memo to me (Traci) and from you (use your name).
    • Add a subject line that indicates this is your transmittal memo and which project it is for.
    • Add the current date.
  5. Insert a horizontal divider line under the headers (using the button indicated with the red arrow in the image below):
    Insert Horizontal Line button in Scholar
  6. Introduce your project:
    • Tell me about the analytical report you are submitting for your project.
    • Explain what grade you aimed for and how well you think you met your goals.
  7. Make sure that your document is a Google Doc (and not a PDF or Word Docx file). See the tips below for information on how to convert your files if necessary.
  8. Add the Share link to the document on your Google Drive. Use the instructions for how to get the Share link on the FAQ site if you are unsure how to share documents (see the tips below).
  9. Agree to the Honor Code by clicking the checkbox at the bottom of the page in Scholar. You cannot finish submitting the project without clicking that checkbox.
  10. Submit your Project, and save a copy of the confirmation and submission ID. If something goes wrong in Scholar, you can contact 4HELP with that information.

Tips on Using Google Drive

The FAQ site has step-by-step instructions for tasks you will complete with your Google Drive, including converting your document if you have worked in another word processor, adding comments, and sharing your documents are all included.

To make sure that you can submit your first project smoothly, pay attention to the following FAQs:

Note that if your documents are in the wrong format or the permissions do not allow me to comment, I will return your work ungraded.


 

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Peer Review for Project 4 http://3764su15.tracigardner.com/peer-review-for-project-4/ http://3764su15.tracigardner.com/peer-review-for-project-4/#respond Fri, 07 Aug 2015 04:03:55 +0000 http://3764su15.tracigardner.com/?p=1339 Read more →

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This is the post for Friday and Monday, August 7 and 10, 2015.

Because Project 4 is a larger project, I have opened up peer review on Friday, so that those of you who want more time can complete your peer review and revision during the weekend. Details are below.

Readings for August 7 & 10

For this week, please review the following, as necessary:

Work for August 7 & 10

  • Complete the peer review activities (full instructions):
    • Post the share link to your draft for Project 4 in the forums by 9 AM on Monday, 8/10. You may post earlier.
    • Respond to two students in the forums by 11:55 PM on Tuesday, 8/11.
    • Revise your Project based on the feedback.
  • You will submit the share link to your project along with your transmittal memo on Tuesday, 8/11. Remember that you have a two-day grace period if you need an extension. We begin Project 5 (the final) on Wednesday.


 

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Work on Project 4 http://3764su15.tracigardner.com/work-on-project-4/ http://3764su15.tracigardner.com/work-on-project-4/#respond Wed, 05 Aug 2015 04:03:25 +0000 http://3764su15.tracigardner.com/?p=1333 Read more →

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This is the post for Wednesday and Thursday, August 5 & 6, 2015.

Readings for August 5 & 6

Here are the resources for Project 4:

Work for August 5 & 6

Wednesday and Thursday are work days, so I am posting one combined post for both days.

  • Continue working on Project 4, using the Genre Analysis Examples to guide your work.

  • Check Questions about Project 4 thread in the forums for some additional tips and information on the project. If you have a question yourself, add it to the thread, and I’ll answer asap.

  • Review the Discussing Example Reports post in the forums as well for possible tips and ideas that you can apply to your own report.

  • As a reminder, review the Forum Posts & Participation page and assess where you stand for your participation grade. If your participation numbers are not where you want them to be, you need to act now. Note that the quantity requirements for participation will not change.

  • Please consider adding your opinions on the topics in the optional forum on Ethics and Technical Writing. I am finding your responses so far very interesting.


 

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Submitting Your Progress Report http://3764su15.tracigardner.com/submitting-your-progress-report/ http://3764su15.tracigardner.com/submitting-your-progress-report/#respond Tue, 04 Aug 2015 04:03:53 +0000 http://3764su15.tracigardner.com/?p=1329 Read more →

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This is the post for Tuesday, August 4, 2015.

Readings for August 4

Read or review the following for today’s work:

Work for August 4

  • Continue working on Project 4, using the Genre Analysis Examples to guide your work.

  • Post a progress report in the forums (full instructions), explaining what you have done so far and outlining what you still need to do. Your progress report is due by 11:55 PM tonight (Tuesday, 8/4).

  • As a reminder, review the Forum Posts & Participation page and assess where you stand for your participation grade. There are only 11 days until the end of the course, so if your participation numbers are not where you want them to be, you need to act now. There is an optional forum on Ethics and Technical Writing with a number of posts you can contribute to if desired. Note that the quantity requirements for participation will not change.


 

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How to Write Progress Reports http://3764su15.tracigardner.com/how-to-write-progress-reports/ http://3764su15.tracigardner.com/how-to-write-progress-reports/#respond Mon, 03 Aug 2015 04:03:26 +0000 http://3764su15.tracigardner.com/?p=1321 Read more →

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This is the post for Monday, August 3, 2015.

Readings for August 3

Read the following for today’s work:

Work for August 3

  • Continue working on Project 4. You will submit a progress report tomorrow, explaining what you have done so far and outlining what you still need to do. Remember to use the Genre Analysis Examples to guide your work.

  • After you read the examples and the information on progress reports in the textbook, post any questions you have about writing a report on your progress on Project 4 in the Questions about Project 4 thread. By 11:55 PM tomorrow (Tuesday, 8/4), you will post your progress report in the forums. Instructions for posting your progress report will be available in tomorrow’s post. Please wait for these instructions to ensure your progress report is posted in the right place.

  • Review the Forum Posts & Participation page and assess where you stand for your participation grade. There are only 12 days until the end of the course, so if your participation numbers are not where you want them to be, you need to act now. There is an optional forum on Ethics and Technical Writing with a number of posts you can contribute to if desired. Note that the quantity requirements for participation will not change.


 

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Project 4 Examples http://3764su15.tracigardner.com/project-4-examples/ http://3764su15.tracigardner.com/project-4-examples/#respond Fri, 31 Jul 2015 04:03:03 +0000 http://3764su15.tracigardner.com/?p=1319 Read more →

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This is the post for Friday, July 31, 2015.

Readings for July 31

Read or review the following for today’s work:

Calendar Updates

Project 4 is a bigger project, and you will need more working time to get it done. I’m making some minor changes to the schedule that is posted on the Syllabus:

Week Five
M 8/3 Discussion of example progress reports No Change.
T 8/4 Progress Report for Project 4 due by 11:55 PM
W 8/5 Independent Work Days, and Tips Based on Your Progress Reports No forum work due, but read the tips as they apply to your project. Some optional forum posts may be available.
H 8/6 Independent Work Days, and Tips Based on Your Progress Reports
F 8/7 Rough Drafts and Feedback Rough drafts are not due until 9 AM Monday, but you can post starting Friday if you are ready.
Week Six
M 8/10 Rough Drafts and Feedback Be sure your draft is posted by 9 AM so we can give you feedback.
T 8/11 Project 4: Capstone Analysis Report due by 11:55 PM
Grace Period ends on Thursday, 8/13, at 11:55 PM

No Change.

 

Work for July 31

  • Use the Genre Analysis Examples to guide you as you gather information and draft your own report. You will work on different topics, but you the arrangement and kind of information that they include is similar to what you need to work on. After reading the examples, go to the Discussing Example Reports post in the forums and make two replies, following the instructions that you find in the post.

  • By 11:55 PM tonight (Friday), reply to the Published Writing in Your Field topic in the Project 4: Genre Analysis Report forum, in order to do some additional research on writing in your field.

  • Continue working on your project. You should be in good shape if you complete most of your research by the weekend. That will give you all of next week to work through your findings and write your report.

  • I will reply to your proposals by Saturday evening. Be sure that you check the feedback for any changes that you need to make or advice that may help you with your writing.

  • If you have any questions about the assignments, go to the forums and post them in the Questions about Project 4 thread. I’m back in Virginia now, so I will be answering mail several times a day.


 

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