EN 132 - Technical Composition

• Know and apply the principles of effective technical communication
• Know the visual techniques which make written and oral technical communication more effective and be able to use them appropriately when drafting technical documents and giving oral presentations
• Know the various formats used in technical communication (e.g., reports, proposals, letters, and memos) and be able to construct each and use each appropriately
• Know the appropriate content of and be able to construct clear, effective introductions, conclusions, recommendations, and summaries/abstracts
• Explain the importance of audience in technical communication and how to use appropriate tone, diction, sentence structure, format, and organization in order to positively affect an audience’s receptivity of a message
• Research a topic using library, Internet, community, and human resources
• Know and apply the principles of documentation when using research in technical documents
• Know and apply the principles of good oral communication when giving technical presentations
• Understand that technical communicators have ethical responsibilities when writing and speaking and uphold these responsibilities
• Understand cultural differences when communicating with those of other cultures and be sensitive to such differences in one’s audience

• Background in basic composition
• Paragraph and essay structure
• Outlining and organizing skills
• Revising, editing and proofreading skills
• College-level vocabulary
• Basic computer and library research skills

• Styles and techniques of technical writings (4 classes)
• Formal and informal reports (4 classes)
• Proposal writing (1 class)
• Article writing and publishing or employment correspondence (3 classes)
• Preparation and use of visual materials in oral and written communication (2 classes)
• Internal and external business correspondence (3 classes)
• Principles of organizing, editing, and revising (1 class)
• Research and documentation principles (2 classes)
• Ethical considerations in technical communication (1 class)
• Formal oral presentations (5 classes)
• Intercultural communication (1 class)
• Effective speaking skills (2 classes)
• Audience analysis (1 class)