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Dec 17, 2024
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EN 132 - Technical Composition3 lecture hours 0 lab hours 3 credits
Course Description
The purpose of this course is to acquaint students with the principles of effective, audience-centered technical communication and provide them with practice in writing letters, memoranda, proposals, and an informal and formal report. The course also requires students to become familiar with accepted research techniques and to apply them in a written formal report and in an oral presentation. Students also learn the principles of graphical design and the importance of visual representation in technical communication, both oral and written, and students are expected to incorporate appropriate graphics into their written and oral communication. Finally, students are taught how to organize and present technical material orally in an effective manner. (prereq: EN 131 )
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
• 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
Prerequisites by Topic
• 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
Course Topics
• 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)
Coordinator
R. David Kent
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