Course Description

ENGLISH H314: Technical Writing Honors

Course Website

http://parlormultimedia.com/techcomm

Reading List

These are the primary course readings. The books are available at Clemson University Bookstore. The course calendar specifies what should be read and when.

• Castro, Elizabeth. ePub Straight to the Point: Developing eBooks for the Apple iPad and Other eReaders. Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press, 2011.
• McWade, John. How to Design Cool Stuff. Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press, 2009.
• Blakesley, David, and Jeffrey Hoogeveen. Writing: A Manual for the Digital Age, 2e. Boston: Cengage, 2012.

Get extras at Elizabeth Castro's website.

Check out the Before and After Magazine site.

Also available in digital format through CourseSmart: Writing: A Manual for the Digital Age 2e

Digital Readings: These will be made availalbe electronically via the course website, our Feed Aggregator, a shared folder in Instapaper or Dropbox, and other sources. It will include timely articles on technical communication and subject under discussion throughout the course. You should read the feeds regularly at our site's feed aggregator and via the blocks on the front page of the course site. Required readings will be listed on the course calendar at least a week in advance of the due date.

Course Goals and Objectives

In this honors section of English 314 (Technical Writing Honors), students will apply the rhetorical principles of technical communication in individual and collaborative projects that advance understanding of publishing processes and technologies. In addition to learning about new tools for digital publishing, students will have the opportunity to produce publishable content for Clemson's Book Lab and other publishing initiatives, including user documentation about publishing processes and platforms such as ePub, mobi (Kindle), and HTML. Students will also have the opportunity to become involved in local publishing projects with journals and literary magazines, both in print and online. At the end of the course, students will have earned valuable experience as content developers, information architects, and digital designers.

Course Technologies

With its focus on production and design, the course is offered in the MATRF lab to allow for hands-on learning. Prior experience with Adobe InDesign, ePub, HTML, or CSS coding will be helpful but is not required. The course website uses Drupal, an open source content management system used widely across industries and organizations, from NASA to the White House. Some class time will be devoted to teaching you to use more complex software for digital publishing and communication, but you should also take the initiative to master these programs on your own as you work through course projects. Please Note: If you want to use the MATRF lab during its open hours to work on projects, there is a $45 use fee. Visit Kristin Sindorf in 801 Strode to pay. Exact amount in cash or check (payable to Clemson University) are acceptable forms of payment. The fee covers paper, toner, equipment repairs, and other consumables.

Course Competencies

Students will find that most of the projects completed in ENGL H314 provide them with quality artifcacts for their ePortfolios in the areas of Arts and Humanities and Critical Thinking. With its focus on effective communication across contexts and media, ENGL H314 also teaches students effective written and oral communication, the means by which you demonstrate all competencies across the eight general education competencies. In many respects, the digital publishing skills you learn in this class will help you create a first-rate ePortfolio.

Coursework

Further details about each of these project will be discussed in class and linked from the calendar.

1. Project Log: Every week, starting in Week 3, I want you to keep and update a Project Log that describes the various projects you're working on throughout the semester. These will be blog entries tagged "Project Log."
   Project Logs help you keep track of your progress on complex projects, as well as provide a forum for receiving feedback from others who may be able to answer questions along the way or learn from your process. Project logs may be individual or shared among members of a group when the project is collaborative. There will be times when your Project Log will be devoted to two or more projects at any given time (be sure to clearly label sections of your project log to guide your readers).. All project log entries should be tagged "project log" (lowercase) in addition to any other tags you may want to use. Read this full description of Project Logs for more information.(Individual; 20% of course grade.)
2. Resume Project: The goal of this project will be to develop content for a professional resume for a specific job or internship and to present the document in multiple formats: print, HTML, and one additional form that you choose from among multiple alternatives (ePub for the iPad or smartphone, video, HTML 5, mobi, Animoto, or an alternative type of print or digital media). In addition to keeping a project log during this project, you'll participate in peer review and submit a reflective document with the final project that addresses questions about how the three versions of the resume change across media as well as any other technical and design details useful for understanding and evaluating the project as a whole. (Individual; 10% of course grade. Assigned Week 2.)
3. Technical Editing Project: In this project, you'll learn about and apply technical editing standards to a "real" journal article published (or to-be-published) in a scholarly journal or book. In addition to using Writing: A Manual for the Digital Age 2e as a resource, you'll be provided with a guide to useful tools for professional editors. All editing will be completed electronically in Word, InDesign, Notepad ++, or Dreamweaver. Some editorial work will be completed in teams (with various levels of editorial review), but the bulk of this project will be individual. You'll be assigned a specific document, asked to write a memo of understanding in which you explain the task, goals, and deliverables, and, in the end, submit the edited work and a reflective cover letter answering questions about this project. (Individual; 10% of course grade. Assigned Week 3.)
4. Collaborative Documentation Project: In this project, you will research a process or procedure associated with editing and publishing and then write documentation that teaches users how to complete it successfully. In most cases, you will be provided with background information, drafts of existing documentation, and suggestions for developing the documentation further for presentation on the Web to a wide range of users--authors, editors, and students. (Collaborative; 20% of course grade. Assigned Week 4.)
5. Collaborative eBook Project: In this project, you'll learn about various ebook publishing standards (ePub 3, CSS 3, HTML 5) and processes and then apply what you learn to real book or journal projects, converting documents originally designed for print into high quality digital formats, such as ePub, mobi, and HTML 5 that can be viewed on the Internet or in apps on tablets or smartphones. You'll be able to choose the book or journal content from a list that I'll provide. You'll be asked to convert one printed artifact into two digital formats, paying attention to issues of design, metadata, and professional coding standards. Some of your work will involve working directly with (real) authors and editors. Your converted books will be user-tested in class. Deliverables will include the digital files and a cover memo that explains any important technical issues or challenges. (Collaborative, two-person teams; 20% of course grade. Assigned Week 5)
6. Collaborative, Client-Based Design Project: Drawing inspiration from How to Design Cool Stuff, you'll work with a real client to produce a creative (i.e., "cool") print-based document (or "object," if you want to stretch it) that also will have some form of online complement. In teams of two, you'll choose and interview a client, create a design specification document (example to be provided), and then execute the plan with a high quality finished product. Deliverables will include the printed document, its digital counterpart (in the form of files), and a reflective cover memo explaining the goals and challenges of the project. (20% of course grade. Assigned Week 8.)

Grading

Attendance

Attendance is required at all scheduled meetings. Three absences may result in your final grade being lowered by as much as a letter grade. More than three absences can result in a failing grade for the course. Excused absences will only be granted for religious holidays or university-sponsored events, provided you make a written request to me no less than two weeks in advance and that you complete any required work before the due date. Being excessively or regularly late for class can also be counted as an absence. Note: If the instructor is late to class, you only need to wait fifteen (15) minutes.

Academic Integrity

Clemson students and their instructors are expected to adhere to the community and ethical standards for behavior and academic integrity at the University:

"As members of the Clemson University community, we have inherited Thomas Green Clemson's vision of this institution as a "high seminary of learning." Fundamental to this vision is a mutual commitment to truthfulness, honor, and responsibility, without which we cannot earn the trust 2 and respect of others. Furthermore, we recognize that academic dishonesty detracts from the value of a Clemson degree. Therefore, we shall not tolerate lying, cheating, or stealing in any form."

"When, in the opinion of a faculty member, there is evidence that a student has committed an act of academic dishonesty, the faculty member shall make a formal written charge of academic dishonesty, including a description of the misconduct, to the Associate Dean for Curriculum in the Office of Undergraduate Studies. At the same time, the faculty member may, but is not required to, inform each involved student privately of the nature of the alleged charge."

Unless otherwise noted in assignment guidelines, you should not submit work for this course that has been submitted for a grade in other courses.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Students with disabilities who need accommodations should make an appointment with Arlene Stewart, Director of Student Disability Services, to discuss specific needs within the first month of classes. Students should present a Faculty Accommodation Letter from Student Disabilities Services when they meet with instructors. Student Disability Services is located in G-20 Redfern (telephone number: 656-6848; e-mail: sds-l@clemson.edu). Please be aware that accommodations are not retroactive and new Faculty Accommodation Letters must be presented each semester.

In Case of a Campus Emergency

In the event of a major campus emergency, course requirements, deadlines and grading percentages are subject to changes that may be necessitated by a revised semester calendar or other circumstances. You can acquire updated information from the course website, by emailing, texting, or calling me using the information provided on this course description, or by contacting me through the English Department at (864) 656-3151.

Late Work

The majority of missed class assignments cannot be made up. If a serious and unavoidable problem arises, however, you should contact me in writing prior to the deadline to determine whether or not an extension for the work will be granted.