ENGLISH 214Writing Collaboratively

TECHNICAL WRITING WRITING COLLABORATIVELY

Collaborative

When something is produced by two or more parties

TECHNICAL WRITING WRITING COLLABORATIVELY

What is Writing?

Collaborative writing is when projects are written by a multitude of people as opposed to just one.

Collaborative

TECHNICAL WRITING WRITING COLLABORATIVELY

Collaborative writing on this course means that two or more people are working together in a group over an

extended of time to produce a document.

TECHNICAL WRITING WRITING COLLABORATIVELY

Initiators Information Seekers

Opinion Seekers

Information GiversOpinion

Givers Clarifiers

Elaborators Summarizers

Group Roles

TECHNICAL WRITING WRITING COLLABORATIVELY - PROS AND CONS

What do you think are the advantages of collaborative writing?

Students can learn from each otherStudents learn other points of view

Students can compare their work and make them aware of their strengths and weaknesses

Encourage students to consider their audienceTeaches students to negotiate and get their argument across

TECHNICAL WRITING WRITING COLLABORATIVELY - PROS AND CONS

What do you think are the disadvantages of collaborative writing?

Some people may work harder than othersPeople may be afraid to criticise something that

someone else had saidSome people find it more efficient to work alone

There may be conflicts or personality clashes

TECHNICAL WRITING WRITING COLLABORATIVELY

So how do we work collaboratively?

1. Plan your collaboration. When are you going to meet?

Who is going to do what? What are each of your responsibilities?How are you going to work together?

2. Find a way to communicateWhen you are not together, how are you going to work

together?Exchange phone numbers.

Exchange e-mailsUse something like Wiggio to communicate and share your work.

TECHNICAL WRITING WRITING COLLABORATIVELY

So how do we work collaboratively?

3. Set deadlines.When are you going to have work completed?

What work are you going to complete and by what date?

TECHNICAL WRITING WRITING COLLABORATIVELY

Why do we have to learn to write collaboratively?

Because in industry many professionals do all their work as part of a team. They do not always work alone.

TECHNICAL WRITING WRITING COLLABORATIVELY

Combining Strengths and Resources

• Writers often bring different areas of knowledge / experience to the group• Researchers may share resources such as expensive equipment and laboratory

space.• Writing can be a lonely business. Collaboration overcomes isolation and loneliness. • Collaboration can also help overcome writer’s block.• Through interaction people can spark each other to make discoveries and share a

variety of perspectives. • Groups can often complete larger projects more thoroughly and in less time than

individuals working alone.

TECHNICAL WRITING TYPES OF COLLABORATIVE WORK GROUPS

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Equalitarian Work Group

Combination Work Group

Hierarchical Work Group

TECHNICAL WRITING SUCCESSFUL COLLABORATIVE TEAMWORK

Discuss how you are going to work together.Decide the roles and responsibilities of each group member.Draft a schedule with specific dates for work to be completed.If there is a problem with one person in the group, discuss it and see how you can find a solution.Communicate openly and keep an open mind.

TECHNICAL WRITING WRITING COLLABORATIVELY

Planning

ObjectiveRecord

AnalyseSituation & Audience

EstablishPurpose

DiscoverContent

Organize Content

Agree on Style & Tone

Agree on Format

Choose a coordinator

Seek opinion on plan

TECHNICAL WRITING WRITING COLLABORATIVELY

Drafting

Choose a drafting plan

Divide the Work

Draft in Collaboration

Choose a lead writer

Consult with group when

needed

Stick to the deadlines

TECHNICAL WRITING WRITING COLLABORATIVELY

Revising

ContentOrganisationstyle & tone

Look at accuracy and ethics

Make criterion based

comments

Make reader based

comments

Be objective in discussion not

personal

Remember people get

attached to their writing

Accept criticism

Don’t avoid debate but keep

discussions friendly

Know when to stop revising

Seek Opinion

TECHNICAL WRITING WRITING COLLABORATIVELY

Editing

Edit format and standard usage

Check and double check margins,

typeface, documentation and

headings

TECHNICAL WRITING GROUP ACTIVITY

You are a group of Green engineers. The university has asked you to identify three major ways you could improve the university buildings and transportation system between campuses using green technology.

Your group has to plan, draft, revise and edit a memo to University Environmental Officer:Dr. Jameel Al Akdar. In your memo you should summarise the solutions you have found.

Use the Memo presentation on the website to write your document.

You could think about the following areas:Using waste in a more productive way

New transportation system to reduce number of carsEnergy efficiency in the buildingWays to reduce wasting water

Solar technologyWays to recycle waste

Green materialsPLEASE SEND YOUR MEMOS AS ATTACHMENTS TO:

m.pazinas@uoh.edu.saPut your group numbers and Section numbers in the subject.

This should read:

Subject: Group 3 / 006