Welcome to Welcome to Seminar 1Seminar 1

We will begin on time.We will begin on time.Meanwhile, enjoy chatting.Meanwhile, enjoy chatting.

““Although it may be Although it may be terrifying to get out of terrifying to get out of your comfort zone, it’s your comfort zone, it’s also exciting to start a also exciting to start a new chapter in your new chapter in your

life” life”

Katie CouricKatie Couric

It’s SHOW TIME !!!!!!!

Welcome to our firstseminar!

How are all of you?

Since this is our first seminar together, let me introduce myself. My name is Renee Gurley, and I am

your instructor. I have a Master of Arts in English a

concentration in Written Composition and have been teaching composition courses for many years.

You are welcome to call me Renee, Ms. Gurley, Professor, Prof.

Yes, I am a Gurley, go ahead and laugh, but what is funnier is my brother…Mr. Gurley…poor kid!

Why We Have SeminarsWhy We Have SeminarsThese seminars offer the These seminars offer the

opportunity for me to present opportunity for me to present additional information beyond the additional information beyond the

web sites and to discuss the web sites and to discuss the assignments. assignments.

They also offer you the opportunity They also offer you the opportunity to discuss any questions to discuss any questions

you might have.you might have.

SEMINAR IN THIS CLASS IS SEMINAR IN THIS CLASS IS OPTIONALOPTIONAL

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Unit 1 Work

1)Reading

- Chapter 1 and 2 in textbook. PDF’s of these chapters are in DOC SHARING

2) Introduce Yourself• For your introduction, write a 200-word professional biography. 

The biography should tell who you are, your education, background, experience, and areas of expertise (or strengths) in the field of technical writing.  Limit your biography to 200 words as normally you will be given word constraints in the professional world as well.

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Your biography should be closely edited for complete sentence construction, accurate spelling, punctuation, and grammar.

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Please respond to and welcome at least two other students.

3) Seminar

-Optional

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Unit 1 Work

3). Unit One Discussion• Find a document that is a technical description, a

technical process, or a set of instructions.  Describe the document to us, what it is used for, and the intended audience. 

• Using information from the reading this week, analyze the document for its effectiveness in meeting its purpose for its intended readers, as well as the document design.  In your analysis, use specifics from the reading to justify your assessments..

4) Seminar

-Optional

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Reading Journal Information

In Units 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 you will write a response to the

unit s reading assignment.  You will choose a topic from �a variety of bullets to respond to in relation to the unit s �reading.  Your response will be written for others to read and respond to as well.  For more personal reflection on the reading, if applicable, you may extend your post by using the journal tab above.  Only instructors see the journal responses when students use the journal tab.

Reading Journals should reference the reading directly (quotes, sections, ideas).  Responses are to be in the range of 300-350 words, and closely edited for paragraph and sentence construction, spelling, punctuation, and grammar.

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Reading Journal Information

You will choose from the bullets below to respond to each unit’s reading.  Choose a different bullet for each unit that requires a reading journal.

Compare what you read this week with your own experience with the subject matter.

Reflect on information that was particularly striking, interesting, or alarming to you.

What current events relate to the week’s reading?  What questions do you have about the reading or subject

matter?  Be specific about what you understand and what is confusing.  Give your questions a context so that your instructor or other students can respond appropriately.

What did you learn?  You can be creative in your response rather than just summarizing the information.

Share a particularly strong and supported opinion of yours about something from the reading.

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Final Project Information

Read through the brief descriptions below about the various opportunities for technical writers in the five fields we cover in this course (business, science, medicine, legal, and IT).  While these are only general descriptions, and each field will be discussed in more detail in subsequent units, you will get a general idea of one profession that interests you. 

Your final project will be for you to find a real-life writing opportunity within this field and then prepare the necessary materials for submission.  The purpose of this assignment is three-fold: 

1) it will help you explore a profession of interest to you

2) it will engage you in the research, language, and content of writing within that field.

3) it will open the door for you to network by interviewing and/or gathering information from experts in this field.

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Final Project Information

For example, if you have an interest in geology, one quick search on Google will bring you a list of hundreds of magazines and journals associated with that field. 

Trade magazines especially thrive on the contributions of writers who can accurately convey technical information in an understandable and entertaining fashion. 

Your job for the final project is to find a publication from one of the five professional fields we cover in this course (business, science, medicine, legal, and IT) to which you can submit a professionally written article/report. 

This can be a document that is written for commercial and professional readership (such as trade magazines) or scholarly submission (professional journal).

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Final Project Information

Your final project will include : the final copy of the article with references the revised query letter to the editor of the

publication the submission guidelines for the publication a 1-2 page reflection of the researching and

writing process you utilized, what worked and what did not, and what would you differently next time

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Final Project Information

Start Now:  Begin thinking about a topic that you would like to write about, and start your research now so that you will be ready to write your query letter in Unit 2.

Brief overview of writing opportunities within the five professions covered in this course:

Business:  In a corporate environment, technical writers will find writing opportunities that are as varied as businesses.  A writer can find gainful employment writing corporate correspondence (business reports and proposals, memos, and letters), developing corporate compliance directives, such as policies and procedures manuals, training documentation, contract administration, and legal drafting that includes intellectual property and copyright documentation.  Public relations and marketing companies also employ technical writers to work within the company or directly with clients.

Science:  Technical writing first became a career in the 1940s when the many science disciplines found a need for someone to be able to communicate technical information to general and expert audiences.  If you have an interest in science, but your passion is writing, then technical writing within one or more of the many science fields may be for you.  Whether it is engineering, geology, meteorology, anthropology, national defense, aerodynamics, chemistry, biology or any other science discipline, there is a need for writers.  Technical writers can find fulfilling employment writing research and technical reports, marketing materials, government documentation, specifications, proposals, presentations, speeches the list is as varied as the many facets of our society that have �anything to do with science.

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Final Project Information

Medicine:  As with many professions, the medical field is in dire need of writers who can transcribe technical information into understandable and useable documentation for general audiences.  Opportunities exist in medical research and development organizations, and health insurance and pharmaceutical companies.  Writers in this field create reports, medical proposals, advertising and marketing materials, drug information, user information, guides for medical specialists, procedures, manufacturing information, clinical protocols and clinical trial reports, and much more.  If you have an interest in the medical field, there is abundant opportunity for writers to be a part of this exciting and dynamic profession.

Legal:  In the legal field, technical writers are needed as legal research assistants for attorneys or legal organizations, as well as overseers of contracts, intellectual property, and copyright material.  Technical writers may also find opportunities for transcribing legal information into documents that can be understood and used by clients.  Criminal investigative reporting, forensics, and other specialized fields are also open to those who are skilled writers with a background in criminal justice or the other legal professions.

Information Technology (IT):  Technology is part of everyone s life regardless of �age, culture, or economic status.  For technical writers, this field is rich in opportunity to write and also branch off into other specializations within the profession.  Employment prospects for technical writers in an IT company include IT documentation specialist (writing manuals, specifications, software documentation), creating architecture and security programs/plans, writing policies and procedures, maintaining websites, and programming.  For a technical writer, writing opportunities in IT are as abundant as the technology associated with it.

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Any questions??Any questions??

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Farewell!!Thanks for coming to the Unit 1 Seminar

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Holiday Reminder!0905C (December 2-February 16)Unit 4 begins on December 23 and ends on January 5 (no classes held/work due 12/24-1/3). Unit 5 begins on January 6, and the rest of the term runs as usual. Unit 4 grades are due on Sunday, January 9. If they so choose, faculty may extend the Unit 7 due date to January 7.