ENGL210: Technical Writing | Saylor Academy

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Time: 86 hours

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In every career, you must be able to communicate effectively and clearly if you want to be successful. This course will provide you with a background in the practical, technical writing skills necessary for today's workplace. This course covers internal workplace communications, external business-to-business and business-to-consumer writing skills, presentations and how to use visuals effectively, writing clear instructions and process documents, and using social media effectively. Because the goal of this course is to improve your ability to write clear, comprehensible examples of technical writing, most subunits include short writing activities that will give you hands-on experience in many different writing tasks. Each unit also includes a series of writing self-assessments that will allow you to evaluate your own writing based on specific criteria and provide examples and commentary on how to write successfully. This practical focus on specific writing skills will help you learn the writing skills you will need in the workplace. By the end of the course, you will feel comfortable tackling a wide variety of workplace communications.
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- Select activity Course Syllabus
  
  Course Syllabus Page
Unit 1: Audience Analysis
Imagine needing to make a phone call but not knowing what number to dial. Beginning a communications project without first establishing your audience is a lot like that phone call without a phone number. If you don't first know who you are communicating with, you can't determine what information they need and in what format. In this unit, we walk through the steps of audience analysis to determine who we are writing to, what they know, what they need to know, and the best ways to reach them.
When we first take on a writing project, we must first consider who we are communicating with. We should ask ourselves who they are, what they know, and what they need to know to take action.
After we conduct this audience analysis, the next steps in the process apply this analysis to writing choices. Different audiences require different approaches to word choice, tone, and formatting. We also use our audience analysis to anticipate issues and any concerns or questions the audience might have after accessing the communication we have created.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 7 hours.
- Select activity Upon successful completion of this unit, you will ...
  Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  
  analyze an audience;
  
  select appropriate tone, language, and format to reach a given audience; and
  
  determine effective content for a message.
- 1.1: Audience Analysis
  - Select activity Getting to Know Your Audience
    
    Getting to Know Your Audience URL
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read Section 3.4. Pay attention to the key takeaways regarding the ways to better understand your audience. Complete Exercise 1 to analyze yourself as an audience. Then use the same approach to identify an audience you may encounter professional or personally. How do their demographic traits influence their thinking and your ability to persuade or inform them?
  - Select activity Audience
    
    Audience Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    In the workplace, oftentimes the person requesting that you prepare a document isn’t the intended or final audience for the communication, just as the professor in a class isn’t necessarily the final audience for a document. Once you have read this document, think of a recent time when you needed to communicate information or directions. Use your experience of this communication to answer the questions listed under "How Do I Identify My Audience and What they Want from Me?" Based on this analysis, what information did you need to provide to the audience for the communication to be effective?
  - Select activity Audience and Context
    
    Audience and Context Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Watch the video. Pay close attention to how the speaker breaks down what might motivate or be important to the intended audience for your message and how that might contrast with your own motivations or beliefs. Make sure you pause the video as needed to practice your understanding during the "Apply Your Knowledge" activities.
  - Select activity Writing Activity: The Audience-Writer Relationship
    
    Writing Activity: The Audience-Writer Relationship Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    In a page or more (150–250 words) analyze the audience-writer relationship for a policy change proposal between yourself and a supervisor. Identify the value differences, power differences, and social differences between you and your audience. How does the expertise and sensitivity of the audience affect their readiness to understand this communication? How does this analysis influence the content of your message?
  - 1.1.1: Who are They and What do They Know?
    
    Select activity Audience Analysis
    
    Audience Analysis Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read the sections on Types of Audiences and Audience Analysis. Imagine you need to recommend a supervisor the acquisition of a new tool, piece of equipment, or computer program in the workplace. Which category would your audience fall into: experts, technicians, executives or non-specialists? Is it possible that the request you need to communicate to could impact multiple audiences? How would the content and delivery change for each different audience?
  - 1.1.2: What do They Need to Know or Do?
    
    Select activity Writing Tips: Know Your Audience
    
    Writing Tips: Know Your Audience Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    This video makes a great point about what your audience needs to do after reading your communication. When we begin a writing project, we must identify what action we want our audience to take after engaging with our communication. What will motivate them to take that action? Identify a time when you needed someone to take action. How did you communicate with them to make sure you gained compliance? What factors within the audience did you consider in crafting that communication?
- 1.2: How does Audience Impact Delivery?
  - Select activity What to Think about When Writing for a Particular Audience
    
    What to Think about When Writing for a Particular Audience Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this article. Focus on the aspects of tone, language, and appeals. Audience determines these three aspects in effective writing.
  - Select activity Audience Adaptation
    
    Audience Adaptation Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Review this section, which you read earlier. This time, focus on the suggestions on how to apply audience analysis to your writing task.
  - Select activity Translating Technical Discussions
    
    Translating Technical Discussions Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this article. After you read, examine a recent piece of communication you have written or received. Based on the list of possible audience adaptations in the previous article, how would you revise this document to strengthen it based on what you have learned about audience analysis?
  - Select activity Writing Assignment: The Audience for an Email
    
    Writing Assignment: The Audience for an Email
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    Think of an email you have written recently. In a paragraph (50–75 words), explore what choices you made in terms of tone, language, and appeals for this audience? How would these elements need to change for a different audience?
  - 1.2.1: Word Choice
    
    Select activity Word Choice
    
    Word Choice Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Watch this video and pause as needed to practice your understanding during the "Apply Your Knowledge" activities. Consider the roles connotation, jargon, slang, idiom, sub-categorization, selectional restrictions, and confusing word pairs have in the revision of technical writing. Focus on how these word choices tie back to your audience analysis. Create a glossary of the major terms (connotation, jargon, slang, idiom, sub-categorization, selectional restrictions, and confusing word pairs) covered in this video, providing your own example for each and a brief discussion of how this will impact the choices you make as a technical writer.
  - 1.2.2: Formatting
    
    Select activity Principles of Design
    
    Principles of Design Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Both print and digital documents apply similar principles of design and formatting to make documents more readable. With these techniques in mind, examine documents you have received via post or email. What traits do these documents share? How do they differ? What catches your eye as you interact with these documents? How do they make use of contrast, repetition, alignment, proximity, minimalism or visuals?
  - 1.2.3: Purpose
    
    Select activity Purpose
    
    Purpose Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    This video explores the third leg of the rhetorical triangle: purpose. The purpose of a piece of communication is determined by its audience. Note the four purposes for professional communication: consulting, informing, valuing, and directing. Make sure you pause as needed to practice your understanding during the "Apply Your Knowledge" activities.
    
    Select activity Writing Activity: Workplace Communications
    
    Writing Activity: Workplace Communications Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    In two paragraphs (150–250 words), examine two examples of communications you received in the workplace this week or those that you prepared – which of the four purposes applied? How does the purpose impact the content of the communication?
- Unit 1 Assessment
  - Select activity Unit 1 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 1
    
    Unit 1 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 1 Quiz
    
    Students must
    
    Receive a grade
    
    In this assessment, you will conduct an audience analysis on two hypothetical letters, both soliciting donations. Answer these questions to plan for different audiences, and then compare your work to the sample responses to assess your own writing.
  - Select activity Unit 1 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 2
    
    Unit 1 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 2 Quiz
    
    Students must
    
    Receive a grade
    
    In this assessment, you will write a description of the type of tone, language, and format that an advertisement should take to engage its intended audience. Afterwards, you can compare your work to sample responses to assess your own writing.
  - Select activity Unit 1 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 3
    
    Unit 1 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 3 Quiz
    
    Students must
    
    Receive a grade
    
    In this assessment, you will write a revision to a policy change proposal that reflects value, power, and social differences. Afterwards, you can compare your revision to sample responses to assess your own writing.
Unit 2: Internal Communication: Writing Memos and Emails
Two of the most common forms of technical writing that you will encounter are the memo and the email. After completing an audience analysis, you must determine which form would be best for sending the message; memos and emails often rely on smaller amounts of information or requests for more information. In this unit, we cover the best practices for creating effective memos and emails.
Once the dominant form of communication in the workplace, memos typically serve as internal communication within an organization. Memos can update policies and procedures, announce meetings or organizational changes, or inform the internal audience as needed. Memos must typically be brief, concise, organized for readability, and addressed to targeted audiences with specific subject lines.
Emails, which often replace memos for internal communication, can be sent internally or externally. While this form of business communication must take into account the time constraints most readers face as a result of high email volume, people use emails to communicate issues both large and small. Emails must make use of strong subject lines, clear formatting, and concise writing. Email also presents some ethical challenges as the forwarding and BCC function enables you to easily share communications with larger audiences quickly and in a way that is documented for the longer term.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 9 hours.
- Select activity Upon successful completion of this unit, you will ...
  Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  
  characterize communication types according to their suitability for particular communication needs;
  
  compose and format emails and memos;
  
  effectively work within established conventions for email and memos; and
  
  recognize some ethical dilemmas posed by electronic communication.
- 2.1: Memos
  - 2.1.1: Purpose
    
    Select activity Memorandums and Letters
    
    Memorandums and Letters URL
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this section on memos. The author notes that memos are "one effective way to address informal, unofficial speculation is to spell out clearly for all employees what is going on with a particular issue".
    
    Select activity Memorandums and Business Letters
    
    Memorandums and Business Letters Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Watch this video, which highlights that memos can "inform, persuade, or even call to action".
    
    Select activity Writing Activity: Memos
    
    Writing Activity: Memos Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    In a page (150–300 words), describe a recent memo you received or one you have written. What purpose drove this communication? Did it make use of the Five Tips for Effective Business Memos? Why or why not?
  - 2.1.2: Format and Delivery
    
    Select activity Creating a Block-Style Business Memo
    
    Creating a Block-Style Business Memo Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Watch this video on the basics of the memo format.
    
    Select activity Memorandum Assessment
    
    Memorandum Assessment Quiz
    
    Students must
    
    Receive a grade
    
    This assessment involves using a table to describe the parts of a memo and how they function. Place each statement alongside the appropriate number that corresponds with each segment of the memo.
    
    Select activity Writing Activity: Memos II
    
    Writing Activity: Memos II Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    Using what you learned in the previous video, write a one-page (150–300 words) memo of your own regarding change in location for a weekly meeting. You will have an opportunity to assess your writing and revise it in the next step.
  - 2.1.3: Subject Lines
    
    Select activity Memo Tutorial and Sample Memos
    
    Memo Tutorial and Sample Memos Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this article and review the linked sample memos for an example of well-constructed memos.
    
    Select activity Writing Activity: Subject Lines
    
    Writing Activity: Subject Lines Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    In a brief paragraph (25–50 words), discuss the role of a subject line in a memo. Discuss examples of memos you have received or written in addition to the samples provided by the website. What makes for an effective subject line?
  - 2.1.4: Paragraphs, White Space, and Bullets
    
    Select activity Writing Activity: Being Reader-Friendly
    
    Writing Activity: Being Reader-Friendly Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    In a brief paragraph (25–50 words), summarize what makes a memo reader-friendly.
    
    Select activity Writing Activity: Analyzing a Memo
    
    Writing Activity: Analyzing a Memo Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    In a paragraph (50–75 words), analyze a few memos you have received or this sample memo. How did they use paragraphing, whitespace, and bullets to make the document reader friendly? What could be improved in the memos you reviewed?
- 2.2: Major Topic Emails
  - 2.2.1: Purpose
    
    Select activity Text, E-mail, and Netiquette
    
    Text, E-mail, and Netiquette URL
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read the second section, "E-mail". The authors define several purposes for email, including serving in both internal and external communications contexts.
    
    Select activity Effective E-mail Communication
    
    Effective E-mail Communication Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Although email is very common, it is also a new form of correspondence with rules that are not yet settled. Even so, it is still possible to make mistakes. This article brings up some things to consider as you craft effective professional emails.
    
    Select activity E-mail Assessment
    
    E-mail Assessment Quiz
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read these e-mails and then follow the instructions to complete this assessment. Note that it is important for you to critique each element in the table and that you recognize that some elements have more than one problem. Realize, however, that while your revised emails should improve the elements you criticized, there are many ways to do so and thus the emails you produce will not be the same as the examples provided in the answers.
    
    Select activity Writing Activity: Analyzing a Memo
    
    Writing Activity: Analyzing a Memo Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    In a paragraph (50–100 words), create an inventory of the emails you received or sent in the last two days. Where they internal or external? What purpose did the sender have for sending the email? Was email the best communication tool for that purpose?
    
    Select activity Writing Activity: Questions To Ask Yourself Before Sending an Email Message
    
    Writing Activity: Questions To Ask Yourself Before Sending an Email Message Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    In a page (150–250 words), answer the following questions about an email you might want to compose for your personal or professional life:
    
    Is this message suitable for e-mail, or could I better communicate the information with a letter, phone call, or face-to-face meeting?
    
    What is my purpose for sending this e-mail? Will the message seem important to the receiver, or will it be seen as an annoyance and a waste of time?
    
    How many e-mails does the reader usually receive, and what will make him/her read this message (or delete it)?
    
    Do the formality and style of my writing fit the expectations of my audience?
    
    How will my message look when it reaches the receiver? Is it easy to read? Have I used correct grammar and punctuation? Have I divided my thoughts into discrete paragraphs? Are important items, such as due dates, highlighted in the text?
    
    Have I provided enough context for my audience to easily understand or follow the thread of the message?
    
    Did I identify myself and make it easy for the reader to respond in an appropriate manner?
    
    Will the receiver be able to open and read any attachments?
  - 2.2.2: Best Practices for Emails
    
    Select activity Text, E-mail, and Netiquette
    
    Text, E-mail, and Netiquette URL
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read the third section, "Tips for Effective Business Emails".
    
    Select activity Writing Activity: Effective Emails
    
    Writing Activity: Effective Emails Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    In a paragraph (50–100 words), review the subject lines of emails you have received. What made them effective or ineffective? What role does a subject line play? In a second paragraph, critically examine the formatting of several of the emails you have received or sent. Do they meet the standard of using line breaks or whitespace and being concise (under three paragraphs)? Why is formatting key in emails? How does save time for both the sender and the reader?
- 2.3: Ethics of Electronic Communication
  - Select activity Think Your Email's Private? Think Again
    
    Think Your Email's Private? Think Again URL
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Watch the video or read the transcript. Andy Yen focuses much of his discussion on the privacy concerns related to emails at the server level. We can take this down to a much more personal level – how easy is it to share an email with someone else? How easy is it to share confidential data across the Internet in general? Have you seen new stories about posts on social media that result forced resignations or terminations? Reflect on how a single social media posting or improperly shared email ruin a person's career.
  - Select activity Writing Activity: Ethics of Electronic Communication
    
    Writing Activity: Ethics of Electronic Communication Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    In paragraph (50–100 words), document the ethical questions raised by electronic communication. Include any real world experience you have with issues and your plans for dealing with these concerns in the workplace.
  - 2.3.1: CC and BCC
    
    Select activity Primary, Secondary, and Hidden Audiences
    
    Primary, Secondary, and Hidden Audiences Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this article on primary, secondary, and hidden audiences.
    
    Select activity Email Blind Carbon Copy
    
    Email Blind Carbon Copy Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    This article describes the uses of hidden recipients of emails.
  - 2.3.2: Confidentiality
    
    Select activity Ethics, Plagiarism, and Reliable Sources
    
    Ethics, Plagiarism, and Reliable Sources URL
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read the "Business Ethics" section. Study the example in the second paragraph of the business ethics section about the newsletter vendor selection process in light of how easy it is to share documents and information electronically.
  - 2.3.3: Legal Requirements for Record Keeping
    
    Select activity Electronic Recordkeeping
    
    Electronic Recordkeeping URL
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Skim this website. It shows some of the many challenges faced by the public sector in terms of record keeping. These rules and regulations vary by industry and specific company policies. Both public and private industries face certain legal requirements for electronic record keeping. Aside from legal requirements, there are some cases where having a "paper trail" can protect an employee's interests or document customer service issues. Knowing that the documents you create as a technical writer can have larger implications helps you to better plan and prepare what the documents should contain and how they should be retained.
    
    Select activity Basic Requirements of an Electronic Recordkeeping System at EPA
    
    Basic Requirements of an Electronic Recordkeeping System at EPA URL
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Skim this website along with the one above.
    
    Select activity Writing Activity: Electronic Recordkeeping
    
    Writing Activity: Electronic Recordkeeping Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    In a paragraph (50–100 words), describe what you feel would be necessary for an email retention policy in your current or intended workplace. Justify your stance with examples.
- Unit 2 Assessment
  - Select activity Unit 2 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 1
    
    Unit 2 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 1 Quiz
    
    Students must
    
    Receive a grade
    
    In this assessment, you will consider which forms of correspondence would best meet your needs in different situations. After you write your answers, you will also be shown sample responses to help you assess your writing.
  - Select activity Unit 2 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 2
    
    Unit 2 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 2 Quiz
    
    Students must
    
    Receive a grade
    
    In this assessment, you will write and format a memo that responds to a realistic scenario. Apply what you know about audience to ensure your memo is effective. Once you are done, you can use the sample memos to assess your writing.
  - Select activity Unit 2 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 3
    
    Unit 2 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 3 Quiz
    
    Students must
    
    Receive a grade
    
    In this assessment, you will write a revision to an email. Incorporate your understanding of emails as a form of professional correspondence and your awareness of security and privacy issues in your response. Once you have written your revised email, compare it to the sample emails to assess your writing.
Unit 3: External Communication: Formal Letters
While memos are used for internal communication and emails for both internal and external communication, formal letters are mainly used as an external means of communication. Understanding when a communications context requires the more formal delivery of a physical letter falls under the initial considerations of the audience analysis and design/formatting stages of the writing process.
Letters can range from friendly introductions to more formal announcements with accompanying legal documents. In their more serious capacity, letters seek to create a formal and documented chain of communication.
Two main formats exist for letters: the block format and the indented format. Both require the recipient’s and sender’s full names and addresses. They begin with a formal salutation and end with a complimentary closing. Their formal structure helps to convey authority and credibility.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 6 hours.
- Select activity Upon successful completion of this unit, you will ...
  Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  
  characterize communication types according to their suitability for particular communication needs;
  
  compose and format a formal letter;
  
  apply an appropriate writing style that matches the letter's audience and purpose; and
  
  understand the job application letter as a special case of formal letter.
- 3.1: Overview of Formal Letter Writing
  - Select activity Business Letters
    
    Business Letters Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this article, which focuses on the choices writers make in business letters based on audience and style. Near the end of the article, there are several example letters.
  - Select activity Writing Activity: Business Letters
    
    Writing Activity: Business Letters Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    In a few paragraphs (100–200 words), discuss your experience with formal letters. What are some examples of letters you have encountered that are effective? What about ineffective examples? What role does anticipating reader's reactions and questions play in being concise and to the point? How does anticipating questions save time overall?
- 3.2: Business Letter Format
  - Select activity Creating a Block Style Business Letter
    
    Creating a Block Style Business Letter Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Watch this video. Using the directions, create a formal letter template for your personal use. In your template, make sure to follow the best practices for formatting the heading or using lettering, setting up either block or indent formatting and using a complimentary closing.
  - Select activity Write a Nice Professional Letter
    
    Write a Nice Professional Letter Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    After you read this document, prepare an application letter to accompany a resume, paying close attention to the areas of placing "important information strategically", focusing "on the recipient's needs, purposes, or interests instead of your own", avoiding "pompous, inflated, legal-sounding phrasing", and giving "your business letter an "action ending".
  - Select activity Memorandums and Letters
    
    Memorandums and Letters URL
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this section. Afterwards, prepare a business letter welcoming a new client or customer to an organization. Use "Table 9.1: Elements of a Business Letter" as a checklist for evaluating the parts of your letter.
  - Select activity Writing Effective Letters
    
    Writing Effective Letters Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this article. Pay special attention to the sections on tone and delivering bad news. Using these tips as a guide, write a formal letter delivering bad news. In a reflection paragraph or discussion with a friend or family member, explain why you made the choices you did in terms of structure, tone, and message.
- 3.3: Common Letter Purposes
  - 3.3.1: Application Letters
    
    Select activity Job Application Letters
    
    Job Application Letters Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this article, which reviews job application letters and gives you two approaches to this type of business letter: the objective letter (or cover letter) and the highlight letter.
  - 3.3.2: Inquiry Letters
    
    Select activity David McMurrey's "Inquiry Letters: Ask for Information in a Professional Manner"
    
    David McMurrey's "Inquiry Letters: Ask for Information in a Professional Manner" Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this section on another common type of business letter: the inquiry letter. Be sure to review the two sample letters.
  - 3.3.3: Complaint and Adjustment Letters
    
    Select activity Complaint and Adjustment Letters
    
    Complaint and Adjustment Letters Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this section on complaint and adjustment letters. The formality of the mailed letter aids in the persuasive task of both complaint and adjustment letters.
    
    Select activity Writing Activity: Complaint and Adjustment Letters
    
    Writing Activity: Complaint and Adjustment Letters Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    Prepare either a letter of complaint to a business or service provider or a response to a letter of complaint (an adjustment letter) as if you are business person replying to a disgruntled client or customer. In a paragraph (50–75 words), discuss what you must keep in mind about your audience to effectively write the type of letter you selected. What choices did you make in your writing to help preserve the business relationship?
- Unit 3 Assessment
  - Select activity Unit 3 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 1
    
    Unit 3 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 1 Quiz
    
    Students must
    
    Receive a grade
    
    In this assessment, you will write a letter of introduction. After being recommended, you will describe the payroll services you can offer your reader. Assess your letter against the sample responses.
  - Select activity Unit 3 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 2
    
    Unit 3 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 2 Quiz
    
    Students must
    
    Receive a grade
    
    In this assessment, you will write a letter delivering bad news. Bad news letters are often challenging because although you tell your reader something they do not want to hear, you usually are hoping to salvage the relationship. Check your work against sample responses to assess your responses.
  - Select activity Unit 3 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 3
    
    Unit 3 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 3 Quiz
    
    Students must
    
    Receive a grade
    
    In this assessment, you will practice revising a basic, "objective" job application letter. Use your imagination to illustrate how you'd convert a cover letter into a more fully realized "highlight" letter. You will be asked a series of questions that will will help you evaluate your work. When you're finished, check the sample responses to assess your writing.
Unit 4: Using Visuals to Convey Information
Words are not the only way to present and share information with an audience. Technical writing often utilizes visuals to accompany written information and further deliver information to the audience. This unit leads you through the types of visuals available and the best practices for using them.
Visuals take many forms; they can be as simple as a photograph of a plant specimen or pie chart breaking down enrollment data or as complex as an embedded video or multi-page, hyperlinked, organizational chart. Visuals must be carefully selected to support the audience's understanding of the topic.
However strong they are on their own, visuals must be integrated into the text of the document. The written word supports the visuals, and the visuals further exemplify the meaning of the text. The two work in tandem to support the main idea of the document.
This unit will also cover the important tools needed to properly label, title, and document visuals used in a given communication context.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 11 hours.
- Select activity Upon successful completion of this unit, you will ...
  Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  
  distinguish between different formats of visuals;
  
  understand the use of visuals in contributing to a document's overall purpose;
  
  express ethical and legal issues surrounding the use of visuals; and
  
  integrate visuals as supports or exemplifications of a document's text.
- 4.1: Visuals Based on Numeric Data
  - Select activity Writing Activity: Graphics in Technical Writing
    
    Writing Activity: Graphics in Technical Writing Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    Before reading more about using graphics in technical writing, reflect on your past experiences using them. In a paragraph, discuss a time when you included graphics in a document. Why did you include graphics? Did you create those graphics or did you use graphics from another source? How did those graphics support your document? In another paragraph, discuss a time when you've relied on the graphics included in a document you were reading. What kinds of graphics were included? How did those graphics support your understanding?
  - Select activity Tables, Charts, and Graphs
    
    Tables, Charts, and Graphs Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this section. Using Excel or another spreadsheet program, create a table that lists the types of visuals and two best practices for using them. Keep this table open and add to it as you work through the other activities in this unit.
  - Select activity More Working with Charts, Graphs, and Tables
    
    More Working with Charts, Graphs, and Tables URL
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Review the sections on tables (section 3), bar charts (section 5), and pie charts (section 6). Continue to add to your chart of visuals using the information you find here. You should document more than two best practices for each visual as you get more in depth with the information.
    After you have read these sections, complete activities 5, 8, 9, and 12.
  - Select activity Creating a Pie Chart in Excel 2013
    
    Creating a Pie Chart in Excel 2013 Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read the instructions and watch the video. Use Excel or another spreadsheet program to create a pie chart with the following data:
    Blueberries: 23%
    Strawberries: 18%
    Raspberries: 56%
    Gooseberries: 3%
- 4.2: Other Types of Visuals
  - 4.2.1: Choosing Graphics
    
    Select activity Introduction to Graphics
    
    Introduction to Graphics Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this article. If you'd like more information, you may read this Wikipedia article or this brief rundown on capturing screenshots.
    
    After reading, make your own screen captures to walk someone through a simple task you do frequently on the computer. For example, you might use screen captures to document composing an email message, using a specific website, creating an Excel chart, or any other computer task with which you are comfortable. You may need to provide a few lines of written instructions to accompany your visuals. Share your directions with a colleague, family member or friend, and ask them to evaluate the organization of your instructions and graphics. Make sure you keep these images somewhere you can access them later in the course in the process document section. Think of this exercise a rough draft that you will improve later.
    
    Select activity Technical Writing
    
    Technical Writing File
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read from the beginning of section 5.8 through the end of unit 6, on pages 62–92. After you have read unit 6, complete the Unit 6 Knowledge Check on pages 93–94.
    
    Select activity Graphics
    
    Graphics Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Watch this video.
    
    Select activity Writing Activity: Graphics in Documents
    
    Writing Activity: Graphics in Documents Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    In a paragraph (75–100 words), summarize at least three considerations you must take into account when deciding to add visuals to a document.
  - 4.2.2: Types of Graphics
    
    Select activity Graphics and Visuals
    
    Graphics and Visuals Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this article. Note how visuals are chosen to represent objects, numbers, concept, or words.
    
    Select activity Types of Graphical Illustration in Technical Writing
    
    Types of Graphical Illustration in Technical Writing Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this section. After you have finished, add any new types of graphics to your earlier Types of Visuals Chart, along with two tips about best practices for each type.
    
    Select activity Visual Aids
    
    Visual Aids URL
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this section, which discusses the use of visuals in presentations. Visuals are another important aspect of business communication.
    
    Select activity Writing Activity: Choosing Graphics
    
    Writing Activity: Choosing Graphics Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    Find and choose an image from Google Images. In a paragraph (50–75 words), discuss how you could use this visual to make a point. Would it represent an object, numbers, concept or words? What title would you give this visual? Would any additional labels be needed to make your point clear?
  - 4.2.3: Using Existing Images: Understanding Copyright
    
    Select activity Copyright: A Primer
    
    Copyright: A Primer File
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    No lesson about creating and using graphics would be complete without a short overview of copyright law. Read this article, which provides for an overview of standard copyright protections as well as a discussion of Creative Commons and other open licenses. These licenses allow creators to retain some of their rights while encouraging others to reuse or revise their creations to varying degrees. Did you know that Saylor Academy courses – this one included – use such alternatively-licensed materials in the form of Open Educational Resources?
    
    Select activity Writing Activity: Content Licenses
    
    Writing Activity: Content Licenses Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    Review sections 6.16 through 6.18 (on pages 90–92) of the FEMA technical writing course. In a paragraph (approx. 50–75 words), address why content licenses matter and how copyright might affect the decisions you make as a technical writer.
- 4.3: Multimedia in Technical Writing
  - Select activity Tips for Creating an Effective Presentation
    
    Tips for Creating an Effective Presentation Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this document and develop a presentation to share three things to improve multimedia presentations to a professional audience. Use the slide presentation software of your choice. If you have access to recording software, you might consider recording yourself giving the presentation. Screencast-O-Matic has free recording software you can try. Use the list of qualities in the conclusion of the article to self-assess your presentation. Consider sharing your presentation online to get feedback from colleagues, friends, and family.
  - Select activity Writing Activity: Audiovisual Elements
    
    Writing Activity: Audiovisual Elements Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    Imagine that you are creating a website, and want to use a tool to voice-over the paragraphs on your personal or professional website.
    
    In a paragraph (50–75 words) explain how the audio/visual would be used and for what audience. What do you think of this merger of audio and visual? What benefits might these kinds of tools offer?
- 4.4: Integrating Visuals
  - Select activity Labels, Callouts, Captions, and Notes
    
    Labels, Callouts, Captions, and Notes Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this section. Reflect back on the graphics you planned in subunit 4.2. Apply the Five Specific Style Rules to the titles and captions in your document. In a few sentences, explain how you applied these rules to visuals and how using labels and callouts improve your graphics’ ability to communicate to the audience.
  - Select activity Citing Correctly and Avoiding Plagiarism in APA Format
    
    Citing Correctly and Avoiding Plagiarism in APA Format URL
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Review this page, which covers how to cite images from a website or a database. Cite an image you've found online from for a topic related to your hobby or personal interest using the APA Style Guidelines.
    
    Each academic and professional discipline aligns itself with a specific type of documentation style for research. APA from the American Psychological Association tends be used in business and science. MLA from the Modern Languages Association tends to be used in the humanities. Which documentation style you follow often depends on the style requirements of your organization. Knowledge of both styles will prepare you to be versatile should the need arise.
- 4.5: Ethics
  - 4.5.1: Data Presentation
    
    Select activity The Forum Guide to Data Ethics Online Course
    
    The Forum Guide to Data Ethics Online Course URL
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Watch the "Introduction to Data Ethics" presentation and review the three items under "Canon 7: Promote understanding and accurate analysis of data".
    
    Select activity Master List of Logical Fallacies
    
    Master List of Logical Fallacies Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Review this list of logical fallacies.
    
    Select activity Logical Fallacies
    
    Logical Fallacies URL
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Review the sections of this article on logical fallacies.
    
    Select activity More on Logical Fallacies
    
    More on Logical Fallacies Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Review this article on logical fallacies. Make a chart of the fallacies that could impact visual representation of information including numeric data. In your chart, note the ways to avoid falling prey to these fallacies.
    
    Select activity Writing Activity: Data Ethics
    
    Writing Activity: Data Ethics Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    In a paragraph, discuss your experience with seeing data presented. Have you ever looked at statistics or numbers cited in an argument or online source and wondered how true they are? How can you as a writer present data in the most ethical way?
  - 4.5.2: Photoshop
    
    Select activity The Ethics of Image Manipulation
    
    The Ethics of Image Manipulation Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this article and watch the video.
    
    Select activity Writing Activity: Shaping Information
    
    Writing Activity: Shaping Information Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    In a paragraph, explain what you feel the content creator's role is in the process of shaping the way information is shared. Should the writer or producer be concerned with the "photoshop effect"? Why or why not?
- Unit 4 Assessment
  - Select activity Unit 4 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 1
    
    Unit 4 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 1 Quiz
    
    Students must
    
    Receive a grade
    
    In this assessment, you will produce a table from data presented in prose and be asked a series of questions about them. The sample responses will help you assess your work.
  - Select activity Unit 4 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 2
    
    Unit 4 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 2 Quiz
    
    Students must
    
    Receive a grade
    
    In this assessment, you will produce a presentation slide from information originally in a text format, and use a set of questions to guide your work. The sample responses will help you assess your slide.
  - Select activity Unit 4 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 3
    
    Unit 4 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 3 Quiz
    
    Students must
    
    Receive a grade
    
    In this assessment, you will work with images to supplement text and analyze how images function in a larger communicative context. You will assess your work using a series of questions and sample responses.
Unit 5: Process Documentation
One of the most common formats of technical writing is the process document. The process document explains either how to do something or how something was accomplished. This can be used to teach people or to document a process for the record. These documents vary in level of formality based on audience, but they all share elements of formatting to keep the communication organized and effective. This unit takes you through the ways to create process documents.
Formatting is probably the first design concern for a process document. The writer must distinguish whether or not the audience will have the directions with them as they accomplish the task or if they must commit the task to memory. Beginning nursing students, for example, are taught the proper way to wash hands in a roughly 1,500-word document. This document details not just the steps of handwashing, but also explains why each aspect of the process is critical to overall handwashing success. This extra detail helps to embed the proper procedure into new nurses' minds; they will, after all, be washing their hands countless times during the day without the instructions handy. Recipes, on the other side of the spectrum, anticipate that the audience will have them close by as they prepare the food; as a result, these feature lots of white space and step by step formatting.
Process documents must also pay special attention to anticipating potential trouble spots or questions from the audience. Anticipating these moments enables the writer to save time overall and increases the chances that the audience can complete the process without difficulty. Note that in this unit we will work through the writing process to develop complete process documents. We'll start with planning before moving to initial drafting, then revising.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 9 hours.
- Select activity Upon successful completion of this unit, you will ...
  Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  
  utilize audience analysis to determine the proper accounting of a process;
  
  format and organize communications to document a process;
  
  revise documents for greater clarity for the audience;
  
  revise documents for sentence level concerns; and
  
  apply process of proofreading to polish documents to professional standards.
- 5.1: Planning for the Process Document
  Before we get started with Unit 5, reflect on your experience in Unit 4 creating screen captures to illustrate a process. What choices did you make regarding which screens to capture? How much text needed to supplement the visuals? How did you organize them on the page to ensure the reader could follow the steps easily? How were your screen capture directions different than those you find in an instruction manual? What would you do to improve them or polish them for a professional audience?
  - Select activity Instructions
    
    Instructions Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this section. Focus on the Some Preliminaries section. Begin to brainstorm some ideas of processes for which you could create process document/instructions. These should be processes with which you are quite familiar, and the process should be different than the computer process for which you created screen capture instructions in the previous unit. For one or two of your new ideas, go through the preliminary process outlined. Who is your audience and situation? How many tasks do you anticipate? Will you use a task or tools approach? How could the tasks be grouped?
  - Select activity Instructions and Process Reports
    
    Instructions and Process Reports Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this article. Note the difference between prescriptive and descriptive processes.
  - Select activity Examples of Process Videos
    
    Examples of Process Videos Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Watch these videos. As you review the examples provided in the text and the two videos, consider elements that are similar.
  - Select activity A Planning Checklist for Business Messages
    
    A Planning Checklist for Business Messages URL
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this section, which emphasizes the role of audience in planning for documents in general. Think about how you could apply this approach to document planning to a process document.
  - Select activity Writing Activity: Process Documents
    
    Writing Activity: Process Documents Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    In a paragraph, catalogue some of the traits that process documents share. Which elements stand out to you as effective? Which areas seem to need greater clarity?
  - Select activity Writing Activity: Communications Channels
    
    Writing Activity: Communications Channels Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    In a paragraph of 50–75 words, discuss which communication channel would work best to convey one of the process/instructions ideas that you brainstormed earlier. Identify the who, what, when, where, and why for conveying this set of process/instructions.
- 5.2: Writing the Process Document
  - 5.2.1: Organization and Formatting
    
    Select activity Common Page Design
    
    Common Page Design
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this section on page design. How the overall page with all of its elements looks can contribute to a document's overall effectiveness.
    
    Select activity Writing Activity: Formatting
    
    Writing Activity: Formatting Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    In a paragraph (50–75 words), discuss how the examples you reviewed used the common sections and formatting for technical writing. In a second paragraph, brainstorm your own plan for writing a process document/instructions in terms of what sections and formatting you will use.
    
    Select activity Writing Activity: Process Draft
    
    Writing Activity: Process Draft Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    Take the idea for instructions/process document you have been brainstorming and develop this into a first draft of your instructions/process document for a specific audience. You can either choose a new topic to approach or expand on the screen capture directions exercise you completed in Unit 4.
  - 5.2.2: Supplementing with Visuals
    
    Select activity Graphics
    
    Graphics Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Review this article on choosing graphics for technical writing.
  - 5.2.3: Language Concerns
    
    Select activity You-Centered Business Style
    
    You-Centered Business Style Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this document. Pay close attention to "Case Study 2: Promoting Safety in User Manuals". Using the principles and guidelines for practice, revise your instructions/process document for a "you" centered approach.
    
    Select activity Sentence-Level Revision
    
    Sentence-Level Revision Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this section. Go through each bullet point and evaluate your current draft of the instructions/process document for these elements of clarity. Revise as needed.
    
    Select activity Gender-Sensitive Language
    
    Gender-Sensitive Language Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this article, which discusses appropriate use of gender in professional writing.
    
    Select activity Writing Activity: Gender-Sensitive Language
    
    Writing Activity: Gender-Sensitive Language Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    In a paragraph (50–75 words), discuss why gender sensitive language is important and note any revisions needed to ensure your instructions/process document uses gender sensitive language.
  - 5.2.4: Concrete Language
    
    Select activity Composing
    
    Composing Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Review the section on drafts, specifically concrete versus abstract language. Review your latest draft of the instructions/process document. Improve any areas of abstract language.
  - 5.2.5: Anticipating Audience Reaction
    
    Select activity Overcoming Barriers to Effective Written Communication
    
    Overcoming Barriers to Effective Written Communication Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this article. Consider the questions in the final paragraph under the "Review, Reflect, and Revise" section. Review your instructions/process document for a final time. Anticipate your audience’s reaction to the message. Are there any barriers to communication? Are there any nonverbal aspects to your message? Is your document visually attractive? Could it be clearer in some way? More concise? Revise the document one more time.
- Unit 5 Assessment
  - Select activity Unit 5 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 1
    
    Unit 5 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 1 Quiz
    
    Students must
    
    Receive a grade
    
    In this assessment, you will plan a process document and assess your response based on a series of questions and sample responses.
  - Select activity Unit 5 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 2
    
    Unit 5 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 2 Quiz
    
    Students must
    
    Receive a grade
    
    In this assessment, you will draft a Standard Operating Procedure document and assess your draft by using the rubric and sample responses. These will give you a sense of how effectively you've applied this unit's lessons.
  - Select activity Unit 5 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 3
    
    Unit 5 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 3 Quiz
    
    Students must
    
    Receive a grade
    
    In this assessment, you will test your process document and revise it based on your analysis and feedback from your test user. You will write responses to a series of questions and compare your work with sample responses.
Unit 6: Writing Proposals
Proposals are another common form of technical writing. These reports can either be formal or informal depending on the context. Some examples of proposals can be simple estimates for home improvement projects to more complex and formal business plans. This unit covers how to craft proposals.
Like process documents, proposals also rely on formatting to help them convey professionalism and appeal to the audience. Appealing to the audience is key given the persuasive nature of proposal writing. Proposals seek to persuade the audience to take action on a requested item or task.
Like other forms of technical writing, a proposal begins with audience analysis and moves through the steps of planning, writing, and revision.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 4 hours.
- Select activity Upon successful completion of this unit, you will ...
  Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  
  utilize audience analysis to plan, write and revise a proposal;
  
  format and organize a written proposal; and
  
  adapt the style and content of a proposal based on type of proposal and audience analysis.
- 6.1: Planning for a Proposal
  - Select activity Proposals
    
    Proposals Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this chapter on proposals, a special type of technical writing report.
- 6.2: Tools of Persuasion
  - Select activity Principles of Persuasion
    
    Principles of Persuasion URL
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this chapter. Make a list of the six principles of persuasion. Identify how your proposal might use each principle to persuade the audience you selected in the activity for 6.1.
  - Select activity What Is Persuasion?
    
    What Is Persuasion? URL
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this section. Complete exercise three, discussing your results with a colleague, friend or family member. In your own notes, brainstorm some ways your proposal can demonstrate memorable gain to your audience.
- 6.3: Writing a Proposal
  - Select activity Business Proposal
    
    Business Proposal URL
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this section and the associated links, especially the final one with a proposal sample. Also review the sample proposals collected here.
  - Select activity Writing Activity: Complete Proposal
    
    Writing Activity: Complete Proposal Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    Use the idea for a proposal you have been brainstorming to develop a complete proposal for a specific audience you have identified.
- 6.4: Formatting
  - Select activity Proposals
    
    Proposals Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Review the section on the format of proposals and the sample proposals again. Make notes about the elements of formatting used in the samples. What elements of formatting do you need to add the proposal you wrote in subunit 6.3? Revise as needed to follow formatting standards.
- Unit 6 Assessment
  - Select activity Unit 6 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 1
    
    Unit 6 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 1 Quiz
    
    Students must
    
    Receive a grade
    
    In this assessment, you will plan a response to an actual RFP: the document clients send out when they seek vendors. Use these questions to assess your plan, and then compare what you've written against the sample to see how well you have applied the concepts from this course.
  - Select activity Unit 6 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 2
    
    Unit 6 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 2 Quiz
    
    Students must
    
    Receive a grade
    
    In this assessment, you will draft a proposal, paying special attention to persuasion. You will use a series of questions and sample responses to assess your writing.
  - Select activity Unit 6 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 3
    
    Unit 6 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 3 Quiz
    
    Students must
    
    Receive a grade
    
    In this assessment, you will finish your proposal and write targeted summaries for different audiences. After that, you will respond to a series of questions and use the sample responses to assess your writing.
Unit 7: Communicating on the Internet
As the Internet rapidly expands, so does the opportunity for businesses to share information and reach audiences online. Technical Writers are increasingly called upon to craft communications to reach a broad online audience. The unit explores how the Internet is used to communicate and how to apply the foundations of technical writing effectively to reach online audiences.
Reading and writing for the Internet presents certain challenges that the printed word doesn't. The largest concern is the shortened attention span of Internet-based readers and reduced reading comprehension. Given the scrolling feature and the ease of clicking away, savvy writers for the Internet tailor their communications with headings, short paragraphs, clear and engaging visuals, and links for further development.
Additional points to consider when writing for the Internet are how to use social media as a tool for both communications and marketing. Given how easy it is to share communication online, the technical writer should be well versed in the social media tools and the common practices for writing on each of the interfaces. For example, what works on a blog post would not work in a tweet. The technical writer must learn how to translate the same idea for several different types of social media and in a way that reaches the intended audience.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 12 hours.
- Select activity Upon successful completion of this unit, you will ...
  Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  
  distinguish between the variety of online publishing opportunities;
  
  describe how different online writing contexts impact audience, document design, and creation;
  
  apply an understanding of purpose, audience and visual presentation in assessing new communications contexts; and
  
  describe the ethical and safety issues regarding communication and the Internet.
- 7.1: "New Media" and Generating Content for the Web
  - Select activity The Evolution of the Internet
    
    The Evolution of the Internet URL
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this section and complete the end of section exercise. Pay special attention to the reflection questions after the activity. In addition to the questions posed in the activity, consider why it is important to understand the revenue streams behind websites as a technical writer, and explore how revenue can impact content.
  - Select activity Introduction to New Media Writing
    
    Introduction to New Media Writing Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this article for an overview of new media writing and key issues to consider.
  - Select activity Text-to-Visual Remediation
    
    Text-to-Visual Remediation Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this article on remediation – the process of transforming the content from one medium into another.
  - Select activity Viral Messages
    
    Viral Messages URL
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this section and complete exercise 2. Share your work with a colleague, friend or family member.
  - Select activity The Effects of the Internet and Globalization on Popular Culture and Interpersonal Communication
    
    The Effects of the Internet and Globalization on Popular Culture and Interpersonal Communication URL
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this section and complete exercises 1–3.
  - Select activity Writing Activity: Social Media
    
    Writing Activity: Social Media Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    When designing communications for use on social media and websites, a technical writer should keep in mind this process of sharing and reshaping as discussed in the links. Moxley's article notes that "a company's new patent or product could be discussed via a news release, a blog, a Twitter stream, or a video commercial". In a paragraph (75–100 words), discuss how a company you are familiar with could share in a message in multiple ways online. What might that message be? What ways/forms might it be reshaped in?
- 7.2: Blogging
  - Select activity Blogging in the Composition Classroom
    
    Blogging in the Composition Classroom Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this article. While the bulk of the article is about how to use blogs in the classroom, the author discusses the role of blogs to create public discourse. Companies and nonprofit organizations often use blogs to communicate with potential clients and customers. These blogs inform about new products and services as well the general conditions in the industry.
  - Select activity Sound Bites and Quotables
    
    Sound Bites and Quotables URL
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this section. As you read, think about why sound bites would be important elements of the communications that technical writers create given the characteristics of new media. When organizations and companies gain so much from viral exposure, technical writers must consider how to gain that viral exposure. The sound bite it a great first step in that process. Complete exercises 1 and 2 at the end of the section.
  - Select activity Example Blogs
    
    Example Blogs Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Explore the following blog examples:
    http://www.hastac.org/blogs
    https://www.sba.gov/blogs
    Blogs can be written on a variety of subjects for both personal and professional reasons. For example, in a context for advancing your own career, if you are looking to demonstrate prowess in a new field of study or interest, you could begin to blog about the subject to increase how many people associate you with that new subject. After reviewing some of the examples, brainstorm a list of topics you could write blog entries on, either personally or professionally. In a separate paragraph, make note of the formatting and visual design elements the blogs share. Which ones are effective at capturing your attention and keeping you reading?
  - Select activity Writing Activity: Effective Blogging
    
    Writing Activity: Effective Blogging Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    In a paragraph (50–75 words), brainstorm some ways a business you are familiar with could use blogs to communicate with their customer base.
- 7.3: Social Media for Businesses
  - 7.3.1: Getting Started with Social Media
    
    Select activity Quickstart Guide to Social Media for Business
    
    Quickstart Guide to Social Media for Business File
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Review this image, which describes using social media in business.
    
    Select activity Don't Be a Social Media Marketing Skeptic – Learn Where and How to Start
    
    Don't Be a Social Media Marketing Skeptic – Learn Where and How to Start Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this article on social media marketing.
    
    Select activity Writing Activity: Businesses Online
    
    Writing Activity: Businesses Online Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    In a one-page memo to a supervisor, propose the steps necessary to get a business online and interacting with customers/clients. Remember to follow the best practices and format for developing a memo that you learned in unit 2 of this course and for process documents in Unit 4.
  - 7.3.2: Online Markets
    
    Select activity The Business of Conversations
    
    The Business of Conversations Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this article, which goes into great detail about the ways in which business analyze and discover their audiences online. This process is not that much different from the audience analysis that we learned about in the beginning of this course.
    
    Select activity Writing Activity: Online Audiences
    
    Writing Activity: Online Audiences Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    In paragraph (50–75 words), brainstorm who the online customer/client audience might be for a business that you work for or want to work for. What traits do they possess? Where can they be found online?
  - 7.3.3: Using Social Media Tools
    
    Select activity Social Media and Web 2.0
    
    Social Media and Web 2.0 URL
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this section, which describes ethical and privacy issues related to social media.
    
    Select activity Writing Activity: Using Online Tools
    
    Writing Activity: Using Online Tools Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    In a paragraph (50–75 words), discuss how a business might use these tools to connect with, inform, and persuade clients/customers. Discuss real world examples you have encountered.
  - 7.3.4: Using Social Media Effectively
    
    Select activity The Ultimate Small Business Guide to Social Media Marketing
    
    The Ultimate Small Business Guide to Social Media Marketing Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this article, which gives a short overview of social media use for a small business.
    
    Select activity Six Golden Rules for Building Your Business with Social Media
    
    Six Golden Rules for Building Your Business with Social Media Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this article on using social media effectively in a business context.
    
    Select activity Six Quick Ways to Use Social Media for Branding
    
    Six Quick Ways to Use Social Media for Branding Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this article, which gives another perspective on using social media effectively.
    
    Select activity Writing Activity: Using Online Tools
    
    Writing Activity: Using Online Tools Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    Consider the suggestions in these articles about how to use social media effectively. In a paragraph (75–100 words), analyze the social media use of a business you would like to work for or do work for in light of these principles. What areas are they strong in? Where could they improve?
  - 7.3.5: Twitter
    
    Select activity Spreading Messages on Twitter
    
    Spreading Messages on Twitter Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this article on using Twitter as a form of professional writing.
    
    Select activity Six Tips for Getting the Most out of Your Small Business Tweets
    
    Six Tips for Getting the Most out of Your Small Business Tweets Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this article on optimizing business related tweets.
    
    Select activity Writing Activity: Using Twitter
    
    Writing Activity: Using Twitter Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    With the advice from these articles in mind, compose a few tweets that would share information with the clients and customers a business you would like to work for or one that you do work for. Remember to stay under 280 characters in each message.
- 7.4: Discussion Forums
  - Select activity Responding Thoughtfully on Online Forums
    
    Responding Thoughtfully on Online Forums Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this article. While it discusses ways to comment on a classroom discussion forum, the comments sections on blogs, social media websites, and even some company's own web pages create opportunities for online discussion.
    In fact, be sure to check out the discussion forum here!
  - Select activity Managing Your Online Identity for the Job Search
    
    Managing Your Online Identity for the Job Search Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this article on how you might manage your online public identity.
  - Select activity Writing Activity: Website Comments
    
    Writing Activity: Website Comments Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    In a paragraph (50–75 words), discuss the issues surrounding employees engaging as representatives of the company when replying to comments on websites.
- 7.5: Wikis
  - Select activity A Student's Guide to Using Wikis
    
    A Student's Guide to Using Wikis Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this article. It is important to know how these open source documents work because many entries on wikis (like Wikipedia) are about companies and the people that work for them. Knowing how to create and correct any information on a wiki related to you or your company is a great skill to have as a technical writer.
  - Select activity Getting Started on Writing a Wiki
    
    Getting Started on Writing a Wiki Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this article.
  - Select activity Writing Activity: Information Organization
    
    Writing Activity: Information Organization Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    In a paragraph (50–75 words), summarize the types of information and the organization of the information you find. Discuss what value these wiki pages provide to their audiences and if you see any areas for improvement.
- 7.6: Concerns for Online Writing
  - Select activity Digital Ethics
    
    Digital Ethics Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this article on digital ethics, which is sometimes called "netiquette".
  - Select activity Issues and Trends
    
    Issues and Trends URL
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this section, which gives an overview of mass communication on the internet. Pay attention to the sections on bias and credibility.
  - Select activity Social Media in the Workplace Research Roundup
    
    Social Media in the Workplace Research Roundup Page
    
    Students must
    
    Mark as done
    
    Read this article. There is a distinction between communicating online in a professional capacity and communicating online as a private person. As this article discusses, some employees face repercussions for discussing their work life via social media.
  - Select activity Writing Activity: Presenting Yourself Online
    
    Writing Activity: Presenting Yourself Online Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    In a paragraph (75–100 words), consider the questions in the third paragraph in terms of your personal use of Internet-based communication. What guidelines govern your own posting? How do you choose to present yourself online? How does knowing these implications help you to shape better documents for Internet-based media in a professional capacity?
  - Select activity Writing Activity: Online Business Communication
    
    Writing Activity: Online Business Communication Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    In a paragraph (50–75 words), summarize some of the concerns faced by businesses communicating online. Reflect on your personal experiences with these challenges. What challenges might you anticipate as a technical writer in the workplace?
  - Select activity Writing Activity: Social Media Policies
    
    Writing Activity: Social Media Policies Assignment
    
    Students must
    
    Make a submission
    
    In a paragraph (50–75 words), discuss what social media policies exist in your workplace or the stance that you might take for yourself about what is okay to post online regarding your professional life. Why are these boundaries necessary?
- Unit 7 Assessment
  - Select activity Unit 7 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 1
    
    Unit 7 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 1 Quiz
    
    Students must
    
    Receive a grade
    
    In this assessment, you will apply the concept of text to visual remediation to produce a meme. Respond to the questions to evaluate your work, and then use the sample responses to assess how effective you were.
  - Select activity Unit 7 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 2
    
    Unit 7 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 2 Quiz
    
    Students must
    
    Receive a grade
    
    In this assessment, you will write a blog post and then answer a series of questions to evaluate your work. You will also be given sample responses that will help you assess your writing.
  - Select activity Unit 7 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 3
    
    Unit 7 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 3 Quiz
    
    Students must
    
    Receive a grade
    
    In this assessment, you will write posts for social media. You will then assess your work using a rubric and a series of sample responses.
Study Guide
This study guide will help you get ready for the final exam. It discusses the key topics in each unit, walks through the learning outcomes, and lists important vocabulary terms. It is not meant to replace the course materials!
- Select activity ENGL210 Study Guide
  
  ENGL210 Study Guide Book
Course Feedback Survey
Please take a few minutes to give us feedback about this course. We appreciate your feedback, whether you completed the whole course or even just a few resources. Your feedback will help us make our courses better, and we use your feedback each time we make updates to our courses.

If you come across any urgent problems, email contact@saylor.org.
- Select activity Course Feedback Survey
  
  Course Feedback Survey URL
Certificate Final Exam
Take this exam if you want to earn a free Course Completion Certificate.

To receive a free Course Completion Certificate, you will need to earn a grade of 70% or higher on this final exam. Your grade for the exam will be calculated as soon as you complete it. If you do not pass the exam on your first try, you can take it again as many times as you want, with a 7-day waiting period between each attempt.

Once you pass this final exam, you will be awarded a free Course Completion Certificate.
- Select activity ENGL210: Certificate Final Exam
  
  ENGL210: Certificate Final Exam Quiz
  
  Students must
  
  Receive a grade
  
  Receive a passing grade

COURSE INTRODUCTION

Course Syllabus

Unit 1: Audience Analysis

1.1: Audience Analysis

Getting to Know Your Audience

Audience

Audience and Context

Writing Activity: The Audience-Writer Relationship

1.1.1: Who are They and What do They Know?

Audience Analysis

1.1.2: What do They Need to Know or Do?

Writing Tips: Know Your Audience

1.2: How does Audience Impact Delivery?

What to Think about When Writing for a Particular Audience

Audience Adaptation

Translating Technical Discussions

Writing Assignment: The Audience for an Email

1.2.1: Word Choice

Word Choice

1.2.2: Formatting

Principles of Design

1.2.3: Purpose

Purpose

Writing Activity: Workplace Communications

Unit 1 Assessment

Unit 1 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 1

Unit 1 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 2

Unit 1 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 3

Unit 2: Internal Communication: Writing Memos and Emails

2.1.1: Purpose

Memorandums and Letters

Memorandums and Business Letters

Writing Activity: Memos

2.1.2: Format and Delivery

Creating a Block-Style Business Memo

Memorandum Assessment

Writing Activity: Memos II

2.1.3: Subject Lines

Memo Tutorial and Sample Memos

Writing Activity: Subject Lines

2.1.4: Paragraphs, White Space, and Bullets

Writing Activity: Being Reader-Friendly

Writing Activity: Analyzing a Memo

2.2.1: Purpose

Text, E-mail, and Netiquette

Effective E-mail Communication

E-mail Assessment

Writing Activity: Analyzing a Memo

Writing Activity: Questions To Ask Yourself Before Sending an Email Message

2.2.2: Best Practices for Emails

Text, E-mail, and Netiquette

Writing Activity: Effective Emails

2.3: Ethics of Electronic Communication

Think Your Email's Private? Think Again

Writing Activity: Ethics of Electronic Communication

2.3.1: CC and BCC

Primary, Secondary, and Hidden Audiences

Email Blind Carbon Copy

2.3.2: Confidentiality

Ethics, Plagiarism, and Reliable Sources

2.3.3: Legal Requirements for Record Keeping

Electronic Recordkeeping

Basic Requirements of an Electronic Recordkeeping System at EPA

Writing Activity: Electronic Recordkeeping

Unit 2 Assessment

Unit 2 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 1

Unit 2 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 2

Unit 2 Writing Self-Assessment: Activity 3

Unit 3: External Communication: Formal Letters

3.1: Overview of Formal Letter Writing

Business Letters

Writing Activity: Business Letters

3.2: Business Letter Format

Creating a Block Style Business Letter

Write a Nice Professional Letter

Memorandums and Letters

Writing Effective Letters

3.3.1: Application Letters

Job Application Letters

3.3.2: Inquiry Letters