English assignment

· another class

· your workplace

· another context

By the time you’ve completed this module, you’ll be able to

· Analyze the rhetorical situation for an existing document

· Apply technical editing skills to an existing document

· Apply basic document design and text formatting

· Provide effective, professional feedback

· Make effective use of feedback from colleagues and supervisors

· Report on your own learning progress following memo conventions

Deliverables

At the conclusion of this module, you will turn in

1. A completed Analyzing Your Writing Situation worksheet. This is a tool for planning your document. You do not have to compose lengthy responses to each question. It’s a note-taking tool; don’t overthink/overdo. (See Lesson 1 or the Assignment 1 link in the dropbox to download a copy.)

2. A copy of your original document. Make sure you don’t overwrite your original document. Save your revision with a new file name to ensure you don’t lose the original.

3. A revised, redesigned, edited, and proofread business or technical document. We’re using “business” and “technical” very loosely here. Your instructor will be happy to offer advice on document selection; ask at the Instructor forum on the discussion board.

4. A project completion memo. This is a memo to the instructor that describes

· the rhetorical situation for your document

· explains your writing processes and choices

· assesses your progress toward achieving specific course goals

· identifies any questions or difficulties you had with particular skills or aspects of the assignment

Requirements

Requirements for the main documents in this assignment are directly connected to the assigned readings and activities (including the computer labs).

Revised document

Your revised document must be:

· Reader-centered

· Edited for precision

· Use strong verbs and effective professional style

· Make effective use of the skills learned in the Computer Labs, including

· Use of Styles

· Headings and subheadings

· Lists

· Line and paragraph spacing (use proper block formatting)

· Headers and footers

· Page numbers

· Make effective use of the CRAP-HATS, whitespace, typography and color design principles.

Memo

These requirements are connected directly to the assigned readings and activities (including the computer labs). Your memo must be

· Be reader-centered, edited for precision, and use effective professional style (see the Chapter 6 Writer’s Checklist)

· Use appropriate memo conventions (see the Chapter 9 Writer’s Checklist)

· Use a template you’ve created to reflect your personal “brand” (think of it as your professional personality)

· Include an opening paragraph that establishes the context for writing (i.e. you’re writing because you’ve completed work on a task you were given), the purpose of the memo (i.e. discuss your work processes and progress toward achieving course goals), and forecast the content of the memo (with a bulleted list of the main topics addressed)

· The body of the memo should be divided into four sections and organized with headings and subheadings.

1. Rhetorical situation: Describe the rhetorical situation for your document. You might address your original understanding of the rhetorical situation and how your understanding changed – if it did – as you worked on this assignment.

2. Writing processes and choices: Explain your writing processes and the choices you made in revising and designing your document. Be specific and point to examples from your document.

3. Progress toward course goals. Assesses your progress toward achieving specific course goals. You’ll find general course goals on the syllabus and specific learning goals for each lesson under Overview and Objectives.

4. Challenges: Identify any questions or difficulties you had with particular skills or aspects of the assignment

· Each section should be well-organized and include multiple paragraphs. You need at least two paragraphs to warrant a heading or subheading.

· Include a closing paragraph that wraps up the communication, maintains a positive relationship with the reader, and tells the reader how to reach you if they have additional questions.

Notes

Do not use pre-existing templates (commercial or open source) for this assignment.

· Create your own template for the memo

· Develop an original page layout and Styles for the revised document

The process: How do I complete this assignment?

Following these steps will keep you on track over the course of this assignment.

1. Select a technically-oriented document you have written (for another class, your job, etc. and we’re defining “technically-oriented” very loosely. Ask the instructor if you have questions.) For example:

· From another class: lab report, research paper, marketing plan

· From your workplace: policy or procedure, guide to using equipment, report

· From another context: documents you created for a club, sorority, or church; complaint letter; blog post on a subject where you’re an expert; Linked-In or other professional profile documents

2. Analyze the writing situation for this document (use the provided Writing Situations Worksheet) so you have a clear, well-articulated sense of the audience, purpose, context, and your position as the author.

3. Using the Paramedic Method (see reading), revise and reorganize the document as needed.

4. Edit for technical style, including clarity and conciseness of paragraphs and sentences, appropriate word choice and level of detail for audience and purpose.

5. Format the document to enhance readability by using

· Styles in your document

· Effective headings and subheadings

· Bulleted and numbered lists

· Page headers, footers, and page numbering

6. Write a completion memo that addresses how your work reflects your ability to apply these strategies (from our course learning goals).

7. Submit your deliverables as clearly labeled and individual files to the Assignment 1 dropbox. Confirm with your instructor whether they prefer Word documents or pdf files.

The revised document will be evaluated for these features:

· Effective use of a reader-centered approach, edited for precision and professional style, including (see Ch. 6 Writer’s Checklist):

· clear, informative titles, headings, and subheadings

· clear, informative paragraphs

· strong, effectively structured sentences

· tone, level of formality, word choice appropriate to target audience

· Effective use of basic document design principles, including using (see Ch. 7 Writer’s Checklist):

· chunking, queuing, and filtering to help readers navigate

· application of page grids and adequate white space

· effective typography (including line length and line spacing) appropriate to audience and purpose

· Effective use of the skills learned in the computer labs, including

· Text formatting

· Lists and hyperlinks

· Page layout

· Headers and footers

· Page numbers

· Headings and subheadings (using Styles)

· Visual elements: Images, shapes, tables and/or charts

The project completion memo will be evaluated for these features:

· Presentation of complete, clear, concise, compelling information appropriate to audience, purpose, and setting

· Effective use of a reader-centered approach, edited for precision and professional style, including (see Ch. 6 Writer’s Checklist):

· Meets reader expectations for the memo genre (see Ch. 9 Writer’s Checklist - Memos)