Technical Communication Essay

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EN360CAssignment82.docx

ASSIGNMENT 8

EN360 Technical Communication

Directions: Unless otherwise stated, answer in complete sentences, and be sure to use correct English, spelling and grammar. Sources must be cited in APA format. Your response should be four (4) double-spaced pages; refer to the "Assignment Format" page located on the Course Home page for specific format requirements.

Part A: Email/Text Problems

What are some of the problems that you have experienced when writing or receiving poorly, perhaps hastily, written emails/texts? Describe at least five (5) types of issues.

Part B: Writing a Process Description

Select a specialized process that you understand well and that has several distinct steps. Using the process description discussed in Chapter 19 of your textbook as a model, write a one page description of this process.

Part C: Difficult to Follow Instructions

Find a short set of instructions or some other technical document from work or the Internet that is hard to follow. Replicate or download those instructions at the top of a one-page analysis. Assume that you are the Associate Director of Communications for the company that produced this document and that you are doing a final review before the document is released. Using the “Checklist for Instructions and Procedures” on the following page (also found in Chapter 20 of your textbook), identify what, specifically, makes the document difficult to use, providing a specific reference for each problem area.

Part D: Ted Talk Lecture Evaluation

Watch a 10-20 minute TED Talks lecture online (www.ted.com). There are 27 evaluation criteria on the “Checklist for Oral Presentations” below (also found in Chapter 24 of your textbook). Select 10 among them that you believe are most salient for this speaker. Identify strong areas and areas that could have been better. Provide an example for each. (These are skilled speakers, so you'll probably be highlighting more strengths than weaknesses.)

Grading Rubric

Please refer to the rubric below for the grading criteria for this assignment.

This is the end of Assignment 8.

CATEGORYExemplarySatisfactoryUnsatisfactoryUnacceptable

20 points15 points10 points5 points

The student provides 5+ well-

written problems

experienced when writing or

receiving poorly, perhaps

hastily, written emails/texts.

The student provides at

least 5 adequately written

problems experienced when

writing or receiving poorly,

perhaps hastily, written

emails/texts.

The student provides 5 or

less marginally written

problems experienced

when writing or receiving

poorly, perhaps hastily,

written emails/texts.

The student provides 5 or

less poorly written

problems experienced

when writing or receiving

poorly, perhaps hastily,

written emails/texts.

15 points 12 points 8 points 5 points

The student accurately

follows the 3 segment

template to completion. The

process description has a

clear title, a concise and

effecive introduction, a

functional sequence, and it

can be easily understood

even for a novice.

The student follows the 3

segment template to

completion. The process

description is good but one

or two of the steps could be

clearer.

The student follows the 3

segment template to

completion. But the process

description is lacking in the

title, introduction,

sequence, or ease of

understanding.

The student fails to follow

the 3 segment template to

completion. And the

process is lacking in the

title, introduction,

sequence, or ease of

understanding.

20 points15 points10 points5 points

The student accurately

applies 5 or more of the 28

guidelines from the checklist

with applicable examples.

There are no

misidentifications.

The student accurately

applies 5 of the 28

guidelines from the

checklist with applicable

examples. There is no more

than 1 misidentification.

The student accurately

applies only 4 of the 28

guidelines from the

checklist with applicable

examples. There are 2 or

more misidentifications.

The student accurately

applies less than 3 of the

28 guidelines from the

checklist with applicable

examples. There are 3 or

more misidentifications.

20 points15 points10 points5 points

The student applies 10 of the

most salient evaluation

criteria with clear, concise,

and persuasive descriptions

and examples that assess the

success or failure of the

speaker.

The student applies 10 of

the most salient evaluation

criteria with good

descriptions and examples,

some of which lack

specificity and are

unpersuasive.

The student applies fewer

than 8 of the most salient

evaluation criteria with

descriptions and examples

that lack specificity.

The student applies fewer

than 6 of the most salient

evaluation criteria with

descriptions and examples

that are vague and

nonspecific.

10 points 8 points 5 points 2 points

Student makes no errors in

grammar or spelling that

distract the reader from the

content.

Student makes 1-2 errors in

grammar or spelling that

distract the reader from the

content.

Student makes 3-4 errors in

grammar or spelling that

distract the reader from the

content.

Student makes more than

4 errors in grammar or

spelling that distract the

reader from the content.

15 points 12 points 8 points 5 points

The paper is written in

proper format. All sources

used for quotes and facts are

credible and cited correctly.

Excellent organization,

including a variety of

thoughtful transitions.

The paper is written in

proper format with only 1-2

errors. All sources used for

quotes and facts are credible

and most are cited correctly.

Adequate organization

includes a variety of

appropriate transitions.

The paper is written in

proper format with only 3-5

errors. Most sources used

for quotes and facts are

credible and cited correctly.

Essay is poorly organized,

but may include a few

effective transitions.

The paper is not written in

proper format. Many

sources used for quotes

and facts are less than

credible (suspect) and/or

are not cited correctly.

Essay is disorganized and

does not include effective

transitions.

Format - APA

Format, Citations,

Organization,

Transitions (15

Points)

Mechanics -

Grammar,

Punctuation,

Spelling (10 Points)

Part A: Email/Text

Problems (20 points)

Part C: Difficult to

Follow Instructions

(20 points)

Part D: Ted Talk

Lecture Evaluation

(20 points)

Part B: Writing a

Process Description

(15 points)