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Introduction to Technical Writing

Introduction to Technical Writing published on

This is the post for the week of July 5, 2017.

This site is the official home for our Summer II 2017 course (CRN #70933). Information on all assignments, weekly activities, and related resources will be posted here. Check this site regularly for the details on what to do for the course.

Work Hours: Normally, I am online from late afternoon through early morning hours. I’m not a morning person. So look for responses from me during those hours.

Tasks for the Week of July 5

You will notice that there are a lot of tasks. Remember that this is the work for the week, and that each week in this course is like three weeks during the regular semester. I try to post everything that you need to do at the beginning of each week. In my experience, many online students in summer sessions are also have internships, summer jobs, or other work. By posting everything at the beginning of the week, I hope that I give you enough lead time to fit the coursework around your other obligations.

Here’s what you need to do for this week:

  1. Complete the Course Overview Module in Canvas. You will read the various course documents and then take a syllabus verification quiz.
  2. Confirm that your notifications in Canvas are set the way you want them. Note that Canvas uses your notification preferences to determine whether to email you or text you (or not tell you at all) about information on the site. See the section "How do I adjust my notification preferences?" in the Student Getting Started with Canvas Guide for more information on setting up your notifications.
  3. Add a professional profile picture to your Canvas account. Follow the Canvas documentation to add a profile picture in your user account. Since this is an online course, your profile picture helps me see you as more than just a name on the course roll.
  4. Post a self-introduction in Getting Acquainted with Your Writing Group Discussion in Canvas. Take the first step in getting to know one another by saying hi to the others in your group. You can reply or like posts as you are getting acquainted.
  5. Join our team on Slack and say hello in #general. Check out the information on the Help with Slack page for details on how to choose a username and how to use the discussion tool. You can also ask for help in #general—and if you see someone ask a question you can answer, please chime in. We will use Slack for informal discussion and real-time conversations.
  6. Add a professional profile picture to your Slack account. Photos will help us all get to know one another and will personalize the discussion. Without photos, it’s just a list of names for your classmates. If you need help, check the Slack documentation on editing your profile.
  7. (Optional) Participate in my AMA: Ask me anything discussion on Canvas. Post any questions you have about me, my background, or the course. Read whatever has been posted. Add replies or follow-up questions as desired. Please keep the conversation classroom-friendly.
  8. Read the Professional Bio Statement assignment, and ask any questions you have. If you have any questions about the assignment, check in #general in Slack to see if they have already been answered. If they have not, post your question there and I will reply when I can. Asking a question is not required.
  9. By 11:59PM on Friday, July 7, write a draft of your professional bio and share it with your writing group in the Drafting Professional Bios Discussion on Canvas. Provide constructive feedback to your writing group members by replying to the members of your group by noon on Monday, so that everyone has time to revise. Use the details on the Writing Groups page to guide your feedback. Your professional bio is due in Canvas by 11:59 PM on Monday, July 10. The grace period ends at 11:59 PM on Thursday, July 13.
  10. By 11:59PM on Friday, July 7, write your 07/07 Labor Log in Canvas. Specific questions for your log are included in Canvas. The grace period for your log entry ends at 11:59 PM on Monday, July 10.

 

 

[Image: Detail from Why Good Writing Is Needed for Better Jobs


 

Welcome to English 3764

Welcome to English 3764 published on

Succeeding in an Online CourseWelcome to the Summer II 2017 session of Technical Writing. The Term begins on Wednesday, July 5, 2017.

If you want to get a headstart on the course, you can do these things:

1. Check out these pages on the course website:

2. Sign up for the Slack team for the course by visiting https://join.slack.com/3764su17/signup. Please follow the course guidelines for Choosing Your Username. You can find additional tips on the Help with Slack page. Once you join the site, you can say hi to me in #general, and if I’m online, I’ll respond.

3. If you have any questions about the course, you can ask in the #general channel on Slack.. Naturally, if you have a personal question, you can send me an email message at tengrrl at vt.edu.

4. Watch for a post around midnight on Wednesday, July 5, 2017, with the instructions for the first week of class. There will be an assignment due the first day of class, so do not delay checking the instructions.


 

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