ENGL. 2311.001.01A-Technical and Business Writing (HYFL)
Course Syllabus: Fall 2020
“Northeast Texas Community College exists to provide personal, dynamic learning experiences empowering
students to succeed.”
Instructor: Mandy Smith
Office: Humanities 116
Phone: (Office) 903-434-8254 (Cell) 903-466-6377
Email: msmith@ntcc.edu
Office
Hours
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Online
3:00-5:00
1:30-5:30
1:30-5:30
Email anytime
This syllabus serves as the documentation for all course policies and requirements, assignments,
and instructor/student responsibilities.
Information relative to the delivery of the content contained in this syllabus is subject to change.
Should that happen, the student will be notified.
Course Description:
3 credit hours.
Lecture/Lab/Clinical: Three hours of class each week.
Intensive study of and practice in professional settings. Focus on the types of documents necessary to
make decisions and take action on the job, such as proposals, reports, instructions, policies and procedures,
e-mail messages, letters, and descriptions of products and services. Practice individual and collaborative
processes involved in the creation of ethical and efficient documents.
Prerequisite(s):
None
Student Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will:
1. Recognize, analyze, and accommodate diverse audiences.
2. Produce documents appropriate to audience, purpose, and genre.
3. Analyze the ethical responsibilities involved in technical communication.
4. Locate, evaluate, and incorporate pertinent information.
5. Develop verbal, visual, and multimedia materials as necessary, in individual and/or
collaborative projects, as appropriate.
6. Edit for appropriate style, including attention to word choice, sentence structure,
punctuation, and spelling.
7. Design and test documents for easy reading and navigation.
Evaluation/Grading Policy:
Your assignments will be evaluated using the following point values:
Process Analysis Essay 100 Points
Project Proposal 100 Points
Business Plan 100 Points
Memo Assignment 100 Points
Job Description Assignment 100 points
Business Letter Assignment 100 Points
Marketing Plan Assignment 100 Points
Resume Writing Assignment 100 Points
Final Report 200 Points
Oral/visual presentation of final project including drawings, 200 Points
photographs, charts and/or graphs.
Total 1200 Points
Assignments will be graded within two weeks of receipt or before your next assignment is due. Your
essays will be graded holistically based on the scoring rubric. (See the evaluation criteria (rubric) for
writing assignments at the end of the syllabus.)
Required Instructional Materials:
Excellence in Business Communication 12th Edition. Editors: John V. Thill & Courtland L. Bovée
Publisher: Pearson, New Jersey: 2017 ISBN Number: 978-0-13-431905-6
The textbook is required and provides essential information for successful completion of this course.
You can purchase your textbook at the NTCC College Store.
Optional Instructional Materials:
None
Minimum Technology Requirements:
You will need access to a computer to complete the writing assignments for this class. You will be typing
your assignments and submitting the assignments through Blackboard.
If you have trouble accessing Blackboard and Word, there are basically three options:
1) If you have your own computer and solid internet access at home, please use your own equipment
there.
2) If you have your own computer, but less than optimal internet access, bring your laptop to campus
and plan to access the campus’ WiFi in one of the socially distanced areas available on-campus.
Weather permitting, the best option for that is to remain outside away from others. If weather
conditions are less than optimal, the campus is arranging socially distanced rooms you can use. You
probably want to bring earbuds/headphones for privacy.
3) If you do not have your own computer, all computers available in the LRC and other campus
computer labs are sufficiently equipped to complete class assignments and have been arranged for
social distancing. You probably want to bring earbuds/headphones for privacy.
Additionally, there are computer kiosks available in the SUB and BT from which you can check out one
of a limited number of laptops for personal use.
Required Computer Literacy Skills:
Blackboard Learning Management System, Microsoft Word processing, average email usage
Course Structure and Overview:
This technical and business writing course is designed to help students develop the analytical and writing
skills that are needed in a professional setting. The class will also include reading assignments that
challenge students to examine an assortment of reading and visual material offered in the textbook and
through online sources. Overall, the goal of this course is to help students grow as both thinkers and
writers. Higher order skills acquired in thinking and writing help students process a variety of information
in a rapidly changing world. In the process, students will begin to take a more disciplined approach to
writing with a diverse audience in mind.
Writing Assignments:
Please follow these instructions when writing your papers:
● Writing assignments must be typed.
● Use Times New Roman 12 pt. font.
● Double-space
● Pay close attention to spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
● Due dates for writing and reading assignments will be assigned during class and will also be noted in
the class calendar.
● Rough drafts should be printed and brought to class for a peer review session on the due date. WEPA
printing cards can be purchased in the NTCC bookstore. WEPA printers are located in the SUB and in
the Learning Commons (library).
● Final draft assignments will be submitted through a Blackboard Turninit assignment link on the due
date.
● Late assignments are only accepted at the instructor’s discretion. Emergency situations will be
handled on an individual basis.
Reading Assignments:
Students are expected to read all assigned material before coming to class. You will be expected to
respond to reading assignments orally during class discussions.
Communications: Office hours are listed on the top of the front page of this syllabus. I have also listed my
cell phone. I do accept calls and text messages on my cell. Emails will be answered within 24 hours. Please
note that NTCC email is the official form of communication used by the college.
Institutional/Course Policy:
To complete this course successfully, you should do the following:
● Read all of the textbook assignments
● Participate actively and meaningfully in all group discussions
● Prepare and submit all writing assignments on time
● Attend class regularly
Always remember to bring your textbook, paper and writing utensil to each class. You will not be
successful in this class without the appropriate materials. Please don’t engage in casual conversations
during our lecture, discussion and group times or while we are working on other assignments. I reserve the
right to act as necessary to maintain a productive class environment, including asking disruptive students
to leave, and in extreme circumstances, dropping chronic disruptors from my course. I will not tolerate
uncivil behavior toward other class members during class discussions. Please do not use cell phones,
tablets or computers during class unless the device is being used as a part of the classwork. Please inform
me at the beginning of the semester if you plan to use a digital copy of the textbook. See the evaluation
criteria (rubric) for writing assignments at the end of the syllabus.
Attendance policy:
Attendance will be taken either orally or by a sign-in sheet. If you come to class late, it is your
responsibility to make sure that the instructor counts you in attendance for that day. Students who miss
more than five class periods will be subject to failure in this course.
Zoom Virtual Classroom:
As part of class attendance in this Hy-Flex course format, you are required to attend your Zoom class time
on the scheduled day each week (check your class schedule). Please conduct yourself during Zoom time as
you would in a regular face-to-face classroom setting on campus. You need to have your video turned on
and be attentive during the Zoom sessions. Once you log into the virtual classroom, please mute your
microphone located in the lower left-hand corner of the screen.
Course Evaluations:
Toward the end of the course you will be asked to complete an online course evaluation. Students are
encouraged to fill out an online evaluation for each of their courses. This will be your opportunity to share
important feedback on each of the courses you take at NTCC and the faculty member who teaches the
class. Please watch for info about the evaluation on your NTCC email account and make sure you
participate in evaluating your experiences in the classroom.
Withdrawal policy:
It is your responsibility to drop or withdraw from a course. Failure to do so could result in receiving a
failing grade for the course.
Alternate Operations During Campus Closure and/or Alternate Course Delivery Requirements:
In the event of an emergency or announced campus closure due to a natural disaster or pandemic, it may
be necessary for Northeast Texas Community College to move to altered operations. During this time,
Northeast Texas Community College may opt to continue delivery of instruction through methods that
include, but are not limited to, online through the Blackboard Learning Management System, online
conferencing, email messaging, and/or an alternate schedule. It is the responsibility of the student to
monitor NTCC’s website (http://www.ntcc.edu/) for instructions about continuing courses remotely,
Blackboard for each class for course-specific communication, and NTCC email for important general
information.
Additionally, there may be instances where a course may not be able to be continued in the same delivery
format as it originates (face-to-face, fully online, live remote, or hybrid). Should this be the case, every
effort will be made to continue instruction in an alternative delivery format. Students will be informed of
any changes of this nature through email messaging and/or the Blackboard course site.
NTCC Academic Honesty/Ethics Statement:
NTCC upholds the highest standards of academic integrity. The college expects all students to
engage in their academic pursuits in an honest manner that is beyond reproach using their intellect
and resources designated as allowable by the course instructor. Students are responsible for
addressing questions about allowable resources with the course instructor. Academic dishonesty
such as cheating, plagiarism, and collusion is unacceptable and may result in disciplinary action.
This course will follow the NTCC Academic Honesty and Academic Ethics policies stated in the
Student Handbook. Refer to the student handbook for more information on these subjects.
ADA Statement:
It is the policy of NTCC to provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals who are students
with disabilities. This College will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and
guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford equal educational
opportunity. It is the student’s responsibility to request accommodations. An appointment can be made
with the Academic Advisor/Coordinator of Special Populations located in Student Services and can be
reached at 903-434-8264. For more information and to obtain a copy of the Request for Accommodations,
please refer to the special populations page on the NTCC website.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA):
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of
student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program
of the U.S. Department of Education. FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s
educational records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she attends a school beyond the high
school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are considered “eligible students.” In essence,
a parent has no legal right to obtain information concerning the child’s college records without the
written consent of the student. In compliance with FERPA, information classified as “directory
information” may be released to the general public without the written consent of the student unless the
student makes a request in writing. Directory information is defined as: the student’s name, permanent
address and/or local address, telephone listing, dates of attendance, most recent previous education
institution attended, other information including major, field of study, degrees, awards received, and
participation in officially recognized activities/sports.
Tentative Course Timeline (*note* instructor reserves the right to make adjustments to this
timeline at any point in the term):
Technical and Business Writing– ENGL. 2311
Assignment Calendar Fall 2020
Week 1 Welcome to the class-introductory writing assignment
Course and Syllabus review
Read chapter 1 “Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World”
Week 2 Begin working on Process Analysis Essay
Research ideas for project assignment
Week 3 Read chapter 4 “Planning Business Messages”
Peer review process analysis essay in-class
Submit final draft of process analysis essay to Turnitin assignment
Choose project idea
Week 4 Read pages 340-341 on creating a business plan
Submit project proposal to Blackboard assignment
Begin working on business plan
Week 5 Read chapter 5 “Writing Business Messages”
Continue working on business plan
Week 6 Begin working on memo assignment
Begin working on job description assignment
Submit business plan assignment to Blackboard
Week 7 Submit memo assignment to Blackboard
Submit job description assignment to Blackboard
Begin working on marketing plan
Week 8 Read pages 548-556 on writing business letters
Begin working on letter writing assignment
Week 9 Submit marketing plan assignment to Blackboard
Read Chapter 11 “Planning Reports and Proposals”
Begin working on Final Report project
Week 10 Submit letter writing assignment to Blackboard
Read pages 485 to 501 on planning and creating a resume
Begin working on resume assignment
Week 11 Continue working on final report
Begin working on oral presentation of final report
Week 12 Submit resume assignment to Blackboard
Continue working on final report
Continue working on oral presentation of final report
Week 13 Peer review final report rough draft (in class)
Begin final report presentations
Week 14 Continue final report presentations
Week 15 Continue final report presentations
Submit final report to Blackboard
Week 16 Continue final report presentations
Appendix A
EVALUATION CRITERIA FOR WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
Grade
Criteria
90-100
The writing provides a well-organized response to the topic and maintains a central focus. The
ideas are expressed in appropriate language. A sense of pattern of development is present from
beginning to end. The writer supports assertions with explanation or illustration, and the
vocabulary is well suited to an academic paper. Sentences and phrasings within sentences
reflect a command of standard written English, including what constitutes a complete sentence.
Grammar, punctuation, and spelling are almost always correct.
80-89
The writing provides an organized response to the topic. The ideas are expressed in clear
language most of the time. The writer develops ideas and generally signals relationships within
and between the paragraphs. The writer uses vocabulary that is appropriate for the topic and
avoids oversimplifications or distortions. Sentences generally are complete and also
grammatically correct, although some grammatical errors may be present when sentence
structure is particularly complex. With few exceptions, punctuation, and spelling are correct.
70-79
The writing shows a basic understanding of the demands of essay organization, although there
might be occasional digressions. The development of ideas is sometimes incomplete or
superficial, but basic logical structure can be discerned. Vocabulary generally is appropriate
for the topic but at times is oversimplified. Sentences reflect a sufficient command of standard
written English to ensure reasonable clarity of expression. Sentence fragments, fusions, and
comma splices may be present. Grammar is usually, although not always, correct. Common
words are spelled correctly but more difficult words may be misspelled.
60-69
The writing provides a response to the topic but generally has no overall pattern of
organization or begins with a response to the topic but does not develop the response. Some
paragraphs have adequate structure, but ideas are often undeveloped or are repeated and/or
seem to be presented randomly. The writer generally does not signal relationships within and
between paragraphs. The writer uses informal language frequently and writes in a
conversational style when appropriate academic prose is needed. Vocabulary seems limited
and words may be misused. Sentences are often simplistic and lacking in variety. Sentence
phrasing obscures rather than enhances clarity of expression. The writing has recurrent
grammatical problems or has occasional problems only because of the narrow range of
sentence and language variety. Fragments, fusions, and comma splices are common.
Punctuation, and spelling errors occur often.
Below
50
The writing suffers from general incoherence and has no discernible pattern of organization. It
displays a high frequency of error in the regular features of standard written English. Lapses in
punctuation, spelling, and grammar often frustrate the reader. Or, the writing is so brief that
any reasonably accurate judgment of the writer’s competence is impossible.
