Expository Writing Program
Courses

Upper Level Writing Courses

ENGL 300 ("Expository Writing III")
Advanced practice in writing a variety of expository forms: personal essays and informative and persuasive reports. Additional work on style and the demands of various rhetorical situations.

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ENGL 400 ("Expository Writing for Teachers")
Expository writing and a brief introduction to the history and theory of teaching writing, primarily for candidates for Secondary certification in English.

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ENGL 415 (“Written Communication for Engineers”)

Course Description & Objectives

This course enables engineering students to analyze technical problems and data rhetorically and make judgments on how most effectively to present information to different audiences and for specific purposes.  Students have the opportunity to generate industry-standard documents, especially those directed to technicians and decision-makers.  Students need to research intensively a problem or issue in their field in order to complete a large-scale project.

Upon completion of ENGL 415, students should be able to do the following:

• Identify the primary and secondary audiences of a writing task, as well as their needs, attitudes, and expectations; and, with this identification, analyze the audience in relationship with the rhetorical purpose of the writing situation.
• Produce documents typical of professionals that are well organized, credible, comprehensive, accurate, and ethical.
• Identify and research a discipline-specific problem or opportunity in order to complete a large-scale project that presents results, discussion, conclusions, and recommendations.
• Integrate visuals, text, and basic principles of document design.
• Revise and proofread documents for readability, accessibility, style, tone, and usage.
• Use appropriate digital technologies to research and compile sources, communicate professionally, produce visuals, design documents, and present information orally.
• Make effective formal oral presentations.
• Adopt and maintain a professional persona (e.g., communication style, tone, and demeanor).
• Identify constraints implicit in the professional world (e.g., deadlines or budget concerns).

Textbook

• Markel, Mike. Technical Communication. 7^th Edition. 

2004-2006 Catalog Description

Study and intensive use of writing forms characteristic of professional practice.

Topics

Classes meet on a M/W/F (50 minutes for each class) or a T/U schedule (75 minutes for each class). The main writing assignments include the following:

• Employment documents (resume and cover letter)
• Brief Project/Research Proposal & Audience Analysis
• Professional Correspondence (email, memos, letters of inquiry and response, transmittal letters, short reports, etc.)
• Descriptions of technical processes and hardware
• Progress Report
• Technical Report Project (approximately 15-20 single-spaced pages)
• Formal Oral Presentation of Technical Research Report

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ENGL 516 (“Written Communication for the Sciences”) 

Course Description & Objectives

This course allows students to develop their abilities to communicate scientific, technological, or design-related data to multiple audiences (e.g., both lay and expert readers) and for professional and academic contexts.  Students are required to research extensively some issue or problem in their field and complete a project based upon the claims they have generated from their research.

Upon completion of ENGL 516, students should be able to do the following:

• Identify the primary and secondary audiences of a writing task, as well as their needs, attitudes, and expectations; and, with this identification, analyze the audience in relationship with the rhetorical purpose of the writing situation.
• Produce documents typical of professionals that are well organized, credible, comprehensive, accurate, and ethical.
• Identify and research a discipline-specific problem or opportunity in order to complete a large-scale project that presents results, discussion, conclusions, and recommendations.
• Integrate visuals, text, and basic principles of document design.
• Revise and proofread documents for readability, accessibility, style, tone, and usage.
• Use appropriate digital technologies to research and compile sources, communicate professionally, produce visuals, design documents, and present information orally.
• Make effective formal oral presentations.
• Adopt and maintain a professional persona (e.g., communication style, tone, and demeanor).
• Identify constraints implicit in the professional world (e.g., deadlines or budget concerns).

Textbooks

• Alred, Brusaw, and Oliu. Handbook of Technical Writing. 6^th Edition.
• Technical Writing Packet of Supplementary Materials

2004-2006 Catalog Description

Theory and intensive writing practice for students in the basic and applied sciences.

Topics

• Employment documents (resume and cover letter)
• Proposal
• Professional Correspondence (email, memos, letters of inquiry and response, transmittal letters, short reports, etc.)
• Graphics Assignment
• Progress Report
• Literature Review Project (15-20 single-spaced pages)
• Formal Oral Presentation of Literature Review