English 403 will prepare you for the kinds of professional and technical writing that you will do in your professional, administrative, or research-oriented careers. Such writing includes producing effective letters, memos, reports, proposals, and employment-related materials for different readers, tasks, and situations. This course is parallel to English 402; however, English 403 considers the cross-cultural and language needs of multilingual writers. Native speakers of English should not be enrolled.

By the end of this course, you should be able to

• Understand issues related to writing, such as matters of ethics, subject, audience, and purpose.
• Recognize the various forms of writing used in professional, administrative, and research-oriented situations, and apply the appropriate form to a given task.
• Write and revise in the various forms of writing used in professional, administrative, and research-oriented situations.
• Present ideas in a proficient and persuasive manner, both verbally and in writing.
• Plan, revise, and edit your documents for clarity, correctness, and conciseness.

Required Text

• A Concise Guide to Technical Communication, 3rd edition, by Gurak & Lannon (ISBN: 0321391683)

Syllabus & Project Assignment Sheets
These assignment sheets will also be handed out in class, but if you need another copy just download one from the links below.

• Course Syllabus (PDF)
• Project #1 (Rhetorical Analysis) (PDF)
• Project #2 (How-To Guide) (PDF)
  • student example #1: food
  • student example #2: funny/lifestyle
  • student example #3: software installation (super A+++ how-to)
• Project #3 (Employment Portfolio) (PDF)
  • handout: interview questions
  • resume template #1, resume template #2 (these are just two of MANY, MANY templates)
  • memo template
  • sample reference request
  • sample cover letter
• Project #4 (Responding to Communications Situations) (PDF)
• Project #5 (Pitch Proposal) (PDF)
• Project #6 (Group Research Project and Presentation) (PDF)

Course Calendar
The following schedule reflects scheduled off days, project due dates, and classroom changes. This schedule, unlike the one in the syllabus document, will always be up-to-date and correct. Refer to it if you have questions about due dates.

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