English 5376: Professional Writing

Syllabus
Spring 2008

Course Description:

A study of the theory, genres, and practices of professional writing and communication. The course is taught in a workshop setting and is designed for students from all disciplines.

Required Texts and Materials:

• Elizabeth Rankin. The Work of Writing: Insights and Strategies for Academics and Professionals. San Francisco: Josey-Bass, 2001.
• Library reserve articles (specified on schedule)
• Other texts as related to individual projects (numerous copies/printouts may be required)
• Portable electronic storage medium to save your work (disks, flash drive, etc.)

Course Objectives and Outcomes:

Students will:

• Inquire into the conventions and expectations for professional writing in their academic disciplines
• Identify and develop documents pertinent to their disciplines
• Understand the role of audience and purpose in the process of developing academic and professional documents
• Apply this information to a Writing Project (a formal, scholarly activity), such as a conference paper, literature review, research article, thesis, proposal, etc.
• Participate in a Writing Workshop to improve writing processes, skills, and habits, and to develop ability to work productively through collaboration.

Major Assignments and Grading

Click on the links below for more information about each project:

• Project Proposal: 10%
• Article Synthesis: 10%
• Annotated Bibliography: 15%
• Conference/Workshop Proposal: 5%
• Writing Project & Presentation: 30%
• Writing Workshops: 30%

Course Policies

Attendance: This class is conducted as a workshop, so your learning and the learning of your classmates relies on your regular attendance and participation. Note above that workshop activities account for nearly 1/3 of your grade. Our class meetings are times for writing and productive collaboration: working together, helping each other, learning from each other. Therefore, if you miss more than 2 class meetings, no matter what the reason, your final grade will be lowered one letter grade for each day missed after 2. To be counted present, you must be on time and remain in class until it is dismissed.

Expectations: We will treat our writing community as a professional work setting. Each members is expected to be prepared, to do the assigned readings/writings/discussions, and to have work ready for peers to respond to. "Professional" also means that late work is not acceptable for any reason.

In-class Conduct: Please turn off all cell phones or other electronic devices while in class. Do not use them for texting; do not check your messages during class. Do not use computers or class time for anything other than English 5376 related work. Do not work on computers while someone (instructor or student) is speaking to the class as a whole. In general, treat each other and the instructor with respect and follow simple standards of common courtesy.

Academic Honesty/Plagiarism: The university will not tolerate plagiarism or any other form of intellectual/academic dishonesty. This course will abide by University policies in regard to academic conduct. Please refer to the current TAMU-CC Catalog for information.

Student with Disabilities: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodations of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Disability Services Office at (361) 825-5816 or visit the office in Driftwood 101.

Writing Center: The Writing Center of Texas A&M Corpus Christi provides free help for students at any stage in the writing process, including graduate students. Consultants can help you find ideas, organize thoughts, cite sources, prepare application letters and resumes, and in general provide an active, constructive audience for any writing task. Consultants work one-on-one with students in confidential sessions, but if students request documentation of their visit, it can be provided. The Writing Center is located in the Tutoring and Learning Center in Bell Library 216, in the back, behind the science tutors. Please drop in or make an appointment. As you work on your projects, you should consider going there for some additional feedback as very often a person with another viewpoint can help us to see different approaches we can take in our writing processes.