Notes for Today

• Turn in any revisions by 11:59PM. If you still have Incomplete grades on any of your work, today is your last chance to turn in revisions.
• Consider how to make your performance visual in your Performance Review. Return to the #Write: Visualize Your Progress post for ideas.

Readings for Today

• All Posts by Title
• Discussions by Title

Tasks for Today

1. Visit the pages linked in the Readings above to find any of the information from earlier in the course.
2. Complete the tasks in the Performance Review Submission Module in Canvas:
   
   1. Turn in your 1/12 Labor Log in Canvas by 11:59PM Friday, 1/12.
   2. Turn in your Performance Review in Canvas by 11:59PM Saturday, 1/13.
3. Once I have everything graded, your course grade will be the grade recorded for the Performance Review in Canvas.

Notes for Today

• Include completion of the SPOT survey as evidence of your work to earn a grade higher than B.
• No peer feedback required for the Performance Review. Your Review focuses on your grade in the course, which is private and personal. Any assignment that required you to share details about your grade would be a FERPA violation, so there is no peer feedback. If you personally want to share your draft with someone, you may. You can decide to share the information, but there is absolutely no requirement to do so.

Readings for Today

• Performance Review Assignment (Final Exam)
• Advice Articles on Writing Self-Evaluations
• Extra Posts for Today
  • #Watch: Final Exam Resources
  • #Tutorial: Determining Your Course Grade
  • #Fact: How SPOT Evaluations Are Used

Tasks for Today

1. Complete the tasks and readings included in the Performance Review Overview Module in Canvas:
   1. Read the assignment and related information on the Performance Review assignment.
   2. Read the Extra Posts for additional information that can help with your Performance Review. Leave a comment if you like.
   3. Complete your SPOT survey, using the advice in the #Fact: How SPOT Evaluations Are Used post.
2. Record the work you have done for the day in your Labor Log, which is due tomorrow.

Readings for Today

• Textbook readings on formal reports, listed in Step 2 of the assignment
• Extra Posts for Today
  • #Tutorial: Using Lists to Organize Information
  • #Infographic: Overused Words
  • #Fact: Grammar and Style Checkers Are Often Wrong
  • #Write: Proofreading Facebook vs. Proofreading Essays

Tasks for Today

1. Complete the tasks and readings included in the Genre Analysis Report Submission Module in Canvas:
   1. Review the Textbook readings on formal reports, listed in Step 2 of the assignment.
   2. Read the Extra Posts for additional information that can help with your project. Leave a comment if you like.
2. Check your work on your Genre Analysis Report carefully. Since there is little time left in the term, you need to be sure that your project does not need revision. In particular, consider the following:
   1. Review the rubric, which is on the assignment page in Canvas.
   2. Ensure you include all the required sections and information, listed in Step 4 of the assignment.
   3. Spellcheck and proofread your work.
3. Record the work you have done for the day in your Labor Log.
4. If you find yourself ahead of schedule, begin work on your final exam.

Notes for Today

• Keep in touch. We’re down to the last days of the course, so it’s important to stay on track and finish strong. If you run into trouble, be sure to contact me so we can come up with a solution.

Readings for Today

• Chapter 5.0 to 5.2: Citations and Plagiarism, from Technical Writing by Hamlin, Rubio, and DeSilva
• Chapter 5. Using Sources, from Effective Technical Writing in the Information Age by Schall
• Extra Posts for Today
  • #Tutorial: Citing Your Sources
  • #Fact: Polished, Professional Documents Matter
  • Review: #Fact: Informative Headings Help Readers
  • Review: #Watch: Create Information-Rich Signposts 

Tasks for Today

1. Complete the tasks and readings included in the Genre Analysis Report Peer Review Module in Canvas:
   1. Learn how to cite the sources from your research by reading the linked chapters from online textbooks and watching the new #Tutorial on citing sources. The #Tutorial also includes links to citation generators that can help you with your bibliography.
   2. Watch the video in the #Fact: Polished, Professional Documents Matter post to review the front and back matter for your report.
   3. Review the #Fact and #Watch on headings (from earlier in the course) and apply the ideas to your table of contents (TOC). In short, be sure that your TOC informs your readers about the report’s contents. Today’s infographic outlines ways that you can write headlines, which can also inform the way that you create information rich headings in your TOC and report.
   4. Complete peer review in the Group Feedback on Genre Analysis Report Discussion in Canvas:
      1. Share your draft with your writing group.
      2. Give feedback to the members of your writing group, following the suggestions in the #Watch: Peer Review Commenting Strategies post.
      3. Use the feedback from your group members to revise your proposal (which is due by 11:59PM).
2. Record the work you have done for the day in your Labor Log.

Note: This infographic already has a transcript.

Notes for Today

• Fast Turn-Around on Progress Reports. Your progress report today is meant to be a fast turn-around document, similar to what you would give to your immediate manager in the workplace. There are situations where a progress report will be longer and more involved (e.g., an quarterly update to clients on a year-long project).

Readings for Today

• Progress Report Assignment
• Readings from Textbooks
  • Memos, from Writing Commons
  • From Technical Writing by Hamlin, Rubio, and DeSilva
    • 6. Progress Reports
      • 6.1 Functions and Contents of Progress Reports
      • 6.2 Timing and Format of Progress Reports
      • 6.3 Organizational Patterns or Sections for Progress Reports
      • 6.4 Other Parts of Progress Reports
      • 6.5 Revision Checklist for Progress Reports
  • From Style for Students Online: Effective Technical Writing in the Information Age by Schall
    • Progress Reports
    • Sample Progress Report
• Extra Posts for Today
  • #Tutorial: Progress Reports for Clients and Stakeholders
  • #Write: Visualize Your Progress
  • #Fact: Deal with Trouble in Advance

Tasks for Today

1. Complete the tasks and readings included in the Progress Report Overview & Submission Module in Canvas:
   1. Read the linked information to learn about how to compose progress reports. The Extra Posts provide additional information that can help you improve your draft. Your progress report should be in memo format, addressed to me (Traci).
   2. Share a draft of your Progress Report in the Feedback on Progress Reports on Canvas.
      • In your message, ask your group to look at anything you are trying to improve. Let them know the kind of advice you need.
      • Provide feedback to your group members, using the strategies in the Peer Review Commenting Strategies video.
      • Revise your Progress Report, using the feedback from your group members.
   3. Submit your Progress Report in Canvas by 11:59PM. If you are taking advantage of the grace period, submit your project by 11:59PM on Tuesday, 01/09.
2. Continue work on your Genre Analysis Report, which is due on Wednesday. The readings from Friday can help with any questions you may have as you work.
3. Record the work you have done for the day in your Labor Log.

Photo credit: Progress Report by Forest Hill Society on Flickr, used under a CC-BY 2.0 license.

This is the post for January 5, 2018.

Notes for Today

• Progress Reports Moved to Monday. Remember that I moved all the work for the progress reports to Monday. It’s a short assignment, so one day should be enough time.

Readings for Today

• Genre Analysis Report (assignment)
• Similar Project Examples by Students (in the box on the right side)
•  Technical Reports from Style for Students Online: Effective Technical Writing in the Information Age
• Articles from the “Professional Business and Technical Writing” section of Writing Commons
  • Front Matter Components
  • Body of Report
  • Back Matter Components
• Extra Posts for Today
  • #Tutorial: Conducting Research for Your Report
  • #Fact: You Need to Be a Fact-Checker
  • #Watch: Citations & Bibliographies in MSWord

Tasks for Today

1. Complete the tasks and readings included in the Genre Analysis Report Overview Module in Canvas:
   1. Review the Genre Analysis Report assignment and Similar Project Examples by Students to refresh your understanding of the project and its requirements.
   2. . Read the information on writing reports from the online textbooks (listed above and in the Canvas Module). .
   3. Check for tools that can help with your research by reading the infographic on the right of today’s post and the blog post “12 Essential Chrome Extensions for Student Researchers” from the Educational Technology and Mobile Learning blog on research extensions.
   4. Read the Extra Posts for additional information that can help with your project. Leave a comment if you like.
   5. By 11:59PM, submit your 01/05 Labor Log in Canvas. Your log should cover all the work you have done for the course this week. The grace period for your log entry ends at 11:59 PM tomorrow (01/06).
2. Conduct the research for your Genre Analysis Report, and be sure to keep track of your sources for your bibliography. Use the instructions in Step 3 of the assignment to guide your research. This is a large project, so I encourage you to work steadily during the weekend, rather than waiting until the last minute.
3. Record the work you do during this weekend in your Labor Log. I will only grade the work that you recorded through today (Friday) You’ll have another entry due next Friday, and of course, you will use the information you are tracking when you write your final exam.

Note: This infographic has a text-based transcript.

Photo credit: Chrome Extensions Infographic from Educational Technology and Mobile Learning.

Readings for Today

• #Watch: Reader-Friendly Proposals
• #Fact: Informative Headings Help Readers
• #Infographic: Scheduling with a Gantt Chart
• #Watch: Creating a Gantt Chart

Tasks for Today

1. Complete the tasks and readings included in the Short Proposal Submission Module in Canvas:
   1. Learn how to improve your project by completing the readings for today and then using the information to revise your project before turning it in.
   2. Submit your Short Proposal in Canvas by 11:59PM. If you are taking advantage of the grace period, submit your project by 11:59PM on Friday, 01/05.
2. Record the work you have done for the day in your Labor Log. Your Labor Log entries for the week are due tomorrow.
3. If you want to get ahead, you can read the assignment for the Genre Analysis Report and the Progress Report assignments, which we will begin tomorrow.

Note: This infographic has a transcript.

Notes for Today

Today, we begin work on the last three major projects you will complete for the course. All of the remaining major projects in the course are connected. Here’s how:




The important detail here is that you have to decide on your plan for both the proposal and the genre analysis report today.

Readings for Today

• Short Report Proposal (assignment)
• Genre Analysis Report (assignment)
• Examples, Cases & Models: Proposals from Online Technical Writing
• Proposal Writing Basics from Business Communication for Success
• Proposals from Online Technical Writing
• Extra Posts for Today
  • #Tutorial: Proposal Overview
  • #Fact: Proposal Readers Don’t Want Suspense
  • #Tutorial: What to Include in Your Proposal

Tasks for Today

1. Submit your Analysis of Writing in Your Field project in Canvas by 11:59PM, if you are taking advantage of the grace period.
2. Complete the tasks and readings included in the Short Proposal Overview & Peer Review Module in Canvas:
   1. Review the assignments for the Short Report Proposal (due 01/04) and Genre Analysis Report (due 01/10).
   2. Read the chapters on writing proposals:
      1. Proposal Writing Basics from Business Communication for Success
      2. Proposals from Online Technical Writing
   3. Check out the Examples, Cases & Models: Proposal for some models you can use as you work. There are also examples on the assignment pages.
   4. Complete peer review in the Group Feedback on Short Proposals Discussion in Canvas:
      1. Share your draft with your writing group.
      2. Give feedback to the members of your writing group, following the suggestions in the #Watch: Peer Review Commenting Strategies post.
      3. Use the feedback from your group members to revise your proposal (which is due Thursday, 01/04).
3. Read the Extra Posts for additional information that can help with your project. Leave a comment if you like.
4. Record the work you have done for the day in your Labor Log.

Note: This image already has a text description, so a transcript is not needed.

Readings for Today

• Check these resources for information about your specific field, and read whatever is helpful:
  • Writing for Specific Disciplines (Sacramento State)
  • Writing for Specific Disciplines (Duke)
  • Writing in the Disciplines (Tennessee-Knoxville)
  • Writing in the Disciplines & Across the Curriculum (Montclair State)
  • Tips and Tools, last column on the right (UNC-Chapel Hill)
  • Writing in the Disciplines (Richmond)
  • Resources for Writers and Presenters (Montana)
  • Engineers on Writing (requires Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player, but it may be helpful if you’re an Engineer)
• #Infographic: Intercultural and Global Awareness in the Workplace
• #Tutorial: Avoid Centered Text
• #Watch: Word Defaults for Tables

Tasks for Today

1. Complete the tasks and readings included in the Analysis of Writing in Your Field Submission Module in Canvas:
   1. Learn how to improve your project by reading the #Infographic, #Tutorial, and #Watch posts for today as well as checking the sites listed in the readings above for help with writing in your career field. Use the related information to revise your project before turning it in.
   2. Submit your Analysis of Writing in Your Field project in Canvas by 11:59PM. If you are taking advantage of the grace period, submit your project by 11:59PM on Wednesday, 01/03.
2. Record the work you have done for the day in your Labor Log.
3. If you want to get ahead, you can read the assignment for the Short Proposal, which we will begin tomorrow.

Photo credit: Evernote ETC: My Field Notes by Brooks Duncan on Flickr, used under a CC-BY 2.0 license.

Many of you have probably already seen the XKCD comic below, titled “University Website.” Beyond being a funny reflection on what you see on college websites, it’s a great example of what goes wrong when composers fail to think about what their audience needs. The people who decide what goes on these websites are meeting someone’s goals, but not all of the people who go to the site for information.

As you think about the audience for the kinds of writing you list in your Analysis of Writing in Your Field project, think about what this comic tells us about the people who use a kind of writing. A single document can have a lot of different audiences (and purposes).

Permanent link to this comic: https://xkcd.com/773/