Course Aims
In broad terms, this course aims to provide students the opportunity to engage in workplace communication settings, challenging them to produce various types of written, digital, and visual materials. The client-based approach pits student success not simply in the grades earned with each assignment but each student's and group's abilities to negotiate with and respond to the needs the customer. In addition, each client-based situation offers students the opportunity to research, compose, revise, and communicate the rationale behind those actions to others. From a practical perspective, these projects will also serve as evidence of a student's ability to
- meet negotiated deadlines
- work more effectively in groups and individually
- communicate with clients outside of the classroom setting to determine expectations for projects
- produce thoughtfully designed documents that consider the interplay of image and text
Required Texts
- Robin Williams. The Non-Designer's Design Book. (ISBN: 9780133966152)
- optional purchase if you're interested in typography: The Non Designer's Design and Type Books
- Heather and Robert Graves. Broadview Concise Guide to Technical Communication (ISBN: 781554815487)**cheaper if ordered directly through the publisher
- additional readings posted on the Google Drive
Technology:
When possible, this will be a paperless classroom, but there will be some times when printed materials are necessary, particularly when students begin working with clients. Here's a list of the technologies we'll use and their function(s):
| course website | information portal |
| eLearning | grade book |
| Slack | communication (alternative to email) |
| Google Drive | file sharing, composing, peer review |
| other apps | ...for document design (InDesign, Photoshop, Canva) |
Assignments and Grading:
This course is designed on a 100-point scale. General details appear below:
- short-response assignments: 5 @ 5 points each = 25 points
- client-based projects
- progress reports (group and individual): 4 @ 5 points each = 200points
- group agreement: 5 points
- short-term project (due around midpoint): 20 points
- long-term project (due at end of semester): 20 points*
- final group presentation: 10 points
*combined score for short- and long-term projects might be necessary based on client deadlines.
Final letter grades will be awarded on a 10-point scale as follows: A: 89.5-100, B: 79.5-89, C: 69.5-79, D: 59.5-69, F: 59.4 or below. Grades will be posted on eLearning throughout the semester and on Banner at the conclusion of the term.
Attendance and Participation:
Attendance and active involvement, whether with the professor or the client, is required. If you are unable to attend class or a scheduled meeting, for any reason, please email me as a courtesy and check in with your peers to discuss work missed.
Academic Integrity and Plagiarism:
UNG's honor code states, "On my honor, I will not lie, cheat, steal, plagiarize, evade the truth, conspire to deceive, or tolerate those who do."
As students of this university, you have agreed to abide by this code.
In turn, I will not tolerate any instances of plagiarism or excessive collaboration in this course, regardless of intent. It is crucial that all students receive proper credit for their own work and that all outside sources are accurately cited. Students in violation of this policy will receive zero credit for the assignment and may fail the course. In addition, I will report the infraction to the Dean of Students.
Deadlines:
All readings are due at the beginning of class on the date announced unless otherwise noted; the daily schedule is designed to indicate the date readings will be discussed.
The client-based nature of this class means that students will largely be responsible for making and keeping deadlines in accordance with the needs of their clients. All deadlines will be communicated to the professor as part of the group agreement. Course-related deadlines will be posted on the shared google calendar.
Daily Schedule:
UNG Supplemental SyllabusThe daily schedule for the course appears here as an integrated Google calendar. Any significant changes will be announced in class. The latest edition will be posted online. It is imperative that you keep up to succeed in this course.
By consenting to the policies outlined in the course syllabus, you assume responsibilities for all assignments posted on the online schedule.
