Today is the due date for Project 2. Aim to submit your work by midnight in your timezone, but remember that you have a 24-hour, grace period if you need it. No excuses needed. If something has gone wrong in your world and 24 hours may not be enough, contact me immediately and let me know what you need.

Class Work for July 22

These are the tasks to complete for today’s work:

• Go over the requirements for Project 2.
• Review the location of the FAQs for using Google Drive.
• Discuss the reflection memo and how to submit Project 2 in Scholar.

Requirements for Project 2

You need to turn in a reflection memo as well as a link to your spreadsheet (and to your analysis memo, if you have chosen that option).

Your spreadsheet should be well-organized with clearly labeled headings and an appropriate title. Make sure that the information in your spreadsheet is grammatically parallel (see pp. 122–123 of Markel and if you need more information). In other words, the information in each column should match in grammatical structure.

If you are turning in an analysis memo, ensure that you include all six characteristics of technical communication and that you have used design features (like headings) to arrange the memo in a way that increases readability

For all the documents you turn in, remember to check your spelling and proofread for grammar and punctuation.

Google Drive FAQs

Note: this is the same information you followed in Project 1. I’m including it as a reference in case you need a reminder.

To make sure that you can submit your project smoothly, pay attention to the following FAQs:

• If you worked in something other than Google Drive, you can use your preferences to automatically convert files you upload to Google Drive automatically.
  This step is important so that I can use the commenting features in Google Drive.
• If you already uploaded a document to Google Drive, check the format of your files and manually convert the files on Google Drive if necessary.
• Follow the instructions on how to set permissions and get the Google Drive Share link to get a link that will allow me to read and comment on your document.

Writing Your Reflection Memo and Submitting Your Project

Your reflection memo is your chance to tell me anything you want me to know before I read your project. For this project, your reflection memo will give me the link to your spreadsheet on Google Drive and the link to your analysis memo if you created one. You will also tell me about what you have written. Follow these instructions to submit your work:

1. Go to the Assignments tab on the left menu in Scholar.
2. Choose “P2: Writing in Your Field.”
3. Scroll down to the text box below the headings Submission and Assignment Text. You will write your memo in this box. (Alternately, you can write in a word processor/Google Doc, and copy/paste your text into this box.)
4. Add your memo headers (To, From, Subject, and Date). For your reflection memo, you’ll use the following:
• Address your memo to me (Traci) and from yourself (use your name).
• Add a subject line that indicates this is your reflection memo and which project it is for.
• Add the current date.
5. Insert a horizontal divider line using the button indicated with the red arrow in the image below:
   
6. Introduce your project—what are your overall goals, what grade have you aimed for, and what documents have you written for the project?
7. Remind me about your career and field, and let me know anything about writing in your field that I will need to know to understand your spreadsheet.
8. For each part of the project you have written (e.g., the spreadsheet, the analysis memo), do the following:
   1. Label the document so I know whether it is the spreadsheet or the optional analysis memo.
   2. Add the Share link to each document on your Google Drive. Use the instructions for how to get the Share link on the FAQ site if you are unsure how to share documents.
   3. Tell me what I need to know to understand the information you have included in your document. For instance, if you have broken out the kinds of writing in a particular way that you want me to notice, tell me. Likewise, if you have left anything out, tell me about that as well.
   4. Tell me anything else you want me to know about the the layout and design.
9. Review the information for Project 2 in the reflection memo. You should have a block for each piece you have written that tells me what it is, gives me the link, and tells me about it.
10. Add a concluding section that tells me anything else you want me to know about your project.
11. Agree to the Honor Code by clicking the checkbox at the bottom of the page in Scholar. You cannot finish submitting the project without clicking that checkbox (and it’s easy to miss).
12. Submit your Project, and save a copy of the confirmation and submission ID. If something goes wrong in Scholar, you can contact 4HELP with that information.
13. You’re done! Project 3 will focus on writing descriptions, definitions, and instructions. If you want to get a head start, begin reading Chapter 14 of Markel.

Hope you all had a nice weekend are are ready to go with another week of classes. This week, we will finish up the analysis assignment for Project 2 and begin work on technical instructions, definitions, and descriptions for Project 3. By the end of the week, I will post additional information on how your work in the forums and general participation are graded as well.

Class Work for July 21

Today we focus on peer review. The process will be a little different from last week, since your work is on your Google Drive, but the idea is basically the same. Here are the tasks to complete for today’s work:

• Go over documentation on using the comment system in Google Drive.
• Post drafts for Project 1 in the forums.
• Respond to two students on Google Drive and in the forums.
• Review the comments on your own work.

Using the Comment System in Google Drive

The Comment system in Google Drive allows you to highlight the text in the draft you are writing and link your comments to the passage. It is one of two tools typically used in the workplace to collaborate on documents (the other is the Comment tools in Microsoft Office). We are using Google Drive because it is free and works on nearly all operating systems in the same way. It’s usually a bit easier to use as well.

If you are unfamiliar with the comment and sharing systems in Google Drive, use the step-by-step instructions for how to use Google Drive for peer review on the FAQ site. The FAQ includes details on how to share your document, how to comment, and how to respond to comments.  If you need a more detailed explanation, be sure to check out the Lynda video on “Commenting on a file.”

Posting Your Drafts for Project 2

You will post the share link to your draft in the forums:

1. Go to the Project 2: Analysis of Writing in Your Field forum, and find the topic you created with your name or your username and career or field (e.g., “Traci, college writing instructor”).

2. Post a reply in your topic, doing the following:
   • If you do not want to share your last name in the forums, change it in your draft to a pseudonym. You can use a generic last name like Doe or Smith, or you can change it to Lastname.
   • Share the link(s) to your Project 2 drafts in Google Docs, using the FAQ linked in the section above.

3. Let your classmates know about any specific concerns that you want them to consider as they comment on your draft.

4. Be sure to Preview your draft to make sure everything shows up the way you want it to, and then submit your post.

Responding to Your Classmates’ Drafts

Follow these instructions to respond to your classmates’s drafts:

1. Read and comment on the drafts of at least two of your classmates:

   • Find one post that no other student has replied to (so that we can be sure everyone gets a reply).
   • Find a second post that has only one other student reply.

2. Use the Share link to go to your classmate’s draft on Google Drive and do the following:

   • Check the title of the document, and add a comment to tell your partner if it is clear and effective.
   • If you notice any spelling errors, punctuation errors, or typos, mark them as you read, but please focus more on the content rather than editing.
   • Add comments on the content of the draft. Comment on at least three things your classmate does well and at least three things that your classmate could improve on. It’s fine (excellent, even) to include more than the minimum number of comments.
   • If your classmate has included the optional analytical memo, check whether the draft addresses all six characteristics of technical communication. If anything is missing, add a comment that lets your partner know.

3. Once you finish commenting on the document, go back to your classmate’s post in the forums and add an overall comment that sums up what you thought of the paper and gives your partner some encouragement.

Reviewing the Comments You Received

Once you have finished adding comments to your classmates’ projects, return to your own draft, read the comments that your partner gave you, and add replies as appropriate. For instance, you might thank your partner for catching an error, ask your partner for more detail on feedback you don’t understand, or share a revision and ask your partner if it is an improvement. Your goal is to reply today so that your classmate can respond if you need more information.

We got a head start on analyzing memos with the Microsoft email message yesterday. Today, we’ll look at examples that are similar to the memo you can write if you are aiming for an A on Project 2.

Class Work for July 18

These are the tasks to complete for today’s work:

• Discuss your focus for Project 2.
• Take a look at the Microsoft memo (if you haven’t done so already).
• Read and discuss some example memos analyzing tech writing documents.
• Be sure you are comfortable with Google Drive’s spreadsheet tool.

Focus for Project 2

Thank you for your posts about your careers and fields of study. They look quite impressive, and everyone seems focused well for this assignment. You all have a great start on the second project.

In case you missed the question in the forums, don’t panic if you find that you have an empty slot on your spreadsheet. If one of the columns is irrelevant for one of the documents you have listed that is okay. Likewise, if you cannot find an example of the document online to link to, that’s okay too. Remember, however, that you need to account for those empty spaces in your reflection memo when you turn in your work next week.

If you have any other questions about Project 2, post them in the Questions about Project 2 topic in the forum or email me.

Looking at the Microsoft Memo

If you haven’t done so already, take a look at the Microsoft layoff memo that was posted yesterday and read through your classmate’s responses. Add your own response if you’d like. I’d like everyone to have the opportunity to weigh in. Focus on the memo as a piece of technical writing, and try not to let your love (or hatred) of Windows get in the way of your analysis.

Discussing Example Memos

The example memos included on on the Project 2 assignment page were written by students who were analyzing a piece of technical writing in their field using the six characteristics of technical writing that are explained in Markel, Chapter 1. If you are aiming for an A, these memos are similar to what you need to write (though they are a bit longer).

Today, I want you to review them and think about what makes some better than others. It’s useful to understand what makes a good memo even if you aren’t aiming for an A. You will probably write more memos (in the form of email messages) than anything else during the arc of your career.

Here’s what you should do by midnight Sunday in your timezone:

1. Read through the Example Analysis Memos. You don’t have to read every word, but look at them well enough to get a sense of how they work, what they do well, and what they could improve on.

2. Go to the Discussion of Example Memos topic in the forums and weigh in on which of the examples seemed more effective. You can quote someone else’s post or just start in on your own ideas. You will find some guiding questions in the forum post.

Setting Up Your Spreadsheet

Just to repeat the note from yesterday:
If you have never worked with the spreadsheet tool in Google Drive before, please explore it a little bit before the weekend so that you can ask any questions you need to. You can set up your spreadsheet similar to the example, but feel free to add or change the column headings to fit the writing in your field.

If you need a tutorial, go to the Virginia Tech login for Lynda.com, and then watch the section on Working with spreadsheets. You are only entering text in your spreadsheets, so you don’t need to worry about making calculations or using functions and formulas.

Class Work for July 17

These are the tasks to complete for today’s work:

• Talk about kinds of correspondence.
• Learn about you attitude.
• Post about your field for Project 2.
• Set up your spreadsheet.

Kinds of Correspondence

Chapter 9, “Writing Correspondence,” discusses letters, memos, and email messages. If your experience will be anything like mine, you will probably write more email messages than any other kind of correspondence in your day-to-day work.

The table in the textbook on p. 219 outlines the differences between types of correspondence. Use the information there as a guideline, but also pay attention to the practices where you work. It’s completely possible for one company to rely on formal letters and another company to rely almost exclusively on email messages. There is no universal right decision. Instead, there are decisions that are right because they match a company’s or organization’s standard practices. Let the company’s practices be your guide.

Remember that the “Writer’s Checklist” (pp. 238-239) gives you a nice summary of the important concepts in the chapter. If you are writing the optional memo for Project 2, be sure to use the Memos section of the checklist as you write and revise.

Using You Attitude

You Attitude is the concept of focusing on the needs and interests of the reader in technical and business writing. It’s all about seeing things from the audience’s perspective and situating information so that readers understand and accept it.

The textbook has a short explanation on pp. 220–221, and you can find more information in “What Is the ‘You Attitude’?”

Posting About Your Field

Today’s forum post will help you begin Project 2. I’ve outlined below what I would like you to do. You can’t do today’s posts incorrectly. Just begin gathering ideas according to the directions. Also you’re not in competition with one another. Don’t worry if someone is further along than you are.

1. Go to the Project 2: Analysis of Writing in Your Field forum.

2. Create a New Topic, and use a subject line that includes your name (or nickname) and your career/field. I would create “Traci, college writing instructor.” Be as specific as you can be with your career/field. For example, don’t say, “computer science,” if you could say, “Android Game Development.” Adding your career to the subject line will help with the process of replying to one another.

3. In the body of your topic, provide some background on your career/field choice. Tell us a little bit about the field and how you ended up in it. Think of your audience as people who do not know the nuances of your career options. Explain your career in lay terms. Aim for a few sentences here.

4. Next, tell us a little bit about your experience with writing in your field. Have you done lots of writing? Have you watched others? Again, you just need a few sentences.

5. Finally, brainstorm some of the different kinds of writing people do in your career/field. Aim for at least 5, and include a few words about how the writing is used if you can.

6. Review your response, and add headings for each of the three sections to help organize your post. Submit your post when you happy with what you have.

7. Reply to a classmate’s post, offering suggestions and encouragement. Choose a post that no one else has replied to so that we can be sure everyone gets a response.

8. (Optional) Write a second reply to someone else. Use the career info in the subject line to find someone in a field similar to your own if you can. Again, offer suggestions and encouragement.

Setting Up Your Spreadsheet

If you have never worked with the spreadsheet tool in Google Drive before, please explore it a little bit in the next 24 hours so that you can ask any questions you need to. You can set up your spreadsheet similar to the example, but feel free to add or change the column headings to fit the writing in your field.

If you need a tutorial, go to the Virginia Tech login for Lynda.com, and then watch the section on Working with spreadsheets. You are only entering text in your spreadsheets, so you don’t need to worry about making calculations or using functions and formulas. If you run into trouble, post a question in the Questions about Project 2 section of the forums or email me directly.

Many of you have already turned in your first project. If you are taking advantage of the grace period, you should have your work in my midnight in your timezone today (July 16). Today we move on to Project 2.

Class Work for July 16

These are the tasks to complete for today’s work:

• Talk about the due date and grace period.
• Go over the assignment for Project 1.
• Discuss the way design elements are used in technical writing (chapter 7 of Markel).

Due Dates and the Grace Period

It looks as though the due date of midnight in your timezone is working for everyone, so we’ll keep that due date for the rest of the term. The grace period gives you an extra 24 hours if you need it. If you take advantage of the grace period, you have until midnight in your timezone on the day after the due date.

In working terms, Scholar requires me to use 11:55 PM (rather than 12:00). The system will accept your work, though it will be marked as “late” in the system. There is no penalty for being late as long as you get your work in within 24 hours of the due date. The goal of this system is to give you some leeway in case something goes wrong in your world. Use it if you need it.

Getting Started on Project 2

The second assignment is to analyze the different kinds of writing that you will do in the workplace. You will create a list of kinds of writing and the characteristics that apply to them. Think of your audience for this project as yourself. Your goal is to learn about the characteristics of the kinds of writing you will typically do in the workplace. A year from now, if you were in the workplace, you should be able to come back to this analysis to remind yourself of the kinds of features to include in a text you are writing.

Here’s what I want you to do:

1. Read the assignment completely. Begin thinking about the goals you will set for the assignment and the specific field you will choose. You don’t have to commit to anything until tomorrow, but start thinking about it.

2. If you have any questions (today or in the future) about the assignment, go to the Questions about Project 2 topic in the forum and add them. You can skim through this topic for answers as well.

Design Elements in Technical Writing

Chapter 7 of Markel, “ Designing Documents & Web Sites,” outlines four design principles that you and use to make your writing clearer and easier to read. The secret to remembering them is to rearrange them into a menomic: CRAP (Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, and Proximity).

As the chapter explains, you can use various design elements like page layout and headings in your documents. The underlying goal for these elements is to help your audience use the document easily by making key information easy to find and making the document easy to read.

The choice of a spreadsheet create for Project 2 demonstrates how design choices can make information more readable and useful to an audience. Spreadsheets (or tables in a Word Processor) are frequently used in the workplace to present information that the audience will compare. For instance, you might create a spreadsheet for benchmarking purposes, to compare different features of competitor’s websites or to compare contractors for a project to find the best choice.

As you read chapter 7, pay attention to the CRAP design principles, the details on designing documents (such as using layout, columns, and typography), and the information on analyzing page designs.

Discussing Effective Design

Because you have different career goals, you will write different kinds of documents in the workplace. It’s highly likely, however, that all of you will use email to correspond with such varied people as clients, coworkers, managers, vendors, and contractors. I have collected several webpages that talk about how to write email messages that we will use today to talk about effective design.

1. Visit the following pages and look at how they use design principles and strategies to arrange the information. Make sure you scan through the complete information. For instance, the Forbes article will require you to step through a slide show. Your goal is to scan for design. No need to read every word on the pages.
   • Writing Effective Emails (MindTools)
   • Effective E-mail Communication (UNC Writing Center)
   • In Pictures: How To Write An Effective E-Mail (Forbes)
   • 15 Tips for Writing Effective Email (Think Simple Now)
   • Email Tips: Top 10 Strategies for Writing Effective Email (Jerz’s Literacy Weblog)
   • How to Write an Effective Email (WikiHow)

2. Visit the Analyzing Document Design (email sites) topic in the forums and talk the way the sites use design. There are some questions there to help you get started.

3. Aim to add two posts: one with your first impressions upon looking at the sites, and a second one that replies to another person in the class. Read through what others had to say, and reply to one or more of the ideas or questions that your classmates have posted.