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Syllabus - Written Communication (20588)
COURSE INFORMATION
Organization:
Course Number :
Credits:
Instructor:
Email Address:
Office Phone:
Office:
Office Hours:
Mid-State Technical College
10-801-195
3
Steve Thayer
steve.thayer@mstc.edu
(715) 389-7029
Room 104
Monday: 10-11 a.m. and 3 - 4 p.m.; Wednesday: 2-3 p.m.; Friday: 9-10 a.m.
I will also be in the Learning Commons (formerly ASC) Monday from 12-1 p.m.
and Tuesday from 9-11 a.m.
Meeting Times:
Location:
Tuesday and Thursday, 12:30 – 2 p.m.
Computer Lab 107
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is designed to develop writing skills to allow you to write for school, life, and work. These
skills include prewriting, drafting, revising and editing. Writing assignments are designed to help you
analyze audience and purpose, research and organize ideas, and format and design documents based on
subject matter and content. The course will also develop critical reading and thinking skills through the
analysis of a variety of written documents.
PREREQUISITES
Accuplacer Sentence Skills score of 85 or equivalent or Intro to College Writing with a grade of “C” or
better.
TEXTBOOKS
Required: Business Communication Today, 11th ed., by Courtland L. Boveé and John V. Thill
Optional: A good dictionary; a good English handbook
CORE ABILITIES
Mid-State Technical College has identified Core Abilities that all students should be able to demonstrate
before graduating. This course integrates these competencies.
 Act with integrity
 Communicate effectively
 Demonstrate effective critical thinking
 Demonstrate global and social awareness
COMPETENCIES
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Establish document purpose.
Apply audience analysis techniques.
Employ rhetorical strategies.
Generate ideas for writing.
Research outside sources.
Synthesize information from sources.
Organize document content.
Write final text from drafts.
Design document format.
Assess document for revision.
Edit document based on conventions of standard English.
GRADING INFORMATION
In this course you will complete 10 performance assessments, based on the competencies. Your
performance on each assessment will be checked according to the checklist on the scoring guide. You
must pass all performance assessments to pass the course.
With each assignment I will give you a copy of its scoring guide, which I recommend you use as a
checklist to help you determine if your assignment is complete and ready for evaluation. If an assignment
does not meet the minimum requirements as stated in the scoring guide, you will have an opportunity to
revise and resubmit your assignment. The highest score you may earn on a revised assignment is the
equivalent of a “B”.
Grading Scale
Accrued points will fall into the following percentages:
A = 95-100
C = 80- 82
A- = 93- 94
C-= 77 - 79
B+ = 91- 92
D+ 74 - 76
B = 87- 90
D = 72-73
B- = 85- 86
D- = 70-71
C+ = 83- 84
Below 70 = F
Assignment List
Writing analyses
Storytelling/Narrative assignment
Description assignment
Process assignment
Research proposal
Preliminary reference list
Research progress report email
Research paper draft for review
Research paper
Electronic media assignment
Student Success
Total
25 points
50 points
50 points
50 points
50 points
50 points
50 points
25 points
100 points
50 points
10 points (scheduled meeting with advisor sometime
after 4th week)
510 points
Total Points for the Course
485 - 510 = A
434 - 443 = B377 - 392 = D+
475 - 484 = A423 - 433 = C+
367 - 376 = D
465 - 474 = B+
408 - 422 = C
357 - 366 = D-
444 - 464 = B
393 - 407 = CBelow 366 = F
COURSE POLICIES
Late Assignments
Unless otherwise stated, assignments are due no later than the posted due date. I will accept an
assignment up to one week after it is due without penalty, but the tradeoff is that when I evaluate an
assignment that is up to one week late I will not provide any feedback. An assignment turned in more than
one week late will have a full letter grade deducted from its score. The assignment still must be submitted
to prove competency. There will be NO EXCEPTIONS without instructor approval. If you know you
will be late with an assignment, please contact me right away. For late presentations, there will be NO
exceptions unless other arrangements have been made with your instructor (and with group members for a
group presentation) prior to the scheduled presentation.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism occurs when you use someone else’s ideas without proper citation. Plagiarism in your
assignments will result in severe grade penalties. The issue of plagiarism will be discussed further in
class. It is your responsibility, however, to know what constitutes plagiarism.
All content of assignments/presentations must be original work. While it might be tempting to lift
information from the Internet or other resources, it is obviously not your work and constitutes plagiarism.
Any plagiarized work will receive a “0” score and repeated plagiarism will result in you failing the
course.
MSTC Academic Integrity Policy
The Mid-State Technical College Board, administration, faculty, and staff believe that academic honesty
and integrity are fundamental to the mission of higher education. All students are expected to maintain
and promote the highest standards of personal honesty and professional integrity. These standards apply
to all examinations, assigned work, and projects. Therefore, a student who is found to have been
dishonest, fraudulent, or deceptive in the completion of work or willing to help others to be so or who is
found to have plagiarized (presented the work of others as his or her own) is subject to disciplinary action
up to and including suspension.
Cell Phones and Text Messaging
There may be opportunities to use cell phones and mobile devices in class this semester, so you may bring
them if you have them. However, I ask that you do not take or make calls, or send or respond to text
messages, during class time as it is distracting to others. We will have ample break time in which you can
catch up on your calls and messages. If your cell phone use becomes a distraction, I will ask you to leave.
GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS
MSTC ADA Statement
It is the policy of MSTC to comply with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individuals with disabilities are provided with reasonable and effective
accommodations, when requested, to afford equal access to educational opportunities at MSTC.
For more information or to request assistance, students should contact the MSTC Disabilities Services
Coordinator at (715) 422-5452. Although students are strongly encouraged to refer themselves, they may
be referred by an instructor at any time. When possible, accommodations should be requested a semester
before they are to be put in place. However, Disabilities Services staff members will assist students at any
time to provide services in a timely manner. The student, MSTC Disabilities Services staff members, and
individual instructors together determine what services and accommodations are needed and how they are
to be provided. Reasonable and effective accommodations are individually determined, based on
disability and are provided at no cost to the student.
Accommodations include adjustments and modifications within MSTC’s educational environment that
provide students with disabilities equal access to education and the ability to participate. They are not
designed to give students with disabilities an unfair advantage over other students. Coursework and
exams that have occurred prior to approval are considered completed and are not eligible for
accommodations. MSTC does not provide attendant care services. Students in need of personal care are
expected to make their own arrangements for these needs.
MSTC Attendance
Class attendance is considered essential to the learning process. Therefore, regular, punctual attendance is
expected of all students. Students are responsible for discussing absences with their instructors and, when
permitted by instructors, responsible for making up work that is missed. Any student deciding that he or
she no longer wishes to attend class must officially withdraw from the course. Students failing to
withdraw remain responsible for class costs and will be issued a failing grade. Students are expected to
attend the first class period or notify the class instructor. Students that do not attend the first class period
or provide appropriate notification may lose their seat in the class. The college will inactivate a student’s
enrollment and program status after a period of two consecutive semesters of non-attendance.
Tardiness
Please be on time! Attendance is taken at the beginning of each class. If you are not present at that time,
you will be marked absent. If you arrive in class after attendance is taken, it is your responsibility to tell
the instructor to mark you present.
MSTC E-mail Policy
MSTC e-mail is the College's primary method for communicating important information to students and
staff. You are required to use your MSTC e-mail account in this course and are encouraged to check your
email regularly to keep current.
*** Please note that, due to student privacy rules, I will not send quiz, assignment or course
grades to you by email.
Where to Find Help
I am available to meet with you to resolve any problems or concerns you may have regarding the course,
its content or assignments. Contact me to schedule an appointment, or drop by to see if I am available. If
you need additional assistance, the instructors at the Academic Success Center (ASC) are also able to
provide assistance.
AUDIO RECORDING OF LECTURES
With prior approval, students may be allowed to audio/video record lectures to enhance their
understanding of the topics presented. Audio/video recordings are not substitutes for attending class. If
you choose to record lectures, you must sign an agreement which lists the following terms:
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Recordings are not to be distributed without the permission of the instructor. This includes
sharing via the Internet, peer to peer file sharing, or other methods.
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Recordings are not to be shared with other classmates unless they are to be used in collaborative
assignments, or if the instructor approves sharing for other reasons.
You will turn off recorders at the request of instructor.
Non-compliance with these terms violates an instructor’s intellectual property rights. Students violating
this agreement will be subject to disciplinary actions under the Student Code of Conduct.
NOTE: You must complete the Agreement Form BEFORE audio/video recording lecture. Please see
me for an Agreement Form.
FINAL NOTE:
I reserve the right to change the syllabus at my discretion.
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STUDENT GOALS
You probably have at least one goal or objective you would like to achieve for this course. Think about
some possible goals, and then enter your goals/objectives here:
(1)
(2)
(3)
ASSIGNMENT FORMAT
Here are the guidelines I would like you to follow as you prepare the final drafts of your writing projects.
These directions may seem a bit rigid, but they are designed to make it easier for me to evaluate your
papers. Here is the format:
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Your document should be typed or word processed.
Double-space the body of the document.
Use an easy to read font style and size (preferably size 12 font).
Use white, 8 ½ by 11 inch paper – no colored paper.
Use one inch margins.
No plastic covers.
No title pages.
Staple all pages together in the upper left-hand corner.
Place your heading in the upper right-hand corner. Your heading should consist of the following:
Your name
Assignment (Description Essay, for example)
Written Communication/Thayer
Assignment due date
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Your essay’s title should be centered ½ inch beneath the heading. If you use the double-space
setting on your word processor or typewriter hit <return> once. Do not underline your title.
Your text should begin ½ inch below your title.
Indent paragraphs five spaces.
Do not number the first page. All other pages should be numbered in the upper right-hand corner.
Place your last name before the page number (Thayer 2, for example).
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If you do not follow these guidelines your essay will be returned to you without a grade or you may have
points deducted. Thank you for your cooperation.
SEMESTER SCHEDULE
Date
Topic
Week 1
January 13 - 15
Introduction to the course
Student/instructor introductions
Diagnostic write & grammar diagnostic
Writing Process
Week 2
January 20 - 22
Week 3
January 27 - 29
Week 4
February 3 - 5
Week 5
February 10 - 12
Week 6
February 17 - 19
Week 7
February 24 - 26
Week 8
March 3 - 5
Week 9
March 10 - 12
Week 10
March 17 - 19
Week 11
March 24 - 26
Week 12
March 31 –
April 2
Week 13
April 7 - 9
Week 14
April 14 - 16
Week 15
April 21 - 23
Week 16
April 28 - 30
Week 17
May 5 - 7
Week 18
May 12
Audience & Purpose
Writing Analyses
Sentences
Storytelling/Narration
Writing analysis assignment due
Organization
Revision
Storytelling/Narration assignment due
Description
Process/Instructions
Description assignment due
Individual Conferences
Process/Instruction assignment due
Reports and Proposals
Argument
Reading
Ch. 1
Ch. 4
Ch. 5 (pp. 114 – 125)
Ch. 4 (pp. 88 – 90)
Ch. 5 (pp. 130 – 132)
Ch. 4 (pp. 105 – 107)
Ch. 4 (pp. 98 – 102)
Ch. 6 (pp. 145 – 157)
Ch. 5 (pp. 127 – 130)
Ch. 14 (pp. 399 – 411)
Ch. 10 (pp. 288 – 292)
APA References List
Research Proposal assignment due
Library
Researching Information
APA Reference List assignment due
No Class – Spring Recess
Appendix B (p. A-22)
Paraphrase and Summary
APA In-text
Research progress report email due
Research Report Drafts
Research report draft due
No Class April 21 – Course Advising Day
Visual Communication
Ch. 11 (pp. 329 – 330)
Electronic Media
Research Report Due
Electronic Media
Ch. 7
Last day of class
Electronic Media assignment due
Ch. 11
Ch. 12