Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Upon completion of the course students should be able to:

1. Apply key rhetorical concepts through analyzing, designing, composing, and revising a variety of deliverable documents for technical/professional contexts

2. Engage in project-based research, applying appropriate methods of inquiry for clearly defined purposes (e.g., user experience research and client/organization research)

3. Collaborate with various stakeholders to develop and apply flexible and effective strategies for managing projects

4. Develop and adapt document design and composition strategies to meet the demands of diverse clients, organizations, and multicultural audiences

5. Examine and respond to individual and professional ethical responsibilities across organizational contexts

Assessment tasks include the following:  

• Weekly or twice-weekly writing assignments
• Attendance in class and at three instructor conferences
• Active, positive participation in class and in small group activities
• Meeting assignment deadlines

Many instructors may have students submit a portfolio of the best revised versions of each of their written assignments at the end of the term for final evaluation. Oral reports, in-class interviews, or group presentations may also contribute to the final grade. Instructors may require in-class writing assignments and exams. Peer evaluation may be incorporated in the assessment process.

Themes, Concepts, Issues

• Appropriate formats and writing styles for various types of technical and professional communications
• Audience analysis
• Communication with international audiences
• Document design
• Documentation
• Dynamics of collaborative work
• Editing
• Incorporation of graphics
• Interviewing
• Legal and ethical issues in technical and professional communications
• Readability analysis
• Researching
• Revision cycle
• Safety Messages
• Style guides
• Summarizing
• Usability testing

Competencies and Skills
For Outcome 1

Reading, interpreting, analyzing, and evaluating complex technical and professional documents and visuals.

For Outcomes 2 and 3

1. Understanding the differences between and the appropriate audience and purpose for the most common types of technical and professional communication
2. Composing, designing, revising and editing the most common types of technical and professional communications
3. Researching primary and secondary sources, including the Internet
4. Documenting source

For Outcome 4:

1. Analyzing audience and purpose
2. Incorporating audience feedback
3. Selecting graphics appropriate for the targeted audience
4. Selecting formatting options to create accessible, readable, ethical, and visually interesting documents for different audiences

For Outcome  5

1. Understanding different types of graphics and appropriate uses
2. Editing page layout, text and visuals for:

Conciseness
Preciseness
Clarity
Legal and ethical issues
Safety International audiences
Inclusiveness

For Outcome  6:

Working and problem solving with others to achieve a common communication goal, using collaborative techniques, respecting the work of colleagues, and  meeting deadlines; listening and speaking reflectively.