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English 420 Intro to Professional Writing: Course CalendarFall 2012

N.B. Unless otherwise specified, except for blog posts, homework and reading is

due in the next class. Blog posts are due posted before the next class.

Week 1: Introduction & White Paper AssignmentM Aug. 20 Introductions & Syllabus Discussion

Registration and tutorial for course websiteHW: Read: PWO, Documents > Reports >Types of Reports inProfessional Communication.Skim this entire page, but make sure to scroll down and readcarefully the section on White Papers. Also, make sure to click on andread Read More about White Papers.Write Blog Post: On the course website, write a two-paragraph blogpost before class. In the first paragraph, introduce yourself andexplain what you think business writing is and why you are takingEnglish 420. In other words, what do you hope to achieve and learnin this class? In the second paragraph, write a brief response to thereading above. This response can take many forms. For example, youcould provide a summary of the reading, or challenge some aspect ofthe reading, or ask a question about what you have read, or somecombination. This list is merely suggestive, so feel free to respond asyou see fit.

W Aug. 22 Discussion of report-writing and the genre of whitepapers/backgroundersAssignment Introduction: White Paper/BackgrounderIntroduction to crowdsource funding platformsHW: Read PWO>Home>Documents>Oral Presentations. Make sureto read carefully the bullet point entitled Elevator Speech.

F Aug. 24 Discussion of oral presentations and Elevator SpeechAssignment of small groups for platform research reportsFormulation of class-defined rubric for grading oral presentationsHW: Research your platform.

Week 2: Small Group Reports & ProposalsM Aug. 27 In-class collaboration on presentations

HW: Prepare reports to be shared with class on FridayRevisit PWO>Home>Documents>Oral Presentations>Tips for givingan oral presentation

W Aug. 29 Elevator Pitch PresentationsPeer evaluation of pitches (to be emailed to me by end of class)HW: Read PWO>Home>Documents>Proposals>The Rhetoric of

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Proposals

F Aug. 31 Discussion of proposalsFormulation of class-defined criteria for Unit 1 proposal

HW: Read case studies:http://www.wired.com/design/2012/06/kickstarter-fail/http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2012/07/kickstarter-stats/http://www.wired.com/design/2012/06/kickstarter-fail-turned-into-good-design/

Write proposal (Due emailed to me before class on Wednesday)

Week 3: White PapersM Sept. 3 NO CLASSLABOR DAY

W Sept. 5 Discussion of case studiesFormulation of class-defined criteria for comparison/contrast & case

studiesHW:Read PWO>Home>Principles>Arranging Information>Thinking AboutDocument DesignRead PWO Home >Principles>Constructing VisualsTables, Graphs,and VisualizationsHave content ready to pour into InDesign on Wednesday (complete White

Paper due next Sunday)

Complete one of your case studies for in-class peer review.

F Sept. 7 In-Class work on white paper and peer reviewHW: Complete remaining case study

Week 4: White Papers & InDesignM Sept. 10 Peer Review of Case Studies

HW: Revise case studies based on peer review feedback

W Sept. 12 Discussion of visual rhetoric and effective document designFormulation of class-defined criteria for comparison/contrast & case

studiesHW: Watch InDesign Tutorial videos:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yk4U0KaZw_0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ms9ieWoXEcI

F Sept. 14 InDesign TutorialIn-Class workHW: Complete the rough draft of white-paper for in-class peer review

on Monday

http://www.wired.com/design/2012/06/kickstarter-fail/http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2012/07/kickstarter-stats/http://www.wired.com/design/2012/06/kickstarter-fail-turned-into-good-design/http://www.wired.com/design/2012/06/kickstarter-fail-turned-into-good-design/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yk4U0KaZw_0http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ms9ieWoXEcIhttp://www.wired.com/design/2012/06/kickstarter-fail/http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2012/07/kickstarter-stats/http://www.wired.com/design/2012/06/kickstarter-fail-turned-into-good-design/http://www.wired.com/design/2012/06/kickstarter-fail-turned-into-good-design/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yk4U0KaZw_0http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ms9ieWoXEcI

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Week 5: White-Paper Final Draft & Elevator PitchesM Sept. 17 In-class peer review of completed drafts of white-papers

HW: Revise white papers based on peer review. Bring new drafts to

class on Wednesday

W Sept. 19 Formatting white-papers in InDesignHW: Revise white papers based on peer review. Bring new drafts to

class on WednesdayElevator Pitches, each followed by a two minute Q&APeer evaluation of pitches (to be emailed to me by end of class)

F Sept. 21 Lecture on/Discussion of presentation practicesHW: Prepare elevator pitches, with PPTs. Upload to Dropbox before

class on Monday.

Week 6: Elevator PitchesM Sept. 17 Elevator Pitches, each followed by a two minute Q&A

Peer evaluation of pitches (to be emailed to me by end of class)HW: White Paper due emailed to me by midnight on Wednesday

M Sept. 17 Elevator Pitches, each followed by a two minute Q&APeer evaluation of pitches (to be emailed to me by end of class)