Writing 227 Syllabus

FALL 2022
Instructor: Marta Wozniak

Phone: My office phone is 541-813-1670, but the best way to contact me is via email. If you
want to talk to me in person, please email me with your phone number, and I will call you
back. If it’s something urgent, you can call/text my personal cell phone 541-251-3687.

E-mail: mwozniak@socc.edu I check my college e-mail at least once a day Monday through
Friday, so I will get back to you within 24 hours during regular school days. Please be
aware that any e-mail communication sent on Friday evening, Saturday, and Sunday
might not be answered until the next business day.

Please keep in mind that academic communication via email has different requirements than instant text
messaging or informal communication with your friends and family. When you e-mail your college professors,
please be sure to follow basic guidelines below:
1. Use a descriptive subject line – so the email can be found and responded to quickly.
2. Use a salutation to the professor and any other intended recipients – so the recipient knows the email
is really intended for them.
3. Clearly indicate the requested action – because stating feelings, describing situations, etc. does not
automatically tell the instructor what you are requesting of them.
4. Sign the email with your full name and the course and section if it is pertinent – so the instructor
knows who is communicating with them.
5. Keep your email concise, clear, and proofread it before sending.

Office Location: Room 206, Southwestern’s Curry Campus in Brookings.

Office Hours: I will be holding virtual office hours for the term Monday through Friday from 10:00 to
11 am. I will be available via text or phone (my cell 541-251-3687). In addition, I will
have Zoom available for writing workshops and troubleshooting.

I could also be available by a phone/Zoom appointment outside of my office hours. Send

me an email to set it up. Please refrain from calling my personal cell phone after 6 pm or
on the weekends.

Class Location: Fully online

Required:

 Textbook: This course uses an Open Education Resource book and does not require a textbook purchase. The
OER we are using is Technical Writing by A Gross, A Hamlin, B Merck, C Rubio, J Naas, M Savage
& M DeSilva. You can access it at https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/technicalwriting
It has chapters like a regular book; those chapters will be assigned weekly as part of your homework.
This online publication can be downloaded for offline access. The downloaded book can be printed.
Other required readings (also available online) will be linked in our weekly modules.

WR227 Syllabus by Marta Wozniak, Southwestern Oregon Community College is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
  You must have a computer (desktop or laptop) to successfully participate in this course. Phones or
other smart devices won’t be sufficient. You will also need uninterrupted access to the Internet and the
ability to open and/or work with the following file formats: Google documents, YouTube video clips,
Adobe Acrobat (pdf), Microsoft Word (doc), and Microsoft PowerPoint (ppt). All of your assignments
will need to be submitted as either Google docs or MS Word attachments. You will learn the
fundamentals of Google docs in class.

 Ability and willingness to work as part of a team. Being able to work in a team and write
collaboratively is very important in today’s work environment. If you refuse to work in a collaborative
writing group, this class is not the best choice for you. Your main deliverable for WR227 is to develop
and present a collaborative technical report. You will be writing it with group members and presenting it
in process stages. Yes, your most important assignment in this class is a group paper.

If you find teamwork difficult to participate in and would rather work solo, you must notify me by
Wednesday of Week 1 before groups are assigned. I will allow you to opt out of group work and
work on the project individually instead as long as I am notified before the end of the day on
Wednesday of Week 1.

 Staying in touch with instructor. Studying in online classes is hard sometimes because students feel
isolated from both classmates and instructor. You will be working in the same groups throughout the
term, so I hope you can build a sense of community with fellow students. In addition, I ask you to work
with me one on one because if you and I act as partners, you will improve your writing far more quickly
and easily. Please check in with me as often as you can to let me know about how you and your writing
group are doing, your frustrations and successes, etc. I do want to help you succeed in my class and in
college.

Prerequisite: a C or better in WR121 Number of transfer level credits: 4

Course Description:

Students will learn the basics of technical writing in this course. Technical writing is all that professional
writing, which is not popular journalism or creative writing. WR 227 studies the composition of reports required
in the technical and business professions. The course focuses on producing usable, reader-centered content that
is clear, concise, and ethical. It includes the procedures of fact gathering through both primary and secondary
research, organization, graphic layout, and other methods of compiling data. Students will learn to locate and
evaluate source information; quote, paraphrase, and summarize sources effectively; cite sources and format this
information in a particular documentation style or with a style sheet. We’ll be producing memos, letters, reports,
and job search materials.

Course Objectives Reflecting Expected Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this course a student will be able to:

 Use efficient and effective research techniques to gather primary and secondary data
 Present findings in a well-written and sufficiently supported report tailored to the needs of a specific
audience
 Demonstrate different formats of technical writing as well as basic concepts of style and document
design to increase readability of technical documents

WR227 Syllabus by Marta Wozniak, Southwestern Oregon Community College is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
  Incorporate and accurately document source information according to a specific documentation style
such as MLA or APA
 Demonstrate collaborative writing skills

Assignments:

Your most important project in this class will be a long, formal report in your chosen subject area. This
technical report is intended to help you develop research, analytical, and writing skills that your professional or
academic field will expect from you. The assignments related to this report will be assigned throughout the term
and must be submitted in sequence (many of the process assignments and short documents are completed and
submitted individually). I will give each collaborative writing group comments and suggestions at each stage of
the project; you will also have other groups' input. The assignment sequence for this project will include a
preliminary topic memo (individual), a team charter (collaborative), a formal project proposal (collaborative),
an annotated bibliography (individual), an analysis of a model report (individual), a progress report (individual),
a style sheet (collaborative), multiple rough drafts (collaborative), and a final draft (collaborative). In addition to
the assignments associated with your term project, you'll also create job search materials (résumé and cover
letter) and complete discussion posts, chapter quizzes and information literacy exercises (all individual).

Group Work:

A big portion of this class will be learning how to handle people in groups and how to work effectively in group
setting. Each team will consist of four or five members and will focus on one topic / issue. You will research a
topic/problem and make recommendations. The groups will be finalized on Thursday (Week 1) after the add
period is over and no new students can register. I will e-mail each group and connect group members.

I have decided on groups of 4 or 5 to ensure balance. In too-small groups, one person’s absence and/or
withdrawal from WR227 might be a major disruption. In too-large groups, leadership issues could too easily
arise and one person could too easily disappear.

Your grade for the group project will be based on two factors. The first one will be the quality of the group’s
paper. The second factor will be each group member’s individual contributions to the project. I realize that
some groups click better than others. There should be a way to compensate for different levels of participation
and creativity in a group. I will use a simple class project evaluation form to allow group members to grade
themselves and their peers. By using this form, I am obviously encouraging you to put as much effort as you
can into this project.

Each group will draft a team charter which will serve as an agreement or contract among members, outlining
how they will interact together, determining the roles each member will play in the collaborative activity, and
creating benchmarks and independent deadlines for the completion and submission of collaborative work. To
encourage academic responsibility among group members, I have decided to give each group an option to
fire non-participating members as a last resort if everything else fails. Please notify me if your group
decides to resort to firing one of its members. Note: The team will need to issue a formal written warning
first asking your team member to perform his or her duties or be dismissed from the team. If the team member
doesn’t perform, the team can proceed to fire him/her. The person who gets fired for excessive absenteeism or
lack of participation can still finish the course successfully, but he/she will need to do the project on his or her
own. Individual projects of fired team members can recoup a maximum of 80% of project points.

WR227 Syllabus by Marta Wozniak, Southwestern Oregon Community College is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
I will be posting more information regarding group dynamics later in the term. I will be engaging with each
group on a regular basis to support you, offer ideas and help you problem solve. I will provide each group with
its designated discussion area where you can initiate the exchange of ideas and communication with one another
(once the groups are connected, you can decide on a different/more convenient channel of communication). I
will also ask you to create Google accounts so that you can draft, share and edit collaborative drafts.

Grade Breakdown:

WR 227 Content Quizzes including

30%
Information Literacy assessments
Technical Report Checkpoints*
45%
Final Draft of Technical Report (group
report) 25%

* Technical report checkpoints include a preliminary topic memo, a team charter, a formal project proposal, a
preliminary bibliography, a progress report, a style sheet, employment materials, two rough drafts, peer reviews,
participation in discussion forums and other smaller projects as assigned. Some of the checkpoints will be
completed individually. Others will be submitted by collaborative writing groups.

Late Work Policy:

To encourage academic responsibility and prepare you for the demands of your future workplace, all assigned
quizzes and projects will have to be completed by the given deadline. You'll have a one day grace period in
case of unforeseen difficulties, but no further extensions will be automatically granted. Assignments and
quizzes will normally be due by 11:55 pm on Mondays. You will have a no-questions-asked grace period
till 11:55 pm on Tuesday after which the drop boxes will close and submissions will no longer be
accepted.

You should set your own group deadlines independently to make sure the group’s work is completed on
schedule. Plan for what you’re going to do if one of the group members doesn’t come through. How are going
to finish the work to make sure the project is complete when submitted to me? We’ll get these group guidelines
established when drafting team charters at the beginning of the term.

Strict deadlines are meant to encourage professionalism. If you miss the deadline of an important project at
work, you will put your job in jeopardy and be seen by your boss as unreliable. Nobody will cut you any slack
at work, so prepare in advance by developing self-discipline and professionalism. If you know you are going to
find the above difficult, consider taking this class in a different format. Online classes with an important group
project might not be the best fit for you.

If completing your work on time is not possible because of an uncontrollable event such as an illness or injury
requiring hospitalization, death in the family, or another serious emergency, please contact me and your group

WR227 Syllabus by Marta Wozniak, Southwestern Oregon Community College is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
members as soon as reasonably possible. I will accommodate you without any penalties but might have to ask
you to provide supporting documentation to verify your emergency.

If you are making a genuine effort and having trouble understanding or completing an assignment, contact me
well before the deadline. I will be happy to help you and guide you through the process if you communicate
with me ahead of time. I might even extend your deadline to help ensure your success.

Grammar:

Please note that this is a writing class, not a grammar class. If your writing continues to exhibit basic errors,
your grade will suffer, so please use all the available resources to bring your grammar or sentence skills up to
speed.
To be able to succeed in WR227, you must already have basic writing skills, including knowledge of sentence
structure, grammar, punctuation, and organization. If you are still having significant problems with the above,
please talk to me during office hours or get help from SOCC's online tutors here. Tutors don't edit students'
papers, of course, but they do teach students to edit/proofread themselves, to develop their ideas, and to
understand and address the requirements of the assignment.

Plagiarism:

Plagiarizing is the act of presenting as your own any work that you did not exclusively generate. In the
academic world, plagiarizing is like stealing, so don't do it! Plagiarism of all or a portion of any assignment will
be strictly penalized (YOU WILL FAIL THE ASSIGNMENT). See college policies below for college
plagiarism policy. You are expected to cite your papers correctly (both in-text and bibliographic citations)
according to either MLA or APA format.

Studying Online:

Studying online is very different from studying in a conventional classroom. Your instructor will not be there to
lecture and lead you from one activity to the next, so you simply cannot be passive in this course especially with
the amount of group work required. You'll need to take the initiative in your groups, access the
class/email at least four times a week, keep track of deadlines, keep up with the readings in your
textbook, and make sure to ask your instructor questions via course e-mail or some other means. As a
consequence of having to work on your own to get the information and there being no class meetings, you'll
most likely find that your online class will take as much or perhaps more time than your conventional, on-site
classes.

Navigating in WR227 Online:

I will present class material/requirements in 11 weekly modules. You will find them arranged in folders when
you access MODULES. Each module will have assessments, assignments, handouts and discussions. When you
first access the class, feel free to click around to see what's there. If you have any technical questions or
problems with Canvas at any point during the term, please reach out to Canvas Support.

WR227 Syllabus by Marta Wozniak, Southwestern Oregon Community College is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
I will be happy to answer any questions you have about the content of the class, but I probably can't help you
with technical issues related to your computer, internet connection, attachments, etc. Contact tech support with
those types of questions.

Every time you log in, make sure to check whether there are no new announcements for our class. I will always
announce changes and reminders in this area of our online classroom. Also, it is your responsibility to check
both your student e-mail and your Google account at least 3-4 times a week.

Each week start by going to an appropriate learning module (weekly folders under Modules). Read
through the module description to find out what you'll be required to do that week. To make the most out
of your online learning experience, you should always read and work through the assigned chapters first. Do not
start any assignments and/or assessments, before your reading and/or research is completed.

Another important thing to remember is that after you receive a grade on any assignment and/or quiz, you will
be able to access it again and view my comments and/or the answers you missed. To do it, you need to go back
to the appropriate week's folder and click on the quiz or assignment you're interested in. The feedback on all
major writing assignments along with attachments if appropriate will be posted in Canvas and/or e-mailed to
you. If you want to see your overall grade at any point in the term, access the gradebook.

Writing Feedback:

I respond to student emails within 24 hours during regular school days (Mon – Fri). The 24-hour turn
around does not apply to grading though. After you turn in a written assignment, I will get back to you
within a week or so. You will receive a grade, detailed feedback and/or suggestions for improvement. My
comments will be posted in either Canvas or Google docs depending on the assignment. If there are any delays
with grading, I will post updates in Announcements.

Your final course grade will be partially determined by the quality of your process materials (i.e. research
checkpoints). Important: “Rough” drafts are expected to exhibit your best grammar and sentence
structure and to be representative of your best work at that point in the term. The better draft you
provide me, the better feedback I will be able to provide you, which will likely result in a better final
draft and a better grade.

I am expecting you to pay attention to my feedback and make a genuine attempt to incorporate it into your
future work (both revised drafts of the same assignment and subsequent papers). This class has about 10 writing
assignments total. I don't want to see the same problems with papers the tenth time around as I do the first time.
The reason I patiently make comments on every major assignment you submit is to help you improve and make
changes.

If I make comments on your rough draft, I want your subsequent draft to have the corrections I indicated. I want
to help you improve; I don't want to waste my time writing comments you are not intending to read or act on.
Please keep in mind that if your draft receives a B as a rough draft, it does not mean that it will receive a B as a
final draft. Your B rough draft version will most likely become a C or a D as a final draft if no improvements
are made. The students who take my feedback seriously usually show the greatest improvement in the class.

Overview of Assignments and Deadlines:

WR227 Syllabus by Marta Wozniak, Southwestern Oregon Community College is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
I am presenting a detailed schedule of assignments and assessments in each weekly module. Please review the
overall schedule of the entire course ahead of time (see below), so that you are familiar with the general
progression of assignments throughout the term. I want you to start thinking about timing, scheduling,
researching, and writing. I am expecting you to familiarize yourself with what's coming up and plan
accordingly. Remember that assignments will almost always be due on Mondays to keep things simple and
predictable. For example, Week 1 assignments and assessments (quizzes) will need to be in before 11:55 pm on
Monday of Week 2. No late assignments will be automatically accepted past the one-day grace period, which
expires at 11:55 pm on Tuesday.

WR227 Weekly Schedule:

Please see individual modules for more information re: the schedule; this is just a quick overview to give you a
general idea on the progression of assignments in this class. Please note that you will be doing most of your
textbook readings and quizzes early in the term (Please plan accordingly as your workload will be more
intense during weeks 1-6).

Week 1 9/12 – 9/19 View Intro to Technical Communication (video lecture: What is Technical Writing and
What is Technical Communication ). Read Introduction and Chapter 1 (Professional
Communications) in our online textbook (view Intro and Chapter 1 lecture slides in
eLearning). Read though memo notes. Groups assigned & connected after Wednesday of
Week 1. Due: Summary of video lecture. Week 1 reading quiz (technical communication,
memos, introduction, chapter 1), WR227 syllabus quiz, personal introductions discussion,
Google accounts.

Week 2 9/19 – 9/26 Read Chapter 2 (Audience Analysis), Chapter 12 (Employment Materials), and Chapter
13 (Communicating Across Cultures). Course videos, collaborative group work, team
building activities. Start working on job search and employment materials. Due: Week 2
reading quiz (audience, employment, culture, course videos), team charter, preliminary
topic memos completed individually, addressed to group members and submitted to
instructor.

Week 3 9/26– 10/3 Week 3 reading quiz on Chapter 4 (Information Literacy), Chapter 10 (Technical Reports:
Components and Design). Group discussions, group report topics finalized. Model long
report analysis assignment completed individually. Divide roles in teams. Start
researching and background reading (individual) to contribute to group reports.

Week 4 10/3 – 10/10 Course assessment on Chapter 3 (Proposals), Chapter 9 (Ethics in Technical Writing), and
Chapter 5 (Citations and Plagiarism), and course handouts. Project proposals drafted and
submitted by groups. Annotated bibliography (individual).

Week 5 10/10 – 10/17 Reading quiz on Chapter 8 (Creating and Integrating Graphics) and Chapter 11 (Basic
Design and Readability in Publications). Style sheet (group). Rough draft work (group).

WR227 Syllabus by Marta Wozniak, Southwestern Oregon Community College is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
 Progress report e-mail from each group member to instructor (individual). Job search
progress report (individual).

Week 6 10/17 – 10/24 Online readings/videos on technical communication style (see Coursework). Style
activities and quiz (individual). Rough draft work (group). 5-page+ sample submitted to
instructor (group).

Week 7 10/24 – 10/31 Documentation quiz (MLA, APA, quoting, summarizing, and paraphrasing). Elements of
style review. Peer review of other groups’ reports (individual). Employment materials
due (individual).

Week 8 10/31 – 11/7 Read Chapter 7 (Outlines). Groups review peer responses. Full (12 pages of body +
front and back material) rough draft due (group). Résumé fair (individual).

Week 9 11/7 – 11/14 Final edits. Peer review (individual). Résumé fair continued.

Week 10 11/14- 11/21 Final draft due (group). Résumé fair continued.

Week 11 11/21 – 11/23 Group evaluation forms due (individual assignment).

Disclaimer Regarding Changes:

This course is subject to change. Assignments, due dates, and exam dates may be changed due to system issues,
or to suit class needs. All changes will be posted in Canvas. It’s your responsibility to keep up with them
(You’re responsible for checking your e-mail as well as announcements in Canvas. “I didn’t check my
online course/e-mail” is not a valid excuse).

Classroom Behavior:

Students need to be respectful and considerate in our online discussions and group communication. You need to
familiarize yourself with the rules of netiquette. Instructors have the right to remove offending students from
class. See college policy below.

___________________________________________________________________
SWOCC Policies and Guidelines:
Components marked with asterisk (*) are required for every syllabus.

* Course Hours
Southwestern’s Credit Hour Administrative Policy (APP 8191) stipulates that credit-bearing courses, regardless of delivery method, are scheduled and conducted in
compliance with the definition of the credit hour as set forth in Section 600.2 and 600.24 of the Code of Federal Regulations and the NWCCU Policy on Credit
Hour.
For this reason, students are expected to complete a minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work each week for the quarter.
* Children in the Classroom
Children represent a disruptive element for the classroom. They also increase the risk of accidents occurring in the laboratory. For those reasons, children should
not be brought to either the classroom or the laboratory.
*Academic Honesty: Plagiarism And Cheating
Cheating, plagiarism, and other acts of academic dishonesty are regarded as serious offenses. Instructors have the responsibility to submit, in a written report to the
Dean of Students any such incident that cannot be resolved between the instructor and student. The policy of the Board of Education of Southwestern Oregon
Community College on Student Rights, Student Code of Conduct, and Student Grievance Procedure outlines penalties ranging from admonition to expulsion from
the class or college. In the policy, academic plagiarism is defined as: “The intentional submission for evaluation to a college instructor or administrator of material

WR227 Syllabus by Marta Wozniak, Southwestern Oregon Community College is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
based, in significant part, on work done by someone other than the submitter without reasonable written indication to the evaluator of the material’s true source.”
Academic cheating is defined as “The intentional submission for evaluation to a college instructor or administrator of material based, in part, on a source or sources
forbidden by generally accepted standards or by regulation established by the evaluator and disclosed in a reasonable manner.” The complete policy, student rights
and responsibilities, penalties, and recourse through the Grievance Procedure can be found in the Student Handbook
(http://www.socc.edu/studentlife/pgs/bm~doc/socc-hb.pdf).
*Academic Ethics and Confidentiality
It is the responsibility of everyone engaged in the learning experience to respect the rights and feelings of their fellow learners. Information gathered in the
classroom and from on-line discussions and exercises is to be considered confidential. At the same time, students must recognize that the instructor and the College
cannot guarantee the confidentiality of what the student may choose to disclose. Students must use their own discretion when engaging in classroom discussion.
*Classroom Behavior
Instructors have the responsibility to set and maintain standards of classroom behavior appropriate to the discipline and method of teaching. Students may not
engage in any activity which the instructor deems disruptive or counterproductive to the goals of the class. Students are required to keep cell phones, beepers, and
pagers off during class lectures, unless there is permission in advance from the instructor. Instructors have the right to remove offending students from class.
Repetition of the offense may result in expulsion from the course.
*Student Conduct
Opt #1: Students must read and be familiar with the Code of Conduct as published in the Student Handbook, policies and procedures as outlined in campus
publications, Southwestern Oregon policies.
Opt. #2: Students in this (or any) program of study should be especially aware of the severe consequences of plagiarism. Students that submit work that is not their
own will be dealt with quickly and severely. It will be the recommendation of the faculty to remove such students from the College.
Opt. #3: Students that have a concern regarding any inappropriate conduct should bring it to the attention of their instructor, advisor, or Department Chair
immediately. Inappropriate conduct situations will be reviewed immediately.
Opt. #4: Students taking this course should be aware of the potential diversity of the artistic perception of the participants - particularly as applicable to violence,
artistic statements, and nudity. Please keep your material and remarks professional and appropriate and be sensitive to individuals that have views different than
your own.
*Americans with Disability Act – Disability Accommodation Statement
SWOCC recognizes the contribution that a diverse student body brings to the educational experience. If you have a documented disability that may require
assistance, inform your instructor and then contact the Disability Services Office for coordination of your academic accommodations. To ensure that your instructor
is aware of your request, you are required to set up an appointment to talk with them sometime during the first two weeks of the term. The Disability Services Office
is located on the Southwestern campus in Student Support Services, Stensland Hall. Please call the following number for more information (541) 888-7405.

*Notice of Non-Discrimination
Students, their families, employees and potential employees of the Southwestern Oregon Community College District are hereby notified that Southwestern Oregon
Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, national origin, age, disability status,
gender identity, or protected veterans in employment, education, or activities as set forth in compliance with federal and state statutes and regulations. Any persons
having inquiries concerning Southwestern’s compliance with Title II, Title IV, Title VI, Title VII, Title IX and/or Section 504 or wish to make a complaint may
contact the College’s Affirmative Action Officer:
Vice President of Administrative Services, Southwestern Oregon Community College
1988 Newmark Ave., Tioga Hall, Room 511
Coos Bay, OR 97420
(541) 888-7402

Southwestern Oregon Community College offers the following career and technical education programs for all students regardless of race, color, gender, sexual
orientation, marital status, religion, national origin, age, disability status, gender identity or protected veteran status, including those with limited English
proficiency: Business, Office Technology, Computer Technology, Childhood Education, Criminal Justice, Culinary, Fire Sciences, Health Sciences, and Welding
and Fabrication. Persons seeking further information concerning the vocational education offerings and specific pre-requisite criteria should contact:
Ali Mageehon, Vice President of Instruction and Student Services
Southwestern Oregon Community College
1988 Newmark Ave., Tioga Hall, Room 506
Coos Bay, OR 97420
(541) 888-7417 ali.mageehon@socc.edu

*Grievances
For more information on the grievance process visit the Student Handbook.

WR227 Syllabus by Marta Wozniak, Southwestern Oregon Community College is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.