technical writing across disciplines

Technical Writing Across Disciplines

Kenneth Ronkowitz NJ Institute of Technology

and Montclair State University

NJIT.edu Montclair.edu

ENG 352

Required in many majors including engineering, computer science and liberal arts, and is a recommended elective in management & architecture.

Generally 12 sections offered per semester including hybrid and online sections.

ENGW 207

Option in the new Professional and Public Writing Minor

Elective for many majors

One section offered each spring

ENG 352 - Technical Writing (3 credits)

Prerequisites: English Composition: Writing, Speaking, Thinking II and one from among (Humanities) The Pre-Modern World, The Modern World and (History) The Twentieth-Century World or their equivalents, all with a grade of C or better.

An advanced writing course. Combines current theory with actual practice to prepare students as technical writers. Analyze complex communication situations and design appropriate responses through tasks that involve problem solving, rhetorical theory, document design, oral presentations, writing teams, audience awareness, ethical considerations, cultural and gender equity issues.

Why a Professional and Public Writing Minor? Employer demand for better written communication skills ALL professional fields require some form of specialized non-academic

writing, so the minor offers MODES, METHODS and MEDIUMS you are likely to encounter in the workplace how to analyze audience and adapt your writing for different audiences

and purposes designed documents proposals, reports, presentations, websites, client correspondence digital media and writing for the web working in collaborative environments online/offline in drafting, editing,

designing, and revising familiarity with tools used for writing in a digital environment (templates,

software) Considerations of professional, ethical, cultural, and political dynamics of

a global workplace

Course of study 18 credit hours2 Required Courses Introduction to Professional and Public Writing and Survey of Rhetorical Theory Required Applied Course [Choose 1]Writing for Clarity and StyleWorkplace WritingTechnical WritingDigital Writing

Elective Courses [Choose 3, or any applied courses not already used]Special Topics in Writing Ethnographies of Writers Coauthoring and Collaboration Cooperative Education (English) Writing Women Safe Teaching Writing in the Public SchoolsTutoring Writing Community Writing Seminar in Writing

Minor in Public and Professional Writing

TechnicalWriti ng

Fear of WRITING

Fear of TECHNICAL

How would you teach technical

writing at the other

college?* NOTE: NJIT class in hybrid format with 30 students.

MSU in traditional F2F with web-enhancement and 15 students.

MODES, METHODS & MEDIUMSMODESReports (feasibility, technical, comparative analysis etc.)ProposalsCorrespondenceHypertext (web)Infographics, storyboard, script

METHODSAudience analysis, organization, information architecture, PROCESS (pre, research, topic formation) style guides, revisioning

MEDIUMS : print, journal, magazine, newspaper, Web, television, radio, film, video -- and the intersections: web video, podcasts, e-zines, wikis

Students Spring 2014Construction Management 3

Chemical Engineering 4Civil Engineering 3

Computer Science 5Industrial Engineering 1

Electrical & Computer Engineering 2Information Technology 3

Architecture 6Management 2

29

Students Spring 2014English 9 (in minor 5 ; education 1)

Biology 2Computer Science 2

Psychology 1Information Technology 1

15* + 1 PhD candidate in Environmental Science

Technical writing is not only about technology.

Like educating young students about the 200+ types of engineering fields (systems, human factors, ocean, math, biological, genetic, biomedical, vehicle, aeronautical…), students do not think of technical writing being used in fields like art, finance, fashion, architecture, agriculture, language, marketing, hospitality, law, public relations, design (fashion, product, web etc.), journalism…

Methods cross over into all modes and

mediums.

For example, audience analysis for:- a proposal aimed at constituents from finance,

technical and end-users- a video for a global audience- an alternate version of a website for teens

Technical writing is presented in a designed format.

Aligning to Standards

The Common Core State Standards and Their Implications for Career and Technical Education

The writing standards include a strong emphasis on argument and informative/explanatory writing, along with an emphasis on writing about or from sources or using evidence to inform an argument.

The CCSS include speaking and listening standards that also can be applied in technical subjects and have particular relevance for preparing students for the expectations of the workplace.

The ELA standards also pay attention to the use of media and technology and to language, with an emphasis on academic and discipline-specific vocabulary acquisition. Unlike the ELA standards for reading and writing, the standards for

speaking and listening, media and technology, and language are not broken out specifically for science and technical subjects.

CCSSabstracts of articles

lab reportsfield guides

revising for other audiencesuser guides (visual + text)

poster sessions & infographicsproposals & presentations

interpreting data (data visualization)

The standardshttp://www.state.nj.us/education/sca/ccss/

1. Are aligned with college and work expectations

2. Include rigorous content and application of knowledge through high-order skills

3. Are informed by other top performing countries, so that all students are prepared to succeed in our global economy and society

4. Are evidence-based

1. Examining college syllabi that are based on workplace expectations

2. Students aware of the skills & their use is clear & intentional.

3. The global workplace, world is flat; ethics and cultural concerns.

4. Using “real world” examples & models, including ones collected by students.

Technical writing probably belongs to some degree in all subjects and classrooms.It is not the sole responsibility of ELA or English teachers, but they may be needed as trainers and resource people for other disciplines.

WAC and WID

Writing Across the Curriculum

• writing in classes outside of composition, literature, and other English courses. – approximately half of

American institutes of higher learning have a program identified as WAC

Writing in the Disciplines

• focus on the genres and writing procedures that occur within specific fields of research– writing in the

sciences, engineering, business, history, heakth etc.

Technical Writing Across Disciplines

Kenneth Ronkowitz ronkowitz@njit.edu

Presentation at: http://www.slideshare.net/ronko4Twitter @ronkowitzWeb ronkowitz.com