Henry Petroski: the WRITING Engineer
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Entries by Marybeth Shea (205)
Day 1 of Week 1 WELCOME
Welcome. We will discuss several items that preview our work together in this class. Note: this section of 393 is also a campus Sustainabilty Themed Course. I am a campus Chesapeake Fellow and also a national Sustainabily Fellow.
- books (a happy surprise)
- class attendence (YOU MUST COME TO ALL CLASSES)
- assignments overview
- audience sensitivity and rhetorical theory
Theme: Sustainability topics will be addressed in this class. Regardless of your major, this broad social and technical theme can fit your major and career goals. We will discuss this today.
Details: Here is your syllabus. We will discuss the seven assignments that will total about 30 pages of written output in this class.
For Thursday next (day two) please complete these requests:
- You need an active Terrapin Express account to print in this classroom!
- Bring a resume and cover letter (draft) to class in digital format
- Find a job description you would like to apply for
- Bring an idea about directions you could write in class AND TURN IN BY END OF PERIOD
- Find a technical article about your field to review for this class (options to be discussed in class)
- Bring in three short definition/ descriptive paragraphs on the topics noted in the email
Note: your cover letter and resume, and the three paragraphs should be brought to class in digital form. For the directions assignment, you need an idea that is ready to go. In other words, you will draft, revise, and complete this directions assignment for a grade on Thursday.
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Here are some materials we will use to jump-start summer learning: NAUGHTY WORD ALERT!
Commas! Yes. Commas are very important to clarity in communication.
Read this link for Thursday. We will use the Oxford comma in this class, for precision and clarity.
Let's see what Stephen Colbert says about the Oxford comma.
Today, we will talk about professional writing and your majors/fields and look at audience analysis. This website -- class journal, posted documents, links, and a draft etext will form the readings for this class. Let's begin by exploring the etext.
Next up, definitions. And directions.
What is a Cougar anyway? Let's check out Cougar Net. think you do not need to worry about cougar encounters? Think again.
Marybeth Shea
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Last day!
Next week office hours; drop by with your document for a check and review, for your revising pleasure:
MTW 11-1
Thursday, 1-3 (YOUR FOLDER, plus cover letter/resume, and final project due to me at 3; then I bike off with your work to a long grading session. BE ON TIME)
For those who have been coming to class, thank you. I hope that details about the final project confer upon you the advantage of knowledge.
A few links for interest. Stay tuned to the ocean plastic problem. Read this about our clothes and micro-plastic. We need to think about life cycle analysis and supply chains.
Good news! Patient peer review on biomedical articles. Those of you writing patient guides may want to close with this idea for your patients. Pay attention about the open access trend; Nature tries a middle-of-the-road version. (Note the italics on the journal title!)
Funny science journal news featuring Marge Simpson. Not so funny news (naughty word alert) on automated journal peer review process. You need to proofread! Retraction Watch's take here.
Hard news: Mistakes were made (strategic use of third person).
Gorgeous set of Einstein papers described here....for wonder.
Last day!
Folders due in TAWES 1220, the PWP Office; BY NOON. I will bike away then. DO NOT BE LATE.
I will be there between 10:30 and Noon to shake your hand and say goodbye. Note, you could drop off the paper into a slot that is at the right of the door.
Here is a final project checklist we will build in class today.
Tuesday/Thursday WRAPPING UP
Summer is so fast! How are your final documents going? In-class session where we will talk about
- beginnings (Review our choices here..)
- endings (restate problem or thesis; give audience a clear take-away.)
- shapes/structures of documents (modular or packet; lemon shape)
- headings and subheadings (allow reader to return to information easily.)
We will address the sbstract, looking at several examples from previous students. Please send this to me by MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. Here, you help me preview your document and present your conclusion or main take=aways for your audience.
For Thursday, we look once again at the final document for one last check. You should be DONE ON THAT DAY, really, with small questions and fine details, including a check on proofreading, formatting, and small last touches.
We will also look at cover letters and resumes. Review what you likely already have, based on the handout. Thursday can be thought of as a revision session for these documents. You will turn in both documents to me in your final folder. Have in mind a real or plausable audience for the cover letter.
Wikipedia curation? Improve one page, either on your topic OR on green roofs. Send me the link and copy the sentence and source you included.