WRIT 5001 is also offered in Fall 2024
WRIT 5001 is also offered in Fall 2023
WRIT 5001 is also offered in Fall 2022
WRIT 5001 is also offered in Fall 2021
Fall 2020 | WRIT 5001 Section 075: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Scientific and Technical Communication (16012)
- Instructor(s)
- Class Component:
- Lecture
- Credits:
- 3 Credits
- Grading Basis:
- A-F only
- Instructor Consent:
- No Special Consent Required
- Instruction Mode:
- Completely Online
- Class Attributes:
Online Course
Pre-Covid
- Enrollment Requirements:
- Scientific & Technical MS, Technical Comm grad certs
- Times and Locations:
Regular Academic Session
Off Campus
Virtual Rooms ONLINEONLY
- Enrollment Status:
Open (16 of 24 seats filled)
- Also Offered:
- Course Catalog Description:
- This course offers an overview of the field of scientific and technical communication. Students learn about the history of the field including job titles, industries that hire technical communicators, and trends in the field. Students also learn about research methods (including audience analysis and usability testing); software and apps commonly used in technical communication; social issues in technical communication (including legal, ethical, and organizational); and international issues (including writing for regulated environments such as in the medical device industry). Projects are multi-modal and include written reports; slide presentations with and without voice recordings; visual communication including user documentation and movies. Some projects are done individually but most are done in virtual teams. Weekly discussion forums provide students with opportunities to lead and summarize key themes from each week's topic. Students in this class participate within a community of technical communication professionals and typically have a background in technical communication, medical/science communication, engineering, software, usability, customer support, writing and communication, marketing, or similar area.
- Class Description:
- This course is designed for students in the M.S. program in scientific and technical communication (S&TC) and the Graduate Certificate program in technical communication (TC). Students in this class typically have a range of backgrounds, including technical communication, medical/science communication, engineering, software, usability, customer support, writing and communication, marketing, and other areas. Typically, people find their way to technical communication through a variety of paths and experiences; each student will bring a unique perspective to this class. A primary goal of the class is to build on these individual experiences but at the same time provide a common set of readings, concepts, and ideas?both practical and theoretical?that will create a unified base from which to pursue the rest of your master's/certificate program and future career. Class topics include history of technical writing; writing for specific audiences; usability and research in the technical communication workplace; digital communication practices; software and tools; international communication; writing in regulated environments.
- Class Format:
- 20% Lecture
25% Discussion
20% Small Group Activities
20% Student Presentations
10% Demonstration
5% Guest Speakers
- Textbooks:
- https://bookstores.umn.edu/course-lookup/16012/1209
- Instructor Supplied Information Last Updated:
- 29 October 2013
ClassInfo Links - Fall 2020 Writing Studies Classes