Course Description

This section of Introduction to Technical Communication deals with ethical issues associated with the design, use, and propagation of technology. At virtually all stages of development and use, any technology can carry with it ethical dilemmas for both creators and users. Of particular interest is how such dilemmas are resolved (or complicated) according to how effectively they are communicated to stakeholders.

Through exploring present-day and historical case studies that focus on issues related to such topics as the environment, research and development, safety, corporate responsibility and whistle blowing, students will analyze and practice various forms of scientific and technical communication.

Assignments will include letters and memos, critical reviews, oral presentations, and proposals. The course will also address strategies for conveying technical information to both specialist and non-specialist audiences. Upon completion of the course, students should be able to write clearly and concisely on technical matters and be more self-sufficient at all stages of the writing process, from drafting to revising to editing.

Plagiarism

Using someone else's language and/or ideas without proper attribution is academically dishonest. As members of this class and the larger scholarly community, you are expected to abide by the norms of academic honesty. While a good deal of collaboration is encouraged in and out of class, failing to acknowledge sources or willfully misrepresenting the work of others as your own will not be tolerated. Everything you submit must be your own work, written specifically for this class. Plagiarism can result in withdrawal from the course with a grade of F, suspension or expulsion from the Institute.

The booklet Academic Integrity at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology: A Handbook for Students explains these issues in detail, and you are responsible for understanding its contents. We will work on citing sources in class and discuss ways to acknowledge them properly. When in doubt, consult with me.

Major Assignments

Grading

Your grade will be based on the following:

Punctuality, Attendance, and Participation

• You are expected to come prepared, on time and to every class.
• You are expected to take responsibility for any necessary lateness or absences by notifying me in advance and finding out what was covered in the class that you missed.
• You are expected to contribute constructively to class discussions.
• Arriving for class significantly late will count as an absence.
• More than two unexcused absences will result in a lowering of your grade. Five unexcused absences will result in your being withdrawn from the course.

Short Assignments

• Grades will be checks, with pluses and minuses.
• No late assignments will be accepted unless arranged in advance.

Four Formal Papers

• All formal papers will require revisions.

• No late papers will be accepted unless arranged in advance. 

  Calendar

   

   

  Course calendar.

  SES #	TOPICS	KEY DATES
  1	Introduction Technical Writing Style In-class Writing Sample
  2	What is Technology? What is Ethics? Case Discussion: The Hyatt Regency Walkways Collapse
  3	Discussion of "Can Technology Replace Social Engineering?" Technical Writing Style (cont.) Overview of Formal Paper 1: Explanation of a Term	Reading response due
  4	Workshop: Reading Response Introduction to Writing the Memo	Peer review workshop on reading response
  5	Discussion of Carson's "The Obligation to Endure" Case Discussion: XYZ Hose Company And The Case Of The Bursting Hose	Memo 1 due
  6	Review of Drafts of Formal Paper 1 Correspondence: Letters and Cover Letters	Draft of formal paper 1 (definition paper) due
  7	Case Discussion: Chernobyl Discussion of "The Science of Scientific Writing" Correspondence: Letters and Cover Letters (cont.)	Final draft of formal paper 1 (definition paper) due
  8	Correspondence: Letters and Cover Letters (cont.) Workshop: Cover Letter and Resume Discussion of Eishtain and Karpati Readings Preview of Next Major Assignment (Formal Paper 2: Critical Review)	Draft of cover letter and resume due Peer review workshop for cover letter and resume
  9	Individual Conferences, Goals, Scheduling Case Discussion: DNA Structure Discussion of Formal Paper 2: Critical Review	Final draft of cover letter and resume due
  10	Workshop: Critical Review Overview of 6 Articles Overview of APA Citation Format	Draft of formal paper 2 (critical review) due Peer review workshop on formal paper 2 (critical review)
  11	Structuring the Critique Writing a Summary Citing Sources	Memo 2 due
  12	The Abstract (Types of Abstracts, General Guidelines, Pieces of an Abstract)	Final draft of formal paper 2 (critical review) due
  13	Review Student Written Abstracts Case Discussion: Tacoma Bridge Collapse General Introduction to the Literature Review	Abstract due Three potential topics for formal paper 3 (literature review) due
  14	Case Discussion: Bhopal Disaster Overview of Assignment Requirements for Formal Paper 3: Literature Overview of Sample Literature Reviews
  15	Library Visit	Introduction to formal paper 3 (literature review) due
  16	Overview of (More) Sample Literature Reviews Structuring the Paper (Writing the Introduction, Body, and Conclusion)
  17	Workshop: Literature Review Case Discussion: The Ford Pinto Case	First draft of formal paper 3 (literature review) due Peer review workshop on formal paper 3 (literature review)
  18	Review of First Drafts (Abstracts, Section Headings, and Background vs. Content in a Literature Reviews) Proposals: What is a Proposal?
  19	Introduction to Debate Assignment More on the Proposal Assignment Technique for Writing Concisely	Final draft of formal paper 3 (literature review) due
  20	Case Discussion: Whistleblowing Requirements for the Proposal Assignment	Memo 3 due
  21	The Debate Workshop on Abstract, Background, and Problem Statement	Introduction (abstract, background, and problem statement) for formal paper 4 (proposal) due
  22	Workshop: Proposal Strategies for Effective Visual Aids Case Discussion: Columbia Shuttle Disaster	Draft of formal paper 4 (proposal) due Peer review workshop on formal paper 4 (proposal)
  23	Individual Conferences	Presentation visual aid due
  24	Debates
  25	Debates (cont.)	Final draft of formal paper 4 (proposal) due
  26	Overview of the Course Course Evaluations