For today’s session, please read the following:

• Details on the importance of audience and purpose and chapter 4 of Markel.
• Strategies for adapting your writing to the needs of your readers and chapter 6 of Markel.
• Examples for Project 1, to help you understand the assignment.

Work for December 29

Today is about making sure you understand the course policies, getting set up, and generally touching base with one another. If you have technical difficulty with today’s class work, don’t panic! Send me an email at tengrrl at vt.edu and let me know what you need help with.

Please complete these tasks:

• If you have not registered on the forums, follow the instructions in the 12/27 post to do so by 11:55 PM Monday. Be sure to verify that you have read the syllabus as well. I will turn off open forum registration at midnight to lock out the spambots, so make sure you get registered today.

• Go to Tests & Quizzes in Scholar, and complete the reading quizzes on Chapter 4 and Chapter 6 of Markel by 11:55 PM on Friday, January 2. See the policies for quizzes on the course logistics page, and see the Announcements in Scholar for details in the change of due dates for this first week of classes. The syllabus mentions a syllabus quiz. We’re going to skip that for now.

• Review and analyze some example bio statements in the forums. If you have any questions (today or in the future) about the first assignment, go to the Questions about Project 1 topic in the forum and add them. You can skim through this topic for answers as well.

This site is the official home for our Winter 2015 course (CRNs #40079). Information on all assignments, daily activities, and related resources will be posted here. Check this site regularly for the details on what to do for the course.

Readings for December 27

For today’s session, please read the following:

• The pages for the Syllabus, Assignments and Forum Posts & Participation.
• Information on course logistics.
• Details on the characteristics of technical writing and chapter 1 of Markel.
• Suggestions for writing collaboratively and chapter 3 of Markel.
• The assignment for Project 1: Professional Biographies.

Work for December 27

Today is about making sure you understand the course policies, getting set up, and generally touching base with one another. If you have technical difficulty with today’s class work, don’t panic! Send me an email at tengrrl at vt.edu and let me know what you need help with.

Please complete these tasks:

• Complete the following on the forums:
  1. Register on the forums. Be sure to choose the discussion area for Technical Writing for Winter 2015.
  2. Please choose a professional, classroom-appropriate username. This is a public site, so realize that the name you choose will be publicly available. If you do not want to use your real name on a public forum (for instance, because you are in the witness protection program), use a pseudonym, and email me to tell me that pseudonym and your real name.
  3. Go to the Syllabus board and add a reply to the “Syllabus Verification Thread” that confirms you have read the syllabus. Your post will serve as confirmation that you are enrolled in the course.
  4. If you have any questions about the syllabus, course policies, or anything related to the class, create a new topic and ask your question.

• Get familiar with your Google Drive account, which is connected to your vt.edu email address. (If you have forgotten your password for your VT Google Apps account, follow these instructions.) If you have never used Google Drive before, you can learn more by watching relevant portions of Google Drive Essential Training with Jess Stratton. (Login required; lynda.com resources are free to VT students.)

• Go to Tests & Quizzes in Scholar, and complete the reading quizzes on Chapter 1 and Chapter 3 of Markel by 11:55 PM on Monday, December 29. See the policies for quizzes on the course logistics page.

• Get started on Project 1 by reviewing advice on writing bio statements and discussing what you found in the forums. If you have any questions (today or in the future) about the first assignment, go to the Questions about Project 1 topic in the forum and add them. You can skim through this topic for answers as well.