Please note also the following information: 

Office Hours: Room 207D, East Hall, Monday, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.; Tuesday, 1:30. to 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., and by appointment. 

Telephone:  768-4480. 

Questions?  nsegal@hartford.edu

 
Readings are in  Technical Communication, seventh edition, by Mike Markel (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2001), the Handbook of Technical Writing, sixth or seventh edition, by Alred, et al. (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2000 or 2003), Beyond Engineering:  How Society Shapes Technology, by Robert Pool (Boston, Oxford University Press), and handouts.  All readings will be discussed on the dates shown below.

Week 1
Wed., Jan 21 General introduction, syllabus, practices & procedures
Fri., Jan 23 Group Project
  Read Markel, Chapter 4, “Writing Collaboratively” 

Week 2
Mon., Jan 26 Review of technical communications basics covering 
  Markel Chapter 1, “Introduction to Technical Communication”
  Chapter 2, “Understanding Ethical and Legal Considerations”
  Chapter 5, “Analyzing your Audience and Purpose”
  Chapter 6, “Communicating Persuasively”
  Chapter 8, “Organizing Your Information”
  Handbook: Phrases
    Clauses
    Sentence Construction
    Proofreading

Wed., Jan 28 Group Project
Fri, Jan 30 Continued review of technical communications basics covering 
  Markel Chapter 9, “Drafting and Revising Definitions and Descriptions”
  Chapter 10, “Drafting and Revising Coherent Texts”
  Chapter 11, “Drafting and Revising Effective Sentences”
  Chapter 13, “Designing the Document”
  Chapter 14, “Creating Graphics”
  Handbook: Sentence Fragments
    Comma Splice
    Run-on Sentences
    Paragraph
    Comma
    Semicolon
    Quotation marks

Week 3
Mon., Feb 2 Group project
Wed., Feb 4 Markel, Chapter 17, “Writing Proposals”
Fri., Feb 6 Group project
 Week 4
Mon., Feb 9Markel, Chapter 19, “Writing Formal Reports”
Chapter 12, “Drafting and Revising Front and Back Matter”
Wed., Feb 11 Group Project
Fri., Feb 13 Markel, Chapter 22, “Making Oral Presentations”
  Assignment of oral presentation

Week 5
Mon., Feb 16 Group Project
Wed., Feb 18 Markel, Chapter 20,“Writing Instructions and Manuals”
Fri., Feb 20 Group Project

Week 6
Mon., Feb 23 Instructions continued
Wed., Feb 25 Group Project
Fri., Feb 27 Markel, Chapter 15, “Writing Letters, Memos, and Emails”
  Chapter 18, “Writing Informal Reports”

Week 7
Mon., Mar 1 MIDTERM EXAM DUE
Group Project
Wed., Mar 3 Markel, Chapter 21, “Creating Web Sites”
Fri., Mar 5 Group Project

Week 8
Mon., Mar 8 ORAL PRESENTATIONS, summary of journal article, 3 to 5 minutes
Wed., Mar 10 ORAL PRESENTATIONS, summary of journal article, 3 to 5 minutes
Fri., Mar 12 Group Project

Mon., Mar 15 SPRING BREAK—NO CLASSES THIS WEEK
Wed., Mar 17 
Fri., Mar 19 

Week 9
Mon., Mar 22 Group Project
Wed., Mar 24 Markel, Chapter 16, “Writing Job-Application Materials”
Fri., Mar 26 Group Project

Week 10
Mon., Mar 29 The Job Hunt, Continued
Wed., Mar 31 Group Project
Fri., Apr 2 The Job Hunt, Continued

Week 11
Mon., Apr 5 Group Project
Wed., Apr 7 The Job Hunt, Continued
Fri., Apr 9 Group Project

 Week 12
Mon., Apr 12 Group Project
Wed., Apr 14 The Job Hunt, Continued
Fri., Apr 16 Group Project

Week 13
Mon., Apr 19 GROUP PROJECT PRESENTATIONS
Wed., Apr 21 GROUP PROJECT PRESENTATIONS
Fri., Apr 23 Beyond Engineering, chapters 1–3

Week 14
Mon., Apr 26 Beyond Engineering, Chapters 4–6
Wed., Apr 28 Beyond Engineering, Chapters 7–9
Fri., Apr 30 Beyond Engineering, General discussion

Week 15
Mon. May 3 Summary and conclusions

FINAL EXAM—Saturday, May 8 , 2-4 P.M.
 

EN 481 Evening Section
Rev. 01/12/04

Week 1
Wed., Jan 21 General introduction, syllabus, practices & procedures
 Group Project
  Markel, Chapter 4, “Writing Collaboratively” 

Week 2
Wed., Jan 28 Review of technical communications basics covering 
  Markel Chapter 1, “Introduction to Technical Communication
  Chapter 2, “Understanding Ethical and Legal Considerations”
  Chapter 5, “Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose”
  Chapter 6, “Communicating Persuasively”
  Chapter 8, “Organizing Your Information”
  Markel Chapter 9, “Drafting and Revising Definitions and Descriptions”
  Chapter 10, “Drafting and Revising Coherent Documents”
  Chapter 11, “Drafting and Revising Effective Sentences,”
  Chapter 13, “Designing the Document”
  Chapter 14, “Creating Graphics”
  Handbook: Phrases, p. 451
    Clauses, p. 94
    Sentence Construction, p. 585
    Proofreading, p. 494
   : Sentence Fragments, p. 590
    Comma Splice, p. 102
    Run-on Sentences, p. 573
    Paragraph, p. 434
    Comma, p. 103
    Semicolon, p. 583
    Quotation marks, p. 536
  Group Project

Week 3
Wed., Feb 4 Markel, Chapter 17, “Writing Proposals”
Chapter 19, “Writing Formal Reports”
Chapter 12, “Drafting and Revising Front and Back Matter”
Group project

Week 4
Wed., Feb 11 Markel, Chapter 22, “Making Oral Presentations”
  Assignment of oral presentation
  Group project

Week 5
Wed., Feb 18 Markel, Chapter 20,“Writing Instructions and Manuals”
Group Project
Week 6

Wed., Feb 25 Usability Editing of Instructions
Markel, Chapter 15, “Writing Letters, Memos, and Emails”
  Chapter 18, “Writing Informal Reports”
  Group Project

Week 7
Wed., Mar 3 MIDTERM EXAM DUE
Markel, Chapter 21, “Creating Web Sites”
  Group Project

Week 8
Wed., Mar 10 ORAL PRESENTATIONS, summary of journal article, 3 to 5 minutes
 Group Project

Week 9
Wed. Mar 17 NO CLASS; SPRING BREAK

Week 10
Wed., Mar 24 The Job Hunt, Markel, Chapter 16, “Writing Job-Application Materials”
 Group Project

Week 11
Wed., Mar 31 The Job Hunt, Continued 
Group Project

Week 12
Wed., Ap 7 The Job Hunt, Continued
 Group Project

Week 13
Wed., Ap 14 Beyond Engineering
 Group Project

Week 14
Wed., Ap 21 GROUP PROJECT PRESENTATIONS
Week 15

Wed., Ap 28 Conclusion of discussion of Beyond Engineering
  Summary and conclusion for class

FINAL EXAM—Wednesday, May 5, 5:35–8:15 P.M.

English 481 evening section 

Week 1
Wed., Jan 21 General introduction, syllabus, practices & procedures
 Group Project
  Markel, Chapter 4, “Writing Collaboratively” 

Week 2
Wed., Jan 28 Review of technical communications basics covering 
  Markel Chapter 1, “Introduction to Technical Communication
  Chapter 2, “Understanding Ethical and Legal Considerations”
  Chapter 5, “Analyzing Your Audience and Purpose”
  Chapter 6, “Communicating Persuasively”
  Chapter 8, “Organizing Your Information”
  Markel Chapter 9, “Drafting and Revising Definitions and Descriptions”
  Chapter 10, “Drafting and Revising Coherent Documents”
  Chapter 11, “Drafting and Revising Effective Sentences,”
  Chapter 13, “Designing the Document”
  Chapter 14, “Creating Graphics”
  Handbook: Phrases, p. 451
    Clauses, p. 94
    Sentence Construction, p. 585
    Proofreading, p. 494
   : Sentence Fragments, p. 590
    Comma Splice, p. 102
    Run-on Sentences, p. 573
    Paragraph, p. 434
    Comma, p. 103
    Semicolon, p. 583
    Quotation marks, p. 536
  Group Project

Week 3
Wed., Feb 4 Markel, Chapter 17, “Writing Proposals”
Chapter 19, “Writing Formal Reports”
Chapter 12, “Drafting and Revising Front and Back Matter”
Group project

Week 4
Wed., Feb 11 Markel, Chapter 22, “Making Oral Presentations”
  Assignment of oral presentation
  Group project

Week 5
Wed., Feb 18 Markel, Chapter 20,“Writing Instructions and Manuals”
Group Project

Week 6
Wed., Feb 25 Usability Editing of Instructions
Markel, Chapter 15, “Writing Letters, Memos, and Emails”
  Chapter 18, “Writing Informal Reports”
  Group Project

Week 7
Wed., Mar 3 MIDTERM EXAM DUE
Markel, Chapter 21, “Creating Web Sites”
  Group Project

Week 8
Wed., Mar 10 ORAL PRESENTATIONS, summary of journal article, 3 to 5 minutes
 Group Project

Week 9
Wed. Mar 17 NO CLASS; SPRING BREAK

Week 10
Wed., Mar 24 The Job Hunt, Markel, Chapter 16, “Writing Job-Application Materials”
 Group Project

Week 11
Wed., Mar 31 The Job Hunt, Continued 
Group Project

Week 12
Wed., Ap 7 The Job Hunt, Continued
 Group Project

Week 13
Wed., Ap 14 Beyond Engineering
 Group Project

Week 14
Wed., Ap 21 GROUP PROJECT PRESENTATIONS

Week 15
Wed., Ap 28 Conclusion of discussion of Beyond Engineering
  Summary and conclusion for class

FINAL EXAM—Wednesday, May 5, 5:35–8:15 P.M.

Office Hours:  Room 210D, East Hall, Monday, 12:30 to 1:30 P.M. ,Tuesday, 1:30 to 3:30 P.M., Wednesday, 10:30 to 11:30 A.M., and by appointment.  Call 768-4480 or email: nsegal@mail.hartford.edu
Description:  Students will be able to apply the basic components of technical writing, including the use of graphic elements, in writing formal and informal documents.  Students will be able to recognize and evaluate the demands of a particular writing situation (topic, audience, purpose, and the diversity of corporate goals) and to select appropriate rhetorical techniques to meet the demands.  The emphasis of this class is on technical writing as a problem-solving skill.

Tentative Grade weighting: Midterm (1/3) and final exam (2/3)  1/3
    Term project and oral presentation  1/3
    Homework and other material  1/3

You should also be aware of the following:

CLASS POLICIES (apply to all sections of EN 481 taught by Prof. Segal)

1.  Class attendance is crucial to learning.  If you must miss a class, please call me or email me (even if only 5 minutes before the class—no excuse is necessary; just tell me you won’t be in class).  You should be prepared to make up any written work within one class of your return.

I do not penalize your first absence nor absences for religious holidays.  However, I do note every absence after that first one for which you do not notify me in advance that you will miss class, and I do round up or down depending on your efforts to attend and participate in class.  Consequently, you should notify me in advance of a class that you are going to miss.

In addition, if you make a habit of missing Friday classes, I will notice and request your presence in class on Friday.
2.  Unless you have made an excuse, you must attend any class for which I have scheduled an oral presentation.  You receive one letter grade lower for each oral presentation that you miss without an authorized excuse.

Please note that I am not a sadist; I do not enjoy watching people who have a serious phobia for public speaking suffer.  So if you have a real problem (not simply nerves, which are normal) with speaking in front of a group, we can arrange another way for you to fulfill the assignment.  But if you have such a problem, it is your responsibility to speak to me before the date the presentation is due.  If you do not speak with me about special arrangements before that date, you will be penalized as described in the preceding paragraph.

3.  I generally don’t give unannounced quizzes in EN 481.  I assume that you will do the assigned reading without the stick of quizzes to prod you on.  However, if I decide I must give quizzes because people aren’t doing the reading, you should note that  unannounced quizzes cannot be made up.  If you are absent from a class in which I give a quiz, you receive a "0" on that quiz. Announced quizzes and exams, of course, can be made up

4.  Anyone who doesn’t show up for the final exam and doesn’t notify me within 24 hours with a reasonable excuse for missing the exam will fail the exam.

5.  If, for any reason, you can’t complete this course, do not just stop coming to class.  To avoid a withdrawal or an F on your transcript, make sure that you complete all official withdrawal procedures immediately after you stop attending class. 

6.  If a paper says “see me,” please see me.  Even if a paper doesn’t ask you to see me, if you want help, ask me for conference time.  I am here to help you.

7.  Please remember that the syllabus is flexible.  I may change due dates or particular reading assignments at any class.  If you are absent when I announce a change, you are still responsible for the work.  Be sure to find out what you’ve missed.

8.  Work written in class must be done neatly in pen.  Work done outside of class must be either word-processed or typed.

Please fold all work except your term project in half lengthwise with the open edge to the right (like a book).  Label the paper on the side facing up with the following information:

 Student’s name
Due date
Name of assignment
English 111, Mrs. Segal

9. If you have an average of B+ or better at the end of the semester, you no not have to take the final exam, though you may choose to do so to bring your grade up even higher.  I figure your grade as of the next-to-last class and notify each of you on the last day of class as to whether you must take the final or not.  If you do not have to take the final but choose to do so, your grade will be determined as shown in the paragraph titled "Tentative Grade Weights."  If you do not have to take the final and do not, your final grade will be that as of the next-to-last class.

10. Please note that I have a rewrite policy as follows  (This policy does not apply to exams, your term project, or quizzes, only to regular homework assignments.):

If you want to try for a better grade than the one your draft receives, you may do so without penalty.  Within one week of your receipt from me of a graded draft, simply turn in a new revision of the assignment with all previous drafts.  I will grade the new paper and give you the higher grade of the two.  (Again, this policy does not apply to exams, your term project, or quizzes, only to regular homework assignments.)

Please also note that merely correcting errors in spelling, punctuation, and the like will likely not earn you a higher grade on a draft (unless your first draft was heavily penalized because of spelling, punctuation and grammar errors).  You must revise your work.  We will discuss revision, as contrasted with proofreading and copyediting, in class.

GRADING CRITERIA 

F 
Fails to fulfill the assignment 
Has serious errors in grammar and spelling 
Sentences lack proper structure 
Lacks a thesis 
Lacks coherence and logic 
Lacks a conclusion 
Displays a generally careless or casual approach to the assignment 

D 
Attempts to cover too broad a topic 
Has many errors in grammar and spelling 
Has not logically or sufficiently developed the thesis 

C
Fulfills the assignment 
Has few or no errors in grammar, spelling and sentence structure 
Is neat and legible 
Has a clear thesis, logically and sufficiently developed 
General statements are supported with specific detail 
Opinions are supported with examples or other proofs 

B
Fulfills all the requirements for a C paper 
Each sentence is clear 
Transitions lead the reader clearly and logically from sentence to sentence 
Sentence structure is varied 
Tone is appropriate and consistent 

A 
Fulfills all the requirements for C and B papers 
Demonstrates creative use of language and a sense of detail and an ability to communicate clearly and interestingly to the appropriate reader 
Logic is persuasive 
Demonstrates development of a unique style 

Readings are in The St. Martin’s Custom Reader (New York: St. Martin's Press, 2003) unless you receive a handout.  We will also use the Handbook of Technical Writing, sixth or seventh edition, by Alred, et al. (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2000 or 2003).  We will use the Handbook regularly, so you should bring it to class as well.

Week 1
Mon., Jan 26 Syllabus
 Practices and procedures
 Introduction to expository writing
 Writing and speaking samples
Wed., Jan 28 Grammar and syntax review
 Handbook:  Sentence Construction
          Clauses
          Phrases

Week 2
Mon. Feb 2 How to read an essay; questions to ask yourself and the essay
  Handout:  “The Bird and the Machine”
Wed., Feb 4 Paragraphs and transitions
  Handbook:  Sentence Fragments
           Comma Splices
           Run-on Sentences
           Paragraphs
  Handout:  “The Bird and the Machine”

Week 3
Mon., Feb 9 Purpose, thesis, audience
 Writing an essay
Wed. Feb 11 Description  (showing things):  “Fable for Tomorrow,” p. 27
  “The Way to Rainy Mountain,” p. 97

Week 4
Mon., Feb 16 Narration (telling what happened):  “Shooting an Elephant,” p. 112
Wed., Feb 18 Narration continued.

Week 5
Mon., Feb 23 WRITE the first draft of Essay 1 in class
Wed., Feb 25 How to make an oral presentation

Week 6
Mon., Mar 1 How to revise long written work
Wed., Mar 3 Process Analysis (telling how to do things or how something is done):  “The Maker’s Eye:  Revising Your Own Manuscript,” p. 103

Week 7
Mon., Mar 8 Process Analysis continued:  “Behind the Formaldehyde Curtain,” p. 89
  MIDTERM EXAM DUE
Wed., Mar 10 Example:  “In Depth, But Shallowly,” p. 19

 Mon., Mar 15 NO CLASSES—SPRING BREAK
Wed., Mar 17 NO CLASSES—SPRING BREAK

Week 8
Mon., Mar 22 Example:  “Freewriting,” p.44
Wed., Mar 24 WRITE essay 2 in class

Week 9
Mon., Mar 29 ORAL PRESENTATION:  Process Analysis—3 to 5 minutes
Wed., Mar 31 Comparison & Contrast (similarities and differences): “My Horse,” p. 83

Week 10
Mon., Apr 5  Comparison & Contrast Continued:  “The Insufficiency of Honesty,” p. 29
  “The Arab World,” p. 52
Wed., Apr 7  WRITE essay 3 in class

Week 11
Mon., Apr 12 Definition (what a thing is):  “The Right Stuff,” p. 162
Wed., Apr 14 Definition Continued:  “The Eureka Phenomenon,” p. 5

Week 12
Mon., Apr 19 Argument (persuading and convincing):  “The Declaration of Independence,” p. 65
Wed., Apr 21 “Why We Crave Horror Movies,”  p. 71

Week 13
Mon., Apr 26 ORAL PRESENTATION—argument—3 to 5 minutes
Wed., Apr 28 Classification & Division (grouping and analyzing):  “The Arab World,” p. 52

Week 14
Mon., May 3  Summary and conclusions

FINAL EXAM—Wednesday, May 12, 2–4 P.M.

EN 111 Class Policies:

1.  Class attendance is crucial to learning.  In addition, attendance is crucial in this class because much of the writing is completed in class.  If you must miss a class, please call me or email me (even if only 5 minutes before the class—no excuse necessary; just tell me you won’t be in class).  You should be prepared to make up any written work within one class of your return.

I do not penalize your first absence nor absences for religious holidays.  However, I do note every absence after that first one for which you do not notify me in advance that you will miss class, and I do round up or down depending on your efforts to attend and participate in class.  Consequently, you should notify me in advance of a class that you are going to miss.

In addition, if you make a habit of missing Friday classes, you will be penalized—many papers will be returned on Fridays—and many quizzes will be given on Fridays.  If you miss more than one quiz, your grade will suffer.

2.  Unless you have made an excuse, you must attend any class for which I have scheduled an oral presentation.  You receive one letter grade lower for each oral presentation that you miss without an authorized excuse.

Please note that I am not a sadist; I do not enjoy watching people who have a serious phobia for public speaking suffer.  So if you have a real problem (not simply nerves, which are normal) with speaking in front of a group, we can arrange another way for you to fulfill the assignment.  But if you have such a problem, it is your responsibility to speak to me before the date the presentation is due.  If you do not speak with me about special arrangements before that date, you will be penalized as described in the preceding paragraph.

3.  I generally give at least four unannounced quizzes, which can’t be made up, during the semester.  If you are absent from a class in which I give a quiz, you receive a "0" on that quiz.  However, because I allow one unauthorized absence, I drop the lowest quiz grade when I determine your final grade.  Announced exams, of course, can be made up

4.  Anyone who doesn’t show up for the final exam and doesn’t notify me within 24 hours with a reasonable excuse for missing the exam will fail the exam.

5.  If, for any reason, you can’t complete this course, do not just stop coming to class.  In addition, to avoid a withdrawal with failure on your grade sheet, make sure that you complete all official withdrawal procedures immediately after you stop attending class. 

6.  If a paper says “see me,” please see me.  Even if a paper doesn’t ask you to see me, if you want help, ask me for conference time.  I am here to help you.

7.  Please remember that the syllabus is flexible.  I may change due dates or particular reading assignments at any class.  If you are absent when I announce a change, you are still responsible for the work.  Be sure to find out what you’ve missed.

8.  Work written in class must be done neatly in pen.  Work done outside of class must be either word-processed or typed.

Please fold all work except your term paper in half lengthwise with the open edge to the right (like a book).  Label the paper on the side facing up with the following information:

 Student’s name
Due date
Name of assignment
English 111, Mrs. Segal

9. If you have an average of B+ or better at the end of the semester, you no not have to take the final exam, though you may choose to do so to bring your grade up even higher.  I figure your grade as of the next-to-last class and notify each of you on the last day of class as to whether you must take the final or not.  If you do not have to take the final but choose to do so, your grade will be determined as shown in the paragraph titled "Tentative Grade Weights."  If you do not have to take the final and do not, your final grade will be that as of the next-to-last class.

10. Please note that, until I announce otherwise in class, I do not grade first drafts of regular homework papers.  You turn in your first draft, I correct it and make suggestions for revision, and give it back to you for rewriting.  You turn in the second draft one week from the day I give you back your draft, and I grade that draft.  (This policy does not apply to exams, your term project, or quizzes, only to regular homework assignments.)

About halfway through the semester, I will begin to grade first drafts.  However, even after that point, if you want to try for a better grade than the one any draft receives, you may do so without penalty.  Within one week of your receipt from me of a graded draft, simply turn in a new revision of the assignment with all previous drafts.  I will grade the new paper and give you the higher grade of the two.  (Again, this policy does not apply to exams, your term project, or quizzes, only to regular homework assignments.)

Please also note that merely correcting errors in spelling, punctuation, and the like will likely not earn you a higher grade on a draft (unless your first draft was heavily penalized because of spelling, punctuation and grammar errors).  You must revise your work.  We will discuss revision, as contrasted with proofreading and copyediting, in class.
 

Please remember to doublespace your work.  If you have more to say than doublespacing gives you the space for, use 1.5 spacing.  In addition, please use 11- or 12-point type, preferably in a serif font like Times New Roman, Garamond, or Courier.  If you are more comfortable using a sans serif font, use Arial.  Novelty fonts like the Gothics, while beautiful to look at, are difficult to read, so stick to the conventional fonts unless the assignment calls for some creativity (for instance, a brochure for a nontechnical product).

EN 481, Day Section: 

Due Monday, Jan. 26, one to two pages:  "Why I Chose My Major"

Due Monday, Feb. 2, as long as necessary:  Definition of a term in your major, once for expert, once for generalist

Due Friday, Feb. 13, informal proposal (solving a problem here at school), under ten pages

Due Monday, Feb. 23, as long as necessary, instructions for making and flying a paper airplane

EN 481, Evening Section:

Due Wednesday, Jan. 28, one to two pages:  "Why I Chose My Major"

Due Wednesday, Feb. 11, as long as necessary.  Definition of a term in your major, once for expert, once for generalist

Due Ednesday, Feb 18, informal proposal (solving a problem here at school), under ten pages

EN 111

Due Monday, Feb. 9, second draft of "What Am I Good At?"

Due Monday, Feb. 16, "My Favorite Place," a description

DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT:

The Scenario:  You are engineers, technicians, and technical writers working in the research & development department of the Segal Corporation, a medium-sized company that designs, manufactures and markets technical products.  Each group’s function in the Segal Corporation is to invent patentable products and to convince me, the head of the corporation, that the company should invest money in further research to develop and market your products.  The groups comprise three or four students of varied major assigned by the instructor.

The Problem:  The problem each group must address is the invention of a patentable object that the Segal Corporation can develop to the point of manufacturing and selling at a reasonable profit.

A patentable object is one that is a truly novel object or a genuinely innovative improvement of an existing object.  In either case, to be patentable, the invention must be new, useful and nonobvious to a person having ordinary skill in the area of technology related to the invention.  We will discuss patentability in class with a patent attorney.

Whether the group attempts to invent a novel object or to create a significant improvement, the requisite technology to create the object must exist.  Thus, a faster-than-light spacecraft will not do—unless, of course, you can prove the existence of tachyons and demonstrate the means to harness them (or create some other feasible method of exceeding the speed of light).  Students in this class have worked on projects like a Braille fax machine and an improved automotive braking system, clearly useful items.  You will be taught to do a patent search as part of your quest to produce something that is new.

To prove usefulness, you must demonstrate marketability; that is, you must show that people will likely buy your invention.  To demonstrate nonobviousness, you must show how your product is different from other, similar things.  Patent searching will help with your claims of nonobviousness, as well as will claims of novelty.

In addition to being new, useful, and nonobvious, the object or improvement must be practical for a medium-sized company like the Segal Corporation to produce and sell at a profit.

Finally, the project should demonstrate the learning achieved in all your work here at the University.

The Output:  On the date specified on the class syllabus, you must produce a formal proposal that includes at least the following:
 

• A technical description of the object or improvement and its function
• A technical description of the research & development necessary to bring the product to the point of manufacturing
• A plan for additional research and development
• A technical description of the methods the company would use to produce the object or improvement
• Material supporting the contention that the product is possible and cost-effective to produce
• Material supporting the contention that a market will exist for the object or improvement

The formal presentation is a group responsibility; all group members should participate unless you have a specific reason to do otherwise.

*     *     *     *
To summarize, this project involves three primary tasks:

• To develop a patentable object
• To prepare a written proposal as detailed above
• To prepare and make a formal presentation as detailed above.

The Objectives of the Assignment:

1.  To practice creative thinking and creative problem-solving techniques.
2.  To practice persuasive writing and technical exposition, specifically, to allow you to practice preparing written reports.
3.  To practice working in teams.

In class, we will discuss working in groups, productive meetings, and related topics.  However, the way you organize your groups, the way you make decisions in the groups, the way you assign tasks—everything you actually do to accomplish to complete this project is up to you.  After I assign the groups, I will observe the groups, but I will not participate in any group unless I am invited in to solve a problem.

The Grade:  You will receive two grades for this project: an individual grade and a group grade.  Both grades take into account your work in the group, your work in the presentation, and your work in the written document.

I do not see all the work that goes on outside of class, and I am not always aware of all the ins and outs of group functioning. So to be fair about the grading, I ask each of you to turn in to me an evaluation of your group and your group members.  I will accept written or emailed evaluations, but you should get them to me on the day you present the project.  I keep the evaluations private, destroying them as soon as I have graded the projects.

Every member of every group will receive a grade sheet for her- or himself and a grade sheet for the group.

A Note of Caution:  It is easy to get excited about the chance to be really creative with the invention and the presentation and forget that you must prepare a written document for this assignment.  But the presentation will be over in twenty minutes; the written proposal is what I take with me out of the classroom to look at and think about.  Please plan your time so you can prepare a proposal that fairly represents your efforts.

A Note of Encouragement:  This project has been assigned in EN 481 for at least the last ten years; in that time every group has managed to come up with some kind of invention.  Some inventions have been better than others, some presentations have been better than others, some proposals have been better than others, some groups have worked better together than others, but everyone has gotten through the assignment.  Just remember that you have resources here beyond yourselves:  me, for one, and the other professors at Ward College, not to mention a full Engineering faculty, a business school, a nearby Patent and Trademark Depository Library, and more.  You have to work, but you are not alone.

Good luck.
 
 
 

              *               *            *               *              *            *              *             * 

EN 111 TERM PAPER 

 Write three to five pages of your opinion about one of the topics listed below.  Remember:  You are writing your opinion, supported by facts (and other opinions) researched from at least three sources.  Those sources may be hardcover sources such as books, newspapers,  and magazines or electronic sources such as Web pages, email interviews, CD-ROMs, and the like (but check your online sources carefully—some of them are opinions supported by other opinions with little or no basis in fact, others are selling things, and still others are outdated).

 You paper must be typed or word-processed and double-spaced, and you must use endnotes to credit other sources of information and ideas.  In addition, you must provide a cover sheet and an endnotes page for your paper.  We will discuss research, endnotes, cover sheets, and related issues in class.

 Remember that, no matter which topic you choose, you must develop a thesis, that is, a point you are trying to make, a problem you are trying to solve.  You have to decide on a point that you want to get across to your reader—in this case, me.  Just giving facts isn't enough.  You have to decide what those facts mean and tell your reader what you think about them and why they are important.

 Something else to remember:  Choose a topic that interests you.  If you write about something that bores you, your boredom will show in your paper.  Your reader will know.

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1. People who believe that UFOs are alien spacecraft or that people have been abducted by aliens should be left alone because their beliefs don’t affect society.

2. Nanotechnology should be banned.

3. Astrology is a harmless hobby.

4. Cloning should be outlawed.

5. Violent computer games should be outlawed.

6. Environmentalists are worried for nothing.

7. Nuclear waste is not a problem.

8. The ending of Total Recall is bad science.

9. The entire movie Armageddon is bad science.

10. People who have trouble with math should be treated as learning disabled and in need of help.

11. Scientists, engineers, and technologists are responsible for the way the mechanisms they build are used by other people.

12. Living beings are simply elaborately complex machines.

13. We should not explore outer space.

14. We should use the moon as a prison colony.

15. The concept of global warming is a scam.

16. People in the United States rely too much on computers.

17. People in the United States should be required by law to use public transportation.

18. Every college student should be required to take a programming course in addition to math, writing, and other traditionally required courses.

19. Programming should be a required course in all high schools in the United States.

20. School, from kindergartens to colleges, should be replaced by distance learning.