For your first journal assignment, respond to both of these questions in about 100-200 words each. I am more interested in your thoughts than I am in your spelling, grammar, and mechanics, but please be thoughtful in your responses:
1. What are you expecting from this class based on what you’ve read in the syllabus? What do you want to learn? Why are you enrolled in this course? Do you have any questions about the course?
2. What can I (and you) expect from you this semester? What kind of student and/or writer are you? What strategies do you (or can you) use to succeed in online learning? Are there any potential impediments to your success in this course I should know about? CNM School of Liberal Arts, Department of English
ENGL 1210 Technical Communications
GENERAL INFORMATION
Instructor: Course/Section: ENG 1210 Sec. 101
Office Hours: In person or Zoom T/R 10:30-1:15pm T/R 1:30-2:45 MS 204
Term: Spring 2025
Office: MS 501 | Office Phone: Credit Hours: 3
E-mail: (response time 24hrs M-R, 48hrs F-S)
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This is an introductory study of written and verbal communications used in the technical professions with emphasis in the planning, execution, and editing of professional and technical documents and other communication media. This course is not a substitute for ENGL 2219 and generally applies to particular associate degree programs or as an elective credit. Students are encouraged to speak with an advisor about the applicability of this course.
REQUIRED MATERIALS
– Textbook: We’re using an open-access educational resource (OER) by J. Schaller and T. Wolf published by CNM: Workplace Writing and Communication (access here: https://mytext.cnm.edu/course/english-1119/).
– Optional: Grammar and Sentence Construction Handbook. J. Schaller and T. Wolf. Available for free at https://mytext.cnm.edu/course/grammar-and-sentence-construction-handbook/
– Students will need to bring writing materials and paper to class every day.
– Optional: an electronic device such as a laptop, tablet or smartphone to access the textbook.
– Regular access to our Brightspace page for submitting most assignments. You will also find readings, helpful links, and a copy of the syllabus there. Log in to https://mycourses.cnm.edu/ and navigate to our course. It is the responsibility of each student to ensure they have and maintain regular and reliable access to a computer and internet services. Brightspace is designed to work best from a personal computer. Some features may not be accessible from tablets, smartphones, and other devices.
o Technical Help. If you experience a problem with CNM Brightspace, please use the Online Student Resources link located under RESOURCES in the blue navigation bar at the top of our Brightspace classroom. If your technical issue is related to your CNM Login credentials or something else not directly related to CNM Learn itself, contact the ITS Service Desk at (505) 224- HELP (4357) or email them at [email protected]. For more info, visit: http://www.cnm.edu/student-resources/distance-learning/student-information-cnm-learn. You’ll find additional resources to help you do well in this class if you scroll through our Brightspace course shell’s navigation panel at the top of the screen. Under the heading, “CNM Resources” you will see links to CNM tutoring, ITS, Brightspace videos, and more.
– Microsoft Office. All files submitted for the course must be submitted as either a Microsoft Word Document or PDF.
o All CNM students may obtain free licenses of Microsoft Office 365 for use during their time at CNM. For detailed instructions on obtaining Microsoft Office 365, please visit the website of the Office of Digital Strategy and ITS: https://www.cnm.edu/depts/office-of-digital-strategy
COURSE OUTCOMES
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
1. Define the purpose, audience and objective for a given technical document analyze the primary audience for that communication
2. Design/format the pages and visuals for a document prepare and present oral presentations and briefings
3. Correctly use the format for several technical documents, including procedures, proposals, and job application materials
Essential Skills: Communication, Critical Thinking, and Information and Digital Literacy
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
A. Course Requirements
Major Writing Assignments:The class is divided into four units, which will each culminate in a Major Writing Assignment. You will have plenty of small-stakes assignments (Weekly Work) that lead up to and will help you compose the Major Writing Assignment for each unit:
1. Communications
2. Job Application Materials
3. A Group Report
4. A Proposal Presentation
These Major Writing Assignments should be treated like exams: they are individually worth a significant portion of your grade that you want to do well on, and missing them could severely impact your ability to pass the class. Please see Late Work and Grading, below.
Weekly Work: Worth 20% of your grade, these points are earned through on-time class attendance and participation and submitting weekly journals on Brightspace. Even if you can’t make it to class, you should still submit Brightspace work regularly.
Community Engagement: To earn full credit in this (admittedly small) category (5%), and as a way to engage with the CNM community, you must complete two out of three (2/3) possible activities:
– Attend my office hours at some point before the last week of class.
– Visit the Tutoring Center in person or use the Virtual Writing Center any time before the last week of class—and it doesn’t even necessarily need to be for my class! Just prove you went to get help for any class and you’ll get credit.
– CNM has a lot of activities, lectures, workshops, and community events, all the time! See: https://cnm.enterprise.localist.com/ or follow CNM social media wherever you’re online (I like @cnmsuncats and @cnmliberalarts on Instagram)! Attend one event, workshop, lecture, or function, and write up a 1 page (double spaced) reflective response to the event, where you describe when and where it was, what it was about, and how you liked it or what you learned from it.
Extra Credit:There will be extra credit opportunities throughout the semester, so take advantage of them when you see them. Extra credit is always baked into existing assignments, not as separate assignments. You cannot wait until the end of the semester, realize you have an 89, and ask for extra credit to boost your grade: it’s simply not there! The most powerful extra credit is associated with peer review, which has the power to turn an 88 on a major writing assignment into a 90, so I encourage everyone to focus on peer review extra credit for the highest impact on your overall grade. However, even earning a few EC points here and there on in-class work can also eventually replace a missed class!
B. Late Work:
You may submit Brightspace work (whether Weekly Work or a Major Writing Assignment) up to one week late at no penalty, no questions asked, for the majority of the semester. You should only take this extension as a last resort, however, because:
– Late assignments will usually not receive instructor feedback (just a letter grade), so you miss out on explanations of what you are doing well or where you can improve.
– Late assignments move to the bottom of my grading pile, and instead of getting them back in less than 5 business days, you may have to wait 2+ weeks for a grade.
– Late assignments are not eligible for re-write or resubmission. Check late submissions thoroughly and make sure you’re not forgetting something.
– Content-wise, we will be moving on without you, which may put you further behind.
The following are exceptions to this no-penalty late policy:
– In class work. This is meant to be completed in class, on time, and has different rules for making it up (see: Attendance).
– Brightspace Discussion Boards (there won’t be many of these). Late discussion boards mean you lose real-time conversation with your peers, and they lose the opportunity to benefit from your ideas, if you do not submit Discussion Board posts and replies on time. These are never accepted late and these points cannot be made up.
– For the same reason, Peer Review assignments cannot be turned in late, since this impacts your peer’s ability to use your comments for beneficial revision. All components of Peer Review (initial post as well as review of a peer’s work) cannot be completed late and these points cannot be made up.
– All Assignments in the final unit must be turned in on time to allow me sufficient time to grade them before the end of the term. Late work submitted in the final unit will be penalized 10%.
– Though there is no penalty for submitting Brightspace work one week late, in the rare event where I accept anything more than 7 days late, this work may be penalized at up to -10% for each day it is over a week late.
C.1 Attendance:
Showing up to class is important, and if you need to miss a class, even for valid reasons, you will lose some points that cannot easily be made up. Of course, actual in-class work only contributes to less than 10% of your overall grade—that means, if you didn’t show up to class all semester, but did good work on Brightspace otherwise, you could still reasonably finish the class with a B! (But, if that’s the model you prefer, I recommend you drop this class and take a fully online section.)
Failure to attend class does not relieve you of the responsibility for missed material or information. This applies for arriving late and leaving early, or ducking out to use the restroom or take a call. Never ask any instructor if you “missed anything important.” Exchange contact information with a trusted classmate so you can share notes if you need to miss all or a portion of a class, or make an effort to attend office hours to go over missed material.
Tardiness: I expect us all to treat each other respectfully in this class, and part of that is attending the entire class. I am distracted by late arrivals, so arriving late shows disrespect to me and to your peers who were on time. Therefore, if you need to miss more than 10 minutes of class (either arriving late or leaving early), you will not receive full credit for your attendance. If this happens once or twice: that’s life, and it will not damage your grade, so no stress. If this happens habitually, however, it will damage my sense of our mutual respect and your grade. Don’t forget to ask a classmate what you missed, even if you are just a few minutes late.
Drop/Withdraw: A student with excessive absences may be dropped from the course, or may wish to withdraw themselves from the course. Excessive absences that count as “non-attendance” for our class is defined as either (1) missing two weeks of class/assignments in a row without contact with the instructor, (2) missing three weeks’ worth of class/assignments total and a major assignment, or (3) missing four weeks or more of class or assignments in total. Students who are dropped by an instructor for non-attendance will be notified at their CNM e-mail address. If you believe a mistake has been made, you must contact the instructor within two working days of receipt of the drop notification.
C.2 Making up missed in class work:
It’s impossible to perfectly recreate an entire missed class period, because these points represent the work of an entire session, including interactions with me and your peers that cannot be easily recreated. As a result, making up those points takes a lot of work. Here’s what you can do to make up for an in-class day you missed (up to 2):
1. Let me know about the absence ideally before the class commences, and let me know the reason for missing. I need this in writing, via email. In emergency cases, an email after the fact will suffice.
2. Get notes from a classmate and read them. You must find this classmate on your own: I will not take time away from class to help you find a buddy with notes. Plan to share the notes and the student’s name with me as well so I can give that student extra credit.
3. Attend my office hours (see the top of the syllabus, or email me if none of those times work) so we can talk about what you missed and you can ask any questions.
4. Submit a 1-page (double spaced) summary of your peer’s notes, the assigned readings for that week, and your conversation with me. This should be cogent and thoughtfully worded and proofread, as it may be marked down for grammar, mechanical, and content problems. If you miss two days at once and want credit back for both, the summary should increase to 2 pages. Don’t forget to also share the peer notes you received.
5. You must submit this by email within 2 weeks of the missed class period. In the final unit, this must be submitted within 1 week.
GRADING
Assignments and Percentages:
Weekly Work: 20%
Community Engagement 5%
Emails, Memos, & Letters: 20%
Job Materials: 20%
Group Report: 20%
Proposal Project: 15%
Grading Scale:
90-100% = A
80-89% = B
70-79% = C
60-69% = D
below 60% = F
– Grades will not be curved or “bumped” in this course, so an 89.9 is a B. There will be extra credit opportunities throughout the semester as part of other assignments, so take advantage of them when you see them.
CLASSROOM POLICIES
D.1 Academic Dishonesty Policy:
Students must do their own work and should not let others use their work for any reason. If students copy from other students or written sources (including sources from the Internet) without acknowledging their sources, they are guilty of plagiarism. If students have someone else write or revise assignments or knowingly allow another to copy work, they are guilty of dishonest scholarship (plagiarism). Plagiarized work will receive a 0 with one chance per term for revision, and a student showinga pattern of dishonest scholarship (two or more instances) may receive an F in the course. See the Academic Dishonesty Policy: https://www.cnm.edu/depts/student-services/dean-of-students/academic-integrity
D.2 AI Policy:
Submitting generative artificial intelligence tools (e.g. Chat GPT) as your own work is a type of plagiarism, just as if you submitted work written by another person. It writes predictively and therefore nothing as new or interesting as you will be expected to compose in this class for a passing grade. Exercising our own writing skills and learning a basic grasp of composition are necessary first steps to 1. writing good AI prompts in the first place and 2. discerning whether the results composed by AI are appropriate to the rhetorical situation. Your original ideas, grasp of rhetoric, and critical thought will get you further in this class, and in life—while the use of AI to try to pass college classes will do more damage to you and others than it will save you time. Any AI-generated writing submitted by you as your own work will be treated as plagiarism and penalized as described above.
E. Accessibility and Accommodations for Students with Disabilities:
CNM is committed to accessible learning environments that meet the needs of its diverse students. If you anticipate or experience any barriers to learning, discuss your concerns with the instructor or Accessibility Services as soon as possible. Accessibility Services supports faculty in designing accessible learning environments and assists students who have disabilities with accommodations to remove barriers where they exist.
Students with disabilities are invited to get started with Accessibility Services by filling out the “First Time Request for Accessibility Services” on the website (www.cnm.edu/drc) or by contacting Accessibility Services for more information.
F1. Code of Conduct
Understand the CNM Code of Conduct: As a member of this classroom, it is your responsibility to understand, and adhere to, the CNM codes and policies that govern and prescribe acceptable student behavior. As indicated in the CNM Student Code of Conduct, if you, as a student, behave in a manner that is disruptive to the educational process or violates any other provisions of the Code of Conduct, this behavior will (generally) first be addressed by your instructor. If the behavior continues or escalates, it will be reported to the Dean of Students Office for appropriate disciplinary action. I hope that we will all contribute to a positive classroom environment; however, if you, as a student, demonstrate behavior that is in violation of the Code of Conduct, according to CNM Policy, I reserve the right to require that you leave the classroom for the remainder of that class period. Should this occur, the incident will immediately be reported to the Dean of Students Office for further disciplinary action.
F2. Etiquette
I expect honest work representing your best effort, and this includes both daily work and major assignments. I hope you will enter class with an attitude ready for learning. If you disagree with someone or something, I expect you to handle the disagreement in a mature manner. Please do not engage in activities that are disruptive to the learning environment of yourself and others. Stay classy.
Language that is intended to marginalize, demean, make fun of, or to be hurtful to anyone based on gender, sexual orientation, sex, religion, race, age, ethnicity, political party, veteran status, or ability will simply not be tolerated. If you engage in these acts, you will be asked to leave and will you will receive a zero for any in-class work. If your behavior persists, you may be dropped from the class.
F3. Netiquette and Email
Email should be considered formal communication in an academic or professional setting and I encourage you to practice these guidelines when emailing any instructor or colleague in a professional setting. These guidelines for effective academic email communication include:
– Relevant subject line
– Appropriate salutation which includes the addressee’s name
o When you don’t know, err on the side of a bit too formal so that you don’t offend.
o A note about gender and titles. Now well into the 21st century, the use of ‘Miss’ for an adult woman is inappropriate, whereas using ‘Mrs.’ isn’t always correct, as it’s traditionally for a married woman who has taken her husband’s name. Use ‘Ms.’ It’s the equivalent of ‘Mr.’ in that it doesn’t change in regards to marital status. If a woman really prefers ‘Mrs.’ she’ll let you know.
– Tone that meets the audience’s expectations (polite and professional are more likely to get you the response you want)
– An actual request
o If you’re not asking for something, I may not see the need to reply
o “I didn’t submit this paper because I was confused” isn’t actually asking for anything: does this student want clarification? Do they want a chance to re-submit? Am I being accused of wanting this student to fail? What can I reply with but “Thanks for letting me know 👍”?
– Sign-off or signature with your first and last name
– Include the class name and section number, since I have three sections of this class.
The best way to get an instant response from me is attending office hours (listed at the top of the syllabus). Please give me up to 24 hours to respond to emails received Monday-Thursday, and 48 hours for emails received Friday-Sunday. If for any reason I am unavailable for a period of time, that will be communicated to the class. All e-mails will be handled with seriousness and courtesy. If I have not responded within that time, check that your email follows the above guidelines, and then give me a nudge, in case I missed it somehow.
F4. Title IX
Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) does not discriminate based on sex and prohibits sex discrimination in any educational program or activity it operates, in compliance with Title IX. This includes admissions and employment. For inquiries regarding the application of Title IX, contact CNM’s Title IX Coordinators or the Office of Civil Rights. The college’s Title IX nondiscrimination policy and grievance procedures are available on the CNM Title IX Policy and Procedures webpage: https://www.cnm.edu/about-cnm/title-ix-policy-and-procedures.
G. Brightspace Announcements
I will use the Announcements feature in Brightspace almost exclusively to communicate with you. You should check your settings in Brightspace to make sure that all messages forward to your preferred email (or get texted to you!), otherwise it is your responsibility to check Brightspace for notifications regularly. To make sure Announcements come to your email, log on to Brightspace and click on your name in the top-right, then select Notifications. Set up your Contact Methods and then under Instant Notifications ensure that the box for “Announcements – new announcement available” is checked. It’s also not a bad idea to check “Grades – grade item released” and “Grades – grade item updated” while you’re here.
H. A Note on Electronics
I encourage the use of electronic readers and laptops in the classroom until they become disruptive to me or your classmates. Our readings are all online, so having a device to read them on in class is encouraged. If your use of laptop, tablets, cellphones or other electronic devices becomes a problem, however, you may be asked to put it away or leave. I only rarely accept emailed in-class work, though, so please also bring paper and pen/cil.
I. Restrooms/Leaving Class
Please do not ask for permission to leave our classroom. Do what you need to do as unobtrusively as possible. Leaving often might result in a concerned query from me or loss of in class points if missed class time becomes excessive. Check with a peer about what you may have missed, as you’re still responsible for that information.
There are inclusive restrooms located throughout MS. LGTBQ+ at CNM provides a list, by building, of gender-neutral restrooms, which you can see herehttps://www.cnm.edu/student-resources/lgbtq/inclusive-restrooms.
SCHEDULE OF ASSIGNMENTS/READINGS
Week TuesdayDate
Unit Description Readings due Thursdays Due
1 1/13 – Syllabus
– OER Chapter 1: What Is Technical Communication and Technical Writing? – Thursday-Sunday: Discussion (Introductions)
– Friday: Journal (What you expect from yourself in this Class)
2 1/20
Emails, Memos, and Letters: Drafting – Memo, Letter and Email Assignment Prompt
– OER Chapter 5: Basic Workplace Genres – Friday: Journal (Planning)
3 1/27
Emails, Memos, and Letters: Revising
Tuesday: meet in MS 205
Thursday: meet in MS 205
1/27 last day to drop with a W and get a refund – OER Chapter 8: Basic Principles of Readability – Tuesday: Draft due for Peer Review in class
– Thursday: Draft due for Peer Review in class
– Friday: Email, Memo, and Letter Due
4 2/3
Job Materials: Planning – Job Application Materials Assignment Prompt
– OERChapter 6: Employment Materials – Friday: Journal (Planning)
5 2/10
Job Materials: Drafting
Thursday: meet in MS 205 – Chapter 3: The Writing Process
– Thursday: Draft due for Peer Review in class
– Friday: Journal (Revision Plan)
6 2/17
Job Materials: Reviewing – OER Chapter 7: Integrate Visuals and Apply Design Principles – Friday: Job Materials Due
7 2/24
Group Report: Working with Groups
Thursday: meet in MS 205 – OER Chapter 11: Strategies for Peer Reviewing and Team Writing – Thursday-Sunday: Group Discussion (Get to Know Your Group)
– Friday: Strategic Planning Document Due (Group Assignment)
8 3/3
Group Report: Planning with Groups – Group Report Assignment Prompt – Friday: Journal (Solo Assignment)
9 3/10
Group Report: Research – OER Chapter 12: Engaging with Research – Friday: Research Outline Due (Group Assignment, Individual Submission)
10 3/17
Group Report: Drafting with Groups
– OER Chapter 13: Avoiding Plagiarism and Integrating Sources – Friday: Report Draft Due
11 3/24
Group Report: Revising for Cohesiveness
Tuesday: meet in MS 205
3/28 last day to drop with a W OER Chapter 4: Ethics in Technical Writing – Friday: Final Group Report Due (Group Assignment)
– Friday: Unit 3 Reflection (Solo Assignment)
12 3/31
Proposal Project: Research and Planning – OER Chapter 14: Preparing Business Proposals
– Friday: Journal (Planning)
13 4/7
Proposal Project: Drafting – Chapter 15: Develop Effective Presentation Skills and Materials
– Friday: Journal (Research Outline)
14 4/14
Proposal Project: Reviewing and Revising
Thursday: meet in MS 205 – Thursday: Proposal Draft Due for Peer Review
15 4/21
Proposal Project: Presentations – Tuesday or Thursday: Proposal Presentation Due in Class
– Friday: Journal (Reflection on the Semester)
RESOURCES
J. Commit to Graduate!
Graduating with an associate’s degree or certificate will make you more employable and will increase your earning potential for a lifetime. Getting your degree or certificate is your reward for the hard work and dedication you put into your studies at CNM. Set your graduation date today! Learn more at http://cnm.edu/graduation. Unsure of when you will graduate? Contact your school advisor (see the CNM website for contact information).
K. CNM Advisement
CNM Advisors work with students as partners to help reach their educational goal and assist students in achieving success. Their services include academic success planning, financial coaching, study skills development, and accessing college and community resources. An advisor can partner with you to help you identify your strengths and skills to create an individualized plan of action to remove any barriers that might come up along the way. Advisors are a great resource for students struggling with all sorts of challenges: balancing family demands, encountering emergency financial difficulties, navigating the requirements of a parole officer, accessing mental health care support, and so forth. You can find information about Academic Advising here: https://www.cnm.edu/depts/student-services/advisement.
L. Preferred Name Request
CNM offers the option for transgender and gender non-binary students to let instructors know of their gender pronouns and correct/preferred name to be used in the classroom. https://www.cnm.edu/student-resources/lgbtq
M. Veterans Resource Center
The Veterans Resource Center (VRC) provides resources and help for veterans and their families who currently attend or plan to attend CNM.
N.CNM Student Services
CNM Student Servicesis a good link to take you where you need to go, whether that’s academic advisement or some other help: https://www.cnm.edu/depts/student-services.
O. TRIO
Student Support Services is one of eight federally funded United States Department of Education TRIO grant programs serving low income, disabled and First Generation college bound students who are determined to succeed in college.
P. Wireless.cnm.edu info
Our new on-campus connection is wireless.cnm.edu. CNM Guest still works, but it is slower. You have the option of connecting your gadgets to the speedier wireless.cnm.edu.
Q. Wellness CNM
CNM is here to support students with mental health, wellness, and various community resources, including the CNM Food Pantry. Learn more about what CNM can provide for you at https://www.cnm.edu/depts/dean-of-students/wellness-cnm,including:
– Emergency Assistance. If you, or someone you know, is experiencing a mental health emergency, please call/text/chat immediately. If you are not in a mental health emergency, but would prefer in-person counseling, you may reach out to the Solutions Group. CNM students can receive six free sessions of counseling.
– Schedule an intake with a non-clinical case manager to discuss additional supports such as: Program information for community resources, including healthcare options, utility assistance, food assistance, and other basic needs; Emergency scholarship options at CNM; Referrals to local housing resources to help locate safe and affordable living arrangements.
– CNM’s food pantry provides food to CNM students. Any CNM student in need is encouraged to stop by and pick up a bag of fresh fruits, vegetables, and non-perishable items. Students just need a CNM ID and can fill out an intake form when they arrive. You do not need to “prove” your “need”—you get free food just by being a CNM student! Hours and locations listed here: https://www.cnm.edu/depts/dean-of-students/wellness-cnm/food-pantry
R. American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES)
AISES is a national nonprofit organization that focuses on increasing Indigenous representation in STEM. You are not required to be Native or in a STEM field to join the CNM chapter. For more information on AISES meeting times, events, and scholarships, contact student president.
S. Native American Advisory Council (NAAC)
NAAC is made up of advisors, faculty, an Outreach Specialist, and a Veterans Program Specialist with specialized knowledge for helping Native American students. For more information, see https://www.cnm.edu/depts/student-services/advisement/cultural-teams/naac.
T. Tutoring and Virtual Writing Center
The TLCc tutors provide in-person and online assistance with homework free to you as a student. Tutors will provide positive feedback, help you identify and correct recurring errors, and provide you with guidance in understanding and solving homework problems.
The Virtual Writing Center is an asynchronous form of tutoring that allows students to receive feedback on academic essays by submitting them to tutors via email. The Virtual Writing Center is a helpful resource for students who do not have the ability to see a tutor in person or by virtual appointment, but would still like feedback from an experienced writing tutor.
If you know of other resources for your classmates that I could add to this list, please let me know!