End of Semester Memo
To: WRIT 340 Students
From: Eric H. Roth
Date: April 26, 2005
RE: End of Semester Memo
Thursday – Class is
mandatory. Anyone missing class will lose 15 points.
- turn in RFP Group Member/ Peer
Evaluation form (5 points)
- Fill out ABET course evaluation; fill out instructor evaluation
Friday - Portfolio due in
PIC 200 by 5 PM. (150 points)
- memo describing your revisions/edits
to Portfolio (5 points)
- Complete course and teacher evaluation forms
- turn in RFP reflection memo (5 points - optional)
Monday – Written Proposal
due in PIC 200 by noon. (200 points)
- 10 points deducted for every half
hour late.
- Must include cover letter to the client
- Please submit two copies – for client and for me.
o Client’s copy must be
a beautiful, hard copy.
We have a lot of ground to cover,
papers to collect, and forms to fill out. You also have a few assignments
to submit before this class ends.
Let’s first focus on the Portfolio. Please bring two copies
of your rewritten Illumin article. One goes to the editors of Illumin
for consideration for publication. The other copy goes to me for your
portfolio grade.
Your portfolio will also include both
parts of the rewritten Ethics assignment. These should be clean, revised,
and updated copies. Each of the copies should clearly indicate your
name, the assignment, and the course selection on the first page.
Additionally, I need a copy of the
original version that I previously graded along with the revised copy.
DO NOT STAPLE THE GRADED COPIES TO THE NEW COPIES!
Each paper should be individually stapled in the upper, left hand
corner. Please place all the papers, including the revised and original
Illumin article, in a standard manila folder. You’re your color.
Please write your name and section number on the front of the folder
and on the tab.
Remember to provide a second copy
of the Illumin article. This copy won’t need the additional
information required of the portfolio copy since it goes to the Illumin
student editors.
Finally, please include a memo, addressed
to me, in which you:
- Indicate the changes you’ve made in the
revised copy (as well as the suggestions that you, exercising your
right as an author, choose to NOT to make) and why;
- Reflect on what you’ve learned from making/considering
those changes.
- Assess the quality of your work, and how it
reflects your skill as a communicator.
This memo should reflect your diligence, effort
and growth as a communicator. You will get 5 points for the memo.
As you know, two other WRIT 340 professors other
than me will grade it. These professors, teach slightly different
versions of WRIT 340, but we all use the same rubric. The instructors
from non-engineering sections are more familiar with the expectations
of their disciplines.
Furthermore, the other WRIT 340 instructors will encounter your writing
without knowing you or seeing your writing develop over the semester.
Your papers must withstand critical scrutiny.
Therefore, you want to review, re-edit, revise
– and revise again! Take nothing for granted, even a good grade
from me. Your best protection remains a clear thesis, strong evidence,
memorable phrases, and powerful bookends. As a general rule, your
papers also have a few distinct advantages such as providing new information,
examining emerging technologies, and exploring contemporary ethical
dilemmas.
Your extensive research can also provide a protective
shield.
So, what should you do?
- Edit away previous “good mistakes.”
- Focus on coherency of purpose; establish connections
behind the ideas and facts.
- Establish a clear thesis with at least 3 main
supporting ideas.
- Give a thorough analysis/explanation including
background and context.
- Consider the alternatives. Evaluate the options.
- Avoid vague, but true statements. Purge any
vague and untrue statements.
- Add sources and another layer of facts.
- Provide a wide range of strong, supporting
evidence from multiple, reliable sources.
- Cite all information and ideas that don’t
belong to you.
- Avoid new “good mistakes” and reduce
the number of long, loose sentences.
- Maintain a high fact to opinion ratio.
- Engage the audience’s interest in difficult
subjects.
- Provide accurate, concise definitions.
- Leave the reader with a clear “take away”
message.
- Respect and inform your readers.
- Write the best papers that you can.
Portfolio Content Summary (in the order
I’d like to receive them):
- Revised copy of Illumin article
for Illumin editors
- Assessment letter
- Revised copy of Illumin article
- Revised copy of ethics paper
- Graded copy of Illumin article
- Graded copy of ethics paper.
- Optional reflection memo on the RFP
(5 points)
As always, please contact me if you have any
questions. Let’s make your last 143 hours in WRIT 340 productive
and satisfying.
