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RE: suggestions needed for teaching a introductory college course in technical writing
Subject:RE: suggestions needed for teaching a introductory college course in technical writing From:bryan -dot- westbrook -at- amd -dot- com To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Tue, 22 May 2001 11:15:56 -0500
I don't agree. Too many people take a single technical writing class and
then declare themselves writers. That first class should be the practical
side of the business, and let the theory wait until the upper levels.
As for Microsoft Project, I don't see any need to include that in the intro
class. I know Project but have never had to use it on the job. <Knocks on
head as if it were made of wood.> I've worked on projects where management
had posted Gantt charts from Project, but the output doesn't require a lot
of formal training to understand.
-----Original Message-----
From: Christensen, Kent [mailto:lkchris -at- sandia -dot- gov]
Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2001 9:36 AM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: re: suggestions needed for teaching a introductory college
cours e in technical writing
This is the "throw them in the water and see if they can swim" approach that
seems to occur so often in academia. Instead, I'd start off with the
*psychology* of technical writing.
Discuss the notion of technical project management using tools such as
Microsoft Project to manage product development activity and discuss how and
when the technical writer fits in the plan and which writer activities might
be considered milestones. This is important, I think, so spend some time on
it.
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