A.

Bright Writing 2E Winter 2008

Syllabus
Writing 2E: Academic Writing for Engineers
Winter 2008

Instructor: Alison Bright Enrollment Code: 47167

Email: alisonsbrown@yahoo.com
Office: South Hall 5432 D
Messages: 893-2613
Office Hours: Thursday 10-12pm and by appt.
Mailbox: South Hall 1519
Meeting Times: TU/TH 1:00-2:50 p.m.
Location: HSSB 1223 TU
Miramar Lab (Phelps 1526) TH

Drop Deadline: Friday January 11, 2008

Required Texts and Materials:

Bright, A. (2008). Writing 2E course reader. UCSB. (Available at Associated Students.)
Beer, D. & McMurrey, D. (2005). A guide to writing as an engineer, 2nd edition. New York:
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (available at campus bookstore.)
Hacker, D. (2007). A writer’s reference, 7th edition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s. (Any
edition; available at campus bookstore)
Document folder (used to turn in portfolio assignments)
Accessible email account
College Dictionary and mini-stapler (optional but recommended)

Course Description and Objective:

This course is the second of a three-quarter sequence of writing courses designed especially for
students in the College of Engineering. In this segment of the sequence, students will focus on
developing analytical skills, synthesizing multiple sources, sustaining coherent arguments and
revising for clarity of style. The course provides instruction and practice in reading scientific and
technical discourse; writing formal, research-based documents; conducting both primary and
secondary research; learning technical writing genres and formats; delivering effective oral
presentations; and practicing a range of computer software applications.

The objective of Writing 2E is to help students become more capable and confident readers and
writers of both technical as well as non-technical documents. Assignments include a group
presentation on a specific topic in technology; an essay on the social impact of a technology; a
technical report that focuses on the development of a particular technology; shorter writing
assignments throughout the quarter to aid in writing the technical report; and an oral presentation.
In addition, this class is an opportunity to explore the relationships between reading, writing, and
critical thinking and to use collaboration and revision as ways to improve writing.

Prerequisites:
Writing 2E is open to students who have satisfied the University of California Entry Level
Writing Requirement or successfully passed Writing 1E.

Guidelines for Paper Submission:

• Use twelve-point type font, in Times New Roman.
• Number pages as appropriate and double-space all essays/reports (even though most
technical writing is single-spaced, double-spacing allows for instructor comments).
• Use the default margins in Microsoft Word: (top and bottom = 1”; left and right = 1.25”).
• Do not alter the font size, line spacing or margin widths to change the length of the paper.

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A. Bright Writing 2E Winter 2008

• Always staple papers prior to submission.

• Include all rough drafts and peer reviews with each final portfolio.
• Always proofread and edit before handing in work.
• Students must be present in class to turn in assignments.
• All work must be submitted on time—late papers will not be accepted.

Assignments and Grades:

Detailed descriptions of your assignments are available in the course reader. Late work will not
be accepted. Students must turn in all assignments to pass the class. Your final grade will be
determined by the following:
• Group Presentation 15%
• Annotated Bibliography 5%
• Technology Research Essay 20%
• Technical Report 35%
• Individual Presentation 15%
• Participation Portfolio 10%
Total = 100%

Classroom Polices:
Attendance and Lateness: This class differs significantly from your other first-year courses. It
is largely based on in-class work and cooperative participation. Therefore, attendance is
mandatory. More than one unexcused absence can reduce your grade by 10%. In-class work for
missed days may not be made up. It is your responsibility to find out what was missed. More
than five unexcused absences may result in a failure of the course. In addition, please make sure
that you arrive to class on time. Arriving to class more than 15 minutes late will result in an
absence for that day.
Please notify me in advance if any circumstances will keep you from meeting your attendance or
other requirements.

Participation: A significant percentage of your grade is based on your participation in class.

This means that you must not only come to class, but you must come to class prepared, having
completed the reading or writing assignment for that day. You will often be called upon to
share your interpretations of topics covered in the course, either through writing assignments or
classroom discussion. Therefore, it is vital that you come to class prepared and stay engaged
throughout the class. Active participation also includes creating a safe space in the classroom,
where students listen respectfully to others opinions. This includes actively responding to your
classmates’ work in peer reviews. In addition, part of your participation grade includes visiting
me during my office hours at least once during the quarter.

Email: Email is my preferred method of communication. Please provide me with an email

address that you check on a regular basis. Changes in the schedule and syllabus will be
commutated over email.

Cell phones: Please turn off cell phones before entering the classroom as a courtesy to your
fellow students. Note: This policy includes the use of text messaging. Any student using cell
phones in class will be asked to leave the class and marked absent for the day.

Late papers: All papers will be collected on the due date at the beginning of class. Late papers
will not be accepted.

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 A. Bright Writing 2E Winter 2008

Plagiarism: According to the "Academic Dishonesty" pamphlet circulated by the UC system,

"Plagiarism is academic theft. It refers to the use of another's ideas or words without proper
attribution or credit. An author's work is his/her property and should be respected by
documentation.” Essentially, plagiarism is the act of taking another person’s ideas and/or words
and passing them off as one’s own. Any act of plagiarism committed in class will be prosecuted
through the university court system and could result in expulsion. This class will provide you
with workable guidelines for citation in papers. However, if you are still unsure about how to cite
someone else’s words or ideas, please come to me for help.

Revision Policy: Because revision is such an integral part of the writing process, and because no
piece of writing is ever “finished,” you will have the opportunity to revise the Technology
Research Essay. To take advantage of this opportunity, please arrange a conference with me to
discuss your revision strategy with in one week.

Resources: If you are a student with a documented disability and would like to discuss special
accommodations please contact me during office hours or by email. For more information and
support please call Disabled Students Program (DSP) 893-2668. Additional support can be
found at Counseling & Career Services at 893-4411. More importantly, academic support,
including writing tutors, is available for all UCSB students at Campus Learning Assistance
Service (CLAS) at 893-3269. I strongly recommend making appointments at CLAS to
review drafts of every essay you turn in during this course.

A final note: Please feel free to contact me at any time during the quarter if you have questions
about the course, the campus, etc. I am a resource for you, so please just ask me if you have a
question or come see me in my office hours.

Writing 2E: Schedule of Assignments

Date Class Topic Homework

Week 1 Welcome! *Purchase course materials
TU 1/8 Course introduction Read: Florman, The civilized engineer (introduction and “the
Conference sign-ups concept”), (Reader)
Email: Your email address to me by 10 p.m. tonight
Write: Writing Log on Florman (see reader for format, etc.)
TH 1/10 Discuss readings Read: Chapter 1 and 2 from A guide to writing as an
Debrief Group Presentation engineer (textbook)
Write: Writing Logs on Chapter 1 and Chapter 2

Week 2 Discuss readings Read: Postman, The judgment of Thamus, (Reader)

TU 1/15 Small group work
TH 1/17 Discuss readings
Sample quiz/handout
Small group work
Conducting research
Write: Writing Log: Identify 5 quotes of interest in Postman
and discuss
Read: Read article for the group presentation project and
Chapter 8 in textbook
Write: Writing Logs on group article and Chapter 8;
compose a draft of the quiz and handout for your group’s
presentation—bring one copy of each for instructor approval

Week 3 Discuss readings Read: Rosen, Our cell phones, ourselves, (Reader)
TU 1/22 Debrief Research Essay Write: Writing Log on Rosen and complete group quiz and
Small group work handout

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 A. Bright Writing 2E Winter 2008

TH 1/24 Debrief annotation and Read: Gordon, The engine of liberation, (Reader)
reliable sources Write: Writing Log on Gordon and bring in the titles of 5
sources (in APA format) for the Research Essay
Cell Phone Group

Week 4 Discuss readings Read: Rainie, Internet: The mainstreaming of…, (Reader)
TU 1/29 Auto Group Write: Writing Log and annotated bibliography
TH 1/31 Discuss readings Read: Rosen, The Age of Egocasting, (Reader) and How to
Work on Annotated conduct a peer review (Reader)
Bibliographies Write: Writing Log on Rosen and compose a draft of the
Internet Group introduction for the Research Essay—bring 3 copies to class

Week 5 Discuss readings Read: Edwords, How biotechnology is…, (Reader)

TU 2/5 Debrief Peer Review Write: Writing Log on Edwards and rough draft of Research
TV Group Essay—bring 3 copies to class
TH 2/7 Discuss readings Read: Jones, Let the Games…, (Reader)
Peer review Write: Writing Log on Jones and continue to work on
Biotechnology Group Research Essay

Week 6 Discuss readings Write: Complete final version of Research Essay

TU 2/12 Gaming Group
TH 2/14 Due: Research Essay Read: Ch. 5 from textbook
Portfolio and Annotated Write: Writing Log and compose a formal technical
Bibliography definition of a term related to the technology you are
Debrief Technical Report researching

Week 7 Discuss readings Read: Ch. 6 from textbook

TU 2/19 Small group work Write: Writing Log and compose a description of a
mechanism/product related to the technology you are
researching; include 2 graphics
TH 2/21 Discuss readings Read: Ch. 7 from textbook
Small group work Write: Writing Log and compose a description of a process
related to the technology you are researching; include 2
graphics

Week 8 Discuss readings Read: Ch. 9 in textbook and PowerPoint quick reference
TU 2/26 Oral Presentations (Reader)
Write: Compose a rough draft for the entire Technical
Report—bring 3 copies to class
TH 2/28 Begin drafting PowerPoint Write: Reading log and continue revising the Technical
Presentations Report based on the feedback from the peer review. Bring 2
new copies to class.

Week 9 Self-revision Write: Finish revising the Technical Report

TU 3/4 Conference with instructor Prepare for Oral Presentation
TH 3/6 Due: Technical Report Prepare for Oral presentations
Complete PowerPoint

Week 10 Oral Presentations

TU 3/11

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 A. Bright Writing 2E Winter 2008

TH 3/13 Oral Presentations End of class: Good luck on Finals!

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A. Bright Writing 2E Winter 2008

1.0 Writing Logs

Writing Logs are a required long-term part of the learning in this class. For each article
you read from the textbook or Course Reader, you are asked to type a reflective response.
These responses will vary in length depending on each article, but will be in the range of
a half to two thirds of a page. Be sure to bring logs to each class meeting for larger
discussion.

1.1 Include:
You may include comments on what is of particular interest to you, how the article has
(or has not) enhanced your understanding of the topic you’ve read, what the author
discusses and whether you agree or disagree, what you found troubling, confusing or
enlightening. The focus of your response is not as important as showing how you
engaged with the reading.

1.2 Format:
Each log will be typed, single spaced, with an appropriate heading and will include the
title of the article(s) read and the author(s) in a prominent location (note: please use APA
formatting). More than one log may be included on each page.

Jessie Munoz
February 2, 2008
WRIT 2E
Bright

Katz, N. (1999). The end of the road: Technology for tomorrow.

New York: St. Martin’s Press.

Katz’s essay is his personal story of frustration as an engineer for a major

automaker. He writes of the difficulty in keeping up with all the new “gadgets”
in cars, stating “just when we think we’re on top of the latest navigation system,
we install it only to find that it is obsolete within two years of the car’s sale.” I
can understand how Katz feels when he describes his frustration. Last summer,
I worked for a computer repair shop and used my lunch breaks to rebuild my
hard drive. It seemed like just when I had given my computer all the latest in power,
memory and upgrades, I’d find something new to add within six months. I felt like I had
wasted all those lunch breaks.
Another point Katz makes is that technology can never really be caught up
with; our knowledge is always moving forward. I think….

Figure 1
Sample of student writing log

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A. Bright Writing 2E Winter 2008

Group Presentation

1.0 Assignment
The purpose of this assignment is to present information to the class through
collaboration with peers. The objective is to use course readings on a specific topic as a
foundation for leading class discussion. In addition, each group will be asked to prepare
materials—a quiz and a handout, minimum—to distribute to the class on the day of the
presentation. Groups will commits to one of six topics that will correspond with the
Technology Research Essay and the Technical Report.

1.1 Task 1
Prepare a presentation for the class that explains/discusses the group’s topic and required
reading(s). You may also include additional activities during the group’s instruction
time. For example, you may supplement your topic by providing more current research
found through outside resources (this is necessary for some topics—as in-class readings
are purposely outdated), create a PowerPoint Presentation or a set of overheads to bring
visual interest to the presentation and/or develop class activities to engage students in
discussion (quick sessions of group work and the use of “treats” to promote participation
are often successful tactics).

1.2 Task 2
Prepare a handout and quiz corresponding to the group’s topic and the required
reading(s). The handout must be pre-approved prior to the class as well as the quiz,
which can take a variety of forms (multiple choice, short answer, essay questions, etc.)
but must consist of at least ten questions.

1.3 Task 3
Following the presentation, the group must collect; grade quizzes (with the number
correct over the total, e.g. 8/10); and submit them to be recorded within one week of the
presentation.

2.0 Format
TBA during group/instructor conferences. Presentation should last approximately one
hour.

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A. Bright Writing 2E Winter 2008

Assignments

Technology Research Essay

1.0 Assignment:
The purpose of this assignment is to report on the social impact of a particular technology
or technological object related to the previous group presentation. The objective is to
explain the most significant ways in which this technology has affect people. Some of
the areas to consider exploring include but are not limited to: politics, law, the economy,
health, the environment, and education (Examples: Autos = Health, Biotechnology =
Religion/Faith, Gaming = Teen Violence).

1.1 Task 1
Compile a bibliography; gather information on the topic. The sources should be recent
and reliable. Minimum of five sources.

1.2 Task 2
Read and annotate (take notes on) sources. Work carefully through the sources, selecting
the most significant material from them, including data and direct quotations. Be sure to
have a thorough understanding of each source, as they will be incorporated into the essay.
Do not copy an article’s abstract as a summary (plagiarism).

1.3 Task 3
Draft and revise the essay.

1.3.1 Requirements:
• Well-developed essay of five pages
• Strong use of sources, including paraphrasing and quotations
• Include a title page and “References” page
• Follow APA format or technical document “numeric format”
• See rubric for further assessment information

2.0 Format:
Please double-space the document, to leave room for instructor feedback. Refer to the
course reader for other requirements.

3.0 Audience:
An intelligent person with minimal technical background.

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A. Bright Writing 2E Winter 2008

Technical Report

1.0 Assignment:
The purpose of this assignment is to continue research the previously specified
technology by narrowing the focus to a detailed part. The report will include definition,
mechanism description, process description with effective illustrations, good document
design and clear, concise and precise writing.

1.1 Task 1
Using the information compiled from the course readings and Technology Research
Essay, identify a specific component of the technology and begin thinking about its
functions and inner workings (Examples: Cell Phones = Lithium Ion Battery, TV =
Remote Control, Internet = Search Engines).

1.2 Task 2
Begin drafting the report by using section headings and subheadings to organize the
information. Use the numerical system to identify these sections (1.0, 1.1, …). Consider
including a glossary of terms and/or appendices in the final report.

1.3 Task 3
Draft and revise the report.

1.3.1 Requirements:
• Well-developed essay minimum of five pages
• Strong use of organizations with headings
• Include a title page, table of contents, list of figures, and “References” page
• Follow APA format or technical document “numeric format”
• See rubric for further assessment information

2.0 Format:
Formal report as described in the textbook and class discussion.
Refer to the course reader for specific requirements.

3.0 Audience:
An intelligent person with minimal technical background.

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A. Bright Writing 2E Winter 2008

Individual Presentation

1.0 Assignment:
The purpose of this assignment is to present information to the class based on individual
research. The objective is to report on the findings from the Technical Report.
Requirements include appropriate dress, thorough research presented, elements of
successful oral presentation skills and use of PowerPoint.

1.1 Task 1
Outline the main points and/or findings from the Technical Report. Ask yourself:
• How can I build a knowledge base for my audience on this technology?
• What might the audience want/need to know?
• How can I sustain my audience’s attention?
• What would I want to know if I were an audience member?

1.2 Task 2
Prepare an oral presentation of approximately 5 minutes. You may focus on one aspect
of the TR in-depth or give a general overview of all findings. Include visuals/graphics as
appropriate and cite them as instructed.

1.3 Task 3
Prepare for the presentation by practicing in front of friends, roommates, etc. Time
yourself and focus on eye contact and volume, as these are often the presentation traits
that review the lowest scores.

2.0 Format:
Oral presentation following the guidelines established in class.

3.0 Audience:
Students in the class.

Subject to change—Students are responsible for modifications