EPD 597: Advanced Technical and Professional Communication

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EPD 597 - Advanced Technical and Professional Communication

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EPD 597: Advanced Technical and Professional Communication, Spring 2008 (Kelly)

EPD 597: Technical and Professional Communication, Spring 2002 (Ross)

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Catalog Description

597 Advanced Technical and Professional Communication. 3 cr. This seminar-style course will introduce advanced undergraduate or graduate students to forms of scientific or technical communication that are vital to their success as researchers. These forms may include journal articles, thesis writings, grant proposals, research writings, other forms of advanced technical communication. The students will learn about the origins of scientific and technical writing and how to organize and prepare comprehensive technical manuscripts, critically review drafts, evaluate the quality of a journal, and (for some) submit a manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal so that the chances of acceptance are high. Other students may be trying to write in order to secure a research grant, report on a particular project, write a technical report, or address another high-level technical communication need.

Course Prerequisite(s)

See catalog description above.

Prerequisite knowledge and/or skills

Sufficient research results in-hand for a journal publication
A note from the student’s advisor in support of planned activities
Consent of the EPD 597 instructor
Students will have a strong working knowledge of the English language and are comfortable with basic rules of grammar and punctuation. This class is not a remedial course for those with English as a Second Language (please see English ESL 327 and ESL 328 for those needs).
Students will be willing to actively share writing with all members of the class. Any proprietary concerns will be addressed within the course.
Students will invest, at a minimum, at least 4-6 hours a week outside of classroom time to writing, editing, peer review, and reading for this class.
Students will also do presentations in class on course topics and their research work.

Textbook(s) and/or other required material

To be determined.

Course objectives

Recognize when to publish the findings of a technical investigation.
Find, evaluate, and summarize existing literature in the context of a planned paper, to identify general trends, the most important related prior contributions, and gaps in existing knowledge.
Understand the differences between the communication objectives and content of a lab report, conference paper, and a peer reviewed journal publication.
Select an appropriate journal for publishing their original research findings.
Plan and organize a paper for publication in a scientific/technical journal.
Prepare a scientific manuscript with maximum impact on a topic for which the student has gathered scientific and technical data and has fundamental knowledge.
Submit a manuscript to a journal for publication.
Critically review a manuscript planned for publication.
Respond to a critical review of a paper.

Class/laboratory schedule

Two 75 minute classes per week for fifteen weeks
Individual instructor/student conferences at instructor’s discretion

Assessment of student progress toward course objectives

Students will be evaluated on the basis of the following materials produced either individually or in teams
- Technical and/or investigative report(s)
- Progress report, self-assessments, or other supporting document
- Peer reviews and critiques
- Oral presentations (formal and informal)
- In-class workshops assignments, writing assignments, and/or computer-based exercises
- Technical Project: Formal proposal and presentation in response to a request for proposal: includes research, technical design or evaluation, management plan, and/or cost.
Students may also be evaluated through individual conferences with the instructor.

Other course information:

This course counts toward the 24-credit Certificate in Technical Communication. The Certificate helps meet industry and government agencies' demands for engineers who are skilled in oral and written communication.
This course contributes to the College's and the Technical Communication program's educational objectives.
EPD 597 provides education in principles and processes for communicating advanced technical, scientific, or engineering topics.
The course will extend opportunities for students to research and think analytically about professional and ethical responsibilities.

Person(s) who prepared this description

Traci M. Nathans-Kelly

Copyright 2007 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System
Date last modified: 21-Nov-2007
Date created: 29-Jul-1999
Content by: custserv@epd.engr.wisc.edu
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