200 points (20% of grade)

This unit introduces fundamental principles that will be central to the rest of the course. Employing the framing concept of the “onboarding process” that many companies or institutions use to orient new employees, the project will establish the course’s expectations of you as a worker (writer, editor, collaborator) and for the quality of your work. The project will result will require you to engage a variety of short-form genres typically found or produced in the workplace, including the following:

Digital Bio (10 points). This is a short (~150-word), third-person blurb that tells the class a little about yourself based on criteria that we, as a class, agree upon. You’ll include a photo with specific proportions and network with at least 3 classmates by the end of the week by commenting on the “Who We Are” pages (see tab on the above menu).

Audience Analysis Documents (40 points). Using Google Forms, you’ll work with a group to create an online survey that helps assess the class’s competencies and needs for professional writing in a 21st century workplace. Then you will draft a memo to everyone summarizing your findings.

Tech Briefing Proposal (50 points). With a partner, you’ll send me a proposal for a Tech Briefing. In your proposal you will name the technology, give very specific reasons why the class needs to know about it (citing data from the Audience Analysis memos), and describe your plan for usable deliverables.

Claim Letter (40 points). You’ll write a reasoned, polite, reader-centered letter of complaint to a company, organization or professional. This could be in response to a faulty product you purchased or a service that just didn’t meet your expectations.

Cover Letter (60 points). You’ll find a current posting for an entry-level job that you would realistically apply for, then use your understanding of audience analysis and letter-writing to compose a specific, reader-centered letter making a case for your employment.