I. General Information
1. Course Title:
Practical Writing
2. Course Prefix & Number:
ENGL 1422
3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:
Credits: 3
Lecture Hours: 3
Lab Hours: 0
4. Course Description:
This course asks students to compose a variety of professional and real-world writing genres while mastering written communication skills. Practical writing involves writing to obtain/advance careers and to maintain effective communication in the workplace—both internally and externally: emails, letters, memos, resumes, cover letters, bios, proposals, work orders, presentations, and other relevant documents may be covered, along with collaborative writing and team work. Practical writing may also include writing within a community to persuade, promote, inform, educate, or to propose ideas to a specific audience: scholarship responses, reviews, press releases, social media, and web writing may be addressed. Practical writing is often results-oriented and relies heavily on readability and document design; therefore, context, audience awareness, grammar, style, clarity, formatting, and ethical issues are emphasized. Students engage in a writing process of critical thinking, drafting, peer review, revising, and editing to produce polished and persuasive documents.
5. Placement Tests Required:
Accuplacer (specify test): |
Writing Introductory College Level or Writing College Level CLC or Writing College Level or Writing Honors College Level |
Score: |
|
6. Prerequisite Courses:
ENGL 1422 - Practical Writing
There are no prerequisites for this course.
9. Co-requisite Courses:
ENGL 1422 - Practical Writing
There are no corequisites for this course.
II. Transfer and Articulation
1. Course Equivalency - similar course from other regional institutions:
Alexandria Technical College, Engl 1460 Technical Writing, 3 credits
St. Cloud State, Engl 332 Writing in the Professions, 4 credits
III. Course Purpose
1. Program-Applicable Courses – This course fulfills a requirement for the following program(s):
CNC Technologies AAS
CNC Technologies Diploma
Computer Information Technology AAS
Computer Information Technology Diploma
Computer IT Security & Networking AAS
Computer IT Security & Networking Diploma
Dental Assisting AAS
Enology AAS
Early Childhood Education Diploma
Graphic Design AAS
Individualized Studies, AAS
2. MN Transfer Curriculum (General Education) Courses - This course fulfills the following goal area(s) of the MN Transfer Curriculum:
- Goal 1 – Written and Oral Communication
- Goal 2 – Critical Thinking
IV. Learning Outcomes
1. College-Wide Outcomes
College-Wide Outcomes/Competencies |
Students will be able to: |
Demonstrate written communication skills |
Complete numerous and frequent short written assignments that range in word count from 150-850 words through a rigorous writing process. May compose a longer written project in addition to the short written assignments. |
Demonstrate interpersonal communication skills |
Participate in peer reviews that involve constructive feedback--giving and receiving this feedback effectively and thoughtfully, toward the goal of creating professional and persuasive written texts. May also participate in group discussions on audience and purpose related to covered genres and in group/collaborative writing projects. |
Apply abstract ideas to concrete situations |
Apply abstract ideas like “audience” and “effective communication” to their assignments. |
Utilize appropriate technology |
Select and use appropriate media for communicating their messages. |
Work as a team member to achieve shared goals |
Work in peer review groups to practice offering and receiving constructive feedback toward producing polished, professional documents that are audience-ready. Participate in group discussions to analyze audience, context, and ethical issues related to practical writing scenarios. Also, may participate in a group project to practice collaborative writing, effective group communication, project planning, and problem solving. |
2. Course Specific Outcomes - Students will be able to achieve the following measurable goals upon completion of
the course:
- Select appropriate communication choices for specific audiences. MnTC Goal 1
- Understand/demonstrate the writing and speaking process through invention, organization, drafting, revision, editing and presentation. MnTC Goal 1
- Use authority, point-of-view and individual voice and style in their writing and speaking. MnTC Goal 1
- Employ syntax and usage appropriate to academic disciplines and the professional world. MnTC Goal 1
- Participate effectively in groups with emphasis on listening, critical and reflective thinking and responding. MnTC Goal 1
- Recognize and articulate the value assumptions which underlie and affect decisions, interpretations, analyses and evaluations made by ourselves and others. MnTC Goal 2
- Gather factual information and apply it to a given problem in a manner that is relevant, clear, comprehensive and conscious of possible bias in the information selected. MnTC Goal 2
- Imagine and seek out a variety of possible goals, assumptions, interpretations, or perspectives which can give alternative meanings or solutions to given situations or problems. MnTC Goal 2
- Demonstrate their ability to adapt the structure and tone of texts to meet the needs of different audiences. MnTC Goal 2
V. Topical Outline
Listed below are major areas of content typically covered in this course.
1. Lecture Sessions
Course Outline Topics:
Genre Conventions
Many (not all) of the following will be addressed:
- Professional Emails
- Business Letters
- Memorandums
- Resumes and Cover Letters
- Agendas
- Bios
- Reviews
- Press Releases
- Promotional Writing
- Web/Social Media Writing
- Scholarship Responses
- Proposals/Reports
- Work Orders
- Presentations/Scripts
- Other discipline-specific/relevant genres
The Writing Process
- Audience and Purpose
- Topic/Idea Development
- Prewriting
- Drafting
- Peer Review
- Using Feedback
- Revising
- Proofreading and Editing
- Overcoming Writer’s Block
- Reflection on process and learning
Grammar and Style
- Sentence Fluency
- Common Grammar Errors
- Style
- Punctuation
- Concision
- Active Voice
- Word Choice
- Clarity
- Adapting style for different genres
Document Design and Organization
- Paragraphing
- Coherence and Unity
- Headings/Sections/Titles
- Bullet Lists
- White Space
- Page Design
- Readability
- Visual Aids
- Specialized Genre Formatting
- Use of appropriate technology/online tools
Collaboration & Teamwork
- Group Communication
- Recognizing/Respecting Diversity
- Leadership Skills
- Peer Review
- Constructive Feedback
- Interpersonal Communication
- Listening and Empathy
- Evaluation and Critique
Professional Communication
- Analysis of topic, audience, and context
- Appropriate Genre Selection
- Message Crafting
- Message Delivery
- Content Development
- Professional tone and language
- Etiquette and Conventions
- Ethical Principles
Critical Thinking (highlighted from above)
- Analysis of topic, audience, genre, and context
- Decision-making during the writing process
- Understanding and application of ethical principles
- Message crafting and content development
- Giving and using critical feedback
- Identifying higher order issues in drafts
- Revising to address higher order issues in drafts
- Reflection on learning and the writing process