Coordinator:
Course Description:
Technical Writing Essentials (Writing 202) is designed to meet the fundamental workplace communication needs of students and professionals in a wide range of fields, including scientific and technical careers. This course is also an excellent introductory writing course for students intending to pursue a certificate in technical writing. Technical Writing Essentials teaches students how to effectively communicate using various kinds of documents common to the workplace including memos, business letters, research reports, and instructions. Central to that task is understanding the purposes of our communications and the needs of the audiences we are trying to reach. Lessons build to a multi-week group collaborative project that models best practices and teaches essential skills in building proactive and efficient workplace teams.
Students in Writing 202 sections accompanied by the 1-credit recitation with the Rutgers Collaborative Center for Community-Based Research and Service will be paired with, and research and develop, useful materials for a local community non-profit organization. Non-recitation Writing 202 sections will research and develop a proposal to create a hypothetical non-profit organization to meet a specific need in the community.
As with all Business & Technical Writing courses, a significant amount of independent research is required to complete the course assignments.
Course Texts (free and open source):
Last, Suzan, Technical Writing Essentials
The Ohio State University, Choosing & Using Sources, A Guide to Academic Research
Hall, Lynn & Wahlin, Preparing Job Application Materials
Purdue Online Writing Lab, MLA Formatting and Style Guide
