Category: technical writing

Weighing Student Work

I’m definitely doing too much thinking about contracts and how to set up the expectations fairly. So much so that I’ve realized that I’m stuck on the very essence of grading. I’m no where near ungrading. I’ve lost all track…

Like or Dislike? Assessment for this Fall

I’m focused now on the last big decision for my fall classes: How I will make the assessment system work with all these new assignments. The many collaborative writing tasks and related homework impact the system dramatically. Specifically, I’m trying…

Late Policy & Grace Period Options

I seriously hate having to change my late policy. I had more than a few students thank me for it last term. Several even said that they would have had to withdraw without it. That said, I understand that members…

The Tricky Focal Question Solved?

Yesterday, I finally settled on the general assignments and their connections among one another. There was still one tricky issue however. I needed to figure out the specific focus sites or documents that students would use for their assignments. I…

Potential Assignment Sequence

I could just think my plans through and go implement them. I’m better though if I think them through by writing them out. Just trying to think in my head means I may not consider everything. So these Ramblings posts…

Recommendation Report Assignment Options

Recommendation for Headaches by Juhan Sonin on Flickr, used under a CC-BY 2.0 license Text included in the image A recommendation If you are currently having an affair with a sibling of your spouse, embezzling funds from a children’s charity,…

List of Ten: Food Story Ideas

Photo: Latke Time [345/366] by Tim Sackton on Flickr, used under a CC-BY 2.0 license I’m using a food-related theme for my summer technical writing course. The first assignment is an oral presentation (video) that they will use to introduce…

Why I’m Failing & How to Change

Things are going awry in my tech writing course this term. Somehow students are struggling with assignments—not understanding the purpose, working on topics that don’t fit the assignment, mixing up the genre conventions, and more. I’m not happy. Students aren’t…