Description:

This course focuses on developing skills in scientific writing for students interested in or majoring in the sciences. Students will employ the writing process and audience awareness to construct correspondence, job application materials, PowerPoint presentations, lab reports, and long reports requiring research, analysis, and explanation of scientific processes, procedures, and data. Accuracy is emphasized in scientific writing and specifically entails the need for students to adhere to rules of grammar, mechanics, and consistent application of applicable scientific principles. 3 hrs. lecture/wk.

Supplies: Refer to the instructor's course syllabus for details about any supplies that may be required.

Textbook(s): For information see - http://bookstore.jccc.net

Course Fees: NONE

Course Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this course the student should be able to:

1. Use the writing process to develop rough and final drafts of course documents.
2. Determine audience, considering levels of understanding.
3. Employ critical analysis of data using the methods of comparison and contrast, cause and effect, and problem solution.
4. Determine appropriate structures for reporting general information and specific data for a variety of scientific contexts.
5. Compose correspondence relevant to various scientific contexts including e-mail messages, letters, reports, instructions, and resumes.
6. Develop instructions and standard operating procedures relevant to scientific context and audience.
7. Report the use of scientific data collection methods in written documents.
8. Employ appropriate research methodologies to write a long report on a scientific topic.
9. Create computer-generated graphics, such as tables and graphs, that utilize scientific data to make a point.
10. Use PowerPoint to make oral presentations relevant to a scientific context.

Content Outline & Competencies:

I. Prewrite to Overcome Writer's Block 
   A. Gather information for correspondence.
   B. Determine objectives for written correspondence, including the need
to inform, persuade, instruct, analyze, recommend, and document.
   C. Choose the correct communication channel: 
      1. memo
      2. letter
      3. short reports
      4. instruction
      5. e-mail
      6. summary
      7. standard operation procedures
      8. long, research report
      9. oral presentations
     10. resume
   D. Identify and determine audience needs. 

II. Write Rough Drafts 
   A. Draft text for the specific assignment.
   B. Organize the text, either chronologically, by importance,
analytically, through problem/solution, or cause/effect, according to the
type and purpose of the correspondence being written.   
      
III. Revise and rewrite the Rough Drafts Using Revision Techniques and
Peer Group Evaluations. 

IV. Compose Different Types of Technical Correspondence
   A. Write basic business correspondence, such as e-mail messages and
resumes.
   B. Write various types of short reports, such as incident reports,
progress reports, or lab reports.
   C. Write reports using different formats, such as letter reports, memo
reports, or e-mail reports, determined by audience and purpose.
   D. Write summaries to display knowledge of technical concepts.
   E. Write long, research reports, including documentation.

V. Write Correspondence Which Abides by the Seven Essential Traits of
Scientific Writing: 
   A. Clarify ideas by answering reporter's questions and by providing
specific, quantifiable information.
   B. Write concisely, by limiting the length of words, the length of
sentences, and the length of paragraphs.
   C. Design the page layout of text through highlighting techniques, such
as boldface, underlining, italics, or white space.  
   D.  Use graphics (figures and tables) to clarify information.
   E. Organize the text according to the type and purpose of the
assignment.
   F. Recognize audience.
      1. Determine whether the reader is a high-tech peer, a low-tech
peer, a lay reader, or combinations of the above.
      2. Define terms according to the reader's level of understanding
avoiding biased language.
   G. Create accurate text, avoiding major grammatical errors and minor
errors in punctuation.

VI. Create Computer-Generated Graphics:  bar charts, pie charts, line
graphs, organization charts, flowcharts, etc. 

VII. Acquire Problem-Solving, Critical-Thinking Skills Inherent in the
Challenges of Writing: 
   A. gathering information
   B. organizing text
   C. recognizing audience
   D. abiding by the key criteria for Scientific  Writing
   E. avoiding grammatical/mechanical errors
   F. making oral presentations
   G. documenting sources correctly 

Methods of Evaluation of Competencies:

Evaluation of student mastery of course competencies will be accomplished using the following methods:

Type of Scientific Communication and Percentage Value of Assignments

Written Work- Approximately 70-80% , including the following assignments:
3 e-mail messages 
2 short reports, including an incident report, lab report, or progress
report
1 summary 
1 long research report with documentation
1 standard operating procedure
1 short instruction
1 resume
 
Oral Presentation, with PowerPoint - Approximately 10-30%

Daily grades (group writing, peer evaluations, lab work) - Approximately
20-30%  

Graphics will be required for many of the assignments above, including
the reports, PowerPoint slides, and instructions

Grading Criteria:  Final grades will be assigned according to the
following scale:

90 -100  = A
80 - 89  = B
70 - 79  = C
60 - 69  = D
Below 60 = F

Caveats:

1. Computer literacy expectations: Students will need basic word processing and Internet searching skills for the completion of some written projects.

Disabilities:

If you are a student with a disability, and if you will be requesting accommodations, it is your responsibility to contact Access Services. Access Services will recommend any appropriate accommodations to your professor and his/her director. The professor and director will identify for you which accommodations will be arranged.

JCCC provides a range of services to allow persons with disabilities to participate in educational programs and activities. If you desire support services, contact the office of Access Services for Students With Disabilities (913) 469-8500, ext. 3521 or TDD (913) 469-3885. The Access Services office is located in the Success Center on the second floor of the Student Center.