Technical Writing Syllabus (CSC 379) – TU BSc CSIT 6th Semester

Tribhuvan University
Institute of Science and Technology
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Information Technology

Course Description: This course is designed for students to enhance their skills for workplace writing. It helps them in the process of ‘listening, researching, planning, composing, revising, and editing’ documents for use in business, science, hi-tech, and other practical fields. Technical Writing for Success provides students with a practical approach to producing their own proposal content, manual instructions, informative briefs, news releases, and other pragmatic documents. Abundant in sample documents, critical thinking questions, and insightful writing advice on style and voice, this textbook prepares students for successful technical writing.

Course Objective: Enable students to identify the importance and characteristics of technical writing and produce some quality technical pieces of workplace writing.

Course Contents

Unit 1. What Is Technical Writing (3 Hrs.)

Introduction; You Are a Technical Writer!; Characteristics of Technical Writing; How Technical Writing Compares to Other Writing

Unit 2. Audience and Purpose (3 Hrs.)

Introduction; Meeting the Audience’s Needs; Planning Your Document’s Purpose, Scope, and Medium

Unit 3. Writing Process (4 Hrs.)

Introduction; A Process for Technical Writing; Planning; Drafting and Revising; Copyediting and Publishing; Writing Collaboratively

Unit 4. Brief Correspondence (4 Hrs.)

Introduction; Introduction to Text Messages, E-mails, Memos, and Letters; Audience; Prewriting; Formatting; Composing the Message

Unit 5. Document Design and Graphics (4 Hrs.)

Introduction; Designing the Document; Who Reads Graphics?; Designing Graphics; Constructing Graphics

Unit 6. Writing for the Web (4 Hrs.)

Introduction; Getting Started on Web Pages; Organizing and Designing Web Pages; Writing Text for the Web; Special Web Pages

Unit 7. Information Reports (5 Hrs.)

Introduction; Getting Started on Informative Reports; Summary and Abstract; Mechanism and Description; Periodic Reports; Progress Reports; News Releases

Unit 8. Employment Communication (5 Hrs.)

Introduction; Getting Started on Employment Communication; Formatting and Organizing Resumes; Types of Resumes; Composing Resumes; Composing Employment Letters

Unit 9. Presentations (5 Hrs.)

Introduction; Getting Started on Presentations; Planning; Organizing and Composing; Preparing; Rehearsing; Presenting; Organizing a Group Presentation

Unit 10. Recommendation Reports (3 Hrs.)

Introduction; What Is a Recommendation Report?; Starting a Recommendation Report; Formatting and Organizing Recommendation Reports; Composing Recommendation Reports

Unit 11. Proposals (3 Hrs.)

Introduction; What Is a Proposal?; Getting Started on a Proposal; Composing Informal Proposals; Composing Formal Proposals

Unit 12. Ethics in the Workplace (2 Hrs.)

Introduction; What Is Ethics?; Creating a Culture of Ethics; What Do You Do When Faced with an Ethical Dilemma?; Why Is It So Difficult to Behave Ethically?

Text Books

1. Daelene Smith-Worthington and Sue Jefferson, “Technical Writing for Success”, 3rd Edition, Cengage Learning, USA, 2011

Reference Books

1. Paul V. Anderson, “Technical Communication: A Reader-Centered Approach”, 7th Edition, Wadsworth Publishing, USA, 2010
2. Mike Markel and Stuart A. Selber, “Technical Communication”, 12th Edition, Bedford Books, USA, 2017
3. Elizabeth Tebeaux and Sam Dragga, “The Essentials of Technical Communication”, 4th Edition, Oxford University Press, London, 2010