Technologies in Technical Writing: EN ###

Credit: 3 semester hours credit.

Instructor: Mr. Wren Aris (he/him/his)

Email: [email protected]
Telephone Number: (256) ###-####
Required Texts:
All required texts will be provided via Canvas as PDF files and Open Education Resources
(OERs). Students are not expected to buy any textbooks for this course.
Recommended Materials:
While not required, there are many certifications and skill badges for professionals to earn to
showcase their experience and skills on their Resume and LinkedIn profiles. Many of these cost
money, but often have financial aid for those in need who seek out said certifications. Students
are encouraged to pursue these if they desire and have the means to do so.
Office Hours:
MWF: 11am-3pm via Teams. Other times available by appointment.
Statement of Purpose:
The purpose of this course is to introduce and familiarize students with a handful of the
technologies, programs, and practices used within the Technical Writing profession. Throughout
the duration of the course, students will participate in discussions, complete activities with, and
develop their skills with four programs. In addition to this, students will be introduced to the
ethics of Artificial Intelligence (AI) usage in Technical Writing, not as a replacement for
Technical Writers, but as a tool to aid Technical Writers.
Student Outcomes:
Upon completion of EN###, the student will be able to:
1. Effectively use technologies most used in the Technical Writing profession, such as:
a. Microsoft SharePoint
b. Atlassian Jira
c. GitHub
d. Figma
2. Navigate the usage of AI tools in an ethical manner. Some of these tools include:
a. ChatGPT
b. Write Sonic

Methods:
This course is designed to be completed entirely virtually, with a synchronous format. This
means that students will be expected to complete assignments by a specified date. There are
no required video meetings, as I understand students often have very busy schedules. All
assignments will be turned in via Canvas dropbox unless otherwise specified.
Assignments:
Readings: Students will be expected to read all assigned readings, as well as watch any
assigned videos pertaining to the assignments. While this will not be graded as a separate
assignment, this will help students to better understand the topics and programs.
Discussions: Every module in this course will have at least one discussion board assignment.
Students are expected to make an original post on the discussion board answering the assigned
prompt, as well as respond to at least two peers. Each discussion board will have more specific
guidelines and expectations, but students should expect to write at least 250 words for their
original post.
Projects: Every module will also have a project associated with it. These are designed to
develop students’ skills in the programs and topics of focus, while also giving them opportunities
to add skills to their Resumes. A handful of these assignments will be formatted as groupwork,
with students being placed in pre-assigned groups of 2-3 to complete the assignment together.
In the case of these group assignments, students will also be given a survey to discuss their
contributions to the finished product, as well as the contributions of their group members. This
allows for students to voice any concerns or issues had within the assignment, without the other
group members being informed.

Assessment:

The grading scale for this course is as follows:

A 100-90%
B 89-80%
C 79-70%
D 69-60%
F 59% and below

Discussion Boards are worth 20 points each, with 5 total, equaling 120 points possible.

Projects are worth 100 points each, with 5 total, equaling 500 points possible.

Students will have opportunities to receive extra credit, and these can be found in Canvas under
Modules. Students cannot receive more than 20 points of extra credit in this course, but
students are encouraged to complete as many or as few of these as they desire. Extra credit
assignments in this course are designed to further build on the skills and knowledge gained and
will be beneficial to students outside of their grade in the course.

Attendance Policy:
Students can review the University’s statement regarding attendance here:
https://catalog.una.edu/undergraduate/academic-procedures-requirements/general-
regulations/#text
Makeup Policy:
Makeup work is accepted on a case-by-case basis. If you need an extension on an assignment,
please reach out via email or come to my office hours to discuss this matter. It is up to my
discretion to grant an extension, and all factors will be considered in the decision I make.
Late work will be given a 10% penalty every day it is late. Assignments not turned in within 10
days will receive an automatic 0, unless a previous agreement has been made between the
student and professor.
Communication:
The easiest and most direct way to communicate with me is via Portal or Canvas email. I can
see these messages on both my phone and computer and will likely respond the fastest to
these messages. Voicemails left to my office phone will be reviewed on business days ONLY.
Conferences:
While not required, students are encouraged to schedule conferences with me to discuss the
projects, as well as professional goals. This can help me to tailor the course to fit your interests
and future career goals to ensure that everyone gets the most out of this course as possible!
Students can schedule a conference with me at any time in the semester by emailing me or
coming to my office hours and discussing a time to meet one-on-one.
If you prefer to keep things over email, that’s fine too! I am happy to discuss these same topics
entirely via email, so do not let that stop you from reaching out!
Reminders:
If you need assistance with your coursework, feel free to reach out to me, or visit the Center for
Writing Excellence or Tutor.com.
Students are also encouraged to take advantage of all of the resources available to students
here at UNA, including free counseling via Student Counseling Services, career help via the
Career Center, accommodations assistance via Disability Support Services, and many more! If
you have any questions about where to go for the help you need, send me an email via Portal or
Canvas and I will point you in the right direction.
Withdrawal Policy:
Students who choose to withdraw from the course may do so, but they are solely responsible for
following the university procedures. Students who do not follow procedures properly often
remain on class rosters and receive failing grades for the course. An explanation of how to
withdraw from a course is provided on the University Advising Services page
(https://www.una.edu/successcenter/uas/university-and-course-withdrawal.html) and in the UNA
Undergraduate Catalog. Exceptions and notes to the withdrawal policy can be found on the
webpage and in the catalog as well.
Plagiarism and Academic Honesty:
Students of the university academic community are expected to adhere to commonly accepted
standards of academic honesty. Allegations of academic dishonesty can reflect poorly on the
scholarly reputation of the University including students, faculty and graduates. Individuals who
elect to commit acts of academic dishonesty such as cheating, plagiarism, or misrepresentation
will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action in accordance with university policy. Guidelines
on avoiding plagiarism can be found at http://libguides.una.edu/copyright. The English
Department’s web page outlines the department’s stand on plagiarism and other forms of
academic dishonesty at http://www.una.edu/english/plagiarism-policies.html.
Students must submit a signed copy of the “Plagiarism Awareness Form” (available on the
departmental website) BEFORE any work in the course will be graded.
Incidents of academic dishonesty (cheating, plagiarism, etc.) will be documented using the
“Academic Dishonesty Incident Report” from the Office of Student Conduct.
Incidents of possible student academic dishonesty will be addressed in accordance with the
following guidelines:
1. The instructor is responsible for investigating and documenting any incident of alleged
academic dishonesty that occurs under the instructor's purview.
2. If the instructor finds the allegation of academic dishonesty to have merit, then the
instructor, after a documented conference with the student, will develop a plan for disciplinary
action. If the student agrees to this plan, then both instructor and student will sign the
agreement. The faculty member will forward a copy of the signed agreement to the Office of
Student Conduct for record-keeping purposes.
3. If the student disagrees with the instructor's proposed plan for disciplinary action and
wishes to take further action, he/she is responsible for scheduling a meeting with the chair of the
department where the course is housed to appeal the proposed disciplinary plan. The
department chair shall mediate the matter and seek a satisfactory judgment acceptable to the
faculty member based on meetings with all parties. If a resolution is reached, the disposition of
the case will be forwarded to the Office of Student Conduct. If a resolution at the departmental
level is not reached and the student wishes to take further action, he/she is responsible for
scheduling a meeting with the dean of the college where the course is housed to appeal the
proposed disciplinary plan. The college dean shall mediate the matter and seek a satisfactory
judgment acceptable to the faculty member based on meetings with all parties. If a resolution is
reached, the disposition of the case will be forwarded to the Office of Student Conduct. If a
resolution at the college level is not reached and the student wishes to take further action,
he/she is responsible for scheduling a meeting with the Vice President for Academic Affairs and
Provost (VPAA/P) to appeal the proposed disciplinary plan. The VPAA/P shall mediate the
matter and seek a satisfactory judgment acceptable to the faculty member based on meetings
with all parties. After reviewing all documentation, the VPAA/P may, at his/her discretion,
choose either to affirm the proposed action, to refer the case to the Office of Student Conduct
for further review, or to dismiss the matter depending on the merits of the case. The final
disposition of the case will be disseminated to appropriate parties, including the Office of
Student Conduct.
4. If a student is allowed academic progression but demonstrates a repeated pattern of
academic dishonesty, the VPAA/P may, after consultation with the Office of Student Conduct,
assign additional penalties to the student, including removal from the University.

Disability Accommodations:
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the University offers reasonable accommodations to students with
eligible documented learning, physical and/or psychological disabilities. Under Title II of the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973,
and the Americans with Disabilities Amendment Act of 2008, a disability is defined as a physical
or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities as compared to an
average person in the population. It is the responsibility of the student to contact Disability
Support Services to initiate the process to develop an accommodation plan. This
accommodation plan will not be applied retroactively. Appropriate, reasonable accommodations
will be made to allow each student to meet course requirements, but no fundamental or
substantial alteration of academic standards will be made. Students needing assistance should
contact Disability Support Services (256-765-4214).

Title IX:
The University of North Alabama has an expectation of mutual respect. Students, staff,
administrators, and faculty are entitled to a working environment and educational environment
free of discriminatory harassment. Both the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and
the State of Alabama regard sexual harassment as a form of sex/gender discrimination and,
therefore, as an unlawful discriminatory practice. This includes sexual violence, sexual
harassment, domestic and intimate partner violence, stalking, gender-based discrimination,
discrimination against pregnant and parenting students, and gender-based bullying and hazing.
Faculty and staff are required by federal law to report any observations of harassment (including
online harassment) as well as any notice given by students or colleagues of any of the
behaviors noted above. Retaliation against any person who reports discrimination or
harassment is also prohibited. UNA’s policies and regulations covering discrimination and
harassment may be accessed at www.una.edu/titleix. If you have experienced or observed
discrimination or harassment, below are some resources to contact.
Confidential Reporting:
If a reporting party would like the details of an incident to be kept confidential, the reporting party
may speak with:
Student Counseling Services 256-765-5215
University Health Services 256-765-4328
Women’s Center 256-765-4380
Rape Response 256-767-1100 (hotline)/256-765-0025 (office)
Safe Place (domestic violence) 256-767-6210 (hotline)/256-767-3076 (office)
Formal Reporting:
If a reporting party would like the University to investigate an incident, the reporting party may
speak with:
UNA Police 256-765-4357
Title IX Coordinator 256-765-4223
Revised: June 2023