Introduction to Professional and Technical Writing is designed specifically for declared majors in Professional or Technical Writing. The main work of the course is a series of five situation-based writing assignments spread over three broad and often overlapping areas business/professional writing, media writing, and technical writing. Typical assignments include resumes, instructions, proposals, and adaptations of specialized information for non-expert audiences. At least one assignment will be a group project. You will also create a portfolio of polished writing samples that you can use to apply for internships and employment. The range of assignments in the course is designed to give you experience with a variety of writing situations that professional writers frequently encounter. The assignments also reflect opportunities for specialization that you may wish to pursue in future coursework and in your career as a professional writer. As you work through the assignments, you should learn both current conventions for the kinds of writing you'll be doing and a broadly applicable procedure for analyzing novel situations and adapting conventional forms (and creating new ones) to meet the unique demands of each new situation and task.
