Rhetoric 3257 section 2: Scientific and Technical Presentations
Dr. Bernadette Longo
Fall 2004: TTh 10:15 - 11:30 a.m., Classroom Office 135 (Mac lab)

COURSE DESCRIPTION
In this course you will learn about oral presentation skills for scientific or technical topics. These topics will be covered: audience analysis, organization, delivery, presentations for non-expert audiences, visuals, and critique. This course will include a service learning project with Farm in the City.

TEXT
Gurak, Laura. Oral Presentations for Technical Communication. NY: Allyn & Bacon. 2000.

PARTICIPATION AND ATTENDANCE
Participation is essential because you will do much of the course work in class. You can have one absence (excused or unexcused) during the summer session without penalty. After that, I will deduct 20 points for each absence from two to four. If you are absent more than four times, I will lower your course grade. The only exceptions to this attendance policy, according to UMN policy, are verified illness, participation in athletic or other UMN-sponsored events, serious family emergencies, subpoenas, jury duty, military service, religious observance. These absences must be documented to be considered exceptions to this attendance policy.

Work missed because of an absence cannot be made up unless due to an extended illness, personal crisis or a pre-approved documented absence. Chronic lateness may be counted as an absence. If I am late to class, please wait ten minutes after the beginning of class. I will notify you if class is cancelled.
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COURSE POLICIES
Presentations are to be given on the day you are scheduled to present. If you have an emergency and cannot present on your scheduled day, please follow the rules in the section above for documenting your absence according to UMN policy. Do not come to class on your scheduled day and ask me to reschedule your presentation. If you come to class on the day of your scheduled presentation and are not adequately prepared, give your presentation to the best of your ability. If you do not give your presentation on your scheduled day, you will receive zero points for that assignment.

Technical communication relies heavily on collaboration. It would be unrealistic of me to expect you to work in isolation. I encourage you to bounce ideas off each other, offer each other suggestions, and seek other opinions about your work. When you use the work of someone else, though, document your source. If you have questions about plagiarism as you complete your work, ask me. I will pursue plagiarism cases according to UMN policy for academic dishonesty and reserve the right to fail a student in the course for plagiarism, i.e., using other people's work without proper documentation and citation.
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COURSE ASSIGNMENTS (1000 possible points)

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GRADING
Your assignment grades will be given in points. The maximum points possible in the course is 1000. Your final course grades will be assigned according to the following scale:

According to University Senate grading policies, letter grades correspond to the following academic performance:

If you have questions about the UMN grading policy, more information is available at http://www.umn.edu/usenate/policies/gradingpolicy.html

If you have questions about your responsibilities for course requirements, more information is available at http://www.tc.umn.edu/~sos/syllabus.html

This syllabus and the due date schedule may be revised by the instructor at any time during the semester. All revisions will be reasonable and based on class needs.
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