EN360.2.1 Technical Communication Assignment 8. ASSIGNMENT 8
EN360 Technical Communication
Directions: Be sure to save an electronic copy of your answer before submitting it to Ashworth College for grading. Unless otherwise stated, answer in complete sentences, and be sure to use correct English, spelling and grammar. Sources must be cited in APA format. Your response should be four (4) double-spaced pages; refer to the “Assignment Format” page located on the Course Home page for specific format requirements.
Part A: Email/Text Problems
What are some of the problems that you have experienced when writing or receiving poorly, perhaps hastily, written emails/texts? Describe at least five (5) types of issues.
Part B: Writing a Process Description
Select a specialized process that you understand well and that has several distinct steps. Using the process description discussed in Chapter 19 of your textbook as a model, write a one page description of this process.
Part C: Difficult to Follow Instructions
Find a short set of instructions or some other technical document from work or the Internet that is hard to follow. Replicate or download those instructions at the top of a one-page analysis. Assume that you are the Associate Director of Communications for the company that produced this document and that you are doing a final review before the document is released. Using the “Checklist for Instructions and Procedures” on the following page (also found in Chapter 20 of your textbook), identify what, specifically, makes the document difficult to use, providing a specific reference for each problem area.
Part D: Ted Talk Lecture Evaluation
Watch a 10-20 minute TED Talks lecture online (www.ted.com). There are 27 evaluation criteria on the “Checklist for Oral Presentations” below (also found in Chapter 24 of your textbook). Select 10 among them that you believe are most salient for this speaker. Identify strong areas and areas that could have been better. Provide an example for each. (These are skilled speakers, so you’ll probably be highlighting more strengths than weaknesses.)
Grading Rubric
Please refer to the rubric below for the grading criteria for this assignment.
This is the end of Assignment 8.
CATEGORYExemplarySatisfactoryUnsatisfactoryUnacceptable
20 points15 points10 points5 points
The student provides 5+ well-
written problems
experienced when writing or
receiving poorly, perhaps
hastily, written emails/texts.
The student provides at
least 5 adequately written
problems experienced when
writing or receiving poorly,
perhaps hastily, written
emails/texts.
The student provides 5 or
less marginally written
problems experienced
when writing or receiving
poorly, perhaps hastily,
written emails/texts.
The student provides 5 or
less poorly written
problems experienced
when writing or receiving
poorly, perhaps hastily,
written emails/texts.
15 points 12 points 8 points 5 points
The student accurately
follows the 3 segment
template to completion. The
process description has a
clear title, a concise and
effecive introduction, a
functional sequence, and it
can be easily understood
even for a novice.
The student follows the 3
segment template to
completion. The process
description is good but one
or two of the steps could be
clearer.
The student follows the 3
segment template to
completion. But the process
description is lacking in the
title, introduction,
sequence, or ease of
understanding.
The student fails to follow
the 3 segment template to
completion. And the
process is lacking in the
title, introduction,
sequence, or ease of
understanding.
20 points15 points10 points5 points
The student accurately
applies 5 or more of the 28
guidelines from the checklist
with applicable examples.
There are no
misidentifications.
The student accurately
applies 5 of the 28
guidelines from the
checklist with applicable
examples. There is no more
than 1 misidentification.
The student accurately
applies only 4 of the 28
guidelines from the
checklist with applicable
examples. There are 2 or
more misidentifications.
The student accurately
applies less than 3 of the
28 guidelines from the
checklist with applicable
examples. There are 3 or
more misidentifications.
20 points15 points10 points5 points
The student applies 10 of the
most salient evaluation
criteria with clear, concise,
and persuasive descriptions
and examples that assess the
success or failure of the
speaker.
The student applies 10 of
the most salient evaluation
criteria with good
descriptions and examples,
some of which lack
specificity and are
unpersuasive.
The student applies fewer
than 8 of the most salient
evaluation criteria with
descriptions and examples
that lack specificity.
The student applies fewer
than 6 of the most salient
evaluation criteria with
descriptions and examples
that are vague and
nonspecific.
10 points 8 points 5 points 2 points
Student makes no errors in
grammar or spelling that
distract the reader from the
content.
Student makes 1-2 errors in
grammar or spelling that
distract the reader from the
content.
Student makes 3-4 errors in
grammar or spelling that
distract the reader from the
content.
Student makes more than
4 errors in grammar or
spelling that distract the
reader from the content.
15 points 12 points 8 points 5 points
The paper is written in
proper format. All sources
used for quotes and facts are
credible and cited correctly.
Excellent organization,
including a variety of
thoughtful transitions.
The paper is written in
proper format with only 1-2
errors. All sources used for
quotes and facts are credible
and most are cited correctly.
Adequate organization
includes a variety of
appropriate transitions.
The paper is written in
proper format with only 3-5
errors. Most sources used
for quotes and facts are
credible and cited correctly.
Essay is poorly organized,
but may include a few
effective transitions.
The paper is not written in
proper format. Many
sources used for quotes
and facts are less than
credible (suspect) and/or
are not cited correctly.
Essay is disorganized and
does not include effective
transitions.
Format – APA
Format, Citations,
Organization,
Transitions (15
Points)
Mechanics –
Grammar,
Punctuation,
Spelling (10 Points)
Part A: Email/Text
Problems (20 points)
Part C: Difficult to
Follow Instructions
(20 points)
Part D: Ted Talk
Lecture Evaluation
(20 points)
Part B: Writing a
Process Description
(15 points)
