ENC 3242, Technical Communication for MajorsFall 2015, Week 12 Lecture

Winding Down

Length of this lecture audio: 00:20:19

Jot down the three audio codes and the numbers of the slideswhere they are mentioned; you will be sending the Week 11 and

Week 12 codes with Assignment 4 by Nov. 30, 2015 at 6 p.m.Next and final lecture after this will be #14 around Dec. 2, 2015.

University of South Florida, Sarasota-Manatee

© 2015 by T. E. Roberts, Instructor

http://www.todroberts.com/USF/3242_welcome.htm

ENC 3242, Fall 2015 • Week 12 Lecture • Slide 2 of 6

Week 12 Agenda

• Keeping on track with Assignment 4• Why do writers procrastinate?• What have you learned this semester?• Does a communication career seem

more -- or less -- inviting to you now?• Let me hear from you

ENC 3242, Fall 2015 • Week 12 Lecture • Slide 3 of 6

Keeping on Track with Assignment 4

• You should by end of this coming week (Nov 13) have finished a rough draft of everything you plan to submit

• The most important writing is actually re-writing

• The more steeping time your work has, the richer and tastier it will be (see how easy it is for a metaphor to run amuck?)

• Be your own most demanding critic, but don’t let analysis create paralysis

• Before submitting your work ...• Review all assignment instructions to make sure you haven’t missed anything

• Ask a trusted, literate peer or friend to review (NOT write or edit!) it

• Check accuracy, format, and completeness of all sources (remember that your work will be submitted for a documentation check via TurnItIn)

ENC 3242, Fall 2015 • Week 12 Lecture • Slide 4 of 6

Why Do Writers Procrastinate?

• Top five lies that writers like to tell themselves• “I work much better under deadline pressure.”• “I have writer’s block.”• “I have so much to do that I’ll just have to put this project off until later.”• “That _____ [client, boss, teacher, friend] can wait a little longer.”• “I am waiting for my main idea to gel a little more.”

• Typical impacts of the lies• Lost GPA• Lost income• Lost credibility• Lost reputation• The best possible outcome:

a winning script for a Lifetime movie about a procrastinating writer

ENC 3242, Fall 2015 • Week 12 Lecture • Slide 5 of 6

What Have You Learned This Semester?

• Four assignments• Teach a Technical Task (Sept. 7, 2015)• Interview a PTC Professional (Sept. 28, 2015)• Crisis Communications (Oct. 19, 2015)• Final Project - Three Options (Nov. 30, 2015)

• Controversial topic• College 20 years hence• Customized topic

• Focus on autodidacticism (self-teaching)• Works only for students who are serious about their career preparation• For such students, works better than traditional spoon-feeding or hand-holding

ENC 3242, Fall 2015 • Week 12 Lecture • Slide 6 of 6

Changes in Career Outlook?

• How do you see a career in communications?• Opportunities can be discovered or created or both• The profession appeals to people who like to work (or can tolerate working) ...

• With words, images, and media• Independently on their own schedules and terms but under demanding deadlines• Without bosses or regular paycheck• Anywhere they have a computer and internet connection

• Every path is unique, but most careers will mean ...• Working with mentors• Learning primarily on the job and through self-directed tutorials, not in a formal course• Taking full responsibility for your decisions• Accepting mistakes (by you and others) as necessary learning experiences

ENC 3242, Fall 2015 • Week 12 Lecture • Slide 7 of 6

Let Me Hear from You• To provide extra time for completing Assignment 4, next week is an

“unnumbered” week and without lecture. Because of Thanksgiving, there is also no Week 13 lecture (be thankful!). The final lecture summing up the course will be for Week 14 (around Dec. 2).

• Complete the online course evaluation (you will receive the appropriate link and email reminders from USF) ... this is a COURSE REQUIREMENT. Send me a screen capture of the message confirming that you have completed this task. (See sample below.)

• Send your questions by email if you wish (I will be available over the holiday).