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CMN 432
COMMUNICATION IN THE ENGINEERING PROFESSIONS
Course Syllabus Fall 2011

This course is divided into a weekly two hour lecture and a two hour workshop.

Lecture and workshop attendance is strongly recommended. Students are responsible for all material
covered in the lectures. Lecture topics are not fully covered by the textbook.

Lecture: Tuesdays 11:10 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (all sections) in AMC02
September 6 to November 29
Richard McMaster

Workshops: Section 012: Wednesdays, 3:10pm 5:00pm, LIB 386A, Professor C. Rayfield
Section 022: Wednesdays, 11:10am 1:00pm, KHW377, Professor S. Rosenberg
Section 032: Tuesdays, 8:10am 10:00am, KHW377, Professor K. Voltan
Section 042: Wednesdays, 9:10am 11:00am, KHW377, Professor R. Bajko
Section 052: Tuesdays, 9:10 11:00am, LIB386A, Professor L. Schofield
Section 062: Thursdays, 12:10pm 2:00pm, LIB386A, Professor R. McMaster
Section 072: Thursdays, 2:10pm 4:00pm, LIB386A, Professor S. Rosenberg
Section 082: Thursdays, 10:10am Noon, LIB386A, Professor S. Rosenberg
Section 092: Thursdays, 4:10pm 6:00pm, KHW377, Professor J. Fung

Professors:

Richard McMaster (Lecture and Lab 062)
Office Hours: Mondays 1- 3 pm, Tuesdays 1-3 pm,
Thursdays 10 am noon
Office: Rogers Communication Centre RCC382E
Email: rmcmaste@ryerson.ca
I will be available for questions and discussion before
and after each class and during office hours. If you
require further assistance, I am happy to arrange a time
to meet you.
Telephone: (416) 979-5000 x 6388
Carolyn Rayfield (Labs 012)
Office Hours: Wednesdays 1:30-2:30 pm
Office: RCC380F
Email: crayfiel@ryerson.ca
Telephone: (416) 979-5000 x2754
Sheila Rosenberg (Labs 022, 072, 082)
Office Hours: Mondays 1-2 pm, Tuesdays 10-11 am,
Thursdays noon-2 pm
Office: RCC382G
Email: s2rosenb@ryerson.ca
Telephone: (416) 979-5000 x2752
Kathryn Voltan (Lab 032)
Office Hours: Tuesdays 10-11 am
Office: RCC382G
Email: kvoltan@ryerson.ca
Telephone: (416) 979-5000 x2752
Rob Bajko (Lab 042)
Office Hours:
Office: RCC
Email: rbajko@ryerson.ca
Telephone: (416) 979-5000 x
Linda Schofield (Lab 052)
Office Hours: Mondays 2-3, Tuesdays 12-1, Wed. 10-1
Office: RCC382F
Email: lschofie@ryerson.ca
Telephone: (416) 979-5000 x 6386
Janice Fung (Lab 092)
Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 1:30-3:30 pm
Office: RCC 382J
Email: janice.fung@ryerson.ca
Telephone: (416) 979-5000 x 6384




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COURSE TEXT
Technical Communication, Fourth Canadian Edition, Copyright 2010, by Lannon & Klepp, Pearson
Longman. A custom textbook has been produced for CMN432 and is available at the Ryerson
Bookstore for $81: Custom Technical Communication by Lannon & Klepp, ISBN: 0-55881118-3.
(Look for the textbook with the purple cover).

Packaged with the textbook is a printed supplement Grammar at Work for Technical
Communication.

PLEASE BRING YOUR TEXT AND SUPPLEMENT TO EVERY WORKSHOP CLASS.
WORKSHOPS BEGIN IN FIRST WEEK.

WEEKLY SCHEDULE : Topics, readings and assignment due dates

Week Lecture Topics and Readings Workshop Topics and Readings
1

Sept. 6
Introduction to course
What is technical communication?
Professionalism
Introduction to workshops
Writing Sample

2 Sept. 13
Audience analysis
Types of audiences
Barriers to communication
Lannon Ch. 1 & 2
Sentence structure
Paragraph development
Effective summary
Lannon Ch. 9 & 10
Workbook pages 29-30 and 50-56
3 Sept. 20
Engineering Rhetoric
Techniques for persuasion (ethos, logos,
pathos)
Toulmin logic (claim, evidence, warrant)

Lannon Ch. 4
Revising for readability
Wordiness and clarity
Parallel structure (conceptual/grammatical)
Lists
Lannon Ch. 11
Workbook pages 91-100
Introduction to persuasive assignment #1
4 Sept. 27
ENGINEERING COMMUNICATION PANEL
GUEST SPEAKERS:
JEANETTE CHU (PEO)
LIZ GREENLAND (OSPE)
Document formats (memo, letter, email
informal reports)
Persuasive communication (including
employment communication)
Assignment #1 strategies
Lannon Ch. 22 & Ch. 23
ASSIGNMENT #1 DUE In Blackboard two days
after your workshop
5 Oct. 4
Credible Writing:
Critical evaluation of information
Reviewing research
Guest Lecture: May Yan, Engineering
Librarian

DISCUSS MAJOR ASSIGNMENT PACKAGE
Developing research skills
Library research techniques
Assessing quality of sources

Lannon Ch. 6 & 7

QUIZ (Material from weeks 1-4)
ASSIGNMENT #2 discussed in workshops


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Week Lecture Topics and Readings Workshop Topics and Readings
6 Oct. 11
Reports I
Thesis/problem statements
Information and analysis
Structure, organization, content

Lannon Ch. 19 & 21
Audience.
Creating problem statement.
Developing a thesis statement.

Review Lannon Ch. 21 pp. 433-444 and Ch. 22

ASSIGNMENT #2.1 Started in Workshop
7 Oct. 18
Reports II
Effective proposal writing


Lannon Ch. 18
Proper use of citations
IEEE documentation style
RefWorks

Lannon Ch. 8

ASSIGNMENT #2.1 DUE in TURNITIN
8 Oct. 25
Teamwork and collaborative writing
Intercultural communication

Lannon Ch. 3
Technical tools for collaboration:
Word (track changes, combine)
Google Docs
Creating a workplan for collaborative report
QUIZ -WEEKS 5-7
9 Nov. 1
Oral presentations

Lannon Ch. 24
Team consultations on final report structure
and content

ASSIGNMENT #2.2 DUE in TURNITIN
10 Nov. 8
Visual communication
Visual language and elements (diagrams,
illustrations, graphs and tables)
Descriptions
Lannon Ch. 12 & 15
ASSIGNMENT #3
Oral presentation of Research Report
11 Nov. 15
Definitions
Instructions

Lannon Ch. 14 & 16
ASSIGNMENT #3
Oral presentation of Research Report
12 Nov. 22
Ethical Communication in Engineering

Lannon Ch. 5
ASSIGNMENT #3
Oral presentation of Research Report

13 Nov. 29 Final Exam Review

Final Exam Review
ASSIGNMENT #4 COLLABORATIVE REPORT
DUE in TURNITIN BY BEGINNING OF
WORKSHOP
NB: Changes to this schedule are unlikely. However, if the schedule must be altered, the changes will
be discussed in class before being implemented.


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GRADED ASSIGNMENTS

Assignment Due Date Value
Assignment #1 Persuasive document 2 days following Workshop Week 4 10%
Two quizzes Workshop Week 5 & 8

15%
Assignment #2, Part 1 Research Report Proposal Workshop Week 7 5%
Assignment #2, Part 2Research Report Workshop Week 9 10%
Assignment #3Oral Presentation Workshop Weeks 10, 11, 12 10%
Assignment #4Collaborative Report Workshop Week 13 15%
Participation (Workshop/Lecture) All weeks 10%
Final Exam During final exam period 25%
Total 100%

COURSE MANAGEMENT

1. Weekly Chapter Readings: You are responsible for reading the assigned materials before
attending class. The instructor will not cover the entire chapter content during the lectures and
workshops; however, you are responsible for knowing all the content in the chapters in
assignments, quizzes and the final exam.

2. Workshop Class 1: Exercises in this first workshop will introduce issues of grammar, style, and
mechanics but will not form part of the course grade. Be sure to bring the text supplement
Grammar at Work to class. Students will also be asked to write a paragraph to be submitted to
Blackboard.

3. In-Class Quizzes: Students will be tested on the content of lectures and on assigned course
readings in quizzes during the workshops in Weeks 5 and 8.

4. Final Exam: Students must take the final exam to pass the course. The final exam consists of two
parts: 1) Written response(s) based on lecture content and readings; and 2) a practical
application of writing skills and techniques. No aids are allowed.

5. Participation Mark: The participation mark is based on attendance and participation in lectures
and workshops. Participation is not merely attendance; the quantity and the quality of your
contributions in class will be taken into account. Come to class prepared to discuss the material,
contribute ideas and examples, and participate in individual and group activities. Students will
evaluate their peers oral presentations. These evaluations also contribute to the participation
mark.


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6. Writing Assistance: Ryerson offers a number of resources to assist you with your writing.
Students are encouraged to seek assistance from the GAs with assignments. For Assignment #1
(persuasive document) and Assignment # 2.2 (the research report) students may re-submit
assignments that have been revised to a GA for one additional mark (1 point). Assignments must
be resubmitted within two weeks after the instructor has returned it. Details will be announced in
class and on Blackboard.

7. BlackBoard: You will use two Blackboard courses: (i) the lecture-related Blackboard course,
common to all sections, that provides course-wide announcements, your grades, assignments,
lecture summaries, other course materials and portals for assignment submission; and (ii) a
Blackboard course for your workshop section where you will use the Discussion Board tool to
complete workshop activities. Please check the general Blackboard course for announcements
before the class. These may include reminders, supplementary materials, or necessary changes.
The course outline and schedule is available in the Course Documents section of the CMN 432
F2011 lecture course. Supplemental materials will be posted in the weekly folders. Assignment
details will also be posted in BlackBoard.

8. Submitting Work from Previous Courses: All assignments submitted for grading must be new
work. Assignments containing work completed in previous courses (including CMN432) will not be
accepted. Students re-submitting work (their own or that of other students) will be subject to the
policies of the Student Code of Academic Conduct.

9. Turnitin.com: The Persuasive Document, Research Report Proposal, Research Progress Report
and the Collaborative Report must be submitted to Turnitin.com. The Ryerson Student Code of
Academic Conduct defines plagiarism and the penalties for it. Ryerson uses Turnitin to help
professors identify plagiarism and help students maintain academic integrity.

Students who do not want their work submitted to this plagiarism detection service must, by the
end of the second week of classes, consult with the workshop professors to make alternative
arrangements.

Corrupt Files: Any files uploaded to Turnitin or Blackboard that the instructor cannot open will be
treated as late regardless of when the instructor attempts to open the file. Make sure your files
are not corrupt and are in a file format approved by the instructor.

Document ID and Digital Receipts: You should make note of the Document ID issued by Turnitin
when you upload any assignment. Turnitin will also issue a digital receipt by email. If a Document
ID is not provided, the document has not been successfully uploaded. This Document ID is the
only acceptable proof that a document was successfully uploaded into Turnitin.

10. Returning Assignments: All assignments submitted for grading will be handed back, usually within
two weeks. The quiz and final exam grades will be posted on Blackboard, but the assignments will
not be returned to you. Students wishing to review quizzes and exams should contact their
instructor.



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11. Late Assignments: Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the date scheduled. Late
assignments will receive a penalty of 10% for the first 24 hours and 3% for each subsequent day
the assignment is late up to a maximum of 50%, after which the assignment will not be accepted.

12. Missed Quiz/Final Exam: You need to inform your instructor of any situation which arises during
the semester which negatively affects your academic performance, and you must request any
necessary accommodations.
An OFFICIAL RYERSON MEDICAL CERTIFICATE is required in case of illness. See
http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/forms/medical.pdf for the required Ryerson certificate.
Religious Observance requests are to be made formally within the first two weeks of class.
See http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/pol150.pdf.

If you miss a quiz due to illness you must do the following:
Inform your instructor by email prior to the quiz.
Within three business days of the quiz, present the completed official Ryerson medical
certificate to your instructor. Medical certificates must be presented to your instructor
directly or presented during regular business hours to the Departmental Assistant in the
Department of Professional Communication office, Rogers Communication Centre, 370A,
where your medical certificate will be date-stamped. A secondary notification of a certificate
from an Engineering office will not be accepted.
Students who meet this requirement may make up one quiz in the official make-up period to
be announced.

If you miss the final exam due to illness, you must do the following:
Inform your instructor by e-mail prior to the exam.
Within three business days of the final exam, present the completed official Ryerson medical
certificate to your instructor. Medical certificates must be presented to your instructor
directly or presented during regular business hours to the Departmental Assistant in the
Department of Professional Communication office, Rogers Communication Centre, 370A,
where your medical certificate will be date-stamped. A secondary notification of a certificate
from an Engineering office will not be accepted.

The instructor will determine if you are eligible for an Incomplete (INC) grade.
An INC can be awarded only when the completion of the outstanding work or an alternative final
examination may result in a passing grade.
The outstanding work must be completed by a specified date within three months of the
submission of the INC. The INC will be replaced by an official course grade when the work is
completed. If the work is not completed by the deadline, the INC will become a grade of F.
If your instructor has assigned an incomplete (INC), it is the students responsibility to arrange
with the instructor to write a makeup exam at the first available opportunity.

13. Maintaining a Professional Learning Environment: Laptop computers, cell phones, or other
devices should not be used in the classroom except for course-related work. They are distracting
to other students, speakers and your instructor.

14. Standards for Written Work: Students are expected to use an acceptable standard of
professional communication for all assignments. You are encouraged to obtain assistance from


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the Writing Centre (http://www.ryerson.ca/writingcentre/) or the English Language Support
Centre (http://www.ryerson.ca/studentservices/els/index.html) for help with your written
communications as needed.

Writing Centre: The Writing Centre is available to help with writing problems. The Centre offers
one on one tutoring by appointment. Appointments can be made by calling 416-979-5000 x7192
or by email (writingcentre@ryerson.ca). The Centre is located in the Library in room LIB266A.
Additional information is available on their web site at http://www.ryerson.ca/writingcentre/

English Language Support Centre: The English Language Support Centre is is VIC B17. The ELS
centre provides services and non-credit programs to support students who use English as an
additional language. They will help with language difficulties that may affect academic
performance, language improvement and writing practice. They have a both student and staff
facilitators. You can find out more about them at
http://www.ryerson.ca/studentservices/els/index.html or you can email els@ryerson.ca.

Additional Language Resources: There are a number of websites which can help you if you need to
improve your grammar and writing skills. These include:
1. Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL): http://owl.english.purdue.edu/ This site has
excellent reference material on, among other things, thesis statements and citations.
2. Guide to Grammar and Writing: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/ This free site
provides useful grammar tutorials and numerous online self-test quizzes.
3. Style and editing: http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/style-and-editing This University
of Toronto site provides useful examples of common errors and suggestions on eliminating
them from your own writing.

RYERSON POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

You are responsible for understanding the Universitys policies and procedures, in particular those
relating to course management and academic integrity. A list of some relevant policies is included
below.

1. Student Code of Academic Conduct: This policy can be found at
http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/pol60.pdf.

This policy covers expectations regarding submission of work for grading, academic misconduct
including plagiarism and the procedures related to academic misconduct.

Plagiarism is a serious academic offence and penalties range from zero in an assignment all
the way to expulsion from the university. Students should review the guidelines regarding
academic misconduct: visit the Academic Integrity website for more information at
http://www.ryerson.ca/academicintegrity . Ensure that you understand the conventions for
referencing sources in footnotes and bibliographies. In addition to citing quotations from all
sources, whether from written materials, interviews or electronic networks, students must
credit with an appropriate citation system all facts and ideas that are not their own, EVEN IF
THEY ARE STATED IN YOUR OWN WORDS. Failure to cite other scholars ideas is considered
plagiarism. In any academic exercise, plagiarism occurs when one offers as ones own work the
words, data, ideas, arguments, calculations, designs or productions of another without


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appropriate attribution or when one allows ones work to be copied. (See the Ryerson Library
for style guide references: http://www.ryerson.ca/library/subjects/style/index.html
It is assumed that all examinations and work submitted for evaluation and course credit will
be the product of individual effort, except in the case of team projects arranged for and
approved by the course instructor. Submitting the same work to more than one course, without
instructors approval, is also considered plagiarism.
Students who have committed academic misconduct will, at a minimum, receive a 0 on the
work, and an instructor may assign an F in the course. The Academic Integrity Seminar may
also be assigned. Students will have the notation Disciplinary Notice (DN) placed on their
academic record and official transcript. The notation shall remain until the students graduate,
or for eight (8) years, whichever comes first. If you receive this in the first half of your program,
you may petition to have it removed in your last year.
Students who commit academic misconduct a second time shall be placed on Disciplinary
Suspension (DS) for up to two years, at which time they may apply for reinstatement to a
program. The designation DS shall be placed on their permanent academic record and official
transcript. The notation shall remain until students graduate, or for eight (8) years, whichever
comes first.
Disciplinary Withdrawn standing (DW) shall be permanently noted on students academic
records and official transcripts.
Expulsions shall be permanently noted on students academic records and official transcripts.
NOTE: Students may not drop a course when they have been notified of the suspicion of
academic misconduct. If a student attempts to drop the course, the Registrars office will
re-register the student in that course until a decision is reached.
CHEATING ON AN EXAM OR TEST: Ryersons Examination Policy requires that all students
have a valid student identification card or other photo identification on their desk at all times
when taking an examination. If an invigilator suspects someone is impersonating a student, the
photo identification of that person will be checked, and the person will be asked to sign the
exam paper for further verification. If the invigilator suspects that the identification is not valid,
students may be asked to provide alternative photo identification. Security may be called if
circumstances warrant.

2. Student Code of Non-Academic Conduct: This policy can be found at
http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/pol61.pdf.

3. Ryerson e-mail Accounts: Students are required to activate and maintain a Ryerson e-mail
account. This shall be the official means by which you will receive university communications.
Your Ryerson e-mail account is the only account from which your instructor will accept course-
related communication. Your instructor may not respond to e-mail originating from a non-
Ryerson account.
See http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/pol157.pdf

4. Accommodation of Students with Disabilities: The policy can be found at
http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/pol159.pdf . To facilitate the academic success and
access of students with disabilities, these students should register with the Access Centre. They
should also inform their instructor through an Accommodation Form for Professors that they
are registered with the Access Centre and what accommodations are required.



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5. Student Responsibilities in Academic Appeals: Students should read the Undergraduate
Academic Consideration and Appeals policy at
http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/pol134.pdf

It is the students responsibility to notify and consult with either the instructor or the
Chair/Director of the teaching department/school, depending on the situation, as soon as
circumstances arise that are likely to affect academic performance. It is also the students
responsibility to attempt to resolve all course related issues with the instructor and then, if
necessary, with the Chair/Director of the teaching department/school as soon as they arise. An
appeal may be filed only if the issue cannot be resolved appropriately. Failure to deal with a
situation as soon as it arises will jeopardize any appeal.

Students who believe that an assignment, test, or exam has not been appropriately graded must
review their concerns with their instructor within 10 working days of the date when the graded
work is returned to the class.

OTHER RYERSON ACADEMIC POLICIES:
For more information on Ryersons academic policies, visit the Academic Council website at
http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/


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Academic Grading Policy
Evaluation of student performance will follow established academic grading policy outlined in the
Ryerson GPA Policy at http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/pol46.pdf. The FEAS grading
system is summarized below:

Definition Letter Grade Grade Point Conversion Range
Excellent
A+ 4.33 90-100%
A 4.00 85-89%
A- 3.67 80-84%
Good
B+ 3.33 75-79%
B 3.00 70-74%
B- 2.67 66-69%
Satisfactory
C+ 2.33 63-65%
C 2.00 60-62%
C- 1.67 57-59%
Marginal
D+ 1.33 54-56%
D 1.00 52-53%
D- 0.67 50-51%
Unsatisfactory F 0.00 0-49%
Redeemable Failure F-S 0.00 NIL
Failed for Non-
Attendance
FNA 0.00 NIL