Assignment 7 Technical Writing

Fall 2014

Final Project
Graded
deliverables

Length
Due

Submission
mode
Supplements

Memo to instructor
Project report (or other product of your semester project)
All associated front and back matter; typical components
detailed below
2500+ words
Complete draft: Monday, November 24
Final: Wednesday, December 3 (optional pre-submission by
11/24)
Draft: Bring printed copy and electronic file to class
Final: Submit via Canvas
Proposal (previously submitted)
Survey/interview questions (previously submitted)
Style sheet, if not using MLA, APA, or IEEE

Assignment Overview
The final project will be in the form of a report addressed to your primary audience,
describing your understanding of the problem, the research youve undertaken, and
most importantly and significantly suggesting a course of action your audience
should follow to amend or improve the problem youve identified. If you are writing
a manual, youll need to include persuasive text to your primary (gatekeeper)
audience. You will present your project to your classmates and me, and this
presentation will represent a significant portion of your grade, as well.
The written components of your final project will comprise the following:
Memo addressed to me
Cover Letter addressed to your primary audience
Cover Page
Table of Contents, including all sections, in-text graphics, and back matter
Executive Summary
The Report itself, consisting of*
o Introduction of the problem/topic, with your secondary research
o Methodology, Results & Findings describing the research you
conducted, the reasoning behind it, and interpretations of your
research results
o Recommendations based on your research, described in detail; the
focus of your report
o Conclusion summarizing your main points and stating what comes
next for your audience
Works Consulted List (a bibliography of your ten-plus sources)
Back Matter: transcripts of interviews conducted, surveys or questionnaires
used in your research with fully tabulated results, data tables, charts, graphs,
maps, blueprints, glossary, graphics from your presentation, and anything
else necessary to support your recommendations

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*Your headings must make sense in the context of your project. If you are creating a manual, a website, or some
other type of technical project (that is, something other than a report documenting a completed project), you will
need to create headings that suit your purpose. I am happy to help you develop those headings when we meet to
discuss your project.

Throughout the project, particularly in the results and recommendations sections,

youll want to incorporate charts, graphs, images, or other supporting visual data
appropriate for your audiences needs.
Memo. The memo will be addressed to me, detailing your goals for this
assignment, highlighting your experiences, and providing analysis of your
collaborative work. You should update me on changes made to or information
learned about your audiences since the proposal.
Cover Letter. Your cover letter will be addressed to your primary audience. It will
introduce your credentials, and serve as a pitcha brief, attention-grabbing
descriptionof your final project.
Executive Summary. This is a one-page overview of the problem and your specific
recommendations; it should reflect the highlights of your entire project. (See Markel
chapter 19 for examples and guidance.)
Glossary of Terms. You may find it useful to include a glossary of terms that might
be unfamiliar to any members of your primary, secondary, or tertiary audiences, as
well as incidental audiences (mainly, me).
Citations. When using specific evidence and information from other peoples work,
you must provide in-text citations in the style appropriate for your target audience.
Your in-text citations will refer to works listed separately at the end of the report.
This Works Cited list should begin on a new page. Include a one-page style sheet for
these references, unless your report follows MLA, APA, or IEEE style.

Grading
Your assignment will be graded on these qualities:
Front Matter and Back Matter (24%)
Content and comprehensiveness (14%)the extent to which your
components work together and help the reader navigate and understand the
document as a whole;
Organization, style, and design (10%)clarity and appropriateness of
language; grammar, consistency, correctness, organization, structure.
Report (76%)
Research (20%)scope, focus, attention to the needs of your audience;
depth and breadth of research and relevance to topic;
Analysis (22%)incorporation of data collected during primary research;
justification of conclusions;
Recommendations (24%)feasibility, projected efficacy, robustness and
measurability/tangibility of solutions presented;

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Organization, style, and design (10%)clarity and appropriateness of

language; correctness and consistency of grammar and formatting; efficacy
of design choices, structure, and organization.

As indicated on the syllabus, this assignment will count as 25 percent of your total
course grade. You must fulfill all components of the assignment to receive a passing
grade.