Upcoming Courses
Spring 2025
International Technical Communications
English 5309
Online Asynchronous
Instructor: Dr. Pinfan Zhu
Description/Goals:
This course prepares students with the necessary theories and skills for international technical communication. It mainly consists of three parts: understanding cultural differences, language problems, website internationalization or localization. Students will first learn important models for understanding cultural differences and other theories regarding how to communicate with cross-cultural audiences ethically, verbally, visually, and non-verbally in an effective manner. They will also learn how to analyze international audiences in terms of their values, cultural needs, and their communication styles. In the language part, students will learn principles that can help them cope with language problems. The final part emphasizes web site internationalization or localization, a very important part in international technical communication. Students will conceptually understand how to internationalize or localize websites, in addition to theories and principles of internationalization and localization. Since this is a course totally online, students work mainly independently but will also be in consultation with me throughout the semester. You must have access to a computer and Internet browsing capabilities. You will be responsible for learning some new technology and/or software on your own, but tutorials might be given if necessary. It is an asynchronous Online Course
Books:
- Aykin, Nuray, Usability and Internationalization of Information Technology Zhu, Pinfan, (2024)
- Constraint Factors Affecting the Effectiveness of Business & Technical Communication across Cultures----From Linguistical, Rhetorical, Visual, and Cultural Perspectives. Singh P (2005).
- The Culturally Customized Web Site. Burlinton: Elsevier.
Goals: To prepare students with theory and skills to conduct culturally, rhetorically, linguistically, and technologically effective international technical communication, or to work as a consultant for international technical communication. Specific goals include:
Evaluation
- 15% Web Board responses for each week’s reading
- 15% Online discussions
- 30% Three short papers
- 15% Exercises
- 25% Final project
For More information: see Dr. Zhu in FHM18
Email: pz10@txstate.edu
Phone: (512_ 245-3013
Editing the Professional Publication
English 5312.251
Online Asynchronous
Instructor: Dr. Miriam F. Williams
Description/Goals:
This is the MATC internship course. The course is required for MATC students on the internship track. In this course students will provide professional editing, design, video production, and technical writing services for actual clients. (Note: The instructor will assign clients the first week of class.)
Goals: The course will give students the opportunity to:
- participate in an applied learning experience
- provide a useful service to others while gaining professional technical communication experience
- conduct qualitative research and negotiate user/client needs
- write, edit, and design print, video, and web content in collaborative online environments, and
- write, edit, and design print and web content for personal or MATC exam portfolios.
Required Text: Students will be assigned open-access books and journal articles
Format:
Completely online in Canvas. Students will schedule small group meetings in Zoom at their convenience.
Evaluation:
- Editing and Design Project Proposal (Group Assessment) 20 percent
- Audience Analysis (Group Assessment) = 20 percent
- Midterm Status Report (Individual Assessment) = 10 percent
- Large-scale Editing Project (Group Assessment) = 20 percent
- Design and Production Project (Group Assessment) = 20 percent
- Reflection Essay (Individual Assessment) =10 percent
For more information: Contact Dr. Miriam F. Williams at mfw@txstate.edu
Teaching and Training for Technical Communicators
English 5314.251
Online Asynchronous
Instructor: Dr. Chris Dayley
Description/Goals: At its core, technical communication is about teaching. To learn technical communication is to learn how to teach.
This course will focus on two aspects of teaching in technical and professional communication.
- We will learn how to teach technical communication as an academic course.
- We will learn how to teach technical information to a professional audience.
In this course, we will learn how to:
- Design a course syllabus
- Create lesson plans
- Utilize basic principles of instructional design and multimodal learning
- Plan and implement effective training courses
- Deliver training and course content in an engaging and effective way
Books:
- Bridgeford, Tracy; Kitalong, Karla Saari; and Selfe, Richard, "Innovative Approaches to Teaching Technical Communication" (2004).
- Available as an Open Educational Resource: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/usupress_pubs/147/
Evaluation:
- Weekly Discussion Posts
- Design a course
- Oral Presentation
- LinkedIn Learning Participation
Office: FH133
Email: chris.dayley@txstate.edu
User Experience (UX) and Usability Research
ENG5329.251
Online Asynchronous
Instructor: Dr. Sarah H. Robblee, PhD
Description/Goals:
This course explains how to plan, conduct, and analyze usability tests to understand the way users interact with different artifacts in order to improve products. It situates user testing within the fields of user experience and audience analysis, and it covers the principles and methods of this form of applied research. The course covers concepts of usability research in the context of relevant literature, as well as best and new practices in the field. The course requires planning, designing, and conducting usability tests, then analyzing data and reporting the findings.
During this semester, you will be developing and refining your abilities in:
- Developing a fundamental understanding of key scholarship and research, history, current issues, and cultural matter in technical communication, specifically related to usability studies
- Understanding the various purposes of conducting usability research
- Planning a usability research study both in person and remotely
- Analyzing usability research data
- Reporting usability research results to clients with graduate-level writing and editing skill
Textbook:
Goodman, E., Kuniavsky, M., and Moed, A. (2012). Observing the User Experience. Morgan Kaufman. ISBN 13: 9780123848697. (Also: Online course documents, videos, and readings posted on Canvas.)
Format: Asynchronous in Canvas
Evaluation:
- Class Participation - 200 Points Possible - 20%
- Discussion Leadership of Reading - 200 Points Possible - 20%
- Nano- or Micro-Usablity Test Report - 150 Points Possible - 15%
- Midterm Reflection - 100 Points Possible - 15%
- Client Usability Test Presentation (Group Project) - 150 Points Possible - 15%
- Final Exam - 200 Points POssible - 20%
Total Points Possible -1000 - 100%
Office: Zoom
Email: fad33@txstate.edu
Technical Editing
English 5335.251
Online Asynchronous
Instructor: Dr. Scott Mogull
Course Description: This course explores how to edit technical documents using different levels of editing, including copyediting and developmental editing. Students will also explore current trends in technical editing and publishing, as well as effective author-editor relationships.
All courses are open to MATC students on a first-come, first-served basis. Register on CatsWeb as soon as registration opens to secure your spot. Contact Dr. Chris Dayley (c_d470@txstate.edu) with advising/degree audit questions. Instructions for non-MATC students: Contact Taylor Cortesi (tc1224@txstate.edu) to be authorized to add a MATC course. To allow new MATC students to enroll in courses, non-MATC students will be informed of the possibility to take MATC courses a month prior to classes starting in the Spring. Note: MATC course wait lists are not managed on CatsWeb—they are managed by the MATC Program director and Taylor Cortesi. If you are not sure about the method of delivery (online, online asynchronous, face-to-face), contact the instructor for the course to confirm.
If you are not sure about the method of delivery (online, online asynchronous, face-to-face), contact the instructor for the course to confirm.