In 1986 the space shuttle Challenger exploded on lift-off, killing all
aboard. Why did that happen? Rhetoricians have identified key memos and
conversations between managers and engineers in which miscommunication
resulted in a series of disastrous decisions to launch. A critical
incident such as this raises questions about communication in the
workplace more generally: What is the function of piece of writing in a
workplace context? How does writing in the workplace come to be the way
that it is? What kinds of choices do writers make in workplace contexts
and what are the stakes of those decisions? This course will address
“writing” in the workplace as both a practice and as a phenomenon
that writing studies scholars study. Course assignments will engage
students in the scholarly literature about writing in the workplace, as
well as introduce students to workplace genres of writing and the
rhetorical choices that writers make. Enrolled students are not expected
to have either a current workplace or a commitment to a future workplace
or career. Course material will address a wide range of workplace
contexts at a level that can be generalized to suit all interests. This
is a computer-integrated course (CIC).

Prerequisites:

While 281 has no formal prerequisite, this is an intermediate writing course, and instructors expect entering students to know how to formulate claims, integrate evidence, demonstrate awareness of audience, and structure coherent sentences, paragraphs and essays. Thus we strongly encourage students to complete an introductory (100 level) writing course before enrolling in English 281.