Swinburne University of Technology - Melbourne Australia
Future Students - Courses
Duration
Contact Hours
Campus
Prerequisite
Corequisite
1 Semester
3 Hours per Week - online only
Online
International students should have an overall score of 7 on the International Language Testing System (IELTS) test, with no individual band below 7.
Nil
Credit Points: 12.5 Credit Points
An online unit of study in the Graduate Certificate of Social Science (Technical Communication) of Social Science (Technical Communication) and Graduate Diploma of Social Science (Technical Communication)of Social Science (Technical Communication). An elective unit in the Graduate Diploma of Multimedia, Master of Multimedia, Master of Multimedia Technology and Master of Multimedia (Honours).
This unit aims to give students a strong foundation in the theory and application of written and oral communication. This means that they will learn to analyse an audience’s needs for information and the most effective way of meeting these needs. This broad understanding of communication theory is closely linked to its special application in a technical communication setting
Recorded lecture presentations (voice, together with visual material), online discussion boards, wiki spaces, Skype communications technology, and MP3 files that can be downloaded to desktops and/or MP3 players. These materials will be delivered through the Blackboard portal. CDs of lecture presentations will be mailed out if required.
Three assignments, worth 20%, 30% and 30%, and an exam worth 20%. This unit of study is assessed with the grades of Pass or Fail only.
• Applying basic technical document considerations (purpose, audience, delivery) • Organising, chunking and structuring information in documents • Applying principles of usability (including personas, scenarios and prototyping) • Writing briefly and accurately, using plain English and understanding different writing tones and registers • Writing specialised and instructional information • Using correct grammar and punctuation • Analysing audiences • Interviewing skills, dealing with subject matter experts and conducting meetings • Understanding learning styles.
• Applying basic technical document considerations (purpose, audience, delivery)
• Organising, chunking and structuring information in documents
• Applying principles of usability (including personas, scenarios and prototyping)
• Writing briefly and accurately, using plain English and understanding different writing tones and registers
Coe, M., Human Factors for Technical Communicators, John Wiley and Sons Australia Ltd, 1996 Dwyer, J., The Business Communication Handbook, 5th edn, Prentice Hall, 2000 Flann, E. and Hill, B., The Australian Editing Handbook, Common Ground, Australia, 2001 Hackos, J., Information Development: Managing Your Documentation Projects, Portfolio and People, Wiley Technical Library, USA, 2007 Horton, W. K., Designing and Writing Online Documentation: Help Files to Hypertext, Wiley-Interscience, USA,1990 Hughes, B., The Penguin Working Words, Penguin, Ringwood, 1995 Snooks & Co, Style Manual for Authors, Editors and Printers, 6th edn, John Wiley & Sons Australia, 2002 Strunk, W., & White, E.B., The Elements of Style, Macmillan, New York, 1979 The Macquarie Essential Dictionary, The Macquarie Library, Sydney, 1999 Truss, L., Eats, Shoots and Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation, Profile Books, 2003 Watson, D., Death Sentence: The Decay of Public Language, Random House Australia, 2003
Coe, M., Human Factors for Technical Communicators, John Wiley and Sons Australia Ltd, 1996
Dwyer, J., The Business Communication Handbook, 5th edn, Prentice Hall, 2000
Flann, E. and Hill, B., The Australian Editing Handbook, Common Ground, Australia, 2001
Hackos, J., Information Development: Managing Your Documentation Projects, Portfolio and People, Wiley Technical Library, USA, 2007
Horton, W. K., Designing and Writing Online Documentation: Help Files to Hypertext, Wiley-Interscience, USA,1990
Hughes, B., The Penguin Working Words, Penguin, Ringwood, 1995
Snooks & Co, Style Manual for Authors, Editors and Printers, 6th edn, John Wiley & Sons Australia, 2002
Strunk, W., & White, E.B., The Elements of Style, Macmillan, New York, 1979
The Macquarie Essential Dictionary, The Macquarie Library, Sydney, 1999
Truss, L., Eats, Shoots and Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation, Profile Books, 2003
Watson, D., Death Sentence: The Decay of Public Language, Random House Australia, 2003
