SPRING 2003--DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH--UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON

ENGLISH 2312 • Literature and Technology
(Sec. 12330), T/TH 1-2:30 p.m.
Dr. Irving N. Rothman, Profess irothman@uh.edu
OFFICE: 232B-C, 743-2962, <irothman@uh.edu>; T/TH 11:30-12,  2:30-3, and by appointment.

REQUIRED TEXTS:
Perelman, Leslie C., James Paradis, and Edward Barrett. The Mayfield Handbook of Technical Scientific Writing.  London and Toronto: Mayfield Publishing Co., 1998.. (Cited as TSW)
The Pushcart Prize XX: Best of the Small Presses. Ed. Bill Henderson with the Pushcart Prize Editors. Wainscott, NY: Pushcart Press, 1995. (Cited as PP)
Rothman, Irving N. Engl. 2397: Technical Writing  (Xeroxed workbook), 1998. (Cited as RW)
Technology, Pessimism, and Postmodernism. Ed. Yaron Ezrahi, Everett Mendelsohn, and Howard P. Segal. 1994, in Sociology of Science: A Yearbook, vol. XVII; Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 1995. (Cited as EMS)

READING SCHEDULE AND ASSIGNMENTS:

JANUARY 2003
T 14 Introduction, Mechanics of the Language (RW 1-16);

PP 55-56: “The First Day”

 
TH 16 EMS 11-27: “The Idea of Technology and Post-Modernism” The Résumé (TSW 167-171); Writing to an Audience  
       
T 21 PP: 330-34 “When Words Became Windows”

Sentences (RW 1-2 to 1-11; TSW 230, 249, 252-3, 437-42)

Mechanics Test Due.

Familiarize yourself with TSW 229-40, RW 2-12 to 2-18.

The Defoe Project--Info Sheet

TH 23 EMS 29-37: “Illusion of Escape from Politics”

Readability formulas (RW 2-2 to 2-5)

 Résumé due.
       
T 28 Technical Databases/Standards--Room 104Lib / Mr. Parkin (Review TSW 325-74.)
TH 30 Proofreading (TSW 285-305, 309-19; 475-476; RW 3-26, 6-21); EMS 53-75: “Lightning Protection”  
       
FEBRUARY
T 4 PP 40-54: “Magic,”

Recommendations  (RW 2-18 to 2-23; TSW 198-99, 107)

Memos—Begin / Middle / End (RW 4-1 to 4-3; TSW 41-4)

 
TH 6 EMS 76-92: “Bad Things Happen to Good Technologies”

Memos—In-class exercise on flagpoles  (RW 5-18 to 5-24)

 
       
T 11 PP 131-43: “My Father’s Chinese Wives”

A Memo Accident Report (RW 2-22)

 
TH 13 Preparing and writing reports (RW 3-15 to 3-20)

Graphs and figures (TSW 203-225); PP 170-71: “18th C”

EMS 93-113: “On the Notion of Technology as Ideology”

Flagpole exercise due. (This is a recommendation for the design of a flagpole array.)
       
T 18 PP 217-32: “The More I Like Flies” 217-32

The Vendor Surveillance Report. Product/insurance/etc.

The Trip Report, (RW 5-1 to 5-7; TSW 105-7

 
TH

20

The Optimization Report: Decision based upon choices.

EMS 115-33: “20th-C German Conservative Intellectuals”

 
       
T    25 PP 241-55: “Stillborn”

The Laboratory Report (TSW 56-57)

 
TH   27 Study items on technology in The Gentleman’s Magazine, 8th Floor Special Collections, UH Library Fill in and turn in, before you leave, the GM form provided.
       
MARCH 2003
M-St 3-8 Spring Vacation  
       
T 11 PP 163-69: “Sex”

The Feasibility Report (RW 6-1 to 6-8; TSW 80-91)

 
TH 13 EMS 137-50: “Time, Technology, Heidegger’s Thought”

The Monthly Report (RW 6-9 to 6-20; TSW 92-95))

Surveillance Report due. (2 pp.)

Submit a research topic related to project in which you are engaged.

on a 4"x6" notecard.

       
T 18 PP 233-34: “Anaconda”

The Research Report (TSW 57-67; 175-80)

 
TH 20 EMS 151-73: “The Politics of Pessimism”  
     
T 25 PP 144-46: “The Storm Chasers”

Technical documents, abstracts, definitions(TSW 181-84)

Submit a CD-ROM datasearch of your research topic (at least 20 items). Use Compendex or sociological or political CD-ROM databases. (15”. EPC task)
TH

27

EMS 175-216: “Cultural Contradictions of High Tech”

Body of technical documents (TSW 185-95)

Results, discussion, end matter (TSW 195-200)

 
       
APRIL 2003  
T 1 Correspondence (RW 4-14 to 4-17; TSW 106-21; 133) .Optimization Report due. (2pp.)
TH 3 PP 400-29: “False Water Society” (selected items)

Inquiry (TSW 116-18; Technical information; TSW 118-20), Acceptance (TSW 112-13, Transmittal (TSW 116)

 
       
T 8 PP 380-97: “Milk”

Writing corporate procedures (RW 8-1 to 7-6; TSW 145-46)

Three letters due
TH 10 Playscript style (RW 7-7 to 7-9), (RW7-17,  7-18 to 7-23)  
       
T 15 Preparing forms (RW 7-13 to 7-15; TSW 247-252) Research Project due (6-8 pp. +)
TH 17 Writing a work procedure. (RW 7-24 to 7-25, 7-26 to 7-28))  
       
T 22 Writing a management or operations procedure (RW 7-25) Work procedure due (3pp. +)
TH 24 Internal proposals (TSW 477-482); Government proposals; sales proposals; construction proposal (TSW 482-500),

PP 338-49: “The Late Style”

 
       
MAY
TH 1 Reading Period  or Make-up Day for Official Cancellation of Classes
       
TH 8 Final Examination, 2:00-5:00 p.m. Objective, essay, documentation

DIRECTIONS

All assignments must be completed. Omitting one assignment will result in an “F” in the course.
All assignments must be submitted on schedule. Late submissions will suffer a reduction of a full grade.
Roll will be taken daily. Those with excessive absences may be dropped from the course. In cases where the final evaluation hovers between a higher or lower grade, the higher grade will be given if attendance is strong; the lower grade, if too many absences.
Readings from Technology, Pessimism, and Postmodernism will be handled as a forum whereby two or three students will wrestle with an essay and state their opinions about it for 25 minutes (1/3 class period).
Work must be typewritten in 10 pt. New York or 12 pt. Times.

EVALUATION

Writing Mechanics Test (Workbook) Diagnostic; due Tues., January 21
Résumé or Curriculum Vitae  (1 or 2 pages w/references) 5 pts: Thursday, Jan. 23
Flagpole Exercise (begins as in-class exercise).
1-page memo on the design of a flagpole array.
5 pts: Thursday, Feb. 13.
Vendor Surveillance Report (2 pp.)-single-spaced.
Select a piece of equipment or sales item—or a service—and survey pricing, marketing, and treatment by the sales force at 3 outlets.
10 pts: Thursday, March 13
Gentleman’s Magazine , 8th flr Library; (1-pg.
form/1-1/2 hr). Select a volume in the 19th century and record
any material you find on science or technology.
5 pts: Thurs., Feb. 27 (in class)
Optimization Report (2pp.)-single-spaced
Discuss at least three options for completing a task, three concepts
one wishes to advance, or three  methods of completing a project,
and recommend the optimum solution.
10 pts: Tuesday, April 1
Three Letters (l page each.)
    A letter requesting assistance (1 p.)
    A letter providing needed assistance
    A letter expressing a complaint about a problem
10 pts: Tuesday, April 8
Research project (6-8 pp. plus documentation) double-spaced
    Introduction, Prior Research, Central Point of Study, Activity or
    Experimentation, Conclusions
Submit a CD-ROM database search, as indicated.
You must include in your bibliography two books and 4 articles from
    CD-Rom sources. You may also add 3 sources from the Internet,
    providing full URL citations.
10 pts: Topic card, T, March 4
CD-Rom Search, T, March 25
Final Report, T, April 15
Work Procedure (3-4 pp., Playscript methodology) List activities
    of workers and supervision for quality control.
10 pts: Tuesday, April 22
Editing Projects 20 points, as assigned
In-class work at random 5 pts: as reviewed
Final Examination 10 pts: , Thurs., May 8, 2-5 p.m.