Writing, Rhetoric, and Technical Communication (WRTC)

An introduction to writing process and structure in a workshop setting. This is an elective course for students who want to select an introductory-level college writing course before taking WRTC 103.

Rhetorical Reading and Writing teaches students how to write effectively in situations they have not yet encountered. By practicing reading and writing as rhetorical activities, students learn how to explore and research topics; design writing for diverse audiences, purposes and occasions; and use feedback to improve their writing. WRTC 103 fulfills the General Education Madison Foundations writing requirement and is a prerequisite for all WRTC courses numbered 200 or above. May be used for general education credit. May not be used for major credit.

This is the initial core course and portal of entry into the School of Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication. Students will read and discuss foundational articles, undertake course projects and explore the roles that writers, rhetoricians and technical communicators are called upon to fill in their internships and jobs.

Introduction to the conceptual and technical editing of a wide range of documents for diverse audiences and different purposes. Consideration of genre, tone, style and syntax. Students will learn to interact with authors and clients and will practice both hard copy and electronic editing. Course topics allow students to encounter a wide range of editorial experiences to prepare them for the workplace.

Broad examination of the nexus of law, ethics and language. Exploration of a variety of genres in legal writing, providing a background in the role of law and ethics in society and helping students understand how language operates in the construction of legal and moral codes. Primary topics include intellectual property, privacy, legal issues in communication, the history of legal language and the ownership and ethical use of information.

Introduction to the concept of the public sphere and examination of a variety of texts and media that illustrate the function of the public sphere. Students apply theoretical knowledge to the analysis of public discourse and present their analyses in oral and written formats. Students gain important insights into their own roles and responsibilities as citizens within the public sphere and learn to use language effectively in multiple rhetorical situations.

This course is an introduction to the process of conducting research grounded in inquiry. Students use a variety of research methodologies to gather information from secondary and primary sources. Students evaluate information for accuracy and usability and interpret information for the audience and rhetorical context they have defined. Students in this course design a research study, carry it out and write a subject appropriate report.

Focus on the importance of culture to professional communication, both in print and online, by using an intercultural perspective to examine audience, purpose, persona, context, language, page and screen design, graphics and color. Includes a consideration of basic models of culture developed in professional environments, incorporating management, teamwork and translation issues, as well as how American culture differs from other cultures worldwide.

This course is an exploration of the multifaceted aspects of environmental controversies including the rhetoric, advocacy campaigns and decision-making processes that produce and attempt to manage environmental conflict. Emphasis on persuasive efforts by, interest groups, corporations, resource managers, government agencies, scientific experts, politicians and citizens to influence public understanding of environmental issues, adoption of sustainable behavior and lifestyles, and public policy outcomes.

Allows students to engage in practical experience opportunities in the field of Writing, Rhetoric, and Technical Communication. Students may apply no more than 3 practicum credit hours toward completion of WRTC major or minor requirements.

This course is a survey and application of a range of rhetorical approaches to analyze print, oral, visual and multimodal forms of everyday communicative practices. Primary topics include the origins of rhetoric, the manifestations of contemporary forms of communication, the rhetorical theories used to explain those forms, and the criticisms developed to respond to them.

This course introduces students to the history and methods of digital storytelling and provides them with the opportunity to critically evaluate a range of digital stories and to develop their own digital storytelling projects. Digital stories are narratives that are composed in digital environments using sound, audio, still images, video, and interactive elements like maps, charts and timelines. By the end of the course, students will be able to adapt digital storytelling techniques to suit a variety of genres and audiences. Throughout the course, students learn to assess digital storytelling artifacts, such as short video documentaries and mixed media narratives, and their usefulness for particular audiences and contexts. In addition to these digital composing techniques, students learn to assess and use a variety of online platforms where digital stories can be published, critique and improve their own and others' work, collaborate with others and create digital storytelling artifacts for clients.

A theoretical and practical overview of the growing field of popular writing. Students will analyze a broad range of genres -- including reviews, commentaries, profiles, blogs and ads -- from a broad range of publications, including newspapers, magazines and the Web, with the goal of acquiring a critical understanding of the rhetorical aims and practices of popular writing.

Integrates the theory and practice of writing consultation in academic and professional settings and is suited for developing tutors, teachers, consultants and editors. The course includes mentorship and practice in the University Writing Center, and it provides students opportunities to develop as writers, scholars and professionals. Upon completion of the course, students will be eligible for, but not guaranteed, employment in the University Writing Center.

This course will focus on composing about and with sound. The course combines analytical and reflective projects with practical exercises in audio recording and editing, and rhetorically discovering and using online audio sources such as music, sounds and interviews. The course may be used to explore topics such as podcasts, audio tours and professional profiles.

Investigation of contemporary leadership theories as they apply to writing; students will apply these principles and techniques to their own writing. The course will explore how writers lead readers and how leaders employ writing and use writers to influence their audiences. Students will gain experience writing in typical leadership genres, such as the position paper and the op-ed piece.

Examines the relationship between language and location by analyzing print and virtual rhetorics of the social and natural environment. Students will learn about the rhetorical tradition of place-centered expression and the importance of place in society.

This course provides an introduction to the major theories, issues and contributors in the field of technical and scientific communication. Students explore global, print and electronic communication, ethical and legal issues, and the project cycle. They start with rhetorical analyses of audiences and progress through deliverables. Students learn to problem solve through a variety of technical communication projects and develop their career interests in chosen technical communication fields.

A study of the rhetorical foundations of visual and verbal arguments in academic disciplines and popular culture. Students will analyze and produce visual and verbal arguments in a variety of rhetorical contexts.

A study of the rhetorical foundations of visual and verbal arguments in academic disciplines and popular culture. Students will analyze and produce visual and verbal arguments in a variety of rhetorical contexts.

Students learn to design user-centered web and app content with an emphasis on inclusive design. Students increase their familiarity with industry-accepted tools and programs for developing and polishing online content while also developing the ability to recognize and resolve basic HTML/CSS issues that affect content presentation. Students shape portfolio pieces through a user-centered design process, with an emphasis on building skills at the design stage. Students improve their ability to assess integrated AI and LLM resources for web and app developers.

This course is an examination of the principles of design and the importance of the project cycle in designing documents. Students use layout and graphics programs to create professional brochures, flyers, posters, newsletters and manuals. Students work individually and collaboratively on their projects, producing excellent portfolio pieces. This course gives students flexibility for a wide variety of career opportunities in business and industry, the non-profit sector, and government.

This course focuses on the development and application of rhetorical strategies and tools used in writing about science and technology for a contemporary, general audience. As citizen-interpreters, students analyze and produce writing designed to make even 'hard' science and technology accessible, with particular attention to narrative, to the framing of policy issues, and to establishing relevance.

Study the history, nature and impact of mass media in the United Kingdom. Emphasis on the impact modern media has on society, and society has on media. Consideration of similarities and differences in mass media in the United States and Great Britain. Consideration of the relationship between mass media and the arts. Focus on 20th century mass media in London, one of the world's preeminent and most influential centers. London term only.

Advanced Editing initiates students into the profession of editing. Content focuses on work with longer texts and real clients to introduce advanced editing skills and considerations such as document design, universal design, project management, production and freelancing. Students will learn how to initiate professional communication with clients, edit for users with diverse needs and work as part of an editing team.

Focused study of the theory and practice of building a content strategy applicable for a variety of organizations (business, nonprofit, government). Students will learn content strategy theories, perform case study analyses and apply their findings to the design of content strategies with specific organizations in mind.

This course offers an advanced study of the way the public receives, makes sense of, and influences scientific and technical information about environmental issues. Implications of these processes on environmental policy will be analyzed. Readings and assignments will concentrate on the interactions between technical and public spheres of communication, with an in-depth examination of the way the media facilitates the transfer of information between scientific communities and public audiences.

Surveys key women figures in classical and contemporary rhetorical traditions and challenges the strategies used to historicize this tradition from feminist perspectives. Explores diverse feminist rhetorical discourses informed by race, sexual orientation, ethnicity and social class.

Focused, in-depth study of specific areas or subjects in writing, rhetoric, and technical communication. Topics may pertain to issues relevant to the discipline, to the study of particular theories and practices, or to the study of significant figures in the field. Seminars may be repeated for credit when course content changes.

Examination of the rhetorical elements of personal narrative. Students will read examples of personal narratives ranging from essays to longer memoirs and autobiographies, in order to examine questions related to purpose, audience, voice, and style. Discussion will include what makes a piece of writing personal, what makes it a narrative, and what makes it effective.

Students will explore the ways various peoples have defined the human as opposed to an animal "other." What it is to be a human, a person and an animal is not static; these definitions change over time and across cultures. They are the results of ongoing acts of persuasion. What is universal, though, is the idea of a boundary between human and animal, and the ways we define either category helps define the other. Animal Rhetorics will feature readings from the history of rhetoric, biology, biosemiotics and philosophy, tracing our definitions of what it means to be a human and what it means to be rhetorical, from pre-history to the present. Assignments will include creative work, presentation and a research component.

Advanced focus on a particular genre in popular writing, such as reviews, commentaries, opinion pieces, profiles, blogs, or ads. Students will engage with a specific genre to acquire both a critical understanding of its rhetorical aims and practices as well as the skills to practice writing within that genre. Students in this course have the opportunity to develop several professional portfolio pieces.

This course examines the central role cultures and communities play in the design process of visual and digital campaigns. Students will develop an awareness of cultural markers in images and branding campaigns; discuss and apply theories of multimodality, visual rhetoric, and design; and apply their learning in the creation of an original campaign.

Study of and practice with processes, principles, tools, models, and techniques for designing interactions between humans and digital products and systems. Topics include physiological and psychological factors affecting interaction design, interaction design process, interaction models, styles, and paradigms, design notations and representations, prototyping, and interaction design evaluation.

Introduces the rhetoric of digital design in a variety of contexts. Students learn what makes for effective static and interactive digital designs and practice analyzing and creating digital designs. Student will compose technical documents within diverse traditions, which include digital rhetoric, mixed media and visual rhetoric.

Exploration of the publication production process that addresses the theory and practice of project management for professional print and electronic documents. Students work collaboratively to examine managerial and editorial responsibilities. Topics include defining editorial policy, defining management roles, working with project teams, creating document publication schedules, reviewing and editing submissions for publication and collaborating with authors.

This course provides a theoretical and practical study of the principles, techniques and tools of user experience (UX) in technical communication, including user and task analysis, iterative and human-centered design, and usability testing. Students will research audience needs, define content needs, consider issues of inclusion and accessibility, design and plan usability and UX evaluations, conduct tests, analyze test data, draft prototypes, and prepare reports.

Introduction to the context and use of language in scientific and medical disciplines. Emphasis is placed on understanding the rhetorical nature of scientific discourse. Primary topics include examining different forms of scientific and medical writing in traditional and digital contexts, the nature of communication within professional communities and composing texts for general readers.

Study of the central components of legal writing and the language of law with an emphasis on the genres of the legal professions. Primary focus is on legal analysis, intellectual property and fair use, and the creation of genre-relevant documents, including memoranda, briefs and legal summaries.

This course provides intensive practice in government genres or genres that occur at the intersection between governmental and political writing at the local and national levels. Democratic institutions create writing exigencies that require rhetorical intervention and technical knowledge, and this course offers writing practice in relevant genres, including news releases, consultant reports (i.e., feasibility studies), lobbyist communication and staff reports (i.e.monthly updates and annual reports). The authors of such genres include elected officials, appointed officials, citizen groups and individual citizens. Relevant issues include taxation, zoning, recycling, water treatment, sewer and wastewater treatment, environmental issues, transportation and any other timely infrastructure or policy question.

This course introduces students to the principles and practices of proposal and grant writing for research, education and community projects. Students will learn how funding organizations operate at local, federal and private levels and practice strategies for producing competitive proposals. Emphasis is placed on audience awareness, ethical considerations and key genres such as needs statements, project descriptions, budgets and timelines. By the end of the course, students will be able to identify funding opportunities and create professional proposals that demonstrate clarity, purpose and persuasion.

This course presents the political and social positioning of disability in multiple contexts, including the rhetorical traditions of ancient Greece, the Commonwealth of Virginia's eugenics laws and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Students will examine how the concept of disability is a rhetorical construct and will build knowledge about how language is utilized to shape current and prior models of disability, including rhetorical, political, historical, educational, legal and medical frameworks. The course culminates in the creation of an accessible online project that highlights individual students' scholarly interests, created following universal design principles.

This course offers an introduction to the communication and discourse practices of the business community through a community-based learning model. Emphasis is placed on working directly with a business organization. Primary topics include language and ethics in business, the understanding of audience for business communication and the creation of business documents including proposals and business plans.

This course provides an introduction to the nonprofit sector through a community-based learning model. Emphasis is placed on working directly with a nonprofit agency in the local community. Primary topics include the role of the nonprofit in society, especially as an organization for change; creation of internal and public documents, including proposals, grants and publicity materials; and the legal requirements for nonprofit status.

This course offers an introduction to political and social engagement at the community level using multiple texts and a community-based learning model. Emphasis is placed on writing, reflection and hands-on service projects with community agencies. Primary topics include an examination of the central role of rhetoric in citizenship, leadership, social justice and social change.

This course offers an introduction to the medical field through a community-based learning model. Emphasis is placed on communication within the medical field and the translation of medical language for lay audiences. Primary topics include the roles of the practitioner and audience in medical communication, power relationships among clinicians and patients, and the creation of medical documents, including reports, proposals and technical articles.

Individualized projects in Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication. Available only to junior or senior majors, though exceptions may be made at the director's discretion. May be repeated with the director's approval when course content changes.

Allows students to incorporate field experience with WRTC course work through internships in government, business, industry, or education where they can observe communication processes and apply effective written, interpersonal and public communication skills. Students must complete an application process and be approved before receiving a permission number to enroll in the course (see Internship page on WRTC website for requirements and forms).

This course provides a capstone experience in which students reflect on their course work in the major with the aim of articulating how the major has broadened and deepened their understanding of the theories and practices of written communication and rhetoric as they apply to academic and professional contexts; demonstrating how WRTC student learning objectives tie together to inform their academic and professional work; and articulating short-term and long-term career goals. Students participate in seminar-style discussions, compose a personal philosophy of writing/editing/design through analysis of the work they have created in the major, and create a professional digital portfolio containing their strongest work from WRTC courses, internships and professional positions that are most representative of their career goals.

Offered fall and spring.

This foundations course introduces students to the critical questions and ideas emerging from the intersections of writing, rhetoric and technical communication. Through reading, discussion, research and application of theory to the production of deliverables, students acquire a solid foundation in this program of study and begin to develop a professional identity.

Advanced study and practice in managing documents through the editorial process. Includes collaborating with authors as well as establishing audience, purpose, scope and context for print and digital documents. Includes training in proofreading, copyediting, substantive editing, sensitivity editing, editing design, and graphics and editing for intercultural audiences.

Advanced study of research methodologies used in writing, rhetoric and technical communication. Includes techniques for collecting, sorting, analyzing, and presenting information and data both quantitatively and qualitatively from primary and secondary sources. Requires in-depth research or project planning through a self-designed study grounded in a clearly articulated awareness of audience, purpose and context.

Advanced study of the structure of communication in organizations by exploring formal and informal communication systems in government, industry and business. Examines the role of communication in the social construction of organizations with hierarchical and nontraditional structures.

Writing and research in a variety of writing, rhetoric and technical communication genres. Examines special and timely issues currently being explored in the field not addressed in sufficient depth in regularly scheduled WRTC courses. May be repeated with different course content and permission of director.

Examines the relationship between rhetoric and ethics, emphasizing the challenges emerging from historical and contemporary communication. Employs various theories to explore the complex interplay among agency, authorship and intellectual property. Topics may include free speech, falsification of data, surveillance, ownership of information and conflicts of interest.

Examines critical approaches to intercultural communication beyond ethnic and racial lines. Investigates key theories of identity and difference, and intercultural communication practices. Topics may include definitions of culture, cross-cultural communication challenges and issues of globalization, localization and translation.

Advanced study of the management and editorial policy of academic and professional publications. Examines such managerial and editorial responsibilities as defining editorial policy, defining management roles, reviewing and editing submissions for publication, and collaborating with authors.

Emphasizes pedagogical strategies central to teaching effective written and oral communication in the field and provides practice in course development and assessment under the guidance of a faculty mentor in actual course situations. Provides required preparation in rhetorical theory and teaching methodologies for all WRTC teaching assistants before their first semester teaching.

Explores the intersections among individuals, organizations, communities, environments and texts that inform the public work of rhetoric. Employs rhetorical theories to examine the way these networks produce and make discourses visible. Topics may include the role of technology, advocacy, contemporary and historical social movements, and non-profit and governmental organizations.

Explores the dynamic nature of genres within ecologies of humans, objects, technologies and spaces. Students examine theories related to genre in order to analyze and compose within a medical, scientific, nonprofit, academic or corporate discourse community of their choice.

Advanced study of central components of legal writing such as legal analysis, representation of facts and evidence, reasoning, logic and argumentation. Addresses such key rhetorical elements of legal documents as clarity and conciseness of style, level of diction, jargon, passive voice and errors in person.

A course focused on the advanced study of rhetoric, including the exploration, analysis and application of diverse rhetorical theories. Requires students to synthesize texts, and enter into conversations on specific streams of rhetorical knowledge or that enhance professional communication. This course addresses a range of rhetorical issues arranged by era, movement or object of study. May be repeated with different content.

Advanced study of the planning and writing of proposals and grants with emphasis on research proposals and grants seeking funding from industry and government. Covers key proposal components including the executive summary, purpose and scope, problem definition, need, methodology, project feasibility, facility requirements, personnel qualifications, cost and proposal presentation.

Introduces theory and research in medical rhetoric, health communication and related areas. Students will employ a variety of scholarly lenses, including technical communication, rhetoric, science studies and sociology, to examine the intersections between health and medicine. Topics may include patients' agency and advocacy, patient compliance, uses of writing in clinical settings and digital spaces, access to health resources, politics of healthcare, and the role of narrative.

Introduces theories of the discourses of science and technology. Provides students with a rhetorical perspective on the construction and application of scientific and technological knowledge. Topics may include the roles of language and ideology in scientific controversies, predominant theories in STEM fields and the scientific study of rhetoric.

Advanced study of electronic and online publications, including World Wide Web pages, electronic newsletters and magazines, and online help. Emphasizes principles in designing, writing and producing publications using such current authoring tools as the hypertext mark-up language, HTML.

Prepares students to analyze, evaluate and produce scientific information for non-specialist audiences. Students will explore how writers, editors and designers reach and influence an audience, and how, in turn, the audience responds to their scientific texts. Topics may include the role of the news media, scientific literacy, advocacy and science policy creation.

Advanced study of the theoretical and practical use of computer graphics as a form of visual communication in scientific or technical documents. Examines topics such as visual perception, design theory, formatted text and graphics, color and design concepts, animation, and video. Emphasizes the development of technical skills in manipulating electronically generated text and graphics.

Introduces theories and methods that inform digital knowledge-making practices in social, civic and professional contexts. Equips students with the analytical and technical skills to audit existing digital content, prototype and produce new approaches for/with clients, and leverage content management systems. Topics may include user experience, sharing content across multiple media, telling organizational stories and design ethics.

Explores theoretical and practical approaches to the design of digital texts and objects. Students learn and apply key design concepts and methodologies. Topics may include accessibility, usability, design theory, content design, collaborative and open-source production spaces, and data management.

Faculty-supervised reading, research, writing and/or design on advanced technical and scientific communication projects not covered in regularly scheduled courses.

Continued study, research and writing for the thesis/internship. May be repeated as needed.

Individual reading, research and writing associated with completion of major's thesis. Supervised by the director of the student's thesis committee. Student must complete six hours of thesis research to graduate.

Experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory in writing, rhetoric and technical communication with practical application and skills development in a professional setting. Students will observe, analyze and reflect upon communication processes and apply effective written, interpersonal and public communication skills. Supervised by the student's internship committee in conjunction with a client, students develop and complete a significant, large-scale professional project.