CSE646 (Fall 2006) -- Professional Communication

Objectives


This fall, the objectives of CSE646 are a little different from usual. Specifically, the seminar will be about professional communication.

We will address the following topics:

  • Sept. 18, 25: Using the library for research -- Karen Kostner, CS librarian
  • Oct. 9: Referring to related work appropriately -- Amanda Stent
  • Oct. 16: Finding writing opportunities and organizing your paper -- Erez Zadok
  • Oct. 23: Academic integrity in your scientific writing -- Amanda Stent
  • Oct. 30: Improving the clarity, structure and readability of your writing I -- Amanda Stent
  • Nov. 6: Practice: writing and editing your writing
  • Nov. 13: Improving the clarity, structure and readability of your writing II -- Amanda Stent
  • Nov. 20 (tentative): Great! It got accepted! Now talk about it! -- Michael Bender
  • Nov. 27: Practice: giving talks
  • Dec. 4 (tentative): Writing for your career: resumes and cover letters -- Career Center
  • Dec. 11: Practice: writing for your career
  • Dec. 13: Wrap-up and feedback

Time and Place


This seminar will meet opposite CSE600, i.e. Mondays from 2-3 pm, in the Wireless Seminar room.

Textbook and Materials


I strongly recommend that you purchase this book: Writing for Computer Science, by Justin Zobel.

I also recommend that you buy a book like: The Elements of Style, by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White.

Neither of these books is very expensive and both will be helpful to you.

Other materials will be posted to Blackboard during the semester.

Your Involvement


You may register for this seminar or simply attend it. The same level of involvement will be expected in both cases.

First, come to class each week. I've lined up a set of wonderful, informed guest speakers to teach you all about professional communication.

Second, have in mind a piece of professional writing. This could be a paper you are working on, an RPE report, a thesis proposal, a Master's project report, or a technical report for your advisor. You will work on this piece of writing throughout the semester. You don't have to have started it to attend the seminar, but you should have a topic in mind!

Third, be prepared to show this piece of writing to other students in the seminar and to me. Be prepared to critique other students' writing and speaking and to accept feedback on your writing and speaking. There are four weeks devoted to collaborative work during the semester and you'll learn alot here.

Fourth, be prepared to complete the writing assignments for this seminar. There are ten assignments that lead you through the process of turning your idea into a paper and creating a presentation for it. You will complete these in Blackboard.

Fifth, be ready to give us feedback as the seminar progresses about what is being covered and what else we could do. Would you like discussion of how to review papers for a conference or journal? More discussion of organizing papers, or of the minutiae of writing clearly? More information about finding opportunities for publication? Give me feedback as the semester goes on, or write it all down and bring it to the last class. If you like what we're doing here, we'll make it a course, so we need your feedback.