• Audience & task analysis. Practice analyzing the needs of various readers (end users, administrators, technicians), at various levels (novice, intermediate, expert), for various purposes (to persuade, to inform, to instruct, to warn, to refer), and for the tasks they need to accomplish their work.

• Print-documentation strategies. Learn concepts involved in book design and related strategies for preparing information for print delivery.

• FrameMaker or other desktop-publishing system. Learn how to use desktop-publishing software like FrameMaker to develop printed book-length documents. Please note that this course is not a training course for FrameMaker. You learn enough FrameMaker to be able to produce books with it—and that's a lot!

• Types of print technical documentation. Learn the contents, organization, format, and style of the most common "genres" of printed technical documentation, such as user guides, technical reference manuals, quick-reference cards, and so on.

• Page design, style, mechanics. Review the basics of formatting (lists, headings, notices, highlighting, typography, page layout, color), mechanics (numbers, symbols, abbreviations, acronyms, terminology), and common sentence-style problems.

• Graphics. Learn how to plan, design, and create graphics for communicating technical information in print.

• Development process. Learn the key phases in the typical technical-publishing process, such as needs assessment, audience and task analysis, proposal, information plan, prototypes, style guides, peer review, multiple reviews, and so on.

Incomplete Policy: An incomplete (I) will be granted to a student in rare circumstances. Generally, to receive a grade of I, a student must have completed all examinations and assignments to date, be passing, and have personal circumstances that prevent course completion that occur after the deadline to withdraw with a grade of W.

Attendance Policy: All students are expected to attend classes. Non-attendance will have an impact on the student’s grade.

Withdrawal Policy: It is the student’s responsibility to withdraw from a course. Instructors are allowed to withdraw students but students must not rely on their instructor to withdraw them if they wish to withdraw.

Austin Community College policies for Academic Freedom, Scholastic Dishonesty, Student Discipline, and Students with Disabilities are as follows:

Academic Freedom Statement: Each student is strongly encouraged to participate in class. In any classroom situation that includes discussion and critical thinking, there are bound to be many differing viewpoints. These differences enhance the learning experience and create an atmosphere where students and instructors alike will be encouraged to think and learn. On sensitive and volatile topics, students may sometimes disagree not only with each other but also with the instructor. It is expected that faculty and students will respect the views of others when expressed in classroom discussions.

Scholastic Dishonesty Statement: Acts prohibited by the College for which discipline may be administered include scholastic dishonesty, including but not limited to cheating on an exam or quiz, plagiarizing, and unauthorized collaboration with another in preparing outside work. Academic work submitted by students shall be the result of their thought, research or self-expression. Academic work is defined as, but not limited to tests, quizzes, whether taken electronically or on paper; projects, either individual or group; classroom presentations, and homework” (Student Handbook, 2002-2003, p. 32). Penalties for scholastic dishonesty will depend upon the nature of the violation and may range from lowering a grade on one assignment to an F in the course and/or expulsion from this institution.

Student Discipline Statement: Classroom behavior should support and enhance learning. Behavior that disrupts the learning process will be dealt with appropriately, which may include having the student leave class for the rest of that day. In serious cases, disruptive behavior may lead to a student being withdrawn from the class. ACC's policy on student discipline can be found in the Student Handbook, 2002-2003, p. 32.

Students with Disabilities Statement: Each ACC campus offers support services for students with documented physical or psychological disabilities. Students with disabilities must request reasonable accommodations through the Office for Students with Disabilities on the campus where they expect to take the majority of their classes. Students are encouraged to do this three weeks before the start of the semester” (Student Handbook, 2002-2003, p. 14).