ENGH 388: Professional and Technical Writing

This course aims to equip you with essential tools to communicate effectively in various professional settings and to diverse audiences. Through studying the core theories and practices of professional and technical writing, you will develop an understanding of how to write clear, concise, and well-organized documents such as reports, proposals, and instruction manuals. Additionally, you will learn how to tailor your writing to the needs and expectations of your audience and how to adapt your writing style to different industries and disciplines. While there is no definitive formula for effective workplace communication, you will explore some common genres (emails, letters, memos, reports, proposals, instruction manuals) and conventions (documentation, style, design) utilized across different fields. You will learn how to identify these genres and conventions and adapt them to fit your specific needs when interning or working in any professional context, be it at a think tank, a game design company, a multinational corporation, or donor-driven nonprofit.