Projects emphasize hypermedia, hyperlinks, and interactive design for use in technical manuals, proposals, informational kiosks, marketing presentations, resumes, and electronic information systems. Topics may include cultural influences on communication, challenges associated with technical translation, differing uses of graphics, communicating within multinational organizations, and theoretical issues related to international communication. Students write and produce all or part of a manual. Course includes study of structured writing. Students practice various speech types such as briefings, interviews, formal technical presentations, panels, and impromptu presentations.
Course also includes an overview of communication theory as it applies to oral presentations.
Students produce, edit, or analyze samples of such documents as patient information brochures, medical advertisements, pharmaceutical package inserts, and medical research papers. Focuses on such topics as the function of roles in groups, conflict resolution, leadership in the small group, gender differences, listening and negotiation skills, and managing meetings. Workshop activities reinforce these principles. Related areas, such as delegating and decision making, are covered through outside readings. Includes strategies for planning, conducting, and analyzing a test.