Introduction to Chapter 15
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Instructor's Notes
To download handouts of the Learning by Doing activities and checklists that appear in this unit, and to access lecture slides, teaching tips, and Instructor’s Manual materials, go to the “Instructor Resources” folder at the end of this unit.
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Writing Online
Perhaps you are an experienced online writer—texting friends, chatting with family, updating your social-network page, and commenting on YouTube videos. On the other hand, perhaps you need help from coworkers or from younger or more experienced classmates to master new online tasks. Either way, you—like most college students—are increasingly likely to be an online academic writer. Many college classes are now offered in three formats, all likely to expect online writing:
face-to-face classes, meeting in person at a set time and place but possibly with online communication and paper submissions
online classes with synchronous (scheduled at the same time) or asynchronous (unscheduled, but available when convenient) virtual meetings, discussions, activities, paper exchanges, and submissions
hybrid (or blended) classes with both in-person and online meetings, discussions, activities, paper exchanges, and submissions
In addition, any of these three class formats may rely on the campus course or learning management system (CMS or LMS), a Web-accessible environment where class participants can access information, communicate with each other, and post papers or other assignments. This chapter will review likely online activities in your current course, whatever its format.
Why Writing Online Matters
In a College Course
You need to take a course offered only online, so you want to be ready to meet deadlines, manage files, and contribute to online discussions.
You want to improve your online discussion contributions so that they sound more academic and professional.
In the Workplace
You need to help online customers in a friendly yet efficient manner.
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In Your Community
You design an online tenant newsletter to unify your neighbors and help motivate your apartment manager.
When have you done academic or professional writing online? How effective was this writing? In what situations might you need to do such writing in the future?