Algonquin College Full Time Programs
TECHNICAL WRITER
| Campus: | Rideau |
| Program Code: | 0182X1FRI |
| Start Date: | January |
| Duration: | 3 YEAR(S) |
| Certification: | Diploma |
Program
Description - Employment Opportunities - Additional Information - Program
of Study
Admission Requirements - Fees and Expenses - Application
Information - Course Descriptions
The aim of this three-year diploma program is to produce technical writers who
have excellent communication skills and have an ability to work competently
with technical subject matter. The duration of the program is six semesters -
two semesters, or levels, per year for three years. Students from high school
follow a regular technology program, such as computing science, electronics or
mechanical technology for the first three levels before entering the program
proper. The Technical Writer program curriculum begins at the fourth
level. Depending on their background, students may be able to enter the
program at the fourth level, making the duration of the program approximately
sixteen months.
The program consists of instruction in writing as well as studies in computer
science, telecommunications and electronics. The writing courses form the core
of the program. The aim in the writing courses is to improve the abilities of
people who are already strong writers so that they can produce useful
technical documentation. The program attempts to meet two specific workplace
needs. First, the program emphasis is on writing because writers must be able
to accommodate their specific reading audiences with clear, accessible
writing, be it hard copy or on line. Second, much of the work students do in
the program is done in small groups since team work is the normal workplace
context for technical writers.
As people prepared with the skills of good technical communicators, graduates
from the program find work as either full-time employees or as self-employed
writers/consultants. In the Ottawa-Carleton region, there are opportunities
for both full-time and contract writers, in either the private or the public
sector. While the predominant activity of corporate organizations located near
Ottawa is computer-related, there are demands in other kinds of businesses for
technical writers too - most notably in health-care related industries.
The program is offered only full- time during the day on the Rideau Campus.
Hours
ELN8268TELECOMMUNICATIONS I FOR TECH WRITERS 48.0 ELN8280 MICROPROCESSING FOR TECHNICAL WRITERS 80.0 ELN8283 COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE 64.0 GRA1500 GRAPHICS I 48.0 TWR1992 TECHNICAL WRITING I 80.0 TWR8103 MICROCOMPUTER APPLICATIONS FOR TECHNICAL WRITER 48.0
ELN8281COMPUTER SYSTEMS FOR TECHNICAL WRITERS 48.0 ELN8282 TELECOMMUNICATIONS II FOR TECHNICAL WRITERS 48.0 TWR1993 TECHNICAL WRITING II 112.0 TWR8100 PUBLISHING SYSTEM (FRAMEMAKER) 48.0 TWR8111 DOCUMENT PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT I 64.0 TWR8160 ON-LINE DOCUMENTATION I 48.0
LAW1718LAW AND THE TECHNICAL WRITER 48.0 TWR1994 TECHNICAL WRITING III 112.0 TWR8005 PROJECT 112.0 TWR8112 DOCUMENT PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT II 48.0 TWR8161 ON-LINE DOCUMENTATION II 48.0
Program eligibility
For admission to the program applicants must satisfy any one of the following
three conditions:
Note: Candidates whose workplace or university background does not clearly
indicate excellence in writing may be required to supply evidence of
their writing abilities. Applications based on work experience or
university degrees will be considered on an individual basis.
Tuition fees listed are in effect for the 1999-2000 academic year.
Tuition Fees: $842.00 per term.
International Student Fee: $4,947.50 per term. *
Information Technology Fee: $50.00 per term. **
Student Activity/Sports Fee: $60.50 per term.
Student Centre Building Fee: $12.50 per term.
Health Service Fee: $5.00 per term.
A $30.00 graduation fee is payable in the final term.
* The International Student fee includes Tuition, International premium,
Information Technology, Student Activity, Building, Locker, Health Insurance,
and Health Services fees. This fee excludes any incidental fees and the
graduation fee.
** Students paying the Information Technology fee are provided with a network
account, a modem account, an e-mail address, Internet access, and two (2)
megabytes of disk storage space.
Books and supplies cost approximately $300.00 per term and can be purchased in
the campus bookstore.
Applications to full-time day programs must be submitted with official
transcripts showing proof of completion of the academic admission requirements
to the:
Ontario College Application ServiceP.O. Box 810 370 Speedvale Avenue West Guelph, Ontario N1H 6M4
Applications are available from the Registrar's Office of any Ontario College
of Applied Arts and Technology or from the Ontario College Application
Service. Please refer to the College Applicant Guidebook for details on how to
complete the application form.
Note: International applicants applying from out of country may obtain an
"International Student Application Form" and instructions by contacting the
International Admissions Officer at the address shown below.
A $65.00 application fee must accompany the application form. Please refer to
the College Applicant Guidebook for details on how to complete the application
form.
Applications are processed on a first-come first-served basis as long as
spaces are available.
Registrar's Office, Algonquin College
1385 Woodroffe Avenue
Nepean, Ontario K2G 1V8
(613)727-0002
or 1-800-565-4723
FAX (613)727-7632
ELN8268 TELECOMMUNICATIONS I FOR TECH WRITERS
On successful completion of the course, the student will be familiar with the
basic elements of Electronic Communication Systems and have an understanding of
the subsystems of these basic elements; their inter-relationship with respect
to frequency of operation, bandwidth, type of modulation such as A.M., F.M.,
P.M., P.C.M. and other digital types of modulation used in telemetry etc. The
student will understand the principles of A.M., F.M., and P.M. transmitters and
receivers. Examples of electronic Communication Systems such as T.V. system,
satellite communication, radar, digital communication used in telephones, radio
aids to navigation would be presented in block diagram form. Some basic system
calculations such as a.c. waves, power, dB, signal to noise ration, side bands,
and path loss would be carried out.
ELN8280 MICROPROCESSING FOR TECHNICAL WRITERS
This basic course familiarizes the student with the principles of assembly
language programming and the operation of a microcomputer system. Topics
include the functions of assemblers, compilers, linkers and loaders; basic
architecture of the 68000 microprocessor; decimal, binary, hexadecimal; the
68000 byte, word and longword number lines; top down program design using
pseudo-code, the 68000 instruction set and addressing modes; subroutines and
the stack; device polling and interrupts; the multifunction peripheral -
MC68901; A/D and D/A converters; and the 7-segment display.
Prerequisite: ELN8283
ELN8283 COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE
This basic course for Technical Writers deals primarily with digital logic
circuitry and attempts to complement other courses taken in the fourth
semester. Strong emphasis is placed upon lab exercises including circuit
construction and verification. Topics include number systems, combinational
logic including Nands and Nors, truth tables, code conversion, priority
encoders, decoders, multivibrators including monostable, bistable and astable,
adders and subtractors, shift registers, memory devices, and the use of the
appropriate equipment to verify and troubleshoot a circuit.
GRA1500 GRAPHICS I
This course familiarizes students with the roles of technical illustrators,
graphic designers and technical writers. Students are immersed in the artist's
working environment, using the tools, materials, language and measurement
systems of illustrators and designers. Projects undertaken involve a technical
illustration, a comprehensive layout of an instruction book, and comprehensive
layouts of a sales brochure and newspaper ad. Projection and rendering
techniques are also discussed.
TWR1992 TECHNICAL WRITING I
In this course, students develop skills in communicating written technical
information. The main focus is on the principles of effective communication.
Students evaluate readers' needs, practice writing clearly and concisely, and
do editing of their own work and that of others. Classes are organized as
workshops wherever possible so that students can develop their abilities to
work individually and as members of a group.
ELN8281 COMPUTER SYSTEMS FOR TECHNICAL WRITERS
This basic course acquaints students with internal operation and external
interfacing of computer systems. Data/computer communications networks,
performance analysis software, and the purpose of bench marking are examined.
Supportive labs are provided.
ELN8282 TELECOMMUNICATIONS II FOR TECHNICAL WRITERS
This basic survey course familiarizes students with a variety of systems. It
includes an overview of telecommunications theory and applications including
frequency spectrum; transmission channels; land lines; radio links; capacity;
bandwidth; carrier frequency; AM, FM and PM modulation; multiplexing, time and
frequency division; telephone systems; and voice and data transmission. The
study of an overall system is also included.
TWR1993 TECHNICAL WRITING II
This course builds on the communication skills that were worked on in Technical
Writing I. The focus, here, is still clear writing, but more specifically, the
logic of organization in technical documentation. Students develop their
skills of reasoning and organization by doing a variety of instrumental
writing, including a project done jointly with another technology program. In
addition to writing frequently, students edit their own work and that of
others, and give oral presentations. As in Technical Writing I, the course is
organized as a writing workshop wherever possible so that students can develop
their abilities to work individually and as members of a group.
Prerequisite: TWR1992
TWR8111 DOCUMENT PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT I
This course acquaints students with the documentation life cycle. The document
process and skills required for planning, designing, managing and controlling
documents are introduced. The course exposes students to as many types of
documents as possible to minimize the need for on-the-job training. Topics
include: skills, processes, materials, methods and tools used in information
gathering; and document writing, reviewing/verifying, editing, proofreading,
indexing and production. Students leave the course with skills in creating
document ideas, developing documents and managing their execution.
LAW1718 LAW AND THE TECHNICAL WRITER
This introductory course in business law emphasizes contract and tort laws, and
highlights legal issues of special concern to technical writers, such as
copyright and employment laws. Upon completion of the course, students are
able to use legal vocabulary, explain legal concepts and apply legal reasoning
to problem situations.
TWR1994 TECHNICAL WRITING III
This course builds on the communication skills that were worked on in Technical
Writing I and II. The focus, here, is still clear writing, but more
specifically, technical documentation with persuasive purposes. Students
develop their skills of reasoning and organization by doing a variety of
persuasive writing, including documents that make recommendations. In addition
to writing frequently, students edit their own work and that of others, and
give oral presentations. As in Technical Writing I and II, the course is
organized as a writing workshop wherever possible so that students can develop
their abilities to work individually and as members of a group.
Prerequisite: TWR1993
TWR8005 PROJECT
This course is a technical documentation writing project. It presents students
with an opportunity to apply the skills and knowledge that they have acquired
in other courses of the program. Students have to do research for their
projects, but the course is really an opportunity for a student to explore any
aspect of the work performed by technical writers. A student interacts with an
instructor in this course on a one-to-one basis; the course is organized as a
tutorial. Students write a substantial technical document but also submit
supporting documentation for the project. Such documentation includes a
written proposal for the project, project planning documentation, and regular
project progress reporting. Many projects are done in cooperation with local
industries. However, students are not limited to doing work in an organization
outside the College.
TWR8112 DOCUMENT PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT II
This course continues examining the document process and the skills required
for planning, designing, managing, and controlling documents. Emphasis is
placed on all aspects of the production process, with special attention given
to electronic publishing, desktop publishing, and electronic document
management. Emphasis is placed on the role of the writers in relation to other
corporate team members in document development (advertising, marketing, sales
support, technical support, customer liaison, product development and
distribution) and the critical input that the other members contribute.