MTRL 201

Technical Communications
Class 1 – Introduction to the Course
Instructor - Matthew A. Wong, PhD

Class 1 - Introduction 1
 Agenda
• Welcome to the course
• Course Vision, Focus, Objectives
• Course Structure & Deliverables
• Grading Policy
• Next Class

Class 1 - Introduction 2
 Welcome to MTRL 201
• This is a 3 credit, required course for MTRL
students
• Class begins at 9:00 AM and will end at ~10:20
AM
• Both Tuesday & Thursday class are in ORCH
1001

Class 1 - Introduction 3
 Who am I?
• Matt Wong, PhD
– https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-a-wong-
377792/
– [email protected]
• I teach several courses for IGEN, MANU,
MTRL, ENPH

Class 1 - Introduction 4
 My Introduction
• I’m originally from Toronto but have been
living in BC (GVA) since 2016

• I’m 42 and married with 2 girls

Class 1 - Introduction 5
 My Introduction
• Some of my interests
– Teaching and working with students
– Soccer
– Video games
– Watch modding
– Warhammer 40K
– Movies & TV, reading sci-fi
– Entrepreneurship, investing, business &
technology

Class 1 - Introduction 6
 Welcome to IGEN 201
• Your Teaching Assistant
– Alice Turski, Doctoral Student in the Department
of English Languages & Literature
– [email protected]

Class 1 - Introduction 7
 Course Vision
• What is “Technical Communication” supposed
to be about?
• “Written and oral communication in business
correspondence, engineering design methods,
report preparation, and oral presentations of
technical material.”
• What is that supposed to mean?
• Why is this important?

Class 1 - Introduction 8
 Course Vision
• Communication skills – both written and
verbal - are essential for functioning
effectively in your job
• However, they are also crucial for…
– Getting a job (e.g., networking, interviewing)
– Working in teams
– Leading groups of people
– Functioning in society

Class 1 - Introduction 9
 Course Vision
• To help build this course I spoke with many
engineers from numerous specialties
• I asked about communication in their jobs,
what they wish they learned in school,
mistakes new grads make, and other topics

Class 1 - Introduction 10
 What Engineers Get Wrong
• “Engineers are terrible communicators, which
seems surprising to me as a lot of engineering
is transitive property thinking…but most
engineers either tell you ALL the intermediate
steps, which isn’t required, or skip them
entirely wondering how they got to horses are
unicorns.” – S. (Aerospace), Flight Test
Instrument Design Engineer, Boeing

Class 1 - Introduction 11
 What Engineers Get Wrong
• “My experience is that engineers are
notoriously bad communicators. They get
bogged down in the details and forget about
the big picture. Most just type whatever they
think on a page and leave it to an editor to
correct their bad grammar.” – S. (Mech, PhD),
Research Engineer, HTRI

Class 1 - Introduction 12
 What Engineers Get Wrong
• “Sometimes engineers are not very good at
communicating technical information and get
caught in the details, going on about things
that do not matter to non-technical people.”
– C. (Chem), Reliability & Maintenance
Engineer, Amazon

Class 1 - Introduction 13
 What Engineers Get Wrong
• “I think a lot of people who are really good at STEM/technical
related things get the impression that because they understand
classically complex things, they must be more intelligent than most
people, and if they are more intelligent than most people, they will
almost always have better judgment than those around them
(whether the topic is STEM-related or not). This makes it really
hard to learn how to properly listen and consider the opinions of
others, and from interacting with people like this I have gotten the
impression that they operate under the idea that it is so unlikely
that someone else has come up with an argument or idea which
they have not, that it probably is not worth spending the time to
hear what they have to say”
– R., UBC engineering student (former student of mine)

Class 1 - Introduction 14
 Course Vision
• Communication can be a real challenge
• Communication is incredibly important to
your job/work and your career
• The communication skills you need at the
beginning of your career are very different
from those in the middle and late stages of
your career

Class 1 - Introduction 15
 Course Focus
• This course is not about basic communication and
the fundamentals of the English language; other
courses can better provide those fundamentals
• This course will cover some English grammar
rules and stylistic choices, but only to the extent
they are relevant to the course objectives
• If you think you might need some writing help,
please check out UBC’s writing centre
– https://writing.library.ubc.ca/

Class 1 - Introduction 16
 Course Focus
• This course is designed to make you aware of
how important communication is and how it
can lead to your future success
• This course will also focus on the importance
of professionalism and integrating into the
workplace because communication does not
occur in a vacuum, but within a social context
• That social context is often a business
communication context

Class 1 - Introduction 17
 Tech Comm as Business
Communications
• “Many engineering students don’t connect
that they will be part of a business or they will
ultimately own their own business someday in
the future. Engineering is a business and in
the business world they need to be able to
communicate.” – President of a large,
international civil engineering firm.

Class 1 - Introduction 18
 Course Focus
• This course should not be a reference guide
for all forms of communication
• This course will increase your understanding
of communication in the workplace but will
primarily provide you with tools to learn and
adapt
• Your job as a life-long learner is to figure
things out and apply what you learn to your
own situations

Class 1 - Introduction 19
 Course Objectives
The Big Picture
• This course is about:
– identifying communication skills relevant to your
careers as engineers,
– assessing your strengths and weaknesses with
those skills,
– improving deficient areas,
– and setting yourself up for the future

Class 1 - Introduction 20
 Course Objectives
• Effective technical communication is
– Accurate
– Clear
– Concise
– Coherent
– Appropriate

Class 1 - Introduction 21
 Course Objectives

• Language is a tool
• You can engineer language to solve problems

Class 1 - Introduction 22
 Course Structure
• The structure of the course is patterned off an
engineer’s potential career
• Early stage – writing and presentation
fundamentals; basic applications
• Mid stage – management basics, negotiations,
sales & client-facing interaction
• Later stage – performance evaluations,
international communications, teamwork
• Please review the Syllabus for a detailed
schedule
Class 1 - Introduction 23
 Reading Material
• There are no textbooks for this class, wherever
possible, readings will be freely available
• You will be reading a lot of material from
several online technical communications
handbooks
• You are responsible for the reading list content
and this material will be quizzed

Class 1 - Introduction 24
 Course Delivery
• The general structure of the course will be
– Class lecture, discussion, and Q&A
– Discussion Board on Canvas
– Weekly Assignments
• There are two quizzes, an in-class midterm,
three role-playing exercises, and a take-home
final assignment

Class 1 - Introduction 25
 Course Delivery
• Everything you will need in this course will be
on Canvas
• Be sure to also check the Announcements
page – all core course Announcements will be
made here
• Everything will be organized in obvious ways
to facilitate access, but be aware you are
responsible for all course content on Canvas

Class 1 - Introduction 26
 Course Delivery
• Class slides will be uploaded in PDF to Canvas
– Please note that this is why the slides are very
plain
– They are as simple as possible so they can
function as your own notes
– Class slides will be uploaded before class when
possible but may not be available until after class
sometimes

Class 1 - Introduction 27
 Specifications Grading
• This course implements something called
Specifications Grading (SG)
• I use SG to deal with past concerns about
– Grading subjectivity and transparency
– Weighting of assignments
– Course objectives
• This approach tends to address these
concerns and ends up being easier on
everyone
Class 1 - Introduction 28
 SG Overview
• SG will seem complex at first but the system is
relatively simple
• There are a 6 types of things you will be
evaluated on
• The more work you do of satisfactory quality,
the more points you earn
• The more points you earn, the higher your
grade

Class 1 - Introduction 29
 SG Overview
• The written things you submit (i.e.,
Assignments) are evaluated against a
Specification
• This is essentially “pass/fail” but called
“satisfactory/unsatisfactory” instead
• You will have access to these Specifications
when the assignment is issued

Class 1 - Introduction 30
 SG Overview
• What this means is that if you know at the
outset that you just want to pass the course,
you want to get a “B”, you want an “A+”, or
something in between, you know in advance
what you need to do
• You have to turn in “enough” work, that is of
satisfactory quality to earn the grade you want

Class 1 - Introduction 31
 SG Overview
• This system helps to address concerns such as:
– “why did I get 71% instead of 74%?”
– “you said you liked my assignment, why didn’t I
get a higher mark?”
– “I didn’t do anything wrong, why didn’t I get
100%?”
– “my content was good but my grammar had
mistakes, so what?”

Class 1 - Introduction 32
 SG Overview
• Students’ work is expected to meet a
minimum (“satisfactory”) standard
• Your grade in the course is determined by
completing work that demonstrates achieving
the course learning objectives
• A higher grade in the SG system more
accurately reflects actual mastery of the
material and achievement of the learning
objectives

Class 1 - Introduction 33
 Evaluation Material
• These are the 6 types of things you will be
evaluated on
1. Attendance
2. Discussion Board
3. 2x Quizzes
4. Assignments
5. Major Assignments
6. Final Assignment

Class 1 - Introduction 34
 Evaluation Material
• Each of these 6 types are awarded points at the
end of the term
• There are a total of 50 possible points broken
down in the following percentages
– Attendance: 9%
– DB: 10%
– Quizzes: 6% (2x3%)
– Assignments: 30%
– Major Assignments: 30%
– Final Assignment: 16%

Class 1 - Introduction 35
 1. Attendance
• You are required to attend class in-person
• There are 24 attendance-eligible classes so each
class is worth 0.188% of your term grade
• Missing a few classes doesn’t really matter, but it
does add up
– Note that attendance for certain classes is mandatory
– If you miss the majority of class there may be issues
related to being in “good standing” in the course
– If you are later than 30 minutes to class you receive
no credit for that day
Class 1 - Introduction 36
 2. Discussion Board
• Each class will be followed up with a MS Teams
Discussion Board post
• There will be 24 classes for posting
• This post will contain pre-developed questions to
prompt discussion
• Students will receive credit for insightful
contributions, whether original responses or
replies
• Students will have 48 hours to reply to a post,
after that, it will be closed to further posting

Class 1 - Introduction 37
 2. Discussion Board
• All official discussion will take place on the MS
Teams page Discussion Board channel
• You must sign up for MS Teams to participate
on the DB
• Sign up instructions are on the Canvas home
page

Class 1 - Introduction 38
 2. Discussion Board
Level NS [0] Bronze [1] Silver [2] Gold [3] Platinum Diamond
[4] [5]
DB posts 0 1-9 10-14 15-19 20-24 25+
• DB is worth 0-5 points
• Contributions should be high quality and there is a minimum
word count of 100
• Max posting credit per topic is capped at 2 (1 post, 1 reply) to
prevent students from dominating discussion period or trying to
get max posts in one setting
• Guidelines are posted on Canvas
• The DB will not be strictly moderated, however, students are
expected to follow standards of civil, respectful discussion

Class 1 - Introduction 39
 3. Quizzes
• There are two quizzes based on the assigned
readings
• The quizzes will be:
– Open book, multiple choice
– Random order, no going back, hidden answers
– Relatively short, fixed time
• Quizzes will be done in class
• Please see Reading List for details on covered
content
• The first quiz is at the beginning of Class 5 –
please stay on top of your readings!

Class 1 - Introduction 40
 3. Quizzes
Level NS [0] Bronze Silver [1.0] Gold [1.16] Platinum Diamond [1.5]
[0.5] [1.33]
Quiz 1 <50% 50-59 60-69 70-79 80-89 90+
Quiz 2 <50% 50-59 60-69 70-79 80-89 90+
• Quizzes are worth 0-1.5 points each (total 0-3 points)
• Quizzes will follow standard percentage grading for points
• Be sure to stay on top of your readings! There won’t be
reminders in class to do them – it’s your responsibility to keep up
to date in advance of the quizzes
• Quizzes are not cumulative and test separate material

Class 1 - Introduction 41
 Written Submissions
• The Assignments, Major Assignments, and
Final Assignment all consist of written
submissions
• These are graded as
“satisfactory/unsatisfactory” against a rubric
• If your work meets all the required rubric
criteria, it is satisfactory and will receive full
points
• If your work fails the rubric criteria, it is
unsatisfactory and will receive no points
Class 1 - Introduction 42
 Written Submissions
• If your submission “mostly” meets the criteria
but fails in some way that we evaluate as
“minor” then you’ll receive a 50% deduction
in points
• If your submission fails the spelling, writing,
and grammar (“Writing Mechanics”)
component, then you’ll receive a 50%
deduction in points
• If you do both, you will receive no points
Class 1 - Introduction 43
 4. Assignments
• There are 11 “optional” assignments, assigned
weekly to correspond with the lecture content
• Optional means that you are not required to
do them, however, doing them is the only way
to earn points needed to increase your grade
• These are calibrated to be about 1.5-2 hours
of reading, thinking, and writing
• Due dates are quick and fixed – be sure to
carefully review the Assignment Schedule on
Canvas
Class 1 - Introduction 44
 4. Assignments
Element Title Value
A1 Course Expectations & Early Comm. Assessment 1
A2 Communicating with People 1.5
A3 Conflicts of Interest 1.5
A4 Cover Letter 1.5
A5 TED Talks 1.5
A6 Explain a Concept 2
A7 Team Role Evaluation 1
A8 Salary Negotiation RP Outcome 1.5
A9 Emotional Intelligence 1
A10 Working Abroad 1
A11 Engineering Leadership 1

• Assignments are worth 0-2 points

• The rubric for satisfactory/unsatisfactory will be available right
in the assignment instructions
• It is not expected that students will complete all the
assignments – doing so is a lot of work
• Assignments will always be assigned at 10:30 AM and will
always be due at 11:30 PM
Class 1 - Introduction 45
 5. Major Assignments
• There are several mandatory assignments in
this course
• You are required to at least attempt these
assignments
• If you fail to do a Major Assignment, you will
lose 50% of the assignment’s value from your
term score
• Major Assignments are also graded as
“satisfactory/unsatisfactory” against a rubric
Class 1 - Introduction 46
 5. Major Assignments
Element Title Value
MA1 Article Review 2.5
MA2 White Paper (midterm) 4.5
MA3 Negotiation Role-play Prep 1
MA4 Negotiation Role-play Outcome Report 3
MA5 Performance Evaluation Role-play Prep 1
Performance Evaluation Role-play Outcome
MA6 Report 3

• Major Assignments are worth 1-4.5 points

• The rubric for satisfactory/unsatisfactory will be available right
in the assignment instructions
• Major Assignments will always be assigned at 10:30 AM and
will always be due at 11:30 PM
• The exception is the midterm which is written in class

Class 1 - Introduction 47
 6. Final Assignment
• The Final Assignment will be issued towards
the end of the course
• It will consist of 4 parts that you will have a
fixed amount of time to complete (about 36
hours)
• Each part will be evaluated as
satisfactory/unsatisfactory separately

Class 1 - Introduction 48
 6. Final Assignment
Element Title Value
FA1 Element 1 2
FA2 Element 2 2
FA3 Element 3 2
FA4 Element 4 2

• The Final Assignment is worth 0-8 points (cumulative)

• You will receive all the information you need to do the Final
Assignment on towards the end of term

Class 1 - Introduction 49
 Course-end Scoring
• At the end of the course Points Letter Percent

how well you did on each 50 A+ 95%

evaluation element will 45.5 A 87%

be summed up 42.8 A- 82%

• Your final points tally will 39.9 B+ 77%

map to a percentage 38.3 B 74%

grade, shown here with 36.1 B- 70%

UBC’s standard letter 33.9 C+ 66%

grade ranges for reference 31.7 C 62%

28.9 C- 57%
• 0.557 points ~= 1% 26.1 D 52%

• 1 point = 1.796% 25 D- 50%

<25 F <50%

Class 1 - Introduction 50
 Examples
• Here’s a few examples of how this might work
• Example 1
– All the Assignments worth more than 1 point (skip
the 1 point ones) [8.5 points]
– All the Major Assignments [15 points]
– Perfect score on the Final [8 points]
– >90 on both quizzes [3 points]
– Only attend 5 mandatory classes [0.94 points]
– No DB
– Sum: 35.44 points = 68% (68.25%)

Class 1 - Introduction 51
 Examples
• Example 2
– Skip all the assignments [0 points]
– All the Major Assignments [15 points]
– Perfect score on the Final [8 points]
– >90 on both quizzes [3 points]
– Attend every class [4.5 points]
– Maximum DB [5 points]
– Sum: 35.5 points = 68% (68.36%)

Class 1 - Introduction 52
 Examples
• Example 3
– A2, A3, A4, A5 [6 points]
– All the Major Assignments [15 points]
– Perfect score on the Final [8 points]
– 80 on quiz 1, 78 on quiz 2 [2.49 points]
– Only attend 5 mandatory classes [0.94 points]
– Maximum DB [5 points]
– Sum: 37.43 points = 72% (71.8%)

Class 1 - Introduction 53
 Flexibility
• Basically what you end up with is largely up to
you
• You can aim to min/max what you feel like doing,
do just the assignments and DB topics you like,
etc.
• Just remember: if you skip most of the early term
work you are taking a chance on scoring enough
in the late term
• There is no opportunity to make up any missed
work

Class 1 - Introduction 54
 Grade Expectations
• It is important in this course to set
expectations about what grades will look like
• Like other courses you will take, there is a
rough departmental idea as to what the
average should be (usually between 70-75%)
• It is very unlikely people will fail this class
• It is also very unlikely everyone will achieve
95%
• The SG system is set up so that if you want a
really high mark you will have to work for it
Class 1 - Introduction 55
 Late Policy & Tokens
• The late submission policy under SG is a bit
different
• The deadline is fixed and any submissions
marked as late by Canvas receive a 0 (no
credit)
• This is required because all the deliverables
are on a tightly assigned schedule

Class 1 - Introduction 56
 Computer/Networking Policy
Because assignments will be submitted
electronically, enough buffer time should be given to
accommodate any possible computer and/or
networking issues.
Computer and/or networking issues are not
considered acceptable reasons for late submission.
Students must anticipate slow network traffic or
possible interruptions/delays. Students are
discouraged from submitting assignments within 10
minutes of the deadline and should aim to submit
earlier.
Class 1 - Introduction 57
 Computer/Networking Policy
Disputes or discrepancies may arise over late
submissions, wrong file “corrections”, and similar
issues. In cases of any disputes or discrepancies
with the Canvas system, decisions will be made
based on the logs and support from UBC Learning
Services. Student submitted screenshots, files,
file property information, and/or similar material
will not be considered acceptable evidence.
Since these things can be altered surreptitiously
and cannot be independently verified, student
submitted evidence cannot be accepted as a form
of evidence.

Class 1 - Introduction 58
 Computer/Networking Policy
• It is the student’s responsibility to ensure they are
submitting the correct file to the correct Canvas
submission area. Submission of unreadable, blank,
corrupted, or otherwise incorrect files (e.g., submitting
the instructions instead of your assignment), will be
considered non-submissions. Submissions to the
wrong Canvas course folder will be considered non-
submissions.
• It is the student’s responsibility to ensure they are
submitting the right work in the right place, on time,
every time. No allowances or exceptions will be made
if this error is not detected by the student, Instructor,
or TA for any period of time after submission.

Class 1 - Introduction 59
 Late Policy & Tokens
• In order to accommodate various individual
circumstances, each student is offered 3
tokens at the beginning of the term that they
can redeem during the term, no questions
asked
• You never need to provide a reason why you
are using a token

Class 1 - Introduction 60
 Token Policy
• Tokens can be used in the following ways:
A. a single 24 hour original deadline extension (tokens
cannot be used for extensions on Major Assignment 3 &
5 or the Final Assignment as they are time-sensitive)
B. a single redo on an unsatisfactory Assignment or Major
Assignment (24 hour turn-around required, redone
evaluation stands)
C. a single redo to address either type of 50% deduction on
an Assignment or Major Assignment (24 hour turn-
around required, redone evaluation stands)
D. a single 24 hour extension on the initial redo deadline

• Please see the Supplementary Guidelines document on

Canvas explaining the token system in detail
Class 1 - Introduction 61
 Token Policy
• Tokens must be confirmed by email and there
are no refunds on tokens
• Tokens cannot be used on quizzes or the final
assignment
• Please read the guidelines on how/when to
redeem tokens
• If you do not follow these rules your token
request will be denied

Class 1 - Introduction 62
 Syllabus
• Please be sure to read the syllabus,
particularly the policies on Academic
Accommodation and Academic Concessions
• If you require Academic Accommodation at
all, please coordinate with the Centre for
Accessibility sooner rather than later
• Academic Concessions will be treated on a
case-by-case basis as per the syllabus

Class 1 - Introduction 63
 Course Expectations
• My responsibilities are to teach the course
material and facilitate discussion
• My commitments to you:
– Where appropriate, provide useful feedback on
your work in a timely manner
– Respond to emails in an reasonable time frame
– Grade fairly
– Listen and respect your ideas
– Help you to learn about communication
– Help you succeed in your careers

Class 1 - Introduction 64
 Course Expectations
• In the past I have provided students with
advice and guidance regarding
– Educational development (e.g., grad school,
professional programs, etc.)
– Resumes
– Interviews
– Internships
– Business case competitions
• I am happy to be a resource to help students
Class 1 - Introduction 65
 Course Expectations
• Your responsibilities are to
– Follow the rules and policies posted
– Attend class
– At a minimum, complete the mandatory work in
this class (you will need more than that to pass
though)
– Help create a positive learning environment for
yourself and others by being respectful and
professional

Class 1 - Introduction 66
 Course Ideals
• Give it a good faith effort
• This class is an opportunity to “put yourself
out there” in a (relatively) low-stakes
environment
• Even though this is a required course, try to
have some fun with it

Class 1 - Introduction 67
 Course Ideals
• Test the boundaries of your comfort zone,
especially if you are introverted
• The role-playing and in-class exercises tend to
make people anxious
• Remember that you are in a class with your
peers with very little at stake (e.g., zero
workplace or career consequences)
• Try not to stress out about it too much

Class 1 - Introduction 68
 Class Philosophy
• As with all communication, this class relies on
trust
• This class should be fun and engaging
• Not a class about right answers (necessarily) but
listening, learning, and practicing your
communication skills
• This is just the beginning of your communications
journey – not the end
• If you have questions, please ask – chances are
someone has the same question

Class 1 - Introduction 69
 Class Philosophy
• Students often seem to exhibit fear/anxiety
around doing “the wrong thing” and therefore
seek confirmation at every step (“is this right?”)
• Instructions are provided at an almost pedantic
level – everything you need is right there
– If something doesn’t make sense or is not clear from
the instructions, then feel free to ask
– Ignorance of posted instructions/requirements is not
an excuse

Class 1 - Introduction 70
 Class Philosophy
• The token system exists to correct errors (if
there are any); the thing you may be stressing
over may not even be important
• When we grade, we’re cognizant to not
penalize you for things you wouldn’t have
known
• You are expected to do the best you can
within the parameters you are given
• You need to decide what you want to do and
then commit to it
Class 1 - Introduction 71
 About Deadlines
• The deadlines in this course are very strict and
in the “real world” deadlines are usually more
flexible
• However, in the real world, there are typically
also very real consequences for not adhering
to specific deadlines
• In the workplace, clients/stakeholders and/or
teammates expect upfront communication
about status and delays, not ghosting
Class 1 - Introduction 72
 About Deadlines
• Generally speaking, people are understanding
but only if you keep them in the loop and can
show good faith attempts to keep moving
things forward
• Sometimes things aren’t moveable and
communicating helps you figure out how to
prioritize and troubleshoot
• Coming in after the fact is always too late

Class 1 - Introduction 73
 ChatGPT/AI
• Use of AI tools are not permitted in this course
• As this is an evolving issue, additional steps
may be taken if it becomes an increasing
problem
• There is really no reason to use it in this
course (the assignments are not difficult)
• If you develop a reliance on AI, it will
negatively impact your ability to communicate
with others, especially spontaneously
Class 1 - Introduction 74
Questions?

Class 1 - Introduction 75
 Next Class
• Today you are being assigned your first
assignment!
• Please check the Assignment page for the first
assignment instructions and information
• Please be sure to review the documentation
provided on Canvas, especially the
Supplementary Guidelines
– If you have any questions please ask!

Class 1 - Introduction 76
 The End
• See you next class!
• Office Hours are by appointment
• Please direct correspondence to
[email protected]

Class 1 - Introduction 77