5 Mistakes People Make in This Course

Guidelines for Traci Gardner’s Technical Writing courses at Virginia Tech

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Learn the five ways people most often go wrong in my online Technical Writing course. They all relate to misunderstanding the schedule, grace period, and effort expectations.

Skip Work Logs
It may seem tedious to record and reflect on all the work you do for the course, but you need those details for your midterm and final. It’s important to put in the effort on the logs.
Miss the End of the Grace Period
Some activities have a firm due date with a five-day grace period. Feedback Discussions have no grace period. Be sure you know which assignments require timely work.
Assume You’ll Get to It Later
It’s easy to put it off work until later—and get so far behind you can’t catch up. Be sure to schedule work time during the term. Don't assume you can do everything during the last week of April.
Misunderstand What It Means to Earn a Complete
A Complete submission meets all the requirements of the assignment. Turning something in isn’t enough. You need to turn in work that shows full effort.
Don’t Allow Time for Revision
Turning in work doesn’t guarantee a Complete. Be sure you have time to revise after I add feedback (especially at the end of the term).