Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Spring Semester 2026

Grant and Technical Writing (Face-to-Face)

ENGL 3120-01

Course: ENGL 3120-01
Credits: 3
Term: Spring Semester 2026
Department: ENGL
CRN: 12164

Course Description

This course is open to all students who want to learn grant and proposal writing. Students will use time-tested rhetorical strategies to identify new opportunities and solve problems. They will develop plans for action, organize ideas, improve the clarity of their writing, and communicate information in a way that a general audience can understand. Students will work with a community partner of their choice in a project-based technical writing experience.

This type of writing requires consistent writing, revision, and attention to detail. The biggest problem with most writing is not a lack of skill, but rather a tendency to procrastinate. In this class, you will complete a substantial writing project. It requires diligent project management. It requires revision and readers. An important part of your job is to serve as a reader for your classmates and to help each other succeed, so peer reviews are important.

You will be choosing and working with a community partner. The documents you produce will be read and evaluated by the community partner and by me. Each project in this class is unique and will probably produce unique challenges.

I will match your efforts in this class. I will read and review your work. In this class, you will be writing for a real audience: a community partner. To that end, I am a facilitator and will work with you, rather than simply grade your project. If you have questions or concerns at any time, please let me know.

Required Texts

  • Johnson-Sheehan, Richard. (2008) Writing Proposals, New York: Pearson. ISBN 0-13-978-0-205-58314.0
  • Assigned readings posted on Canvas and/or class wiki

Learning Outcomes

RHETORICAL KNOWLEDGE
  • Understand the role of rhetoric in producing efficient written and oral communication skills.
  • Analyze rhetorical elements of audience, purpose, and context to effectively communicate technical information in written, oral, and visual forms.
  • Successfully apply the technical writing skills requisite for treating scientific subjects for a professional audience, as well as for general readership.
  • Acquire critical thinking skills essential to discovering the best available means of persuasion in both written and oral communication
WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
  • Improve writing style by focusing on clarity, conciseness and accessibility. Articulate a well-developed personal assessment of your writing process including strengths and weaknesses.
  • WORKPLACE COMMUNICATION. Experience the function of technical communication within a professional, “real world” setting.
INTEGRATIVE LEARNING
  • Use language and format in a way that enhances meaning, making clear the interdependence of language and meaning, thought, and expression.
  • Make connections between ideas and experiences; synthesize and transfer learning to new complex situations within and beyond the campus

Course Requirements

ProjectsComponentsOverall %Points
Contract Letter, Dissemination Letter Evaluation Material
  • Initial draft of Contract Letter (completr/inc)
  • Final draft of Contract Letter (4)
  • Signed Contract Letter (2)
  • final draft of Evaluation/Dissemination (4)
10%10.00
Community PartnerCommunity Partner evaluation10%10.00
Grant Proposal Project
  • Project Development Assigns (1-4, 6-9)
  • Project Development Assignment 5
  • Project Development Assignment 10
  • Final draft Grant Proposal (with reflection)
10% 5% 45%Comp/Incom 10.00 5/00 45.00
Class participationParticipation, attendance, in-class peer reviews, and three student meetings10%10.00
QuizzesQuizzes10%10.00
Totals100%100.00
Calculating Grades

Please see Canvas for details about each project. Let me know if you have questions.

Grades will be determined on a percentage basis. Major assignments will be graded on the standard letter-grade scale with plusses and minuses. Your overall grade and project grades are based on the following percentages:

A = 100 – 93 %A- = 92 – 90 %B+ = 89 – 88 %B = 87 – 83 %B- = 82 – 80 %
C+ = 79 – 78 %C = 77 – 72 %C- = 71 – 70 %D+ = 69 – 68 %D = 67 – 62 %
D- = 61 – 60 %F = 0 %

Course Outline

DateClass DiscussionAssignments Due
Week 1ThurJan 8Intro to course
Week 2TueJan 13Rhetoric and Writing GrantsDue: Intro Assign & Read Chapter 1
Due: Quiz 1
ThurJan 15Choosing a Community Partner / InitialDue: Read Chapter 2
contact with community partnerDue: Quiz 2
Week 3TueJan 20Writing the Current Situation sectionDue: WA 1 Organizational Planning
ThurJan 22Research & the Current SituationDue: Read Chapter 3
Week 4TueJan 27No Class / Student MeetingsDue: Read Chapter 4
Due: Quiz 3 Chapter 4
ThurJan 29Writing the Contract LetterDue: WA 2 Current Situation
Week 5TueFeb 3Meet at the LibraryDue: Draft of Contract Letter to Prof.
ThurFeb 5Developing the Project PlanDue: WA 3 Funding
Week 6TueFeb 10Revising the Project Plan & Current SituationDue: Contract Letter to Partner Due: Read Chapter 5 Due: Quiz 4 The Project Plan
ThurFeb 12No Class / Student MeetingsDue: WA 4 Preliminary Project Plan
No Class / Student meetings
Week 7TueFeb 17No Class / Student MeetingsNo Class / Student Meetings
ThurFeb 19Revising for the CS and Project PlanDue: Peer Reviews of CS and ProjPlan
Week 8TueFeb 24Due: WA 5 Project Plan
ThurFeb 26Dissemination/Evaluation/SustainabilityDue: Signed Contract Letter (Canvas)
Due: Quiz 5 Dessem/eval/sustain
Week 9TueMar 3The Qualifications SectionDue: WA 6 Dissemination, Evaluation, Sustainability
ThurMar 5Due: Quiz 6 Qualifications
Week 10TueMar 10Spring Break No Class
ThurMar 12Spring Break No Class
Week 11TueMar 17Writing the Budget SectionDue: WA 7 Qualifications
ThurMar 19Front & Back MatterDue: Quiz 7 Budget
Week 12TueMar 24Read Chapters 7 and 12Due: WA 8 Budget
ThurMar 26Read Chapter 8 and Chapter 11Due: Quiz 8 Front & Back Matter
TueMar 31Festival of Excellence (No Class)Due: WA 9 Front & Back Matter
Week 13ThurApr 2Read Chapter 9Due: Quiz 9 STYLE
Student Meetings / No ClassDue: Draft of Project
Week 14TueApr 7Student Meetings / No classNo Class / Student Meetings
ThurApr 9Panel Review InformationDue: Draft of Project
Week 15TueApr 14Complete individual reviews before classDue: WA 10 Review Panels (in class)
ThurApr 16Global Revision (layout) Read Chapter 10Group work Due: Evaluation material to professor
Final ExamApr 20-23Final Exam Tues April 21, 9 amDue: Final Project Due: Final Exam & course reflection Community Partner Evals (APR 29)

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Label all documents as follows: last name, first initial, assignment title. (LastNameFirstInitia_AssignmentName.docx)

Project Development assignments (1-4 & 6-9) will be graded on a complete/incomplete basis. These assignments will be revisited and revised as the semester progresses. It is important to do your best with each assignment and revise as needed throughout the semester. Ultimately, the grade for project development assignments will be largely determined by the effort you put into each assignment. This might seem subjective, so do your best to show that your work reflects your best effort.

Attendance Policy

Your attendance is essential for success in this class. We are a learning “community” with shared objectives; as such, your presence matters. Participation points are based on your active participation in class.

Course Fees

none

Writing Center

The Writing Center is open to SUU students seeking free consultations Spring Semester 8 am -9 pm and Saturdays. You may make appointments at writingcenter@suu.edu. The Writing Center accommodates walk-in appointments if there is an open slot.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.