Technical Communication teaches IT students to write and present clearly for professional audiences, from editing a company email to delivering a recorded presentation.
It is a 3 competency unit general education course placed in the first term of WGU's Cloud and Network Engineering degree and its AWS and Azure tracks.
Technically strong students sometimes underrate it. Evaluators look closely at grammar, audience fit and structure, and a single careless paragraph can send work back for revision.
Course at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| University | Western Governors University (WGU) |
| Course | D339 Technical Communication |
| Level | Undergraduate general education, 3 competency units |
| Programs | B.S. Cloud and Network Engineering (all tracks), among others |
| Subject area | Professional and technical writing, presentations |
| Typical work | Editing tasks, technical documents, a multimedia presentation |
What D339 Covers
WGU lists four competencies:
| Competency (summarized) | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| Edit corporate communications for grammar and punctuation | Correcting errors, tightening wordy sentences, consistent style |
| Evaluate business etiquette in digital environments | Email tone, chat and video meeting conduct, privacy and professionalism online |
| Create persuasive, informational and research-based artifacts | Proposals, instructions, reports and memos with credible sources |
| Deliver presentations with professional verbal skills and multimedia | Clear spoken delivery supported by well-designed slides |
Key Concepts Explained
Audience, Purpose and Format
Every technical document starts with who will read it, what they need to do afterwards, and the format that serves them best. A manager wants a decision and its cost; a technician wants steps.
Example: You must announce a server upgrade. The email to staff says what will be unavailable, when, and what they should do, in under 120 words. The note to the IT team covers the change window, rollback plan and contacts. Same event, two documents.
Informational Versus Persuasive Writing
Informational documents (instructions, reports) aim to be accurate and easy to follow. Persuasive documents (proposals, recommendations) state a position, support it with evidence and answer likely objections.
Example: Before: "It is believed by the team that the implementation of multifactor authentication could potentially be beneficial." After: "We recommend multifactor authentication for all staff accounts because it blocks most password-based attacks." The second version is shorter, active and makes a clear case.
Designing Slides That Support Speech
Slides should carry key points and visuals, not full paragraphs. The speaker explains; the slide reinforces.
Typical Tasks and How to Approach Them
| Task type | What it tests | How to approach it |
|---|---|---|
| Editing exercise | Grammar, punctuation, clarity | Read aloud, fix errors, then cut unnecessary words |
| Etiquette analysis | Judgment about digital conduct | Explain the impact on relationships, security and reputation |
| Technical artifact | Structure, audience fit, sources | Use headings, short paragraphs, visuals and cited evidence |
| Recorded presentation | Verbal delivery and multimedia | Script key points, rehearse, keep slides uncluttered |
A Pre-Submission Checklist
Many D339 revisions come from small, avoidable issues. Run through this list before submitting any artifact:
| Check | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| Audience | Would the named reader understand every term? |
| Purpose | Is the main point or request in the first paragraph? |
| Structure | Do headings, lists and short paragraphs help a skimming reader? |
| Grammar | Have I checked agreement, comma use and apostrophes? |
| Tone | Is it professional, polite and free of slang? |
| Sources | Are research claims supported and cited in the required style? |
| Rubric | Does every rubric point have a clear, findable answer? |
For the presentation, add a delivery check: is the recording clear, is the pace steady and do the slides support rather than repeat what you say?
Digital Etiquette That Evaluators Look For
The etiquette competency asks you to evaluate how behavior in digital spaces affects people and organizations. Strong answers go beyond politeness and consider clarity, privacy and reputation.
- Email: clear subject lines, a direct opening and careful use of reply-all.
- Chat: concise messages, respect for working hours and no sensitive data in open channels.
- Video meetings: punctuality, muting when not speaking and appropriate backgrounds.
- Social media: keeping personal opinions separate from the employer's voice.
Explain the impact each time: a careless reply-all can leak information, waste colleagues' time and damage trust.
Where Students Get Stuck
- Grammar slips. Comma splices, subject-verb agreement and apostrophes are common revision reasons.
- Writing for the wrong reader. Too much jargon for managers, too little detail for technicians.
- Thin research. Research-based artifacts need credible sources, cited correctly.
- Presentation nerves. Practice with a timer and record a trial run.
Study Tips for D339
- Keep a personal list of your recurring grammar errors and check for them each time.
- Use headings and numbered steps wherever readers need to act.
- Read your work backwards sentence by sentence to catch errors.
- Check your presentation audio and screen recording before the final take.
How We Help with D339
Send the task instructions, rubric, your draft and any evaluator comments. An editor reviews grammar, structure, tone and sourcing with explained comments, or prepares a model document for a comparable scenario so you can see the structure. For longer persuasive documents, our white paper writing guide explains how they are organized.
GradeEssays is independent of Western Governors University. Editing and model work are study aids: you write, record and submit your own artifacts. Every order is written from scratch, plagiarism-checked and covered by free revisions within the scope of your original request.
Write Clearer D339 Artifacts
Share the task, rubric and your draft. We give detailed editing feedback and a model structure you can learn from.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Mostly writing and editing, plus a presentation competency, so expect both written artifacts and spoken delivery.
WGU places Technical Communication in the first term of the Cloud and Network Engineering degree and its AWS and Azure tracks.
WGU lists Technical Communication at 3 competency units.
Follow your task instructions; WGU courses commonly use APA, but check the rubric.
No. We can review your script and slides and suggest improvements, but you deliver your own presentation.
Yes. We give explained edits and comments so you can learn and revise it yourself.