BUS 2100 Business Communication Fall 2006

Transcription

1 BUS 2100 Business Communication Fall 2006 Instructor: Ms. Susan Terkelsen Office Number: Milner 173 Meeting Time: T/R, 8:30 Section 1, 11:00 Section 2, Milner 142 Office Phone: Office Hours: M/W 9:30-10:00, 2:00-3:00; T/R 3:00-4:00 Course Description This syllabus provides a general plan for the course. Deviations may be necessary. This course prepares the student to write and speak professionally in a multicultural, technologically sophisticated corporate setting. Basic writing, proofreading skills, and clear business English are stressed. Students are taught to draft and evaluate a variety of letters, s, memos, and reports, as well as demonstrate oral communication skills and the ability to collaborate with others to produce a cohesive document. Textbook Essentials of Business Communication, 7 th Edition, Mary Ellen Guffey, South-Western, Must include 1Pass Online Resource Access code. Student Website Course Objectives 1. Demonstrate the ability to write routine memos, s, and letters using clear business English and to effectively proofread correspondence written by others. 2. Demonstrate the ability to use a positive tone when writing business letters, and emphasize benefits to the recipient. 3. Demonstrate the ability to effectively write memos and letters dealing with negative messages, persuasive messages, and special messages (congratulatory notes, sympathy notes, and letters of recommendation). 4. Demonstrate the ability to revise business messages to make them more clear, concise and effective. 5. Develop an understanding of informal and formal proposals and reports. 6. Develop skills in making effective oral presentations. 7. Demonstrate the ability to do online research. 8. Demonstrate the ability to engage in collaborative writing. 9. Understand the rules of grammar, punctuation, and capitalization in business letter and report writing. 10. Value honesty and integrity in all facets of business communication. Evaluation The student s overall grade will be determined as follows: Homework and Chapter Reviews 15% Unit Exams 20% Comprehensive Final 15% Letters 15% Interview Project 15% Team Project 10% In-class Activities/class participation 5% Grammar and Mechanics test 5% Total 100% Grading Scale A C A C B D B D B D C F EUIS-2100 Business Communication 1 Fall 2006

2 Homework and Chapter Reviews You are responsible for having your assignments submitted by the beginning of class on the day they are due (even if you are not there). They must be printed and ready to be turned in when class begins. Do not expect to print assignments in the lab at the beginning of class. Since we generally discuss homework in class on the day it is due, late homework will not be accepted. Incomplete and inaccurate homework will be penalized. Assignments should be the individual work of the student no two assignments should be identical. Assignments should be prepared as Microsoft Word documents and submitted on WebCT. You must also have a hard copy available at the beginning of class. Chapter Reviews and Homework should be saved as separate files using the following format (use your last name and appropriate chapter number): Chapter Reviews: Homework: Smith Ch. 1 Review Smith Ch. 2 Homework Exams Three unit exams will be given during the semester as well as one comprehensive final. Exams will typically be multiple choice, but could include true/false, short answer and writing items. Students must be in class in order to take an exam. If you are sick and cannot take a scheduled test, you must contact your instructor before the test is given - otherwise, you will not be permitted to make up the exam. Letters During the semester you will have several graded letter-writing assignments. Letter-writing assignments cannot be made up. (Objectives 1-3) Interview Project You will conduct an informational interview with a working professional in your area of study. This exercise will give you the opportunity to investigate an individual s expertise in his or her area and allows you to learn more about a career field you have and interest in as well as what role communication plays in that field. It is not a job interview. The process requires you to write a business letter to secure an interview, identify appropriate interview questions, conduct an interview, present your findings to the class and follow up with a short report regarding the experience. More information on this project will be given to you in class. (Objectives 1, 5-7) Team Project You will write one team business report. This report will be a collaborative effort of your group and will teach you proper business report format as well as enable you to develop cohesive team-writing skills. You may be required to make an oral presentation of your report to the class. Specific report requirements will be given to you in class. (Objectives 5-8) In-class Activities and Class Participation You will be assigned individual and group in-class activities dealing with the current chapter or subject matter. These activities are to be completed during the class period. In-class activities cannot be made up. Attitude and preparation for class discussion will have a bearing on this portion of your grade. Class participation will be determined by your contribution to class discussions and your involvement with in-class activities. EUIS-2100 Business Communication 2 Fall 2006

3 Grammar and Mechanics You will demonstrate an understanding of the rules of Grammar and Mechanics. Early in the semester you will identify areas that need attention and will be expected to complete exercises to help you strengthen your skills in those areas. Your overall writing should improve as you focus on commanding a greater understanding of these skills. A grammar and mechanics test will be given toward the end of the semester. (Objective 9) Extra Credit Students have the opportunity to earn a limited number of extra credit points during the semester. Details will be given to you in class. (Objectives 4, 6, 9, and 10) Attendance You are expected to attend all class sessions. If you have a legitimate reason for being absent you should your instructor before the absence. You may miss three classes without penalty to your final grade. These absences should be used for sickness or legitimate reasons and are not designed to be used because you want to sleep in or just don t feel like going to class that day. Homework that is due on a day that you are absent must still be submitted on time unless prior arrangements have been made with the instructor. In-class activities that you miss due to absences cannot be made up. Your final grade will be reduced by 2% for every absence over three. Excessive tardiness will also be penalized. Attitude and preparation for class discussion may also affect the final grade (this includes bringing your materials to class). Reading You are expected to come to class having read the chapter that we are discussing for that day. Chapter Review questions are to be completed prior to coming to class. My expectation is that you will be familiar with chapter material on the day we begin discussing it so that we can begin working with it right away. If students fail to keep up with the reading and review questions, quizzes will be given and factored into the final grade. To aid in studying, you will find PowerPoint slides for each chapter on the Student Website. Proofreading Spelling is very important when it comes to business correspondence. Be sure to use the spell check program on every document before submission. However, realize that the spell checker is only a tool. You will still be held accountable for misspelled words even though the spell checker was used on the document. A spelling error can be costly on a graded assignment. Documents with multiple spelling errors will not be accepted. Additional points will be deducted for errors in grammar, punctuation, tone, style, content, format, and sentence/paragraph construction. Proofread all documents before submitting them. Class Procedures During the class period you will be expected to listen to the lecture, participate in discussion, or work on the class activity assigned for that day. You are expected to bring your own textbook (no sharing). Reading , internet searching, instant messaging, playing games, or working on homework for other classes will not be tolerated. A class absence could be given to a student not working on current class assignments. You must use the school-provided computers in the lab during class. If your computer is not working properly, please submit a problem report to Computer Services. Be sure to report the room number, the computer number and a description of the problem. EUIS-2100 Business Communication 3 Fall 2006

4 You are responsible for being aware of assignments made in class or changes in the class schedule. Cheating will result in a grade penalty for the course. The grade penalty could be an F for the assignment, unit, or even the final grade for the course. Cheating includes loaning or copying work from another student as well as representing the work of others as your own. Whether you are the borrowing or lending student, you are cheating. Remember, all homework submitted for credit is expected to be the individual work of the student no two assignments should be identical. Students may not work together on assignments unless the assignment specifically calls for that kind collaboration. If you believe you may need support in managing the impact of a disability, please contact Marilyn Meyer, Coordinator of Disability Services, by phone at 3843, or at meyerm@cedarville.edu. Office located in CAL 164. Examples of disability categories are AD/HD, Specific Learning Disability, Hearing, Vision, Health Impairment, Psychological, Orthopedic, and Traumatic Brain Injury. Faculty rely on Disability Services to verify the need for accommodation and to assist in developing reasonable and appropriate accommodation strategies. View website at EUIS-2100 Business Communication 4 Fall 2006

5 Fall 2006 Semester BUS-2100 Business Communication Tentative Course Schedule Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Aug 23 Aug 24 Aug 25 Aug 28 Aug 29 Grammar and Mechanics Diagnostic Writing Sample Sept 4 Sept 5 Labor Day no classes Class Introductions Sept 11 Sept 12 Read Ch. 3/CR3 Due, Ch. 2 HW Due Sept 18 Sept 19 Ch. 4 HW Due Exam Review Sept 25 Sept 26 Read Ch. 5/CR5 Due Interviewee Name Due Oct 2 Oct 3 Ch. 6 HW Due Writing Workshop 1 Oct 9 Oct 10 Read Ch. 7/CR7 Due Oct 16 Oct 17 Oct 23 Oct 24 Read Ch. 8/CR8 Due Oct 30 Oct 31 Nov 6 Nov 7 Read Ch. 9/CR9 Due Nov 13 Nov 14 Read Ch. 11/CR11 Due Interview Project Report Due Nov 20 Nov 21 Read Ch. 12/CR12 Due Team Project Report Due Nov 27 Nov 28 Thanksgivi ng break Oral Presentations Individual Dec 4 Dec 5 Introduction Aug 30 Aug 31 Read Ch. 1/CR1 Due Sept 6 Sept 7 Read Ch. 2/CR2Due Sept 13 Sept 14 Sept 20 Day of Prayer Read Ch. 4/CR4 Due, Ch. 3 HW Due Sept 21 Unit Exam: Chapters 1-4 Sept 27 Sept 28 Read Ch. 6/CR6 Due, Ch. 5 HW Due Oct 4 Oct 5 Interview Request Letter Due Oct 11 Oct 12 Ch. 7 HW Due Writing Workshop 2 Oct 18 Oct 19 Fall Break no classes Oct 25 Oct 26 Ch. 8 HW Due Writing Workshop 3 Nov 1 Nov 2 Unit Exam: Chapters 5-8 Nov 8 Nov 9 Read Ch. 10/CR10 Due Nov 15 Nov 16 Team Project Work Day Nov 22 Nov 23 Thanksgiving break Nov 29 Nov 30 Grammar and Mechanics Test Exam Review Dec 6 Dec 7 Sept 1 Sept 8 Sept 15 Sept 22 Sept 29 Oct 6 Oct 13 Oct 20 Fall Break no classes Oct 27 Nov 3 Nov 10 Nov 17 Nov 24 Thanksgiv ing break Dec 1 Dec 8 Unit Exam: Chapters 9-12 Dec 11 Dec 12 Comprehensive Final Exam 8:00 Section 1, 10:30 Section 2 Oral Presentations - Group Dec 13 Dec 14 Dec 15 EUIS-2100 Business Communication 5 Fall 2006