Waycross College

Syllabus

 

Course:          BUSA 2105 Business Communication

Textbook:       Business and Administrative Communication, Locke and Kiengzler, 8th Edition

Semester       Fall 2008

Day and Time: Online

Room             Online

Instructor       Brenda A. Sutton, MAOM

Office Hours:            By Appointment Only

Email:             basutton@waycross.edu

Phone:           912-550-1804

 

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

In this course, students apply the basic writing process—transitioning from fluency to clarity to correctness—as they create a variety of effective business communication for both internal and external audiences. Selected readings provide the foundation for discussions of the purpose, audience, structure, tone, and content of business writing. Grammar exercises focus on sentence structure, punctuation, capitalization, and bias-free language.

TOPICS AND OBJECTIVES

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN READING AND WRITING

        Discuss selected readings for purpose, audience, structure, and tone.

        Determine methods for building rapport between the writer and reader of written communication.

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

        Determine appropriate purpose, audience, tone, and content for interpersonal communication.

        Identify the purpose of available online writing resources.

        Use grammar, mechanics, spelling, and punctuation appropriately.

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

        Identify appropriate purpose, audience, tone, and content for business communication.

INFORMATIVE, POSITIVE, AND NEGATIVE MESSAGES

        Use the writing process to create a variety of effective business communication.

        Develop informative and positive messages for use in the workplace.

        Convey negative messages that communicate openly, honestly, and diplomatically.

PERSUASIVE MESSAGES

        Identify characteristics of persuasive messages.

        Write persuasive messages to meet specific business needs.

WORD PROCESSING SKILLS

        Develop fundamental word processing skills.

        Compare basic style guidelines for formatting papers.

ELEMENTS OF PRESENTATIONS

        Discuss options for presenting information in a business environment.

        Identify ways to incorporate effective visual elements into business presentations.

JOB-APPLICATION SKILLS

        Determine a strategy for managing a job search.

        Develop documents associated with a job search.

BUSINESS PRESENTATIONS

        Apply comprehensive presentation skills.

 

 

*Please see Blackboard for further assignments and/or additions.

 

PART ONE The Building Blocks of Effective Messages  (Week One and Two)

1 Business Communication, Management, and Success
2 Adapting Your Message to Your Audience
3 Building Goodwill
4 Making Your Writing Easy to Read
5 Planning, Composing, and Revising
6 Designing Documents, Data Displays, and Visuals

PART TWO Job Hunting  (Week Three)

7 Résumés
8 Job Application Letters
9 Job Interviews, Follow-Up Messages, Job Offers, and First Job

PART THREE Basic Business Messages  (Week Three)

10 Informative and Positive Messages
11 Negative Messages
12 Persuasive and Sales Messages

PART FOUR Interpersonal Communication  (Week Four)

13 Communicating across Cultures
14 Working and Writing in Groups

PART FIVE Reports  (Week Five)

15 Planning, Proposing, and Researching Reports
16 Analyzing Information and Writing Reports
17 Making Oral Presentations

Appendices

A Formats for Letters, Memos, and E-Mail Messages

 

Grading Requirements

 

Unit Exams/Assignments  60%

Class Participation              10%

Individual Project                 15%

Final Exam                           15%

 

Grading Key

 

A= 90-100 points

B= 80-89 points

C=70-79 points

D=60-69 points

F= Below 60

W=Voluntary Student Withdrawal

WF=Withdrawal of student by faculty due to attendance policy OR voluntary student withdrawal after the deadline

 

 

 

 

This is a tentative schedule only.  The instructor reserves the right to change items and timing schedule.  All schedule changes will be communicated in a timely manner.

 

Class Week Calendar:

 

Monday          Day 1

Tuesday         Day 2

Wednesday   Day 3

Thursday       Day 4

Friday             Day 5

Saturday        Day 6

Sunday          Day 7

 

Online Participation

You must participate in the discussion questions 5 out of 7 days.  Please see Participation Rubric for clarification.  Discussion questions responses must be 100-150 words in length and does not count toward participation points.  Discussion responses to your peers must be substantive.  Reponses such as “me too” or “ I agree” does not count toward participation. 

 

Make Up Policy

Students may make-up one missed exam.  A single, cumulative make-up exam will be given the last week of class in the ASC.  Students may also take the make-up exam if they have missed no exams but wish to replace a unit exam grade.  However, the make-up exam will count regardless of the grade.

 

Attendance Policy

Attending class regularly allows the student interaction with instructors and other students in the learning process.  Students are  responsibility for attending class and for material presented in all classes.  Students who have missed twenty percent of regularly scheduled class meetings may be withdrawn from the course.  The instructor shall assign a grade without academic penalty by the designated date published in the Academic Calendar and the student shall receive a W grade for semester.  A grade of W or WF may be assigned by the instructor after mid-semester.

 

Classroom Etiquette

All cells phones, beepers, and pagers must be turned off or turned to silent.  Also, please refrain from text messaging during class. 

 

Dropping:  A course Without Penalty

In order to officially drop a course without penalty, a student must obtain and fill out a Drop/Add form from the Registrar’s office, acquire appropriate signatures, and return the completed form to the Registrar’s office before the designated date published in the Academic Calendar in the Waycross College Catalog. 

 

Incomplete

The grade of incomplete is given to students who for reason illness, accident, or emergency are unable to complete a segment of the course.   At least 75% of the course requirement must be with a passing grade before an incomplete will be considered.  In no case will be grade of incomplete be given as a means to avoid a falling grade.

 

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is prohibited by Waycross College.  Dictionary.com defines plagiarism as “

the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one's own original work. “   Offenses will be governed in accordance with Waycross College Student handbook guidelines.

 

The Academic Support Center

The Academic Support Center (ASC) offers supplemental instruction to all students enrolled at the College. Students may be referred by instructors or may independently seek additional help. The ASC provides alternative learning opportunities, which allow students to develop strengths and to eliminate deficiencies. The ASC, staffed by members of the faculty and student tutors, offers assistance to students enrolled in any course. Please see the Waycross Student Handbook for more detailed information.