Winter 08 BA & EN 325 Business Communication

Instructor: Gloria Campbell; Office: 352-8229 or home at 352-6614 before 9 p.m.
Office Hrs in WBC 107: 1:15 on M, 8:30 to 9:20 on T/H; 10:45 on W and & 9 on F or by appointment

Email: Gloria.campbell@wartburg.edu
Course times: 9:35 T/H or 1 T/H
Required Text: Improving Business Communication Skills, Deborah Britt Roebuck
Course website: my.wartburg.edu

Objectives:

· Analyze audience to target oral and written communications. Understand the extreme importance of human relations in the communication process and sense the subtleties of positive, effectively worded communications to build goodwill.

· Understand the effects of technology and ethics on the communication process.

· Proofread and edit writing to make it easier to read. Conduct grammar review to make that process more effective.

· Consider the purpose of communication to develop an effective order of ideas.

· Format to enhance web and brochure content and represent data in a graphic form when appropriate.

· Understand the job application process to communicate effectively through the resume, application letter, interview, and follow-up correspondence.

· Understand research strategies for reports and choose appropriate ways to organize and present the information found.

· Compose informative and positive emails, memos, documentation, and letters.

· Compose effective negative messages that are accepted by the readers.

· Write persuasive messages that lead the reader to take desired actions.

· Plan and deliver effective oral presentations to meet the needs of the audience using PowerPoint presentation software.

· Effectively analyze and critique your own oral and written communications and those of others in the class to facilitate improvement.

· Review teamwork skills necessary for working and writing in groups.

· Consider implications of communicating in an increasingly diverse and global work environment.

 Expectations:

Attend class to take advantage of group discussion and instructor strategies. More than two absences or tardies will affect your class participation grade. If you don’t call or email your instructor before class to explain absences, my perception is that you "skipped." The purpose of this class is to communicate, so let me know what your constraints are via email, phone message, or office visit.

Complete a comprehensive review of punctuation, capitalization, style and usage, and spelling to improve mechanical skills of writing. If this isn’t your strength, let me know. Pathways is a substantial aid for oral and written work, so use their services if needed.

Prepare problems assigned for class discussion. In-class exercises of 10 to 20 points may be included in class discussion points of the total curve value of 1000 points.

Complete graded problems in typed form unless otherwise noted. Any last-minute editing can be done neatly in pen on the final draft. Use your branded letterhead for projects where appropriate. Assignments are due at the beginning of the period of the date collected unless otherwise noted. Assignments will be docked up to 30% for each day late.

Other people may review graded assignments after they are completed, but make sure that the content represents your ideas and writing. Evidence of appropriating the work of another will result in failure on the assignment and/or the course. Teamed assignments should represent teamed rather than individual efforts. Feedback from teams will be used to modify the grades of those who haven’t successfully contributed.

Start speeches and projects early enough to allow quality content to be developed effectively. You are welcome to contact me if you have questions about the assignment. The Writing Center is also available for help on organizing ideas effectively.

If you have any disabilities that are relevant to your performance or safety in this class, please communicate your concerns for reasonable accommodations.

Honor Code:

By attending Wartburg College, students are demonstrating their dedication to the Honor Code. The Honor Code reminds students of their responsibility to promote academic honesty by opposing cheating and plagiarism and reporting dishonest work. It expects that:

(1) All work submitted be your own unless specifically assigned as a team project.
(2) When using the work or ideas of others, including fellow students, give full credit through accurate citations using APA style guide (though full URL required).
(3) If you are uncertain about the ground rules on a particular assignment, ask for clarification. I want you to succeed.

Cheating on exams will result in failure on the test and/or in the course. Hats or other unusual paraphernalia are not allowed during exams, nor should students leave the room during exams without permission. As a courtesy to others, please make sure that electronic devices don’t disrupt class. Text messages during class are inappropriate.

Evaluation:

The objective exams will include a combination of T/F, MC, short answer essay, rewriting, and sentence editing. The final examination will also include case problem/s of negative news and/or persuasion.

Keep track of the points earned on graded assignments. Save all graded assignments on disk or NASCAR and in printed/graded form until you receive your final course grade. Near the end of the term, you will receive a point subtotal to make sure that grading records are accurate and to help you decide the amount of time to put into final projects.

Your first draft for a graded project is normally the final version because we do extensive problem analysis in class. Rewrites are not expected unless otherwise noted, so make sure that you revise and proofread effectively before submissions. You will have extensive feedback on your job application drafts and on your recommendation report structure.

The grading curve is: 90% = bottom A-; 80% bottom = B-; 70% = bottom C-; and 60% = bottom D-The following are a sample of deductions on a 50-point written problem:

Up to 2 points deducted for: inappropriate use of commas; sentences beginning with "There are" or "It is;" frequent use of passive sentences when active sentences should have been substituted; inconsistent letter style or lack of enclosure notations; more obscure inappropriate word choice.

Three or 4 points deducted for: typos, lack of parallelism; dangling modifiers; incorrect objectives of pronouns; not setting off interrupters with commas; tense switching; plural modifiers with singular nouns; paragraphs that are much too long; discriminatory (biased) language; misuse of frequently confused words.

Five or more points deducted for: incomplete sentences/fragments; run-on sentences; lack of subject/verb agreement; inappropriate structure of ideas, such as direct organization when indirect is warranted by situation; inappropriate tone.

Possible Points for Business Communication:

____/10 Introductory memo posted on myWartburg

____/10 Branding letterhead and business card

____/50 Communication analysis memo

____/80 First persuasive speech on why students should use suggested professional website

____/10 Speech self-evaluation with goals for next speech

____/30 Documentation exercise

____/100 Test 1 over Chapters 1-7, 17, Appendix A & B

____/40 Resume revised version using branding element

____/20 Thank you letter for mock interview

____/50 Application letter for internship or job (final draft)

____/60 Professional web site project to promote to potential employers

____/100 Recommendation report presentation

____/180 Recommendation report

____/40 Brochure

____/20 In class negative new writing exercise

____/50 Negative message as assigned in class

____/100 Final examination over remaining chapters plus negative news & persuasion applications

____/ 50 Class discussion & in-class exercises

____/1000 Total points possible on basis of 90/80/70/60 with lenience for exam curves below the 90/80/70/60 percent cutoffs.

Note: Modifications may be made of this course outline with prior notice to students.