Business Communications David R. Swarts; Fall Semester, 2005
Course Site Map | Syllabus | Feedback | Textbook Author's Website | Instructor's Home Page | CCC Website

Syllabus for Business Communications Syllabus

BUS 213 (BUS 423), "Business Communications"

Instructor: Mr. Swarts
Office: Room #543
Office Hours: Monday, Thursday, and Friday--8:00-9:00; Tuesday--3:00-5:00  Other hours upon request
Contact Hours: Three (3) 
Credit Hours: Three (3)
Semester, Year: Fall,  2005
Telephone: (518) 562-4174 
E-Mail: david.swarts@clinton.edu

I. Course Description

This course is designed to give students a comprehensive view of communication, its scope and importance in business, and the role of communication in establishing a favorable outside the firm environment, as well as an effective internal communications program. The various types of business communication media are covered. This course also develops an awareness of the importance of succinct written expression to modern business communication. Many of the assignments are to be keyboarded.

II. Course Prerequisite

English 101.

III. Textbook and Other Required Materials

Essentials of Business Communication, Sixth Edition, Mary Ellen Guffey, South-Western College Publishing.

Two 3½" disks. One disk will be used to store your completed assignments.  The second disk will be used to store and submit a Power Point presentation.  Computer usage is required!!! Notify your instructor immediately if you cannot operate a word processing program on a computer.  You will learn how to use Power Point in this course.

The purchase of a spiral-bound, ruled notebook and a dictionary is recommended. (A dictionary should be used on all tests!)

It is recommended that you use the text, "The Little, Brown Compact Handbook," by Jane A. Aaron and published by Addison Wesley Longman.  Past students have used it and strongly recommended it.

IV. Course Objectives

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

Understand and demonstrate the use of basic and advanced proper writing techniques that today's technology demands, including anticipating audience reaction,

Write effective and concise letters and memos,

Prepare informal and formal reports,

Proofread and edit copies of business correspondence,

Complete an accurate, complete resume and cover letter,

Conduct excellent interviews and complete follow-up employment correspondence,

Use career skills that are needed to succeed, such as using ethical tools, working collaboratively, observing business etiquette, and resolving workplace conflicts,

Plan successfully for and participate in meetings and conduct proper techniques in telephone usage,

Use e-mail effectively and efficiently,

Develop interpersonal skills that contribute to effective and satisfying personal, social and professional relationships, and

Utilize electronic presentation software.

General Education Objectives: N/A

V. Methods of Instruction

The instructor may use case studies, lectures, guest speakers, questions and exercises from the textbook, videos, recent technological changes in the communication process, current events, transparencies, Power Point presentations, and student experiences and responses.

PLEASE NOTE;  Students are advised to keep an open mind during all class sessions since some of the material presented in this course is not necessarily "black and white."  Events, people, locations, and circumstances vary throughout the communication world and, frequently, techniques and solutions to challenges are not unique and similar.

Differently-abled students: If you have, or suspect you may have, any type of disability or learning problem that may require extra assistance or special accommodations, please speak to your instructor privately after class or during scheduled office hours as soon as possible to help you obtain any assistance you may need to successfully complete this course. You should also contact Laurie Bethka, Room 419M, in the Accommodative Services Office, for further assistance.

VI. Attendance Procedure

Punctuality and regular attendance in classes is of prime importance for successful completion of this course, just as the same punctuality and attendance is important in the business world. Students will be expected to arrive for class on time and to remain in class until the end of the class session.

In addition, the instructor will utilize the policy for attendance and make-up work as outlined in the College's catalog.

Note: If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to e-mail your instructor, visit your instructor's office, or leave a phone message to find out what was covered in class and to find out your assignments for the following class. You also need to state how you will make up the missed work. If no contact is made, late assignments will not be accepted.

If you are in class, you are expected to submit your homework or assignment at the beginning of the class period.  If you are not in class, you must submit your homework, assignments, and lab assignments by midnight of the following Monday.

You will be withdrawn from class after you miss three (3) classes.  Note:  Two "lates" equal one absence.

Reward for Good Attendance:

If you have perfect attendance, your final grade will be increased one grade.

VII. Methods of Evaluation

Assignments, to be completed as homework or in class, should not contain errors in spelling, punctuation, style, etc. Dictionaries, spellcheckers, and other methods of checking and proofreading are encouraged. Incorrect assignments may be returned to be rewritten. Most assignments submitted must be keyboarded. Due dates of assignments will be announced in advance and may be found on the schedule that follows.  (Please keep this schedule handy and refer to it often!) 

Grading is as follows:  Ten points will be deducted for each major error; points of lesser value will be deducted for less critical errors.

The goal should be to complete assignments that are mailable and ones that you would be proud to give to a supervisor.  It is suggested that your complete your homework assignments while on campus, especially during summer sessions.

HOMEWORK. These include short assignments to provide assessment to the student and the instructor through research and creativity.  GRADED homework includes:

Chapter 1 Review
Writing Improvement Exercises--Chapter 2
Writing Improvement Exercises--Chapter 3
Report draft
"My Favorite Speaker"
Good news letter
Persuasive message
Negative news message.

TESTS.   Three tests will be given.  Dictionaries should be used on all tests.  Bonus Bars, if applicable, may NOT be doubled on test scores.

EVALUATIONS. These represent work prepared that will confirm that a student has met the objectives of a certain chapter.

     Resume and sample cover letter. Resumes and cover letters that contain errors will be returned. These resumes and cover letters MUST be corrected and resubmitted. Grades on resubmitted items will be averaged for a final grade. A revision is required in all cases. (These are usually redone several times--for your benefit.)

     Report.  Although not lengthy, a research paper is required to demonstrate knowledge of report preparation.  Please note:  If you plagiarize, you will receive a ZERO!  Information will presented in class as to what constitutes plagiarism.

     Power Point presentation.  Each student will give a Power Point presentation. The instructor will provide suggested topics and review Power Point projects that previous students have completed.  This presentation is usually on a "How to . . ." topic, a hobby, or an area of special interest, selected by the student and approved by the instructor. For example, a speech might be given on how to reduce stress, gardening, favorite pets, or HOGS. Both the students and the instructor grade the presentation.  A Power Point Tutorial is available in the Douglas Library.

IN-CLASS ASSIGNMENTS:  These are projects--see the following list--completed in the classroom or in the computer lab.  They are to be submitted at the end of the lab session or, if you are absent, no later than the following Monday at midnight.

Use the following as a checklist and record of your homework and assignments:

Homework:

Chapter 1 Review  _____
Writing Improvement Exercises--Chapter 2  _____
Writing Improvement Exercises--Chapter 3  _____
Report Draft  _____
"My Favorite Speaker"  _____ 
Good News Letter  _____
Persuasive Message  _____
Negative News Message  _____

Evaluations:

Report  _____
Resume  _____ (Average)
Cover letter  _____ (Average)
Power Point presentation  _____

In-Class Assignments:

Writing sample  _____
E-mail with attachment  _____
Report topic summary  _____
WIE--Chapter 4  _____
Page 1 of  report  _____
E-mail Power Point presentation with narrative  _____
Routine letter  _____
Persuasive message  _____
Negative news message  _____ 
Goodwill message  _____

A summary of the grading follows:

Homework:  25%

Tests:  25%

Evaluations:  25%

In-Class Assignments:  25%

Assistance and Incentives:

You can sharpen your skills and improve your grades by visiting the Tutoring Center located on the Fourth Floor of our Main Building.  A computer lab is available, as well as an Online Tutoring Center.  Want to access the library through the Internet?  Access it from home—or anywhere.  For links to these areas, please refer to the college's website at:  www.clinton.edu or talk with your instructor. 

Extra credit may be obtained by completing "Pinpoint."  Further information on this may be obtained from your instructor and the Career Placement and Planning Office.

Grading Scale Including Quality Points):

95 - 100   A     4.0
90 - 94     A-    3.7
87 - 89     B+   3.3
83 - 86     B     3.0
80 - 82     B-    2.7
77 - 79     C+   2.3
73 - 76     C     2.0
70 - 72     C-    1.7
65 - 69     D+   1.3
60 - 64     D     1.0
0   - 59     F      0

WY    =    Involuntary Withdrawal  (No Credit; No Quality Points)  

The College's Policy on Writing. In all courses, student's written work is evaluated for effectiveness, as well as content. The writing must express ideas clearly, logically, and maturely, using standard English sentence structure, grammar, and spelling. Students must acknowledge all sources of information by following a standard citation format.

Student Conduct.  Students should read the section of the college catalog entitled "Code of Student Conduct," as well as other documents, policies, and the student handbook.  Students are reminded that they should not disrupt or obstruct teaching and learning.

Academic Integrity. All students are expected to behave with academic honesty. It is not academically honest to misrepresent another person's work as your own, to take credit for someone else's words or ideas, to accept help on a test or assignment when you are expected to work independently, to obtain advanced information on confidential test materials, or to act in a way that might harm another student's chance for academic success. Please check the college catalog for more information.

Please turn off cell phones during class.

VIII. Course Outline

Chapter 1 Facing Today's Communication Challenges

Chapter 2 Writing for Business Audiences

Chapter 3 Improving Writing Techniques

Chapter 4 Revising and Proofreading Business Messages

Test on Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4

Chapter 9 Informal Reports

Chapter 10 Proposals and Informal Reports

Short Formal Report Due

Chapter 13 The Job Search, Resumes, and Job Application Letters

Chapter 14 Employment Interviewing, and Follow-up Messages

Resume and Cover Letter Due

Chapter 12 Making Oral Presentations

Test on Chapters 9, 10, 13, 14, and 12

Chapter 5  E-Mail and Memorandums 

Chapter 6 Routine Letters and Goodwill Messages 

Good News Message Due

Chapter 7 Persuasive Messages

Persuasive Message Due

Chapter 8 Negative Messages

Negative News Message Due

Chapter 11 Communicating in Person, by Telephone, and in Meetings

Test on Chapters 5, 6, 7, 8, and 11

Power Point Presentations Due

___________________________________________________________

ASSIGNMENTS

Fall Semester, 2005

(Subject to Periodic Changes)

This page last modified on 07/17/2007 .

For more information about this site, please contact David R. Swarts.