Business Communication: Fall 2011

Professor: Richard Mark Nixon - Email: rmarknixon@gmail.com Cellphone: 01235808365

Course Description and Objectives: This Business Communication course aims to improve students ability to communicate effectively using all of the four English language skills. Students will learn to write and reply to enquiries and requests, develop their resume and application cover letter writing abilities, as well as prepare for and perform effectively in job interviews. Students will also learn how to gather and organize information for an analytic business reports. As part of this training, they will prepare letters and reports that meet professional standards of format, presentation and style. The course will encompass a verbal dimension that incorporates oral business communication in a variety of settings in order to prepare students for real-life business interaction. This will culminate with presentations in the latter half of the course intended to give students the opportunity to practice their communication skills.

Course Outline
WEEK/DATE Week 1: Sept 12 - 16 GENERAL TOPIC & ASSIGNMENT Introduction to the course Communication in todays workplace Assignment #1 given out Reading: Chapter 1 - Career success begins with communication skills Week 2: Sept 19 - 23 The writing process : Purpose and audience Anticipating the audience Critical thinking Reading: Chapter 2 - Planning business messages Week 3: Sept 26 - 30 ASSIGNMENT #1 Due The writing process Collecting and organizing information for relationships Composing effective sentences Improving writing techniques Reading: Chapter 3 - Composing business SUBTOPICS & WEEKLY READING The communication process Improving listening skills Enhancing nonverbal communication skills Cultures effect on communication

messages Week 4: Oct 3 - 7 The writing process Revision: Conciseness, clarity, vigor and directness Designing documents The process of proofreading Reading: Chapter 4 - Revising business messages Week 5: Oct 10 - 14 Communication at work Assignment #2 given out E-mail messages and memos Instant messaging Request and reply to e-mail messages and memos Reading: Chapter 5 - Electronic messages and memorandums Week 6: Oct 17 - 21 Communication at work Sending positive messages outside of your organization Direct requests for information and action, for claims, and for replies Adjustment letters and goodwill messages Reading: Chapter 6 - Positive messages Week 7: Oct 24 28 MIDTERM TEST

Week 8: Oct 31Nov 4 Assignment #2 Due Week 9: Nov 7 - 11

Communication at work

How to deliver bad news and refuse direct requests and claims Ethics and indirect strategies Reading: Chapter 7 - Negative messages

Communication at work Assignment #3 given out

Making persuasive messages Sales and marketing messages Reading: Chapter 8 - Persuasive messages

Week 10: Nov 14 -18

Reporting workplace data

Report basics Defining purpose and gathering data Report style and preparing informal reports Reading: Chapter 9 Informal reports

Week 11: Nov 21 - 25 Assignment #3 Due

Reporting workplace data

Understanding business proposals Informal and formal proposals Preparing and presenting a formal report Reading: Chapter 10 - Proposals and formal reports

Week 12: Nov 28 Dec 2

Employment communication Assignment #4 given out

Creating a customized resume Creating a customized cover letter The job interview Reading: Chapter 13 - The job search, resumes and cover letters

Week 13: Dec 5 - 9

Professionalism, teamwork, meetings, and speaking skills

Communicating in face-to-face settings Telephone, cell phone, and voice mail etiquette Business and professional meetings Reading: Chapter 11 - Business etiquette, ethics, teamwork, and meetings

Week 14: Dec 12 - 16 Assignment #4 Due

Employment communication Assignment #5 given out and interview time schedule determined

Types of employment interviews Before the interview During the interview After the interview Reading: Chapter 14 Interviewing and following up

Week 15: Dec 19 23 Assignment #5 completed

Professionalism, teamwork, meetings, and speaking skills

Oral presentations Organizing content How to plan visual aids Reading: Chapter 12 Business Presentations

FINAL TEST

Required Textbook for readings: Guffey, M. E. (2010). Essentials of Business Communication, Eighth Edition, South-Western Cengage Learning.

Reference Textbooks: Alred, G.J., Brusaw, C.T. & Oliu, W.E. (2008). The Business Writers Handbook, Ninth Edition, Bedford-St. Martins. Davis, K.W. (2005). 36-Hour Course in Business Writing and Communication, McGrawHill/Irwin. Ehlash, J. How to write a Communicate Business Plan. Hynes, G. (2008). Managerial Communication: Strategies and Applications, McGrawHill/Irwin. Lesikar, R.V. Basic Business Communication: Skills for Empowering in the Internet Generation. Lesikar, R.V. (2007). Business Communication: Making connections in digital world, McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Reynolds, G. (2008). Presentation Zen, New Riders Press.

Course Assessment: 10% Attendance and Participation 20% Midterm Test 20% Final Test 50% Five Assignments each worth %10

Attendance: Students must attend at least 80% of lecture hours to be eligible to earn the credit. One absence will result in a deduction of two points in grading for class attendance and participation.

ASSIGNMENT #1: Research and Presentation: Influential Leader as a Communicator / Public Speaker 10%

The aim of this assignment is for students to work collaboratively in pairs to research and gather information about a successful communicator / speaker who communicates ideas to the public and present this information in a way that puts the learning and theories in practice. The presentation can be in any presentation style chosen yet it should accommodate the students learning styles and emphasize the learning process: Assignment 1: Research of Leader and Presentation Research should include: Name of Influential Leader as a Communicator Personal background of Speaker including where she/he was born, colleges attended or reference to their academic career Major contributions to her/his successful career as a communicator Personal opinion about the Leader as a Public Speaker and her/his influence and how her/his skills effected present day practice Give your personal opinion on which aspects of their communication style you agree with and which aspects you disagree with.

Your pair presentation should include: Evidence that you understand how to present information using proper presentation skills Effort that shows rehearsal and adequate presentation time (about 10 minutes maximum)

Written Assignment: Your paper should have an Assignment Cover Sheet bearing your Student ID, Name of Course Module and title of the Assignment Influential Leader Research When the presentation is interactive, a clear summary of the sequence of activities should be written.

1. Staple securely the pages together in the top left hand corner. 2. The length of Assignment 1 should be presented in 10 minutes. The font size should be 12-point using one of the standard fonts (Arial, Times New Roman, or Courier).

Assignment #2: Writing Business Messages

10%

Using the theory learned in class (Chapters 2-4), each student is required to write a complete business message in the form of a business letter.

Requirements: 1. Write a professional business letter 2. Use the concepts that you have learned in class 3. You are required to show in detail the planning and composing process of creating/writing a business message as a business letter in your assignment. 4. Note: A revision of the business message may be required by the instructor to improve its overall clarity. In this case a resubmission may be required in order to meet the standards you have learned in class. Written Assignment: 1. Your Assignment paper should have an Assignment Cover Sheet with your Student ID, Name of Course Module and title of the Assignment Writing Business Messages. 2. Staple securely the pages together in the top left hand corner. The font size should be 12point using one of the standard fonts (Arial, Times New Roman, or Courier).

Assignment #3: Writing Persuasive Messages

10%

Each student is required to write a complete business message in the form of a business letter following one of the examples in Chapter 8 of your textbook).

Requirements: 1. Write a persuasive message using the concepts learned in class. 2. You are required to show in detail the three-step writing process of creating/writing a persuasive message in your assignment. Written Assignment: 1. Your Assignment paper should have an Assignment Cover Sheet with your Student ID, Name of Course Module and title of the Assignment Writing Persuasive Messages. 2. Staple securely the pages together in the top left hand corner. The font size should be 12-point using one of the standard fonts (Arial, Times New Roman, or Courier).

Assignment #4: Writing a Cover Letter and Job Resume

10%

Using the steps that were covered in class and studied in Chapter 13 of the textbook each of you will write a complete Cover Letter and Resume for one of the sample job advertisements provided by the course instructor.

Requirements: 1. Create a persuasive Cover Letter that you customize for the particular sample job advertisement provided by the instructor. 2. Create a customized Resume that accentuates your talents as they relate to the job you have chosen to apply for. 3. Utilize the Cover Letter and Resume writing strategies discussed and used in your class activities. Written Assignment: 1. Your Assignment paper should have an Assignment Cover Sheet with your Student ID, Name of Course Module and title of the Assignment Cover Letter and Resume. 2. Staple securely the pages together in the top left hand corner. The font size should be 12-point using one of the standard fonts (Arial, Times New Roman, or Courier).

Assignment #5: Job Screening Interview

10%

Using the preparation and performance strategies learned in class and studied in Chapter 14 of the textbook each of you will individually participate in an audio/video job screening interview that will be conducted by the course instructor. Requirements: 1. Be prepared for an audio/ video Write a persuasive message using the concepts learned in class. 2. Be familiar with the sample job advertisement provided by the instructor and the kind of job duties this entails. 3. Use the tips that are covered in Chapter 14 to succeed during the screening process.