Southwestern Michigan College

School of Business

Dowagiac, Michigan

Course Syllabus

Spring Semester, 2004

COURSE TITLE: Business Communications COURSE NO.: BUSI 214

SECTION NO.: BUSI 1604

CREDITS/CONTACTS: Credit Hours: 3

Lecture hours/weekly: 3, Niles Room 150

Laboratory hours/weekly: 0

A-T hours/week: 0

INSTRUCTOR: Ms. Anne Flautt Read

e-mail:

Phone: (H) 269.699.5180

(C) 574.596.0604

PREREQUISITE: Minimum grade of C in BUSI 101, ENGL 103 and ODAM 139.

COURSE DESCRIPTION: A study of principles and methods of exchanging information in business. Content includes involvement in small group processing and the methods of researching, preparing, presenting, analyzing and evaluating communication methods. Current technology is used.

CORE CURRICULUM: The grade of this course must be no less than a “C” to earn credit for core competency requirements. This class meets the core curriculum for writing.

DISTRIBUTION

REQUIREMENTS: Not applicable.

TEXTBOOK: REQUIRED: CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 5th Ed. By Scott Ober, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 2002

NOTICE: The information in this syllabus was, to the best knowledge of the instructor, considered correct and complete when distributed for use at the beginning of the semester. The instructor, however, reserves the right, acting within the policies and procedures of Southwestern Michigan College, to make changes in course content or instructional techniques.

HONESTY POLICY: Cheating or plagiarizing will absolutely not be tolerated at Southwestern Michigan College. Any student found cheating or plagiarizing material in any manner might be assigned a failing semester/session grade in this course. A second such incident while at SMC could result in the suspension or expulsion from the institution. A student found in violation of this section of the syllabus will not be allowed to drop this course. Additional detail regarding cheating and/or plagiarism may be found elsewhere in this syllabus.

METHOD OF

INSTRUTCTION: Computers, dictionary, textbook, lecture, discussion, group work, oral presentation, overhead projector assignments, magazines, newspapers, Internet and written assignments.

EVALUATION: Upon completion of the course, the student will demonstrate achievement of the course objectives by obtaining a minimum final grade of 70% as measured by written assignments, quizzes, class participation, presentations and tests.

Due dates for outside writing assignments will be announced in class. In-class exercises are due the day assigned.

Individual assignments in Business Communication are graded on a scale ranging from zero to twenty. Roughly a grade of twenty represents good work: fifteen, average work; and thirteen, poor work. An “average” paper incorporates the writing techniques covered up to that point during the semester, shows a careful application of the major techniques or point illustrated by the assignment, and is neat in appearance and free of all mechanical errors. Your papers are graded primarily on the basis of your ability to incorporate into your own writing the communications techniques presented during the semester.

Grading Scale for Individual Assignments:

18-20 = A

16-17 = B

14-15 = C

<=13 = D

EVALUATION METHOD: Point distribution of the final grade (keep track of your grades as work is returned):

In/Out of class assignments (qty 10) 200 points

Tests (4 @ 75 points each) 300 points

Final Exam 200 points

Group Formal Written Report 100 points

Group Formal Presentation (incl. Team eval.) 100 points

Class Participation 100 points

______

Total 1000 points

GRADING SCALE: The following grading scale is in effect for this course:

Percentages: Points:

100% - 90% = A 900 – 1000 = A

89% - 80% = B 800 – 899 = B

79% - 70% = C 700 – 799 = C

69% - 60% = D 600 – 699 = D

59% and below = F less than 599 = F

ATTENDANCE POLICY: Attendance is expected at every class session. Four absences will lower your semester grade one letter grade. To emphasize the importance of promptness in effective business communication, a deadline is set for each assignment. This deadline is always the BEGINNING of the class hour. No late assignments will be accepted. No makeup work will be accepted. If you miss a class, you miss whatever work was due on that particular day.

Effective business communication mandates promptness when coming to class. Tardiness will not be tolerated. You may submit your assignment by email to the instructor PRIOR to the start of class if you are unable to attend class.

TESTING POLICY: Students are expected to take all scheduled examinations with the class. Only those students who talk with the instructor and receive permission from the instructor PRIOR to the scheduled exam may be allowed to take a make up exam; however, this is at the sole discretion of the instructor. In accordance with College policy, the cumulative final exam must be taken with the rest of the class at the scheduled place ant time, except for those students with special needs. Exams not taken at exam time will be marked down 10% for every day they are outstanding past the date of the scheduled exam. In the case that you have an emergency and have not talked with the teacher prior to taking the exam, you must provide documentation of the emergency if you wish to take the exam.

OTHER COURSE

EXPECTATIONS: You should proofread all correspondence and correct errors before submitting copy to your instructor for evaluation. Neatness is a prime requisite for business communication. The neatly written communication conveys a favorable impression of the writer and is much easier to read. You are required to submit all written assignments typed.

Business Communications deals with the use of written communication in the problems of business management and with methods for making the communication task less time consuming and more effective.

The ability to write effectively and efficiently is not easily acquired, but it can be if you are willing to devote time and thought to the process. Writing will become far easier and quicker with repeated practice, especially if you analyze your efforts and try to improve your work. As you become more proficient, you will find your writing responsibilities more and more creative and enjoyable.

Successful business writing, like all communications, require far more than the knowledge of correct English usage, although this knowledge is essential. In addition, effective communication, spoken or written, requires knowledge of psychology, semantics, logic, persuasion and conviction.

Several class sessions will involve discussions and will require students to gather information from various sources prior to class. All reading assignments are to be completed prior to class.

Unannounced quizzes will be used to assess mastery of the assigned text. Late starts due to tardiness will not be permitted, nor will there be any make up opportunity.

Canceled class: On occasion, classes may be canceled due to inclement weather, instructor illness or some other reason. In such cases, the assigned work for that class will be due for the next regularly scheduled class meeting.

Student counseling: Students who are experiencing difficulty with the course of specific concepts introduced in the course should meet as soon as possible with the instructor by appointment.

OTHER OBJECTIVES: To learn to communicate information and ideas in written and oral form by:

-  Developing a clear, concise, convincing, and correct writing style

-  Learning and applying high standards of physical presentation in preparing business messages such as letters and memos

To demonstrate in writing from material covered from notes and text the formula for the following kinds of letters:

-  Favorable News Letters

-  Unfavorable News Letters

-  Adjustment Letters

-  Direct Request Letters

-  Persuasive Letters

To demonstrate through in-class writing assignments, the ability to write concise, well-organized, readable letters and memos.

To learn the forms and purposes of the more commonly used letters, memorandums, and other kinds of business writing, including short reports.

To demonstrate the ability to rewrite sentences and paragraphs incorporating active construction, parallel structure, subject verb agreement, and transitional devices.

To improve the ability to make decisions involving the selection and organization of content.

To demonstrate in writing the ability to compose and key an acceptable/mailable resume and cover letter.

To gather information from various sources and to prepare a presentation for the class.

To organize, write and type a formal business report using proper report format incorporating all writing techniques learned in class.

Business Communications BUSI 214

Spring 2004

Instructor – Anne Flautt Read

Section 1604

Cl#

/

Class Date

/ Learning Activities / Learning Assessments / Assignments
1 / 5/13/03
Thursday / Course Outline/Expectations
Introductions
Chapters 1&2 Discussion
In-class assignment (IC – 1) / Chapter 1, 2, 3
2 / 5/18/03
Tuesday / Chapter 3 Discussion
In-Class assignment (IC-2)
Mechanics Lab Appendix A
Report/Presentation Discussion
Test Review / Chapter 4
Study for Test Chapters 1-3
3 / 5/20/03
Thursday /
Test #1 Chapters 1-3
Chapters 4 & 5 Discussion
In-class assignment (IC-3)
Mechanics Appendix A / Chapters 5 & 6
OC-1 Assignment due 5/25
4 / 5/25/03
Tuesday / Chapter 6 Discussion
Chapter 7 (first ½) discussion
In-class assignment (IC-4)
Test Review
Report Discussion / Study for Test Chapters 4-6
Chapters 7 & 8
5 / 5/27/03
Thursday /
Test #2 Chapters 4-6
Chapters 7 (1/2) & 8 Discussion
In-class assignment (IC-5) / Chapters 9 & 12
OC-2 Assignment Due 6/1
6 / 6/1/03
Tuesday / Chapters 9 & 12 Discussion
Report Discussion
Report Outline discussion and work
Test Review
In-class assignment (IC-6) / Study for Test Chapters 7 - 9
Chapters 10 & 11
OC-3 Report Outline Completion due 6/3
Bring in current version of resume to turn in next class period
7 / 6/3/03
Thursday / Test #3 Chapters 7 - 9
Chapters 10 & 11 discussion / Chapter 13
8 / 6/8/03
Tuesday /
Chapter 13 Discussion
In-class assignment (IC-7)
Test Review
Report Work in class / Study for Test Chapters 10-12
Chapter 14
9 / 6/10/03
Thursday / Test #4 – Chapters 10 – 12
Chapter 14 Discussion
Report Work in class / Written Reports due next week
Chapter 15
10 / 6/15/03
Tuesday /
Written Reports Due
Chapter 15 Discussion
Resume Review
Presentation Review / Presentations due next class
11 / 6/17/03
Thursday /
Presentations
In-class assignment (IC-8)
Interviews and resume work
Final exam review / Study for Final Exam
12 / 6/22/03
Final /
Final Exam

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Bus Comm Syllabus Spring 2004 Page