ENGLISH 394-BL10, BL11: BUSINESS WRITING – Fall 2015 SYLLABUS

Instructor: Kate Wilson

Email:

Office Location: online & Tawes 1208

Office Hours: online & M: 12:30-1:30

Course Description: The purpose of this course is to familiarize students with formats and structures of business communication and provide practice in writing clear and concise professional documents (reports, letters, employment communication, memos and emails). Much emphasis will be placed on writing for a specific audienceand purpose.

Specific Objectives: Course activities revolve around several specific objectives that apply to all assignments. You will learn to:

• Analyze a variety of professional rhetorical situations and produce appropriate texts, adapting the text to the knowledge base of the audience
• Produce persuasive texts that reflect the degree of available evidence and take into account counter arguments
• Understand and practice the skills needed to produce competent, professional writing including planning, drafting, revising and editing
• Identify and implement appropriate research methods for each writing task
• Practice the ethical use of sources and the conventions of citation appropriate in your field
• Improve competence in Standard Written English (including grammar, sentence and paragraph structure, coherence and document design) and use this knowledge to revise texts

Required Materials:

Canvas / Module assignments, module schedule, non textbook readings, discussion board for Weekly Discussion Question, conference tool. Major writing assignments due to the Assignments tab. / Assignments and Discussion Board posts due to Canvas by 11pm
Aplia / E-textbook and problem sets
Please see information on ordering your Aplia product in Canvas – Introduction Material and/or in Announcements / Reading and problem sets completed in Aplia and due Sundays at 11pm.

GENERAL CLASS INFORMATION:

Canvas Conversations: As upper-level college students, you’ve probably already experienced several different types of communication. In the electronic realm, for instance, you have realized that the emails you send to your friends from home contain a different level of formality than the ones you’ll send to potential employers and future co-workers. In this class, we’ll practice becoming adept at communicating with each other in a professional manner. In other words, emails sent to your classmates and instructor will use correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization, as well as proper salutations. Instead of email, students should use the Conversations feature on Canvas to contact the instructor and peers.

Attendance: Because PWP courses are “studio” courses, attendance is required. I design individual class sessions to give you opportunities to discuss and ask questions about assignments as well as to practice writing skills you need to compose your projects effectively. Students shall miss no more than one week of class:2 face-to-face classes.If a student misses more than 2 classes, the professionalism grade will be negatively affected.

Tardiness:In the professional world tardiness is not tolerated.However, I understand that situations outside of your control do occur. If you do arrive late on occasion, do not disrupt class, and let me know by the end of the schedule adjustment period if you anticipate ongoing conflicts.Two late arrivals (or unexplained early departures) will convert to one absence.

Availability of your written work: You should come to every class period with your current writing assignment. You may bring your laptop, tablet, etc., or you may bring a hard copy version.Identify an electronic space (such as a folder) devoted to your coursework (drafts, final versions), backed up either on a separate computer, an external hard drive, and/or on a Cloud-like system; I use dropbox.com.

Electronic devices in class: Please put your cell phone away during class. Texting is not permitted during the class period. Laptops are permitted on a provisional basis if used for note-taking and in-class activities. I reserve the right to request shut down of any device used for activities (Facebook, non-class-related web-surfing, email) that distract your fellow students or me. Using devices inappropriately in class will certainly reduce your professionalism grade.

Evaluations: PWP uses its own evaluation that will be distributed during the last two weeks of the semester. However, we also encourage you to fill out the online evaluations. Your participation in the evaluation of courses through CourseEvalUM is a responsibility you hold as a student member of our academic community. Your feedback is confidential and important to the improvement of teaching and learning at the University as well as to the tenure and promotion process.Please go directly to the website ( to complete your evaluations.By completing all of your evaluations each semester, you will have the privilege of accessing online, at Testudo, the evaluation reports for the thousands of courses for which 70% or more students submitted their evaluations.

Academic Honesty: Academic honesty is not just a principle on campus; in the “real world, “ using someone else’s words or ideas can constitute copyright infringement, which is a serious crime. You must always submit work that represents your own original ideas. Since you are learning to gather and choose information, you will be encouraged to use outside sources in class, or in your writing. However, you must cite all relevant sources in all written and oral communications. Your readers or listeners should also be aware of the extent to which you are using outside information. Using ideas or language without verifiable references constitutes plagiarism. I will give automatic zeros to all work that is plagiarized. Further information about university policies on plagiarism may be found at the following URL:

Students with Disabilities: The University of Maryland is committed to providing appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities. Students with a documented disability should inform the instructors within the add/drop period if academic accommodations are needed. To obtain an Accommodation Letter prepared by Disability Support Service (DSS), a division of the University Counseling Center, please call 301.314.7682, e-mail , or visit the Shoemaker Building for more information.

The class is worth 400 points, and is on a 10 point scale

A+ / 400-388
A / 387-372
A- / 371-360
B+ / 359-348
B / 347-332
B- / 331-320
C+ / 319-308
C / 307-292
C- / 291-280
D+ / 279-268
D / 267-252
D- / 251-240
F / 239-0

Official University Policy

A- =90 to 93.9;A= 94 to 96.9,A+= 97 and above

B- =80 to 83.9;B= 84 to 86.9,B+= 87 to 89.9

C- =70 to 73.9;C=74 to 76.9;C+= 77 to 79.9

D- =60 to 63.9;D= 64 to 66.9;D+= 67 to 69.9

Grading Standards

Four broad evaluative criteria determine the grade students receive on their papers:

  1. Rhetorical Awareness—the degree to which the writer conveys the paper’s purpose; the degree to which the writer uses appropriate tone, style, and content for a clearly intended audience. This rhetorical awareness drives the content, format and mechanics.
  2. Content—the use of effective evidence to support the main points of the text. This includes the research, ideas and conclusions you have presented. This is what the text is about.
  3. Format—the overall structure of the text, including the appropriate format for the specific assignment. This is the visual design and organization of the text.
  4. Mechanics/Readability—skills such as style, mechanics, sentence and paragraph coherence; the degree of ease with which the reader can understand the document. This is the quality of your content and format.

Assignments / Due / Weeks / Chapters / Point Value / Percentage of Grade
PROJECT 1
Informational Report: 40
  • Draft 10, Final 30
/ Draft
Week 3_Sun 9/20 / 1-4 / 1-4, 9, 13 / 40 / 10%
Online Peer Review
Week 3 & 4
Receive peer draft midnight Sunday and finish review by 11 pm Wednesday.
In Class Peer Review
Week 4_Mon 9/21
1 hard copy to class
Final
Week 4_Sun 9/27
PROJECT 2
Recommendation Report Project: 100
  • Topic Proposal Memo & Audience Analysis – 20
  • Work Plan – 20
  • Outline with citations – 20
  • Draft – 20
  • Final – 20
/ Topic Proposal & Audience Analysis
Week 6_Sun 10/11 / 5 - 11 / 5, 8, 10-11 / 100 / 25%
Work Plan
Week 7_Sun 10/18
Outline with citations
Week 9_11/1
Draft
Week 10_11/8
Final
Week 11_11/15
*All peer reviews for Project 2 will occur in class. Bring 4 copies of the document under review
Peer Review Outline: 11/2
Peer Review Draft: 11/9
PROJECT 3
Letter Proposal & Correspondence Selection: 60
  • Draft 20, Final 40
*Peer Reviews for Project 3 will occur online and in class / Draft of Letter Proposal
Week 13_Sun 11/29 / 12-15 / 6-7 / 60 / 15%
Draft of Correspondence Selection
Week 14_Sun 12/6
Online Peer Review
Weeks 13 & 14
Receive peer draft midnight Sunday and finish review by 11 pm Tuesday.
In Class Peer Review
Letter Proposal – Week 14
Correspondence Selection – Week 15
1 hard copy to class
Reflective Writing (3) – 20
Introduction, Midterm & Final / Sun 9/13, Sun 10/25, Sun 12/11 / 2, 8, 15 / 20 / 5%
Discussion Board posts – 80
  • 13 posts @ 6 or 7 points each
/ Wed: initial post & Sun: respond to peer / 80 / 20%
Problem sets on textbook readings / Sun: problem sets due / 60 / 15%
Professionalism/Peer Review / 40 / 10%

The grade for assignments submitted late, without prior notification, will be deducted 1 letter grade per day. No assignment will be accepted after 4 days.

For a detailed course schedule, please see Canvas Calendar.

PROJECT # 1: Informational Memo Report: Charting Your Career Path

  • MLA style - Report should contain in text citations and a Works Cited page
  • 5 secondary sources
  • 2 of the 5 secondary sources should be from the UMD databases
  • 2 pieces of primary research may be substituted for 2 pieces of secondary research
  • Report is 4-6 pages
  • See figure 9.3 in textbook: no email transmission needed
  • Report should make use of graphic highlighting and other high-skim techniques

Gather information about a career or position in which you might be interested. Learn about the nature of the job. Discover whether certification, a license, or experience is required. One of the best places to search is the latest Occupational Outlook Handbook compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Also, the UMD career website has access to databases to research businesses, industries, jobs and more.

Your Task: Write an informational report to your instructor that describes your target career area.

  • Discuss the nature of the work, working conditions, necessary qualifications, and the future job outlook for the occupation. Include information about typical salary ranges and career paths.
  • Discuss up-to-date issues facing your career area and industry using the library databases. Use research to discover what challenges and opportunities the industry you think you’d like to enter is currently facing.
  • Collect information about two companies where you might apply. Investigate each company’s history, products and/or services, size, earnings, reputation, and number of employees. If you choose to complete primary research (informational interviews), interview one or more individuals who are working in that position. Devote sections of your report to the specific tasks, functions, duties and opinions of these individuals.
  • Prior to the conclusion, include a section that summarizes what you have drawn from the process of researching your potential career. Are you surer than ever of whatyou'd like to do? Were realities brought to light youdidn't consider? How do you see yourself moving toward your career goals?

PROJECT #2: Formal Report - Recommendation Report [GROUP PROJECT]

  • MLA style – Report should contain in text citations and a Works Cited page
  • 8 secondary sources & 2 primary sources
  • Report is 15 pages
  • See figure 10.17 in textbook
  • Report should make use of graphic highlighting and other high-skim techniques

You are a member of a student task force, and your instructor has asked you to identify problems on campus, in your community, or in your workplace. Each group will choose one problem from their group members.

Your Task: In groups of 3 – 4, investigate a problem on your campus, in your community, or in your workplace. Within your group develop a solution to the problem. Consult the officials involved to ask for their input in arriving at a feasible solution. Do not attack existing programs; instead, strive for constructive discussion and harmonious and feasible improvements. After reviewing the persuasive techniques discussed in Ch. 8, write a justification/recommendation formal report. Address your report to the audience that is capable of enacting the change you have researched and are suggesting. Locating a feasible audience for this project is a very important aspect of the project.

PROJECT #2: Topic Proposal & Audience Analysis Informational Memo

  • Informational Memo – Ch. 5
  • The topic proposal memo should be 5-7 pages long
  • As will be the case for all aspects of this project each team member will initial next to the work s/he contributed to the project.

Purpose: There are two purposes in this TWO SECTION memo

  1. To convince me that the project you are undertaking for the group project is a worthwhile and feasible one. To do so, you must clearly plan the written recommendation report that you are creating for the client and decide what final product besides the report will be delivered to the client. Essentially, you are proving to me that you know a problem exists with this client, and that you have the capabilities to aid your client with this problem.
  2. To convince me that the audience you have chosen is a good choice. Your audience must be interested in receiving business assistance on a problem, must be available to the team via email/phone and in person, and must have face a business problem that could be ameliorated in 7 weeks.

SECTION ONE: Topic Proposal

Some of the projects that could accompany your recommendation report include the following:

  • A marketing plan.
  • A Website
  • A promotional or public relations plan
  • A financial plan
  • A set of instructions for improving procedures

Principal arguments (Content of section one)

  1. Write a one-sentence statement that captures the current problem or state of affairs that you are addressing.
  1. Define how you know the problem exists. How does this problem manifest itself in the work place?
  1. List the negative consequences of this problem. What is being compromised by the existence of this problem?
  1. List the causes of the problem. Why does this problem exist? Who or what brought it about? How has this problem developed over time?
  1. List general recommendations for solving or ameliorating this problem. Obviously, you will have more specific recommendations once you have done primary and secondary research on this problem.
  1. Provide a list of deliverables that your team will be producing for the client(marketing plan, financial plan, public relations campaign, Website development, brochure, video, instructions).
  1. Discuss your qualifications: Convince me that you and your team have the knowledge and level of engagement to do this project. What special knowledge, expertise, or motivation qualifies you to write on this topic? Consider using all persuasive data (majors, fields of study, internships, employment experience) that will convince me that you are prepared to do the work.

SECTION TWO: Audience/Client Analysis section

Stipulations of Choosing a Client:

  • Your research must address a business issue (problem) that this client is encountering.
  • You must have or secure the cooperation of the owner or manager of the company with which you are working. This collaborative effort involves your client’s participating in interviews and sharing company information and data with you.
  • You must realistically be able to solve the proposed problem or provide viable recommendations in a 15-page report and a 6-7 week time frame.

Remember at all times that your project is designed to help the client with a real issue/problem. If the client is reluctant to work with you on this project, or they suffer from availability constraints that will disallow them to be available to you, this client is not the one you should be working with this semester.

The more time and effort you devote to defining your client and his or her needs, the more helpful your final project will be for this client. In addition, the less likely will you be to be distracted by irrelevant information. This audience analysis is one of the most important parts of this consulting project. If done thoroughly and well, it will serve as a foundation for the rest of the project. If done haphazardly, it will not help you develop a plan to help your client with his or her primary issue.

Client Analysis: The following are IDEAS for you to use, you should attend to each question but you do not need to answer all aspects of the question.

  1. Make-up of Audience: Who exactly is your audience? Who is the individual in the organization who will be receiving the report? What is his/her title? Why is this person your contact? Does this person have the power to put into practice the change you are recommending? Do you have one or multiple readers? Who else, besides your contact person, will be reading or using this document?
  1. Addressing your Audience: How will the following factors influence how you address your audience:
  1. Client’s ability to handle bad news.
  2. Client’s availability and/or time constraints. (Take this factor into consideration before you commit to working with your client. Remember, you will have approximately six weeks in which to meet with your client, do research, write recommendations, and produce a final product. If your client is not available to you, you will have problems meeting the deadlines involved in this project.) If you do decide to work with a client with limited availability, how will that affect your product?
  3. Company culture: What does the client value the most: customer service? making money? advancing knowledge? reputation? contributing to the community? How does the problem you are investigating get in the way of the client’s value system?
  4. Your relationship with the client. You may use a friend or relative’s company, but if you do so, how will that relationship affect your work on this project? You may also use a company where you are working (or have worked), but if you do so, how will that relationship affect your work on this project?
  1. Knowledge of Audience: How much knowledge or experience with this topic does your client have? How much does your client know about the situation leading up to this state of affairs? What will this report tell the client that he does not know and wants or needs to know? Will you need to define any terminology or explain specialized concepts for your client? Would such information be inappropriate?
  1. Concerns of Audience: What is the client’s attitude toward your proposal? What concerns or objections might the client have based on his/her attitude? What will the client be able and prepared to do after reading your report?
  1. Needs of Audience: How will this document serve the needs of your client? How are you helping him or her? Will it serve the needs of upper management, supervisors, employees, customers, or everyone? Are different parts of the document geared for certain audiences? Which parts serve which audiences?
  1. Design Factors: How will your client use your document? How will the client use your final product (brochure, video, etc.)? How should the document be designed to best serve your client’s need? How will you structure your document to serve your client’s needs? What type of visuals will you include? What appendices will you use?
  1. Technological Factors: What technology best meets your client’s needs? What technology is he/she familiar with? What is available or most commonly used in the company?

PROJECT #2: Work Plan