BUS 3700: INTEGRATED COMMUNICATION IN BUSINESS
SPRING 2009
Ms. Jan Gabel-Goes, Faculty Specialist
3341 Schneider Hall
(269) 387-0407
Website: http://homepages.wmich.edu/~jgoes
Office Hours: 11:00- 11:50 a.m. MWF and 2:00-3:00 p.m. MW or as arranged with me.
Classes: BIS 1420 MWF 9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., BUS 3700 12 noon, 1:00 p.m.
This course is designed to expand your understanding of the
complexities of oral and written communication in business. Individual and team projects will provide
practical experience in the development of effective oral and written
communication that reflects your ability to analyze and adapt to an audience,
and be persuasive in written, oral, visual and electronic modes of
communication—as well as in combined modes.
BUS 3700 fulfills the
You
are responsible for making yourself aware of and understanding the policies and
procedures in the Undergraduate Catalog that pertain to Academic Honesty. These policies include cheating, fabrication,
falsification and forgery, multiple submission, plagiarism, complicity and
computer misuse. {The policies can be
found at www.wmich.edu/catalog under
Academic Policies, Student Rights and Responsibilities.} If there is reason to believe you have been
involved in academic dishonesty, you will be referred to the Office of Student
Conduct. You will be given the
opportunity to review the charge(s). If
you believe you are not responsible, you will have the opportunity for a
hearing. You should consult with me if
you are uncertain about an issue of academic honesty prior to the submission of
an assignment or test.
Excellence in Business Communication, 8th Edition by John V. Thill and Courtland L. Bovee, Pearson Prentice Hall 2008. A good dictionary of your choosing and a standard handbook of English usage and grammar are also recommended.
You are encouraged to keep all work for this course on a storage device. You will also receive email for this class, which you should verify during our second week of the semester and use regularly. All work done outside of class must be word-processed and a hard copy submitted at the beginning of class on the day it is due. A folder to keep hardcopies of all of your work and feedback grades is also highly recommended.
PROGRAM AND COURSE OBJECTIVES
Integrated Communication in Business is designed to help students achieve the following goals:
ü Demonstrate the ability to think critically and ethically about communication problems, analyze audiences and purposes, and develop appropriate strategies.
ü Understand the importance of communication contexts, with attention to diverse and intercultural audiences, changing business environments, and organizational dynamics.
ü Create written and oral communications that reflect rhetorical analysis, applying appropriate conventions for situational effectiveness.
ü Cultivate productive group communication processes.
ü To use technologies in service to these larger communication goals.
WORK OF THE COURSE
40% Written out of class work, including routine business correspondence.
10% In Class work possibly including quizzes
10% Oral reports (individual and group)
40% Written team work; Career Documents/Job Package; Final Exam
Your work will be evaluated using the following criteria:
Creative insight into the problem presented: the paper reflects an appropriate awareness of and adaptation to the rhetorical situation (context and purpose), the relationship between writer and reader, and other issues implied by the assignment.
Content and development: The paper is accurate, contains quality information appropriate to the needs of the reader, develops the writer’s perspective or purpose convincingly using valid criteria, and shows a good sense of “how much to say.”
Organization: the paper is organized clearly, effectively, and logically to meet reader’s needs and writer’s purposes, exhibits correct use of three-part structure, shows effective use of paragraphing, and is held together by the purpose.
Style: the paper uses effective sentence structure, appropriate word choice, appropriate tone for the context and audience, and is clear and coherent.
Editing and appearance: The paper is grammatically “correct” and free from usage, spelling, punctuation and typographical errors, and is formatted neatly and professionally.
A = 93%, BA = 88%, B = 83%, CB = 78%, C = 73%, DC = 68%, D = 63%,
Attendance is critical and beneficial. Please notify your instructor if you are going to be absent via email. In class work and quizzes may NOT be made up for unexcused absences. Many handouts are given during the semester and it is a good idea to develop a buddy system with others in class in case of unexcused absences. You will need to find out from a classmate what you’ve missed. Assigned readings are due on dates shown in syllabus. You are responsible for coming to class prepared for discussions.
Writing assignments which are turned in later than the
beginning of the class period they are due will LOSE 5 POINTS PER DAY LATE. Late papers can be emailed or must be turned
into the BIS Department Secretary by 5:00 p.m. to be date stamped and put in my
mailbox in Room 3310 Schneider Hall. You
must submit both the original and reworked materials for resubmission
consideration within one week.
There may be weekly writing assignments to be completed individually, in pairs or in teams. They will be completed during and outside of class. The ability to work in a group is an essential skill in the workplace and an important part of your work in this class. Those who work well in groups follow directions, contribute to the work of the group, stay with the assigned task, and complete it effectively in the time allotted. Do your share; give helpful advice, genuine praise and/or constructive criticisms. There may be quizzes depending on class attendance. They will cover class readings from the text and material covered in class
Watch business communication at work in the world beyond the classroom. Notice how companies present themselves or make (in)correct assumptions about who is receiving their communications. If you find interesting examples (good or bad) about what’s discussed in class, please consider sharing them.
Please note: We will be working on writing assignments and
presentations individually and with partners.
Some work will require class time and some may be completed outside of
class. Topics, Assignments and Due Dates
are tentative and MAY CHANGE at instructor’s discretion. In-class work is usually UNANNOUNCED and
CANNOT BE MADE UP if missed.
|
Dates |
|
Assignment |
Team Presentation |
|
Week 1 1/5, 7, 9 |
Introduction, Review
Syllabus, SIS, Dyad Chapter 1
Achieving Success Through Effective Business Communication |
Introductory Memo |
|
|
Week 2 1/12, 14, 16 |
Chapter 14
Designing & Delivering Oral
Presentations Chapter 2
Communicating in Teams; |
Introductory Reports Email Assignment Conflict Resolution; Introducing group projects |
|
|
Week 3 1/21, 23 (MLK Recess 1/19) |
Chapter 3
Communicating in a World of Diversity |
Intro Reports Attend Business Bash; 1/20
11a.m. – 5 p.m. 1/21 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Quiet Study Lounge |
|
|
Week 4 1/26, 28, 30 |
Chapter 4
Planning Chapter 5
Writing Chapter 6
Completing Business Messages |
Intro Reports |
Study Abroad Fair 1/29 4-6 p.m. Dean’s
Conference Room |
|
Week 5 2/4, 6, 8 |
Chapter 7 Crafting Messages for Electronic Media |
Letter/Memo 1 |
Team 1 |
|
Week 6 2/9, 11, 13 |
Chapter 8
Writing Routing & Positive Messages |
Letter/Memo 2 |
Team 2 |
|
Week 7 2/16, 18, 20 |
Chapter 9
Writing Negative Messages |
Letter/Memo 3 & 4 |
Team 3 |
|
Week 8 2/23, 25 (Spirit Day 2/27) |
Chapter 10
Writing Persuasive Messages |
Letter/Memo 5 |
Team 4 |
|
Week 9 3/2 – 3/6 |
SPRING BREAK WEEK |
|
|
|
Week 10 3/9, 11, 13 |
Chapter 15
Building Careers & Writing Resumes |
Career Documents & Job
Package |
Team 5 |
|
Week 11 3/16, 18, 20 (Last Day to
Drop 3/16) |
Chapter 16
Interviewing for Employment & Following Up |
30 Second Commercial |
Team 6 |
|
Week 12 3/23, 25, 27 |
Chapter 11
Planning Chapter 12
Writing Reports & Proposals |
Group Project 1 |
Team 7 |
|
Week 13 3/30, 4/1, 3 |
Chapter 13
Completing Reports & Proposals |
Project 2 – develop surveys |
|
|
Week 14 4/6, 8, 10 Good Friday |
Appendix B APA Documentation |
Project 3 – Formal Report |
|
|
Week 15 4/13, 15, 17 |
Discuss Final Exam |
Project 3 due |
|
|
Week 16 FINAL EXAM WEEK |
12 noon class final is
Tues. April 21 from 2:45-4:45 p.m. |
1 pm class final is Thurs. April
23 from 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. |
BRING PAPER/PENS PENCILS to final |
Revised
12/08 by Gabel-Goes