ADVANCED PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION SYLLABUS
Spring - 2014
Instructor: Anzhelika O. Tenis, MSPC, Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The course is aimed at advancing students` communication techniques and
preparing them to take over responsibility for different communication situations
like communication in project teams or larger working contexts like negotiations
with external partners or moderating conferences or decision making processes.
This task may involve the ability to lead teams, to co-ordinate the group’s
workload, to moderate meetings and decision-making processes, to communicate
with different partners in different forms. Thus, the course is also focused on the
development of effective documents and exposes students to the variety of
professional information products as an integral component of project management
in global industries.
Students are to select a course project, perform it, report on its progress,
present it to the group and analyze its success in the form of a project-completion
report. Students learn how to write a wide range of professional business
documents, to write and market freelance articles, to plan media strategies for
business or non-profit organizations, and to develop and deliver presentations.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
1) To provide an understanding of corporate communication practices and
contemporary communication culture.
2) To understand the main principles of professional communication and
critical differences between professional and non-professional
communication.
3) To experience designing and writing a variety of professional documents
within the context of corporate project management.
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4) To work together with others to complete a group project, present project
findings in a professional environment, with appropriate visual aids.
READING MATERIALS
 Textbooks:
1) Charles H. Sides How to Write and Present Technical Information. 3rd
edition, Phoenix: Oryx Press, 1999.
2) Peter G. Northouse. Leadership: Theory and Practice. Fifth edition. –
Western Michigan University. –Sage, 2010.
3) Chapman R. English for Emails. Oxford Business English, 2011.
 Articles:
1) Anawati, D.; Craig, A. Behavioral adaptation within cross-cultural virtual
teams. Professional Communication, IEEE Transactions on (Volume: 49,
Issue: 1), 2006.
2) Louhiala-Salminen, L.; Kankaanranta, A. Professional Communication in a
Global Business Context: The Notion of Global Communicative
Competence. Professional Communication, IEEE Transactions on
(Volume: 54, Issue: 3), 2011.
3) Weimann, P.; Pollock, M.; Scott, E.; Brown, I. Enhancing Team
Performance Through Tool Use: How Critical Technology-Related Issues
Influence the Performance of Virtual Project Teams. Professional
Communication, IEEE Transactions on (Volume: 56, Issue: 4), 2013.
 Access to the Internet
Journal of Professional Communication http://digitalcommons.mcmaster.ca/
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WEEKLY ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE
CLASS 1.
OVERVIEW OF COMMUNICATION
Oral communication. Written
communication. Verbal and non-verbal aspects. Professional Communication and nonprofessional communication.
Participants

of
communication.
Message.
Reading assignment:
Look through the list of top 10 best and worst communicators of the year. Make a
list of characteristics that can define a good and a bad communicator.

Writing assignment:
Read through the questionnaire “Do you have good communication skills”. Fill it
in and ponder on your score, weak and strong points. Write a short self-reflection
on “What kind of communicator I am”.
CLASS 2.
PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION BARRIES
Barriers for successful professional communication: physical barriers, system
design, attitudinal barriers, interpersonal barriers, individual linguistic ability,
physiological barriers, presentation of information.

Reading assignment:
Read the case-study and think of the barriers the people have and what caused
them. Make your case-study analysis. Develop 10 tips on how to reduce the
influence of communication barriers in the given situation.

Writing assignment:
Do the questionnaire about communication barriers at your workplace. Analyze the
barriers that exist at your workplace. Make a short description of each barrier. Can
you explain their existence? Is it possible to eliminate them or at least reduce
them?
CLASS 3.
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MEETING
AS
A
COMMUNICATION
KEY
COMPONENT
OF
PROFESSIONAL
The importance of the meeting agenda, priorities, purpose, outcomes, sequence,
time and timing, attendees, venue, the meeting planner.

Video assignment:
Watch the video “Full Meeting” and analyze it according to the following plan:
Priorities, purpose, outcomes, sequence, time and timing, attendees, venue.

Writing assignment:
Think of the meetings you have at your workplace regularly or occasionally?
Describe them using the parameters given in the presentation.
Class 4.
BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE
Informal and formal writing. How to write a letter: rules, layouts, elements.
Discussing purposes and rules of an effective business letter.

Reading assignment:
Study the letter samples. Observe how their contents depend on the purpose for
writing and how they differ.

Writing assignment:
Write a letter based on one of the case-studies.
Class 5.
FORMAL WRITING
Types of business letters: acknowledgement letter, apology letter, appreciation
letter, complaint letter, inquiry letter, order letter, letter of recommendation, letter
of invitation, application forms.

Reading assignment:
Look through application forms composed by your group-mates and act as a
recruiter. Choose the best candidate and explain your choice.
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
Writing assignment:
Browse a site of a hotel in your city, e.g. Park Inn Hotel. Look through
“Vacancies” section. Find out what kind of specialists they need. Compose your
application form for the HR manager of the hotel.
Class 6.
RECRUITMENT FOR A JOB
Successful application form or reference. Applying for a job. Secrets of a
successful resume. CV VSa Resume.

Reading assignment:
Read the Tips on how to write a resume. Distribute the tips into Do`s and Don`ts
and explain your point.

Writing assignment:
Study the resume samples. Craft your own resume.
Class 7.
INTERVIEW FOR A JOB
Recruitment procedure: a recruiter and a recruitee. How to succeed in your job
interview. “Do`s and Don’ts” during the interview.

Video assignment:
Watch the video “Interview”. Think of the recruiter`s behavior and the reaction of
the interviewee. Was the reaction proper? What was right or wrong in the
situation?

Writing assignment:
Write the analysis of the recruitment procedure and the requirements at your work
place. Answer the following questions:
1)
How do people learn about job vacancies at your work place?
2)
Do you interview people before recruiting them?
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3)
What questions do you ask recruiters during the interview?
4)
What factors influence the success of an interviewee at your work place?
5)
What tips would your give to those people who want to get a job position at
your work place?
Class 8.
HOW TO PRESENT INFORMATION
What we present at work and why. Public speaking. Briliant speakers. Secrets and
taboos of a successful presentation.
Practical assignment:
Think of the way how your workplace, department or division can be presented

and who can be interested in it. Identify the audience. Make a short presentation of
your workplace, department or division for your group mates.
Class 9.
BUILDING A TEAM
A team or a group. Characteristic features of a successful team. Team “spirit”.
Team building stages. Team building activities.

Writing assignment:
Analyze the group you work at: Are you a team? What characteristics made you a
team? Can you define the stage of team growth your team is on? What do you lack
to be an ideal team? Develop some team-building activities to raise the “team
spirit” at your work place or university group. Complete the analysis in writing.
Class 10.
ADVERTISEMENT SELLS GOODS
How brands become popular. Advertisement as an indispensable part of our lives.
Types: explicit and implicit; adverse publicity. Key secrets of advertising. Let`s
advertise a product.
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Writing assignment:
Ponder on the following questions: What does your company have to advertise?

Where do they place the advertisement? Who are the targets? What secrets or
commercial tricks do your company use to attract people`s attention? How
successful are the advertising campaigns? What would you improve? Write your
analysis.
Class 11.
LEADERS AND LEADERSHIP
Who can make a good leader: different theories. Leadership styles.

Writing assignment:
There are three questionnaires in the Questionnaires Folder. Complete them to
identify what kind of leader you are. Ponder on your leadership traits, skills, style
you prefer. Write a self-reflective analysis on “What kind of leader I Am”.
Class 12.
PROFESSIONAL ENVIRONMENT
Office design. Business ethics. Business etiquette. Dress code.
Reading assignment:
Read the articles about office design. Analyze your office. Is it as comfortable as
you wish? What would you improve?

Writing assignment:

Do you have any business ethics challenges? What are they? What business
etiquette rules are there in your office? Do you wear a uniform at work? Write the
analysis of your professional ethics and etiquette.
Class 13.
REPORTS AND PROPOSALS
How to write an effective report or proposal: differences, structure, key words.

Writing assignment:
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Read the case-studies and choose one of them relevant to your working place.
Think of what you would change or improve there. Write a proposal.
Class 14.
PROJECT PRESENTATION.
GRADING PROCEDURE
The final grade for the course will be calculated on a 100-point basis. Total
points possible for graded components are the follows:
1) Participation in class
20%
Attendance in class is required. Be on time. Turn off cell phones.
Participate in discussions and exercises.
2) Individual Paper or Examination (individual effort)
30%
a) Grade will be determine based on:

Organization

Spelling and grammar

Utilization of course material
b) This paper may be replaced by an in class multiple choice test. This
will be decided and explained during Introduction.
3) Group project:
50%
Students will be assigned into groups and complete a project that includes
both an in-class presentation and a written analytical paper (4-5 pages, good
grammar and spelling and organization).
Grading is based on the following factors:

Organization of material

Application of course content and material

Utilization of outside course resources

Creativity of class presentation
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The goal of the group project is to work as a team utilizing the skills of each
team member. For example, one person may be good at research, another skilled
in PowerPoint, a third may be comfortable giving the presentation to the class, a
fourth may be good at writing the paper. Use everyone’s individual skills to make
the group project as successful as possible.
When converting “letter grades” to “numeric grades (or visa versa),
the following values will be used.
Number to letter
Letter to number
A+
98-100
98
A
93-97
95
A-
90-92
92
B+
87-89
88
B
83-86
85
B-
80-82
82
C+
77-79
78
C
73-76
75
72 and below
72
Failing
ACADEMIC POLICIES
Academic integrity is highly valued at Clark. Research, scholarship and
teaching are possible only in an environment characterized by honesty and mutual
trust. Academic integrity requires that your work be your own. Because of the
damage that violations of academic integrity do to the intellectual climate of the
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University, they must be treated with the utmost seriousness and appropriate
sanctions must be imposed. The maintenance of high standards of academic
integrity is the concern of every member of the University community.
Several ways in which academic integrity may be violated are outlined
below.
Cheating has three principal forms:
1. Unauthorized use of notes, text, or other aids during an examination or
in performance of course assignments.
2. Copying the work of another.
3. Handing in the same paper for more than one course unless the faculty
members involved give their explicit permission to do so.
Plagiarism refers to the presentation of someone else’s work as one’s own,
without proper citation of references and sources, whether or not the work has been
previously published. Submitting work obtained from a professional term paper
writer or company is plagiarism. Claims of ignorance about the rules of attribution,
or of unintentional error are not a defense against a finding of plagiarism.
Unauthorized collaboration refers to work that students submit as their own
but which was arrived at through a process of collaboration without the approval of
the professor. Since standards on appropriate or inappropriate collaboration may
vary widely among individual faculty, students should make certain they
understand a professor's expectations before collaborating on any class work.
Alteration or fabrication of data includes the submission or changing of
data obtained by someone else or not actually obtained in the performance of an
experiment or study, except where allowed by the professor. It also includes the
changing of data obtained in the performance of one's research.
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