Business Communication – English 302
Text: The Business Writer’s Handbook, 8th edition, by Gerald J. Alred, Charles T.
Brusaw, and Walter E. Oliu,
Background for some assignments can be obtained through your handbook. you are
strongly encouraged to bring the text to class. You will put together a portfolio at the end
of the semester, so I encourage you to store your documents-flash drives are good. Lab
days are Mondays in Helser 1510.
Week Six: Company Profile
Monday, Sept. 25 – Meet in Lab-Helser 1510;
Activity: Design work for own business letterhead and business card;
Wednesday, Sept. 27 – Activity: handout company profile memo and work on
business profile
Friday, Sept. 29 -- Activity: group work on Company profiles; Select design for
letterhead and business card
Week Seven – Informational Brochure
Monday, Oct. 2 – Meet in Lab; Due: Company Profile, business card, letterhead
Activity: analyze brochures
Wednesday, Oct. 4 – Activity: More brochure analysis
Friday, Oct. 6 – Activity: Grammar #3
Homework: Ethics #3 – Case Cement for Sale
Week Eight – Brochure/Unsolicited Letter
Monday, Oct. 9 – Meet in Lab; Activity: Discuss-“You” attitude; Prepare draft of an
unsolicited letter and insert;
Due: Ethics #3
Wednesday, Oct. 11 – Activity: Creating introductions for memos that catch reader’s
attention
Friday, Oct. 13 – Activity: Mini-presentations to share brochures (2 minutes each)
Due: Letter/insert and brochure
Homework: Start reading Five Dysfunctions of a Team
Week Nine: Five Dysfunctions of a Team
Monday, Oct. 16 – Activity: Chris Miller PPT – Corporate Savvy
Wednesday, Oct. 18 – Activity: Discussion of book; Grammar #4
Friday, Oct. 20 – Activity: Discussion of Book; Ethics #4: Case The Question of
Corporate Responsibility
Week Ten: Friendly Co-Worker Program
Monday, Oct. 23 – – Meet in Lab Email: Progress report on Quick Reference Guide
Activity (Lab): Friendly Co-Worker Program Assignment; Individual, not
a group assignment.
Due: Ethics #4
Wednesday, Activity: Small group discussion of Trade Show PPT ideas
Friday, Oct. 27 – Activity: sketch out PPT designs on storyboard, select design, and
hand in storyboard
Due: Analysis of Paper 5 Dysfunctions…
Week Eleven: Employee Training
Monday, Oct. 30 – Activity: visual evaluation/documentation; Work on Training Session
Wednesday, Nov. 1 – Work on Training Session; Grammar #5; Ethics #5
Friday, Nov. 3 – Work on Training Session; Sign up for presentation day
Due: Friendly Co-Worker Program Letter
Week Twelve: Formal Proposal
Monday, Nov. 6 – Activity: Training Session presentations Groups1 and 2
Wednesday, Nov. 8 – Activity: Training Session presentations Groups 3 and 4
Friday, Nov. 10 – Activity: Training Session presentations Group 5
Read: “proposals” -- first two sub-topics; “executive summary”;
“glossary”; “appendix”; “introduction”; “conclusion”; “table of contents”;
Activity: to go www.bedfordstmartins.com/alredbus and go to
Model documents gallery. Find proposals.
Week Thirteen: Research/Proposals/Reports
Monday, Nov. 13 – Computer work on proposal/research
Wednesday, Nov. 15 – Read: “proposals” – rest of section; “layout and design”; “tone”
Activity: Proposal Activity
Friday, Nov. 17 – Read: “organization”; “research”; “outlining”
Activity: Outline of proposal
Week Fourteen:
Monday, Nov. 20- 24 Thanksgiving Break
Week Fifteen Formal Proposal/Progress Reports
Monday, Nov. 27 – Proposal workday
Be sure to email presentations (PPT component) to me by 6pm on
Tuesday, April 25.
Wednesday, Nov. 29 – Proposal Presentations
Friday, Dec. 1 – Proposal Presentations
Week Sixteen - Dead Week
Monday, Dec. 4 – Proposal workday
Be sure to email presentations (PPT component) to me by 6pm on
Tuesday, Dec.5th.
Wednesday, Dec. 6 – Trade Show Presentations
Friday, Dec. 8 – Trade Show Presentations
Week Seventeen
Dec, 11-16 Final exam – TBA -- Final self-evaluation report due