Business Communications
2011 - 2012
Teacher: Mr. Valanzano
Office: N211A
(West Top next to Mr. Vogelson’s office)
Room: W105
Contact: avalanzano@sfponline.org
Introduction
This is a half-year (1 semester) course intended to provide a basic understanding of oral, written,
and nonverbal communication that is necessary for success in today's workplace. Common hiring
procedures in today's business world will be addressed as well as legal rights and obligations of
the employer and employee. Workplace discrimination and methods of addressing this problem
will be discussed.
The topics that will be covered include: Communication (oral, written, and nonverbal),
Communication terms, Listening and responding, Giving instructions, Summarizing, Persuading,
Drafting business correspondence (memos and letters), Applying for a job, and Interviewing.
Course Goals
- To develop oral, written, and nonverbal communication skills in a variety of ways which are
necessary for success in today's workplace.
- To develop a basic understanding of and acquaint yourself with common terms used in today's
business world.
- To learn and understand summarization skills and persuasion techniques.
- To introduce the drafting of business correspondence such as business memos and business
letters.
- To learn how to build a resume, create a cover letter, apply for a job, the interview process, and
the legal rights and obligations of employers and employees.
- To increase the ability to apply reason and logic to everyday situations.
Required Materials
Textbook – You will get one to keep at home and we will have a class set.
Notebook
Folder
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Grading
Final Grade:
Quarter Grades (30% each x 2 quarters)
60%
Midterm Exam
20%
Final Exam
20%
__________________
100%
Quarter Grades:
Projects (Individual and Group)
300 points
Quizzes
150 points
Homework/In-class assignments
100 points
Class Participation & Attendance
50 points
_________________
600 points
YOUR QUARTER GRADE IS DETERMINED BY DIVIDING THE TOTAL NUMBER
OF POINTS YOU EARNED DIVIDED BY 600.
- There will be 2 major exams given in this course: a midterm exam and a final exam. Each exam
will be worth 20% of your final course grade.
- A majority of your grade will come from projects done in class and at home. Some projects will
be done individually and some will be done in groups. The projects will include:
- Effective communication of a message
- Creating a persuasive PowerPoint presentation
- Writing a business memo and business letter
- Developing your resume and cover letter and filling out a job application
- Mock negotiations
Each project will be worth 100 points. You will receive more details when each project is
assigned.
- Throughout the 2nd quarter, you will schedule a time with me to conduct a mock interview.
Some of you will do your interview during class time, others will schedule a time with me during
free periods. This will be one of your project grades for the 2nd quarter.
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- Quizzes will be given throughout each quarter. They will be worth 25 points each and vary in
content and style. Your lowest quiz grade will be dropped, giving you 150 points worth of quiz
grades.
- Homework will not be given every night but it is expected to be completed when it is assigned.
Everyone will start with 100/100 for their Homework/In-class assignment grade. If a homework
is not completed by the next class period, 5 points will be deducted from this grade.
- Attending class and actively participating in class is vital to your understanding and success in
this course. If you know you will be missing class, please do your best to notify me ahead of
time.
- All make-up exams and quizzes must take place within one full week of the date of the missed
exam or quiz. Failure to make up the exam or quiz within that time will result in a grade of zero.
- Any project not submitted by the due date will be considered late unless there was an
emergency or circumstances that caused the project to not be finished in time. Projects submitted
after the due date without an appropriate excuse will have 5 points deducted for each day it's late.
***DUE DATES FOR ALL ASSIGNMENTS AND DATES OF EXAMS & QUIZZES
WILL ALWAYS BE POSTED IN THE CLASSROOM AND
ANNOUNCED AHEAD OF TIME!***
OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER
- It is expected that students show up on time for class. Arriving late is a disruption and a
distraction to both the teacher and the other students. Excessive lateness will result in a negative
impact on your class participation and attendance grade, and possibly your quarter grade.
- Cell phone use is PROHIBITED in the classroom. If I see your phone, it will be confiscated
and submitted to the Dean's Office for 2 days. If it happens again, your parent or guardian will
have to pick up your phone from the Dean's Office for you. This is the school's new policy.
- The school's dress code will be strictly enforced.
- Respect everything and everyone in the classroom.
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St. Francis Prep Honor Code
As members of a Catholic community in the Franciscan tradition, we affirm the significance of
honesty in all areas of our lives. Honesty fosters a community based on trust, the only
atmosphere in which true learning and spiritual growth may occur. Lack of honesty is a major
impediment in the pursuit of Truth, the heart of the philosophy of St. Francis Prep. As such, we
pledge ourselves to honorable behavior in all we do.
Academic Honesty
Students at St. Francis Prep commit themselves to honesty in all their academic work. Academic
dishonesty (cheating) is taking credit for work that is not one's own. Cheating includes, but is not
limited to, the following items:
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giving or receiving aid on an exam or attempting to do so;
copying homework;
not documenting sources (including use of the Internet);
plagiarism;
getting the answers for a test in advance;
forgery;
misusing calculators.
Any behavior that compromises the integrity of a student's work or a teacher's assessment of that
work constitutes cheating. Students who misrepresent themselves and their work face serious
academic consequences. Individual classroom teachers will explain in detail policies regarding
academic honesty relevant to their discipline and course. There are also school policies and
consequences for violating commitment to
academic honesty.
The responsibility of supporting and upholding the Honor Code falls to each member of the St.
Francis Prep community. Students are responsible. for respecting and upholding the Honor Code
in all their behaviors. Parents and guardians are responsible for
supporting the Honor Code. Faculty members are responsible for explaining, clarifying, and
enforcing the Honor Code in all their classes and for providing for fair testing and proctoring.
The Administration is responsible for providing guidance and support for education and
enforcement of the Honor Code.
Sanctions
First Infraction of the Honor Code:
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The student automatically fails the assignment involved.
The teacher involved will report the offense to his or her Chairperson.
The teacher involved will telephone the parents or guardians immediately to inform them
of the infraction.
The name of the student will be recorded with the Chairperson and the Assistant Principal
for Faculty and Instruction.
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Second Infraction:
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The student automatically fails the assignment involved.
The teacher involved will report the offense to his or her Chairperson.
The teacher involved will telephone the parents or guardians immediately to inform them
of the infraction and that a letter will he sent-home regarding the consequences.
The Chairperson and teacher will meet with the student to explain the seriousness of this
second offense.
The Chairperson will send home a letter (from the Chairperson and the Assistant
Principal for Faculty and Instruction) informing the family that the student has been
placed on academic probation. The letter will explain the meaning of academic probation.
The parents or guardians must sign the letter and return it to school.
Third Infraction:
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The student automatically fails the assignment involved.
The teacher involved will report the offense to his or her Chairperson.
The student is suspended.
The student will remain on suspension until the student and his or her parents or
guardians come to school for an interview with the Assistant Principal for Faculty and
Instruction. At that time, the Assistant Principal for Faculty and Instruction will explain
the seriousness of the student's actions and the possible dismissal following another
offense.
The parents or guardians must sign a letter explaining the student's change in affairs.
Fourth Infraction:
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The student and the parents or guardians will meet with the Principal to discuss the
student's dismissal from St. Francis Prep. At that time, the Principal will review the
student's entire school record. The Administration reserves the right to move immediately
to the fourth step in cases it determines to be extreme.
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