North Seattle Community College
Business, Engineering, & Information Technologies Division
BUS 230, Business Communications
Spring, 2011
SLN: 4173
Instructor: Susan Helf, J.D.
Office: XXXXX
Office hours:
Phone
E-mail: shelf@ccd.ctc.edu
XXXX
Class meets:
Text:
By appointment.
Tues./Thurs. 6 -8:10 p.m., IB3327
Business Communication, Process & Product
Mary Ellen Guffey (7th ed.), Southwestern Publishing, 2004
Course objectives
The objective of Business Communication 230 is to improve your written and oral communication skills.
This course will cover how to:
1.
understand and apply a structured writing process;
2.
analyze the audience in terms of cultural and political preferences;
3. choose the right writing style and format for the message you want to send;
4. compose clear, concise sentences and paragraphs using unbiased language.
to communicate successfully to your audience.
5. make a successful oral presentation.
.
North Seattle Community College general educational outcomes
met by this course:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
To think critically in reading and writing.
To discover, develop, and communicate one’s own creative and critical
ideas in writing and respond in effective writing to the spoken, written,
and visual ideas of others.
Do access, evaluate, and apply information from a variety of sources
and a variety of contexts.
To apply computer competency appropriate to general education and
occupational goals.
To recognize the value of intellectual inquiry, personal responsibility
and ethical behavior.
Diversity
Respect for diversity is a core value of North Seattle Community College. Our college fosters an optimal
learning environment and an atmosphere of mutual respect. In this community, we recognize differences
individual differences, thus taking responsibility for the content and tone of our statements
Americans with Disabilities Act
Let me know if you need course accommodation because of a disability. For more information, contact
Disability Services, http://www.northseattle.edu/services/disabilty, 2346A College Center Building,
(voice) (206) 527-3697, TTY (206) 526-0079 or email: ds@sccd.ctc.edu.
Assignments
1. Format: All written assignments must be typed, using Microsoft Word. When writing your
papers, follow the rules in the Grammar and Mechanics Guide contained in Appendix A of the
textbook. Documents must also follow the Document Format Guide contained in Appendix B of
the textbook. .
2. Drafts: Prepare a typed draft of each assignment. On the days drafts are due, bring enough paper
copies of each draft for each member of your group. The groups will peer-edit the drafts. I won’t
read or comment on those drafts.
3. Final drafts must be emailed: After you have met with your peer-editing group, use the feedback
you received from your groups to rewrite your papers. Submit your final drafts to me by email. I
will NOT accept paper copies. Be sure to save your original on your hard drive. I will grade your
papers on correct writing mechanics as well as on content.
4. Rewrites: You will have a chance to rewrite each assignment once. Email your rewritten
documents to me within one week of the day I email you my comments and a grade on that
assignments. If you choose not to rewrite and submit your paper by the due date, you will receive
your original grade.
5. Late papers: If you turn in a paper late, you will lose 50% of the points on that assignment.
6. Exams: I will give three 50-point exams on the chapter readings, lectures and handouts.
Grading. I grade on a curve. I’ll base your grade on the following:
Short informal talk (2-3 min)*.……….………25 points
Longer talk w/visuals (3-5 minute)*..……….. 25
Informative letter or memo…………………. .50
Bad news letter or memo…………………......50
Persuasive memo/letter…………………….....80
Exams - 3 @ 50 points:…………………......150
Resume.............................................................50
Final presentation documents
- one page typed notes……………… 10
-thumbnail Power Point slides………..10
Final presentation:…………………………..100
Peer evaluation…………………………….....25
Participation**
125
TOTAL:
650 points
*Credit/no credit assignments: These short talks are designed to build confidence and skills in
preparation for more formal presentations. Your classmates and I will write brief comments on
your presentation. If your topic is appropriate for the assignment and you follow the time & format
guidelines, you will get full points.
**Participation: These points are based on your completing peer-editing writing assignments as
well as in-class chapter exercises. You will also earn points based on the quality of your
contributions to class discussions, improvement of your writing and competing evaluations of your
classmates’ presentations. Attendance is mandatory during the ENTIRE last four days of class
during which students give their long presentations. Each day's attendance is worth 10 points.
.
Procedures and Policies
The Loft
The tutoring services of The Loft are available free of charge to all students
enrolled at NSCC. Tutors assist students who want to improve their writing,
reading, vocabulary, listening or speaking skills. Located on the second floor
of the Library, The Loft is a walk-in center where no appointment is necessary
and students may request one-on-one or small group tutoring for up to 30
minutes each session. Visit The Loft website at:
www.northseattle.edu/services/loft
Classroom
etiquette
During class, turn off your laptop computers, pages and cell phones and put
them under your desks. I don’t want to hear anything beep, chirp, or ring.
Leave the classroom if you need to respond to a phone call.
The Computer Lab
Your quarterly computer access fee allows you to use the North Seattle
Community College Computer Lab.
This syllabus is
subject to change.
It is your responsibility to keep up with course changes by checking
my faculty website or Angel. I may announce changes in reading
assignments, test dates or due dates for papers.
Course Schedule
Week 1
Tues., April 5
Syllabus handed out. Introduction to the course
Thurs., April 7
Ch. 1 Effective and Ethical Communication and Work
In-class chapter exercises.
Week 2
Tues., April 12
Ch. 2, Professionalism, Team Meeting, Listening,
Nonverbal and Etiquette Skills. In-class chapter exercise
Thurs., April 14
Ch. 3, Intercultural Communication; Ch. 4, Planning
Business Messages. In-class chapter exercises.
Short talks (2-3 minutes) begin.
Week 3
Tues., April 19
Ch. 4, Planning Business Messages. In-class chapter exercises.
Short talks (2-3 minutes) continue
Thurs., April 21
Ch. 5, Organizing and Writing Business Messages.
In-class chapter exercises.
Short talks (2-3 minutes) end.
Week 4
Tues., April 26
Ch. 14, Business Presentations. In-class chapter exercises.
Lecture/discussion about final presentations.
Handouts and discussion of guidelines for short (3-5 minute) presentations
Thurs., April 28
Ch. 6, Revising Business Messages. In-class chapter exercises.
Draft of informative memo due – bring paper copies to class for peer-editing
Final draft of your informative letter must be emailed to me no later than 5 p.m. Mon., May 2.
Week 5
Tues., May 3
Test 1, Chapters 1-6.
Ch. 7, Electronic Messages and Digital Media. In-class chapter exercises.
3-5 minute talks begin.
Thurs, May 5
Ch. 8, Positive Messages. In-class chapter exercises.
3-5 minute talks continue
Week 6
Tues, May 10
Begin Ch. 9, Negative Messages. In-class chapter exercises.
Draft of good news letter due - bring paper copies to class for peer-editing
Thurs., May 12
Ch. 10, Persuasive and Sales Messages.
In-class chapter exercises.
Last day for 3-5 minute talks
Final draft of your good news letter must be emailed to me no later than 5 p.m. Mon., May 16
Week 7
Tues., May 17
Test 2, Chapters 7-10.
Ch. 11, Report and Report Basics
Discussion of requirements for final presentations, including effective
use of charts and graphs.
Thurs., May 19
Ch. 15, Job Search, Resumes and Cover Letters.
In-class chapter exercises.
Draft of bad news letter due - bring paper copies for peer-editing.
Final draft of your bad news letter/memo must be emailed no later than 5 p.m. on Mon., May 23
Week 8
Tues., May 24
Ch. 16, Interviewing and Following Up.
In-class chapter exercises.
Draft of persuasive letter/memo due – bring paper copies to class for
peer-editing
Thurs., May 26
Test 3, Chapters 11-16.
Brief in-class meetings with students about final presentations
Final draft of your persuasive letter/memo must be emailed no later than 5 p.m. Mon., May 30
Week 9
Tues., May 31
Draft of resume due – Bring paper copies to class for peer-editing
Thurs., June 2
Final presentations begin.
Final draft of your resume must be emailed no later than 5 p.m. Mon., June 6
Week 10
Tues., June 7
Final presentations continue.
Thurs., June 9
Final presentations continue.
Week 11
Tues., June 14
Final presentations end.
Students complete peer evaluation and class evaluation forms.
No final exam.
.
.