WELCOME TO BA 290—Section 11
FALL, 2012
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION (3 units)
Monday/Wednesday 2PM – 3:15PM MCS103
Course Syllabus
Instructor:
Office Hours:
Robert Lawry
(619) 594-3033
E-mail rlawry@mail.sdsu.edu
M/W 3:45PM - 4:15PM
Office SSE 3322
Class Website: http://blackboard.sdsu.edu/
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is designed to increase a student’s knowledge of
the elements of communication and the various forms of business communication. This course
consists of lecture, writing, class participation, homework, quizzes, midterm and final exams.
The course places great emphasis on writing, in and out of class. Students will write business
letters, memoranda, e-mails, resumes, a business report and undoubtedly some miscellaneous
stuff. It is assumed that students have a basic understanding of English usage: parts of speech,
sentence construction and punctuation, subject-verb and subject-pronoun agreement, etc
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Since business majors are required to communicate in written
and oral reports and presentations, this course is designed to improve your communication
skills so that you can present business information more effectively. Upon successful
completion of this course you will be able to:
1. Adapt the concepts of the basic communication model to written messages and oral
presentations through careful audience analysis and message planning.
2. Choose words, write sentences and develop paragraphs for good news, bad news and
persuasive messages that are clear, concise, complete and accurate.
3. Incorporate technology effectively in gathering, organizing, writing and presenting
written and oral messages.
4. Effectively gather, interpret and organize both primary and secondary. information
needed to support written and oral reports.
5. Evaluate and produce graphics to communicate messages quickly and accurately.
6.
Write effectively for those with English as a second language.
STUDENT PREPARATION: Each student is expected to check BlackBoard and email
before each class session. It is a good idea to do this early enough so that you can complete
any assignment that may be posted or print any materials that may be needed for that day’s
class.
ALL assignments are due on the due date. If you will not be attending class ,date-stamped
assignments can be put in my mailbox in room SSE2411on the due date. Assignments will be
accepted one class meeting late for ½ credit. After that, the assignments will not be accepted.
COURSE POLICIES: Attendance is very important in this class. I take attendance.
If a serious illness or situation arises and you will be absent more than two classes—email me.
REQUIRED TEXT: BUSINESS COMMUNICATION 2e by Flatley, Rentz and Lentz,
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED SUPPLEMENTS
An up-to-date dictionary (a printed one or try an online one such as Merriam Webster or
Dictionary.com). There is even a version that works for your ipod.
iPod site is: http://www.ipreppress.com/Pages/Refrence/MWPocket.htm
Merriam-Webster dictionaries are also available for a variety of mobile devices, including
PDA’s and smartphones at: http//www.mobile-webster.com
Two good resources if English is NOT your first language:
Geffner, A.(1998). Barron’s ESL guide to American business English. Huckin, T. and Olsen,
L. (1991). Technical writing and professional communication for non-native speakers of
English (2nd ed.)New York, NY:McGraw
MLA WEBLINKS: We will be using MLA format in our report, so familiarize yourself with
these two sites:
http://www.calstatelaedu/library/guides/3apa.pdf
http://owl.eglish.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED SOFTWARE: WORD—A full featured word processing
program. This is available at a discounted rate in the Aztec Shops bookstore for SDSU
students. Word is available in the library computer lab as well as other labs around the
campus.
PowerPoint will be needed for your oral presentation. Works does not work on our system in
the classroom, so do NOT do your presentation on an Apple computer in a Works program. It
will not work. See me for further instructions.
COMPUTERS: You can use the computers in the library to access many of the abovementioned applications and the web. With a wi-fi enabled laptop or handheld, you can access
the internet from many hotspots on campus as well as some classrooms.
SUPPLIES:
One package of 815-E Scantrons
Two 882-E Scantrons for midterm and final
Flash Drive—keep all of your BA 290 assignments (in and out of class on
this)—bring the flash drive to class daily.
Thesaurus and Reference Manual (optional)
ACCESS TO A COMPUTER
GRADING
This class is based on POINTS not PERCENTAGES
Your grade will be determined by your scores on the assignments, quizzes, tests, group work, a
written report, an oral report, the resume packet, the in-class writings, the midterm and the
final. Your grades will be posted on BlackBoard. It is your job to keep track of your grades.
Points:
200
90
100
50
100
100
100
4 In-class writings- 50 each
9 Quizzes- 10 each
Written report
Report Presentation
Resume Packet
Midterm
Final
740 Total
GRADES
A
B
C
D
F
666-740
592-665
518-591
444-517
Below 444
Plusses and Minuses will be determined by the instructor.
REDO—a redo is an in-class writing assignment in which you did not meet the required “C”
writing level, and you are given the paper back to fix (redo).
COURSE SCHEDULE: The course schedule on BlackBoard gives you an idea of the
material covered, assignments, quiz and exam dates. You are, however, responsible for any
changes that are made to the schedule in class, via email or announced on BlackBoard.
STUDENTS HELP: I am always available to help you with assignments, review drafts of
your writing (but not on the day a writing assignment is due), go over reading assignments you
do not understand etc. during my office hours.
ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY: You are expected to comply with all university rules
and regulations including those regarding cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of academic
dishonesty and unethical conduct. Go to
http://its.sdsu.edu/turnitin/pdf/Plagiarism_AcadSen.pdf, for the entire document.
Plagiarism shall be defined as the act of incorporating ideas, words, or specific substance of
another, whether purchased, borrowed, or otherwise obtained, and submitting same to the
University as one’s own work to fulfill academic requirements without giving credit to the
appropriate source. Plagiarism shall include but not be limited to (a) submitting work, either in
part or in whole, completed by another; (b) omitting citations for ideas, statements, facts, or
conclusions that belong to another; (c) omitting quotation marks when quoting directly from
another, whether it be a paragraph, sentence, or part thereof; (d) close and lengthy paraphrasing
of the writings of another; (e) submitting another person’s artistic works, such as musical
compositions, photographs, paintings, drawings, or sculptures; and (f) submitting as one’s own
work papers purchased from research companies.
.
The library has the online information literacy tutorial, "Plagiarism: The Crime of Intellectual
Kidnapping." This is a self-directed, 30-minute tutorial that teaches you about plagiarism,
paraphrasing, and citing sources. The quiz helps you determine your ability to recognize and
avoid plagiarism.
.
IN-CLASS ASSIGNMENTS /WRITINGS AND EXAMS: These assignments CANNOT
be made up without prior arrangement with the instructor and then with a late policy applied.
Only documented severe illness or other grave circumstances will be considered as valid
reasons for allowing make up work for full credit. All ATHLETES must see me at least one
week BEFORE missing a graded assignment OR exam so that an early date can be set for you
to do the assignment.
RESEARCH PAPER
The research paper MUST be completed correctly to pass the class.
The oral presentation must also be presented with PowerPoint to pass the class.!!!!!!
If you plagiarize, the penalty may range from a zero, an F in the class to even more serious
consequences. Do Not take a chance.
YOU MUST HAVE IN-TEXT CITATIONS IN BOTH THE RESEARCH PAPER AND THE
ORAL PRESENTATION AS WELL AS A REFERENCES PAGE.
ELECTRONIC DEVICES POLICY: Please turn off all cell phones, iPods and other
electronic devices. If there is some extraordinary reason why you must have an electronic
device on, please see me before class begins. Please do not leave the room to talk on your cell
phoneAlso, no recorders (audio or video), scanners, smart pens (Pulse etc.) or similar devices
are permitted to be used without my permission.
NO ELECTRONIC DEVICES ARE PERMITTED AT YOUR DESK DURING
QUIZZES, IN-CLASS WRITINGS OR EXAMS.
OTHER
Please remove your hat when you enter the classroom—this means all ladies and gentlemen.
No texting in class.
ABSENCES
All students are responsible for what happened in class on days they were absent. Contact a
fellow class member for this information. Please DO NOT email me for this information.
I will answer all emails as soon as I am able. I will not answer emails on weekends or
holidays.
This syllabus may be altered during the semester
.