COURSE OUTLINE
JOHN MOLSON SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
COMM 205: Business Communication/ Fall 2023
1. General Information
Course Instructor: Richard Sejean
Class Day(s), Time Slot & Location: Friday, 11:45 am – 2:30 pm, MB S2.115 SGW
Office location: MB 14.282
Office hours: See Moodle
Email: richard.sejean@concordia.ca
2. Course Description
This course focuses on the theory and practice of effective business communications. Using interactive
classes and experiential activities, students will learn to effectively analyze, develop, deliver, and evaluate
oral and written business messages. Students will apply formal, grammatical, stylistic, and persuasive
written and oral business communication elements.
Prerequisite: BTM 200 or equivalent previously or concurrently.
NOTE: Students who have received credit for COMM 212 may not take this course for credit.
3. Course Objectives
●
Communicate effectively in writing tailored to specific context and audience (e.g., email, report,
social media, internal communication, etc.).
●
Communicate effectively orally tailored to specific context and audience (e.g., formal
presentation, elevator pitch, phone, social media, negotiation, etc.)
●
Manage a project effectively (e.g., priorities, collaboration modes, deadlines) using appropriate
tools (e.g., Google Docs, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Microsoft Project, etc.).
●
Apply evidence-based approach to decision-making.
4. Required Course Material
Cardon, P.W., & Stevens, J. (2021). Business communication: Developing leaders for a networked world.
McGraw-Hill Ryerson with Connect access.
Business Communication Simulation – registration access through the Connect Platform.
1
5. Course Delivery
●
Course instruction includes lectures, a semester-long online simulation, case discussions, and
exercises.
●
Students will apply their learning through a hands-on semester-long project with group and
individual deliverables.
●
Course content and information is posted in Moodle. Students are expected to check Moodle
regularly.
●
Slides used for this course complement class material and lectures and are not a comprehensive
textbook summary. Students are expected to complete the weekly assigned readings before class.
Assigned readings are also available through Smartbook in Connect.
6. Course Schedule (Tentative – notice will be given before any changes)
Week
1
Key Topics
Deliverables Readings
Course Overview
Course Outline
Interpersonal Communication and Emotional
Chapters 1 & 2
Intelligence
●
Discuss the importance of establishing
credibility for business communication.
●
Describe Barriers to effective
communication.
●
Explain the communication processes.
●
Apply the process of active listening.
●
Identify common communication preferences
based on motivational values.
●
Apply principles of cross-cultural
communication
●
Explain cultural dimensions.
2
2
Team Communication
●
Explain the principles of team
Start
Simulation
Chapters 3 & 4
Deadline for
Chapters 5, 6, 7 & 9
communication in high-performing teams.
●
Demonstrate approaches for planning,
running, and following up on meetings.
●
Explain the principles of effective virtual
team communications.
●
Explain basic principles for handling difficult
conversations.
3
Develop Effective Routine Business Messages
●
Strategically select communication channels
Team
●
Create effective messages.
Formation
●
Compose requests, claims, announcements,
and goodwill messages.
4
Presentations
●
Plan your presentation.
●
Organize and gather content for a preview,
Chapters 14 & 15
view, and review.
5
●
Develop effective presentation visuals.
●
Deliver individual and group presentations.
Research, Business Proposals, and Reports
●
Create specific, objective research goals.
●
Create specific, persuasive proposals.
●
Design your report to aid in decision-making.
●
Review reports for effectiveness and fairness.
●
Evaluate the usefulness of data sources for
Case Study
Chapters 12 & 13
Presentations
research.
●
Create precision-oriented style reports.
●
Develop visuals to concisely convey
messages and accentuate them.
●
Conduct secondary research to address a
business problem.
3
6
Persuasive Messages
●
Describe the relationship between credibility
Case Study
Chapters 10
Presentations
and persuasion.
●
Compose influential persuasive messages.
Individual
●
Construct effective mass sales messages.
Industry
●
Evaluate persuasive messages for
Trends
effectiveness and fairness.
Research
Report Due
7
Bad News Messages
●
Explain considerations for channel choice
Case Study
Chapter 11
Presentations
when delivering bad news.
●
Compose effective bad news messages in
person and in writing.
●
Deliver and receive negative performance
reviews constructively.
●
Evaluate bad news messages for
effectiveness and fairness.
8
Social Media
●
Use blogs, forums, and other social tools for
Case Study
Chapter 8
Presentations
effective communication with organizations.
●
Create blogs and other social posts for
Group Written
effective external communications.
Proposal Due
●
Build a credible online reputation.
●
Describe the ethical use of social media for
work.
4
9
Employment Communications
●
Understand principles for professional
Case Study
Chapter 16
Presentations
networking.
●
Identify your key selling points for job
applications.
●
Highlight your qualifications with effective
tone, style, and design.
●
Create effective functional and chronological
resumes.
●
Compose effective cover letters.
●
Develop strategies to respond to common
interview questions.
●
Explain etiquette for following up after job
interviews.
10
Team Presentations
Complete
Simulation
11
Team Presentations
12
Team Presentations
7. Behaviour
All individuals participating in courses are expected to be professional and constructive throughout the
course, including in their communications. Concordia students are subject to the Code of Rights and
Responsibilities which applies both when students are physically and virtually engaged in any University
activity, including classes, seminars, meetings, etc. Students engaged in University activities must respect
this Code when engaging with any members of the Concordia community, including faculty, staff, and
students, whether such interactions are verbal or in writing, face- to-face or online/virtual. Failing to
comply with the Code may result in charges and sanctions, as outlined in the Code.
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8. Intellectual Property
Content belonging to instructors shared in online courses, including, but not limited to, online lectures,
course notes, and video recordings of classes, remain the intellectual property of the faculty member. It
may not be distributed, published, or broadcast, in whole or in part, without the express permission of the
faculty member. Students are also forbidden to use their own means of recording any elements of an
online class or lecture without the express permission of the instructor. Any unauthorized sharing of
course content may constitute a breach of the Academic Code of Conduct and/or the Code of Rights and
Responsibilities. As specified in the Policy on Intellectual Property, the University does not claim any
ownership of or interest in any student IP. All university members retain copyright over their work.
9. Extraordinary Circumstances
In the event of extraordinary circumstances and pursuant to the Academic Regulations, the University may
modify the delivery, content, structure, forum, location and/or evaluation scheme. In the event of such
extraordinary circumstances, students will be informed of the changes.
10. Grade Distribution
Assignment
Weight
Case Study Presentations
5%
Industry Article in Collaboration with JMMA
5%
Due Date
Class # 5, 6, 7, 8, & 9
Experiential Learning: Team Project
1.
Individually written two-page industry research
15%
Class # 6
15%
Class # 8
10%
Class # 10, 11, & 12
Experiential Learning: Online Business Simulation
5%
Semester-long
Engagement: includes synchronous and asynchronous discourse
10%
Semester-long
Comprehensive final exam
35%
End of Semester
trends report to internal stakeholders
2.
Team written five-page formal proposal (plus front
and end matter) to external stakeholders
3.
Team presentations – individually graded
(Common for all sections)
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11. Course Assessments
11.1 In-class Short Team Presentations: Case Study Presentations (5%)
In your student groups, you will deliver short six-minute presentations addressing a case study assigned to
you by your instructor (each team will be assigned one case study throughout the semester). Please see
Appendix 5 for specific assignment guidelines.
Instructors will grade case study presentations using the criteria defined in the Presentation Feedback
Rubric in Appendix 2 and the Written Communication Feedback Rubric in Appendix
11.2 Industry Article in Collaboration with JMMA (5%)
This assignment is an opportunity for you to get your writing published in a monthly newsletter by the
John Molson Marketing Association (JMMA). JMMA “is a non-profit, student-run organization….that
acts as a bridge between university students and the marketing industry” (JMMA.ca, 2023, para1). The
association publishes a monthly newsletter with articles and information supporting the organization’s
mission.
Your task is to write an industry piece that discusses a marketing or communication topic. Your instructor
will grade all assignments and then choose two to submit to JMMA. The association will receive two
submissions from each section and pick one to publish in its monthly newsletter. For detailed assignment
guidelines, see Appendix 4.
11.3 Experiential Learning Team Project: Individual Industry Research Trends Report, Team
Formal Proposal Assignment, and Team Presentation
In a semester-long project, in groups of five or six, you will gather, select, evaluate, document, and
integrate information from various sources to develop effective written and verbal business messages. You
will choose an existing local or global business or organization and report on the effectiveness of its
external communication channels, such as website, social media, annual report, pamphlets, billboard
signs, etc., in getting the business messages across.
In this endeavor, you will work collaboratively to choose an existing local or global business or
organization; research its industry; write a proposal that describes a business/industry problem or
opportunity; and deliver a presentation on how the external communication channels of the business
should address this problem or opportunity. The industry trends that you choose to address in your project,
may include, but are not limited to, the following topics:
●
Sustainability
●
Ethical communications
●
Workplace diversity/ globalization
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●
Communications in highly competitive markets
●
Digital communications or how technology is shaping industries and communication.
●
Stakeholders’ engagement in dynamic business environments.
When choosing a project topic, you may choose local businesses, universities, not-for-profit
organizations, or student-led organizations. Following is an example of a project completed in the past
(you cannot use the below example for your projects):
Walt Disney: An American multinational multimedia and entertainment business. The students’ industry
analysis report demonstrated that in the entertainment industry, the number of women directors is
significantly less than men directors; hence, the formal unsolicited proposal to the business focused on
how encouraging women directors would help Walt Disney achieve its business goals and the need for
Disney to address this issue. Students delivered their final presentation on how Walt Disney can use its
external communication channels to encourage women to become movie directors.
11.3.1 Individually Written Two-page Industry Trends Research Formal Report to Internal
Stakeholders (15%)
A short informational report is a common communication tool in any workplace. The audience of an
informational report is usually neutral towards the topic; hence, informational reports follow the direct
writing approach.
For the components of a formal trends report, consult pages 424 - 443 of the class textbook: Business
Communication: Developing Leaders for a Networked World.
Content
Drawing on at least four secondary research sources, define the industry within which the business or
organization you chose for your formal proposal and presentation operates. Compose a two-page formal
report on one or two trends that shape this industry and cite your sources using APA documentation
style. This industry research will provide the basis and starting point for your formal group proposal and
group presentation.
Document Design
●
Use Times New Roman typeface with 12–point type for body text.
●
Use single space between lines and double space between paragraphs.
●
Include front and end matter. See pages 424 – 443 in the class textbook: Business
Communication: Developing Leaders for a Networked World.
8
Research
Use at least four secondary sources to gather information for this assignment. Please remember the
following when completing the assignment:
●
Substantiate all claims by drawing on secondary research.
●
Document all sources using the APA documentation style (a two-part documentation system).
●
Ensure the credibility of sources.
For proper evaluation of sources and APA documentation style, consult page 419 of the class textbook:
Business Communication: Developing Leaders for a Networked World.
11.3.2 Team Written Five-Page Formal Unsolicited Proposal to External Stakeholders (15%)
An unsolicited proposal is a tool to win new projects and business. It defines a problem and outlines what
will be done, by whom, over what time frame, and at what cost. For this assignment, you will work in
your groups to develop a group-written proposal to get hired (hypothetically) to deliver a presentation on
the external communications of an existing business or organization of your choice.
To complete the assignment, consult chapters five, six, and thirteen of your class textbook: Business
Communication: Developing Leaders for a Networked World.
Content*
Your task is to write a five-page unsolicited proposal — plus front and end matter — to persuade your
chosen business or organization to hire you as a communication consultant. In this proposal, you will
demonstrate to your potential client the benefits of hiring you to develop recommendations on their
business’s external communications. To accomplish this task, your unsolicited proposal needs to identify
a problem, an opportunity, or a risk; show its importance to the business; and demonstrate your
ability to address the problem through external communications in an end-of-semester group
presentation. To complete this assignment, you may draw on information from your Industry Trends
Formal Reports.
Components of the Unsolicited Formal Proposal:
1. Background of your chosen business
2. The environment and industry in which the business or organization operates.
3. The problem/opportunity that you will address in the final presentation.
4. The scope of your work — what your work will cover; for example, if your chosen business
is Air Canada the scope of your work could be limited to all the external communications of
Air Canada Rouge, or the social media communications of Air Canada Rouge.
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5. The methods that you will deploy to analyze the external communication channels of your
client’s business.
6. The time frame over which you will complete your project (from the start of the project until
you develop recommendations on the external communications of your client). Your
recommendations need to include an implementation plan.
7. The cost of hiring you which will include any costs that you incur to conduct your work as
well as your fees.
8. The credentials that qualify you to perform the task.
* To establish credibility, you are expected to document at least four secondary sources using APA
documentation style and substantiate ALL claims.
For proper evaluation of sources and APA documentation style, consult page 419 of the class textbook:
Business Communication: Developing Leaders for a Networked World.
Content Tips:
●
Since this is an unsolicited proposal, your proposal needs to show that you understand the
industry and the business, that you are capable of developing sound recommendations if
hired, and that the business or organization faces a real challenge that needs to be addressed.
●
Content needs to be relevant to the problem that you have identified; in other words, all the
proposal parts (including the industry analysis and background of business sections) must
feed into the problem identified in the proposal.
Document Design**
The design of your proposal needs to show professionalism by including front and end matter.
Front and end matter include:
●
Cover page
●
Title page
●
Letter of transmittal
●
Executive Summary
●
Table of Contents and List of Illustrations
●
References
●
Appendices
**For more details on the elements of formal proposals, consult pages 415 – 418 of the class textbook:
Business Communication: Developing Leaders for a Networked World.
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Design Tips:
●
Design elements that enhance readability include headings, footnotes, and appropriate
formatting of specific elements of the proposal.
●
Incorporate figures and images to support and clarify the argument.
●
Use meaningful titles and headings: Descriptive headings are appropriate for direct writing
strategies.
●
Ensure design consistency.
●
Use parallelism where appropriate.
●
Use bulleted lists where appropriate.
●
Use the Z pattern where appropriate.
Style and Mechanics
Since your proposal addresses the client, a formal, unbiased, and jargon-free tone that draws on facts and
research will convey your professionalism and establish your credibility. You are expected to revise your
grammar and word choice for accuracy and appropriateness.
Research
Use at least four secondary sources to gather information for this assignment. Please remember the
following when completing the assignment:
●
Substantiate all claims.
●
Document sources using the APA documentation style (a two-part documentation system).
●
Evaluate your sources for credibility.
Rubric
COMM 205 graders will use a standard rubric to ensure effective learning and feedback. Each category in
the rubric is given a mark out of ten corresponding to Concordia University’s grading scheme, with the
total proposal grade being out of 50. The grade is then scaled out of 100. See the Written Communication
Feedback Rubric in Appendix 1.
11.3.3 Team Presentation (10%)
In your student groups, you will deliver 20-minute presentations on the external communications of
existing businesses or organizations of your choice, followed by 5-10-minute Q & A sessions.
See Chapters 14 and 15 in the class textbook for guidelines on developing and delivering effective
presentations.
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Content
You will be communication consultants presenting the findings of your analysis and recommendations to
your chosen business or organization. You will analyze and evaluate the external communications of a
business of your choice and report on how it uses its external communications to get its messages across.
In the presentation, you will develop recommendations on the business's external communications to
help the business mitigate risks, capitalize on opportunities, and/or overcome challenges outlined in
the Formal Proposal. You will draw on information from your Industry Research Formal Report and
Formal Proposal assignments to complete this assignment.
To effectively analyze the external communications of your chosen business, you will need to identify the
business’s vision, mission, goals, and stakeholders; research the industry within which the business
operates (done as part of the Industry Trends Report); and determine the business’s main messages to each
of its stakeholders — the messages that capitalize on opportunities, mitigate risks, and/or overcome
challenges. The industry research will help you understand the challenges this business faces, the
opportunities it can capitalize on, the risks it needs to mitigate, and the trends that shape it.
Components of the Presentation:
●
Purpose of presentation.
●
Scope of work.
●
Methods that you used to analyze the external communication channels of your client.
●
Background of your chosen business.
●
The environment in which the business operates (industry research).
●
Problem/challenge/opportunity that the presentation addresses.
●
The analysis of the external communication channel/s of the business.
●
Recommendations on the business’s external communication channels.
●
Implementation plan
The recommendations that you develop need to address a clear opportunity, challenge, risk, and/or trend;
for example, if your client’s challenge is that the business is operating in a highly competitive
industry in which it needs to stand out, then your task will be to develop recommendations on the
external communication channels of the business to ensure that the business stands out through its
external communications.
External communication channels include, but are not limited to, the following:
●
Annual reports
●
Websites
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●
Brochures
●
Billboards
●
TV and radio advertisement
●
Signage
●
Social media
●
Receipts
●
Any form of communication it uses to communicate with stakeholders from outside the
organization.
Style and Mechanics
Since the presentation addresses the client, a formal, unbiased, and jargon-free tone that draws on facts
and research will convey your professionalism and establish your credibility (see chapter one of the class
textbook). You are expected to revise your grammar and word choice for accuracy and appropriateness.
Design
Use your knowledge from COMM 205 to create attractive presentation visuals and develop a sound
argument that helps make your point, engage your audience, and get buy-in for your recommendations.
Visuals may include PowerPoint slides, Prezi, or other forms of visuals approved by your instructor.
Due Date and Attendance
A copy of your group’s presentation visuals is due 24 hours before the day of the presentation. The rules
for late assignments are detailed in the course outline. The instructor will determine the sequence of
presentations for the teams during Sessions 10, 11, and 12 and advise the class by Session 8.
With the understanding that students learn from developing and delivering their own presentations as well
as from evaluating other students’ presentations, you are expected to attend all presentations and actively
participate in the Q&A sessions. 1% of the total course grade will be deducted for every presentation
missed without a valid reason.
Peer Evaluations
A Peer Evaluation Form is due at the beginning of Session 12. Each student is expected to assess the
contribution of each of their team members to the group project. At the discretion of the instructor, an
individual’s grade for the team project may be adjusted based on the Peer Evaluations and associated
evidence submitted — students are encouraged to maintain paper trails (emails, messages, etc.….) to
support their evaluation. A 2% of the total course grade will be deducted for every peer evaluation that
is not completed on time.
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11.4 Business Communication Simulation (5%)
You will get to apply your learning through a semester-long online simulation offered through the
Connect platform. In this AI-powered, interactive simulation, you will act as a communication specialist
working on a project that requires you to communicate with internal and external stakeholders. Your grade
for this experiential learning assignment is based on your completion of the simulation project.
Assignment guidelines will be posted in Moodle.
11.5 Class Engagement (10%)
You are expected to prepare for class by reading assigned textbook material and being ready to discuss
class material via synchronous and asynchronous modes and contribute to class workshops.
As a member of this class, you are expected to be responsible for your actions and interactions. Your class
engagement grade is assessed based on your overall class participation using the COMM 205 class
participation rubric - see Appendix.
11.6 Comprehensive Final Exam (35%)
At the end of the semester, you will write a comprehensive exam common for all sections. The exam may
include multiple-choice questions, short report-style questions, and case studies. Paper dictionaries and
thesauruses are permitted in the final exam.
12. Note on Due Dates
All written assignments are due within the first 10 minutes of class, and late assignments (without a valid
excuse) will be penalized 10% per day up to a maximum of three days, after which the assignment’s grade
is zero.
13. Note on Assignment Originality Check
Urkund / Ouriginal
For some of your assignments, your professor may use the software Urkund / Ouriginal. It uses text
matching technology as a method to uphold the University’s high academic integrity standards to detect
any potential plagiarism. Urkund / Ouriginal is integrated into Moodle. For the assignments set up to use
Urkund / Ouriginal, the software will review your paper when you upload it to Moodle. To learn more
about Urkund’s privacy policy please review Privacy Policy.
14. Ethical Behaviour
Plagiarism: The most common offense under the Academic Code of Conduct is plagiarism, defined as
“the presentation of another person's work as one’s own or without proper acknowledgment.” This
includes material copied word for word from books, journals, Internet sites, professor’s course notes, etc.
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It refers to material that is paraphrased but closely resembles the original source. It also includes, for
example, a fellow student's work, an answer on a quiz, data for a lab report, a paper or assignment
completed by another student. It might be a paper purchased from any source. Plagiarism does not refer to
words alone –it can refer to copying images, graphs, tables, and ideas. “Presentation” is not limited to
written work. It includes oral presentations, computer assignments, and artistic works. Finally, if you
translate another person's work into any other language and do not cite the source, this is also plagiarism.
In Simple Words: Do not copy, paraphrase, or translate anything from anywhere without saying where
you obtained it. (Source: The Academic Integrity Website).
Because this course focuses on developing students’ writing and presentation skills, AI tools, like
ChatGPT, are not allowed for any content creation (writing). If AI tools are used as information
sources, they should be cited in the document as personal communication.
15. Use of Third-Party Technology
Students are advised that external software, website and/or tool (“Third Party Technology”) will be used
in the course and students may be asked to submit or consent to the submission of personal information
(for example, name and email) to register for an online service. Students are responsible for reading and
deciding whether or not to agree with the Third Party Technology’s terms of use. Use of any Third Party
Technology is voluntary. Students who do not consent to the use the Third Party Technology should
identify themselves to the course instructor as soon as possible, and in all cases before the DNE deadline,
to discuss alternate and mutually acceptable modes of participation.
Students may be asked to submit or consent to the submission of their work to an online service. Students
are responsible for reading and deciding whether or not to agree with the Third Party Technology’s terms
of use. Use of any Third Party Technology is voluntary. Students who do not consent to the use of Third
Party Technology should identify themselves to the course instructor as soon as possible to discuss
alternate acceptable modes of participation that do not require them to give the third party intellectual
property rights.
By using the Third Party Technology, students agree to provide and share their work and certain personal
information (where applicable) with the third party provider. Students are advised that the University
cannot guarantee the protection of intellectual property rights or personal information provided to any
third party provider (website or software company) and that applicable intellectual property and personal
information laws could be those of foreign jurisdictions.
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16. Academic Research and Student Services
Academic research implies seeking out the most authoritative information on a given subject. To assist
you in this process, Concordia University Libraries offer a comprehensive business research collection,
which goes well beyond what you can find through Google or Wikipedia. The successful student will
quickly learn to get the most from the resources available through Concordia University Libraries,
including full‐text article databases as well as databases containing market reports and statistics, all
available electronically on or off campus.
To get the most from the Library for your class, use the Business Research Portal:
https://www.concordia.ca/library/guides/business.html.
For research assistance (phone, chat, email or in-person), please visit:
http://library.concordia.ca/help/questions.
Writing Assistance Program
http://www.concordia.ca/students/success/learning-support/writing-assistance.html.
APA Citation Guide
https://library.concordia.ca/help/citing/apa.php
Students Services
Access Centre for Students with Disabilities - Concordia University
Student Success Centre - Concordia University
Counselling & Psychological Services - Concordia University
Health & Wellness - Concordia University
Tuition & financial aid - Concordia University
Academic integrity - Concordia University
Dean of Students - Concordia University
International students - Concordia University
Students - Concordia University
Sexual Assault Resource Centre - Concordia University
Housing and Job Resource Centre – Concordia Student Union (csu.qc.ca)
Indigenous students - Concordia University
Birks Student Service Centre - Concordia University
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17. Grading System
Concordia University follows a letter-grade reporting system. At the end of the term, your instructor will
assign you an overall numerical course grade based on your performance in the course and then convert it
to the corresponding letter grade. Following is a table that shows the numerical equivalents for the letter
grades that will be reported at the end of the term.
Outstanding
Very Good
Satisfactory
Marginal Pass
Failure
Numerical
Letter
Numerical
Letter
Numerical
Letter
Numerical
Letter
Numerical
Letter
Grade
Grade
Grade
Grade
Grade
Grade
Grade
Grade
Grade
Grade
90-100%
A+
77-79%
B+
67-69%
C+
57-59%
D+
<50%
FNS
53-56%
D
50-52%
D-
85-89%
A
73-76%
B
63-66%
C
80-84%
A-
70-72%
B-
60-62%
C-
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Appendix 1: Written Communication Feedback Rubric
Outstanding
Very Good
Satisfactory
Marginal Pass
Does not achieve learning
(8-10)
(7-7.9)
(6-6.9)
(5 – 5.9)
outcomes < 5
Document
Outstanding use of
Very good use of design
Satisfactory use of design
Some use of design elements
Minimal use of design
Design
design elements to
elements to enhance
elements to enhance
to enhance document’s
elements to enhance
enhance document’s
document’s readability, support
document’s readability,
readability, support
document’s readability,
readability, support
argument, and promote
support argument, and
argument, and promote
support argument, and
argument, and promote
writer’s credibility; minimal
promote writer’s
writer’s credibility; clear
promote writer’s credibility;
writer’s credibility
errors that do not affect users’
credibility; few errors in
errors in document design;
more than five errors
experiences; a maximum of
document design; a
from three to five errors
one error that does not affect
maximum of two errors
Exceptionally follows
appropriate format
Outstanding design
consistency that clearly
enhances document
coherence
A maximum of one
design error that does not
affect the document’s
readability and coherence
Content
users’ experiences
Does not use appropriate
Uses appropriate format but
format (memo, formal report,
Uses appropriate format
with major errors; from four
informal report, etc.….)
Correctly follows appropriate
but with few errors; a
to five errors
and/or has more than five
format with minimal errors that
maximum of three errors
do not affect the document; a
maximum of two errors that do
not affect document
errors
Inconsistent design that
Consistent design with a
reflects poorly on document
Inconsistent design that
few flaws; a maximum of
coherence; from four to five
reflects poorly on document
three errors
errors
coherence; more than five
Consistent use of design
errors
elements; a maximum of two
errors
Content is exceptionally
Content is well adapted to
Attempts to adapt content
Clearly misses opportunities
Does not attempt to adapt to
adapted to meet
meet audiences’ needs by
to audience, but misses
to adapt content to audience;
audience and use “You
audiences’ needs by
using an appropriate reader’s
some opportunities to
mostly does not use “You
View”
using an appropriate
view attitude: “You View”
address audiences’ needs
View”
reader’s view attitude:
“You View”
and to adopt “You View”
Clear purpose and
well-articulated argument
Clear purpose and
exceptionally articulated
argument
appropriate, and relevant
content
Content is relevant to subject
analyze and synthesize
information
All claims are supported
Content is irrelevant to
Content is mostly irrelevant
Some content is not
parts
relevant to subject and/or
purpose
Demonstrates a good ability to
Does not demonstrate ability
Demonstrates minimal
to analyze and synthesize
ability to analyze and
information
synthesize information
analyze and synthesize
Demonstrates satisfactory
information
ability to analyze and
synthesize information
Claims are mostly well
Claims are not supported
Claims are mostly not
with relevant and credible
supported with relevant and
evidence; missing more than
credible evidence; missing
seven supporting evidence
supported with relevant and
Some claims are
from six to seven supporting
credible evidence; missing a
supported with relevant
evidence
maximum of two supporting
and credible evidence;
evidence
missing from three to
by exceptionally relevant
subject and/ or purpose
to subject and/ or purpose
and purpose; missing minor
Demonstrates an
exceptional ability to
Purpose needs more
clarity
Uses compelling,
Purpose is irrelevant to task
Unclear purpose
five supporting evidence
and credible evidence;
missing a maximum of
one supporting evidence
Organization
Outstanding use of
Very good use of organization
Mostly uses appropriate
Major errors in using
Does not use appropriate
organization strategies to
strategies to achieve purpose
organization strategies to
appropriate organization
organization strategies to
achieve purpose and
and support argument
achieve purpose and
strategies to achieve purpose
achieve purpose and support
support argument
and support argument
argument (like using indirect
support argument
writing approach when the
Very good use of transitions to
Outstanding use of
link sentences and ideas; a
Satisfactory use of
Misses opportunities to link
transitions to link
maximum of two missing or
transitions to link ideas
ideas and sentences; missing
sentences and ideas; a
ineffective transitions
and sentences. Few
from four to six effective
maximum of one
missing transitions; a
transitions
ineffective or missing
maximum of three
transition
Very good use of topic
sentences; a maximum of one
missing or ineffective topic
sentence.
missing effective
transitions
direct writing approach is
most effective)
Mostly misses opportunities
to link ideas and sentences;
Many paragraphs do not
have effective topic
missing more than six
effective transitions
sentences; missing from
18
Outstanding use of topic
Most paragraphs have
three to five effective topic
Paragraphs do not have
Very good use of introduction,
effective topic sentences;
sentences
effective topic sentences;
body, and conclusion to
a maximum of two
Outstanding use of
achieve purpose and meet
missing or ineffective
introduction, body, and
audiences’ needs
topic sentences
purpose and meet audiences’
Unclear structure; missing
purpose and meet
Very good ability to organize
Satisfactory use of
needs; missing introduction
introduction and conclusion
audiences’ needs.
to persuade. Argument is well
introduction, body, and
or conclusion.
and/or has an undefined
supported with the order and
conclusion to achieve
grouping of content
purpose and meet
sentences
conclusion to achieve
Exceptional ability to
audiences’ needs
organize to persuade.
Argument is
exceptionally supported
Satisfactory ability to
with the order and
organize to persuade.
grouping of content.
Misses opportunities to
missing more than five
The introduction, body, and
effective topic sentences
conclusion do not support
body.
Misses opportunities to
organize to persuade. Order
Unacceptable ability to
or grouping of content is not
organize to persuade. Order
clear
and grouping of content are
not clear
support argument through
ordering and grouping of
content
Style and
Outstanding ability to
Very good ability to
Satisfactory ability to
Some ability to communicate
Does not demonstrate ability
Mechanics
communicate precisely
communicate precisely and
communicate precisely
precisely and concisely; from
to communicate precisely
and concisely; a
concisely; a maximum of two
and concisely; from two
four to five errors
and concisely; more than five
maximum of one error
errors
to three errors
Exceptional use of
Consistent use of bias-free
Mostly uses bias-free
language; from four to five
Frequent use of biased
bias-free language
language; a maximum of one
language; from two to
errors
language; more than five
error
three errors
errors
Frequent use of biased
Exceptional use of
use
Very good use of appropriate
Satisfactory use of
appropriate
(formal,
Inappropriate tone (formal,
informal, upward,
tone (formal, informal,
appropriate tone (formal,
informal, upward, etc.….);
informal, upward, etc.….);
etc.….); a maximum of
upward, etc.….); a maximum
informal, upward,
from four to five errors
more than five errors
one error
of two errors.
etc.….); from two to
Frequent use of passive voice
Frequent use of passive voice
Exceptional, consistent
Consistent use of active voice
(passive voice is not used
(passive voice is not used
use of active voice
(uses passive voice
Inconsistent use of active
strategically); from four to
strategically); more than five
(uses passive voice
strategically); a maximum of
voice (passive voice is
five errors.
errors
strategically)
one error
not used strategically);
Frequent punctuation and/or
Frequent punctuation and/or
grammar errors; from four to
grammar errors; more than
five errors
five errors
Frequent typographical
Frequent typographical
errors; from three to five
errors; more than five errors
from two to three errors
Exemplary use of
Very good use of punctuation
punctuation and
and grammar; a maximum of
Few punctuation and/or
grammar; a maximum of
two errors.
grammar errors; a
maximum of three errors
one error
Minimal typographical errors;
Free of typographical
a maximum of one error
Occasional typographical
tone
of
appropriate tone (formal,
three errors
errors
errors; two to three errors
errors
Research
errors.
Minimalistic
Outstanding ability to
Very good ability to draw on
Satisfactory ability to
Minimal ability to draw on
Unacceptable ability to draw
draw on information
information from various
draw on information
information from a few
on information from
from various sources
sources (at least four sources
from some sources (at
sources (one or two sources
literature. No sources are
(five or more sources are
are cited)
least three sources are
are cited)
cited.
Significant errors in APA
No citations provided
cited)
cited)
Minor errors in APA
Exemplary
documentation. Two-part
Some major errors in
documentation. Does not
documentation of
documentation system with
APA documentation.
follow the two-part
sources; accurate use of
minor errors in in-text citations
Two-part documentation
documentation system
APA documentation
and/or entries in references
system with errors in
style. Two-part
in-text citations and/or
documentation system
entries in references
with in- text citations and
entries in references
19
Appendix 2: Presentation Feedback Rubric
Student/Group Name: ……………………………………..
Assignment ……………… Grade …………….
Criteria/Scale
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Organization
The overall logical flow of the presentation supports argument (all topics are introduced in the right
order).
Transitions between central ideas effectively link content to support the logical flow of the presentation.
Introduction grabs attention, introduces purpose, and forecasts topics; body provides relevant details
and evidence; conclusion emphasizes main points, take-home messages, and reconnects to
opening/purpose.
Content
Clear purpose and well-articulated argument. Argument addresses audiences appropriately; content is
tailored to audiences’ needs and levels and includes compelling, appropriate, and relevant points.
All content is substantiated with relevant and credible evidence.
Delivery
Presentation engages audiences, grabs attention, and sticks to the specified time limit. Overall,
presenters are confident and demonstrate mastery of topic.
Specifically:
Communication is precise, concise, and uses bias, jargon-free, and appropriate language and tone.
Presenters use clear, audible voices and pace speech strategically to engage audiences and achieve
purpose.
Presenters use body language and eye contact to engage audiences.
Presenters demonstrate professionalism in addressing questions.
Presenters’ appearances are appropriate to purpose and audience.
Visual Aids
Overall, visual aids support content comprehension and engage audiences without distraction.
Specifically:
All visuals are well-designed, effectively make the point, and are non-distracting.
Visuals have a consistent, coherent design.
Graphs, images, tables, etc., are purposefully designed and comprehensible.
All visuals include appropriate citations of content that presenters did not generate.
All text is legible.
All visuals use appropriate choices of background and text colours.
Overall
Presenters demonstrate confidence and professionalism. The presentation achieves its purpose and engages
its audiences with a memorable presentation.
Comments:
20
Appendix 3: Participation Rubric
Because participation enhances learning by creating discourse about the topics introduced in
class, participation in class activities and discussions is important. The below table is a
guideline for student participation in the course.
Excellent-
Good
Satisfactory
Needs work
Unacceptable
Consistently seems
Seems attentive and
Seems attentive and
Rarely contributes; often
Rarely contributes; does
attentive and engaged in
engaged in class
engaged in class
“tunes out” during
not seem to follow
class discussions and
discussions most of the
discussions some of the
discussions; sometimes
discussions; often seems
activities
time
time; sometimes “tunes
seems distracted and
distracted and
out” during discussion
inattentive
inattentive
Exceptional
Attention &
Engagement
Listening
Skills
Listens without
Listens without
Generally, listens without
So m e tim e s
Frequently interrupts
interrupting when others
interrupting when others
interrupting when others
interrupts; own
and/or shows lack of
speak; own contributions
speak; own contributions
speak; own contributions
contributions
attention to or respect for
respond to and usefully
are generally responsive
occasionally seem to
sometimes seem to
others’ contributions
build on others’
to others’ contributions
ignore or miss
contributions
ignore or miss the
the point of others’
contributions
point of others’
contributions
Frequently
Regularly contributes to
Sometimes contributes to
Rarely contributes
Never
contributes to discussion
discussion without
discussion without
to discussion;
discussion; fails to respond
without prompting and
prompting
prompting; responds to
Active
shows excellent ability to
Participation
integrate ideas and
makes some attempt to
questions
respond to questions
contributes
to
to direct questions
express them fluently
Contributions are
Contributions are usually
Contributions are generally
Contributions are
Contributions are often
consistently
relevant and show good
relevant and show adequate
sometimes irrelevant or
irrelevant or show little
relevant and show very
understanding of
understanding of material;
show weak understanding
understanding of
Relevance &
good to superior
material; makes some
makes some contributions
of material; does not make
material; makes little
Quality of
understanding of
meaningful contributions
much useful contribution
useful contribution to
material; contributes
to discussion
Contributions
discussion
original, creative, &
logical insights
Preparation
Consistently appears to
Consistently appears to
Usually appears to have
Often appears not to have
Does not appear to have
have read material or
have read material or
read material or done other
read material
read material or done other
done other
done other
required
or done other
required
required preparation
required
preparation;
required preparation, or
preparation
carefully and
preparation; often
seems less thorough or
has read/prepared only
thoroughly; comes
prepared with questions
consistent
quickly and
prepared with notes
or contributions
preparation
superficially
and questions
*Source: COMM 100 - Winter 2015, Iman El Meniawy – University of Saskatchewan
21
Appendix 4
JMMA Collaboration Assignment Guidelines: 150-200 Word Industry Article
(5%)
Task
This assignment is an opportunity for you to get your writing published in a monthly newsletter published
by John Molson Marketing Association (JMMA). JMMA “is a non-profit, student-run organization….that
acts as a bridge between university students and the marketing industry” (JMMA.ca, 2023). The
association publishes a monthly newsletter with articles and information supporting the organization’s
mission.
Your task is to write an industry piece that discusses a marketing or communication topic. Your instructor
will grade all assignments and choose two to submit to JMMA. The association will receive two
submissions from each section, and then pick one to be published in its monthly newsletter.
Submissions Deadlines
For October’s Newsletter
Students’ Submissions: Week of September 18th or as the instructor decides.
For November’s Newsletter
Students’ Submissions: Week of October 9th or as decided by the instructor.
For December’s Newsletter
Students’ Submissions: Week of December 4th or as decided by the instructor.
Content
Drawing on at least two credible sources (linked at the end of the article), your task is to write a
150-200-word article that focuses on any marketing or communication topic that interests you and
may interest other students.
Below are three examples of articles recently published in JMMA’s newsletters. Please note that
these examples are for inspiration only and cannot be used for your article submission.
22
Published in OCTOBER 2022
If you're a Marketing major, chances are you're on TikTok - but are you on TikTok Now? And by that, we're not
asking if you're simultaneously scrolling while reading this email!
On September 15th, TikTok announced the launch of TikTok Now, a daily photo and video experience that
encourages users to share authentic moments with their followers. The tool invites users to capture the current
moment through a photo or 10-second video using their front and back camera after receiving a daily prompt on
their device. Sound familiar? Or rather - sounds a little too good to BeReal?
With the rise of "authentic" over "aesthetic" social media, Marketing majors everywhere could wonder if this will be
the future of connecting with consumers online. If so, it will be interesting to see how brands pivot their digital
marketing efforts in the coming years.
Call-to-action (button): “Read TikTok News Release”
Redirecting link: https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/introducing-tiktok-now
Published in NOVEMBER 2022
This month, we're highlighting the importance of brand inclusivity with M&M's recent brand refresh. As part of
M&M’s purpose-driven rebranding, the company is introducing a new colour to the mix: Purple, a female peanut
M&M that represents acceptance, inclusivity, and authenticity is being added to the lineup of iconic candies that
haven't changed in a decade.
As a part of the rebrand, M&Ms has committed to donating up to $600,000 to the arts non-profit “Sing for Hope”.
They'll also be partnering with Grammy Award-winning artist Lil Nas X, a spokesperson for the LGBTQ2S+
community.
The announcement garnered over 10 billion media impressions, and brand search impressions on Google increased
by 160%. This data demonstrates how deeply people care about the iconic candies and their unique personalities;
not only did extending the iconic M&M's characters gain attention, but it contributed to an improved customer
perception of the brand with 48% of Gen Z-ers saying they heard positive reactions about the brand’s refresh.
As Marketers, M&M's rebrand reminds us of the importance of adapting a brand's purpose as consumers needs
progress, and that inclusivity can have a major positive impact on image!
Call-to-action (button): “Read Source Article”
Redirecting link: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/mms-purple-mascot-inclusivity-purpose-refresh/632474/
23
Published In DECEMBER 2022
With over 65% of U.S. adults playing video games as of 2021, it’s no wonder advertisers are investing millions into
this increasingly popular medium.
Hershey, the $46 billion chocolate company has taken the advertising plunge into the gaming world with
intrinsic in-game advertising, a strategy that seamlessly blends traditional advertisements into gameplay by
displaying ads on virtual billboards or stadium screens.
In the project's pilot, Hershey placed advertisements for Oh Henry! bars in racing games. In just 6 weeks, they
garnered nearly 21.9 million impressions and delivered a 6.9 point increase in customer purchase intent,
highlighting the growing value in this virtually untapped market. The initiative also increased the number of
customers who thought eating candy would provide an energy boost by 8.4 points, solidifying the impact of this
advertising on consumer attitudes.
This signals an industry wide shift in advertising; as consumers expect more seamless gaming experiences,
advertisers are faced with the opportunity to deliver an interactive omni-channel marketing experience.
Call-to-action (button): “Read Source Article”
Redirecting link: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/Hersheys-gaming-marketing-Gen-Z/636569/
Document Design
●
Write between 150 – 200 words.
●
Use single space between lines and double space between paragraphs.
●
Use 11-point Arial font.
●
Write your full name in a writer’s credit line at the end of the article.
Style and Mechanics
Students are expected to revise their written articles for word choice accuracy and appropriateness. To
promote message clarity, avoid the use of jargon; if you absolutely need to use jargon, please explain it.
Since the written piece addresses JMSB students, the article should adopt a conversational, horizontal
tone. Use active voice unless the passive voice is needed for strategic reasons. For more information on
word choice, conciseness, and tone consult Page 162 in the class textbook, Business Communication:
Developing Leaders for a Networked World.
Organization
Use an organization plan that gains your audiences’ attention ad creates interest in the topic - see chapters
five and six in the class textbook, Business Communication: Developing Leaders for a Networked World.
24
Research
• Substantiate all claims by drawing on secondary research.
• Document all sources using the APA documentation style (a two-part documentation system).
• Ensure the credibility of sources
For proper evaluation of sources and APA documentation style, consult page 419 of the class textbook:
Business Communication: Developing Leaders for a Networked World.
Rubric
COMM 205 graders will use a standard rubric to ensure effective learning and feedback. Each category in
the rubric is given a mark out of ten corresponding to Concordia University’s grading scheme, with the
total article grade being out of 50. The grade is then scaled out of 100. See the Written Communication
Feedback Rubric in Appendix 1.
25
Appendix 5
Case Study Presentations Guidelines
Case Study 1: Informational Messages
Adapted from Business Communication: Polishing your Professional Presence
Scenario
Your employer has asked you and your team members to inform everyone in the customer service
department about an upcoming workshop on communication skills. You quickly create the flyer below
and post copies on the break room bulletin board and in the cafeteria. You send a copy in a document as a
file attachment to all employees by email. Although your department includes 60 people, only four people
attend. How could using the writing process discussed in class help improve the communication results?
Communication Skills
Workshop
Wednesday, November 2 @ 2: 30 pm
Training Room
Questions to help you develop a message that will have better communication results are listed
below:
1. What is the desired outcome?
2. What content does the audience need?
a. What are possible questions the audience may have?
b. What are possible objections the audience may have?
3. Which communication medium would deliver the best results?
4. What document organization approach would help me achieve my purpose?
In your team answer the above questions and formulate a message that will entice employees to attend the
communication training session. Share your message with your classmates in a short 6-to-8-minute
presentation, explaining what you have learned through this exercise. In your presentation include the
following:
●
Introduction: grabs attention, introduces the purpose, and provides an overview of the topics
that you will discuss
●
Your analysis (refer to class and textbook material)
●
Your solution (refer to class and textbook material)
26
●
Conclusion: take–away message.
Q&A Session
The presentation is followed by a 5-minute Q&A session. Students who do not get the chance to ask
questions during the Q&A session may post their questions to the presentation’s Q&A forum — within 48
hours of the presentation’s posting.
Grading
●
The presentation will be graded using the presentation rubric published in the course outline.
●
The written message will be graded using the written communication feedback rubric
published in the course outline
Deliverables
●
Written message submitted as a pdf file on the link provided on Moodle.
●
Visuals: Students will post their presentation visuals on the link provided on Moodle by 8:00
pm, the latest, on the night before the presentation day.
●
Students will deliver live in-class presentations.
Students who cannot attend class for a valid reason (approved by the instructor), may prerecord their
slides.
27
Case Study 2: Informational Messages
Adapted from Business Communication: Polishing your Professional Presence
Scenario
Francois and Darryl work for a product design firm in Montreal. This morning, Francois received a call
from a client asking if he and Daryll could fly to Edmonton to consult on a new project. Francois and
Daryll agreed, checked their calendars, and chose a 2 p.m. flight from Trudeau Airport the next day;
however, when Francois called Air Canada to book two seats for the flight, he learned that no seats were
available. He did a little research and decided that he would prefer to take a charter flight leaving from
Saint Hubert airport, switching planes in Winnipeg. See the following draft of Francois’ email to Daryll.
To: Daryll.Anderson@Suuccesful.com CC:
Subject: Plans
Daryll,
I just got off the phone with Air Canada. There are no seats available on the 2 p.m. flight from Trudeau
that we planned to take tomorrow. If we have to take a later flight, I’d like to attend my staff meeting at
3:00 pm. I checked on the late flights out of Trudeau. They are at 7 p.m. and at 9: 30 a.m. and are very
expensive. Also, I remember that the last time we flew out of Trudeau in the afternoon, the traffic was
awful. I also checked charter flights from Saint Hubert, and we can take a hopper from Montreal to
Winnipeg and board a direct flight from Winnipeg with a 1.5-hour layover. This is a cheaper option, but
we arrive a bit later than we would like. Let me know what you think.
Francois
Francois Phillipe, P. Eng. Web
Developer
With the understanding that an effective business communication message is clear, concise, correct,
courteous, and complete, follow the below steps to rewrite Francois’s e-mail:
1. Use a direct writing strategy.
2. Arrange the material into effective paragraphs.
3. Ensure all information is complete.
4. Write an effective subject line
28
Task
Your task is to revise the email to effectively deliver the message. Share the revised message with your
classmates in a short 6-to-8-minute presentation that explains what you have learned through this
exercise. In your presentation include the following:
●
Introduction: introduces the purpose of the presentation and topics that you will discuss
●
An overview of the issue
●
Your analysis (refer to class and textbook material)
●
Your solution (refer to class and textbook material)
●
Conclusion: take–away message.
Q&A Session
The presentation is followed by a 5-minute Q&A session. Students who do not get the chance to ask
questions during the Q&A session may post their questions to the presentation’s Q&A forum within 48
hours of the presentation’s posting.
Grading
●
The presentation will be graded using the presentation rubric published in the course outline.
●
The written message will be graded using the written communication feedback rubric
published in the course outline.
Deliverables
●
Written message submitted as a pdf file on the link provided on Moodle.
●
Visuals: Students will post their presentation visuals in the link provided on Moodle by 8:00
pm, the latest, on the night before the presentation day.
●
Students will deliver live in-class presentations.
Students who cannot attend class for a valid reason (approved by the instructor), may prerecord their
slides.
29
Case Study 3: Informational Messages
Adapted from Business Communication: Polishing your Professional Presence
Scenario
As the director of human resources at UrbanLife, every week you receive several requests from students
for information about internship opportunities at your company. Although you respond to each request
individually, you often reply with the same information. Rather than typing the same information each
time, you decide to create a template of responses that you cut, paste, and modify as necessary to
personalize the message. The questions often include the following:
●
Do you provide internships? Answer: Yes
●
If so, in what areas? Answer: all departments
●
What is the timeline for reviewing applications? Answer: usually a four-to six-week response
●
When during the academic year do you hire interns? Answer: accepted throughout the year
Draft a sample email response that you could use to respond to any request for internship information.
Include the following suggested elements:
●
Begin with a positive response.
●
Include all requested information.
●
End with a friendly closing
●
Remember the importance of creating goodwill with your response by striking an appropriate
tone.
Task
Your task is to draft an email to effectively deliver information about the internships offered by Urbanlife.
Share the email with your classmates in a short 6-to-8-minute presentation that explains what you have
learned through this exercise. In your presentation include the following:
●
Introduction: introduces the purpose of the presentation and topics that you will discuss
●
An overview of the issue
●
Your analysis (refer to textbook and class material)
●
Your solution (refer to textbook and class material)
●
Conclusion: take–away message.
Q&A Session
30
The presentation is followed by a 5-minute Q&A session. Students who do not get the chance to ask
questions during the Q&A session may post their questions to the presentation’s Q&A forum within 48
hours of the presentation’s posting.
Grading
●
The presentation will be graded using the presentation rubric published in the course outline
●
The written message will be graded using the written communication feedback rubric
published in the course outline.
Deliverables
●
Written message submitted as a pdf file on the link provided in Moodle.
●
Visuals: Students will post their presentation visuals to the link provided in Moodle by 8:00
pm, the latest, on the night before the presentation day.
●
Students will deliver live in-class presentations.
Students who cannot attend class for a valid reason (approved by the instructor), may prerecord their
slides.
31
Case Study 4: Informational and Goodwill Messages
Adapted from Excellence in Business Communication by Pearson
Scenario
Mary’s boss at Accountants for All asks her to write a letter replying to a corporate customer’s request for
information. Mary needs to provide Albridge and Scranton Ltd. with details of the past five years’ tax
summaries. John Albridge would like to know the total expenses claimed, primarily the vehicle expense
deduction and the total amount of refund per year. This message is a good opportunity for Mary to thank
Albridge and Scranton Ltd. for its past business and let John Albridge know that Accountants for All
looks forward to his future business.
Write a letter to John Aldridge informing him about the vehicle expense deduction and the total amount of
refund per year over the past five years and let him know that you are looking forward to continuing to do
business with him. In your response, you may make up any expense information and remember to include
a company letterhead in your letter (create it yourself).
Task
Your task is to draft a letter to effectively deliver information about the customer’s expenses and to
maintain goodwill.
Share the letter with your classmates in a short 6-to-8-minute presentation that
explains what you have learned through this exercise. In your presentation include the following:
●
Introduction: introduces the purpose of the presentation and topics that you will discuss
●
An overview of the task
●
The audience and purpose analysis - which you have based your writing strategies on (refer to
textbook and class material).
●
Your letter to John Aldridge (refer to textbook and class material)
●
Conclusion: take–away message.
Q&A Session
The presentation is followed by a 5-minute Q&A session. Students who do not get the chance to ask
questions during the Q&A session may post their questions to the presentation’s Q&A forum within 48
hours of the presentation’s posting.
Grading
●
The presentation will be graded using the presentation rubric published in the course outline.
●
The written message will be graded using the written communication feedback rubric
published in the course outline
32
Deliverables
●
Written message submitted as a pdf file on the link provided on Moodle
●
Visuals: Students will post their presentation visuals on the link provided on Moodle by 8:00
pm, the latest, on the Sunday before the presentation day.
●
Students will deliver live in-class presentations.
Students who cannot attend class for a valid reason (approved by instructor), may prerecord their slides.
33
Case Study 5: Revising Messages
Adapted from Excellence in Business Communications (Pearson)
Scenario
As the Office Manager of Fashion Burst you are tasked with writing an email to the office’s employees
informing them about the details of the move to the new office next Monday. You draft the below email
and show it to your boss who advises you to revise the email for the subject line, structure, clarity, tone,
spelling and grammar, and goodwill.
To: All employees
From: Mary Main
Subject: Office Instructions
The move to our new offices will take place over this coming weekend. For everything to run smooth,
everyone will have to clean out their own desk and pack up the contents in boxes that will be provided.
You will need to take everything off of the walls to, and please pack it along with the boxes.
If you have a lot of personal belongings, you should bring it home with you. Likewise with anything
valuable. I do not mean to infer that items will be stolen, irregardless it is better to be safe than sorry.
On Monday, we will be unpacking, putting things away, and then get back to work. The least amount of is
disruption is anticipated by us, if everyone does their part. Hopefully, there will be no negative affects on
production schedules, and current deadlines will be met.
Task
Your task is to revise the email to effectively deliver information about the move to the office employees
and to maintain goodwill.
Share the revised email with your classmates in a short 6-to-8-minute
presentation, explaining to them what you have learned through this exercise. In your presentation include
the following:
●
Introduction: introduces the purpose of the presentation and topics that you will discuss
●
An overview of the issue
●
Your analysis (refer to textbook and class material)
●
Your solution (refer to textbook and class material)
●
Conclusion: take–away message.
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Q&A Session
The presentation is followed by a 5-minute Q&A session. Students who do not get the chance to ask
questions during the Q&A session may post their questions to the presentation’s Q&A forum within 48
hours of the presentation’s posting.
Grading
●
The presentation will be graded using the presentation rubric published in the course outline.
●
The written message will be graded using the written communication feedback rubric
published in the course outline.
Deliverables
●
Written message submitted as a pdf file on the link provided in Moodle.
●
Visuals: Students will post their presentation visuals to the link provided in Moodle by 8:00
pm, the latest, on the night before the presentation day.
●
Students will deliver live in-class presentations.
●
Students who cannot attend class for a valid reason (approved by the instructor), may
prerecord their slides.
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