Tennessee Wesleyan University
Course Syllabus – BUS 552 Business Intelligence & Communication
Course: BUS 552 Business Intelligence & Communication
Term: Spring 2023
Delivery Format/Location: Online
Instructors: Sarah Gilbert,
Travis Moyer
Phone: 423-584-0990
Office Location: Virtual
Email: sgilbert@tnwesleyan.edu,tmoyer@tnwesleyan.edu Office Hours: Fridays 4:00 pm to
5:00pm by appointment via Teams
A. Course Description:
This course investigates business intelligence as a model for acquiring, retrieving, and analyzing
decision-making information. Concepts include business measurement, evaluation of sales and
cost effectiveness, sales forecasting and marketing research and communication studies.
B. Student Learning-level Outcomes (SLOs)
Students will:
1. Describe analytical techniques utilizing business intelligence and communication.
2. Propose methods for enhancing quality of strategic decision making.
3. Demonstrate proficiency in R and MS Excel for data analysis.
C. Master of Science (MS) Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) and Education Matrices
Students will:
1. Identify, describe, and apply analytical models to complex business problems.
2. Translate and communicate effective outcomes of business analytic projects using
various methodologies.
3. Demonstrate ethical decision-making in various business situations.
D. Course Relationship to Major Program and Department or Institutional Purpose
1. This course will prepare graduates to critically analyze and solve organizational problems, which
fulfills the mission of the MS program in Business Analytics.
2. This course is a requirement for all graduates of the MS program in Business Analytics.
E. Required Text(s) and Other Required Learning Resources
Sharda, R.; Delen, D.; Turban, E. (2022). Business intelligence, analytics, and data science: A
managerial perspective. (4th ed.). Pearson. ISBN-13: 9780137305711
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Lander, Jared P. (2017). R for Everyone: Advanced Analytics and Graphics. (2nd ed.). Pearson.
ISBN-13: 9780134546926
RStudio is a user-friendly free integrated development environment (IDE) for R. RStudio can be
downloaded at https://www.rstudio.com/products/rstudio/download/
American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological
Association. (7th ed.). Washington, D.C.
ISBN-13: 978-1433832178
Due to assigned readings and discussion threads in the online format, purchase of the course
textbooks is required.
F. Additional Readings or Other Learning Resources
Other requirements:
• High-speed internet access
• Web camera and microphone
• Successful completion of the Remote Proctor Now software check (see below).
LAMP/Sakai Web Portal: http://sakai.lampschools.org/portal/
Suggested/Recommended Bibliography:
- Davenport, Thomas H. (2013), Keep up with your quants, Harvard Business Review, 91.
- Gallo, Amy (2015), A refresher on regression analysis, Harvard Business Review.
- Hogarth, Robin and Emre Soyer (2013), A picture’s worth a thousand numbers, Harvard Business
Review, 91.
- McAfee, Andrew and Erik Brynjolfsson (2012), Big data: The management revolution, Harvard Business
Review, 90.
- Merrill, Douglas (2014), Beware big data’s easy answers, Harvard Business Review, 92.
- Samuel, Alexandra (2015), How to give a data-heavy presentation, Harvard Business Review, 93.
- Schrage, Michael (2014), Why your analytics are failing you, Harvard Business Review, 92.
G. Additional Readings or Other Learning Resources
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Other requirements:
• High-speed internet access
• Web camera and microphone
• Successful completion of the Remote Proctor Now software check (see below).
LAMP/Sakai Web Portal: http://sakai.lampschools.org/portal/
H. Assignments and Grading Policy
I.
Requirement
Points
Team Project in Residence
60
Homework
20
Discussion Forums
20
Total
100
Course Outline (subject to change)
Module
Week 1
Begins Jan 8
Week 2
Begins Jan 15
Week 3
Begins Jan 22
Week 4
Begins Jan 29
Week 5
Begins Feb 5
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Instructional Topics
Assigned Readings
Assignments (in
addition to discussion
posts)
An Overview of Business
Intelligence, Analytics, and Data
Science
Textbook Chapter 1
Discussion/
Homework
An Overview of Business
Intelligence, Analytics, and Data
Science
Textbook Chapter 1
Discussion/
Homework
Descriptive Analytics I: Nature of
Data, Statistical Modeling, and
Visualization
Textbook Chapter 2
Discussion/
Homework
Descriptive Analytics I: Nature of
Data, Statistical Modeling, and
Visualization
Textbook Chapter 2
Discussion/
Homework
Descriptive Analytics II: Business
Intelligence and Data Warehousing
Textbook Chapter 3
Discussion/
Homework
Week 6
Begins Feb 12
Week 7
Begins Feb 19
Week 8
Begins Feb 26
Week 9
Begins Mar 11
Week 10
Begins Mar 18
Week 11
Begins Mar 25
Week 12
Begins Apr 01
Week 13
Descriptive Analytics II: Business
Intelligence and Data Warehousing
Textbook Chapter 3
Discussion/
Homework
Predictive Analytics I: Data Mining
Process, Methods, and Algorithms
Textbook Chapter 4
Discussion/
Homework
Predictive Analytics I: Data Mining
Process, Methods, and Algorithms
Textbook Chapter 4
Discussion/
Homework
Predictive Analytics II: Text, Web,
and Social Media Analytics
Textbook Chapter 5
Discussion/
Homework
Predictive Analytics II: Text, Web,
and Social Media Analytics
Textbook Chapter 5
Discussion/
Homework
Prescriptive Analytics: Optimization
and Simulation
Textbook Chapter 6
Discussion/
Homework
Prescriptive Analytics: Optimization
and Simulation
Textbook Chapter 6
Discussion/
Homework
Big Data Concepts and Tools
Mandatory Attendance All Students
April 12, 13, and 14
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Knoxville, Tennessee Campus
* Individual and Team Assignments Due
* Individual and Team Presentations Due
Textbook Chapter 7
Discussion/
Begins Apr 08
Week 14
Begins April 15
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Big Data Concepts and Tools
Homework
Week 15
Begins Apr 22
Week 16
Future Trends, Privacy and
Managerial Considerations in
Analytics
Textbook Chapter 8
Discussion/
Homework
Course Conclusion
Begins Apr 29
J. Course Policies (Grading Scale, Attendance Policy, etc.):
GRADING SCALE:
The final grade will be based on the following scale:
A = 90-100
B = 80-89
C = 70-79
F = less than 70
Attendance Policy
Courses in the MS program will be taught in a convenient hybrid format. This means that there is
an online segment and a residency portion. Students are required to travel to the TWU campus to
complete a weekend residency and are also required to log in to Sakai for the online coursework.
In the online program, attendance is measured by a high level of participation in weekly
discussion forums, a high level of collaboration with fellow group members, and the completion
of each assignment on or before the established due date. In keeping with current business
practices, graduate students are held to a high standard of attendance and participation. This high
standard includes logging in to the LAMP virtual classroom on at least two separate days of the
week and checking the TWU e-mail account daily.
Failure to log-in to the LAMP virtual classroom on at least two separate days of the week will
result in a significant grade penalty. Zero credit will be recorded (see Late Work Policy below).
Course enrollment and participation will be monitored and verified for all students during the
first two weeks of classes. Lack of participation during this time may jeopardize enrollment
status. Each student is expected to meet course expectations by completing the coursework
required each week. Active participation and staying abreast of the material is essential to
success. Program-specific attendance policies may apply.
Instructor expectations:
Instructors will make every effort to respond to student emails within 24-48 hours during the
work week. In addition, all effort will be made to return homework assignments within a
reasonable period of time (1-2 weeks of submission).
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Executive Residency Weekend
Significant participation in the Residency Weekend is required and is essential to success in the
course.
Attendance at each executive residency class session is mandatory. Students may make up no
more than one (1) residency session throughout the duration of their academic program. Missing
a second residency will result in the student being dismissed from the University.
Each student must be in attendance for the entire duration of the required residency weekend.
Late arrivals and/or early departures are not permitted. Punctuality is important as each student is
required to have the documented in-seat time per course requirements.
A missed session will result in the student attending a makeup session and paying a $300
residency makeup fee. In addition, the student may be asked for documentation from the
program department providing an explanation as to why the scheduled residency session was
missed. Makeup sessions must be completed prior to the end of the term. Non-compliance with
this policy will result in dismissal from the executive program.
Instructor expectations:
Instructors will make every effort to respond to student emails within 24-48 hours during the
work week. In addition, all effort will be made to return homework assignments within a
reasonable period of time (1-2 weeks of submission).
Vacation or personal time away:
Students should not schedule vacation time or personal out-of-town trips when enrolled in MS
courses. Periodic breaks in the academic calendar are scheduled for the benefit of students, and
many correspond to holiday periods and campus closings.
Work-related travel or military service:
• Working professionals enrolled in this program may be required to travel to fulfill their job
requirements from time to time.
• The student should make every effort to arrange for a high-speed internet connection during
work-related travel, in order to keep up with coursework and maintain his/her current status
in the course.
• Should a high-speed internet connection not be available during work-related travel, this
may require a short absence from the LAMP virtual classroom, not to exceed seven days.
The student must give as much notice as possible to the instructor in advance of the absence
by using the TWU e-mail system.
• The instructor will use the information provided and, if approved, make a determination
about the absence and assignments due.
Excused Absences
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•
•
•
•
Excused absences include absences due to medical and family emergencies and
absences due to military service obligations.
Each absence must be documented, and the instructor must be notified at least one
week in advance. If the absence was of an unforeseen or emergency nature, the
instructor must be notified as soon as possible.
Assuming the absence can be documented, and notification was given, instructors
will excuse the absence, requiring whatever make-up work is necessary. Make-up
work includes exams, quizzes, homework, and other assignments.
The instructor will notify the student of the deadline for the make-up work.
Late Work Policy
If a student is unable to complete an assignment on time, the student must notify the
instructor immediately using the TWU e-mail system. Any assignment submitted late,
without prior approval from the instructor, shall be subject to the following:
•
•
•
•
Any late assignment submitted within seven days of the due date will receive a 10%
deduction.
Any assignment submitted more than seven days past the due date will not be
accepted for grading, and a grade of zero will be recorded.
Any assignment submitted after the final date of the course will not be accepted for
grading, and a grade of zero will be recorded.
Discussion forums are considered “real-time” and are available for engaging in
dialogue with classmates during the designated time period only. Discussion posts
submitted after the forum closes (for example, at the end of the week or end of the
module) will not be accepted for grading, and a grade of zero will be recorded.
Discussion Forum Policy
Significant participation in the Discussion Forums each week is required and is essential
to success in the course. The general guidelines for participation are as follows:
General Discussion Criteria
(Must meet each criterion for each discussion question in each module. Most modules
contain multiple discussion questions.)
1. The initial post (original answer to the question) must be substantive, relevant,
inspire additional dialogue and debate, and consistent with graduate-level work.
The initial post must be a minimum of 350 original words, with grammatically
correct and complete sentences. All points of the discussion question must be
answered.
• The statements made in the initial post must be supported by at least one
APA-formatted in-text citation, using the author-date method, and the post
must conclude with an APA-formatted references list. References must have a
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publication date within the past five years. In most cases, the textbook must be
cited in the initial post.
2. The reply to the initial post of the first classmate must be substantive, relevant,
inspires additional dialogue and debate, and is consistent with graduate-level
work. The reply to the initial post of the first classmate must be a minimum of
250 original words, with grammatically correct and complete sentences.
• The reply must be respectful and professional, with a positive tone. The reply
must begin by addressing the classmate by name.
3. The reply to the initial post of the second classmate must be substantive, relevant,
inspire additional dialogue and debate, and consistent with graduate-level work.
The reply to the initial post of the second classmate must be a minimum of 250
original words, with grammatically correct and complete sentences.
• The reply must be respectful and professional, with a positive tone. The reply
must begin by addressing the classmate by name.
4. The reply to comments or follow-up questions asked by professor must be
substantive, relevant, inspire additional dialogue, and consistent with graduatelevel work. The reply to the professor’s follow-up question must be a minimum of
250 original words, with grammatically correct and complete sentences.
• The reply must be respectful and professional, with a positive tone. The reply
must begin by addressing the instructor as Dr. Gilbert or Professor.
Additional Discussion Criteria
• Do not post any discussion comment as an attachment. This applies to the initial
thread and any subsequent replies. This is not permitted under any circumstances.
• Statements that are primarily “good job,” “great post,” or “I agree” statements are
not considered substantive and will not count toward the minimum word count.
Also, statements that are largely quotations will not count toward the minimum
word count.
• The student’s online tone in the discussion forums must always be respectful,
professional and friendly.
• For specific posts, the instructor may require longer responses, more references,
or references older than five years.
Examples of Substantive Replies
A graduate-level reply to the post of a classmate may include findings from
published research, additional questions for consideration, solutions to business
problems, or other relevant discussion.
For example, a substantive reply may include statements or questions related to
how the discussion topic might:
A. Add to the existing body of management research.
B. Be consistent with or contradict existing theories or models.
C. Relate to your research interests or your work experience.
D. Recommend a solution to a managerial problem.
E. Explain the implications of management theory or practice.
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F. Discuss how the topic or concept is consistent with, or contradicts, the
textbook
G. Discuss how the topic or concept is consistent with, or inconsistent with, your
work experience
H. Relate to concepts from other disciplines outside of the student’s discipline or
concentration area
TURNITIN PLAGIARISM DETECTION SOFTWARE
Turnitin is a plagiarism detection service included in the Assignment function of the Sakai
learning system. The software matches the student’s work to websites, articles, books, and other
student papers in the extensive Turnitin database. The software creates a report (or “score”)
showing the percentage of the assignment that matches to other sources. The instructor and
student can view the report. Turnitin also shows an overall percentage of the document that AI
writing tools, such as ChatGPT, may have generated.
When using Turnitin, the student must accept the user agreement when prompted in order to
allow the program access to their assignment.
For example, a Turnitin score of 25% means that one-fourth of the paper matched to other
sources in the Turnitin database. Assignments will be submitted to Turnitin to ensure that the
integrity of the TWU Honor Code was maintained. All work must be original and created by the
student, free from direct word-for-word matches, and the Turnitin score cannot exceed 25%.
I. Honor Code Statement
Students are expected to adhere to the letter and spirit of the Honor Code and will be subject
disciplinary action for documented instances of academic dishonesty, including plagiarism. A
student who violates the Honor Code on an assignment will receive a zero for the assignment
for the first offense and a failing grade for the course if the student commits a second offense.
Students found guilty of plagiarism also will be required to complete an online tutorial and
submit a certificate of completion per the disciplinary process for Honor Code violations
published in the University Catalog and student handbooks.
J. Disability Statement
Disability Statement: Any student who feels he or she may need an accommodation based on
the impact of a documented disability should contact the Office of Disability Services to
discuss specific needs. Please contact Dr. Patricia Ging, Director at 423-746-5237, or email
pging@tnwesleyan.edu. The students are responsible for making initial contact with the
director. Her office is located on the second floor of Sherman Hall.
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Suicide Prevention Statement: Tennessee Wesleyan is committed to and cares about all
students. If you or someone you know at the university feels overwhelmed, hopeless, depressed,
and/or is thinking about dying by suicide, supportive services are available and effective. For
immediate help, contact the National Suicide Line at #988 or 1-800-273-8255. On campus, you
may contact Dean Mashburn in the Student Life Office, Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.,
Monday-Friday at 423-746-5203.
K. Rubrics (as appropriate)
None.
L. Appendices
None.
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