Writing on Business & Society
WRTG 3040-16 & -21
Course Information
Classroom Locations
Term
Days & Times
ECCR 137 & DUAN G1B25
Fall 2010
Mondays & Wednesdays 1500 – 1615 & 1800 – 1915
Instructor Information
Instructor
Office Phone
Email Address
Office Location
Office Hours
Michel Hendry
(303) 735-4788
Michel.Hendry@colorado.edu
ENVD 1B50E
Fridays 1100 – 1300, 1400 – 1500, & by Appointment
Course Pre-requisites, Co-requisites, and/or Other Restrictions
Do not register for this class if you are enrolled in a class with late-afternoon/evening
exams.
Course- and Section-Specific Description
WRTG 3040 examines ethical and social issues in the context of business decisionmaking processes. WRTG 3040 foci are critical thinking, rhetorical awareness,
information literacy, and linguistic convention. Designed as a writing workshop, WRTG
3040 encourages thoroughgoing drafting and thoughtful revision.
WRTG 3040 fulfills both the University of Colorado-Boulder (UCB) and the Colorado
Commission on Higher Education (CCHE) curricular requirements. WRTG 3040 meets
University-specific core upper-division writing requirement for students majoring in
business, economics, and international studies (IAFS). WRTG 3040 meets CCHEspecific criteria for extended rhetorical knowledge, extended writing processes, extended
writing conventions, and advanced content knowledge.
In WRTG 3040 Sections 16 & 21, I (a) acquaint you with business writing style, elements,
forms, and processes and (b) provide you practice researching, describing, analyzing,
evaluating, organizing, documenting, designing, and packaging business information.
I provide you (a) a series of lectures, readings, and workshops that enhance your
understanding of business writing style, elements, forms, and processes;
(b) opportunities to demonstrate your business writing proficiencies; and (c) constructive
criticism to advance your business writing competencies.
I ask you to craft an analytical report draft and final that describe a
challenge/opportunity/problem in your field, analyze those facts by postulating a thesis
and providing evidence, then present reasoned conclusions founded on the analysis; a
recommendation report draft and final that describe a challenge/opportunity/problem in
your field, analyze those facts by postulating a thesis and providing evidence, present
reasoned conclusions founded on the analysis, offer a course of action founded on the
WRTG 3040-16 &-21
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conclusions, and incorporate design, packaging, and visual elements; peer critiques of
the analytic, recommendation, press release, and job drafts; a press release from
recommendation report findings; and, a cover letter and resume citing recommendation
report work.
Section-Specific Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes
Extending Rhetorical Knowledge
To enable you (a) to master wide-ranging rhetorical situations, audiences, and purposes;
(b) to perfect correlations between form and content for wide-ranging rhetorical situations,
audience, and purposes; and (c) to hone communication for wide-ranging rhetorical
situations, audiences, and purposes, you read a variety of scholarly, professional, and
peer texts for the analytic and recommendation report projects, discuss the authors’
rhetorical choices, and write to a variety of inter- and intra-field discourse communities for
the analytic, recommendation, promotional, and job projects.
Extending Experience in Writing Processes
To facilitate your ability (a) to sharpen thoroughgoing drafts; (b) to refine strategies for
global-, local-, and copy-editing; and (c) to improve critique of scholarly, professional,
peer, and personal documentation, you write a draft and final of the analytic,
recommendation, promotional and job material, craft a peer critique of a peer’s analytic,
recommendation report, press release, and job drafts, and participate in workshop
discussions about yours and peers’ analytic, recommendation, promotional, and job
drafts.
Extending Understanding of Writing Conventions
To help you (a) whet appropriate form for different writing tasks; (b) groom withinsentence to across-document genre conventions; (c) polish specialized vocabulary; and
(d) perfect correct and effective grammar, punctuation, and spelling; you participate in a
comprehensive style competencies diagnostic and use genre-appropriate form,
conventions, vocabulary, grammar, and punctuation for the analytic, recommendation,
promotional, and job project draft and final.
Advancing Content Knowledge
To encourage you (a) to achieve content knowledge-gain; (b) to adapt content to
different rhetorical situations, audiences, and purposes; and (c) to communicate your
content knowledge about different rhetorical situations, audiences, and purposes; you
research a variety of electronic and hard copy scholarly and professional sources for the
analytic, recommendation, promotional, and job projects; participate in workshop
discussions about your content adaptations for different rhetorical situations, audiences,
and purposes for the analytic, recommendation, promotional, and job projects; and
attribute your content sources for the analytic, recommendation, promotional, and job
projects.
Required Textbooks
Rosenwasser, D. & Stephen, J. (2009). Writing Analytically (5th ed.). Boston: Thomson
Wadsworth.
Kolin, P.C. (2004). Successful writing at work (concise 2nd ed.). New York: Houghton
Mifflin Company.
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Perrin, R. (2009). Pocket Guide to APA Style (3rd ed.). New York: Houghton Mifflin
Company.
Suggested Course Materials
A current (two years or less) dictionary and thesaurus and field-specific styles guides and
manuals.
Resources
Writing Center http://www.colorado.edu/pwr/writingcenter.html
UCB Library www.libraries.colorado.edu
Assignments & Academic Calendar
WEEK 1
Monday, August 23
examining the course
exploring writing genres’ and business writing genre’s characteristics –
Kolin, pp. 13-16, 26-27
Wednesday, August 25
discussing business writing grammar, mechanics, usage, and
punctuation competencies – Kolin, pp. 313-330; Rosenwasser &
Stephen, Chapters 17, 18, & 19; self-select style guides and manuals;
instructor notes
WEEK 2
Monday, August 30
discussing business writing grammar, mechanics, usage, and
punctuation competencies – Kolin, pp. 313-330; Rosenwasser &
Stephen, Chapters 17, 18, & 19; self-select style guides and manuals;
instructor notes
Wednesday, September 1
participating in a business writing grammar, mechanics, usage, and
punctuation competencies diagnostic
WEEK 3
Monday, September 6
no class – Labor Day Holiday
Wednesday, September 8
understanding business writing as problem solving: embracing the
analytical frame of mind – Rosenwasser & Stephen, Chapters 1-6, pp. 1108
WEEK 4
Monday, September 13
structuring problem solving: examining and categorizing business report
forms – Rosenwasser & Stephen, Chapter 10; Kolin, Chapters 3, 4, 7, 8,
& 9; instructor notes
examining the archetypical problem solving form: understanding
analytical reports – Kolin, pp. 225-290; instructor notes
Wednesday, September 15
formulating theses: understanding how theorizing advances problem
solving – Rosenwasser & Stephen, Chapters 9 & 12, pp. 12, 109, 123124, 138, 139, 140-142, 143, 144-145, 145-147, 152-153, 155, 156-157,
158, 165, 188, 199-201; instructor notes
WRTG 3040-16 &-21
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identifying rhetorical contexts: understanding how audience analysis
contextualizes problem solving – Rosenwasser & Stephen, pp. 93-96;
Kolin, pp. 4-8, 33, 34, 81-85, 106-115, 198-200, 201-202, 233, 242;
instructor notes
WEEK 5
Monday, September 20
constructing introductions & results: understanding how descriptions
portend thesis and evidence – Rosenwasser & Stephen, Chapters 7, 8,
& 11, pp. 102-103, 105, 123, 124, 109-139, 150, 151, 153, 185-186;
instructor notes
Wednesday, September 22
constructing conclusions: understanding how evidence foretells
induction, deduction, and counterclaim – Rosenwasser & Stephen,
Chapters 7, 8, & 11 pp. 167-169, 170, 179-202; instructor notes
WEEK 6
Monday, September 27
analytical report draft due – 25 pts
editing analytical report introductions/results drafts (random class roster)
Wednesday, September 29
editing analytical report results/conclusions drafts (random class roster)
WEEK 7
Monday, October 4
peer critique due – 50 pts
Wednesday, October 6
analytical report final due – 100 pts
constructing recommendation reports – Kolin, pp. 157-169, 259-291;
instructor notes
understanding document packaging & integrating visuals – Kolin, pp.
159-186; instructor notes
WEEK 8
Monday, October 11
invoking secondary and primary research; understanding research
triangulation – Rosenwasser & Stephen, Chapters 13, 14, & 16; Kolin,
pp. 27-28, 226-227, 259; instructor notes
Wednesday, October 13
integrating sources: using sources analytically – Perrin, 39-112;
instructor notes
examining bodies of law related to business writing – instructor notes
WEEK 9
Monday, October 18
recommendation report draft due – 150 pts
editing recommendation report drafts (random class roster)
Wednesday, October 20
editing recommendation report drafts (random class roster)
WEEK 10
Monday, October 25
peer critique due – 50 pts
Wednesday, October 27
recommendation report final due – 150 pts
WEEK 11
Monday, November 1
understanding promotional literature: writing title-and-deck headings and
press releases
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Wednesday, November 3
understanding promotional literature: writing title-and-deck headings and
press releases
WEEK 12
Monday, November 8
press release draft due – 25 pts
editing press releases
Wednesday, November 10
editing press releases
WEEK 13
Monday, November 15
peer critique due – 50 pts
Wednesday, November 17
press release final due – 100 pts
WEEK 14
Monday, November 22 & Wednesday November 24
no class – Fall Break
WEEK 15
Monday, November 29
understanding job announcement, cover letter, and resume
Wednesday, December 1
job announcement, cover letter, and resume draft due – 50 pts
editing job application materials (random class roster)
WEEK 16
Monday, December 6
peer critique due – 50 pts
Wednesday, December 8
job announcement, cover letter, and resume final due – 50 pts
critiquing the course
Grade Policies
The A work is excellent work. The A work is original, insightful, persuasive, and well
organized. Nearly perfect, an A work rewards its reader with genuine insight, gracefully
expressed. The A work is an ambitious project that engages interesting and complex
ideas in a perceptive manner.
The B work is good work. The B work is a clearly written, well-developed, and interesting
work that shows above average thought and writing craft. The B work reaches high and
meets many, though not all, of its aims. The thinking and writing are solid, but the B work
may have some unresolved problems, some thin patches in content, or some tangents
that don’t fit in.
The C work is average work. The C work represents a mixture of strengths and
weaknesses. The C work may be somewhat readable and organized at the surface level,
but has real unresolved problems in one or more key areas: conception, line of
reasoning, use of evidence, or style. The C work may fulfill the basic requirements of the
assignment, but, finally, say little of genuine importance or significance.
The D work is below average work. The D work is seriously underdeveloped or seriously
deficient in content, form, style, or mechanics. The D work may be disorganized, illogical,
confusing, unfocused or contain pervasive errors that impair readability. The D work
does not come close to meeting the basic expectations of the assignment.
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The F work is unacceptable work. The F work is incoherent, disastrously flawed,
plagiarized, or non-existent.
I assign grades on a 100-point scale and then multiply the score by the weight of the
assignment. Plus/minus grades include 95 – 100 = A, 90 – 94 = A-, 87 – 89 = B+, 83 –
86 = B, 80 – 82 = B-, 77 – 79 = C+, 73 – 76 = C, 70 – 72 = C-, 60 – 69 = D, 59 and below
= F. Your semester grade is the sum of all assignments, multiplied by assignment weight
and divided by 1000 total points. I multiply each grade by its weight, sum the products,
and divide the sum by the total weight (the mean of a set of means).
To dispute a grade, I ask you to produce your mean of a set of means calculation for
other than the assigned grade. Since a productive discourse about grades is necessarily
founded on numeric reality, your feeling-based estimations are immaterial.
Analytical report (1/5 draft & 4/5 final)
Recommendation report (1/2 draft & 1/2 final)
Peer critiques
Press Release (1/5 draft & 4/5 final)
Job application materials (1/2 draft & 1/2 final)
Attendance
Total
125
300
200
125
100
150
1000
Course Policies
Late Work
I do not except late assignments unless you and I reach an agreement, in writing and
prior to the assignment deadline, for extenuating circumstances.
Class Attendance
I assign five points for each class session you attend. Accordingly, you may miss two
classes without numerically lowering your grade. You earn an IW, IF, or F for the course
for six absences or more.
Classroom Citizenship
UCB-wide, students and faculty are responsible for maintaining an appropriate
learning environment. Those who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards
subject themselves to discipline. Professional courtesy and sensitivity are
especially important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with
differences of race, culture, religion, politics, sexual orientation,
gender, gender variance, and nationalities. See policies at
http://www.colorado.edu/policies/classbehavior.html and at
http://www.colorado.edu/studentaffairs/judicialaffairs/code.html#student_code
The UCB policy on Discrimination and Harassment, the UCB policy on Sexual
Harassment, and the UCB policy on Amorous Relationships apply to all
students, staff, and faculty. Any student who believes s/he has been the subject of
sexual harassment or discrimination or harassment based upon race, color, national
origin, sex, age, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status should
contact the Office of Discrimination and Harassment (ODH) at 303-492-2127 or the Office
of Judicial Affairs at 303-492-5550. You can obtain Information about the ODH, the
above referenced policies, and the campus resources available to assist individuals
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regarding discrimination or harassment at http://www.colorado.edu/odh
In addition, in this class, your citizenship responsibilities include (a) submitting
assignments that are typed and double-spaced, (b) submitting hard copy rather than
electronic copy, (c) resourcefully securing lecture notes from your peers when you are
absent, (d) respecting my schedule by not requesting repeat/revisit lectures,
(e) respecting my time by not e-mailing me over the weekend, and (f) respecting
classroom etiquette by not taking advantage of classroom computer privileges.
My responsibility is to provide you the critical thinking processes to discern field-specific
Truth. To convert, or to make converts, is alien to this duty. Where it becomes
necessary for me to consider political, social, or sectarian movements, I examine – not
advance – and draw conclusions with logic – not emotion-driven penchant – from the
evidence. Essentially, your freedom in this section is founded on my commitment to fairmindedness and even-handedness.
Academic Integrity
I expect from you a high level of responsibility and academic honesty. Because the value
of an academic degree depends upon your integrity, it is imperative that you demonstrate
a high-minded standard of individual honor in your work.
All UCB students are responsible for knowing and adhering to the academic integrity
policy. Violations of this policy may include: cheating, plagiarism, aid of academic
dishonesty, fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening behavior. I report all incidents of
academic misconduct to the Honor Code Council (honor@colorado.edu; 303-735-2273).
Students violating the academic integrity policy are subject to both academic sanctions
from the faculty member and non-academic sanctions (including but not limited to
university probation, suspension, or expulsion). You can find other information on the
Honor Code at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/honor.html and at
http://www.colorado.edu/academics/honorcode/
In this class, I employ turnitin2.com, which searches the web for possible plagiarism and
is over 90% effective.
Copyright Law
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the use of
copyrighted materials, including music and software. Copying, displaying, reproducing, or
distributing copyrighted works may infringe the copyright owner’s rights. Your use of
such material is only appropriate when that use constitutes “fair use” under the Copyright
Act. As a UCB student, you must follow the institution’s copyright policy. For more
information about the fair use exemption, see
http://www.colorado.edu/academics/honorcode/
Email Use
UCB recognizes the value and efficiency of communication between faculty and students
through electronic venues. At the same time, electronic correspondence raises security
and identity issues of each individual in an electronic exchange. UCB encourages faculty
to send official student email correspondence to a student’s UCB email address and to
consider email from students official only if it originates from a UCB student account. This
allows UCB to maintain a high degree of confidence in the identity of all individuals
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corresponding and the security of the transmitted information. UCB furnishes you with a
free email account and I ask you to use in all communication with me.
Withdrawal from Class
UCB has set deadlines for withdrawal. UCB publishes these dates and times in that
semester's course catalog. It is your responsibility to handle withdrawal requirements
from this section. I do not drop or withdraw any student. You must do the proper
paperwork to ensure that you do not receive a final grade of "F" in this course if you
choose not to attend this section once you enroll.
Incomplete Grade Policy
Per UCB policy, I grant incomplete grades for work unavoidably missed at the semester’s
end and only if you complete 70% of the coursework. You must resolve the incomplete
grade within either one year or within the agreed upon deadline. If you do not complete
the required work within one year or within the agreed upon deadline, UCB adjusts the
incomplete grade to an F grade.
Disability Services
The goal of Disability Services is to provide you with equal educational opportunities. If
you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit to me a letter from
Disability Services so that I can address your needs. Disability Services determines
accommodations based on documented disabilities. Contact: 303-492-8671, C4C
building, and http://www.Colorado.EDU/disabilityservices
If you have a temporary medical condition or injury, see guidelines at
http://www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices/go.cgi?select=3Dtemporary.html
Disability Services' letters stipulate legally mandated reasonable accommodations. You
can find syllabus statements and answers to Frequently Asked Questions at
http://www.colorado.edu/disabilityservice
Religious Holy Days
UCB-wide policy regarding religious observances requires that faculty make every effort
to deal reasonably and fairly with all students who, because of religious obligations, have
conflicts with scheduled assignments or required attendance. See details at
http://www.colorado.edu/policies/fac_relig.html
In this class, I encourage you to notify me, in advance of an assignment, regarding the
Holy Day. If I excuse you, I allow you to complete the assignment within a reasonable
time after the absence: a period equal to the length of the absence, up to a maximum of
one week. If you fail to complete the assignment within the prescribed period, you
receive a failing grade for that assignment.
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