SYLLABUS
St. Petersburg College
College of Business
GEB3213 Business Communication for Professional Effectiveness
Welcome to Business Communication for Professional Effectiveness! In this challenging
course (15+ hours/week), you will hone your business communication skills and acquire
new strategies to develop your career.
CAUTION: IF YOUR SCHEDULE IS FULL THIS TERM, YOU MAY FIND THE WORKLOAD
OVERWHELMING.
This class requires a considerable amount of time and effort. Expect to spend at least 15
hours every week to be successful. In addition to the reading, you will have weekly
quizzes, multi-media experiences, and analytical papers due. SOME OF THE WORK
REQUIRES OUTSIDE CONTACTS. You will attend a networking event and will develop a
project that proposes a solution to a local business problem. You will use use technology
such as video conferencing, Google Hangout and YouTube.
NOTE THAT YOU CAN DROP THE CLASS IN THE FIRST WEEK BY FRIDAY/MIDNIGHT
WITHOUT PENALTY. You may want to register when you can devote more time.
Hopefully, you’ve planned well and are positioned to be successful in this demanding,
yet engaging course!
Course Description
The purpose of this course is to explore the role of strategic communications
within the professional context of contemporary organizations and to provide a
survey of the organizational, behavioral, and technical aspects of business
communication. An emphasis is placed on the application of theory to practice and
the development of business communication skills that are clear, influential, and
designed for maximum impact in the workplace. Topics include communications
strategy in business; interpersonal communications and organizational context;
team communications, meetings and networking; electronic media and social
media protocol; and creating strategic proposals, presentations, and reports. The
emphasis is on the practical application of strategic business communications in a
variety of formats that enhance professional development. This course has a
substantial writing requirement. 47 contact hours.
Major Learning Outcomes:
1. The student will examine the nature of effective communication in
business; including the importance, characteristics and process of effective
GEB3213 Business Communication for Professional Effectiveness
Page 1 of 9
communications.
2. The student will analyze the communication skills of self and others, and
discuss the implications that personality and communication skills play in
business.
3. The student will judge how influence and change are advanced through
strategic business communication.
4. The student will validate how electronic communications, conferencing,
and meetings enhance the collaboration and communication of teams and
work groups in a business enterprise.
5. The student will interpret the external environment and respond by
creating strategic written business documents and delivering influential
presentations that enhance and promote a highly professional image.
Note: This course involves many writing assignments. This course also involves using
free outside tech tools such as presenting and linking to YouTube videos, web
conferencing software, and slide sharing sites for link pasting.
Required Texts/Readings
Business Communication Package (Business Communication text “Business
Communication: Polishing Your Professional Presence” by Shwom & Snyder
St. Petersburg College
ISBN-13: 9781323002612
Publisher: Pearson Learning Solutions
Copyright: 2014
Format: Multimedia Pkg
ESSENTIAL! YOU ARE EXPECTED TO REVIEW AND PERFECT APA FORMAT
Valuable APA Formatting Resources
Purdue's Online Writing Lab (OWL):
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
SPC Library: http://spcollege.libguides.com/content.php?pid=111068&sid=1029906
Other equipment
Online section required: Webcam
GEB3213 Business Communication for Professional Effectiveness
Page 2 of 9
Library Liaison & Market Research
Alex Bawell, Bawell.alex@spcollege.edu
Smarthinking Writing Feedback
To achieve maximum effectiveness, you should plan to turn in your papers to
Smarthinking Student Tutoring for feedback before submitting. SPC students can get
online tutoring through Smarthinking, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Sign into
MyCourses and look for the Smarthinking link on the Resources tab.
Class Policies
Attendance Policy
Attendance and participation and “Partner group” participation is required. Our
attendance policy for an online class is that you need to turn in your work every week
and login at least every 3 days.For blended classes, you must attend every class session
and turn in all your work. All assignments must be completed for you to be considered
in attendance, and this is especially important in the first two weeks. Missing an
assignment may be cause to mark you absent.
Grading Policy
90% - 100% A
80% B
70% C
60% D
59% and below F
Late Work Policy
All assignments and activities must be completed by the due date. Late work will not be
accepted due to computer problems, lack of a textbook, travel, sickness, or anything
short of a documented, serious extenuating circumstance, such as your being in in the
hospital for an extended period of time. This policy is in place to assure that all students
are treated equitably and consistently.
College Policies
Board of Trustees Rules and College Procedures
Dropping and Adding
Students are responsible for understanding the policies and procedures about add/drop,
as well as other SPC policies reagrding academics and student conduct. See
http://www.spcollege.edu/central/botrules/
Academic Integrity
GEB3213 Business Communication for Professional Effectiveness
Page 3 of 9
Your commitment as a student to learning is evidenced by your enrollment. Please
familiarize yourself with the policy http://www.spcollege.edu/academichonesty.
Instances of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Cheating on exams or plagiarism
(presenting the work of another as your own, or the use of another person’s ideas
without giving proper credit) will result in a failing grade and sanctions by the University.
Campus Policy in Compliance with the American Disabilities Act
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, please see
me. Please register using the SPC policies
http://www.spcollege.edu/central/ossd/index.htm.
Student Resources
Computer labs for student use are available. Tech help is available
http://www.spcollege.edu/helpdesk/.
Student support and tutoring: http://www.spcollege.edu/tutoring/.
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
The Syllabus Addendum college-wide policies will be strictly enforced in this course.
A link is provided in this course syllabus introduction, as well as it can be directly
accessed at: http://www.spcollege.edu/addendum/. Further expectations are
defined in the addendum regarding academic honesty, student conduct, emergency
preparedness, disability resources, and other information.
Tutoring assistance with supplemental instruction, out-of-class support, learning and
study skills, or other tutoring will be available online and on-site at the Learning
Support Centers (see http://www.spcollege.edu/tutoring/). These resources may be
helpful with writing (including APA format), math, and computer skills needed for this
course. Further academic support information is available
at:http://www.spcollege.edu/support/. Additionally there are several computer labs
for use at: http://www.spcollege.edu/computerlabs/
Academic Advising for course sequencing, selection, planning, registration, and other
degree requirements is available at: http://www.spcollege.edu/advising/.
SPC Libraries and Services information is available at:
http://www.spcollege.edu/libraries/.
Academic calendar is available at: https://www.spcollege.edu/calendar/.
Career Services (which includes internship and employment resources) can be found
at: http://www.spcollege.edu/careerservices/.
Student Support Resources are further available at:
http://www.spcollege.edu/pages/dynamic.aspx?id=2147484119
St. Petersburg main college website for further information is:
http://www.spcollege.edu/.
GEB3213 Business Communication for Professional Effectiveness
Page 4 of 9
Blended students that need an escort to their car or other students that need to
report an issue on any campus, please call Campus Security at 727-791-2560
immediately.
ASSIGNMENT DUE DATES:
DAY DUE
ITEM DESCRIPTION
Wk 1 TUES – INITIAL
DISCUSSION POST
Wk1 Discussion - Video Introduction
THURS – INITIAL DISCUSSION
POST
Wks 2-7 Discussion
FRI
All MyBCommLab Assignments: Quizzes
Homework (Videos)
SUN – PEER DISCUSSION
REPLIES
Wks 1-7 Discussions
SUN
Papers
Wk 8 - TUES
ALL WEEK 8 ASSIGNMENTS: Video Project
Presentation & MyBCommLab Quiz
NOTE: All work is due by midnight on the prescribed due day.
GEB3213 COURSE ASSIGNMENTS
Week
Learning Outcome
Topics
Chapters/Content
Assignments Due
1
1 - Effective
communication
process
Intro to
Business Com;
Business Com
Process;
Business Com
Skills (EI) and
Personality
Read Shwom Ch. 1 &
3
Discussion - TUES
Wk 1: Video
Introductions
Peer replies by SUN
GEB3213 Business Communication for Professional Effectiveness
MyBComLab
Assignments FRI
Quizzes FRI
Quiz Ch. 1
Quiz Ch. 3
Homework FRI
Watch Ch. 3 video &
answer question
Page 5 of 9
Paper - SUN
“Best and Worst”
Business
Communicators
Paper
2
1 - Effective process
of com in business &
2 - Com skills in
self/others
The Process:
Analyze,
Compose,
Evaluate;
Interpersonal
Skills
Read Shwom Ch.2
Read “How to Build
Your Network”
Complete “SelfAssessment sections
on Personality and
Emotional
intelligence
Read Dan Goleman’s
EI “Leadership that
Gets Results” HBR
Article
3
3 - Strategic business
com &
change/influence, 5 Business
documents/presenta
tions for professional
image
Communicatin
g Effectively:
Context &
Change in
Framing
Messages;
Evaluating
Business
Information
Read Shwom Ch. 5
“Why Are We Losing
All Our Good
People?” HBR Case
Study
“GenY in the
Workforce” HBR
Case Study
Discussion - THURS
Wk 2: Networking
Plan
Peer replies by SUN
MyBComLab
Assignments FRI
Quiz - FRI
Quiz Ch. 2
Homework - FRI
Watch Ch. 2 Video
Paper - SUN
Self-Assessment
Reflection Paper
Discussion - THURS
Wk 3: Writing
process
Peer replies by SUN
MyBComLab
Assignments FRI
Quiz - FRI
Quiz Ch. 5
Homework - FRI
Watch Ch. 5 video &
answer question
Paper - SUN
Organizational
Culture Critical
Thinking Paper
(Thesis-AntithesisSynthesis with
Strategic
Recommendations
GEB3213 Business Communication for Professional Effectiveness
Page 6 of 9
4
3 - Strategic business
com &
change/influence
Strategic
Business
Communicatio
n: Listening &
Analyzing
Influence;
Persuasive
Communicatio
n & Proposals
Read Shwom Ch. 8
“Negotiation as a
Corporate
Capability” HBR
Article
Discussion - THURS
Wk 4: Negotiating
Peer replies by SUN
MyBComLab
Assignments FRI
Quiz - FRI
Quiz Ch. 8
Homework - FRI
Watch Ch. 8 video &
answer question
Paper - SUN
Business Project
Proposal &
Communications
Plan
5
3 - Strategic business
com &
change/influence,
Team com
Strategic Team
Communicatio
n; Managing
the
Collaborative
Problem
Solving
Process
Read Shwom Ch. 4 &
6
“Survival Guide for
Change” HBR Article
Kotter’s “Leading
Change” HBR Article
“Is the Rookie
Ready” HBR Case
Study
“The Discipline of
Teams” HBR Article;
“Better Way to
Deliver Bad News”
HBR Article
6
4 - Team & electronic Presenting a
business com
Strategic
Professional
Image using
Electronic
Media to
Teams;
Effective
Communicatio
n in Meetings
Discussion - THURS
Wk 5: Networking
Report
Peer replies by SUN
MyBComLab
Assignments FRI
Quiz - FRI
Quiz Ch. 4
Quiz Ch. 6
Homework - FRI
None
Paper - SUN
Communicating
“Bad News” and
Managing
Read Shwom Ch. 7 &
11
Discussion - THURS
Wk 6: Report of
Peer Review of
Read “We Googled
Professional Image
You” HBR Case Study in Social Media
Analysis Peer replies
Read social media
by SUN
professionalism
MyBComLab
Note: Zen
Assignments FRI
GEB3213 Business Communication for Professional Effectiveness
Page 7 of 9
Presentation
Principles are
embedded in the
Partners’ group Peer
Review assignment
instructions
Quiz - FRI
Quiz Ch. 7
Quiz Ch. 11
Homework - FRI
Watch Ch. 7 video &
answer question
Paper - SUN
Report of Partners
Group Peer Review
of Webex Project
Draft Presentation
7
5 - Business
documents for
professional image
Preparing &
Delivering
Business
Reports
Read Shwom Ch. 9
“Harnessing the
Science of
Persuasion” HBR
Article
Discussion - THURS
Wk 7: Business
Writing &
Presenting
Peer replies by SUN
MyBComLab
Assignments FRI
Quiz - FRI
Quiz Ch. 9
Homework - FRI
Watch Ch. 9 video &
answer question
Paper - SUN
Final Project
Business Report
8
5 - Business
presentations for
professional image
Preparing &
Delivering
Business
Presentations
Read Shwom Ch. 10
Review Zen
Principles of
Presentation
MyBComLab
Assignments TUES
Quiz - TUES
Quiz Ch. 10
Homework - TUES
None
Presentation - TUES
Final Project
Presentation
The schedule is subject to change with fair notice.
GEB3213 Business Communication for Professional Effectiveness
Page 8 of 9
GEB3213 Business Communication for Professional Effectiveness
Page 9 of 9