Required Textbooks:

• Business Communication: Process & Product, Mary Ellen Guffey, 3rd Edition, Southwestern, 2000.

Suggested Supplemental Materials: (not required)

• Study Guide, Mary Ellen Guffey.
  
  
• The Northern Illinois University College of Business Communication Handbook (current edition).
  
  

Course Outcomes:

We will apply the principles and techniques of effective business communications through a variety of assignments designed to help you master the tasks of collecting, organizing, analyzing, and presenting business information. By "effective," I mean communications that work. Your written and oral communications must be clear, convincing, and graceful. We will use proper formats and conventions, and appropriate visual aids used as necessary. All of these elements are in the service of the individual document's goals (to inform, persuade, etc.). Excellent communication skills will contribute to your success in business and in life in general.

We will necessarily spend time on the effective use of technology (word processing, visuals, etc.) to produce high-quality, professional documents. The main emphasis of the course will, however, be on excellent writing in the context of various business situations. Technology is no substitute for a firm command of the language.

Instructional Philosophy:

Toward the goal of producing effective business communications, we will take a mastery approach. We will discuss assignments in class, you may submit rough drafts (as time permits) and final drafts of written projects may be subject to further revision until they are satisfactory. Nota bene: Having me review an early draft does not guarantee an "A" on a final draft. The quality of your writing assignments remains your responsibility.

Remember that writing is a process. When you first put your thoughts to paper, you may find that you are not clear about what you really think. Conversely, you may begin with a firm idea of what you want to say--but come to realize that your evidence leads you to an entirely different conclusion. Be prepared to follow your evidence and make your point clearly and forcefully, even if it takes several drafts. Plan on doing lots of revising--and proofreading.

Overall, my goal is to help you learn to approach business, and especially the demands of business communications, with clarity, intelligence, and respect for colleagues and clients.

Policies and Procedures:

1. All assignments must be turned in on the date due. Late papers will be penalized ten percent per class day. To pass the course, you MUST turn in all assignments, no matter how late.
   
   
2. Keep all assignments both on disk and hard copy. Also, keep a portfolio of all written work. Of course, all work must be your own. The penalty for plagiarism will be severe. When doing group work, be sure to contribute your fair share.
   
   
3. You are responsible for everything discussed or handed out in class. If you must be absent, get notes from fellow students. This is especially important because all writing assignments will be discussed in detail in class, so if you miss you will be at a severe disadvantage.
   
   
4. Complete all reading assignments before you get to class. Your participation is essential.
   
   
5. At the first sign of difficulty or trouble, please see me or send an e-mail. I have given you my home e-mail address and I strongly encourage you to make free use of it. I am always happy to hear from students, so if you need extra help or clarification about anything, by all means do send an e-mail or arrange to talk to me in my office. If my office hours do not work for you, let me know and we will set up a time that is convenient.
   
   
6. Attendance: Your success, and the success of the class, depend heavily upon your regular attendance and active participation. If you are absent, you are still responsible for all classwork. I do take attendance.
   
   
7. Computer-Related Work: Out-of-class written work must be done on a personal computer following accepted formats. Use any machine you have access to, but be sure to produce good, clean copies, and have backup on disk. In business, you will have to use a variety of software applications (word processing, spreadsheet, etc.) and be able to integrate them into your documents. As much as possible, your assignments will be designed to replicate the demands of a business environment.
   
   

Grading:

To pass the course, you must complete all writing assignments. Better to turn them in late than not at all. Your papers will generally be assessed according to the following criteria (varying as appropriate):

• format (10%).
• grammar/usage/style (20%).
• organization of thought (25%).
• critical thinking (25%).
• appropriateness to the assignment's particular business context (20%).

Please bear in mind that a grade is not meant to be a reward or punishment, but a reasonable assessment of what you have actually accomplished. Remember too that the worst I can do is give you an "F" for an assignment or your course grade, but when you get out into the professional world, your boss can fire you. Use my class as a safe place to learn and grow. If you don't succeed the first time, be willing to try again and I will help you do better. In summary, here is how grades should be interpreted:

Point System:

Grades: