, Learner Mrs. Susan Kline, Professor Best Contact Method: E-mail: kline.s@mccd.

edu Merced College (MCCD) Office #V-26 (downstairs in the Vocational Bldg., enter V18)
Office Hours: Mon. & Wed. 3:30-4:30 p.m., Tues. 4:20-5:20 p.m., or by appt.

Phone: 209 384-6335 Mondays & Wednesdays, 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Section #1008
BUS-43BUSINESS COMMUNICATION THE SYLLABUS Spring 2011 (Room V-115) Description: This course covers the business writing patterns of routine, persuasive, and negative messages. Students learn the basic training in listening, speaking, and non-verbal communication in order to develop the skills needed in everyday communication in business. Students create memos, letters, and reports. Students learn about doing business with other cultures and giving oral business presentations. Prerequisite: BUS 53-Business English Advisory: ENGL A-Basic Composition and Reading Goal: You will be able to communicate effectively and professionally in any business environment. More specifically, the objectives are that you will learn to: 1. Follow the Four Cs of business correspondence: clear, concise, complete, and courteous. 2. Develop techniques that are effective in improving listening skills. 3. Avoid redundancy in written business communication 4. Include an opening, body, and closing in each message. 5. Write with the readers perspective, rather than the writers. 6. Use the three-step writing process: organize, write, and revise. 7. Become an expert at writing memos, e-mails, letters, proposals, and reports. 8. Differentiate when to use the direct and indirect strategy writing methods. 9. Use appropriate writing patterns for routine, persuasive, and negative messages. 10. Appreciate the importance of information mapping in order to make it easy for the reader to find specific material quickly. 11. Give presentations using visual aids, such as PowerPoint, a globe, or handouts. 12. Defend the value of teamwork and promote synergy. 13. Model sensitivity to other cultures in our global economy. 14. Practice professional telephone techniques by role-playing and leaving a voice message. 15. Analyze and plan meetings: agendas, minutes, and when meetings should be held. 16. Complete employment documents (application, resume, cover letter, letter of recommendation, and thank you messages) with ease. 17. Use the Five Ss of goodwill messages: selfless, specific, sincere, spontaneous, and short. 18. Demonstrate the importance of a professional image. NEITHER FOOD NOR DRINKS ARE ALLOWED IN COMPUTER CLASSROOMS.

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Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs): Upon completion of this course, you will be able to
A. Analyze, respect, and appreciate intercultural differences by researching and presenting B. C.

D. E.

information on "How to do Business" with a chosen culture. Develop an awareness of the need for correct expression and professionalism by demonstrating this in oral presentations. Compose and revise well-organized, effective business letters, memos, e-mails, proposals, and short reports by creating a portfolio of your business documents using today's technologies. Develop effective listening and nonverbal skills by practicing these during dress for success days and during any presentation. Prepare for employment by writing customized rsums and cover letters.

Required Text and Materials: (all available in bookstore) Essentials of Business Communication, 8th edition, Dr. Mary Ellen Guffey, South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning Publishing, Copyright 2010. (ISBN 978-0-324-58800-2) http://www.cengagebrain.com/tl1/en/US/storefront/US?cmd=catAdvancedSearch&OP=search&f ieldName=All&fieldValue=978-0-324-58800-2 (the first chapter is a free download!) Other required materials: 128 MB or larger USB Pen Drive Two 100-question Scantron test sheets (available in Bookstore) Three-ring " binder and five divider tabs (for portfolio). A print card at a cost of $1 per 50 pages. Print cards are available at the Los Baos Campus Student Fees office or the Merced Campus Bookstore. Attendance & Academic Honesty: The student is responsible to attend all class sessions. (Ask me about Perfect Attendance certificate.) You may be dropped from class for excessive absences (6 class hours). See attendance policy in the current college catalog (2010-11, p. 25). MCCDs Academic Honesty policy (p. 14) indicates that a student may be suspended from the college for cheating. NO WARNINGS: An Academic Dishonesty Report will be sent to the Vice President of Student Services documenting any cheating. Important dates: ReminderIt is YOUR responsibility to drop a class. Jan. 24 - Add deadline Jan 31 - Drop deadline w/refund Feb. 13- Drop deadline w/o a "W" grade Feb. 17 - Credit/No Credit deadline May 23- Finale/Opportunity, Mon., 11-12:50 May 1 - Last Day to Drop a Course w/a "W" GRADING PROCEDURES Your grade in this course is based on a percentage of total points earned on Opportunities, classroom assignments, and homework assignments. 90 % = A, 80% = B, 70 % = C. Make-up Policy: Homework All work must be neatly typed. Assignments will not be accepted if they are over one week past due and will be assessed a 50% late penalty. Each graded letter or memo will be evaluated as follows: Content/tone/style 15 pts. Format 5 pts. Mechanics 5 pts.

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Opportunities to demonstrate what youve learned: 1 hr. 15 min. is allowed for each one. These must be made up within the week prior to the following class session. However, if you know you will miss an opportunity, you can arrange to take it early. (If you open this file on a computer, please note the color coding: Everything that is highlighted in yellow = Global Learning; if highlighted in green = will go in portfolio, and the pink highlighting = dress for success.) Global Learning Project written report [see sample of format on our intranet in the Student Datafiles/Kline folder on computers here] (75 pts.), presentation slides (40 pts.) and oral presentation (100 pts.) must be completed on time and cannot be submitted late. Portfolio A presentation of your perfected resume, corrected letters and memos, your report and presentation slides AND the corresponding graded document, will be included. See Table of Contents and highlighted documents in this syllabus (100 pts.) Portfolios will not be accepted late. Dress for Success Students dress professionally and are evaluated by their classmates, instructor, and sometimes a business guest. (10 pts. each x 3=30 pts.) Grading Scale 1,000 points possible (keep track of your points earned on each document on the last page of this syllabus.) GRADING SCALE: 900-1,000 800-899 700-799 600-699

90%+ 80%+ 70%+ 60%+

A B C D

Special Notes: If you have a verified physical, medical, psychological, or learning disability or perhaps you feel you may

have one of these disabilities which impacts your ability to carry out assigned course work, please contact the Disabled Student Services (DSS) office. DSS staff will review your needs and determine what accommodations are necessary and appropriate. All information and documentation is confidential. DSS is located in the Lesher Student Services Bldg. Room 234, phone 384-6155. In Los Banos, DSS is located in Building A, phone 381-6423. If you plan to take exams proctored by the DSS office, provide the yellow proctor form one week prior to the exam. Please be sensitive to the learning environment: It is assumed that every student is attending class to learn; therefore, anything which distracts any student from learning is not appropriate classroom behavior. (Examples: using cell phones, playing Solitaire, typing during lecture, conversing during lecture, etc.). In attempting to keep with a business-like, professional atmosphere, any behavior which would be considered inappropriate in a business setting will be addressed in class (ergonomics, feet on chairs, pencil in mouth, etc.). In order for college students to apply and question what they hear in lecture and discussions, the chapter/reading should be complete before the lecture/discussion. While only the first week indicates the chapter to be read as homework, please read ahead in the syllabus (the page numbers are indicated), and prepare for learning thoroughly by reading the chapter that will be discussed prior to attending class. You will benefit! Per the California Community College Chancellor, students are expected to complete two hours of homework per week for each unit they are enrolled. Therefore, with this 3-unit course, six hours of homework per week should be planned: reading chapters, completing assignments, researching, applying what youve learned to real-life documents, and preparing for opportunities.
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DO YOU: SSL VP CC?

(7 Steps to a perfect Microsoft Word Documents)
1.

Save As: F12, click the folder to save it in (BUS43YourName), then type
the filename indicated on printed document: 5.3 RequestMemo

2.

Spell check: F7, or click within any word which is underlined in red, then
right-click for suggestions and replacement.

3.

Label your document, such as: E:/BUS43 Student Name/5.3 RequestMemo.docx

choosing the Insert tab in the Header & Footer Group, click the footer button choose the first choice: Blank [Type text] footer this will open the Header & Footer Design tab in the Insert Group on the left side of Ribbon, click the QuickParts button click Field then type f, this will choose the first QuickPart that begins with the letter f: FileName from the list of fields on the left side of dialog box in the top right, click to check the box Add path to filename. Click OK (or press Enter) select/highlight your footer and reduce the font size to 8 pt.

Put this in a footer (so you can find it easily and edit it again) by:

4.

View Full Page: Ctrl + F2 to check for formatting and balanced

appearance. (This should save you the embarrassment of printing unnecessary and/or blank pages.) Or you can click the Office Button, click Print, click Print Preview.

5.

Print: Ctrl +
copy, whole document, to preset printer.)

.(This accepts all the print dialog box defaults: 1

6.

Compare: (proofread) to the copy that you keyed from! (There are no
shortcuts for this important step! While computers can help us, we still need people who think! Suggestion: read it aloud. Read line by linecover the rest of the page.)

7.

Close the document with Ctrl + F4

or Exit Word with Alt + F4.

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WEEKLY SCHEDULE (may be adjusted by professor) Week 1 Jan. 19 Wednesday Introduction to coursetext, Web site: http://www.meguffey.com/ Student Introductions Beginning from the back of the textbook: Grammar/Mechanics Handbook, pp. GM-1 to GM-47 A Guide to Document Formats, Appendix A, pp. A-1 to A-20 Handouts: Format for Memos and Letters SSL VP CC (the Seven Steps to a Perfect Word Document) Homework: Introductory Memo1 - Tell me about yourself: o (1) what you want to learn from this class, o (2) something about your culture, (find artifacts and place in container), and o (3) your goals. Reminder: Read Chapter 1 for next class. Week 2 Jan. 24 & 26 Monday UNIT 1 Communicating in Todays Workplace, p. 1 Lecture and discussion of Chapter 1, Career Success Begins with Communication Skills (pp. 2-30). Wednesday How to get to the intranet Student Datafiles/Kline/BUS-43 folderhandout Grammar/Mechanics Checkup 1 (on intranet) and Challenge 1, pp. 28-29. Your 1-page Resources to Student Success handoutconnect with two classmates* Week 3 Jan. 31 & Feb. 2 Monday UNIT 2 The Writing Process, p. 31 Lecture and discussion of Chapter 2, Planning Business Messages (pp. 32-52). Wednesday Confusing Words Pretest* (on intranet, in Shared folder) Chapter Review questions, pp. 45-46. Writing Improvement Exercises, pp. 47-49. Write a memo to the instructor with a paragraph about your culture and another paragraph about something you learned about another cultureor a country/culture that you would like to learn about. (due next class, 25 pts.)

Grammar/Mechanics Handbook instruction and exercises.

Free Grading/Not Optional: Submit to instructor for feedback. You dont earn points, nor lose points; however, completing these will help you with future assignments. Hereafter, indicated by an asterisk (*).
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Week 4 Feb. 7 & 9 Monday Lecture and discussion of Chapter 3, Composing Business Messages (pp. 53-74). Wednesday Assignment 1Chapter 3 Review questions (p. 67) 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15 and Writing Improvement exercises (pp. 68-70) questions 23, 26, 27, 29, 31, 32, 38, 39, 42, 43, 45, 50, 52 (40 pts.), due beginning of next class. Your answers must be typed and numbered correctly. Use the form provided on the intranet in Student Datafiles/Kline folder. Week 5 Feb. 14 & 16 Monday Lecture and discussion of Chapter 4, Revising Business Messages (pp. 75-95). Chapter Review questions, p. 88. Writing Improvement Exercises, pp. 89-92. Assignment 2 Revise and correctly key the letter on p. 93. Due beginning of next class. (25 pts.) Refer to SSL VP CC handout from instructor. Form four groups to review for Opportunity 1. Wednesday Dress for Success (10 pts.) First of three opportunities to demonstrate your ability to present your professional image. (Evaluated by all classmates and instructor via a form on the computer.) Groups present review for Opportunity 1. Instructor review of Opportunity 1, too. Week 6 Feb. 21 & 23 MondayNo class: Washingtons Day Wednesday Opportunity 1 Chapters 1-4 (50 pts). Be sure to bring 100-question Scantron form, pencil, your textbook, and self-confidence to class. The questions are true/false, multiple choice, and short answers typed on computer. Week 7 Feb. 28 & Mar. 2 Monday UNIT 3 Communicating at Work, p. 97 Chapter 5, Electronic Messages and Memorandums (pp. 98-132). Wednesday Assignment: 3/Direct E-mail & Memos 5.3 (p. 124), and 5.5 (p. 125). We will review the writing errors in 5.3 in class. You will then revise and type your improved memo. Submit two memos with the Assignment cover sheet (50 pts.) Your documents are due beginning of next class.

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Week 8 Mar. 7 & 9 Monday Chapter 6, Positive Messages (pp. 133-160). Wednesday Assignment 4/Direct Letters 6.5, (p. 153) and 6.9 or 6.10, (p. 155) direct letters (50 pts.) due beginning of next class. Week 9 Mar. 14 & 16 Monday Chapter 7, Negative Messages (pp. 161-192). Wednesday Portfolio Requirements handout from instructor Assignment 5/Indirect Negative Messages 7.4, (p. 186) (begin/brainstorm in teams of three) instead of an e-mail, make this a memo, and 7.8 (p. 187) letter (50 pts.), due beginning of next class. Week 10 Mar 21 & 23 Monday Chapter 8, Persuasive Messages (pp. 193-220). Wednesday Assignment 6/Indirect Persuasive Letters 8.10, (p. 214) and 8.17 (p. 216) (50 pts.) due beginning of next class. Week 11 Mar. 28 & 30 Monday Opportunity 2 Produce: Direct Letters and Memorandums (Chapters 5 and 6, 50 pts.). (Given scenarios, you will create a letter and memo using the direct method and the writing plan: Direct opening/frontloading, body/explanation, & closing with end date if appropriate). Wednesday UNIT 4 Reporting Workplace Data, p. 221 Lecture and discussion of Chapters 9, Informal Reports (pp. 222-252); and Chapter 10, Proposals and Formal Reports (pp. 253-301). Decide which country/culture you will share about for presentations Group or Individual presentation Week 12 Apr. 4 & 6 Monday Complete discussion of Chapter 10. Assignment 7/Informal Proposal10.12, OR 10.13 (p. 294) (25 pts.) due beginning of next class. Wednesday Dress for Success (10 pts.) Second of three opportunities to demonstrate your ability to dress for success.

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Week 13 Apr. 11 & 13 Monday Opportunity 3 Chapters 5-8 (50 pts.). Be sure to bring 100-question Scantron form, pencil, your textbook, and self-confidence to class. The questions are true/false, multiple choice, and short answers typed on computer.) Study pp. GM-2 to GM-5 Grammar/Mechanicsbring questions to next class. Review for Writing/Producing Opportunity 2 by revising previously graded letters for your portfolio. Wednesday UNIT 5 Professionalism, Teamwork, Meetings, and Speaking Skills, p. 303 Chapter 11, Professionalism at Work: Business Etiquette, Ethics, Teamwork, and Meetings (pp. 304-335). In class, role-play to improve telephone skills: 11.11, p. 331. Assignment 8/Professionalism at Work Chapter 11 Review questions 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, & 14 (pp. 327-329) [3 pts. each], and Grammar/Mechanics Challenge 11: Minutes (25 pts.), p. 333 (40 pts.), due beginning of next class. Week 14 Apr. 18 & 20 No class: Spring Break! Week 15 Apr. 25 & 27 Monday Opportunity 4 Produce: Negative and Persuasive Messages (Chapters 7 and 8, 50 pts.). (Given scenarios, you will create two letters using the indirect method and the writing plans: Persuasive-Gain Attention, Build Interest, Reduce Resistance, & Motivate Action and NegativeBuffer, Build Interest, Bad News strategically placed, and forward-looking closing.) Wednesday Chapter 12, Business Presentations (pp. 336-370). Week 16 May 2 & 4 Monday UNIT 6 Employment Communication, p. 371 Chapter 13, The Job Search, Rsums, and Cover Letters (pp. 372-413). Assignment 9/Employment Communication Personal Rsum and Application Letter for job you have researched (50 pts.) due beginning of next class. Job advertisement must be included. Wednesday Opportunity 5 Grammar/Mechanics (50 pts. ).

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Week 17 May 9 & 11 Monday Work on your short information report and PowerPoint slides about How to do Business with your chosen culture. Wednesday Complete your short informational report (70 pts.) and PowerPoint slides (50 pts.) for your presentation due end of class today. Week 18 May 16 & 18 Monday Chapter 14, Interviewing and Following Up (pp. 414-444). Wednesday Portfolio Due end of class today (100 pts.). (Accumulation of the Assignments which included letters, memos, proposal, report, and PowerPoint presentationa perfected/edited copy is to be on top and the graded one directly behind it.) Week 19 Monday, May 23, 11-12:50 FINALE Final Dress for Success (10 pts.) Group and/or Individual How to do Business with [your chosen culture/country] Presentations (100 pts.) (Rubric given previouslyand all classmates and instructor evaluate using the rubric.) Portfolios returned.

Have a wonderful summer!

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KEEP TRACK! ASSIGNMENT Two paragraphs about culture (yours & anothers) Assignment 1 (Chap. 3, sentences) Assignment 2 (Chap. 4, letter revision) Dress for Success OPPORTUNITY 1 Chapters 1-4 (multiple choice) Assignment 3 (Chap. 5, 2 memos) Assignment 4 (Chap. 6, 2 letters) Assignment 5 (Chap. 7, memo & letter) Assignment 6 (Chap. 8, letters) OPPORTUNITY 2 Chapters 5 & 6 (production) Assignment 7 (Chap. 10, Proposal) Dress for Success OPPORTUNITY 3 Chapters 5-8 (multiple choice/theory of direct & indirect messages) Assignment 8 (Chap. 11, questions, minutes.) OPPORTUNITY 4 Chapters 7 & 8 (production: negative & persuasive messages) Assignment 9 (Chap. 13, Rsum, Letter of Application) OPPORTUNITY 5 Grammar/Mechanics GLOBAL LEARNING PROJECT Written Report 3-5 pp. per person PowerPoint Slides with hyperlinks & references Presentation (final exam) PORTFOLIO (highlighted documents) Dress for Success FINAL EXAMOral/PowerPoint Presentation Extra Credit (pencil in) TOTAL: SLO A&C C C D DATE DUE M., 2/7 M., 2/14 W., 2/16 W., 2/16 W., 2/23 C C C C C C D C M., 3/7 M., 3/14 M., 3/21 M., 3/28 M., 3/28 W., 4/6 W., 4/6 M., 4/11 M., 4/25 C E M., 4/25 W., 5/4 W., 5/4 A&C C D B W., 5/11 W., 5/18 M., 5/23 M., 5/23 POINTS POSSIBLE 25 40 25 10 50 50 50 50 50 50 25 10 50 40 50 50 50 75 40 100 10 100 1,000 POINTS EARNED

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