ENG 203G (section 14)

Business and Professional Communication

 Meetings

 MW 230-345 (M 126 English; W 121 English Computer Classroom)

 Instructor

 Professor Stephen A. Bernhardt

 Office

 222 English

 Office Phone

 646-2027

 Email

 sbernhar@nmsu.edu

 Syllaweb

 www.nmsu.edu/techprof/syllabi/SYL203SAB.htm

 Cases and exercises

 www.nmsu.edu/techprof

 Office Hours

 Monday, Wed 1:30-2:30; Tuesday 3-4 and by appointment


Textbooks required:

Brusaw, Alred, and Oliu. The Business Writer's Handbook. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1997. Any edition is ok.

Harty, Kevin J. Strategies for Business and Technical Writing, 4th Edition. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1999. (You need this edition because a lot of the chapters are different from earlier ones.)

Course Description:

This course is an introduction to the special demands of business and professional writing and communication. We will do a lot of writing, learn to be better critics of other people's writing, and learn to plan, research, and write with efficiency and effectiveness. We will pay particular attention to writing with a clear purpose for particular audiences. And we will stress designing documents that are intended for busy people--documents that visually display their information and that invite readers to read either quickly or thoroughly.

We will also stress the use of supporting information: statistics, expert opinion, and library research. You will prepare two presentations for the class. To accomplish all these goals, you will need strong computer skills and you should expect to gain even better skills.

We'll begin with several assignments which we work through together, with everyone working at more or less the same tasks. As we move into the term, however, you will increasingly take over the burden of deciding what to work on. I will always try to build some choice into the assignments and you can suggest variations on assignments that are meaningful to you.

The word workshop is meant to suggest that we will work together. It is hard to get good criticism of one's own work. The better we become as writers, the more difficult it is to find someone who can really help us. This class is meant to be a place where you can find others who are genuinely interested in your work and willing to give close criticism. We will count on each other throughout the course, sometimes as research partners, sometimes in small groups, sometimes as a full class. On days when drafts are due, you should bring a complete working draft ready for review by other students and me. I will give each of you careful criticism of your work and try to be responsive to your needs for individual help.

I expect you to take advantage of my office hours for one-on-one conferences. You can either schedule an appointment or drop in during my hours. I like it when you have specific issues you want to work on: to talk over ideas for a paper, to review an outline, to plan research, to revise a draft. Students generally do better work when they consult with me and get feedback on their writing. If you are struggling, we will have a conference to get you back on track.

This course is intended to make you a better writer and speaker. Like any writing (or skill development course), what you get out of it is in large measure dependent on what you put in. I can't force you to pay attention or read carefully or put lots of time and energy into the assignments (though I will try to be very persuasive). Writing is one of the most important life skills you have: it will open doors, be a source of pleasure and satisfaction, and help you reach your goals. Speaking gives a lot of people an anxiety attack, but this class is a good place to gain skills and confidence. I can help set you on the right course, but the energy and commitment must come from you.

Grading:

Your grade will be based primarily on the average of your grades from individual assignments. Participation, homework, and work habits will affect your grade. Not having drafts and final reports for classes when they are due will result in lower grades.

I will give you an evaluation of your progress at any time you request it--the grade I would give you if your work continued at the current level. You will be graded on individual papers as we go along; I will make suggestions and encourage various revisions, but it is up to you to decide what to revise and what you are content with. If you get valuable commentary on your work from me or class members, take time during the week to revise and resubmit. You might revise sections only, or whole pieces. You might revise sections of a text by someone else that you analyze.

If you decide to revise, you must write or talk with me first, telling me what your plans are for improving the work. It's up to you to decide what is worth revising. My bias says that we learn to write by revising, by looking again at something we've written and making changes. All revisions must be completed by April 19.

Since this is a workshop class, participation is important and I will take into account during grading your overall participation, contributions, and leadership in the group. Bring samples of interesting writing to class to share. Talk in class about what you are learning. Take an active role and your grade will take care of itself.

Absences and Late Work: To participate, you need to be in class, on time, having done the assignments and being prepared to work. I will keep attendance. If you know you will be absent, explain to me in a written memo or email the reason for your absence prior to the class meeting. I cannot accept habitual tardiness or absence, nor can I accept work that is late or poorly done. Late papers will be graded down one point. If you know you will miss a class, be sure to get the work to me before the absence so your work won’t be graded down.

Ground Rules:

  1. Keeping deadlines is an important part of a professional writer's life. It is extremely important to keep up and to bring the work to class that is requested. You will lose credit if you show up when drafts are due without your draft. You will lose credit if you do not have the final report on the day it is due. There is a lot of work between classes, so work on your writing some each day. You can request an extension of a deadline in a written memo if you can see that events will prevent you from finishing on time. Do so as far in advance of the due date as possible.
  2. All major assignments must be prepared on a word processor. If you have a machine at home, you are welcome to use it. We'll will make good use of the Computer Classroom to improve your communication skills.
  3. Format depends on what kind of document you are composing. Use plenty of white space, ample margins, boldface, underlining, headings, and other devices to highlight the organization of your texts. Double space only if it makes sense for your document. Be consistent in documenting sources: follow an acceptable style guide. We will discuss format in class, and I will always be ready to take questions. Title pages and blank pages are rarely necessary. Save a tree.
  4. Collaboration with another writer in the course is usually an option. We learn a lot by working collaboratively with other writers. If two of you work together, put both names on the text and put a copy in each portfolio. I'll give special consideration to assignments done in collaboration. Don't collaborate with the same person time after time--twice is ok. I want you to learn from working with different people. You'll make more friends that way, too. I also want to see your individual writing, so do at least 2 of the assignments on your own.
  5. ADA: If you have a disability, please let me know and visit the Office for Services to Students with Disabilities to receive a professional diagnosis (646-6840). Please let me know if you have hearing or sight problems, and let’s make accommodations in class so you can do well.
  6. Plagiarism will cause you to get a zero for the assignment and can cause you to fail the course. Do not give me work that someone else wrote. Do not copy passages from printed material, from the web or from books or magazines, or even borrow ideas without giving credit. Always let your reader know where information comes from. Ask questions in class about how to avoid plagiarism. This is not an idle issue--as a member of the academic community, you have the ethical obligation to understand plagiarism and to be as honest as you can about using another person's writing or ideas.
  7. Multiple submissions: If you want to do work to satisfy my requirements and those from another course, you must have the permission of the other professor and me before you begin the work. You must also argue why this double credit is a good idea—for example, because it will allow you to gain greater depth in a subject and apply more energy to the work for both classes.

Assignments

#1 Case Study: Draft due Wed, Jan 19. Final due Mon., Jan 24.

In a group of 3-4 students, discuss the following case "Writing Memos to Different Audiences" found at

http://www.nmsu.edu/techprof/materials/cases/cases.htm

Each person in your group will do the same case so you can compare strategies and help review each other’s work. After discussing the case, work individually on the written document(s) that are called for by the case. We will review your drafts in small groups, so you can see how others handled the case. You will be graded on your individual work, with attention given to your rhetorical strategy, the format and organization of the documents you write, and the professional quality of the writing.

#2 Case Study: Draft due Mon, Jan 31. Final Due Monday Feb 7.

Working with the same group of 3-4 students, do the case study "Language and Ethics: The Waste Case" found at

http://www.nmsu.edu/techprof/materials/cases/cases.htm

You can team on this assignment with another person if you like. Bring in additional material to the case from library or internet explorations, if it helps your documents. You will be graded on your individual or team work, with attention given to your rhetorical strategy, the format and organization of the documents you write, and the professional quality of the writing.

#3 Written Briefing Report: Annotated working bibliography with 6-8 items due Monday, Feb 14. Draft Briefing due Wed, Feb 16. Final Briefing, due Wed, Feb 23.

Assume your manager has asked you to produce a briefing report to bring her up to speed on some current business issue. First identify the situation (where you work, what the issue is, how it affects your business). Then develop your working bibliography, with full bibliographic entries on each item and a short abstract of each item (2-3 sentences). Use at least 6-8 sources (magazine articles, web resources, personal interview, government data. etc.). Use a variety of sources and include at least 2-3 print items from the library, with at least one book source.

Your purpose is to create an internal report primarily for your manager to help her know what is going on in other businesses and help her make decisions. We will review these in class and you will prepare the final drafts. You are encouraged to team with another individual or two for this assignment. A team produces only one briefing report.

Write up your work in a report format for your manager. Aim for 5-6 pages, and include some kind of tabled or displayed data (chart, budget, map, flowchart, spreadsheet). Attach your annotated bibliography. Cite sources of information within the text, so your reader knows where your information is coming from.

Suggested topics: Work within a specified industry (for example, auto manufacturing, health management organizations, brokerage houses, electronics, tourism) and business function (for example, finance, IT, human resources, sales and marketing) and define your topic in a manageable way (small and significant). Topics might include trends in annual report design, on-site day care, self-sponsored retirement plans, outsourcing IT support, building web-based customer support, advanced manufacturing methods, developing cross-functional teams, depreciating equipment or capital investments, disease management, computer aided design and manufacturing, community involvement, risk assessment, environmental safety and health, moving operations abroad, twin plant production.

#4: Oral Presentation: Brief the class on your topic. Define who we are as your audience (what work group we represent) and what you hope to accomplish with the presentation (purpose). Prepare a PowerPoint presentation for a 8-10 minute briefing, ending by taking questions from the audience. Teams should involve all participants in the presentation. Think hard about how information can be conveyed orally and visually as opposed to in print on pages. Practice the presentation and time it. Being strong and end crisply. To be scheduled as you are ready. Extra credit for those who go early. Feb 21-Mar 6.

#5: Second Oral Presentation, based on one of the following assignments. To be scheduled when you are ready.

#6 Action Document: Draft due March 6. Final due March 15.

Based on the work you did for your briefing, develop another kind of document that uses some of the information and understanding you have gained to accomplish a different purpose for a different audience. This document may not look like a report, but might take the form of a brochure, a customer mailing, a proposal for a changed business practice, a booklet for employee use, a new section for the employee manual, a website, a guided tour, or ???

#7 Company Analysis: Draft due March 22. Completed report due April 5.

Identify a company you can imagine working for and/or investing in. You may work with another student as a team if you want. Research the company on the web, through its annual report, its filings with the SEC, and through print sources of company information. Determine its mission and goals, products and services, financial health, the trends affecting its business, the numbers and types of employees, its management structure and competence, its recruitment methods for new hires, benefits policies, community relations, and other information. Keep careful documentation of your sources. Present your analysis with a company profile, with all pertinent details. Include tabled or graphed financial data. Conclude with two sections answering two sets of questions:

Consider making your second presentation to the class a briefing on your chosen company.

#8. Procedural Document: Drafts due Wed, April 12. Final document, Wed, April 19.

Identify a task with multiple steps that would be suitable for documenting as a procedure. This might be a lab procedure, an accounting or auditing procedure, a procedure for handling patients, a procedure for opening an account, a manufacturing procedure, or a computer procedure. The task should be relatively complicated. Write the procedure so someone else can follow it step-by-step. Whenever appropriate, try to help the person learn to be competent, as well as having them simply follow directions. Think about what they are learning and what they must remember if they are to do the procedure in the future.

Pay attention to formatting, with numbered steps and good use of white space to separate steps. Keep actions and explanations visually distinct. Provide diagrams, charts, photos or whatever is helpful in your particular case. If suitable, your project could be delivered as a web text. You are welcome to work with one or two other students. If suitable, consider making a presentation to the class outlining and justifying your procedure.

#9: Project: Schedule and complete a final project by May 3. Planning memo due April 26.

Propose and carry out a project of your choosing. It can be electronic or paper. Propose the project in a written planning memo to me, by April 26.. Identify the type of document, purpose, audience, length, situation, why you want to do this, and any special considerations. Schedule a review from classmates in your planning memo. Consider making a project presentation as your second oral presentation to the class.

Readings

Read for discussion on Monday classes. After you read each piece, check Brusaw (Handbook) to see if there is related advice that you should. Keep a reading log with notes on good ideas, points to remember, strategies to try in your own writing, comparisons between the two books, and comparisons to the ways you work. Bring the reading logs to class.