Business writing letter

Management 350: Administrative Communications

Summer Session 2019

CSU, San Bernardino: Department of Management

Professor: M. Bakeman Faculty Office: JB 527

Phone: 909.537.7445 JHBC Prof. Writing Office: JB 462

Email: [email protected] Management Office: JB 461

Office hours: by appointment Course: MGMT 350; 8—11:50 a.m., JB 143

Text/Materials:

Writing and Speaking at Work, Edward Bailey (5th edition)

Making Presentations, Tim Hindle (Essential Managers Series)

MLA/APA handbook (optional)

Course Description:

Management 350 is designed for upper division students to perfect their writing using university standards and sharpen communication skills to be successful in the realm of business. David Grossman’s article for SHRM states that, “a survey of 400 companies with 100,000 employees each cited an average loss per company of $62.4 million per year because of inadequate communication to and between employees. Debra Hamilton asserted, in her article ‘Top Ten Email Blunders that Cost Companies Money, that miscommunication cost even smaller companies of 100 employees an average of $420,000 per year.”  As a result of these stifling numbers, this class will focus on ways to avoid mistakes in the various modes of communication. Specifically, we will consider concepts, analysis and methods of improvement for interpersonal communication, communication within organizations and communication between organizations and their external environments.

Course Objectives:

Management 350 is a cornerstone of your education in the sense that a strong businessperson can communicate at a professional level. The objectives for the course include understanding the various formats used in business, how to write to a specific receiver, appropriate tone, the art of persuasion and communicating purposeful items in the workplace including, but not limited to:

· Formal letter writing to a defined audience

· Marketing through visuals and multi-media

· Critiquing others in a professional manner both verbally and in writing

· Engaging and anticipating an audience

· Collaborative presentation to work with a group dynamic

· Control of grammar and mechanics

By the conclusion of this class, you should have a firm grasp on numerous types of business writing, professional tone that produces clear and effective prose with a keen eye on audience. In addition to the writing you will do in this class, the oral portion will explore how to effectively communicate business related topics in an interesting, thought-provoking manner so employees will be engaged and listen to your direction. We will explore group dynamics and get to the heart of how to present with audience and purpose in mind.

Requirements:

During the session, you will be expected to complete the following:

· Quizzes (these may include short orals, in-class writings, readings, videos, etc.): 20%

· Formal Business Writing Assignments: 20%

· Interview: 15%

· PSA Sample presentation: 5%

· PSA Presentation Analysis: 10%

· Debate with Annotated Audience Notes: 30%

All work must be original items for this class only. You may not submit a recycled assignment for this class that you have used or are using for another class. All items you submit are monitored through Turnitin.com to ensure academic integrity. If I find you have submitted unoriginal work, I will fail you in my class and recommend further CSUSB discipline. The syllabus is subject to change and those changes will be posted at least 24 hours in advance.

Grade Breakdown:

A= 92.0 and above C= 72.0-77.9

A-= 90.0-91.9 C-= 70.0-71.9

B+= 88.0-89.9 D+= 68.0-69.9

B= 82.0-87.9 D= 62.0-67.9

B-= 80.0-81.9 D-= 60.0-61.9

C+= 78.0-79.9 F= 59.9 and below

Definitions, from the University catalogue, for grading students are as follows:

A Excellent Meets requirements with superior performance.

B Good Meets requirements with high performance.

C Average Meets requirements at an acceptable level.

D Passing Meeting course requirements with minimally adequate performance.

F Failing Inadequate performance or not meeting course requirements.

Grading Procedure and Plagiarism:

Management 350 is graded A, B, C, D or F. Plagiarism will result in an “F” on the assignment and could mean an “F” in the entire course and/or further CSUSB discipline. You must give credit for ideas, language and graphics you borrow from other sources, including those you access via the Internet. Common areas for plagiarism are statistics and dates. If you do not quote these items, it is plagiarism. Even if only one line is plagiarized, you will receive a No Credit. No one is rewarded in my class for stealing someone else’s ideas—period! This is a very serious issue; please treat it with the care it deserves. For further information regarding plagiarism and cheating, please review the university’s academic dishonesty policy as opting to stay in this class binds you to the rules outlined in this policy—http://senate.csusb.edu/docs/Policies/(FSD%2096-12.R2)%20Academic%20Dishonesty.pdf.

In terms of grading, I strive to be fair and score your work without bias on all assignments, and for each student. If you receive an unsatisfactory grade, look to your work first. Try to set aside ill feelings and consider what mistakes you might have made to achieve that score. One final note, you will receive an “F” for your class quiz grade if you tell me you need a specific grade in this course. The grade you earn is the grade you will receive in the class. Finally, the highest grade you can earn on a written assignment is a 95% as CSU, San Bernardino does not recognize the grade of “A+.” Honestly, I don’t understand why, but I adhere to the university policy.

Submitting Assignments:

Most assignments will be submitted in two ways. The first is a physical paper copy of each assignment due at the beginning of the class session when the item is listed in the syllabus. The second is via Blackboard under the assignments feature. Every assignment is run through plagiarism software to ensure academic honesty. Any assignment that comes in with an Originality Report over 10% will be given a zero and cannot be made up. If I find you have plagiarized an entire document (an Originality Report over 30%), I will fail you in my class. Per BB: “By submitting this paper, you agree: (1) that you are submitting your paper to be used and stored as part of the SafeAssign™ services in accordance with the Blackboard Privacy Policy; (2) that your institution may use your paper in accordance with your institution's policies; and (3) that your use of SafeAssign will be without recourse against Blackboard Inc. and its affiliates”.

Formal Business Writing Assignments:

These assignments are graded aggressively, and I am a strict grader. You are allowed two minor errors per assignment with little to no grade reduction. After two errors, your grade will be lowered one full letter for each error. Therefore, if your submission was of “B” quality, but you have three minor errors, you will receive the grade of “C” on that assignment. If you have five errors, you will receive an “F”. Unfortunately, some students simply do not reread their work and make simple errors that are extremely unprofessional in the business arena and will not be rewarded in this class. Errors include anything from punctuation and spelling to incorrect word choice and format. Please reread and revise your work before handing it in to me, or sending it out in the business world. I will happily review assignments if given to me early, but I will NOT comment on grammar and spelling errors. You must learn to do that on your own.

In terms of grading, when you get assignments back, you will see two grades separated by a slash. The grade in front of the slash denotes the score the assignment would receive on its own merits. The grade to the right of the slash denotes the recorded grade you earned with the errors, if any, included. The two grades are NOT averaged together; I include the first score so you can see where your writing skills are, while the second score reflects your writing and editing skills combined. For example, you get your assignment back and see the following:

B/D

This means on its own merits you would have earned a “B.” However, due to excessive errors, you earned a “D” on the assignment. You may also see the following:

C/C

In this case, your assignment was of “C” quality and came in at or under the two-error allowance. Therefore, the original grade would carry over and you earned a “C” overall.

Oral Presentations:

You will be graded on the following criteria:

· How well did you engage your audience?

· Confidence level—were you believable and interesting to listen to?

· Knowledge of topic

· Fluidity of the presentation

· Utilization of Bailey, Hindle and Lecture material into your presentations

· Strong verbal and non-verbal communication—control of language, body and comportment

A well-versed presenter should be able to actively engage with his/her audience and have them walk away being better for having listened to the information delivered in the presentation. Lack of fluidity and filler words impacts the overall essence of the presentation and should be avoided. This course will develop your presentation skills and challenge you to improve for ultimate marketability.

Attendance and Late Policy:

Attendance is mandatory in my class. Therefore, if you cannot make it on time, have a planned vacation or have to work, please take this class during a time that better fits your schedule. As policy, you are allowed to be absent, be late or leave early two times total throughout the session*. For each absence, tardy or time that you leave early beyond two, you will receive a full grade reduction from your final course grade. One incentive for coming to class is random quizzes (Quizzes are based on readings and/or lecture material). Be aware that quizzes cannot be made up regardless of reason. Quizzes are given promptly at the start of class—if your person is not in the seat while quizzes are being distributed you will not be issued one once you return. Additionally, if you cannot make it to a class, do not e-mail me asking what you missed. Instead, exchange e-mail addresses/phone numbers with a peer to get any pertinent information.

*You are allowed one excused absence provided you have a note from your doctor specifying the date you needed to miss.

Late Work Policy:

For each day your assignment is late (not class meeting), you will receive a full letter grade reduction. Any assignment turned in after the listed due date, placed under my office door or in my mailbox will be considered late and receive a full letter grade reduction. E-mailed work is considered late unless you get permission from me directly before the assignment is due. Also, work is due at the beginning of each class. If you come in 5 minutes late, or you leave class to print it, your work is late and will receive a full grade reduction. Strict deadlines are part of business and they are important.

If you are unable to present on the days you sign-up, you will be assessed a full-grade penalty provided I can fit you in the schedule. In the event I can’t accommodate a change, you will receive a zero on that assignment. If the oral you are missing is graded as a quiz, you will receive a zero on that assignment for the absence.

Due Dates, E-mail and Work Review:

You are welcome to e-mail me if you have questions concerning an assignment or class discussion. However, I will not accept the following via e-mail: assignments without my consent or assignments for review. If you want me to review your work before the due date, please submit it to me in person the class session before it is due or, for general questions and review, see me before or after class. If you show up 10 minutes before an assignment is due, please do not expect me to review it as you did not plan accordingly. As for your final paper, I will not review it the class session before it’s due. You will have plenty of time to work on your paper so you should plan ahead and show it to me early.

Finally, I strive to get back to students in a timely manner, but I have a personal life as well. Therefore, I am available via e-mail M-R during regular business hours. If you e-mail me on the weekend, expect a response on Monday. If the syllabus needs to be changed for any reason, an email addendum will go out to reflect those changes.

Cell Phones, Pagers, Computers and Comportment:

I do not allow any form of technology in my classroom. Therefore, I do not want to see a computer, cell phone, pager, etc. If it requires a battery or an outlet, it is banned from my class. If you are not here to learn, that is your business. However, I will not allow those who are interested in texting or surfing the Internet to disrupt those students who are paying their hard-earned money to attend my class and learn something. That said, turn off and put away your cell phones, pagers and computers before class begins. If your phone or pager rings, vibrates or makes any other noise during my class, I will give the entire class an “F” for the last quiz that was taken. As a group you will have three “freebies” the entire quarter. After that, I will dock the entire class one quiz grade for each time a phone rings—NO EXCEPTIONS! If you choose to answer your phone, I will give you a zero on the last assignment you turned in for a grade.

As for comportment, this is an upper division course and I expect you to act accordingly. I will not tolerate “side-barring” or speaking out-of-turn when we are conducting class or if I am giving a lecture. If you are disruptive to class discussion, I reserve the right to reduce your final course grade one full letter for each class you are disruptive in. If you show up under the influence of any substance, you will be asked to leave and will not be able to make up the work that was completed during that session. Be responsible for yourself and your actions at all times.

As your professor, I should be addressed in written and spoken language in a professional way. You should interact with me in the same way you might talk to your supervisor at work. Even if you are unhappy with a grade, you should maintain your decorum and talk to me the way you would want to be talked to.

Dropping Classes and Withdrawals:

As taken from the CSUSB Bulletin—“Census Date. The policy on dropping classes frequently refers to the census date. The census date is the last day classes can be dropped without a record on the student’s transcript. Specific census dates for each term are printed in the current class schedule. … Students who find it necessary to cancel their registration or to withdraw from all classes after enrolling for an academic term are required to follow the University’s official Term Withdrawal procedures outlined in the class schedule. Failure to follow formal University procedures may result in an obligation to pay fees, as well as the assignment of failing grades in all courses, and the need to petition for readmission before being permitted to enroll in another academic term.”

Services to Students with Disabilities:

If you are registered with the SSD office, I will happily work with you regarding test and quiz accommodations. Please notify me regarding your status with that office to make the proper arrangements. It is the student’s responsibility to seek accommodations for a verified disability in a timely manner—at the beginning of the quarter. Also, if you believe you have a disability, please see the SSD office to get tested prior to receiving accommodations in my class. The Services to Students with Disabilities office is located in UH 183 and their phone number is 909.537.5238.

Further Information:

If you need information regarding requirements for 350, please see “Academic Regulations and Procedures” in the CSUSB Bulletin of Courses for policies on withdrawals, cheating, plagiarism and any other course information. Additionally, the syllabus is subject to change. If a change is made, I will contact all students via mycoyote to notify each of you. Therefore, you should have an active mycoyote email address or be forwarding your CSUSB email account to your personal account. Failure to receive vital emails through the CSUSB interface is your responsibility and could jeopardize your grade if you are not checking your school email.

The JHBC Professional Writing Office:

Also, please use the JHBC Professional Writing Office located in JB 462—you are required to visit one time by the end of Week 5! If you do not visit the PWO by the close of Week 5, one of your Formal Business Writing Assignments will be converted to a zero! The JHBC Professional Writing Office is open:

Mondays through Thursdays: Noon to 5:00 p.m. (the last appointment each day is 4:30 p.m.)

The Writing Consultants can help you with your assignments in my class and have experience with my requirements and expectations. They can also help with oral presentation dry-runs and/or organization, so use this valuable service to help you succeed and excel in all your classes!

Revision and Extra Credit:

I do not offer any form of extra credit in the course, so please do not ask.

COURSE CALENDAR

This symbol denotes that an assignment is due

Week 1

W/ 6.19 Introductions and syllabus review

In-class communication exercise

Letterhead and Memo—ppt

Email—ppt

Week 2

M/ 6.24 Letterhead and Memo Due

Letter writing and complaints/compliments—ppt

Summary vs analysis—ppt

Reading due: Bailey 1-4, 10, 13

Bring a laptop if you have one—begin stock analysis investor letter

W/ 6.26 Continue stock analysis investor formal letter assignment

Begin PSA assignment—bring a laptop if you have one

In-class PSA examples—group collaboration

Effective collaboration—ppt

Reading due: Bailey 5, 8-9

Week 3

M/ 7.1 Formal Letter Due

In-class PSA examples presentations

Group assignment PSA Collaboration

Reading due: Bailey 14-15; Hindle 34-55

W/ 7.3 Continue working with your groups on collaborative PSA

Resume discussion—ppt

Bring a current copy of your resume with you to class and a laptop if you have one

Reading due: Bailey 12

Week 4

M/ 7.8 Group PSA Due

In-class group PSA presentation analysis

Reading due: Bailey 7, 19; Hindle 5-33, 56-67

Interviewing—ppt

In-class interviewing practice both for interviewer and interviewee—bring a laptop if you have one

Sign-up for interview

W/ 7.10 Group Formal Memo Due

In-class formal Interviews

Be sure to take notes for best interviewee and who needs the most improvement

Interview post-mortem discussion

Reading due: Bailey 16-18

Week 5

M/ 7.15 Resume Due

In-class Interviews

Be sure to take notes for best interviewee and who needs the most improvement

Interview post-mortem discussion

W/ 7.17 Complete in-class Interviews

Be sure to take notes for best interviewee and who needs the most improvement

Interview post-mortem discussion

Debate—ppt

Begin working in teams for debate

Be sure to complete your Professional Writing Office requirement or one of your formal assignments will be converted to a zero—you have one week remaining to complete this requirement!

Week 6

M/ 7.22 Good and Bad News Email Due

Debate collaboration

Begin debates—vote for winner

PWO visit final day—I will not accept another Writing Office or Center on campus!

Finals Week

M/ 7.29 Debates

Vote for the winner—surprise?!