Frederick Community College

BU273 Business Communications (Online)

Spring Semester 2010

PENDING DEPARTMENT CHAIR APPROVAL

All students are expected to e-mail their instructor prior to the start date of their class, and then at least once per week.

Instructor Information:

Name: Vivienne E. Werner	E-Mail: vwerner@frederick.edu Or VEWerner@hotmail.com
Work Telephone: 240-236-8200 ext. 68377	Home Telephone Number: 301-620-4312
Online Office Hours: Wednesdays 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. or 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.	Campus Mail Box Number: #416
On Campus at: FCC Library by appointment only.	Room: L214 by appointment only.

Course Information:

Credits: 3	Last Day to Drop: April 9, 2010
First Day of Class: January 23, 2010	Last Day of Class: May 14, 2010
Prerequisites: EN50A & EN52 or ESL95 & ESL99	Co-Requisites: None

Course Description:

The course emphasizes the theory and practice of oral, written, and interpersonal communications that are used in the workplace. Classroom activities and assignments will focus on writing business correspondence and reports, planning and delivering effective presentations and developing teamwork and collaboration skills.

Core Learning Outcomes:

By the completion of the course students will learn to:

1. Describe the process of communication.
2. Discuss barriers to interpersonal communication and the means of overcoming those barriers.
3. Identify the characteristics of successful teams.
4. Explain how to become an effective listener.
5. Present business topics using a variety of technological enhancements and visual aids.
6. Write various forms of business correspondence and reports.

Additional Outcomes:

7. Present business topics orally using a variety of technological enhancements.

Instructional Methods:

You will learn the core learning outcomes by doing the following:

• Reading the textbook
• Doing assignments and case studies that apply what you read in the textbook.
• Creating different forms of written and voice communications
• Participating in online discussions
• Analyzing current events
• Preparing one presentation
• Completing three examinations, two will be administered online and the final examination will be administered at the Frederick Community College Testing Center.

Text for the Course:

“Business Communication,” 6^th Edition, by Mary Ellen Guffey, Mason OH: Thomson/Southwestern Publishing, 2007.

Progress Report:

Students will receive an e-mail assessment of their progress before

March 15, 2010.

Evaluation Methods:

Topic	Type of Grade	Points Possible	Total
Week 1 Communicating at Work, Small Groups & Teams	Discussion Board Chapters 1 & 2 Text Assignments	5 10 10	25
Week 2 Workplace Listening and Communications	Text Assignments Chapter 3 Telephone Assignment 1	10 25	35
Week 3 Nonverbal Communication Across Cultures	Text Chapter 4 Discussion Board 2 Article 1 Test A	10 5 20 100	135
Week 4 Writing Process Phase 1 and 2	Text Assignments Chapter 5 Article 2	10 10 20	40
Week 5 Writing Process Phase 3. Memorandums, e-mails, office to office communications Week 6 Letters: Positive and Persuasive	Text Assignments Chapter 6 Decide on Presentation Proposal Text Assignments Chapter 7 Article 2	25 5 25 20	30 45
Week 7 Letters: Marketing, Negative Messages	Text Assignments Chapter 8 Test B	25 100	125
Week 8 Memorandums:	Text Assignments Chapter 9	25	25
Week 9 Refusing Requests	Text Assignments Chapter 10 Discussion Board 3	25 5	30
Week 10 Plagiarism and Citing Sources	Text Assignments Chapter 11 Oral Assignment 2	25 25	50
Week 11 Composing a Survey Reports	Text Assignments Chapter 12 Article 3	25 20	45
Week 12 Proposals	Text Assignments Chapter 13 Presentation proposal Test C	25 5 100	130
Week 13 Proposals Employment	Text Assignments Chapter 14 Discussion Board 4	25 5	30
Week 14 Evaluating your own credentials Searching Job Market Presentation	Text Assignments Chapter 15 Discussion Board 5 Your Presentation Presented	25 5 100	130
Week 15 Resume and pertinent correspondence Final Examination	Text Assignments Chapter 16 Test D	25 100	125
Total Points			1,000

Grading Scale:

Grade A*	90-100%
Grade B	80-89%
Grade C	74-79%
Grade D	60-73%
Grade F	59% and below

*All assigned work for the course must be completed to achieve the grade of A.

Course Requirements:

Course requirements and specific test dates will be forwarded to students following their course registration. The textbook for the course may be purchased at the FCC college bookstore. Students are expected to maintain a dedicated notebook for this course. The material has been divided into eight lessons with accompanying textbook readings and assignments, three current events, three major assessments, two voice mail assignments, one presentation, three discussion board assignments and a final examination. Specific text/workbook assignments will appear in your Topical Outline.

Attendance Policy:

Students are expected to make e-mail contact with their instructor at least once per week. All assessments, assignments, current events, discussion boards, and your class presentation must be completed to achieve excellence in this course. Students must have completed all course requirements on, or before, December 12, 2009. Excuses from strict due dates include: illness (with doctor’s note), emergencies, religious holidays, and official college functions. If a problem with a due date is anticipated, arrangements must be made in advance with your instructor regarding material to be submitted.

Introductory Information on Getting Started:

1. Print out a copy of the course syllabus and the schedule of assignments. It is always wise to keep a copy of this information handy “just in case” you are away from your computer and need to access this information.

2. Your readings and assignments will follow the Topical Outline.

3. Take an hour, or so, to practice navigating the online BlackBoard site, and use the handbook online for specific help in using the website.

4. Record your assigned BlackBoard username and password in a safe place. Both entries are necessary to login to the course site and to take quizzes and tests online.

5. Bookmark the login page so that you can quickly enter and exit the “classroom” at your convenience.

6. The FCC Computer Lab and Library Computers are available to provide you with easy access to the Internet and BlackBoard program. Check with FCC for their schedule of hours with the college.

Notes:*

Assessments should only be taken after the text/workbook assignments have been completed. Passwords will be obtained from your course instructor. Once you have the password, you are able to decide which day of the week you wish to take the assessment online. You can pace yourself, but remember that all assessments must be completed on or before the last scheduled day of class.

*The syllabus can be changed at the discretion of the instructor.

Students with Disabilities

FCC provides reasonable accommodations to otherwise qualified students with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) and amendments. Students with disabilities who are in need of accommodations must contact the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office at 301-846-2408 (A Building, Room 106A) in order to request and apply for services. The SSD office will require appropriate documentation of a disability. Questions related to accommodations or services can be directed to the SSD office. Additional information related to services can be viewed at the following FCC web page: http://www.frederick.edu/student_services/disability.aspx.

If you currently receive services from the SSD office, please submit your Student Success Plan to me and make an appointment with me to discuss your accommodations and needs in class. I will hold any information you share with me in strict confidence unless you give me permission to do otherwise.

Academic Honesty:

Each student is expected to perform his/her own academic work. Plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty are considered an extremely serious offense. The student is personally responsible for understanding the various forms of academic dishonesty as they are explained in the “Student Code of Conduct” in the Student Handbook. Ignorance of any requirement for academic honesty will not constitute an excuse from disciplinary proceedings. Any form of cheating will be considered grounds for failure of the course. If the final exam grade is significantly different than any of the online tests, I reserve the right to require the student to come to FCC to retake that assignment.