SYLLABUS
Class: BBA 305W Effective Business Communication (8-week Hybrid Format) 7410
Semester/Day/Time/Dates:
Spring 2014 / Tuesday / 6-9 p.m. / March 11 - May 6, 2014
No class: Tuesday, March 18 (NAU Spring Break)
Location:
Estrella Mountain Community College: Room EST N207
Instructor: Mary Helen Hall
Contact:
[email protected]
Office Hours: before class meets (make appointment in advance)
Course Description: Written and oral communication in organizations. Emphasis on
writing letters, memos, and reports, speaking and listening skills, nonverbal
communications, communication theory, precise word use, common communication
pitfalls, interpersonal-communication/human-relations skills, and cross-cultural
communication. This course meets the junior-level writing requirement. Requirements
for the course include 20 pages of revised prose and a self-reflective essay.
Prerequisites: English 105 or equivalent. Justification: English 105 provides writing
skills for university students to allow them to complete university-level course work.
This required course or its equivalent sets the foundation for students in the College of
Business to build and hone their skills in the specific domain of formal business
communication.
Required Course Materials:
Essentials of Business Communication by Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy
9th edition, ISBN 13: 978-1-111-82122-7
Students are required to obtain the textbook in hard copy or e-book. You do not need any
other purchases besides book access. Anything other than the 9th edition will not
correspond to the class assignments. You will need access to your book (hard copy or
eBook) during every class meeting.
Teaching Methods: This is a hybrid course. Course content will be presented via
lectures, videos, assigned text readings, class discussions, instructor feedback, in and outof-class writing projects and exercises. We will utilize features of the NAU Learning
Management System, Blackboard Learn, for the online portion of the course.
Instructor Expectation of Students: You are expected to attend, focus, engage, and
participate in the communication learning process. I truly want you to succeed!
Syllabus is subject to change by the instructor. Any changes will be announced in class.
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:
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Demonstrate the ability to write appropriately for different audiences
Demonstrate competency in constructing critical and interpretive arguments which
draw upon multiple research tools
Construct documents exhibiting correct syntax, grammar, spelling, and sentence
structure
Effectively organize written and oral presentations
Demonstrate the ability to improve writing through thoughtful revision
Effectively integrate written material prepared by a team
Quote and reference relevant source material correctly
Write a coherent and correct business letter
Select the proper tone for formal, professional writing
Deliver presentations using appropriate media and materials
Write email messages that are clear, concise, and professional
Write correct and effective resumes and job application letters
Make appropriate word choices that are both accurate and professional
Proofread and edit effectively
Write and present clear and effective quantitative and qualitative analyses
Use exhibits, charts, and graphs effectively in written and oral presentations
Use headings and subheadings appropriately
COURSE SCHEDULE
Week 1: Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Course overview and PreTest
Document Format Guide Appendix A, B, C / Grammar Mechanics Review GM 1-49
 Chapter 1: Communication Skills As Career Filters
 Chapter 2: Planning Business Messages
 Chapter 3: Composing Business Messages
 Chapter 4: Revising Business Messages
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Spring Break: no class Tuesday, March 11 (no assignments due on this date)
Assignments due: Tuesday, March 25 before class begins
 Read Textbook Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4
page 28: 1.13 Analyzing Diversity at Pharma Giant Pfizer BB
1.14 Capitalizing on Diversity BB
page 31: Read Communication Workshop
 Select three best ads from your search and print
 Be ready to present findings to class on 9/16
page 56: Read Communication Workshop: Get Ready for Critical Thinking
Syllabus is subject to change by the instructor. Any changes will be announced in class.
 Prepare responses to all of the items listed in Your Task BB
 Be ready to discuss and present findings to class on 9/16
pages 74-77: Writing Improvement Exercises #36-62 numbered responses BB
pages 80: Read Communication Workshop:
Dos and Don’ts for Using Electronic Media Professionally
 Prepare responses to all of the items in Your Task BB
 Be ready to discuss/present in class on 9/16
pages 98-101: Writing Improvement Exercises #16-53 number the responses BB
Complete Test 1 (Ch 1 and 2) and Test 2 (Ch 3 and Ch 4) BB
Week 2: Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Communication Workshop presentations/discussions (page 31, pages 56, 80)
 Chapter 5: Electronic Messages and Digital Media
 Chapter 6: Positive Messages
Assignments due: Tuesday, April 1, 2014 before class begins
 Read Textbook Chapters 5 and 6
pages 131-134 Writing Improvement Cases 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, and 5.6 BB
pages 167-173 Activities and Cases: Submit one of each type: BB
 Direct Response
 Instruction Message
 Direct Claim
 Adjustment
 Thank You Letter
 Extending Sympathy Note/Letter
Complete Test 3 (Ch 5 and Ch 6) BB
Week 3: Tuesday, April 1, 2014
 Chapter 7: Negative Messages
 Chapter 8: Persuasive Messages
Assignments due: Tuesday, April 8, before class begins
 Read Textbook Chapters 7 and 8
pages 203-207 Activities and Cases: Submit one of each type: BB
 Request Refusal
 Claim Denial
 Customer Bad News
 Internal Refusal
 Employee Bad News
pages 233-239 Activities and Cases: Submit one of each type: BB
 Persuasive Request: Letter of Recommendation
 Persuasive Favor/Action Request
 Persuasive Claim
 Persuasive Organizational Messages Flowing Downward
Syllabus is subject to change by the instructor. Any changes will be announced in class.
 Persuasive Request Flowing Downward
 Persuasive Message Flowing Upward
 Persuasive Organizational Message Flowing Upward
 Sales Letter or Direct Mail Sales Message
Complete Test 4 (Ch 7 and Ch 8) BB
Week 4: Tuesday, April 8, 2014
 Chapter 9: Informal Reports
 Chapter 10: Proposals and Formal Reports
Assignments due: Tuesday, April 15, 2014 before class begins
 Read Textbook Chapters 9 and 10
Pages 270-273 Activities and Cases: Submit one of each type: BB
 Informational Report
 Progress Report
 Justification Report
 Feasibility Report
 Minutes and Action Items
 Article Summary
Pages 318-323 Activities & Cases: Submit one of each (unless otherwise noted) BB
 10.6 Gathering Data for Reports
 10.8 Evaluating Graphics
 10.14 Unsolicited Proposal
 10.16 Proposal (submit as BLOG)
 Formal Report
Complete Test 5 (Ch 9 and Ch 10) BB
Week 5: Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Chapter 11: Professionalism at Work: Business Etiquette, Ethics, Teamwork, & Meetings
Chapter 12: Business Presentations
Assignments due: Tuesday, April 22, 2014 before class begins
 Read Textbook Chapters 11 and 12
page 362: Read Communication Workshop
Prepare responses to all of the items listed in Career Application and prepare an
information response letter discussed in Your Task. BB
pages 394-397: Activities and Cases: Submit the following: BB
12.13 Delivering an Impromptu Elevator Speech
12.17 Self-Contained Multimedia Activity + presentation 10/14
12.18 Improving the Design and Content of PPT Slides
Complete Test 6 (Ch 11 and Ch 12) BB
Syllabus is subject to change by the instructor. Any changes will be announced in class.
Week 6: April 22, 2014
PPT Presentations
Chapter 13: The Job Search, Resumes, and Cover Letters
Chapter 14: Interviewing and Following Up
Assignments due: April 29, 2014 before class begins
 Read Textbook Chapters 13 and 14
pages 440-444: Activities and Cases: Submit each of the following: BB
13.6 Locating Salary Information
13.9 Writing Your Resume
13.10 Preparing Your Cover Letter
13.13 E-Portfolios summarize findings/be prepared to discuss
Pages 474-478: Activities and Cases: Submit the following: BB
14.16 YouTube: Critiquing Interview Skills (submit as BLOG)
14.18 Saying Thanks for the Interview
14.19 Requesting a Reference
14.20 Following Up After Submitting Your Resume
Complete Test 7 (Ch 13 and Ch 14) BB
Week 7: April 29, 2014
 Final Lecture/Discussion/Final Exam prep
 All approved make-up assignments must be received before
class begins Tuesday, May 6.
Week 8: May 6, 2014
 Final Exam (Ch 1-14) in class only
Tests and Final Exam: Tests and the final exam will consist of questions from the text,
lectures, discussions, videos, homework assignments, and handouts. The exam format
may consist of summary, essay, true/false, multiple-choice questions, or demonstration.
Assignments: Late assignments will NOT be accepted. All assignments are due before 6
p.m. on the assigned Tuesday, due date. All of the assignment information has been
provided to you, in detail in the syllabus and other attachments. If you miss a class it is
not an excuse for a late assignment. You will be expected to submit your work as if you
had attended the class. If you do not submit assignments on time, your points will reflect
0 for the assignments.
PPT Presentation: Assignment 12.17 page 396 in your text. PPT presentations will be
made on Monday, October 14 in class. You must submit a handout of your slide
presentation to your instructor at the beginning of class. (Be sure to save a tree and only
print 6 slides to a page for the handout).
Extra Credit: If extra credit is available, an announcement will be made by the
instructor in class. See Blogs for extra credit opportunities.
Syllabus is subject to change by the instructor. Any changes will be announced in class.
Attendance / Participation for a Hybrid Course (8-weeks): Attendance at every class
is vital for your success. However, you may have an illness or an issue that prevents your
attendance. (Life happens!) Please, please notify me by email prior to your absence. With
only eight class meetings, missing a class for any reason is an absence. There are no
makeups for: tests, final exam, attendance, participation, or assignment points. The
information for all of your assignments is provided in the syllabus. Even if you miss a
class there is no excuse for not submitting the assignments due.
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Where do I submit my assignments? Refer to your syllabus and the assignment
schedule. Blackboard submissions are indicated by: BB
Withdrawal Policy: - 7 Week Class: All deadlines are represented as calendar days from the class start
date. Deadline to add = 5 days, drop = 9 days, drop with a W = 20 days. Petition and fees applicable
thereafter.
- This class has both In-Person meetings and online Asynchronous (not Real-Time) components. Web access is
required.
The deadline to drop this course is 9 calendar days = before 3/19/14 without the class
appearing as a “W” on your transcripts. The last day to drop with a “W” is 20 calendar
days = before 3/31/14. Beyond this date, a drop fee and petition is required (see
registrar’s information). Please understand this instance is only for students with special
extenuating circumstances beyond their control (so be prepared to provide justification).
Incomplete Policy: An incomplete grade will only be provided in the case of a personal
emergency documented by the student and approved by the instructor in advance of the
last day of the course.
Honor Policy: Exams will be closed book unless otherwise announced. Assignments,
quizzes, and final exam are to be the sole work of each student. Anyone cheating or
assisting a fellow student during an exam will receive a zero for that exam and possibly a
grade of F for the class. In addition, plagiarism will not be tolerated. If either policy is
violated, the undergraduate dean will be notified. If warranted, additional action will be
taken. In short, academic dishonesty will not be tolerated.
UNIVERSITY POLICIES
Classroom Management: Membership in the academic community places a special
obligation on all members to preserve an atmosphere conducive to a safe and positive
learning environment. Part of that obligation implies the responsibility of each member
of the NAU community to maintain an environment in which the behavior of any
individual is not disruptive.
It is the responsibility of each student to behave in a manner which does not interrupt or
disrupt the delivery of education by faculty members or receipt of education by students,
within or outside the classroom. The determination of whether such interruption or
disruption has occurred has to be made by the faculty member at the time the behavior
occurs. It becomes the responsibility of the individual faculty member to maintain and
Syllabus is subject to change by the instructor. Any changes will be announced in class.
enforce the standards of behavior acceptable to preserving an atmosphere for teaching
and learning in accordance with university regulations and the course syllabus.
At a minimum, students will be warned if their behavior is evaluated by the faculty
member as disruptive. Serious disruptions, as determined by the faulty member, may
result in immediate removal of the student from the instructional environment.
Significant and/or continued violations may result in an administrative withdrawal from
the class. Additional responses by the faculty member to disruptive behavior may
include a range of actions from discussing the disruptive behavior with the student to
referral to the appropriate academic unit and/or the Office of Student Life for
administrative review, with a view to implement corrective action up to and including
suspension or expulsion.
Safe Environment: NAU’s Safe Working and Learning Environment Policy seek to
prohibit discrimination and promote the safety of all individuals within the university.
The goal of this policy is to prevent the occurrence of discrimination on the basis of sex,
race, color, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status
and to prevent sexual harassment, sexual assault, or retaliation by anyone at this
university.
You may obtain a copy of this policy from the college dean’s office. If you have
concerns about this policy, you should contact the departmental chair, dean’s office, the
Office of Student Life (928-523-5181), the academic ombudsperson (928-523-9368), or
NAU’s Office of Affirmative Action (928-523-3312). See
http://oak.ucc.nau.edu/dam1/Safe%20Policy.htm for details on this policy.
Students with Disabilities: If you have a documented disability, you can arrange for
accommodations by contacting the office of Disability Support Services (DSS) at 5238773 (voice), 523-6909 (TTY). In order for your individual needs to be met, you are
required to provide DSS with disability related documentation and are encouraged to
provide it at least eight weeks prior to the time you wish to receive accommodations. You
must register with DSS each semester you are enrolled at NAU and wish to use
accommodations.
Faculty members are not authorized to provide a student with disability-related
accommodation without prior approval from DSS. Students who have registered with
DSS are encouraged to notify their instructors a minimum of two weeks in advance to
ensure accommodations. Otherwise, the provision of accommodations may be delayed.
Concerns or questions regarding disability-related accommodations can be brought to the
attention of DSS or the Affirmative Action Office.
Institutional Review Board: Any study involving observation of or interaction with
human subjects that originates at NAU-including a course project, report, or research
paper- must be reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) for the
protection of human subjects in research and research-related activities. The IRB meets
Syllabus is subject to change by the instructor. Any changes will be announced in class.
once each month. Proposals must be submitted for review at least fifteen working days
before the monthly meeting. You should consult with your course instructor early in the
course to ascertain if your subject needs to be reviewed by the IRB and/or to secure
information or appropriate forms and procedures for the IRB review. Your instructor and
department chair or college dean must sign the application for approval by the IRB. The
IRB categorizes projects into three levels depending on the nature of the project: exempt
from further review, expedited review, or full board review. If the IRB certifies that a
project is exempt from further review, you need not re-submit the project for continuing
IRB review as long as there are no modifications in the exempted procedures.
A copy of the IRB Policy and Procedures Manual is available in each department’s
administrative office and each college dean’s office. If you have questions, contact Carey
Conover, Office of Grant and Contract Services, at 523-4889.
Academic Integrity: The University takes an extremely serious view of violations of
academic integrity. As members of the academic community, NAU’s administration,
faculty, staff, and students are dedicated to promoting an atmosphere of honesty and are
committed to maintaining the academic integrity essential to the educational process.
Inherent in this commitment is the belief that academic dishonesty in all forms violates
the basic principles of integrity and impedes learning. Students are therefore responsible
for conducting themselves in an academically honest manner. Individual students and
faculty members are responsible for identifying instances of academic dishonesty.
Faculty members then recommend penalties to the department chair or college dean in
keeping with the severity of the violation. The complete policy on academic integrity is
in Appendix F of NAU’s Student Handbook.
Academic Contact Hour Policy: The Arizona Board of Regents Academic Contact
Hour Policy (ABOR Handbook, 2-206, Academic Credit) states: “an hour of work is the
equivalent of 50 minutes of class time… at least 15 contact hours or recitation, lecture,
discussion, testing or evaluation, seminar, or colloquium as well as a minimum of 30
hours of student homework is required for each unit of credit.” The reasonable
interpretation of this policy is that for every credit hour, a student should expect on
average, to do a minimum of two additional hours of work per week (e.g., preparation,
homework, studying).
CODE OF CONDUCT
Responsibility: I will be on time, prepared, attentive, and professional in my scholastic
endeavors. I will take responsibility for my actions and make every effort to learn as
much as possible from the educational opportunities presented to me.
Respect: I will meet my commitments to others and treat everyone with respect and
civility. I will respect our learning environment and help preserve its physical condition.
Integrity: I will be a reliable and honest contributor to individual and group assignments.
I will not seek or help others gain unfair advantage in completing academic requirements.
I understand that there are severe consequences for academic dishonesty.
Syllabus is subject to change by the instructor. Any changes will be announced in class.
Date
March 11
Week 1
Activity Schedule
Items due before class begins **
A1 Pretest
A2 Attendance
A3 Participation
Points **
10
10
40
Due before class begins 3/25
March 25
Week 2
April 1
Week 3
April 8
Week 4
April 15
Week 5
A4 1.13 Analyzing Diversity: BB
A5 1.14 Capitalizing on Diversity BB
A6 CW: Ad search print + present
A7 CW: Your Task + present BB
A8 Test 1 BB
A11 WIC: #36-62 responses only BB
A12 CW: Your Task + present BB
A13 WIC: #16-53 responses only BB
A14 Test 2 BB
10
10
10
10
50
20
10
20
50
A15Attendance
A16 Participation
Due before class begins: 4/1
A17 WIC: 5 items BB
A18 AC: 6 items BB
A19 Test 3 BB
10
40
A20 Attendance
A21 Participation
Due before class begins: 4/8
A22 AC: 5 items BB
A23 AC: 8 items BB
A24 Test 4 BB
10
40
A25 Attendance
A26 Participation
Due before class begins: 4/15
10
40
A27 AC: 6 items BB
A28 AC: 5 items BB
A29 Test 5 BB
60
50
50
A30 Attendance
A31 Participation
Due before class begins: 4/22
A32 CW: Your Task Letter (2 parts) BB
A33 AC: 2 items BB
A34 PPT Presentations + handout*
A35 Test 6 BB
10
40
50
60
50
50
80
50
20
20
50
50
Syllabus is subject to change by the instructor. Any changes will be announced in class.
April 22
Week 6
April 29
Week 7
A36 Attendance
10
A37 Participation
Due before class begins: 4/29
40
A38 AC: 4 items BB
A39 AC: 4 items BB
A40 Test 7 BB
40
40
50
A41 Attendance
A42 Participation
10
40
Approved make-up: due before class begins 5/6
May 6
Week 8
A43 Final Exam
200
Possible Points
Attendance points
Participation points
Assignment points
Test points
Final Exam points
Total
70
280
620
350
200
1,520
Grade Scale
1520 - 1368 = A
1367 - 1216 = B
1215 - 1064 = C
1063 - 912 = D
911 and below = F
**NOTE: Dates, activities, due dates, & points are subject to change at the instructor’s
discretion. All changes will be announced in class.
Legend:
CW = Communication Workshop
WIC = Writing Improvement Exercises
AC = Activities and Cases
Syllabus is subject to change by the instructor. Any changes will be announced in class.