MGT 321-003– Effective Business Writing
Spring 2014
2:30-3:45 Room AB 209
Instructor: Mary Groves
Office: 412
E-mail: [email protected]
Office Hours:
Phone: 682-9157
TR 4:00-5:15
and by appointment
Required Materials:
Effective Business Writing: Custom Text: ISBN 978-0-07-77647-0
Advantage Books: Harbrace Essentials
Course website: business.unr.edu/faculty/mgroves
Academic Success Services: Your student fees cover usage of the University Writing
Center (784-6030 or www.unr.edu/writing_center). These centers support your classroom
learning; it is your responsibility to take advantage of their services. Keep in mind that
seeking help outside of class is the sign of a responsible and successful student.
FIND A PARTNER TO KEEP YOU INFORMED OF ANY CHANGES TO THE
COURSE OUTLINE. Name: _______________________ Contact:______________
Course Objective:
In today’s business world, especially with the increase in globalization and technologymediated communication, business professionals must now, more than ever before, be
able to write clearly and concisely. Thus, this course has been designed to give you a
greater appreciation of, and real-world practice with, the many forms of business
communication: letters, memos, e-mails, cases, reports, proposals, presentations, etc.
Through practical application of the concepts in the textbook, critically analyzing your
writings, and class discussions, you will be able to communicate with other employees,
clients, and an almost unlimited number of individuals.
Course Format:
Readings: You are expected to read the assigned chapter(s) as indicated in the course
outline that follows. Discussions in class will be centered on these readings. It is critical
that you READ and THINK ABOUT the assigned material PRIOR to class. To be
successful in this class, it is necessary for you to attend class regularly, participate in
class discussions, and be informed of assignments and their due dates.
Exams: Two exams will be given on the dates indicated in the course outline. The
exams will be based on all material discussed in class, assigned chapters from the
textbook, and other presented materials. The exams will consist of some or all of the
following: multiple-choice, true-false, matching, and essay questions. Since the exam
dates are known to you, I strongly recommend that you plan accordingly and not miss
any. The final exam will be given only during the final week class schedule set by the
University.
1
Homework:
 Each week you will have one or more homework assignments that will be graded
using the CLASS rubric. A copy of this rubric is available on the course website. All
homework assignments must be written using formal business English and are due at
the beginning of class. If you are not present when homework is collected, it will not
be accepted.
 As this is a business communications course, all homework must be professional and
polished. In other words, you will need to get in the habit of reading and revising and
revising and revising your writing to ensure you have written appropriately for your
audience and addressed all assignment parameters.
 To receive credit for homework assignments each must be:
o Formatted correctly for business communication;
o Revised at least once before it is turned in with at least one revision
attached;
o Stapled with the final professional document on top followed by revisions.
o Typed in 12-pt Times New Roman font.

No late homework will be accepted and no homework will be accepted via e-mail
to instructor.
Presentation: Every student will make one formal business presentation. Using the
Internet or the library, secure the most recent annual report for a company that lost
money, i.e., no income for the year (a net loss). Assume the role of the company’s CEO,
prepare a seven to ten minute presentation designed for a breakfast meeting of the New
York Investment Council, a group made up of institutional investors and large private
investors. Your purpose is to persuade the audience that your organization is still a good
investment. Assume that the audience is somewhat familiar with your annual report. On
the day of your presentation, you must turn in a paper copy of your PowerPoint
slides and the annual report to receive credit for your presentation.
In-class, R&R, or Pop Quizzes: Various in-class, revise and review exercises, and/or
pop quizzes will be given throughout the semester. Each assignment must be handed in
at the end of the class to receive credit; there is no make-up for missed in-class
assignments.
Research Paper: A research paper will be assigned and the specific details will be
discussed in class.
Résumé and Cover Letter: Each student will prepare his/her own résumé and cover
letter aimed at a prospective employer. Your résumé and cover letter must be targeted
towards a job advertisement that you find and for which you are qualified. The job
advertisement must be turned in with your résumé and cover letter to receive credit.
Participation: Points will be allotted as follows: 150 points for completion of your
Professional Action Plan and attending the 2 workshops necessary to complete the plan-one 3 hour workshop and one networking session; 1 point for each evaluation of your
peers’ presentations, and the remaining points for class preparation i.e., ability to answer
questions about lecture topics.
2
GRADING POLICY: Straight letter grades will be the general policy; however, the
instructor retains the prerogative to assign a “plus or minus grade” in certain exceptional
cases. Percents: 100-90 =A, 89-80 = B, etc. Note: Points are not rounded to the nearest
whole. Your final grade will be determined as follows:
Exams ( 2 @ 150 points)
300
Oral Presentation
150
Research Paper
300
Résumé and Cover Letter
200
In-Class, R&R, and/or Pop Quizzes (10 points each)
Class participation
(Includes: Peer Evaluations,1 pt each; 150 pts Professional
Action Plan workshop and Networking Event; and class
preparation)
100
Homework 48 points each
336
250
Total Possible Points (Subject to change)
1636
**** NOTE: THE FOLLOWING COURSE OUTLINE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Statement on Disability Services: Any student with a disability needing academic
adjustments or accommodations is requested to speak with me or the Disability Resource
Center (Thompson Building Suite 101) as soon as possible to arrange for appropriate
accommodations.
Academic Dishonesty: Any form of cheating on group or individual assignments,
projects, or exams will result in an automatic grade of F for the course. Further
disciplinary action in consultation with the Chair of the Department may also be taken.
Academic dishonesty, as defined by the University of Nevada, Reno, is: cheating,
plagiarizing, or otherwise obtaining grades under false pretenses. Plagiarizing is defined
as submitting the language, ideas, thoughts, or work of another as one's own; or assisting
in the act of plagiarism by allowing one's work to be used in this fashion. Cheating is
defined as (l) obtaining or providing unauthorized information during an examination
through verbal, visual or unauthorized use of books, notes, text and other materials; (2)
obtaining or providing information concerning all or part of an examination prior to that
examination; (3) taking an examination for another student, or arranging for another
person to take an exam in one's place; (4) altering or changing test answers after
submittal for grading, grades after grades have been awarded, or other academic records
once these are official.
Video Policy: Surreptitious or covert video-taping of class or unauthorized audio
recording of class is prohibited by law and by Board of Regents policy. This class may
be videotaped or audio recorded only with the written permission of the instructor. In
order to accommodate students with disabilities, some students may have been given
permission to record class lectures and discussions. Therefore, students should
understand that their comments during class may be recorded.
3
COURSE OUTLINE – Effective Business Communication
DATE
IN-CLASS
IMPORTANT
DUE DATES
ASSIGNMENTS
Tue Jan 21
Introduction
Read Chapter 1 and 2
Th. Jan 23
Lecture Chp 1
Getting to Know You
Tue Jan 29
Lecture Chp 2
Th. Jan 30
Lecture Chp 2 & 3
Read Chapter 4
HMWK Ch 3.6
Tue Feb 4
Lecture Chp 3 & 4
Read Chapter 19
Th. Feb 6
Lecture Chp 19
Getting to Know You
Read Chapter 3
HMWK Ch 3.6
HMWK Chapter 19: Find 2
videos using YouTube or
TedX. Memo write-up.
Tue Feb 11
Lecture Chp 19 cont.
Th. Feb 13
First Exam: Chapters
1, 2, 3, 4, & 19
Tue Feb 18
Lecture Chp 5
Audience Analysis
Th. Feb 20
Lecture Chp 5 cont
HMWK Chapter 5.19 + Last
Bullet
Tue Feb 25
Presentations
Read Chapter 7
Th. Feb 27
Presentations
Read Chapter 8
Tue. Mar 4
Lecture Chp 8 & 9
Th. Mar 6
Lecture Chp 9 cont
Résumés
Appendix E
Tue Mar 11
Th. Mar 13
Résumés
Appendix E
Read Chapter 5
HMWK Chapter 19: Find 2
videos using YouTube or TedX.
Memo write-up.
HMWK Chapter 5.19 + Last
Bullet
Read Chapter 9
HMWK Chapter 9.24
Read Appendix E
Résumé and Cover letter
HMWK Chapter 9.24
4
DATE
IN-CLASS
IMPORTANT
DUE DATES
ASSIGNMENTS
Tue Mar 18
Spring Break
Spring Break
Spring Break
Th. Mar 20
Spring Break
Spring Break
Spring Break
Tue Mar 25
Guest Speakers
Th. Mar 27
2nd Exam: Chapters
5, 7, 8, 9 & E
Tue Apr 1
Lecture Chp 10
Th. Apr 3
Lecture Chp 10 cont.
Begin Chp 11
Tue Apr 8
Research Paper
Th. Apr 10
Chp 11 cont
Tue Apr 15
Lecture Chp 15
Th. Apr 17
Lecture Chp 15 cont.
Read Chapter 10
Résumé and Cover letter
Read Chapter 11
HMWK Chapter 10.14
HMWK Chapter 10.14
Read Chapter 15
Read Chapter 18
M&M’s Figure
Career Action Plan
Questionnaire draft
Tue Apr 22
Lecture Chp 18
Th. Apr 24
Presentations
M& M’s Figure
Tue Apr 29
Presentations
Section I draft
Th. May 1
Presentations
Last Day to turn in
Extra Credit
Tue May 6
Presentations
Research Project Due
Th May 8
Final Presentations
12:30-2:30 p.m.
Extra Credit: Your only chance for Extra Credit (50 pts.): Complete the 4 required
assessments on the NVCIS website and print at least one page of your results so I can
verify completion. Next write a two page maximum paper, format as a memo, relating the
key items you learned about yourself from taking these assessments. Please do not
critique the assessments. To be turned in to me by Thursday, May 1.
FIND A PARTNER TO KEEP YOU INFORMED OF ANY CHANGES TO THE
COURSE OUTLINE. Name: _______________________ Contact:______________
5