Communication Studies 207

Business and Professional Communication

Course Information:  CMM 207 Section: 209

                                    Spring 2007

                                    Thursday 6:30-9:00/Smith Hall 227

Instructor:                  Jeremy Dempsey

                                    Smith Hall 254

                                    Phone: 696-2813

                                    Email: dempsey34@marshall.edu

                                    Office Hours: Mon, Wed 3-3:30, 4:45-5:15

Thursday 5:30-6:30

By appointment

Text Information:       DiSanza, J. R. and Legge, H. J. (2005).  Business and Professional Communication: Plans, Processes, and Performances. (3^rd ed.).  Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Student workbook that goes along with the textbook: Authors are C. A. Brammer Ph.D. and K. L. Greenwood, PhD.

Credits:                       3

Course Description:   Communication is among the most fundamental of human activities.  Much of our communication, both deliberate and unintended, occurs in the context of our professional lives.

This course offers you the opportunity to develop communication skills, which will be valuable throughout your working life.  It will include a set of conceptual tools to better understand business and professional communication, and practical experience in making the kinds of presentations you will make in a professional context.

Course Philosophy:    Business and Professional Communication is required by the College of Business as a basic requirement, which substitutes for the University course requirement, CMM 103, Fundamentals of Speech Communication.  We believe that this course will help you to learn to be more confident, more articulate, and better prepared to enter the business and professional communication environment.  Through this course we hope to advance your understanding of the communication process in personal, business, and professional settings.  Communication is common to all of us; however, we can and should strive to improve our understanding of communication processes and our skills in communicating.

Attendance Policy:     The emphasis of this course is on communication.  You must be willing to participate and seek feedback from your instructor and peers in order to improve your communication skills; therefore, it is essential that you attend class and take part in exercises and assignments.

Plagiarism Policy:      All assignments, written and oral, must be your own work.  Information and ideas used from other sources must be acknowledged in some way.  Submitting others’ work as your own will result in a failing grade for the assignment and may lead to more severe penalties.  The Department of Communication, the College of Liberal Arts, and the University consider plagiarism, in any form, a very serious matter.

Grading Policy:          All assignments should be submitted on the days specified.  Late assignments will be accepted; however the assignment will be penalized.

Requirements:  Your course work includes the following required assignments:

Written Assignments

Informational Technical Outline                         25

Sales Outline                                                                30

Persuasive Proposal Outline                                          50

Resume                                                                        60

Cover Letter                                                                 25

Thank You Letter                                                         15

Crisis Briefing Outline                                       60

                                                Total Points                265

Oral Assignments

Informational Technical Presentation                              60

Sales Presentation                                                         70

Persuasive Proposal Presentation                                  100

Employment Interview (Taped)                         80

Crisis Briefing Presentation                                            120

                                                Total Points                430

Exams

Midterm                                                                       60

Final Exam (Comprehensive)                                        120

                          Total Points              180

Total Points Possible                                                 875

            Grades:  Grades will be calculated on a straight scale:

                        A = 90%

                        B = 80%

                        C = 70%

                        D = 60%