CMM 207 Business and Professional Communication
COURSE SYLLABUS
Fall 2009 MWF 9:00-9:50 and 10:00-10:50, SH 227 Sections 101 and 102
Caroline Gold True
SH 254E
696-2812
Office Hours MWF 8:30-9:00 a.m., 11:00-12:00
Other hours available by appointment.
Credit Hours: 3
Course Description: This course is based upon the belief that the ability to communicate effectively is vital to being successful in the business and professional world. CMM 207 focuses on developing the communication skills necessary for getting a job and performing the necessary projects, assignments, and duties of that job. The tools you learn during the course of this semester will aide you in every aspect of your professional life.
Required Text: DiSanza, J. & Legge, N. (2009). Business and professional communication, 4th ed. BostonMA: Allyn and Bacon.
Brammar, C. & Greenwood, K. (2009). CMM 207 student workbook. Boston MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Computer Requirements: You will draft, revise, and edit your written work on the computer and use the Internet for research. Students should use a variety of storage media (disks, CD, V-Drive, etc.) to back up their work.
Students must keep current with their Marshall email account, as this will be the primary way I communicate with you outside of class. You need to check this account daily. Students also need to check WebCT frequently for assignments and announcements pertaining to class.
Attendance Policy: Attendance is mandatory. This course moves quickly and in order to understand what is expected of you for each assignment, you must be present in class. I ask that you view yourself in this class as an employee in a professional work environment. If you are going to miss class you must notify me beforehand just as you would in a professional setting. Excessive absences beyond three will result in a lower final grade. Each student is permitted 2 sick days and 1 personal day, and is expected to notify me in advance of their absence. You may not use your personal or sick days on a scheduled presentation day.
In the case of University approved absences (please see the university catalog for the definitions of excused and unexcused absences), students are responsible for completing assignments and may be asked to submit work early. Makeup work, when permitted, must be approved by the instructor and completed promptly. Proper documentation may be required for university excused absences.
Lateness will be dealt with like absences, with each instance equaling a partial absence.
Course Objectives:
* Present yourself and your qualifications for jobs effectively in both written and oral contexts;
* Design business documents that are appropriate for different needs and various audiences;
* Write business documents that are free of major errors in sentence structure, grammar, and usage;
* Perform research that involves proficiency in both electronic and print sources of information;
* Adapt their oral presentations to the expectations of a business or professional setting;
* Present oral presentations that make effective use of Power Point in a business or professional setting;
Assignments and Grading:
Written Assignments:
Informational Technical Outline 25 pts
Sales Outline 30 pts
Persuasive Proposal Outline 50 pts
Resume 60 pts
Cover Letter 25 pts
Thank You Letter 15 pts
Crisis Briefing Outline 60 pts
total - 265
Oral Assignments:
Information Technical Presentation 60 pts
Sales Presentation 70 pts
Persuasive Proposal Presentation 100 pts
Employment Interview (Taped) 80 pts
Crisis Briefing Presentation 120 pts
total - 430
Exams:
Midterm 60 pts
Final Comprehensive Exam 120 pts
total - 180
TOTAL POINTS POSSIBLE 875
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is using another person or source’s ideas without properly giving them credit for it. Students will be expected to properly cite their sources in all assignments and to not represent someone else’s work as their own. Plagiarism will be dealt with by a failing grade for the assignment (recorded as a ‘0’) and a reduced or failing grade for the course. Please ask one of the instructors before turning in an assignment if you are unsure how to credit a source or someone else’s idea.
Assessment Evaluation Methods:
A = Excellent work, which goes above and beyond the requirements of the assignment in every way.
B = Good work, which meets all of the requirements of the assignment and exceeds some of them.
C = Average work, which meets all of the requirements of, but doesn't go significantly beyond.
D = Below average work, which fails to meet one or more of the requirements of the assignment.
F = Unacceptable work which fails to meet the minimum standards for the assignment.
Oral Assignments: I view this class as preparation for the professional world you will all be entering. You will be expected to deliver presentations on the day you are scheduled. The only excuse for missing a scheduled presentation will be a severe illness that clearly incapacitates a student from delivering the presentation. Please note that lack of preparation, time to prepare, or computer failure will not constitute an excuse. If a student is unable to complete a presentation upon the day assigned, he or she should notify the instructors in advance. The student may be allowed to complete the assignment later at the discretion of the instructors. A grade penalty may be assessed.
CMM 207 Semester Schedule - Fall 2009 - Sections 101 and 102
week 1 M 8/24 Introduction to course
W 8/26 Chapter 1 - The role of communication in business and the professions
F 8/28 Chapter 2 - Listening and feedback in organizational relationships
week 2 M 8/31 Chapter 4 - Interpersonal politics and power in communication
W 9/2 Chapter 4 cntd.
F 9/4 Chapter 6 - Considering audience feedback
week 3 M 9/7 No Class - University closed - Labor Day
W 9/9 Chapter 7 and 8 - Preparing and delivering presentations /
Creating and using visual aids
F 9/11 Chapter 9 - Technical presentations
week 4 M 9/14 Technical Presentations
W 9/16 Technical Presentations
F 9/18 Technical Presentations
week 5 M 9/21 Chapter 11 - Sales presentations
W 9/23 Chapter 11 cntd.
F 9/25 Chapter 11 cntd.
week 6 M 9/28 Sales Presentations
W 9/30 Sales Presentations
F 10/2 Sales Presentations
week 7 M 10/5 Review for Midterm
W 10/6 Make-up
F 10/8 Group activity
week 8 M 10/12 Midterm (Chapters 1,2,4,6,7,8, and 9)
W 10/14 Chapter 5 - Professional interviews, resumes, cover letters, thank you notes
F 10/16 Chapter 5 cntd.
week 9 M 10/19 Taped Employment Interviews - Resume, Cover letter, Thank you letter
W 10/21 Taped Employment Interviews - Resume, Cover letter, Thank you letter
F 10/23 Chapter 5 cntd.
week 10 M 10/26 Chapter 3 - Communicating in organizational groups and teams
W 10/28 Chapter 3 cntd.
F 10/30 Chapter - Proposal presentations
week 11 M 11/2 Proposal Presentations
W 11/4 Proposal Presentations
F 11/6 Proposal Presentations
week 12 M 11/9 Chapter 12 - Risk communication
W 11/11 Chapter 13 - Crisis communication
F 11/13 Chapter 13 cntd.
week 13 M 11/16 Crisis Communication Presentations
W 11/18 Crisis Communication Presentations
F 11/20 Crisis Communications Presentations
week 14 M 11/23 Thanksgiving Break
W 11/25 Thanksgiving Break
F 11/27 Thanksgiving Break
week 15 M 11/30 Dead Week - review for final
W 12/2 Review for final
F 12/4 Course conclusion
week 16 FINAL EXAM WEEK