GEB 3213 Schedule
Writing in Business
Fall 2006
GEB 3213 Syllabus
GEB 3213 Assignments
GEB 3213 Schedule
GEB 3213 Gradebook
Newsworthy Business Communication:
Instructor: Cathlena Martin
Email: cmartin@english.ufl.edu
Section: 9216
Office: Bryan 125b
Office Hours: Tuesday 11-3 in the Image Lab on the 4th
floor of Rolfs Hall
Mailbox: 4301 Turlington
Class Times: MW per 9 (4:05-4:55) / lecture T per 10
(5:10-6:00)
Class Room: Matherly 11
Class Website: http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/cmartin
Class Listserv: fall-9216-l@lists.ufl.edu
Course Texts
Business and Administrative Communication. 7th edition. Kitty O. Locker,
McGraw-Hill, 2005, combined with Business Writing CPR: 16 Principles for
Writing Virtually Anything Effectively. Jane Douglas.
Course Schedule and Assignments
Unless prefaced with CPR, course reading assignments refer to Business
and Administrative Communication.
All readings are due by Tuesday night.
23-28 August - Introduction
DISCUSSION 1 (Wednesday 23)– Course introduction: syllabus, assignments,
materials.
HW- purchase textbook
DISCUSSION 2 (Monday 28)- Course introduction: syllabus, assignments,
materials. Pass out Y2K paper and Y2Kmemo. Discuss lecture format and
expectations. How important do you think business writing and grammar
really is? Not very; somewhat; worth
$2 million.
HW- purchase textbook; read Chapter 1: Business Communication, Management,
and Success (pp. 3-28); Chapter 3: Adapting Your Message to Your Audience
(pp. 58-80) for Tuesday the 29th.
29 August - 4 September (no class Monday the 4th)
READING –Reading for this week: Chapter 1: Business Communication,
Management, and Success (pp. 3-28); Chapter 3: Adapting Your Message to
Your Audience (pp. 58-80).
Online Powerpoint:
Chp 1 and 3
LECTURE 1 (Tuesday 29)– Introduction to Business Writing.
-Lecture handout: Y2Kpaper and Y2Kmemo.
-Lecture notes are available on Vista
DISCUSSION 2 (Wednesday 30) – Diagnostic
writing; introduction to Vista and the resources; announce Pre-test;
answer any course questions; go over assignment requirements; discuss
email etiquette. Achieving action-oriented business writing. See exercises
1.1, 1.2 (28-31); 3.1 (80); 3.2 and 3.3 (81); 3.5 (82).
HW - Diagnostic writing due next Tuesday night (9-5) at the beginning
of the lecture; -Review some job and career websites and report back Wednesday
about what you found - bring in a sample job classified ad Wednesday
(9-6);
-Take Pre-test on Vista by Thursday (9-7) (but I would highly recommend
taking it before Thursday in case Vista crashes);
-Read Chapter 17: Résumés (pp. 490-520), and Appendix C:
Making and Communicating Meaning (pp. 615-627) by next Tuesday the 5th.
5-6 September (no class Monday the 4th)
READING — Reading for this week: Chapter 17: Résumés
(pp. 490-520), and Appendix C: Making and Communicating Meaning (pp. 615-627).
Online PowerPoint: Communicating
Meaning; Resume FAB
LECTURE 2 (Tuesday 5)– Writing for Purpose and Audience: Producing
an Effective Resume (lecture notes
are also available on Vista) - Diagnostic Memo due (hand
in a hard copy at the beginning of the lecture and email me a copy before
class at cmartin@english.ufl.edu).
DISCUSSION 1 (Wednesday 6)– Discuss job ads and find key words;
assign resume list; go over memo handout looking at tone and professionalization.
HW - Begin drafting resume by making a list of every possible activity,
honor, membership that could possibly go on your resume and bring to class.
Look at "Getting
Started" if you need some additional help. Lists due Monday (9-11);
-Take pre-test on Vista before tomorrow.
DISCUSSION 2 (Monday 11)–Discuss good and bad resumes
and turning the list you created into your resume.
HW – Begin drafting resume from the list you have created;
-Read Chapter 2: Building Goodwill (pp. 34-52) and Chapter 18: Job Application
Letters (pp. 524-543) for Tuesday the 12th.
12-18 September
READING - Reading for this week: Chapter 2: Building Goodwill (pp. 34-52)
and Chapter 18: Job Application Letters (pp. 524-543).
Online PowerPoint: Cover
Letters and Goodwill
LECTURE 3 (Tuesday 12)– Business Letters: producing the Cover Letter
(lecture notes are also available on
Vista).
DISCUSSION 1 (Wednesday 13)– Resume
analysis and discussion. See exercises 17.2, 17.3, 17.5 (521-522).
HW- Draft of resume due Monday (9-18). Read
Grammar and Mechanics
Guide in PDF.
DISCUSSION 2 (Monday 18)– Exchange drafts and peer
review resumes.
HW – Assignment 1: You will turn in your final resume with
the cover letter (9-26)
-Begin draft of cover letter.
-Watch Locker video on Vista, “The Employment Interview” before
next Wed (9-20). To find this video on Vista look under "Course Content,"
then click on "Course-Wide Content - Student Center", then click
on "6. Video Presentations," then you'll see a list of videos,
including "The Employment Video."
-Read Chapter 4: Making Your Writing Easy to Read (pp. 86-109), Chapter
7: Informative and Positive Messages (pp. 150-168); and Writing CPR, Chapter
1: Call 911 (pp. 1-3) and Chapter 2: Check for Pulse: Clarity (pp. 5-14)
for Tuesday the 19th.
19-25 September
READING - Reading for this week: Chapter 4: Making Your Writing Easy
to Read (pp. 86-109), Chapter 7: Informative and Positive Messages (pp.
150-168); and Writing CPR, Chapter 1: Call 911 (pp. 1-3) and Chapter 2:
Check for Pulse: Clarity (pp. 5-14).
Online PowerPoint: Frontloading
and Positive Messages
Online PowerPoint: Clarity and Making your
writing easy to read.
LECTURE 4 (Tuesday 19)– Clear Writing and Good News Messages. (lecture notes are also available on Vista)
DISCUSSION 1 (Wednesday 20)–Cover
letter analysis and discussion. Goodwill
and Cover letter Powrepoint. See exercises 18.1, 18.2, 18.3 (545-547).
Discuss Locker video, “The Employment Interview.”
HW- Cover letter draft due Monday (9-25).
DISCUSSION 2 (Monday 25)– Exchange drafts and peer
review cover letters.
HW – Use the following PDF questionnaire
to edit and review both of your own documents before you turn them in
Tuesday.
Assignment 1: Final cover letters due next Tuesday night (9-26).
Turn in the final draft of your cover letter, resume, and job announcement
with the rough draft and peer reviews of your cover letter and resume
and the questionnaire you filled out about your own resume and cover letter.
Paper clip all of these documents together. You should have ten docuements
total.
Be sure and remember to email me your cover letter and resume before class
Tuesday night.
-Read Chapter 6: Designing Documents, Slides, and Screens (pp. 127-147);
Chapter 15: Using Graphs and Other Visuals (pp. 442-459); Appendix A:
Formats for Letters, Memos, and E-Mail Messages (pp. 572-588) for Tuesday
the 26th.
26 September-2 October
READING – Reading for this week: CPR: Chapter 3: Clear Airway:
Continuity (pp. 15-26).
Online PowerPoint: Continutity
LECTURE 5 (Tuesday 26)– Using Continuity in Your Writing.(lecture
notes are available on Vista)
DISCUSSION 1 (Wednesday 27)– Frontloading
your message and writing for the reader’s needs. See exercises
7.1 (169), 7.2 (171).
HW - due Monday 10-2: Making Your Writing Easy to Read pages 111-112 exercises
4.7-4.14. And yes, you need to type out the answers and bring them to
class on Monday.
DISCUSSION 2 (Monday 2)– The memo format and giving positive information
effectively; bad examples of memos: make
a list of why/what aspects of these 3 memos are bad and how you would
change them. See exercises 7.3 (172), 7.19 (178), Go over HW.
HW - Read CPR: Chapter 3: Clear Airway: Continuity (pp. 15-26) for Tuesday
the 3rd.
3-9 October
READING — Reading for this week: Chapter 6: Designing Documents,
Slides, and Screens (pp. 127-147); Chapter 15: Using Graphs and Other
Visuals (pp. 442-459); Appendix A: Formats for Letters, Memos, and E-Mail
Messages (pp. 572-588)
Online Powerpoint: Design
LECTURE 6 (Tuesday 3)— Document and Graphic Design.(lecture
notes are available on Vista)
DISCUSSION 1 (Wednesday 4)– Discuss Positive Memo Assignment and
postive memo helps from past classes; Designing
Documents, slides, and graphs. See exercises 6.1 (141), 6.3 (144), 6.4
(144), 6.5 (145); 6.2 (142-3), 15.2 (460), 15.4 (461-463).
HW- Positive Memo draft due Monday (10-9). For the Positive Memo, you
will select either exercise 7.15 or 7.17 from chapter 7; be sure and bring
your textbook Monday.
DISCUSSION 2 (Monday 9)– Peer Review of positive memo drafts (page
168).
HW – Assignment 2: Informative/Positive memo due Tuesday
night (10-10);
-Use the following PDF questionnaire
to edit and review your own documents before you turn it in Tuesday.
-Turn in Postive Memo final copy, positive memo rough draft, and questionnaire
paper cliped together Tuesday.
- Read Chapter 5: Planning, Composing, Revising (pp. 115-124); and Chapter
8: Negative Messages (pp. 183-202) for Tuesday the 10th.
10-16 October
READING — Reading for this week: Chapter 5: Planning, Composing,
Revising (pp. 115-124); and Chapter 8: Negative Messages (pp. 183-202).
Online Powerpoint: Bad News Memo
LECTURE 7 (Tuesday 10)— Bad News Memos (lecture
notes are available on Vista);
- Turn in Postive Memo final copy, positive memo rough draft, and questionnaire
paper cliped together.
DISCUSSION 1 (Wednesday 11) – Introduce team
project, discuss team report,
form team groups, and start planning proposal see p. 354-356; Get into
groups for financial aid project.
HW- Financial Aid form draft due Monday (10-16) (group assignment
p.146-7). Bring 2 copies Monday; Begin working on group proposal.
DISCUSSION 2 (Monday 16) – Discuss creating
continuity. Peer Review of Financial Aid Forms – team exchange.
HW — Assignment 3: Improving a Financial Aid Form (team
assignment) due Tuesday (10-17) night
-Print out and as a team fill out PDF
questionnaire.
-Turn in final Financial Aid form (only one copy per team), the rough
drafts, the peer reviews, and the questionnaire all paper cliped together
Tuesday night.
-Read CPR Chapter 5: Provide Chest Compressions: Concision (pp. 39-45)
for Tuesday the 17th
17-23 October
READING — Reading for this week: CPR Chapter 5: Provide Chest Compressions: Concision (pp. 39-45).
LECTURE 8 (Tuesday 17)– Concision and E-mail.(lecture
notes are available on Vista); Turn in final Financial Aid form (only
one copy per team), the rough draft, the peer reviews, and the questionnaire
all paper cliped together.
DISCUSSION 1 (Wednesday 18) – The Bad
News Memo and Negative messages
powerpoint: discuss Negative memo examples;
discuss proposal (see page 354-356); See exercises 8.1, 8.2, 8.3.
HW - Bad News memo draft due Monday 10-23; prepare for midterm
quiz next Tuesday night (10-24)
-Bring your textbook Monday for the peer review session. If you do not
bring your textbook then you will not be able to participate in the review.
DISCUSSION 2 (Monday 23) - peer review Bad News Memo (page 202).
HW — Assignment 4: Negative Message due Tuesday night
(10-24); prepare for midterm quiz Tuesday night
-Use the following PDF questionnaire
to edit and review your own documents before you turn it in Tuesday.
-Turn in Negative Memo final copy, negative memo rough draft, and questionnaire
paper cliped together Tuesday.
-Read CPR: Chapter 4: Give Artificial Respiration: Coherence (pp. 27-38),
and Chapter 14: Analyzing Information and Writing Reports (pp. 390-433)
for Tuesday the 24th.
24-30 October
READING —Reading for this week: CPR: Chapter 4: Give Artificial
Respiration: Coherence (pp. 27-38), and Chapter 14: Analyzing Information
and Writing Reports (pp. 390-433).
Online Powerpoint: Grammar
and Punctuation review and Coherence
and more Grammar
LECTURE 9 (Tuesday 24)– Coherence and mid-term quiz
(lecture notes)
-Turn in Negative Memo final copy, negative memo rough draft, and questionnaire
paper cliped together.
DISCUSSION 1 (Wednesday 25)– Show examples of past projects; work
on proposals (see p. 354-356) in class in groups - bring any questions
to class that your team has for me regarding your group project or your
proposal; concision examples and exercises
and active verb exercies;
Team Proposal draft due Monday (10-30) As a team, bring 4 copies of
your proposal Monday.
DISCUSSION 2 (Monday 30) – peer review proposals; E-mail
discussion.
HW-Team Proposal due next Tuesday night
-Read Chapter 9: Persuasive Messages (pp. 212-241), and Appendix D: Crafting
Logical Arguments (pp. 632-363) for Tuesday the 31st.
31 October - 6 November
READING — Reading for this week: Chapter 9: Persuasive Messages
(pp. 212-241), and Appendix D: Crafting Logical Arguments (pp. 632-363).
Online Powerpoint: Crafting
Logical Arguments and Persausive
Messages
LECTURE 10 (Tuesday 31)— Persuasion and Reports.(lecture
notes in powerpoint are available on Vista)
-Turn in one hard copy per team of your proposal with all team member's
names listed and one electronic copy per team with all team member's names
listed in the email.
DISCUSSION 1 (Wed 1)– Gantt Chart see p. 452, 454;
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA010346051033.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gantt_chart
http://www.netmba.com/operations/project/gantt/
HW- Work on team Gantt chart.
DISCUSSION 2 (Mon 6)– Business
library research workshop for reports: G'ville
Business Bookmarks, Industry
Market Research. Peer review Gantt Chart; See exercises 13.4, 13.5,
13.6, 13.10 (pp. 386-387).
HW- Team Gantt chart due Tuesday (11-7) night.
-Read Chapter 12: Working and Writing in Groups (pp. 316-337); and Chapter
13: Planning, Proposing and Researching Reports (pp. 348-382) for Tuesday
the 7th.
7-13 November
READING - Reading for this week: Chapter 12: Working and Writing in Groups (pp. 316-337); and Chapter 13: Planning, Proposing and Researching Reports (pp. 348-382).
LECTURE 11(Tuesday 7) — Working in Teams and Writing Reports (lecture
notes in PowerPoint)
DISCUSSION 1 (Wednesday 8)— Discuss Persuasive
writing assignment contest
and case
study; ABC Case Helps; Persuasive
writing techniques; Persuasive exercise;
See exercises 9.2, 9.4, 9.5 (pp. 242-244, and group writing exercises
9.8, 9.9, 9.11, 9.13 (pp.245-247).
HW - Persuasive message draft due Monday (11-13).
DISCUSSION 2 (Monday 13)– Peer review persuasive memo.
HW — Assignment 5: Persuasive Memo due Wednesday (11-15)
at the beginning of class.
-Use the following PDF questionnaire
to edit and review your own documents before you turn it in Wednesday.
-Turn in Persuasive Memo final copy (two memos), rough drafts, and questionnaire
paper cliped together Wednesday.
-Read Chapter 11: Communicating Across Cultures (pp. 292-310) for
Tuesday the 14th.
14-20 November
READING – Reading for this week: Chapter 11: Communicating Across
Cultures (pp. 292-310).
Powerpoint on International Communication
LECTURE 12 (Tuesday 14)– Communicating across Cultures.(lecture
notes in PowerPoint)
DISCUSSION 1 (Wednesday 15)– Turn in Persuasive Memo final copy
(two memos), rough drafts, and questionnaire paper cliped together.
- Sample report analysis, document design and organization.; field any
questions about the progress report.
- Intercultural communication Ex 11.8b: class debate. Each team is responsible
for arguing for the suitability of one candidate--with four teams being
assigned one of the four candidates in the exercise and the fifth team
being allowed to choose which candidate is most suitable. In the debate
format, each team has to anticipate and rebut the arguments put forth
by the other teams on their respective candidates' strengths and suitability
for the position.
HW - view videos available via Vista's Course-wide Content: Student Center.
The videos are located under Item 6: Video Presentations. View both "Offensive
and Assertive Communication" and "Defensive and Supportive Communication."
- See exercises in 12.2, 12.3. and 12.4.
HW - work on project and write progress report
DISCUSSION 2 (Monday 20) Meet in Teams; Collaborative writing and
team project planning.
HW - project progress report due Wednesday (11-22) - email
me one copy per team before 5:10pm on Wednesday.
-Read Chapter 16: Making Successful Presentations (pp. 468-484) for Tuesday
the 21st.
21-27 November
READING – Reading for this week: Chapter 16: Making Successful Presentations (pp. 468-484).
LECTURE 13 (Tuesday 21)– Making Successful Presentations. (lecture
notes are available on Vista)
---I will not be holding office hours today.
DISCUSSION 1 (Wednesday 22)– Work in teams. Email me one copy per
team of the group project progress report by 5:10pm tonight.
HW- work on group project
DISCUSSION 2 (Monday 27) – Refining your team presentation; answer
any final questions before presentations
HW - View the video “Presentation Skills” available on Vista
and analyze the openers and closers in exercise 16.1.
Presentation Rubric in PDF
28 November - 4 December
LECTURE 14 (Tuesday 28)– Professional writing for your career
DISCUSSION 1 (Wednesday 29)– 2 Oral presentations
HW — Work on report; prepare for quiz; complete final Quiz
Pro Post-test in Vista (this will be avaliable until the last day of class,
but don't wait that long to take it.)
DISCUSSION 2 (Monday 4)– 2 Oral presentations
HW — Work on report; prepare for quiz; complete final Quiz
Pro Post-test in Vista (this will be avaliable until the last day of class,
but don't wait that long to take it.)
5-6 December
LECTURE 15 (Tuesday 5)– Cumulative quiz (in lecture)
DISCUSSION 1 (Wednesday 6)– 1 Oral presentation; Conclusions and
final in-class writing assignment. Final team reports due today.
Turn in Team Evaluations.