Spring 2008

Business Writing

 

79446  203 ENG 7501 TR  9:30-1045 JHG338  (Final May 7)

 

Office Hours: 1:00-2:30 TR; 8:00-11:00 MW; 8:00-10:00 Fri; or by appointment

 

Instructor: Jude Roy
Office: 345A
Office Telephone: 824-8624
Email: jude.roy@kctcs.edu

Webpage: http://www.madisonville.kctcs.edu/facstaf/jroy/

 

Note: This course calendar is subject to change, (in fact, you can count on it) and students are responsible for noting any changes.

Jan 14 Class work begins. Students may add class with faculty approval only.

Jan 15 Class work and discussion

  • Course introduction
  • Successful business writing practices discussion
  • Reading for Jan 17: The Business Writer's Handbook, pp xv-xxii.

Jan 16 Last day to register for a class WITH faculty approval.

Jan 21 Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday – No Classes.

Jan 17 Class work and discussion

  • Assignment of groups
  • Reading for Jan 22: Résumés, pp 478-494; Application Letters, pp 42-46

Jan 22 Class work and discussion

  • Intro Résumé (You will write one error-free Résumé for class following my guidelines.)
  • Intro Application Letters (Note: You will write two application letters targeted at two separate employers.)
  • Assignment: Rough Draft Résumé due Jan 24
  • Assignment: Job listings due Jan 24

Jan 24 Class work and discussion

  • Workshop Résumé.
  • Discussion job listing and strategies
  • Assignment: Rough Draft Application letter #1 due Jan 29

Jan 29 Class work and discussion

  • Workshop: Application letter #1
  • Assignment: The groups will create a mock small business structure. (Note: Each group will decide on a small business it would like to represent, decide on a group representative, and write a brief description of the business, i.e. services, total employees, brief company history, etc.) due Jan 31
  • Assignment: Rough Draft Application letter #2 due Jan 31

Jan 31 Class work and discussion

  • Workshop Application letter #2
  • Final Résumé due Feb 05
  • Final Application letter #1 due Feb 05 (Note: Application letter #1 will be folded and placed in an addressed envelope.  A copy of the final Résumé will be placed in the envelope also.)
  • Reading for Feb 30: Memos, BWH 326-331; Email, BWH pp 179-184.

Feb 05 Class work and discussion

    • Intro Memoranda & Email correspondence.
    • Final Résumé and Application letter #1 due
    • Final Application Letter #2 due Feb 07 (Note: Application letter #2 will be folded and placed in an addressed envelope.  A copy of the final Résumé will be placed in the envelope also.)

Assignment: Rough Draft Memo due Feb 07. (Note: You will write one memorandum in class: from management's point of view to the employees. The subject of the memo will stem from an in-class exercise.  You will send the memo as an attachment to an email addressed to me at <jude.roy@kctcs.edu>.  The assignment will be graded both on how well the memo is written and how well the student follows email protocol.  I have never had this assignment go off without a hitch.  There will be problems, as there are in real life.  I want to see how well you handle those problems.)

Feb 07 Class work and discussion

  • Final Application Letter #2 due (Note: Application letter #2 will be folded and placed in an addressed envelope.  A copy of the final Résumé will be placed in the envelope also.)
  • Reading for Feb 9: Business Writing Style, BWH pp 67-68; Correspondence, BWH pp 114-127; Collaborative Writing pp 82-84; Collection Letters, BWH pp 85-88.

Feb 12 Class work and discussion

  • Intro Business Letters (Collection letters)
  • Rough draft Collection letter stage 1 due Feb 14. (Note: The Collection letter is part of the “holy four” business letters that will count as 20 per cent of your final grade.)
  • Final Memo due as email attachment Feb 14 (Note: The email is due in my mailbox by 5:00 p.m. Feb 14.  I will reply to your email with a question and I expect you to reply to my email with a response by 5:00 p.m. Feb 19.)

Feb 14 Class work and discussion.

  • Workshop: Collection letter stage 1
  • Assignment: compose Collection letters stages 2 and 3 in class.
  • Reading for Feb 19: Complaint Letters BWH pp 101-102; Adjustment Letters, BWH pp 17-20 (Note: Complaint and Adjustment letters are part of the “holy four” business letters that will count as 20 per cent of your final grade.)
  • Final Memo due as email attachment by 5:00 p.m.

Feb 16 May graduation application deadline.

Feb 18  Presidents’ Day – No class

Feb 19 Class work and discussion.

  • Workshop: Collection letters stages 2 and 3
  • Assignment: Rough draft Complaint letter due Feb 21.
  • Email reply due by 5:00 p.m.
  • Reading for Feb 21: Brochures pp 58-62

Feb 21 Class work and discussion

  • Workshop: Complaint letter
  • Assignment: Rough draft Brochure due Feb 26 (Note: The Brochure will deal with some area of your mock company.  It will be worked on by the group and is due on Mar 18.
  • Assignment: Rough draft Adjustment letter due Feb 26
  • Reading for Feb 26: Reference Letters, BWH, pp 457-458 (Note: The Reference letter is part of the “holy four” business letters that will count as 20 per cent of your final grade.)

Feb 26 Class work and discussion

  • Workshop: Adjustment letter
  • Assignment: Rough draft Reference letter due Feb 28 (Note: Students will interview a member of their group and write a reference letter for that member.)
  • Reading for Feb 28: Refusal Letters, BWH, pp 457-460: Resignation Letter, BWH, pp 474-476; Sales Letter, BWH, pp 500-503; (Note: The Refusal, Resignation, and Sales letters are graded as exercises and will count as that.)

Feb 28 Class work and discussion

  • Workshop: Reference letter
  • Assignment: Rough draft Refusal letter due Mar 04

Mar 04 Class work and discussion

  • Workshop: Refusal letter
  • Assignment: Rough draft Resignation letter due Mar 06

Mar 06 Class work and discussion

  • Workshop: Resignation letter
  • Assignment: Rough draft Sales letter due Mar 18
  • Reading for Mar 18: Cover Letters, BWH, pp 127-129

Mar 10-15 Spring Break – No classes

Mar 17 Midterm: last day for students, at their discretion, to officially withdraw from a class and record a grade of W.

Mar 18 Class work and discussion

  • Workshop: Resignation letter
  • Assignment: Rough draft Sales letter due Mar 20
  • Discussion: Cover Letter (Note: The final cover letter will be turned in with the final proposal.)
  • Final Brochure due.
  • Reading for Mar 20: Reports, BWH, pp 462-463; Formal Reports, BWH, 211-233; Proposals, BWH, pp 420-440; Executive Summaries, BWH, pp 195-198; Research pp 463-474.

Mar 20 Class work and discussion

  • Introduction: Proposal
  • Final copies of Collection Letter, Complaint Letter (all stages), Adjustment Letter and Reference Letter due Mar 25 (Note: Each letter will be folded and placed in an envelope and addressed to: Jude Roy, Madisonville Community College, 2000 College Drive, Madisonville, KY 42431.)
  • Assignment: Rough Proposal outline due Mar 25

Mar 21 Half-Day Holiday – Good Friday

Mar 25 Class work and discussion

  • Workshop: Proposal outline
  • Final copies of Collection Letter, Complaint Letter (all stages), Adjustment Letter and Reference Letters due.
  • Assignment: Rough draft Proposal due Mar 27
  • Reading for Mar 27: Presentations, BWH, pp 396-405.

Mar 27 Class work and discussion

  • Introduction: Oral Presentation
  • Workshop: Rough draft Proposal
  • Assignment: Second rough draft Proposal due Apr 01

Apr 01 Class work and discussion

  • Workshop: Rough Draft Proposal
  • Assignment: Rough Outline of Oral Presentations due Apr 03

Loman C. Trover Library Reading Series featuring Ann Neelon and Greg Hagan.  The reading begins at 7:00 p.m. in the Loman C. Trover Library.  Drinks and snacks will be provided.  Students are strongly encouraged to attend.

Apr 03 Class work and discussion

  • Workshop: Rough Outline of Oral Presentation
  • Workshop: Rough Draft Proposal
  • Assignment: Research & Workshop

Apr 08 Class work and discussion

  • Assignment: Research & Workshop
  • Workshop: Rough Outline of Oral Presentation
  • Workshop: Rough Draft Proposal

Apr 10 Class work and discussion

  • Workshop: Rough Outline of Oral Presentation
  • Workshop: Rough Draft Proposal
  • Assignment: Research & Workshop

Apr 15 Class work and discussion

  • Workshop: Rough Outline of Oral Presentation
  • Workshop: Rough Draft Proposal
  • Assignment: Research & Workshop

Apr 17 Class work and discussion

  • Workshop: Rough Outline of Oral Presentation
  • Workshop: Rough Draft Proposal
  • Assignment: Research & Workshop

Apr 19 Class work and discussion

  • Workshop: Rough Draft Proposal
  • Assignment: Research & Workshop
  • Oral Presentations due Apr 22

Apr 22 Class work and discussion

  • Oral Presentations due.
  • Assignment: Research & Workshop

Apr 24

  • Workshop: Rough Draft Proposal
  • Oral Presentations due (if needed)

May 01

  • Workshop: Rough Draft Proposal

 

Final copy Proposal due May 08 (Note: Students will turn in two copies of the proposal.  Also this is a formal report.  It should be presented on good quality paper and encased in a folder.)

 

May 02 Last day for a student, at the discretion of the instructor, to officially withdraw

             from a class and receive a grade of W.

May 05-10 Final examinations

May 03  End of Class Work

 

May 08 Final copy Proposal due (Note: All students will be required to attend class on the final day.  No exceptions.)