Syllabi for Dr. Alston
Course Description
Business Writing & Communication | GEB 3213-27521
Term/Year- 202120
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: ENC1101 or ENC1101C with a grade of “C” or better
Course Overview
In business, where communication needs to be as clear as it is convincing, employees and managers must master the principles of effective, efficient writing. This course is designed to teach you the fundamental written communication skills needed to express ideas effectively and efficiently, preparing you for the demands of the business workplace.
The workplace-based writing assignments in this course are designed to help you learn how to deploy and adapt professional communication principles within different organizational contexts. Business writing and communication emphasizes both internal and external communication, as well as how to select style, formats, and approaches appropriate to context and audience.
Business writing and communication analyzes business scenarios in determining how a written document serves its purpose in the workplace, discover the role of document design in information processing, and learn how to respond efficiently to clients’ and colleagues’ needs. We will be focusing on both general and specialist audiences, also provide practice in such essential career skills as problem solving, time management, and oral presentations.
Course Description:
This course is a study of the basics of business writing and introduces students to common formats, such as the memo, letter, and report. The course will stress techniques to improve writing skills and will teach students how to apply techniques used in the business writing process. Other topics covered include, but are not limited to, appropriate strategies for internal and external communication situations, audience analysis, and communication through technology.
Course Major Learning Outcomes:
- Demonstrate proficiency in grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and word use.
- Determine how the various forms of business communication affects business outcomes.
- Understand and discuss the importance of communication processes and skills, critical thinking, and ethics in an increasingly digital workplace.
- Draft business documents, including visual aids, that are grammatically correct and in the appropriate business style.
- Draft a research report that effectively communicates its purpose to its audience using effective, organization, development, and style.
- Identify and develop appropriate materials for the employment search process.
Course textbook + Supplies
In this class we will be using Open Electronic Resources (OERs), there is NO TEXTBOOK to purchase for this course. Everything you will need to complete assignments, exams, and discussions and other assignments will be provided to you in the course.
Dr. Barbara Alston
Instructor Email: balston3@valenciacollege.edu
Office Hours: Monday thru Friday 11-2, 6-8 EST
Please reach out for an appointment if you should need additional support!
No-Show Policy
Required Attendance Activity
If you do not log in to the course during the first week and complete the Academically Related Attendance Activity, you will be withdrawn from the class as a "no show". Students who are not actively participating in an online class and do not submit the required attendance activity or assignment by the scheduled due date must be withdrawn by the instructor at the end of the first week as a "no show". If you are withdrawn as a no show, you will be financially responsible for the class, and a final grade will appear on your transcript for the course.
Late Work/Make-up Policy
What do I need to know about deadlines?
Just as in the workplace, due dates are considered deadlines. For that reason, assignments, assessments, discussions, exercises, or projects will not be accepted late. You will receive a zero for anything not submitted by the deadline. Failure to meet deadlines will affect your performance in this course.
I do understand that life happens. Missed deadlines due to serious illness or other emergency will be accepted with appropriate documentation. Please contact me as soon as possible to come up with a plan to make up missed assignments so that you can stay on track.
If you are unable to participate in the course due to illness, family emergency, etc., please communicate with me as soon as possible in order to create a plan to complete any missed assignments so that your learning can progress in your course. In the case of a prolonged online absence, please communicate with me as soon as possible in order to create a plan for the best course of action.
Attendance Policy
This is a totally online course, therefore, attendance is not formally taken each week as you might be use to in a face to face course. However, you are expected to participate weekly in course assessments, assignments and discussions. In an online course, not completing coursework is equivalent to missing class and will make it tough to get caught up. Missing multiple deadlines will put you at risk of being withdrawn from the course. You must have access to the Internet to complete the course requirements. Students should be aware of the following related to our course attendance policy:
- Your online attendance will be checked weekly based on your participation in the course and submission of coursework.
- In the event of an extended absence, you should contact me via email or phone as soon as possible to indicate the reason.
- If you do not access the course website or contact me letting me know of your absence for a period of seven consecutive days, you will be contacted and if there is no communication within 48 hours, you may be withdrawn from the course up until the withdraw deadline.
- After the withdrawal deadline, students with an absence of more than 7 days will receive the final grade that is earned according to the course grading policy.
The Withdrawal Policy
Per Valencia Policy 4-07 (Academic Progress, Course Attendance and Grades, and Withdrawals), a student who withdraws from class before the withdrawal deadline will receive a grade of “W.” A student is not permitted to withdraw after the withdrawal deadline. A faculty member MAY withdraw a student up to the beginning of the final exam period for violation of the class attendance policy. A student who is withdrawn by faculty for violation of the class attendance policy will receive a grade of “W.” Any student who withdraws or is withdrawn from a class during a third or subsequent attempt in the same course will be assigned a grade of “F.”
How much time do I need to devote to this course?
The College recommends that students spend 3 hours for each credit hour of the course to be successful, approximately 6 hours per week for this course.
Computers are not infallible. Save early, save often and when disk space allows, save incrementally. Windows users especially should be aware that Windows will sometimes corrupt files with erroneous information at the end of a file. This doesn't always affect their usage on the PC they were created on, but those files will be unopenable in the lab.
Academic Honesty Policy
During the planning stage students are encouraged to interact, but all work should still be done by the student turning in that project. You should not allow anyone to use your mouse or keyboard to complete any part of a project. All work turned in under the name of each student is expected to be that of the student turning it in. Printing without payment (in labs where required) is considered cheating. Cheating of any sort will not be tolerated. If caught cheating, you risk receiving a 0 (zero) for that project and the potential to be withdrawn from the class. Lab personnel may assist you if you are having problems with the operation of the computer or to answer questions concerning software applications, but they are not to do any part of your work nor are they tutors. Plagiarism or Copyright Infringement is cheating (refer to your Student Handbook).
Academic Honesty Related to Coding
During this course you will be expected to create web pages using HTML & CSS you learn in this course. You may have heard that many web designers "copy" or use existing codes available through template or resource web sites. It is imperative that you understand that the work in this course must be your own and utilizing code such as templates from outside resources is not acceptable. You are, however, encouraged to reference and resources tutorials and other resources on the web to develop a stronger understanding of the code used to built web pages. If you are caught utilizing a preexisting template for a project, you will receive a zero for the project and risk being withdrawn from the course.
College Student Conduct Policy
Valencia is dedicated not only to the advancement of knowledge and learning but also to the development of responsible personal and social conduct. As a registered student, you assume the responsibility for conducting yourself in a manner that contributes positively to Valencia’s learning community and that does not impair, interfere with, or obstruct the orderly conduct, processes, and functions of the college as described in the Student Code of Conduct.
Privacy & FERPA Policy
Valencia College has a firm commitment to protecting the privacy rights of its students. Any use of student records and information in this course will comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), including third party tools and services used in this course.
Grading Policy
Final course grades of "A," "B," "C," "D," or "F" shall be assigned based upon the student's academic achievement upon the completion of all course work, including the required final examination. A student who fails to take the required final examination may receive a final course grade earned, unless the professor elects to assign the student a grade of "I" or as otherwise addressed in the Professor's course syllabus. Visit the Grading & Assignments page for a full break down of assignments and how you will be graded.
| Total Percentage | Letter Grade |
|---|---|
| 90-100% | A |
| 80-89% | B |
| 70-70% | C |
| 60-69% | D |
| 0-59% | F |