Fall 2008: WRTG 3007.018/021

Business Writing and Rhetoric

Location / HLMS 191/HUMN 270
Time / M,W; 4:30-5:45/6:00-7:15
Instructor / Anna MacBriar, PhD—Instructor, Program for Writing and Rhetoric
Office Location / 1338 Grandview (in back)
Office Hours / Tuesdays 1-4, and by appointment
E-mail /

Course Overview
This course fulfills the Leeds’ upper division core writing requirement. The course is designed to help students achieve the following the learning goals, as established by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, the University of Colorado at Boulder, and the Program for Writing and Rhetoric:

Learning Goals—CCHE/State Articulation
1. Extended knowledge of rhetorical technique, including, but not limited to, traditional modes of persuasion and rhetorical situation. This goal will be achieved through:
*close rhetorical examination of your own writing, as welltexts from a variety of business genres and other rhetorical modalities.
*ongoing self-reflection and continued awareness of your successes and challenges in meeting the needs of different audiences and purposes.

2. Continued experience in writing processes, through:
*extensive revision of each assignment, at all levels (prose style, argument, organization, etc.).
*invention workshops in which multiple topics and rhetorical strategies are explored and evaluated by peers and the instructor.
*generic modeling and critique of writing samples from the business world.
*in-depth peer review throughout the writing process.
* guided self-reflection throughout the writing process.
* practice with a variety of current digital technologies, including, but not limited to,social media technology, PowerPoint, and multimedia production software.
*critical discussion of the forms and limitations of the above media as rhetorical modalities
*information literacy training from a variety of business perspectives.

3. Mastery of writing conventions both within and beyond disciplinary boundaries, gained through:
*practice with a variety of generic conventionsof the business world
*ongoing development of an extensive and in-depth businessvocabulary.
*practice using English language conventions such as spelling, syntax, style, grammar, and punctuation, to achieve advanced rhetorical goals.

4. Full comprehension of the rhetorical demands of a variety of visual arts contexts, developed through:
*close attention to the interplay of audience and purpose in each writing assignment.
*adapting (student-developed) content sources for the needs of a variety of audiences.
*close rhetorical analysis of texts from within a variety of business contexts.
* writing different assignments for different audiences, as well as writing for multiple audiences within one assignment.

Learning Goals in Short
1. Rhetorical awareness
* Recognize and successfully employ the classical modes of persuasion: pathos, ethos, logos.
* Create and adapt content for a variety of audiences, purposes, and occasions.
2. Business writing conventions and professional vocabulary
*Recognize and successfully employ the conventions of business writing, including genre,
persuasion, sourcing, etc.
*Construct a dynamic, critical, personalized vocabulary for writing in the business world.
3. Conventions of written English
*Master the medium of written English at all levels of composition: sentence (grammar syntax, vocabulary, etc.); paragraph (topic sentences, flow, etc.); document (introduction, conclusion, flow, format); sourcing; and, of course, argument.
4. Revision and self-reflection
*Reflectively engage in the writing process from invention to final presentation.
*Develop a dynamic sense of your own ethos as a business professional.
5. Technological literacy
*Approach a variety of new communication technologies with confidence.
6. Critical and rhetorical analysis
*Reflect critically on the strategies and purposes of text in the business disciplines and professions.

Readings
Students will read from a variety of sources within the business disciplines and professions, as well as from the vast and diverse world of rhetorical knowledge. Readings include, but are not limited to:

Print (available on CULearn site)
* Sample business letters gleaned from an ever-changing collection of Business Writing textbooks.
*Sample business proposals from and ever-changing collection of Business Writing textbooks.
*A variety of white papers on the role of art in public life and social progress.
*Articles on the appropriate use of PowerPoint and other digital media in professional contexts.

Online (see CULearn site for links)
*Silva Rhetoricae: This website is a respected and exhaustive knowledge base for rhetorical theory.
*links to a variety of sources on writing conventions and the writing process, including the Purdue OWL.

Always print out the readings and bring them to class on the day they are due for discussion.

Major Assignments
Unit I: In this Unit, you will hone writing and rhetorical skills through a series of short business letters, written for a variety of purposes and audiences.

In addition, you will compose and revise a multimedia resume, applying your rhetorical knowledge in a multimedia genre.

Unit II: This unit will focus on the rhetoric of internal, ethical decision-making. You will work in a small group to proposal (via a long internal memo)a solution to a current, real-world ethical dilemma, within a real corporate or organizational setting.

Unit III: In the final part of the course, you will compose a White Paper that addresses a current ethical concern in a real-world corporate or industrial setting. This paper will be written to an audience external to the company or organization, such as client communities or industry partners.

Class Presentation:Each group will present a 20-30 minute presentation on a focused topic in business communication. The presentation will be designed as a short training session for corporate/organizational clientele.

Note: The Ethics Proposal, White Paper, and Class Presentation assignments require extensive research in the Business disciplines. Please see me for research assistance as needed.

Grading
Grade forms
All grades will be delivered through CULearn’s grading system. Each assignment will be evaluated via grade form. Each major assignment will be graded with a different grade form, based on different criteria. The grade form of the first and final drafts uses identical criteria, though final drafts earn twice the points of first drafts. You may access the grade forms from the online assignment sheet (where you post your assignments). The criteria on the grades forms will reflect the course learning goals (“in Short” version).

Class Participation
Your class participation grade will be assessed on a quarterly basis. While the assessment is holistic in nature, it is based on a combination of demonstrated preparedness, participation in class discussions, and participation in workshops. In addition, low participation grades will likely result from poor attendance (especially of workshops), failure to complete readings on schedule, and distracting/disruptive classroom behavior.

Revision and Late Work
The ability to work at a scheduled pace is crucial to real-world writing success. Due to the fast-pace of writing workshops, first drafts will not be accepted late. Students may turn in any final draft until midnight of the final day of the course. However, students who turn in their final drafts on the due date will be rewarded with the option of revising the final draft for a higher grade. Revisions may be turned in up to two weeks after the grade is received.

All assignments are to be submitted on CULearn before the start of class on the day they are due. Assignments submitted after the start of class will be considered late.

The Breakdown
Unit I: 30% (BNL, SRL, RCL)
All first drafts of letters: 5% total
All final drafts: 10% total
Multimedia resume first draft: 5%
Multimedia resume final draft: 10%

Unit II: 15% (EP)
Ethics Proposalfirst draft: 5%
Ethics Proposalfinal draft: 10%
Unit III: 30% (WP)
White Paper first draft: 10%
White Paper final draft: 20%

Class Presentation: 15%
Presentation: 10%
Presentation Packet: 5%

Class Participation: 10%
Workshops: 5%
Discussions: 5%

Attendance Policy
Because this is a workshop and discussion-based course, regular attendance is essential to achieving the learning goals. Students can miss three classes without penalty. Each absence after the third will result in a 3% deduction from the final course grade.

Peer-Review Workshops
In-class, small group writing workshops are a central component of this course. Full student participation in all workshops is a must for the overall success of this course. Workshops provide an opportunity for students to examine each others’ work and to assist each other with all aspects of the writing process, including organization, sentence-level clarity and style, reasoning and evidence, rhetorical awareness, etc.

The key to success peer-review is genuine effort on the part of students to help each other do the best you can. This course is not graded on a curve, and students are not pitted against one another in competition for grades; in fact, a large portion of your grade will depend directly on your focused, quality attention to each other’s work during workshops. The guiding principle effective workshopping is toframe your comments (especially points of critique) so that they will be positively received by the author.

Always print out and bring to class four copies of your draft on the day of your workshop!

Suggestions for Reviewers
*Always point out the strongest aspects of the piece at the start and end of your comments. Be sure that your praise is genuine.
*Always offer a possible solution when you point out a problem with the piece.
Suggestions for Authors
*Always bring enough (four)copies for everyone in your workgroup.
*Come to your own workshop with a set of focused questions about how to improve your work. (In fact, you will be asked to turn these questions in when you turn in your online draft.)

Technological Requirements
CULearn
All course materials, including syllabus and policies, assignment sheets, and readings, are accessible on the CULearn site. All readings should be printed out and brought to the class on the day it is due to be discussed.

The discussion boards will be available for students to post questions and ideas about how to successfully complete course assignments. The discussion forum may also be used to post comments and suggestions on students’ drafts.

Multimedia production software
You will be making a class presentation that utilizes multimedia production software. An in-class training session will provided by Dave Underwood, from ATLAS. If you do not own a copy of such software, there are numerous copies around copies that will be available to you.

PowerPoint
Your class presentation will require the use of PowerPoint. We will discuss in class some principles and pitfalls of effective PowerPoint integration.

Plagiarism and Academic Integrity

  • All students of the University of Colorado at Boulder are responsible for knowing and adhering to the academic integrity policy of this institution.
  • Violations of this policy may include: cheating, plagiarism, aid of academic dishonesty, fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening behavior.
  • All incidents of academic misconduct shall be reported to the Honor Code Council (; 303-725-2273).
  • Students who are found to be in violation of the academic integrity policy will be subject to both academic sanctions from the faculty member[policy for this course: failure of the plagiarized assignment upon the first instance and failure of the course upon the second] and non-academic sanctions (including but not limited to university probation, suspension, or expulsion) from the university administration.
  • Other information on the Honor Code can be found at at

Disabilities Services
If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit to me a letter from Disability Services in a timely manner so that your needs may be addressed. Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities. Contact: 303-492-8671, Willard 322, andhtp://

Classroom Behavior
Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Those who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards may be subject to discipline. Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with differences ofrace, culture, religion, politics, sexual orientation, gender, gender variance, and nationalities. Class rosters are provided to the instructor with the student's legal name. I will gladly honor your request to address you by an alternate name or gender pronoun. Please advise me of this preference early in the semester so that I may make appropriate changes to my records. See polices at at

Discrimination and Harassment

The University of Colorado at Boulder policy on Discrimination and Harassment, the University of Colorado policy on Sexual Harassment and the University of Colorado policy on Amorous Relationships apply to all students, staff and faculty. Any student, staff or faculty member who believes s/he has been the subject of discrimination or harassment based upon race, color, and national origin, sex, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status should contact the Office of Discrimination and Harassment (ODH) at 303-492-2127 or the Office of Judicial Affairs at 303-492-5550. Information

about the ODH, the above referenced policies and the campus resources available to assist individuals regarding discrimination or harassment can be obtained at .