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Syllabus for SC 330 -01 (3 hrs.) Corporate & Professor: Glen Williams
Professional Communication
TR 9-9:50 a.m.*; Fall 2010; GB 109
“You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can't
get them across, your brains won't get you anywhere."
—Lee Iacocca, An Autobiography (New York: Bantam, 1984).
Course description: A careful examination of the roles of communication and its importance in business
and organizational settings, how we might communicate more effectively and professionally, and the benefits of doing so.
Course objective: To better understand, appreciate, and employ principles of effective communication.
Text: (Required; we will read the text in its entirety.) Guffey, M.E. (2003). Business Communication:
Process & Product, 4e. Mason, OH: SW College Publishing.
Assignments, exams, and total points possible:
Four* written assignments: Your scores
1) Assimilating What You Encounter 10 pts. 4% ______
2) Profile of a Position & Your Prep. 20 pts. 8% ______
3) Connecting vs. Selling Yourself 15 pts. 6.5% ______
4) Team Project & Report/Symposium 30 pts. 13% ______
Presentations
1) Sharing paper one 5 pts. 2% ______
2) Sharing paper two 5 pts. 2% ______
3) Team report/symposium 10 pts. 4% ______
(Use of PowerPoint) 5 pts. 2% ______
Quiz I (C.L.U.E.—Appendix A) 10 pts. 4% ______
Quiz II (chapters 1, 2, 3, & 4) 25 pts. 11% ______
Quiz III (chapters 5, 6, & 7) 25 pts. 11% ______
Quiz IV (chapters 8, 9, 10, & 11) 25 pts. 11% ______
Quiz V (chapters 12, 13, & 14) 25 pts. 11% ______
Final Exam (partial take-home) 20 pts. 8% ______
Total pts. poss. 230 pts.* Your total = ______
Final grades will be calculated using the following scale:
207--230 = A (i.e., 90% + = A) 184-206 = B (i.e., 80% + = B)
161-183 = C (i.e., 70% + = C) 138-160 = D (i.e., 60% + = D)
*You may opt to attend & report on an annual lecture hosted by the Dept. of Communication Studies.
If so, the brief, simple report would be worth up to 5 possible bonus pts.
Instructor information:
Office: GB 217H; Office phone (651-2493); Mail Stop: 2750; Mailbox: outside office door
Office hours: ______& ______
E-mail: Note: No attachments! Web: http://cstl-cla.semo.edu/williams
Home phone ( 8 a.m. — 9 p.m. & vital calls only, please! ) : 651 – 4211
______
*Mid-morning by corporate standards
A word about written assignments:
For each written submission I will emphasize quality over quantity. I want to see well-contemplated thought expressed concisely and precisely. Each submission should be the result of multiple drafts / revisions. I will expect your absolute best work (just as if you were “on the job,” so I can help prepare you to be ready for that).
I also will expect you to review my comments and apply them to your next endeavor. Regardless of how well you write, I will expect to see you improve as a writer. An ability to write well is important for producing more effective/successful messages as well as for analyzing messages you encounter (a major goal of SC330!).
We will discuss writing, and I will coach your writing. You may also wish to visit the Writing Center in Kent Library (651-2159) for some one-on-one assistance with your writing. (More about this, below.)
*Daily schedule for the course
Month / Day: To prepare for class: Agenda:
—August—
M 23 Show up Intros & overview
Discuss Assignment I / Presentation I
W 25 Read App. A & Ch. 1, pp. 3-10 Discussion
F 27 Review App. A & read Ch. 1, pp. 15-32 Applying Skills
M 30 Read Ch 2: parts 1-3 & 5 Disc/activities
—September—
W 1 Read Ch 3: parts 1-3, skim parts 4-6 Disc/activities
Noon: Speakers Showcase ( U.C. Ballroom )
F 3 Read Ch 4, skimming part 6 Disc/activities
Review your notes from the Showcase
M 6 No class: Labor Day
W 8 Prepare for Quiz I: Review carefully!! Quiz I
F 10 Study day: Prepare for Quiz II In-class prep
M 13 Prepare for Quiz II; read Assignment II Quiz II; Discuss AII
W 15 Read Ch 5; work on Assignment II Disc/activity
F 17 Return & review quizzes Disc/activity
M 20 Read Ch 6; work on Assignment II Disc/activity
W 22 Read Ch 7; work on Assignment II Disc/activity
F 24 Prepare for Quiz III Quiz III
M 27 Read Ch 8; work on Assignment II Disc/activity
W 29 Read Ch 9; finish Assignment II Disc/activity
—October—
F 1 Review Ch 9; Read Assignment III Disc/activity; Discuss AIII
M 4 Finish Assignment II Assignment II due / presented
W 6 Read Ch 10; work on Assignment III Disc/activity
F 8 Review Ch 10; work on Assignment III Disc/activity
M 11 Read Ch 11; work on Assignment III Disc/activity
W 13 Review Ch 11; finish Assignment III Assignment III due; Activity,cont.
F 15 No class! Fall Break!! Enjoy special times with family & friends!
M 18 Prepare for Quiz IV Quiz IV
W 20 Read Ch 12 Disc/activity
F 22 Read Ch 13 Disc/activity
M 25 Read Ch 14; Read Assignment III Disc/activity
W 27 Read Assignment III Disc/activity
F 29 Prepare for Quiz V Quiz V
Homecoming this weekend!
—November—
M 1 Read Ch 15; Review Assignment III Disc/activity
W 3 Researching for AIII: Expectations & A Primer Disc/activity
F 5 Work on AIII Meet in Kent Library
M 8 Work on AIII Meet in Kent Library, Rm. 329
W 10 Work on AIII, including presentation portion Meet in Kent Library
F 12 Work on AIII, including presentation portion Meet in Kent Library
M 15 No class: Gw attends national convention Work with group
Plan to utilize Greene Multimedia Center
in Kent Library, Rm. 329. Ph: 986-4978
W 17 No class: Gw attends national convention Work with group
F 19 Finalize Assignment IV and presentation Assignment IV due;
Presentations begin
M 22 Get ready for presentations Presentations, cont.
W 24 & F 26 No Class: Thanksgiving Holiday! Give thanks with family & friends.
M 29 Get ready for presentations Presentations, cont.
—Decembrrr!—
W 1 Get ready for presentations Presentations, cont.
F 3 Get ready for presentations Presentations end
M 6 Read Ch 16 Disc/activities
W 8 Review Resume / Cover Letter Activity
F 10 Review Resume / Cover Letter Activity
Final exam period: 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 15
Policies for the course: Know them & follow them, as any professional would.
I will uphold University policies regarding Civil Climate; Academic Dishonesty; Attendance; Incompletes; Withdrawal, etc. We will handle any issues or problems on a case by case basis, documenting everything in writing. Consult the Undergraduate Bulletin and the Fall Schedule 2010.
1) Policy regarding assignments: In addition to complying with all assignment guidelines & specifications:
a) Have a backup copy of all work before & after submitted. E.g., computer mishaps won’t extend date due.
b) Submit by date due. I will accept late work only if it is due to a documented emergency. Even so, in fairness, the late submission will receive a grade reduction of 10% per 24 hrs. late, or fraction thereof.
c) Unless indicated otherwise, type all assignments. Assignments not typed will be returned to be typed and will incur the usual late penalty, unless I kindly extend the period of submission to later in the day.
d) Any appeal of a grade must be made in writing within 3 days of its issue. I’ll respond orally & in writing.
2) Policy pertaining to students with special needs: I will do my best to accommodate and assist every student to facilitate her or his learning and to enhance his or her educational experience. In order to provide optimum assistance, I will need to coordinate my efforts with those of the Learning Enrichment Center (651-2273). Any student with special needs should contact that office and share their recommendations with me.
General expectations for performance in the course:
1) This course will require a lot of writing. The emphasis will be on quality, not quantity. Although an assignment may not require a lot of pages, it will require a lot of thought and careful attention to how that thought is written—including clarity, coherence of thought, structure, style, and so on. I will always expect your best work, and it is in your interest (both in terms of grade and development) to put forth your best effort on any assignment. (Also write with the goal of building a portfolio! Consult Career Linkages for ideas.)
Note: If you need assistance in order to achieve junior-level, college-level writing, it is your responsibility to seek assistance at the Writing Center in Kent Library (651-2159). (Just as students who have trouble in Calculus, Statistics, etc., often seek help from a tutor, so should those who have difficulties with writing.)
The good news is that the Writing Center is a free service for students.
2) I assume you will be an active participant and not merely a passive observer; I expect you to contribute to class discussion—helping to raise our collective awareness & enhance our learning. Note: On the final exam, I may ask you to discuss a noteworthy contribution you made.
3) I expect you to tune into class and not distract others, behaving as you would in any professional meeting (or in a movie theatre!).We cannot tolerate extended, “private” conversations/chatter.
Attention honors students: You can contract SC 330 for honors credit. We’ll make it humane & fun!
A quick note about grades:
The university designates that average (i.e., “okay”/ “good”) work merits a “C.”
Work (speeches, papers, etc.) that is not “okay” / “good” in any way, will earn less than a “C.”
(Note: Otherwise, I’d be telling you something was “okay,” when it was not.
In addition, I’d be cheapening the degree from Southeast.)
Work that exceeds “okay” / “good” will earn a “B.”
Work that greatly exceeds “okay” / “good” to the point of being considered exceptional,
will earn an “A.”
Note: Continued enrollment in the course implies your agreement to abide by the policies/expectations specified in this syllabus; this syllabus represents a contract between student and professor.
Descriptions for quizzes, the final exam, and assignments:
The following is meant to clarify, assist, and direct your work. I welcome your observations & questions.
Quiz I: To communicate effectively, a professional must employ language correctly, as well as the various conventions and forms that govern its proper use in business/organizational settings. We’ll brush up on these matters via Appendix A in the text, and I’ll quiz your knowledge/application of these matters. Study carefully!
Quiz II: I’ll quiz your knowledge of (& ability to apply) what we’ve learned from chapters 1, 2, 3, & 4.
Quiz III: I’ll quiz your knowledge of (& ability to apply) what we’ve learned from chapters 5, 6, & 7.
Quiz IV: I’ll quiz your knowledge of (& ability to apply) what we’ve learned from chapters 8, 9, 10, & 11.
Quiz V: I’ll quiz your knowledge of (& ability to apply) what we’ve learned from chapters 12, 13, & 14.
Final Exam: Part of this will be a take-home. For example, I might have you create a resume that is concise and instantly intelligible (Ch. 16) and/or rework Assignment III. In any case, we’ll discuss the final, and I’ll provide specific directions.
Note: Quizzes & the Final Exam comprise 50 % of your total grade. These are not merely recall questions but also contain application exercises. Hence, they will test your ability to communicate effectively, not merely test what you know about theory, principles, and so forth.
Written Assignments
Assignment I: Assimilating What You Encounter. Assimilation is part of learning. It’s when we reflect upon what we encounter, associating it with what we have previously learned or experienced and forging connections among the previously “unconnected” parts. Your task in this first written assignment is to do just that. As you read through a chapter, some things should “sound familiar.” Perhaps Guffey’s discussion reminds you of something you were taught while growing up, or perhaps it’s something you read or viewed or listened to in a recent news program, or maybe it’s something you picked up on while watching others, or maybe it relates to something you’ve discussed in another class.
Whatever the case, fashion your response in a single, developmental paragraph (see “Pointers for Writing,” below). Craft a topic sentence that nails down the idea of your paragraph precisely and concisely. Frontload that idea in the first or second sentence of the paragraph. Stick to that idea with everything that follows, as you develop the idea. Provide good, easy-to-read and easy-to-understand explanation and example. If you quote, make sure to keep it at a minimum, integrate it smoothly, and properly acknowledge the source. Be sure to quote from the specific passage in Guffey’s text and indicate the page(s) upon which it appears. (Note: Consult the form Assimilation Paper, available under “forms” on our class website. Follow it closely. Attach it beneath your completed paper. I will use the form in providing feedback to you.)
For example, in chapter one Guffey observes that “flatter organizations . . . require that every employee be a skilled communicator” (p. 5). Her statement reminds me of my father telling me that in order to be successful, one has to associate with successful people. It also reminds me of the stellar group of colleagues I had at Texas A&M and how my own publication record soared during those years. Within this first paper I’d explain how being around talented people, who put their talent to good use, can help make the whole group stronger as well as help keep everyone motivated and growing and excelling.
Your paragraph will likely require a page and a half of double-spaced text. Please use a Times 12 font. You will also share your paragraph with the class, aloud, on the day we cover that chapter in class. Present it, rather than merely read it to us. Engage us with your eyes, and be appropriately animated, dynamic with your voice and manner. Please dress the part, as well.