Sheridan Course Outlines

COMM70003
Business Writing Strategies

I: Administrative Information II: Course Details III: Topical Outline(s) Printable Version

Section I: Administrative Information

Total hours: 48.0
Credit Value: 3.5
Credit Value Notes: N/A
Effective: Spring/Summer 2019
Prerequisites: N/A
Corequisites: N/A
Equivalents: N/A
Pre/Co/Equiv Notes: N/A

Program(s): Business Communication Skills, Canadian Institute of Manageme, Management Development Studies
Program Coordinator(s): N/A
Course Leader or Contact: N/A
Version: 20190506_00
Status: Approved (APPR)

Section I Notes: This is an Algonquin College course that is offered through Sheridan CAPS. Students who register for the course through Sheridan will receive credit from Sheridan College only. Access to the course materials will be through OntarioLearn.com.

Section II: Course Details

Detailed Description
Effective and practical writing skills are important for successful communication in business. Students develop practical writing skills using basic word processing technology. They learn how to compose business correspondence including emails, memoranda, letters, and reports, with a focus on routine and persuasive messages. A review of basic grammar is also included.

Program Context

Business Communication Skills	Program Coordinator(s): N/A
n/a
Canadian Institute of Manageme	Program Coordinator(s): N/A
n/a
Management Development Studies	Program Coordinator(s): N/A
n/a

Course Critical Performance and Learning Outcomes

	Critical Performance:
	In this course, students develop practical writing skills using technology for successful communication in business. They learn how to compose business correspondence including e-mails, memoranda, letters, and reports with a focus on routine, persuasive, and negative messages. The course includes a review of grammar and mechanics.

Learning Outcomes:

To achieve the critical performance, students will have demonstrated the ability to:

Review and apply the basic principles of English grammar and punctuation.
Demonstrate an understanding of the principles of clarity, completeness, conciseness, correctness, and courtesy in business communications.
Select and use appropriate formats for business writing.
Draft and review routine and good-news memos and letters using the direct organizational pattern.
Write effective business letters and memos that contain negative messages using the indirect organizational pattern.
Use persuasive language in order to sell or promote products, ideas, services, etc.
To gather relevant information from various sources and integrate it into targeted messages.

Evaluation Plan
Students demonstrate their learning in the following ways:

Evaluation Plan: ONLINE

	Assignment 1:	10.0%
	Assignment 2:	10.0%
	Assignment 3:	10.0%
	Assignment 4:	10.0%
	Discussions 1-5:	20.0%
	Culminating Task	40.0%
	Total	100.0%

Evaluation Notes and Academic Missed Work Procedure:

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS COURSE-SPECIFIC: 

Note: In all course work, students must comply with the conventions of standard English. 
LATE ASSIGNMENTS Students are responsible for meeting all course deadlines with respect to assignments, projects, and examinations.  Assignments are due on the date specified on the course calendar and in the format indicated in assignment descriptions.   All late assignments will be subjected to an immediate 10% penalty.  The Student may submit the work within five days of the due date with a 10% penalty per day.  After five days the assignment will not be accepted and a mark of zero will be recorded.

Provincial Context
The course meets the following Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities requirements:

Essential Employability Skills
Essential Employability Skills emphasized in the course:

Communication Skills - Communicate clearly, concisely and correctly in the written, spoken, visual form that fulfills the purpose and meets the needs of the audience.
Communication Skills - Respond to written, spoken, or visual messages in a manner that ensures effective communication.
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving - Apply a systematic approach to solve problems.
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving Skills - Use a variety of thinking skills to anticipate and solve problems.
Information Management - Locate, select, organize and document information using appropriate technology and information systems.
Information Management Skills - Analyze, evaluate, and apply relevant information from a variety of sources.
Personal Skills - Manage the use of time and other resources to complete projects.
Personal Skills - Take responsibility for one's own actions, decisions, and consequences.

Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition
PLAR Contact (if course is PLAR-eligible) - Office of the Registrar
Students may apply to receive credit by demonstrating achievement of the course learning outcomes through previous relevant work/life experience, service, self-study and training on the job. This course is eligible for challenge through the following method(s):

Other
Notes: This course is delivered through OntarioLearn at ontariolearn.com and is hosted by (Algonquin College) AL-ENL5012.

Section III: Topical Outline

Some details of this outline may change as a result of circumstances such as weather cancellations, College and student activities, and class timetabling.
Instruction Mode: Online
Professor: Multiple Professors
Resource(s):

	Type	Description
Optional	Other	TEXTBOOK: Impact AUTHOR: Margot Nothey PUBLISHER: Prentice EDITION: 8th ISBN: 9780132574396

Applicable student group(s): All
Course Details:

MODULE 1
     - Understand and use the business communication process to write
       various business messages
     - The importance of planning
     - Adopting a problem-solving approach
     - Strategies for planning, drafting, revising, editing, and
       proofreading assorted business messages

MODULE 2
     - Use the principles of clarity, completeness, conciseness,
       correctness, and courtesy in business communications
     - Audience awareness
     - Awareness of tone
     - Awareness of different levels of language
     - Use of active and passive voice

MODULE 3
     - Write routine and good-news e-mails, memos, and letters using
       the direct organizational pattern
     - Use of the direct approach in routine business communication

MODULE 4
     - Write effective business letters and memos that contain
       negative messages using the indirect organizational pattern
     - Use of tact
     - The indirect structure in letters that convey a "bad news"
       message.

MODULE 5
     - Use persuasive language in order to sell or promote products,
       ideas, and services
     - Strategies for persuasion
     - Persuasive organizational structures

MODULE 6
     - Write effective resumes and cover letters, and prepare for a
       job interview.
     - Researching the job market
     - Resume principles, styles, and formats

MODULE 7
     - Review and apply the basic principles of English grammar and
       punctuation
     - Subject-verb and pronoun agreement
     - Pronoun reference errors
     - Sentence fragments and run-ons
     - Use of most important punctuation marks, including the comma,
       semicolon, colon, and period

Sheridan Policies

All Sheridan policies can be viewed on the Sheridan policy website.

Academic Integrity: The principle of academic integrity requires that all work submitted for evaluation and course credit be the original, unassisted work of the student. Cheating or plagiarism including borrowing, copying, purchasing or collaborating on work, except for group projects arranged and approved by the professor, or otherwise submitting work that is not the student's own, violates this principle and will not be tolerated. Students who have any questions regarding whether or not specific circumstances involve a breach of academic integrity are advised to review the Academic Integrity Policy and procedure and/or discuss them with the professor.

Copyright: A majority of the course lectures and materials provided in class and posted in SLATE are protected by copyright. Use of these materials must comply with the Acceptable Use Policy, Use of Copyright Protected Work Policy and Student Code of Conduct. Students may use, copy and share these materials for learning and/or research purposes provided that the use complies with fair dealing or an exception in the Copyright Act. Permission from the rights holder would be necessary otherwise. Please note that it is prohibited to reproduce and/or post a work that is not your own on third-party commercial websites including but not limited to Course Hero or OneNote. It is also prohibited to reproduce and/or post a work that is not your own or your own work with the intent to assist others in cheating on third-party commercial websites including but not limited to Course Hero or OneNote.

Intellectual Property: Sheridan's Intellectual Property Policy generally applies such that students own their own work. Please be advised that students working with external research and/or industry collaborators may be asked to sign agreements that waive or modify their IP rights. Please refer to Sheridan's IP Policy and Procedure.

Respectful Behaviour: Sheridan is committed to provide a learning environment that supports academic achievement by respecting the dignity, self-esteem and fair treatment of every person engaged in the learning process. Behaviour which is inconsistent with this principle will not be tolerated. Details of Sheridan's policy on Harassment and Discrimination, Academic Integrity and other academic policies are available on the Sheridan policy website.

Accessible Learning: Accessible Learning coordinates academic accommodations for students with disabilities. For more information or to register, please see the Accessible Learning website (Statement added September 2016)

Course Outline Changes: The information contained in this Course Outline including but not limited to faculty and program information and course description is subject to change without notice. Any changes to course curriculum and/or assessment shall adhere to approved Sheridan protocol. Nothing in this Course Outline should be viewed as a representation, offer and/or warranty. Students are responsible for reading the Important Notice and Disclaimer which applies to Programs and Courses.

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