General
Information
Welcome
to English 3000: Business Writing. Here is a syllabus for the course. You are responsible for the information therein, so
read it over carefully and print out a hardcopy.
In this online course, you must complete multiple reading and writing assignments within the context of five modules over the span of fifteen weeks. This is the first module. While strict deadlines will be upheld for assignments, you are encouraged to work at your own pace.
We
have one paperback text for this course, the eleventh edition of The Business Writer's Handbook:
Be sure to use this edition; page numbers and content differ in previous editions.
You may
email me with questions via Pilot and [email protected]. I always answer within 24 hours, usually sooner, on the condition that your emails are written in complete sentences and free of mechanical errors. This is a college writing course, so make sure your queries are polished and professional and I will promptly address your concerns. Even better than email: visit me in my office to discuss matters in person. I want to see everybody excel and I’m here as a resource, but too frequently, students in my online courses don’t contact me when they encounter difficulties. Students who do make an effort to connect with me, however, invariably get better grades.
Please check your WSU email regularly throughout the semester. I often send out reminders about assignments, holidays, etc.
This course is run by way of my
own website in conjunction with Pilot, Wright State University's
distance learning program. The index page will operate as your primary resource for the course. You may access
this page via Pilot or www.wright.edu/~david.wilson.
All
major and minor assignments should be submitted to me via Pilot on their respective due dates and times. Go to the Dropbox to upload your work. Assignments may be submitted as .doc, .docx, .rtf or .pdf files.
You are responsible for monitoring the upload of each assignment you submit. Assignments submitted after their due dates have elapsed (whether it be one day, ten days, or one minute) will not be accepted. Assignments are due every Friday at 9 a.m. These modules and Pilot provide you with all due dates from the beginning to the end of the course so that you can organize and manage your time. Never wait until the last minute to submit work in case of computer glitches or other issues that might occur. Always provide yourself with enough time to upload your work.
Grades are based upon a point system tallied throughout the quarter by Pilot. Major assignments are worth 100 points and minor assignments are worth 25 points.
For
most major assignments, you will be asked to produce a piece of writing
for a hypothetical company or position in the business world. Whatever
the assignment, you should always attempt to distinguish and individuate
yourself in some way from other potential candidates, co-workers, etc.
You will be graded on the dynamism and effectiveness of how you represent
yourself in your writing in terms of CONTENT as well as STYLE.
These modules contain numerous readings regarding the stylistics and mechanics of business writing as described in The Business Writer's Handbook. You will not be tested specifically on these readings, but your writing will be expected to exhibit the rules that they explain, so it is important that you read them thoroughly.
FINAL
NOTE: Under no circumstances should parents or guardians of students
contact me with questions or concerns regarding a student's performance
or the course itself. Such matters are confidential and protected by
university policy. Parents and guardians need to contact the Wright
State University administration with questions or concerns. Students,
however, may contact me freely and are encouraged to do so.