General
Information
Welcome
to English 330: 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 are responsible for completing multiple reading and writing assignments within the context of ten modules in ten weeks—hence, one module per week. This is the first module. While strict deadlines will be upheld for assignments, you are encouraged to work at your own pace.
This
course is run by way of my
own website in conjunction with Wright State University's distance learning program WebCT.
If you have never used the program before, make sure you complete this
WebCT Tutorial.
The
index page
will operate as your primary resource for the course. You may access
this page via www.wright.edu/~david.wilson
or via WebCT
by clicking the Main folder.
All
major and minor assignments should be submitted to me via WebCT on their respective due dates and times. Go to the Assignments folder and upload your work accordingly. All assignments
MUST be composed and submitted on MS-Word as .doc or .docx files. DO NOT submit work in the form of .rtf or .wps files.
Major
assignments will receive letter grades. Minor assignments will receive
one of three marks:
2 denotes
work that is complete and follows directions.1 denotes
work that is only partially complete or diverges from the directions. 0 denotes work that is illegible or, in most cases,
simply not turned in.
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.
A
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS forum is available on WebCT.
This is a peer-response space where you may post questions about assignments,
due dates, etc. Participation points will be given for both questions
and answers. Please refer to this forum before referring to me. If none
of your peers are able to answer your question, I will of course do
so.
Assignments
to be turned in will always be cast in red.
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.
Reading
& Comprehension
Review
and familiarize yourself with The Business Writer's Handbook.
All readings assigned to you will be in bold print and followed in parentheses
by the first page number on which the reading appears.
Read
five steps to successful writing (xv), memos
(325), plagiarism (382) and ethics in writing
(188).
Assignments
Ideal Jobs: Write down 5-10 ideal jobs. In 250 words, explain why you want
these jobs, then explain what sort of writing you expect to do for them. Submit via WebCT. DUE DATE & TIME: Friday, Sept. 11, 5 p.m.
Personal Memo: Prepare a concise, conversational, well-planned
print memo introducing yourself to me. Tell me something memorable about
yourself, indicate your future career aims, and tell me what you would
like to learn in this class. Use your best grammar, mechanics, and spelling
skills. 250-500 words. Submit via WebCT. DUE DATE & TIME: Friday, Sept. 11, 5 p.m.
