Business Administration 200: Managerial Communication
Fall 2009, 6:00 p.m. Mondays
Dr. Jie Wang, Department of Managerial Studies, (312) 413-4433; jiewang@uic.edu
Office: 2104 University Hall; hours: 2:00-3:00 MWF and by appointment
DESCRIPTION
This course introduces the fundamentals of communication in a corporate environment. The topics to be discussed include, but are not limited to, audience analysis, research methods, organization, drafting, revising, presentation, and visual aids. We will analyze and write essential types of business documents such as memoranda, letters, proposals, and reports. We will also report our research findings in class presentations.
TEXTBOOK
Mary Ellen Guffey. Business Communication, 6th ed. Mason, Ohio: Cengage Learning, 2008. (The book cover should indicate "For Professor Jie Wang's Managerial Communication course"; ISBN: 978-0-324-83078-1.)
The Wall Street Journal (recommended)
EQUIPMENT
One mini-DVD-R or mini-DVD-RW (available from the UIC bookstore and any store where camcorders are sold).
REQUIREMENTS
Course requirements include active class participation and contribution as well as on-time completion of a series of writing and presentation assignments. To ensure fairness, late assignments will incur a penalty (two points for each class period it is late), and daily exercises not submitted when requested will not be accepted.
As part of class preparation, the student should finish reading the chapter assigned prior to coming to class. In addition, the student is expected to read leading business publications such as The Wall Street Journal and Fortune magazine on a regular basis to keep up to date on the latest business news and issues.
Because sharing ideas is a crucial part of our learning process, you are
expected to attend all classes and actively participate in and contribute
to our discussions as well as revision and evaluation efforts. For every two
unexcused absences, your course grade may be lowered by one letter grade.
In the case of an emergency, evidence must be presented upon returning
to class. If your proof (such as a physician's note on official stationery)
is accepted, that absence will be disregarded in the final grade determination.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
Week 1 (8/24)
Course introduction
Chapter 1: Communicating in Today's Workplace
Criterion introduction and
registration:
http://criterion.ets.org
Student
guide for using Criterion
Be sure to select a user name
and password that you can remember; multiple registrations will
incur multiple charges to the university.
Week 2 (8/31)
Chapter 2: Developing Team, Listening, and Etiquette Skills
Memo for revision
Three-to-five-minute infomercial about yourself (personal background, focusing on education, work experience, and career goals)
Transcript of sample infomercial
Week 3 (9/7)
Labor Day - No class
Week 4 (9/14)
Chapter 7: E-mail Messages and Memos
Criterion assignment No. 1, due by midnight this coming Sunday
Assignment directions
Week 5 (9/21)
Electronic
resources: Internet research on companies
List
of Chicagoland-based companies; click here for
a sample
Meet in computer lab (L270 EPASW)
Memo due
Week 6 (9/28)
Chapter 3: Communicating
Across Cultures
WSJ article about cultural differences
(high- vs. low-context cultures)
Case
study: How the Oreo became the No. 1 biscuit maker in China
Cultural difference research assignment due
Submit to Criterion before today's class
(Criterion assignment No. 2)
Chapter 8: Positive Letters and
Messages
Click here for
a traditional-format sample
Click here for
a block-format sample
Letter-writing tips
Directions for company information request letter
Week 7 (10/5)
Chapter 9: Persuasive and Sales Messages
Chapter 10: Negative Messages
Extra-credit language challenge available today
Company profile assignment due
Week 8 (10/12)
Chapter 11: Business Report Basics
Videotaped 10-to-15-minute
Wall Street Journal presentation, followed by Q&A
Bring
mini-DVD-R or mini-DVD-RW
Team presentation assessment memo due October 26 (WSJ
evaluation sample)
Click
here for assignment directions
Click here
for a PowerPoint sample
Presentation tips
Creating professional PowerPoint slides
Letter to company due
Week 9 (10/19)
Videotaped 10-to-15-minute Wall Street Journal
presentation, followed by Q&A
Bring
mini-DVD-R or mini-DVD-RW
Team presentation assessment memo
due October 26 (WSJ
evaluation sample)
Click
here for assignment directions
Click here
for a PowerPoint sample
Presentation tips
Test 1 (covering Chapters 1 to 11)
Week 10 (10/26)
Chapter 13: Proposals and Formal Reports
Term
paper instructions
Click here for a term project work plan sample
Chapter 14: Business Presentations
Click
here for a professional PowerPoint presentation sample
Click
here for a student PowerPoint presentation sample
Click
here for another student PowerPoint presentation sample
Online research resources for term project
Meet in regular classroom at 6:00.
Move to Electronic Learning Lab for second half of class (first floor of main library).
Wall Street Journal presentation assessment memo due
Week 11 (11/2)
Report
on interview with a professional in your field
Click
here for sample informational interview questions
Click
here for a PowerPoint Presentation sample
Click
here for a second PowerPoint presentation sample
Presentation tips
Term project work plan due
Week 12 (11/9)
Chapter 15: Résumés and Cover Messages
Chapter 16: Interviewing and Follow-up
Speaker: Why internship matters and how you can get one
Criterion assignment No. 3
Week 13 (11/16)
Final presentations
Presentation tips
Click
here for a professional PowerPoint presentation sample
Click
here for a student PowerPoint presentation sample
Click
here for another student PowerPoint presentation sample
Week 14 (11/23)
Final presentations continued
Presentation tips
Test 2 (covering Chapters 1 to 16)
Week 15 (11/30)
Discussion and assessment of presentations
Teamwork evaluation
Term paper due
Click here
for term paper instructions
Click
here for a sample term paper
Click
here for MLA documentation guidelines
Course Grade* Components
| Assignment | Points |
| Memo | 10 |
| Letter | 10 |
| Wall Street Journal report | 10 |
| Professional interview report | 10 |
| Other assignments | 15 |
| Test 1 | 20 |
| Test 2 | 25 |
| Final presentation | 20 |
| Term paper | 20 |
| Class participation and contribution | 10 |
| Junior Achievement project (optional) | 0-6 |
* Grades and their significance:
A: Outstanding (at the very top of the class)
B: Superior (exceeding expectations)
C: Average (meeting expectations)
D: Below average (passing)
F: Failing
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