Business 310 - Business Communications

CONTENTS 
1. Professor Information
2. Course Materials
3. Course Overview 
4. Grading and Evaluation
5. Policies and Expectations

1.  PROFESSOR INFORMATION

Professor's Name:  Melissa Fish
E-mail Address:       fishm@arc.losrios.edu
Mailing Address:     c/o American River College, 4700 College Oak Dr.,    
                         Sacramento, CA 95841
Office Hours:            TBA
Virtual Office Hours:   F 7:00 - 8:00 a.m.
Phone:                       (916) 484-8061; Fax (916) 484- 8673

2.  COURSE MATERIALS

Textbook:
Locker, K., and S. Kaczmarek, Business Communication: Building Critical Skills. 4th edition. McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2008. ISBN: 978-0073377728.

Reference Manual (optional):
Clark, James and Clark, Lyn HOW 12: A Handbook for Office Workers 12th edition, South-Western College Publishing, 2009.  ISBN 978-1439037171

Course Website:  http://d2l.losrios.edu
This website will be used as the primary website for the course.  It is your responsibility to log in and check this site often to receive instruction for assignments, review the class schedule, complete assessments, and communicate vital information for the course.

Instructor’s Website:  http://ic.arc.losrios.edu/~fishm/ 
This website contains some basic information, but will not be used as the primary website of the course.  Please refer to Blackboard for course information.

Other:
The above materials are available through the ARC bookstore or online at www.half.com. The course is managed through “Blackboard” that is accessed via the Internet.

Note: Contact your professor if you have any difficulty obtaining or using any of your course materials.

3.  COURSE OVERVIEW 

In a nationwide survey, top industry leaders were asked which factors contribute most significantly to a person’s career advancement in organizations. The number one factor cited was interpersonal communication skills. This course is a comprehensive introduction to communication issues that will enhance your oral and written communication skills, enable you to conduct effective meetings and negotiations, contribute to your success in diversified teams, and help you plan your careers.

COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course focuses on the concepts, strategies, and principles of effective communication in business situations. Tools to communicate effectively in a fast-paced technological, global marketplace are emphasized. The course provides opportunities to create, edit, evaluate, and critique business documents and reports. A formal research paper using analytical skills, graphics, and the ability to draw conclusions and make recommendations is required. An oral business presentation with visuals is prepared and delivered.

COURSE OBJECTIVES
Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to

4.  GRADING AND EVALUATION

COURSE REQUIREMENTS
A BUS 100 (English for the Professional) or ENGWR 102 (Proficient Writing) with a grade of "C" or better; or placement through the assessment process. Keyboarding skill or BUSTEC 302 is advisory.

All students must complete the following:

ONLINE DISCUSSION/PARTICIPATION
Your online participation will be evaluated on a quantity and quality basis. Your comments should advance the discussion, add value, and be relevant. Comments such as “I agree” and “ditto” are not considered value-added participation. Therefore, when you agree or disagree with a comment, please state and support your agreement or disagreement. You will receive five points per week for your discussion posting.

Three (3) class meetings are scheduled for this course.  You must attend all three class meetings. Please note the dates and times in the assignment calendar and plan accordingly.  No exceptions are granted. If you cannot make any of the class meetings, then you should select a different section for this course. 

SUBMITTING YOUR WORK

Exams:  Exams will be available for multiple days as indicated online. All exams will be conducted online, and you will be given the opportunity to submit them for grading upon completion.

Quizzes:  Quizzes are to be completed at the end of each grouping of chapters (modules).  You may only submit a quiz once for a grade. You will be able to review your quizzes and resubmit them for grading. Quizzes are automatically scored, and you will be able to view your grade immediately upon completion.

Assignments/Exercises:  Your specific assignments are listed in Desire2Learn (D2L) Please submit assignments/exercises as instructed on the day designated as assigned online and/or on the syllabus. Label your assignments with the course code, your name, week and/or topic in the “Subject” line. (Example: 21216 Student’s Name Week 2 Assignment 3)  Also include your full name at the bottom of the e-mail. I prefer that your attached documents be in Microsoft Word.  If you do not have Microsoft Word, you must save the file in Rich Text Format (.rtf); otherwise, the professor will not be able to access your work and you will not receive credit for the assignment.

Late Assignment Policy:  Late assignments will receive half credit for a specified period of time.  This will be listed with the original due date in D2L.  After the second deadline, no late work will be accepted.

ACTIVITY EVALUATION
Your activities will be evaluated on both content and format. Always use your best grammar skills. Refer to a reference manual for assistance whenever necessary. You will be evaluated on your success at addressing all the pertinent issues in a succinct, well-written format (opening, body, closing).

STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS
To succeed in this course, each week you should complete the following steps:

5.  POLICIES AND EXPECTATIONS

EMERGENCIES 

LOGIN POLICY
You are expected to login to the course at least once a week (http://D2L.losrios.edu). I will post most announcements in the Announcements area. Please read that section regularly. Online courses move swiftly. Please keep up with the Discussion Board and your other assignments.

NETIQUETTE POLICY
Online etiquette is extremely important. We must show respect to one another at all times. Rudeness and disrespect will not be tolerated in this course. Please recognize that communication is rather “flat” online where we cannot see and hear each other. So be cautious when giving constructive criticism.  Until you understand how other communicate, you should avoid using sarcasm or negative statements. Familiarize yourself with “smileys,” online icons that show emotion, so that you lessen the risk of offending the person you are trying to communicate with. Whenever possible, give constructive criticism and always treat others the way you would like to be treated. For more information, see http://www.newbie.net/cybercourse/09netiquette.html to check out the Smiley FAQ.

In addition, please check your work before placing information online.  You should check for proper spelling, grammar, sentence structure, etc. before you submit your posting!

TECHNOLOGY EXPECTATION
I expect that you have basic technology and Internet skills if you are in this course. If you need to review any of the basics, please go to the Microsoft site and brush up. http://www.microsoft.com/insider/internet. If you need help with D2L, go to http://d2lresources.losrios.edu and choose from the listing of help options.

CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY

The communication that happens within this classroom should stay within it. Like any class, we are a community, and we need to treat each other with respect.

STUDENT’S COMMITMENT
You should budget adequate time each week for reading the textbook and completing all assignments. You will be responsible for keeping up to date with all exercises and assignments. You should also be respectful of your fellow students at all times. This course takes a lot of time to complete successfully so please plan accordingly.

PROFESSOR’S COMMITMENT
As your professor, I will follow the course outline as detailed in this syllabus and should any changes be required I will announce them in the “Announcements” section of our course website to give you time to adjust. You can count on my availability during office hours, and expect prompt responses to your questions, comments, and requests.  During the week, I will respond within 24 hours; however, I may not respond during the weekends.  I answer my e-mail quicker than my voice mail. I will grade your work in a timely manner and return it to you with constructive commentary. 

PLAGIARISM AND CHEATING
Plagiarism is the use of direct quotations without identifying them as such or the summarizing or paraphrasing of other quotations. If you do not specifically identify the source of ideas other than your own, you are plagiarizing.

Cheating is the unauthorized giving or receiving of information in examinations, quizzes, assignments or other class exercises. If someone else takes online tests or quizzes in your name, this is also considered cheating.

Honesty and integrity are very important in higher education. This standard pertains to what is written as well as what is spoken. To claim to have written something that is not entirely your own work is a violation of academic and personal integrity.

You are solely responsible for the preparation and presentation of your assignments. Each homework assignment, written activity, quiz, and exam should be your own work. When working collaboratively, it is acceptable to ask for criticism and help, but such input should be limited and acknowledged when appropriate. When writing a paper, it is recommended that you have someone proofread and critique your work, but it is not acceptable that he or she re-write whole sections in the process.

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