Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition

Preview (31 of 532 Pages)

100%

Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition - Page 1 preview image

Loading page ...

CONTENTSPreface and Acknowledgments.................................................................................................................iiiCustomer Service......................................................................................................................................ivChanges and Improvements in the14thEdition.......................................................................................1Online Communities and Resources for Business Communication Instructors.......................................6An Unsurpassed Instructional Resource Package.....................................................................................9General Teaching Guides..........................................................................................................................12Course Planning Guide.......................................................................................................................13Introducing the Course to Students..............................................................................................14Conducting the Class...................................................................................................................15Grading and Evaluating Students.................................................................................................17Cooperative Learning Guide for Groups and Small Teams...............................................................19Working with Cooperative Learning Groups...............................................................................19Working in Dyads........................................................................................................................20Working with the Jigsaw Process................................................................................................20Collaborative Writing Guide..............................................................................................................22Preparing Students for Collaborative Writing.............................................................................22Assigning Short-Term Projects....................................................................................................24Undertaking a Long-Term Project...............................................................................................26EvaluatingCollaborative Projects................................................................................................31Service Learning Guide1:Use Service Learningto Add Real-World WritingExperienceto Your Course..........................................................................................................35What Is Service Learning?....................................................................................................35Example Project:Grant Research and Writing Assistance...................................................35How to Incorporate Service Learning Into Your Course......................................................36Service Learning Guide 2:Real Clients, Real Management, Real Failure:The Risks and Rewards of Service Learning...................................................................................37Diagnostic Tests of English Skills......................................................................................................40Answers.......................................................................................................................................40English Skills Test A...................................................................................................................41English Skills Test B....................................................................................................................44More Practice in Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage...........................................................................47Chapter Guides(non-sequential, chapter-specific paging)Part1: Understanding the Foundations of Business CommunicationChapter 1:Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile WorldChapter 2:Collaboration, Interpersonal Communication, and Business EtiquetteChapter 3:Communication Challenges in a Diverse, Global MarketplacePart2: ApplyingtheThree-Step Writing ProcessChapter 4: Planning Business MessagesChapter 5: Writing Business MessagesChapter 6: Completing Business MessagesPart 3:Digital, Social, and Visual MediaChapter 7:DigitalMediaChapter 8: Social Media

Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition - Page 2 preview image

Loading page ...

Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition - Page 3 preview image

Loading page ...

iiChapter 9: Visual MediaPart4:BriefMessagesChapter10: Writing Routineand PositiveMessagesChapter11: WritingNegativeMessagesChapter12: Writing Persuasive MessagesPart5:Reports and ProposalsChapter 13: Finding, Evaluating, and Processing InformationChapter 14: Planning Reports and ProposalsChapter 15:WritingandCompleting Reports and ProposalsPart 6:Developing and Delivering Business PresentationsChapter 16:Developing Presentations in a Social Media EnvironmentChapter 17: EnhancingPresentations with Slides and Other VisualsPart7: Writing Employment Messages and Interviewing for JobsChapter 18:Building Careers andWriting RésumésChapter 19:Applying andInterviewing for EmploymentAppendix A: Format and Layout of Business DocumentsAppendix B: Documentation of Report SourcesAppendix C: Correction Symbols

Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition - Page 4 preview image

Loading page ...

iiiPREFACESuccessful business communicators spend years on the job before they learn to consistently prepareeffective messages.Obviously, you cannot give students that much practice in one school term. But themore practice you can give them, the closer they will be to achieving success on the job.To help you tailor a course to the needs of your students, we have designed a comprehensive package oflearning materials. We hope that you take advantage of the complete package. Together, the elementsprovide a rich and varied learning experience.This manual is divided into five parts:•Changes and Improvements in the 14thEditionlists the major changes in this edition, followedby specific changes within each chapter.•Online Communities and Resources for Business Communication Instructorsitemizes themany online resources the authors have created for adopters ofBusiness CommunicationToday.We invite you to join one or more of the online communities and interact with your peers.•An Unsurpassed Instructional Resource Packageacquaints you with the elements available inour comprehensive package of learning materials.•TheGeneral Teaching Guidesprovide tools and advice for conducting a course in businesscommunication.•TheChapter Guidesprovide information to supplement the chapters in the textbook, includingcomprehensive lecture notes and suggested solutions to student questions and activities.We wish to thank George Dovel forhisefforts in the preparation of this manual.

Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition - Page 5 preview image

Loading page ...

ivCUSTOMER SERVICEFor customer service, please contact your local Prentice Hall representative,call thePearsonFacultyand FieldServices(1-800-526-0485),or access the authors’e-mailhotline athotline@businesscommunicationblog.com.

Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition - Page 6 preview image

Loading page ...

Changes and Improvements in theThirteenth Edition1CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENTS IN THE14TH EDITIONSignificant Content Additions and UpgradesHere are the major changes in the 14th Edition ofBusiness Communication Today.Pleasesee page 3 for a detailed, chapter-by-chapter list of changes.•Twelve new chapter-opening vignettes with accompanying end-of-chapter individual andteam challenges:oKaiser Permanente’s strategic approach to communicating with its diverse stake-holdergroups (Chapter 3)oWolff Orlis’s use of storytelling in business communication, including using anaward-winning novelist as its chief storytelling officer (Chapter 4)oType Together’s contemporary typeface designs, emphasizing readability in businessdocuments and other messages (Chapter 6)oSlack’s workplace messaging system, which is changing the way many organizationscommunicate (Chapter 7)oJill Duffy’s advice for handling the daily deluge of routine messages more produc-tively (Chapter 10)oStrategyzer’s revolutionary alternative to the traditional annual report, now embracedby thousands of entrepreneurs (Chapter 13)oWarby Parker’s whimsical and audience-focused approach to annual reports (Chapter14)oWPP’s use of web interactivity to create one of the most readable annual reports everpublished (Chapter 15)oGina Barnett’s “whole-body” public speaking advice, which can help all businessprofessionals improve their onstage presence (Chapter 16)oNancy Duarte’s timeless advice for creating audience-friendly presentation slides(Chapter 17)oBurning Glass’s application of artificial intelligence to the critical job-search chal-lenge of matching employer needs and employee skill sets (Chapter 18)oVMWare’s enthusiastic embrace of social media to transform its approach to em-ployee recruiting (Chapter 19)•A new highlight box theme, The Future of Communication, giving students a glimpseinto some fascinating technologies that could reshape the practice of business communi-cation in the coming years: the Internet of Things, real-time translation, haptic communi-cation, telepathy, virtual and augmented reality, gestural computing, smart communica-tion bots, emotion recognition, and holograms

Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition - Page 7 preview image

Loading page ...

Changes and Improvements in theThirteenth Edition2•More than 70 new or redesigned business communication examples and figures. The 14thEdition includeso78 annotated model documentso26 examples of mobile communication in business communicationo25 examples of social media in business communication•Revised annotations for all the before/after model document pairs, making it easier forstudents to see the specific changes made to transform ineffective messages into effectiveones•Updated coverage of the advantages and disadvantages of teams (Chapter 2), overcomingresistance (Chapter 2), gender differences (Chapter 3), digital messaging(Chapter 7), thebusiness communication uses of social networks (Chapter 8), content curation (Chapter8), and effective and ethical apologies (Chapter 11)•24new communication cases•More than three dozen new end-of-chapter questions and exercises

Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition - Page 8 preview image

Loading page ...

Changes and Improvements in theThirteenth Edition3Chapter by chapter changes and improvementsFeatureChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter-openingvignetteRetained:JetBlue’sin-novative use of socialmedia toforge relation-ships with passengersand resolve customerserviceissuesRetained:How the Mex-ican materials manufac-turer Cemex uses col-laboration tools to helpits global workforcecommunicateNew:Kaiser Perma-nente’s strategic ap-proach to communi-cating with its diversestakeholder groupsNew:Wolff Orlis’s useof storytelling in busi-ness communication, in-cluding using an award-winning novelist as itschief storytelling officerRetained:Blogger/au-thor Natalie MacNeil’srise to global fame withher web property “SheTakes On the World”Chapter content(subjectareas thatwere added, clarified,expanded, stream-lined, or updated forthis edition)New highlight box:The Future ofCommunication: HapticCommunicationUpdated:Advantagesand Disadvantages ofTeamsUpdated:Characteris-tics of Effective TeamsReplaced: OvercomingResistanceNew highlight box:The Future ofCommunication: Real-Time TranslationExpanded: Gender Dif-ferencesExpanded:BuildingReader Interest withStorytelling TechniquesAnnotated modeldocuments andother exhibitsUpdated: Fig 1.2Effective ProfessionalCommunicationNew:Fig 1.3 Elementsof ProfessionalismNew:Fig 1.8MobileCommunication ToolsNew:Fig 1.9WearableTechnologyNew:Fig 1.10MobileCommunication:Opportunities andChallengesUpdated: Fig 1.11UnethicalCommunicationUpdated: Fig 1.12UnethicalCommunicationUpdated feature:Powerful Tools forCommunicatingEffectivelyNew:Fig 2.2SharedOnline WorkspacesNew:Fig 2.3Collabora-tion on Mobile DevicesNew:Fig 2.5CapturingKey Decisions andDis-coveries from a MeetingNew:Fig 2.6VirtualMeetingsNew:Fig 2.8NonverbalSignalsNew:Fig 3.3MobileLanguage ToolsUpdated: Fig 3.5Writingfor Multilingual Audi-encesNew:Fig 4.4Media andChannel Choices:Written + DigitalNew:Fig 4.5MindMappingUpdated: Fig 4.8Improving the Organiza-tion of a MessageNew:Fig 5.4MakingEffective Word andPhrase ChoicesNew:Fig 5.5TopicSentencesEnd of chapterexercises3 new questions onaudience-centered com-munication, overuse ofsocial media, and criticalthinking2 new questions onparliamentary procedureand conflict resolution2 new questions oncultural competence andcultural pluralism4 new questions on thedisadvantages of printedmessages, readabilitychallenges on mobiledevices, wiki writing,and when perceiveddisadvantages of emailmay in fact be beneficial2 new questions onreading comprehensionon small screens andetiquette breakdowns indigital media

Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition - Page 9 preview image

Loading page ...

Changes and Improvements in theThirteenth Edition4Chapter by chapter changes and improvements (continued)FeatureChapter 6Chapter 7Chapter 8Chapter9Chapter10Chapter-openingvignetteNew:Type Together’scontemporary typefacedesigns, emphasizingreadability in businessdocuments and othermessagesNew:Slack’s workplacemessaging system,which is changing theway many organiza-tions communicateRetained:Starbucks’use of multiple socialmediaplatforms to builda sense of communityamong its global cus-tomer baseRetained:GoPro’s wildlysuccessful strategy ofusing consumer-gener-ated content and onlinevideo to promote its lineof rugged camerasNew:Technology writerJill Duffy’s advice forhandling the daily del-uge of routine mes-sages more productivelyChapter content(subject areas thatwere added, clarified,expanded, stream-lined, or updated forthis edition)New highlight box:The Future ofCommunication: HapticCommunicationNewhighlight box:The Future ofCommunication:TelepathicCommunicationUpdated: EmailUpdated: Messaging(formerly Instant Mes-saging and Text Mes-saging)New highlight box:The Future ofCommunication:Augmented Reality andVirtual RealityExpanded:BusinessCommunication Uses ofSocial NetworksUpdated: ContentCuration SitesNew highlight box:The Future ofCommunication:Gestural ComputingNew highlight box:The Future ofCommunication:Communication BotsAnnotated modeldocuments andother exhibitsNew:Fig 7.1Composi-tional Modes: StatusUpdates and Announce-mentsNew:Fig 7.2Augmented RealityNew:Fig 7.5Reader-Friendly Web DesignNew:Fig 7.6Writing forthe WebNew:Fig 7.7MobilePodcastingNew:Fig 8.1Community Building viaSocial MediaNew: Fig 8.3BusinessApplications ofMicrobloggingUpdated feature:Business Communica-tors Innovating withSocial MediaNew:Table 12.2Select-ing the Best VisualNew:Fig 9.10DataVisualizationNew:Fig 9.12Geographic InformationSystemsNew:Fig 9.14VisualDisplays on MobileDevicesNew:9.17FramingYour Shots: Finding theRight BalanceNew:Fig 10.6Announc-ing Good NewsNew:Fig 10.7GoodwillMessagesEnd of chapterexercisesand cases2 new questions on for-matting messages formobile devices and theuse of sentence varietyto improve flow andreadability3 new cases1 new question on over-use of email3 new questions onwriting effective socialmedia headlines, socialnetworking, and viralmarketing2 new questions onselecting which points toillustrate and creatingbusiness video4 new cases1 new question ongood-news messages

Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition - Page 10 preview image

Loading page ...

Changes and Improvements in theThirteenth Edition5Chapter by chapter changes and improvements (continued)FeatureChapter11Chapter 12Chapter 13Chapter 14Chapter 15Chapter-openingvignetteRetained:On a nega-tive-news message sentby the Hailo taxi-hailingservice to inform cus-tomers of higher faresRetained:On the com-munication strategyused by entre-preneurSarah Calhoun tolaunch Red Ants PantsNew:Strategyzer’srevolutionary alternativeto the traditional annualreport, now embracedby thousands of entre-preneursNew:Warby Parker’swhimsical and audi-ence-focused approachto annual reportsNew:WPP’s use of webinteractivity to createone of the most reada-ble annual reports everpublishedChapter content(subject areas thatwere added, clarified,expanded, stream-lined, or updated forthis edition)Expanded:ProvidingReasons and AdditionalInformation(regardingapologies)New highlight box:The Future ofCommunication:Emotion RecognitionSoftwareAnnotated modeldocuments andother exhibitsNew:Fig 12.5Persua-sive Message Using theAIDA ModelNew:Fig 12.6Promo-tional Messages inSocial MediaNew:Fig 14.3ExecutiveDashboardsNew:Fig 14.8InternalProposalNew:Fig 15.2ExecutiveSummaryEnd of chapterexercisesand cases4 new cases1 new question onemployee whistle-blowing4 new cases3 new questions onpromotional ethics andbalancing emotional andlogical appeals2 new questions onconducting research forreports1 new questiononresponding to RFPs4 new cases1 new question on theclose in reports andproposalsFeatureChapter 16Chapter 17Chapter 18Chapter 19Chapter-openingvignetteNew:Gina Barnett’s“whole-body” publicspeaking advice, whichcan help all businessprofessionals improvetheironstage presenceNew:Nancy Duarte’stimeless advice for cre-ating audience-friendlypresentation slidesNew:Burning Glass’sapplication of artificialintelligence to the criticaljob-search challenge ofmatching employerneeds and employeeskill setsNew:VMWare’s enthu-siastic embrace of socialmedia to transform itsapproach to employeerecruitingChapter content(subject areas thatwere added, clarified,expanded, stream-lined, or updated forthis edition)Annotated modeldocuments andotherexhibitsNew:Fig 18.2MobileJob Search ToolsUpdated: Fig 19.2Unsolicited ApplicationLetter:Ineffective andEffectiveNew:Fig 19.3Comple-menting Your RésuméWith an ApplicationMessageUpdated: Fig 19.6Follow-Up Message:Ineffective andEffectiveUpdated: Fig 19.7Request for a TimeExtension: Ineffectiveand EffectiveEnd of chapterexercises and cases2 new questions onselecting a presentationtopic and impromptuspeaking3 new cases4 new questions ondesigning visuals forpresentations and plan-ning presentation pro-jects1 new question onwriting the“story of you”1 new case2 new questions onblanking out during aninterview and applica-tion letters

Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition - Page 11 preview image

Loading page ...

Online Communities and Resources for Business Communication Instructors6Copyright © 2018Bovée & Thill LLCONLINE COMMUNITIES AND RESOURCES FOR BUSINESSCOMMUNICATION INSTRUCTORSAsyougrapple with large class sizes and heavy advising loads, we are constantly on the lookout for wayswe can helpyouspend less time preparing lectures and activities and more time teaching and workingone-on-one withyourstudents.We invite you to explore the unmatchedarray of resourcesthe Bovée &Thill team offers forbusiness communication instructors.Media Curation ServicesBovée & Thill’s Online Magazines for Business Communicationon Scoop.it collect useful andinteresting media items in a variety of subject areas:•Business Communication 2.0: Social Media and Electronic Communication•Teaching a Modern Business Communication Course•Teaching Business Communication and Workplace Issues•Teaching Business Communication and Interpersonal Communication•Teaching Oral Communication in a Business Communication Course•Teaching Business Communication and Employment•Teaching Visual Communication•How the Mobile Revolution Is Changing Business Communication•Exclusive Teaching Resources for Business Communication InstructorsVideos and PresentationsTheBovée & Thill's YouTube Channeloffers videos with advice on teaching the new elements ofbusiness communication.We also offer a variety of videos and PowerPoint presentations onSlideShare.You'll find more than 500 infographics, videos, articles, podcasts, and PowerPoints onPinterest.Twitter@BovéeThill_Blog(Bovée& Thill's Business Communication Blog)@BusCommNews(Business Communication Headline News)Additional ResourcesVital Bookmarks for Teaching a Business Communication CourseThe Ultimate Guide to Resources for Business Communication InstructorsBovéeand Thill on InstagramBovée and Thill on Reddit

Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition - Page 12 preview image

Loading page ...

Online Communities and Resources for Business Communication Instructors7Copyright © 2018Bovée & Thill LLCInteractive Tests for InstructorsCan Your Business Communication Textbook Pass This Test of Essential Mobile Coverage?Can Your Business Communication Textbook Pass This Google Test?Can Your Business Communication Textbook Pass This Simple Technology Test?Instructor CommunitiesConnect with academic and industry peers from around the world in these Bovée & Thill onlinecommunities:•Facebook: Teaching Business Communication.Share your opinions about issuesimportant to instructors of business communication, ask peers questions, and offer bestpractices for instruction.•Facebook: Bovée and Thill's Inner Circle for Business Communication.Thisdiscussion forum is reserved for college and university instructors who are adopters oftextbooks by Courtland Bovéeand/or John Thill.•Facebook:Social Media and Electronic Communication Workshop.Learn aboutelectronic communication and social media quickly and easily. Members can receive one-on-one mentoring, as requested, as well as opportunities for group chatsand webinars.•LinkedIn: Teaching Business Communication.This group is a discussion andresource-sharing forum exploring all aspects of teaching business communication.•LinkedIn: Bovée & Thill’s Inner Circle for Business Communication.This group isalso devoted exclusively to college and university instructors who are adopters oftextbooks by Courtland Bovéeand/or John Thill.•LinkedIn: Bovée & Thill’s Social Media and Electronic Communication Workshop.This group provides access to a variety of presentations and videos on teaching new-media skills.Custom Web Search ToolWeb Search,developed by Bovée and Thill, preformats more than 325 types of searches usingthe web’s most powerful search engines, making it easy to find teaching resources in specificmedia formats, from PowerPoint presentations to podcasts to online videos.Bovée& Thill Resources for Adopters OnlyTeaching Business Communication Using Screencasts about Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedInHelping Students Adapt Their Writing Skills to Wiki Collaboration with theBovéeand Thill Wiki(Registration is required for the sites listed below. Registering once on either site gives you full access toboth of these sites. To register, click "Register" in the upper right-hand side of the navigation bar on thehomepage of either site.)

Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition - Page 13 preview image

Loading page ...

Online Communities and Resources for Business Communication Instructors8Copyright © 2018Bovée & Thill LLCDaily business communication newsOur daily news service,Business Communication Headline News, provides carefully selecteditems of interest for instructors.This service offers instructors a variety of important advantages:•Keep current with the latest information and trends in the field•Easily update your lecture notes with fresh material•Create visuals for your classroom presentations•Supplement your lectures with cutting-edge handouts•Enhance your research projects with the newest data•Compare best practices from other instructors•Improve the quality andeffectiveness of your teaching by reading about new teaching tipsand techniquesContent updating serviceThe unique Real-Time Updates content-updating service offers a wealth of materialthatwe havepersonally selected for instructors and students, sorted by media type and textbook chapter.Visithttp://real-timeupdates.com/bct14to take advantage of this unique resource, including mediaitemsavailable only to adopters ofBusinessCommunicationToday.

Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition - Page 14 preview image

Loading page ...

An Unsurpassed Instructional Resource Package9AN UNSURPASSED INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCE PACKAGEThe instructional package accompanying this text is specially designed to simplify teaching and learning.The supplementary package for theFourteenthEdition ofBusiness CommunicationTodayhas beenthoroughly revised. The following sections contain brief descriptions of the supplementary materials thatare available:•Instructor’s Resource Manual•Test Item File•PowerPoint Presentations•Authors’ Email Hotline for Faculty•MyBCommLabINSTRUCTOR’S RESOURCE MANUALThis manual is acomprehensive instructor’s tool kit.Its many resources are divided into two sections:general teaching guides and chapter guides.General teaching guides•CoursePlanningGuide•CooperativeLearning Guide for Groups and Small Teams•CollaborativeWritingguide•ServiceLearningGuide•DiagnosticTests of EnglishSkillsChapter guides•Chapter outline•Detailed lecture outlines•Solutions to critical thinking questions in highlight boxes•Answers to all end-of-chapter questions and assignments•Solutions to short-message cases (Chapters 7, 8, 10, 11, and 12)•Suggestions for completing report, presentation, and employment-message cases (Chapters 15, 17, 18,and 19)TEST ITEM FILETheTest Item File,written bySusan Schanne,Eastern Michigan University,availablefor download,containsmore than1,960questions,carefully constructed to provide a fair, structured program ofevaluation.The questions for each chapter consist of a comprehensive set of multiple-choice, true/false,fill-in, short answer, and essay questions. TheTest Item Filereinforces students’ understanding of keyterms and concepts and requires them to apply their critical-thinking and analytical skills.Each questionis followed by the correct answer, the learning objective it ties to,learning outcome, AACSB category,question type (concept, application, critical thinking, or synthesis), and difficulty rating. It has beenthoroughly reviewed by an assessment expert.TheTest Item File(ISBN0133867676)isavailable fordownload by visitingwww.pearsonhighered.com/irc.

Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition - Page 15 preview image

Loading page ...

An Unsurpassed Instructional Resource Package10PRENTICE HALL’S COMPUTERIZED TEST MANAGER—TESTGENThis text’s TestGen version (ISBN0134388097)of the Test Item File is also available online atwww.pearsonhighered.com/irc. Thisuser-friendly software allows you to generate error-free tests quicklyand easily by previewing questions individually on the screen and then selecting randomly by query or bynumber. The Computerized Test Manager allows you to generate random tests withour extensive bank ofquestions. You can also edit our questions/answers and even add some of your own. You can create anexam, administer it traditionally or online, and analyze your success with a simple click of the mouse.Enhancements now allow you to:•Import test questions from word processors•Import/export tests•Correlate charts•Select by query•Select by review (redesigned)•Select by criteria•Archive database capability•Analyze test bank items•Export grades to Excel•Weight grades•Record grades in anew spreadsheet format and create a grade database•Control online testingPOWERPOINTLECTURE PRESENTATION SLIDESEnhance your classroom lectures with this well-developed PowerPoint presentation created byDanielleScane, Orange Coast College.Colorful text-specific electronic slides highlight and reinforce the importantconcepts discussed inBusiness CommunicationToday.Free to adopters, these PowerPoint slides(ISBN0134388119)are availablefordownload from the Instructor’s Resource site atwww.pearsonhighered.com/irc.AUTHORS’ EMAIL HOTLINE FOR FACULTYIntegrity, excellence, and responsiveness are our hallmarks. We are committed to providing you withtextbooks that are academically sound, creative, timely, and sensitive to your needs as well as to yourstudents’ needs. As an adopter ofBusiness CommunicationToday,you are invited to use our EmailHotline. We want to be sure you’re completely satisfied, so if you ever have a question or concern relatedto the text or its supplements, please send an e-mail message tohotline@boveeandthillbusinesscommunicationblog.com. You’ll receive a response as quickly as possible.In addition, we’ve made it easy to provide feedback on chapter content or specific student exercises.Simply visithttp://blog.businesscommunicationnetwork.com/and click on “Textbook Feedback E-Mail Form.”

Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition - Page 16 preview image

Loading page ...

An Unsurpassed Instructional Resource Package11MYBCOMMLAB.COMMyBCommLabis a series of text-specific, easily customizable online courses for Prentice Hall textbooksin business communication.MyBCommLabgives you the tools you need to deliver all or a portion ofyour course online, whether your students are in a course setting or working from home.Students can also use online tools, such asflashcards,videoexercises,mini-simulations,interactiveDocument Makeovers,and a multimedia textbook, to independently improve their understanding andperformance. Instructors can use MyBCommLab’s homework and test managers to select and assignonline exercises correlated directly to the textbook, and also create and assign their own online exercisesand import TestGen® tests for added flexibility. MyBCommLab’s online gradebook is designed toautomatically track students’ homework and test results and give the instructor control over thecalculation of final grades. Instructors can also add offline (paper-and-pencil) grades to the gradebook.To get started, visithttp://www.pearsonmylabandmastering.com/northamerica/.

Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition - Page 17 preview image

Loading page ...

Course Planning Guide12GENERAL TEACHING GUIDESIn this section, you will find the following:•Course Planning Guide•Cooperative Learning Guide for Groups and Small Teams•Collaborative Writing Guide•Service Learning Guide•Diagnostic Tests of English Skills

Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition - Page 18 preview image

Loading page ...

Course Planning Guide13COURSEPLANNINGGUIDEAlthoughBusiness Communication Todayfollows a traditional sequence of topics, it isstructured so that youcan address them in the order that best suits your needs. For instance, if you want to begin by reviewingbasic writing skills andgrammar, you can ask students to read Chapter5, “WritingBusiness Messages,”and thenthe“Handbook of Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage.”Conversely, if you want to begin withemployment-related communication, you can start with the Prologue, “Building a Career with YourCommunication Skills,” followed by Chapters 18 and 19.The following list suggests a sequence and a schedule for covering the chapters in the textbook, with timeallocations based on the total number of class hours available.Chapter/Section Number And TitleHours Devoted ToEach Chapter/Section30-HourCourse45-HourCourse60-HourCoursePrologue: Building a Career with Your Communication Skills1111Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World1112Collaboration, Interpersonal Communication, and Business Etiquette1123Communication Challenges in a Diverse, Global Marketplace1234Planning Business Messages2345Writing Business Messages2346Completing Business Messages234Handbook of Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage122AFormat and Layout of Business Documents1117DigitalMedia1238Social Media1239Visual Media11210Writing Routine and Positive Messages22311Writing Negative Messages22312Writing Persuasive Messages22313Finding, Evaluating, and Processing Information12314Planning Reports and Proposals12315Writing and Completing Reports and Proposals123BDocumentation of Report Sources11216DevelopingPresentations in a Social Media Environment13317Enhancing Presentations with Slides and Other Visuals11118Building Careers and Writing Résumés23319Applying and Interviewing for Employment133

Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition - Page 19 preview image

Loading page ...

Course Planning Guide14INTRODUCING THE COURSE TOSTUDENTSMany schools now require instructors to distribute a course syllabus to students on the first day of class.Even if one is not required, it’s a good idea to let students know what the course’s objectives are and whatstudents must do to reach them. In addition, you may want to provide information about the format of thecourse (as suggested in the following sample outline).COURSE SYLLABUSCOURSE NUMBER AND TITLESEMESTER, YEARI.Instructor’s name, office number, and office hoursII.Coursecredits and prerequisitesIII.Class meetings (number per week, time, and place)IV.Textbook:Business Communication Today,14th edition, by Courtland L. Bovéeand John V. Thill(Pearson, 2018)V.Catalog description of courseVI.Course content and directionA.Majorthemes and scopeB.Educational goalsC.Instructional objectivesVII.Evaluation and grading (describe tests and assignments, role of class participation,availability ofextra-credit assignments, attendance policies, makeup policies)VIII.Course withdrawal proceduresIX.Recommended study proceduresX.Assignment/test scheduleEarly in the school term (perhaps in the first week), preview any major projects that students will berequired to undertake for the course, such as a résumé and application letter, a major report, or an oralpresentation. Then students can begin thinkingabout the typesof jobsthey want to apply for or a suitablesubject for their report or presentation.In addition to providing information about the course, you might spend time on the first day gatheringinformation about your students. Ask them to hand in brief written answers to questions like these: Whatis your major? How close are you to graduating?What career are you preparing for? If you have a job,what field is it in? How long have you been in that field? What kinds of business communication do youalready engage in? What kinds of communication do you need to work on most? After studying theresponses, you can adjust the course to meet student needs. The writing samples will also give you an ideaof students’ strengths and weaknesses in expressing themselves.

Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition - Page 20 preview image

Loading page ...

Course Planning Guide15CONDUCTING THE CLASSA variety of methods and media are useful for teaching business communication. However, those thatgive students an opportunity to develop and practice their skills are most desirable.Lectures and DiscussionsAlthough some of the material in this course lends itself to informal lecture, an exchange of informationand ideas among students and instructor is more likely to bring home the main points—thatcommunication takes place in many settings for many purposes, that there is seldom a “right” answer inbusiness communication, and that business communication depends on judgment and analysis.Discussion is especially valuable when students are faced with a communication project. Beforehand,they need to understand the ramifications of the assignment. For example, students need to understandthat before they can write a direct request, they mustformulate a main idea and analyze the audience andpurpose. The textbook abounds with examples of business messages, any of which you can use as a focusof discussion. In addition, you may have collected some examples of your own. Ask students to react tothem, and help students understand the positive and negative points of any given example.With inexperienced students in particular, part of your job is to give them insight into the realities of thebusiness world. Use stories from your own experience, and locate interesting stories aboutcommunication from such business magazines asFortuneandBloombergBusinessweek.And if you signup for our free service,Business Communication Headline News, you’ll be assured of fresh material todiscuss in class all year longYou may even begin an assignment in class, asking students to analyze anaudience or a purpose, for example, while you write their suggestions on the board.After assignments have been completed and returned to students, it may be profitable to discuss theproject in class. Textbook checklists provide a handy outline for such discussions.Regardless of the assignment or topic, your goal is to make students feel as if they are already businesscommunicators. If they approach each assignment seriously and professionally, they will gain benefitsrivaled only byon-the-job experience.Students who have done a particularly good job could be asked to read their documents to the others, ortheir documents could be shown to the class with a projector. Ask students for critiques, but make surethat negative evaluations are balanced with positive ones or with constructive suggestions forimprovement. Ultimately, it falls on you to point out the good features of individual documents and theweaknesses common to all.Student ConferencesClass discussion is good for helping students understand general principles and solve some specificproblems, but one-on-one conferences are indispensable in the development of effective businesscommunicators. In a conference, students are able to ask forclarification of assignments and approaches,and you can help them over barriers and encourage them to do their best. Of course, when a studentapproaches you with a specific question before or after class, youhave similar opportunities. You mightalso schedule periodicconferences during class time when students are working on individual assignmentsor during your office hours.

Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition - Page 21 preview image

Loading page ...

Course Planning Guide16Unless you want to spend a great deal of time going over each student’s document line by line, you arebetter off selecting no more than three points fordiscussion. For best results, structure your remarks as a“criticism sandwich”: one negativecomment between two positive observations. Furthermore, phrase thenegative comment in terms of a suggestion for improvement—for example, you might say, “Yourmessage would be more persuasive if it began with some kind of attention-getter instead of the mainidea.” This sort of constructive aid is rare in the work setting, but it is the most effective way to developskills in business communication.Tools and ResourcesMost of the assignments inBusiness Communication Todaycan be completed using only basic wordprocessingand e-mailtools. However, an ideal learning experience would give students exposure toinstant messaging, blogging, wikis,website writing, and podcasting.OurBusiness Communication Headlines Newswebsite,http://bchn.businesscommunicationnetwork.com, is the most comprehensive site on the web forbusiness communication instructors, with everything from a multimedia library to a unique metasearchengine we developed exclusively for business communication topics. All articles distributed with thedaily blog service are also archived on the website, making it easy to retrieve articles on any topic.Another good way to prepare for teaching business communication is to scan such publications asBusiness 2.0,Fast Company,Wired,Fortune,BloombergBusinessweek, Forbes,TheWall Street Journal,andInc.From time to time, all have articles related to business communication; furthermore, they providevaluableglimpsesinto the business world.One of the single most valuable tools is a portfolio of business documents. By studying good examples,students can learn communication techniques that work. Less successful examples give students anopportunity to practice analyzing and revising businessdocuments. You can get samples from thetextbook, this manual, the transparencies designed to accompany the textbook, and your own mailbox.You might also check with friends in business,or write to businesses about the possibility of usingdocuments fromtheir files.Some students may benefit from the insights of a guest speaker. Someone who has had to communicate inbusiness knows how important a skill it is and can convey that conviction to skeptics in the class. Becareful, however, to select guest speakers who haverelevant experience, and ask them to focus theirremarks to suit your needs.You can also find a variety of valuable resources through the Association for Business Communication,www.businesscommunication.org.

Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition - Page 22 preview image

Loading page ...

Course Planning Guide17GRADING AND EVALUATING STUDENTSThe way an instructor grades is a personal matter, but you will generally find two schools of thought.Some instructors, in effect, start students at 100 percent and then deduct points from this total for suchmajor sins as missing assignments or such minor missteps as forgetting commas.Students of theseinstructors leave the course with a sense of discipline and an awareness of the need to take care of matters largeand small. Other instructors, in effect, start students at zero and award points for successful solutions tocommunication problems, downplaying the mundane details. Students of these instructors leave with someappreciation for the creativity thatsuccessful writers and speakers apply to their work. Students who havethe chance to take courses from both types of instructors are fortunate because both approaches contributeto a balanced education.Business Communication Todayshould meet the needs of both types of instructors and of those who fallsomewhere between the two extremes.For example, the writing cases require solutions that can be gradedon organization and format. But since they are open-ended enough to permit individual expression, theycan also be evaluated for a student’s control over a successful line of argument.Designing an Evaluation ProgramPrepared written and oral messages provide a basis for evaluating student performance. Here are a fewadditional questions to consider when deciding on a program of evaluation:•Will you weight all assignments the same, or will grades for some of the more complex projects carrymore weight in determining final grades?•Will you ask students to hand in the outlines and drafts that are preliminary steps for someassignments? If so, on what basis will they be graded?•Will you begin any class meetings with a quiz—a time-honored device for encouraging attendance andkeeping students’ reading current? What effect will quizzes have on final grades?•Will you lecture most of the time, expanding on points from the text, or will you emphasize classdiscussion? If you opt for discussion, how will class participation affect grades?•Will you have both a midterm and a final examination? If so, will grades for both have the sameeffect on final grades for the course?When answering these questions, you will probably develop a weighted system for evaluating students’work overall. For example, you may decide that the elements will account for the following percentagesof the total grade:Outlines and drafts (turned in on time)10%Short assignments20%Report assignment20%Presentation assignment10%Quizzes10%Class participation10%Midterm examination10%Final examination10%

Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition - Page 23 preview image

Loading page ...

Course Planning Guide18Evaluating Written AssignmentsThe most important part of this course is the practice it gives in preparing business messages, but thevalue of that practice is immeasurably enhanced by constructive feedback; so grade student documentsagainst professional standards while providing suggestions about how to attain those standards. The morenotes you write on each assignment, the better. Be sure to praise the good points in addition to criticizingthe bad ones. Ifnecessary, edit or rewrite to show how a problem may be solved; suggest a conference todiscuss complicated problems.In general, students’ documents should be evaluated on their effectiveness. In addition to the checklists inthe textbook, you might use these guidelines:•Are the purpose and main idea of the document clear?•Has the document been organized to be compatible with the purpose and audience?•Is the “you” attitude—courtesy and consideration for the audience—consistently present?•Has all the necessary information—andonlythe necessary information—been included?•Are grammar, punctuation, mechanics, and vocabulary correct?•Is the format attractive and appropriate?•Was the document submitted on time, as expected in the business world?These considerations form the basis of an evaluation system. An objective system begins with a list of themost important points and qualities in any given assignment. You then give each item a weight (the totalof these weights being the maximum number ofpoints for the assignment). As you read each document,you award an appropriate number of points for each item. Then you total the points, convert them to aletter grade (if desirable), and record them. A less objective plan is much the same, except thatyouevaluate each document’s overall level of achievement without assigning a specific number of points toeach item. Although this second method is faster than the first, it is less likely to yield consistent resultswhen many documents are being graded.Seriously consider giving students the opportunity to revise their original documents; in the process ofrevision,they learn and practice techniques for solving writing problems. In addition, they get the chanceto transform a “failure” into a “success.” But if you adopt the policy of allowing revisions, you will haveto devise a mechanism for including them in yourevaluations. One method is to check off in yourgradebookthedocuments that are of an acceptable quality. Unacceptable documents are handed back tostudents for revision by a stated deadline, and as soon as a document becomes acceptable (you maychoose to allow as many attempts as required), the student receives a check mark for it. Another methodis to assign grades to documents but allow revision of any document that receives less than a C. Infairness to students who do a good job the first time, you might deduct a few points for each rewrite.Regardless of the system you choose, your goal is to gradually instill professional standards.

Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition - Page 24 preview image

Loading page ...

Cooperative Learning Guide19COOPERATIVE LEARNING GUIDE FORGROUPS AND SMALL TEAMSRecent research in education indicates that instruction is more effective when students work incooperative learning groups (small groups of three or four students) rather than in situations wherecompetition and individualistic learning are emphasized. Many of the assignments inBusinessCommunicationTodayare designed for small teams. These activities help students learn how to shareideas and information with one another, appreciate the contributions of others, engage in constructivecriticism (and learn to accept the criticism of others), collaborate with others to solve problems, and shareresponsibility for completing a task. By working in a cooperative learning group, or small team, studentsbecome involved in a process similar to those taking placeon the job as well as in the day-to-dayinteractions that occur in life.WORKING WITH COOPERATIVE LEARNING GROUPSThe cooperative learning group is based on the belief that all group members are capable ofunderstanding, learning, and performing the activities needed to complete a task. Typically, a cooperativelearning group is composed of three or four randomly selected students who work together to complete anassigned task. The most effective groups are heterogeneous in background, skill level, physical capability,and gender. Moreover, they have no assigned leader (leadership emerges naturally as group membersalternate performing leadership tasks when appropriate).A variety of skills are necessary for cooperative learning groups to be successful. Students will befamiliar with most of these skills from other contexts. However, be sure to remind them of therequirements they must fulfill for the group’s work to be useful. Not all students will use every skill allthe time. But by becoming aware of the appropriate skills and applying them when required, all studentscan become equal partners in making the group successful.Give students the following list of tips during your discussion of the process prior to beginning groupwork:•Use the names of your fellow group members.•Encourage others in your group to talk and participate.•Acknowledge the contributions of others and express your appreciation (“Ellen and Sam did theresearch on marketing in Spain,” “Thanks, good idea,” etc.).•Use eye contact when talking with your fellow group members.•Share feelings with your group usingImessages (“I feel that we’re not making progress,” “I likeworking with this group,” “I feel like some members are not contributing equally”).•Disagree in an agreeable way: try to say something positive before saying anything negative (“I seeyour point about including that information, but I’m not sure it needs to be detailed”).•Reduce tension among group members, perhaps by initiating a conversation or discussion when aproblem arises.•Practice active listening: for example, allow group members to complete a thought before interruptingwith comments, and acknowledge that you have heard what another group member said (“I hear thatyou think . . .”).•Check others’ understanding of the work.•Give information and opinions.

Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition - Page 25 preview image

Loading page ...

Cooperative Learning Guide20•Stay on-task: Help your group get back to work and follow directions for completing your task.•Seek information and opinions from others in your group as well as from outside resources.While students are working in cooperative learning groups, the instructor becomesthefacilitator andmediator. When students are working in groups during class, the instructor rotates among the groups tocheck progress, make sure they are on-task, help solve problems by offering a variety of solutions, helpend disagreements by guiding students in a discussion of their differences, and ensure that all students areparticipating in the various responsibilities of completing the task. If groups are working outside class, theinstructor can arrange a brief meeting with each group to check progress.1WORKING IN DYADSA dyad is a two-student form of the cooperative learning group. Dyads are useful for giving informationand for stating and clarifying opinions, feelings, and attitudes. By participating in dyads, students have anopportunity to learn and practice the artof active listening and to express their thoughts.Dyads can be used as a method of stimulating thought prior to class discussion, helping studentsformulate or defineopinions both before and after a discussion, and initiating the work of a cooperativelearning group. Implementing the process is fairly easy:1.Divide students into random pairs, and give them a topic or question to discuss.2.Give each partner a specified amount of time to speak about the topic or question. Initially, studentsmay be comfortable talking to a partner for only one or two minutes; but as students relax with theprocess, that time can be extended to five minutes or longer.3.Inform students that while one member of the dyad is speaking, the partner is responsible for listeningwithout interruption, comment, or judgment. If the person speaking has nothing to say or is unable totalk for the specified time, the partner may opt either to say nothing,or to prompt the speaker byasking a related question or by saying something related to the topic.4.When the specified time for talking is over, the partners switch roles—listener becomes speaker andspeaker becomes listener.5.Emphasize the importance of confidentiality. A member of the dyad must not share what a partnersays unless that partner gives permission.6.Following the discussion in dyads, the class can proceed with a large-group discussion either aboutthe topic or about the cooperative learning groups. In this follow-up discussion, give each member ofthe class an opportunity to share his or her feelings,attitudes, or opinions about the topic and theprocess.WORKING WITH THE JIGSAW PROCESSThe jigsaw is a variation of the cooperative learning process that is useful in helping students understandand process information that is assigned for reading. Textbook chapters and lengthy articles are examplesof the type of material that can be jigsawed. By reading a section of the text or an article,and discussing itwith other students who have read the same section, a student becomes an “expert” on that section andthen shares that expertise with the students in an assigned group who have not readthe material. Theskills necessary for cooperative learning groups are applicable to the jigsaw process. Here are theprocedures for implementing the jigsaw process:1.Divide the assigned chapter or article into easily digestible sections. This separation can bedone bysubtopic, but the reading should probably not be divided into more than six sections.2.Divide the class into groups. The number of students in each group must equal the number of sections

Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition - Page 26 preview image

Loading page ...

Cooperative Learning Guide21in the assigned chapter or article. If there are extra students, assign them to groups already having afull complement rather than forming any groups with fewer students than sections of reading.3.Assign each student in a group one section of the article or chapter so that all the sections will be readby at least one member of each group. (If extra students are in the group, more than one person willbe reading some of the sections.)4.Allow students a specified time (10 to 15 minutes) to read their material and take notes.5.After all students have read their assigned sections, they form “expert groups,” meeting with otherstudents who have read the same material and discussing what they have read. While meeting inexpert groups,students have an opportunity to gain a broader perspective and to become moreknowledgeable about the material they have read. Expert groups can last 10 to 15 minutes.6.After meeting with expert groups, students break up into their original groups and teach the othermembers about the sections they have read. Sharing in the original group should be done in thesequence of the original chapter or article. Five minutes persection should be ample time for studentstoshare the information they have read, answer any questions, and discuss the section with groupmembers.7.If desired, a class discussion of the entire chapter or article can summarize the small-groupdiscussions or emphasize particular issues.Note1. Selected portions of this material were adapted from Dee Dishon and Pat Wilson O’Leary,AGuidebook for Cooperative Learning(Holmes Beach, Fla.: Learning Publications, 1984), 57.

Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition - Page 27 preview image

Loading page ...

Collaborative Writing Guide22COLLABORATIVE WRITING GUIDEby Deborah BosleyThe University of North Carolina at CharlotteCharlotte, North CarolinaIf we teach students that writing is a solitary activity, we may not be preparing them adequately for entryinto thebusiness world. In business, a single report or other document is frequently planned, researched,written, and edited by a team of colleagues. Thus, graduates who are not skilled in collaborative writingmay be unprepared for professional life.When two or more students receive group credit for working together to produce a singledocumentor presentation, they are engaging in collaborative writing. Merely exchanging papers and evaluating oneanother’s work, which is then turned in for individual credit, is peer evaluation—not collaborativewriting.You might want to consider using collaborative writing in your business communication classes(particularly in conjunction withthe report-writing and presentation chapters) for several reasons:•Most businesses require employees to write collaboratively, but most people receive no training incollaborative writing in high school or in college.1•Collaborative or cooperative learning improves self-esteem, teaches students problem-solving skills,and improves their ability to evaluate others’ work. In addition, cooperative learning increases ethnicand racial tolerance.2•Collaborative writing improves writing ability, particularly the ability to analyze audiences.•Collaborative writing relieves business communication teachers of the volumes of paperwork theymust usually face, allows them to function less as authority or evaluator and more as facilitator, andintroduces a new and effective teaching/learning strategyinto the classroom.PREPARING STUDENTS FOR COLLABORATIVE WRITINGThroughout their school years, students learn the value of individual accomplishment rather thancommitment to shared goals. With the weight of such experience behind them, students cannot learn towork collaboratively just by listening to lectures. They must experience cooperative work for themselves.The first step is to establish a sense of community and shared history among members of the entireclass as well as among members of each work group. One method of building that sense of community isto encourage students to respond orally to one another,not merely to the teacher. Teach them how tocritique one another’s work constructively. You can also begin the semester with such activities as peer-evaluation groups, discussion groups, and groups that collaborate on writing assignments. Finally, helpstudents develop a commitment to the task and to their groups.Although most students have not had extensive team experience, many of them have worked ingroups in other business classes, freshman composition classes, and extracurricular organizations. Theseexperiences influence their attitudes about group work in the business communication class, so you mightask students to list what they perceive to be the positive and negative aspects of working in groups. Thenassign them to groups to discuss their lists and compile a group list. The group list can then be sharedwith the entire class. In discussing the frustrations and rewards of group work, students develop a sense ofcommon experience. In addition, students who have never worked in a group get a preview of what toexpect.

Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition - Page 28 preview image

Loading page ...

Collaborative Writing Guide23Many instructors ask students to record their reactions to and feelings about the group process. Thisactivity encourages students to be more introspective about collaborative writing and, if the journals areturned in periodically, gives instructors the opportunity to help students who are having trouble. Thejournals also help the instructor evaluate the work of each group.Forming GroupsMany researchers have offered criteria for dividing groups: along demographic lines, by ability, accordingto interest in a particular topic, on the basis of common schedules and availability for meetings. Youmight also randomly assign students to groupsor, if you have watched students interact on smaller groupprojects, form groups according to who seems to work well together.Regardless of how you divide students, however, groups should be made up of an odd number ofmembers. Three eliminates the dynamics of the dyad; five eliminates couples or pairs working againsteach other. Also, an odd number of members can decide issues by voting.Three seems to be the most effective number to work with. Many collaborative writing assignmentsare too big for fewer people to accomplish in a reasonable amount of time. And with more than threemembers, the group will have trouble both scheduling time to meet and achieving a sense of unity andcohesion. Also, with three members, the group generally cannot achieve its goals unless all members takean active role. In a larger group, group members can often avoid participating in the assignment.It is best to avoid putting close friends into the same group. For one thing, if two are close friends, theother will feel like a “third wheel.” Second, friends are less likely to pressure one another to fulfill theirobligations for the project. Finally,friends tend to discuss other matters besides the project during theirgroup meeting time.Teaching Group Brainstorming and Decision MakingStudents usually need to be taught how to cooperate in generating ideas and how to avoid letting onemember dominate the group’s decisions. They often think brainstorming means writing down a bunch ofideas. In addition, they frequently let the group member perceived to be the brightest or the hardestworking or the one who assumes the leadership position to make many of the group’s decisions. Withoutenough commitment to the task to “fight” for their perspective, the others may just give in. Weakerstudents might even feel that they do not know enough to make any decisions or to have a valid opinion.You might teach students to overcome this tendency in a situation that is not directly connected withtheir project or with a grade. For example, you might have each group come up with a name for itself orwith a theme for a sales letter.One effective method for reaching consensus begins with brainstorming.3You must stress thatstudents’ ideas are to be generated on the spur of the moment and without any judgment on the part of theother group members. Within the groups, each member in turn contributes one idea, which is recorded.Each member gets a chance to make three suggestions. Without discussing the merits of any of the ideas,each member then votes for what he or she considers the three best ideas. The three ideas that receive themost votes are then discussed by the group. After their discussion, the group votes again or agrees on theirfinal choice.Assigning TasksWith three members in a group, each person can fill an important group-maintenance role: leader,recorder, or evaluator. The leader is responsible for setting the agenda, making sure all members knowabout meetings, and leading discussions. (Leaders may bechosen by their groups or may arise naturally;in some groups, various members take the lead at different points in the project.) The recorder takesminutes and keeps track of who’s doing what. The evaluator keeps the group on target and initiates

Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition - Page 29 preview image

Loading page ...

Collaborative Writing Guide24discussions about how the group is functioning.The most effective way to assign tasks for a project is on the basis of students’ interests or abilities.Groups should therefore encourage members who are proficient at doing library research, conducting one-on-one interviews, or word processing to do so.You might want to supplement group assignment of tasksby providing a list of tasks that need to be completed, such as designing the survey, conducting theinterviews, writing the rough draft, and proofreading the final document.Each student should keep track of his or her specific responsibilities, hours spent working on them,hours spent meeting with the group, and so on (see Exhibit 1, below). This log helps students track theirown participation and (if turned in) allows you to evaluate individual participation.Students sometimes wonder how to handle a group member who is not doing his or her share of thework. Before the groups start working on their projects, you might suggest one of these three remedies:(1) group members confront the errant student to work through problems together; (2) you take care of theproblem when you evaluate the student’s individual work; or (3) you talk with the student in a privateconference or talk with the entire group. You might create role-play situations so that students canpractice confronting “freeloaders.”ASSIGNING SHORT-TERM PROJECTSIf time for collaborative writing is limited, you might assign a project that will take only two or three classsessions. Chapters 1 through10in the textbook offer a variety of activities that can be performed bygroups. (These are also good warm-up activities for a collaborative report-writing project.) The ChapterGuides in this manual suggest solutions for each activity, and checklists in each chapter of the textbookprovide evaluation guidelines.Here are some additional short-term assignments:1.Divide the class into groups of people in similar majors, then ask each group to compose a lettersoliciting career information from someone in their chosen field. For example, accounting studentsmight ask questions like these: What kind of courses did you take in college? What liberal artscourses prepared you for a career in accounting? What kind of starting salary can an accountantexpect to receive? What are the best geographic locations for accountants? What is your professionallife like on a daily basis? The groups can brainstorm to come up with questions and a recipient for theletter, compose a rough draft (which you should evaluate), and prepare and mail a final draft. Theresponse can then be used in conjunction with the chapter on writing application letters and résumésor as a basis for discussing career opportunities.2.To gather information for the report-writing project, each group might write a letter asking forinformation from someone who has knowledge of their topic. This letter might serve as an interviewin written form.

Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition - Page 30 preview image

Loading page ...

Collaborative Writing Guide25EXHIBIT 1INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP TASK SHEETName of Group/TeamTopic for Group Research ReportIndividual’s NameFunction inGroup (leader, secretary, editor, etc.)What you did (be specific)Time spent (date; hours and minutes)Group meetings (where and when)Who attendedTime spent

Class Notes for Business Communication Today, 14th Edition - Page 31 preview image

Loading page ...

Collaborative Writing Guide263.Ask groups to give themselves a name and assume therole of consultants hired to make suggestionsfor changes at the university. After discussing a problem within the university, they can write acollaborative proposal (letter or memo) to mail to the appropriate audience.4.Ask students to collaborate on writing a mid-semester evaluation of your class. They could write thismemo as a form of personnel evaluation. To ensure candor, you might give them credit for doing theassignment without actually grading it.5.Ask groups to compose letters inviting a prominent businessperson to speak to the class. The entireclass might select the most effective letter for actual mailing.6.If the business school at your university produces a newsletter, seek permission for your students towrite some articles. You may have to meet with the head of the business school to determineappropriate general topics, but let the groups select their own specific topics. The names of the groupsor of individual members could appear after the articles. This assignment is useful as a precursor tothe report-writing unit because it uses many of the same procedures.7.Ask whether the English Department would be interested in a newsletter produced by groups of yourstudents. Or have students write articles for the public relations office at your university. You mightalso consider publishing a newsletter for your business communication classes.8.Ask groups to write summaries of important articles on business communication. Each group couldresearch several articles on one topic, such as customer service or sexual harassment, then write asummary of the articles for presentation to the class.UNDERTAKING A LONG-TERM PROJECTThe long-term project described here is a 15-to20-page analytical or informational report. For completeexposure to the collaborative process, each group produces a work plan, a survey, a rough draft, aprogress report, a final report, an oral presentation, and an evaluation of each participant’s workwith thegroup. Most of the data for the reports are gathered from interviews and original surveys, although somelibrary research may be necessary.If the report is written for a real audience, a copy of the final draft is submitted to that audience.Students may invite recipients of the report to their oral presentation and seek their written feedback onthe report itself.Because of the scope of this project, give students time in class to meet with their groups, andremember that you are there as a facilitator. Try to limit your interaction with the groups to observing oranswering questions about the project; try to avoidbecoming another member of the group by offeringtoo many suggestions or taking over the decision-making process. Remember, you are an authority figure,and students tend to acquiesce to what they perceive to be your agenda.Overview of the ProcessThe report-writing project usually takes at least seven weeks, although you may find that you caneliminate some classroom time. The following week-by-week schedule (assuming three class meetingseach week) indicates which chapters and topics to discuss and when to collect specific assignments:Week 1•Introduction to group dynamics covered in Chapter 2 (collaboration); discuss student attitudes aboutand experiences with groups•Instruction in brainstorming anddecision-making techniques•Discussion of Chapter 14(planning reportsand proposals); formation of groups; selection of topics;

Preview Mode

This document has 532 pages. Sign in to access the full document!

Report

Study Now!

Document Details

Related Documents

Business Communication Today 11th Edition Test Bank

Test Bank for Business Communication Today, 15th Edition

Lecture Notes for Business Communication Today, 15th Edition

CIS 337 Unit 7 Assignment Final Project Part IV Pr

Analysis of Leadership in Monster Inc

Evaluation of Alphabet's Mission, Vision, and 8-29

Boundless Management

Uncovering the Martha Stewart Tax Scandal Insider

Boundless Business

JetBlue Airlines Case Analysis

Company

Explore

Study Tools