To: English 307 Students
From: Rick Van Noy, Chief Information Officer
Date: Summer II, 2000
RE: English 307 Syllabus
[Policies] [Assignments] [Grading]
[Schedule]
This memo describes the course content and policies for English 307,
Business Writing.
Creative writing classes talk about a piece of writing that
"works." In the class we will focus on writing that performs work
(that "means business") and on the kind of writing you are likely to encounter
in your work after school.
Required text: Professional Writing Online (you
must buy the user's handbook, which gives you a password).
POLICIES
In order to replicate, as much as possible, an actual working environment, you’ll
want to be aware of the following realities: attendance is not optional and a deadline is
a deadline; also, the paper or project is due when it is announced and not at some other
time. If you think of this class as a place of employment, where I am Chief Information
Officer (CIO) and you are hired, then anticipate what happens when you don’t show up
on time or not at all. You are expected to be in class (work) every day, body and
mind--that is, read the assignments carefully and be ready to ask questions and engage in
conversation. As in a working environment, if you must miss class because of a
bona-fide excuse (nuclear war, hospitalization, etc.), please notify me by phone or
e-mail. Persons missing one class or none will receive extra credit.
If you miss two
weeks of class (6 days MWF, 4 days T,TH,) your grade will be affected and you
should consider withdrawing from the course). If you miss three weeks, you
will have missed so much in terms of daily work and instruction that you will
unconditionally fail the course.
Persons missing one class or none will receive extra credit.
While these guidelines can sound rigid, they are needed to ensure that English 307
constitutes a pre-professional experience. Beyond that, this class can be fun if you allow
it to be. How much fun we have is up to you, but fun usually results from a person’s
capacity for enjoyable engagement (boredom from the lack thereof); engage yourself.
The more you put in (in the way of preparation), the more you will
gain. Classroom activities will apply and enhance the understanding you
gain from reading and homework assignments. They are not a substitute for
before-class preparation. I reserve the right to schedule additional
quizzes or homework assignments.
Late Work – You may receive an extension if you contact the instructor before
the assignment is due (also called the get-out-of-jail-free-card) by means of a
memo (in which you explain your excellent reason for the delay and your expected time of
completion). You may use this option once. I cannot overstress the value of
finishing work on time: outside the university, there are few extensions granted.
Contribution - This is a class on communication so your communication (and
participation) is important. Come to class will questions or responses from the reading,
from your own writing, or from other observations or ideas.
Collaboration – We will spend some time in class analyzing problems or pieces
of communication in groups. Also, since some of your assignments require a team effort, be
responsible for your individual work but also understand your importance as a group
member. This means that you must be mature enough to recognize potential (group-related)
problems and to inform the instructor of any larger conflicts. Of course, this also means
that you should rely upon one another in the event of a missed class.
Document Appearance – Professional quality work will be the class standard.
Envision all assignments as projects written for business situations. Other than work done
in regular class meetings, assignments may not be handwritten. Each submitted document
should be printed on high-quality white paper with dark ink and stapled or clipped (before
class), with proper margins, font, and line spacing. (I may ask you to double space for
the purposes of editing, though single spacing with a double space between paragraphs is
often the standard). Also, please LEFT JUSTIFY—full justification creates uneven word
spacing and makes the document harder to read. Finally, remember to proofread (not just
run through the spell check) carefully.
Academic Dishonesty – Radford University supports an Honor Code to which each
of you is obliged to adhere. "By accepting admission to Radford University, each
student makes a commitment to understand, support, and abide by the University Honor Code
without compromise or exception. Violations of academic integrity will not be tolerated.
This class will be conducted in strict observance of the Honor Code." Please refer to
your Student Handbook for details.
ASSIGNMENTS
Memo
of Introduction: Perhaps the best way to begin any program is with an
honest assessment of where you stand. Maybe
you’re a good listener, or maybe writing is your strong point.
In the beginning weeks of your classes, watch how you handle
communication situations with others. What
are you doing right? Wrong?
Begin by describing what you know at this point about your communication
and writing skills. What have been
your experiences? What have you
learned or what have others told you? Then,
tell about where you want to go. What
are some of your goals (personally, professionally)? What have you done in the past that will get you there?
What do you still need to get there?
Resume set -- The resume set includes a
resume, cover letter, and follow-up (thank you) letter and a formal memo to the instructor
with the subject line: "Re: Strategies used in Resume, Cover Letter, and Follow-Up
Letter." The set should be for a real vacancy in your field—INCLUDE THE
AD. In this memo, do exactly that. Failure to include the memo will result in a loss of 10
points.
Analysis of Writing Practices -- Under
"Projects" from our online textbook, do the "Analysis of Writing
Practices" project.
Case Study: Alaska Oil Spill -- We will write a
document sequence on the spill that took place in Alaska over 10 years ago. This
case study will enable us to study the rhetorical situation in some detail, and to
practice writing.
#1 - Informative Assignment
#2 - Persuasive Assignment
#3 - Collaborative Assignment
some exxon Valdez notes and
bibliography
#4 - Final Assignment
Thanks to Karla Ambruster for this assignment.
Menu option:
Choose one of the following assignments:
