ENGL226
August 2, 2024
| Instructor Information | Evaluation Procedures |
| Course Description | Grading Scale |
| Course Scope | Course Outline |
| Course Objectives | Policies |
| Course Delivery Method | Academic Services |
| Course Resources | Selected Bibliography |
See the online classroom for instructor information and contact information.
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In the modern workplace driven by technology, the written word connects us, and business is about relationships. This course teaches how to build those relationships, efficiently and effectively, through composing common types of business messages, such as emails, memos, and letters as well as social media content, presentations, and personal résumés. Develop professional communication skills to articulate your purpose to diverse business audiences in clear, concise, correct, coherent, and credible ways.
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This course provides instruction in producing effective business communication for practical purposes. Students will engage in a variety of business writing exercises to practice with simulated real-world materials and situations. Writing for the world of work is a craft, not an art form; it is a rational process that can be learned. Each exercise in the course aims toward developing student skills in the rational process of business communication.
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Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
- Recognize the way a clear purpose, understanding of audience, and a structured writing process contribute to effective business communication.
- Differentiate between effective and ineffective business communication strategies.
- Apply professional and appealing choices in content, organization, tone, style, syntax, and formatting to create common types of business communication.
- Assess purpose, effectiveness, and professionalism in web and social media use for professional purposes.
- Synthesize, assess, and evaluate information from a variety of sources into wellcomposed business messages.
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This course delivered via distance learning will enable students to complete academic work in a flexible manner, completely online. Course materials and access to an online learning management system will be made available to each student. Online assignments are due by Sunday midnight of the week as noted and include required readings, forum discussions, examinations, and individual assignments submitted for review by the faculty member.
Assigned faculty will support the students throughout this eight-week course.
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All course resources are included within the Lessons sections of the online classroom.
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The final course grade will be based on the following assignments:
| Grade Instruments | Percentage |
| Positive/Routine Message (Week 4) | 5% |
| Negative Message (Week 4) | 5% |
| Cover Letter (Week 5) | 5% |
| Revised Cover Letter (Week 7) | 5% |
| Résumé (Week 7) | 10% |
| Presentation (Week 8) | 15% |
| Discussions (Weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, and 8) | 30% |
| Quizzes (Weeks 2, 3, and 6) | 15% |
| Final Exam (Week 8) | 10% |
| Total | 100% |
Grading rubrics are provided for each assignment in the assignment instructions.
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Please see the Student Handbook to reference the University’s grading scale.
| Grade | GPA / Percent | Description |
| A | 4.0 / 100 – 94 | All: Very high quality, clearly above average work |
| A- | 3.67 / 93-90 | |
| B+ | 3.33 / 89-87 | |
| B | 3.0 / 86-84 | Undergraduate: Above Average Graduate: Expected performance level |
| B- | 2.67 / 83-80 | |
| C+ | 2.33 / 79-77 | |
| C | 2.0 / 76-73 | |
| C- | 1.67 / 72-70 | Undergraduate: Below Average Graduate: Unsatisfactory |
| D+ | 1.33 / 69-67 | Undergraduate: Unsatisfactory Graduate: Failing |
| D | 1.0 / 66-64 | Undergraduate: Unsatisfactory Graduate: Failing |
| D- | .67 / 63-60 | Undergraduate: Unsatisfactory Graduate: Failing |
| F | 0.0 / 59-0 | Undergraduate: Unsatisfactory Graduate: Failing |
| P | NONE | Undergraduate: Pass Graduate: Pass |
| PD | NONE | Graduate Comprehensive Exam Only: Pass with Distinction |
| FAIL | NONE | Graduate Comprehensive Exam Only: Failed the Exam |
| I | NONE | All: Incomplete |
| DP | NONE | Dropped |
| W | NONE | All: Withdrawn |
| WP | NONE | All: Withdrawn Passing |
| WF | NONE | All: Withdrawn Failing |
| X | NONE | Audit grade: No Academic Credit awarded |
| S | NONE | Satisfactory: CEUs awarded: No Academic Credit awarded |
| U | NONE | Unsatisfactory: No CEUs awarded No Academic Credit awarded |
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| Assignments | |
| Week 1 Introduction Analyze business audiences.Distinguish common purposes for business communication.Demonstrate the “you” approach to focus on the audience’s interests and needs. | During the week, participate in the Introductions Discussion. |
| Week 2 Effective Style Articulate the Six Cs of Communication (courtesy, conciseness, clarity, concreteness, completeness, and correctness) and their ability to establish credibility with business audiences.Recognize the role of positive emphasis in creating courtesy. | During the week, participate in the Business Style Discussion. By the end of the week, take the Week 2 Quiz. |
| Week 3 Message Format and Delivery Describe strategies for effective message formatting.Identify parts of messages.Contrast common message formats.Classify message mediums of delivery. | By the end of the week, take the Week 3 Quiz. |
| Week 5 Persuasive Messages Assess strategies for a persuasive résumé and cover letterAssemble professional employment application documents By the end of the week, submit the Cover Letter. | |
| Week 6 Reports Contrast informational and analytical purposes of reports.Categorize the types of reports as formal or informal.Break down the parts of a report. During the week, participate in the Reports Discussion. By the end of the week, take the Week 6 Quiz. |
| Week 4 The Writing Process and Positive/Routine and Negative Messages Analyze a writing situation to determine best strategies to accomplish a purpose for a business audience.Differentiate strategies for positive/routine and negative messages.Employ a structured writing process to construct positive/routine and negative | During the week, participate in the | ||
| Positive/Routine and Negative Messages Discussion. | |||
| By the end of the week, submit Positive/Routine Message. | the | ||
| By the end of the week, submit the Negative | |||
| Message. | |||
| messages by using effective content, organization, tone, style, syntax, and formatting. | |||
| During the week, participate in the Social Media Discussion. By the end of the week, submit the Revised Cover Letter. By the end of the week, submit the Résumé. | |
| Week 8 Presenting and Publishing List options for professional publication and presentation.Prepare and deliver a professional presentation concerning a topic related to interpersonal communication or technology for business purposes. | By THURSDAY midnight of the week, submit the Presentation to the Communication Conference Presentations Discussion. During the week, participate in the Final Exam Study Group Discussion. By the end of the week, take the Final Exam. |
UNIVERSITY POLICIES
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Policies
Please see the Student Handbook and the following links for University policies:
- Drop/Withdrawal Policy
- Extension Process and Policy
- Appeals and Special Requests
- Disability Accommodations
ACADEMIC HONESTY
Students are expected to abide by the APUS Academic Honesty policy in completion of all course assignments, including forums.
Course forums will be submitted to Turnitin.com every week. Turnitin.com is integrated such that written assignments may be automatically submitted to an originality analysis software system through the Assignments tool of the online classroom.
Your instructor has the right to regrade assignments during the course if suspicion of plagiarism or any other misleading events present themselves.
WRITING EXPECTATIONS
All assignments, including forum discussions, should apply the principles of professional communication reviewed in the course, such as the Six Cs of Communication, the “you” approach, positive emphasis, and appropriate formatting for the intended medium. All writing is expected to be carefully edited and proofread.
CITATION AND REFERENCE STYLE
Use American Psychological Association (APA) style to cite sources and format assignments. Follow the APUS Library’s APA Style Guide.
LATE ASSIGNMENTS
Students are expected to submit assignments by the posted due date and to complete the course according to the published class schedule. Should you need additional time to complete an assignment, please contact me before the due date so we can discuss the situation and determine an acceptable resolution.
Work posted or submitted after the assignment due date will be reduced by 10% of the potential total score possible for each day late up to a total of five days, including forum posts/replies, quizzes, and assignments. Beginning on the sixth day late through the end of the course, late work, including forum posts/replies, quizzes, and assignments, will be accepted with a grade reduction of 50% of the potential total score earned.
COURSE EXTENSIONS
Students must determine the need for their first course extension and submit their “Request Course Extension” form before the end of the semester. Courses may be extended in 30day intervals a maximum of 60 days. If the request form is unavailable and the student is within the extension request period, the student may email the instructor and carbon copy (cc) registrar@apus.edu to request an extension. Students must submit their plan (specific dates) of completion and have at least one quarter (25%) of work already completed, or a minimum of five (5) assignments, whichever is greater.
Extension requests made AFTER the last day of the course will be denied.
If you request a course extension, you must include with your request this extension calendar.
Bulk submissions are not accepted during the course or during an extension. Feedback is structured so students increase their cognitive learning and skill sets. Reviewing, applying, and building on feedback is essential to achieving learning outcomes.
NETIQUETTE
Online universities promote the advancement of knowledge through positive and constructive debate – both inside and outside the classroom. Forums on the Internet, however, can occasionally degenerate into needless insults and “flaming.” Such activity and the loss of good manners are not acceptable in a university setting. Be respectful of others in all online discussions!
DISCLAIMER STATEMENT
Course content may vary from the outline to meet the needs of this particular group.
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The Online Library is available to enrolled students and faculty from inside the electronic campus. This is your starting point for access to online books, subscription periodicals, and Web resources that are designed to support your classes and generally not available through search engines on the open Web. In addition, the Online Library provides access to special learning resources, which the University has contracted to assist with your studies:
- Charles Town Library and Inter Library Loan: The University maintains a special library with a number of supporting volumes, collection of our professors’ publication, and services to search and borrow research books and articles from other libraries.
- Electronic Books: You can use the online library to uncover and download over 50,000 titles, which have been scanned and made available in electronic format.
- Electronic Journals: The University provides access to over 12,000 journals, which are available in electronic form and only through limited subscription services.
- Tutor.com: AMU and APU Civilian & Coast Guard students are eligible for 10 free hours of tutoring provided by APUS. Tutor.com connects you with a professional tutor online 24/7 to provide help with assignments, studying, test prep, résumé writing, and more. Tutor.com is tutoring the way it was meant to be. You get expert tutoring whenever you need help, and you work one-to-one with your tutor in your online classroom on your specific issue until it is resolved.
Access a library guide for this course at https://apus.libguides.com/. The AMU/APU Library Guides provide access to collections of trusted sites on the Open Web and licensed resources on the Deep Web. The following are specially tailored for academic research at APUS:
- Program Portals contain topical and methodological resources to help launch general research in the degree program. Search by department name or navigate by school.
- Course Library Guides narrow the focus to relevant resources for the corresponding course. To locate, search by class code (e.g., ENGL226), or class name.
Questions can be directed to librarian@apus.edu.
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See the lessons in the online classroom for additional resources.
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