Blake, Gary, and Bly, Robert W. The Elements of Business Writing New York: Collier Books, Macmillan Publishing Company, 1991 (paper).

Christensen, G. Jay. Expanded Syllabus for Bus. Com. Northridge: California State University, Northridge Bookstore Printshop, n.d.

Guffey, Mary Ellen. Business Communication: Process & Product. 2d ed. Cincinnati, Ohio: South-Western College Publishing, An International Thomson Publishing Company, 1997.

Jacobi, Ernst, and Christensen, G. Jay. On-the-Job Communications for Business, the Professions, Government, and Industry. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1990 (paper).

Supplies: 2 3 1/2 DS, HD disks for IBM (could be purchased from computer room vending machine); disks used for Inspiration Software, MS Word, and MS Excel, as well as WEB and Internet applications

NOTE: Your first assignment and all others will be graded one half for content/style (top score) and one half for mechanics (bottom score). Grading means a 13-point scale: 13-12-11 (Grade A); 10-9-8 (Grade B); 7-6-5 (Grade C); 4-3-2 (Grade D); 1 (Grade F); and 0 (too many errors to count). The bottom mechanics score, including grammar, punctuation, mechanical friction, spelling, violation of word division rules, form and font, and following directions, starts at "9" for the first mechanical error and decreases one number for each additional mistake. I assume college students should not be making mechanical errors and forgetting to correct them. Therefore, please PROOFREAD. Also, white-out corrections are not acceptable on any assignment. A student cannot pass this course, in addition without writing a keyboarded, final analytical report memo, including the transmittal memo, executive summary, and attachments, as well as attending and physically taking the final exam.

Plus-Minus

The plus-minus grading will not be used in writing the final grades on the university's grade sheets. Please keep a DELETIONARY all semester on 5 x 3 cards, and make daily as well as weekly entries with dates. The deletionary includes misused and overused words and phrases. The deletionary includes the date of entry, the error in a sentence context, and the suggested correction. Each card contains a separate entry. Also, make copies of all assignments from the listening memo on for your protection.

Week 1 (August 26, 28, and 30)

Survey of students. Comments on How to Use Texts. How to Use Web and Internet for the Guffey textbook. Comments on computer availability. Explanation of Deletionary. Conversations.

My immediate authorization: PLEASE FIND A BUSINESS REPORT TOPIC. The report topic has to meet the criteria contained in the purchased syllabus.

• Videotape: "Memo Mania: Any Cure?"
• Explanation of Talking Captions
• Homework: Listening Memo (with talking captions for every major paragraph)

Week 2 (September 4 and 6)

Assignment due on Friday: final keyboarded listening memo with required talking captions, double spacing between paragraphs (only). and proper memo format. Memo must include the following, in addition to the instructions in the purchased syllabus:

1. First paragraph with time of conversation, place of meeting, and other circumstances
2. Answers to all of Adler's questions in narrative form
3. Summation paragraph of what was learned about your own listening habits.
• Videotape: Power of Listening (tentative)
• Slides on "Miracles in Effective Communication"
• Exercises from Elements of Business Writing

Week 3 (September 9, 11, and 13)

Preparation for Writing Proficiency Exam In-Class Tryout Exam for Upper Division Writing Proficiency (will count in the grades)\


Differences in Writing Essay and Business Communications

If time: Introduction to the Business Letter

The preparation for the tryout exam includes the following:

1. 1. Unless the student has previously passed the exam, this person must go the Learning Resource Center (Engineering Lawn 656) and check out a cassette tape or videotape plus workbook.
2. 2. After completing the cassette tape/videotape and workbook before Thursday night, the student must certify with a signed slip (dated) from the Center the work has been completed. This slip will later be placed inside the test booklet on the tryout exam day.
3. 3. Please allow at least one day at the Engineering Lawn to write a practice exam and have it evaluated after that. You need to make an appointment if you plan to have a practice exam evaluated. You may check with the Learning Resource Center about hours of operation or faxing an exam for their evaluation.

NOTE: Please check the next examination dates (September 28 and November 9) for the Upper Division Writing Proficiency Exam. HAVE YOU REGISTERED? WHAT'S YOU EXCUSE? SEND IT IN!

Week 4 (September 16, 18, and 20)

• Practice with Microsoft Applications in Business Building Labs (to be announced)
• In-class preparation of Report Progress Memo
• Bring IBM diskettes and report ideas all week.
• Two days needed for the printing of the memos
• Videotape: Strictly Speaking

Week 5 (September 23, 25, and 27)

• Importance of Power Networking and Possible Verbal Networking
• Videotape: Networking from Drake, Beam, and Morin
• Introduction to Career Search Process
• Designing the Networking Interview
• Writing the Networking/Informational Interview Memo
• Comments on Report Topics
Assignment due on Friday: final, keyboarded networking/informational interview memo; talking captions for every major paragraph; keyboarded interview questions; names of at least two more people to network with; required reaction to your resume from networked person; blow-by-blow description in the career memo of what occurred during informational interview

Week 6 (September 30, October 2 and 4)

• Lecture (with slides and transparencies): "Requisites of a Well-Written Problem and Introduction to Report Writing"
• Videotape: "Eureka: Defining the Report Problem"
• Examples of Government Reports
• Explanation of Mindmap

Week 7 (October 7, 9, and 11)

• Tentative: Practice with Mindmaps at Business Building Labs (to be announced) with 2 IBM disks
• Videotape: "Elements of a Well-Written Report--A Conversation" with Ernst Jacobi
Assignment due on Friday: mindmap on computer paper (with Inspiration Software) and accompanying topic outline about report topic development

NOTE: This assignment will be graded partially on your creative ability and your use of right brain thinking. It is important to have a myriad of topics.

Week 8 (October 14, 16, and 18)

• How to Write a Proposal Memo (with examples)
• Explanation of Organization Tree
• Parts of the Report Sentence Outline
Assignment due on Friday: keyboarded proposal memo, including detailed purpose, your qualifications for writing the report, problem as question, own and organizational benefits, estimated costs of supplies, travel, and own time; any attachments to clarify

Week 9 (October 21, 23, and 25)

• Lecture (with transparencies): "Criteria for Writing an Effective Survey Question"
• Introduction to Databases
• Writing Article Summaries
• Tentative: Two Days in Oviatt Library Using InfoTrac, Lexis-Nexis, Boolean Searches
Assignment due on Friday: keyboarded, printed, or photocopied questionnaire or keyboarded interview guide(s) or both (depending on data to be gathered); keyboarded memo or cover letter (if questionnaire is sent through mail or distributed by someone other than you); and ways to follow up if respondents are slow in answering

Week 10 (October 28, 30, and November 1)

• Understanding the Format for the First Memo Paragraph
• Analytical Report Memo (with transparencies)
• Introduction to Readability Indexes
• Writing Purposes
• Writing Scope and Limitations
Assignment due on Friday: keyboarded, double-spaced article summary and separate reaction, along with Turabian style manual bibliographic heading (at least six major columns of writing, at least 1,000 words or last-minute interview (also, Turabian format as heading) related to your report; clean photocopy of entire article or notes from interview; printout of Lexis-Nexis or appropriate database to show you understand the system

Week 11 (November 4, 6, and 8)

Assignment due on Friday: keyboarded first three paragraphs of analytical report memo (including problem, purpose, scope and limitations, procedures); memo format of To, From, Date, Subject

• Recognizing Logical Fallacies and Introduction to Reasoning
• Lecture: "How to Write Considerations, Analysis, and Decision(s)"
• Tentative: Videotape on Time-Life Video, "Purpose and Audience"

Week 12 (November 11, 13, and 15)

Exercises to Understand Use of Excel for Tables and Charts (bring 2 IBM disks) Meet in Business Building Labs Two Days for Excel work and printing Lecture: "Visually Presenting the Report with Tables and Charts (attachments)" Grappling with Graphics and Cheating by Charting

Assignment due on Friday: keyboarded three-five pages of analytical report memo (including Considerations, Analysis, and Decision(s); memo format of To, From, Date, Subject

Week 13 (November 18, 20, and 22)

• Time-Life Videos: Effective Organization and Effective Editing
• Lecture: "Principles of Writing Well-Written Report Summaries (with transparencies)"
• How to Prepare the Transmittal (Cover) Memo
• How to Write Executive Summary

  Week 14 (November 25 and 27)

  Assignment due on Wednesday: at least one keyboarded table and one chart presenting different data from the table; tied-in explanation of table and chart meanings in memo paragraphs to be incorporated in the entire analytical report memo

  • Explanation of E-Mail and Internet Assignment
  • Issues in the Sexual Harassment Memo (Office Politics)
  • Introduction to Giving a Presentation
  • Videotape: Persuasive Speaking
  Assignment due on Friday: keyboarded sexual harassment memo case; e-mail assignment with several choices (pick one); e-mail delivered by wire to professor's office before start of class on Friday

  Week 15 (December 2 and 4)

  • Factors in a Power Presentation
  • Practice with Writing Opening and Closing Lines
  • Introduction to World Wide Web Resources
  Assignment due on Wednesday: all copies of working papers handed back during semester (related to analytical report memo) and all collected raw data (as proof of original work) in manila envelope and labeled with your name and exact, specific contents; IBM or MAC 3 1/2 disk of entire analytical report memo; all notes and pieces of paper related to the interviews and dated; keyboarded final analytical report memo with talking captions (not more than five pages single spaced) with attachments (tables and charts and other accompanying material); keyboarded executive summary stapled to the front of the analytical report memo; keyboarded transmittal memo;deletionary on 5 x 3 cards kept during entire semester and dated for each card

  NOTE: The entire analytical memo report has to be rewritten wherever green marks occur. The purpose of the final assignment is to rewrite.

  ---

  One grade is deducted for each day late, or a fraction of grade reduction is computed. PLEASE MEET THE DEADLINE with working papers, final keyboarded analytical memo report, keyboarded executive summary, attachments, and DELETIONARY. One assignment is not acceptable without the other. For example, turning in the working papers late counts against the final report grade. The final, keyboarded analytical report memo is due in class, not after class or the same day of class. Turning in part of the analytical report memo does not count as the full report; a student cannot pass the course with the response, including the omission of the transmittal memo, executive summary, and attachments.

  PLEASE DO NOT DESTROY THE RAW DATA during the semester because you think the tallies will be sufficient. Please do not avoid turning in the raw data because the employer needs to keep them. Make a copy. Other efforts suggest the data may not have been adequately gathered. One semester a student gave the raw data to his boss; the boss lost the raw data. That kind of experience suggests handwritten notes about where the data may be are not acceptable. Possibly fabricating the report can be readily checked and may result in a failing grade. Also, collaboration on the same report is not permitted. Each report has to be turned in as that student's work, not a collaborative effort.

  The original, final analytical report memos can be returned after one semester has elapsed.

  Office Hours

  • Business Building 4214. Probably 11-12 noon MW; 2:30-3:30 p.m. F
  • Telephone (677-2418) or voice mail. Other office hours by appointment.
  • E-mail: jchristensen@huey.csun.edu
  • Web page (http://www.csun.edu/~vcecn006/public1.htm)
  You want to check the home page and the comments about the

  Grading

  • 55% Weekly assignments (as determined by the instructor)
  • 30% Final analytical memo report (with all parts)
  • 15% Final, Possible Presentation

  
  Analysis of Com. for Business Dr. G. Jay Christensen
  Off. Systems/Bus. Ed. 205
  Fall Semester, 1996
  

  ASSIGNED READINGS
  • Week 1. Blake and Bly: pp. 127-28. Guffey: Chap. 2.
  • Week 2. Guffey: Chap. 7, "Direct Memos." Blake and Bly: Chap. 1, "Principles of Composition."
  • Week 3. Blake and Bly: Chap. 3, "Principles of Wording and Phrasing."
  • Week 4. Guffey: Chap. 3, "Analyzing, Anticipating, and Adapting."
  • Week 5. Guffey: Chap. 16, "Employment Communication."
  • Week 6. Guffey: Chap. 11, "Report Planning and Research."
  • Week 7. Guffey: Chap. 4, "Researching, Organizing, and Composing." Blake and Bly: "Principles of Organizing."
  • Week 8. Jacobi: "Proposal Writing and Grantmanship" in expanded syllabus. Guffey: Chap. 14, "Proposals and Formal Reports."
  • Week 9. Guffey: Chap. 12, "Report Organization and Presentation." Erdos, Professional Mail Surveys (on reserve): Chaps. 6, 7, and 12. Dillman, Mail and Telephone Surveys: The Total Design Method (on reserve): Chap. 3.
  • Week 10. Handouts.
  • Week 11. Guffey: Chap. 13, "Typical Business Reports." Weaver and Weaver, Persuasive Writing (on reserve): pp. 102- 05 and pp. 96-102.
  • Week 12. Review Guffey, Chap. 12.
  • Week 13. Syllabus.
  • Week 14. Jacobi: "Memo Writing--The Staple of Business Communication" in expanded syllabus. On reserve: Manipulative Memos, pp. 79-98.
  • Week 14. Guffey: Chap. 15, "Presentation Skills."

  Note: Please refer to Appendixes A, B, and C in Guffey for additional help on punctuation, grammar, spelling, documentation, and letter styles.

  Final Exam

  • 10 a.m. class: Wednesday, December 11, 10:15 a.m. - 12:15
  • 12 noon class: Wednesday, December 11, 12:45 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.
  • 2-3:15 p.m. class: Monday, December 9, 3 p.m. - 5 p.m.
  • 7-9:45 p.m.class: Thursday, December 12, 8 - 10 p.m.

  Note: The final is subject to change from a traditional final to an oral presentation (with visual aids, not including handouts) of your report, depending on the size of the class.

  Analysis of Com. for Business
  Dr. G. Jay Christensen
  Office Systems/Bus. Ed. 205
  Fall Semester, 1996-MW
  Page 2
  

  Week 1 (August 26 and 28) Survey of students. Comments on How to Use Texts. How to Use Web and Internet for the Guffey textbook. Comments on computer availability. Explanation of Deletionary. Conversations.

  My immediate authorization: PLEASE FIND A BUSINESS REPORT TOPIC. The report topic has to meet the criteria contained in the purchased syllabus.

  • Videotape: "Memo Mania: Any Cure?"
  • Explanation of Talking Captions
  • Videotape (tentative): Power of Listening
  • Slides on "Miracles in Effective Communication"

  Week 2 (September 4 and 6)

  Assignment due on Monday: final keyboarded listening memo with required talking captions, double spacing between paragraphs (only), and proper memo format. The memo must include the following, in addition to the instructions in the purchased syllabus:

  1. 1. First paragraph with time of conversation, place of meeting, and other circumstances
  2. 2. Answers to all of Adler's questions in narrative form
  3. 3. Summation paragraph of what was learned about your own listening habits.
  • Continuation of "Miracles in Effective Communication"
  • Exercises from Elements of Business Writing
  • Preparation for Writing Proficiency Exam
  • Differences in Writing Essay and Business Communications
  • Introduction to the Business Letter

  The preparation for the tryout exam includes the following:

  1. Unless the student has previously passed the exam, this person must go to the Learning Resource Center (Engineering Lawn 656) and check out a cassette tape or videotape plus workbook.
  2. After completing the cassette tape/videotape and workbook before next Monday, the student must certify with a signed slip (dated) from the Center the work has been completed. This slip will later be placed inside the blue booklet on the tryout exam day.
  3. Please allow at least one day at the Engineering Lawn to write a practice exam and have it evaluated after that. You need to make an appointment if you plan to have a practice exam evaluated. You may check with the Learning Resource Center about hours of operation or faxing an exam for their evaluation.

  NOTE: Please check the next examination dates (September 28 and November 9) for the Upper Division Writing Proficiency Exam. HAVE YOU REGISTERED? WHAT'S YOUR EXCUSE? SEND IT IN!

  Week 3 (September 9 and 11)

  Monday: In-Class Tryout Exam for Upper Division Writing Proficiency. Bring BLUE BOOKS AND PEN. Will count in the grades.

  • Videotape: Strictly Speaking
  • Importance of Power Networking and Possible Verbal Networking
  • Designing the Networking Interview
  • Writing the Networking/Informational Interview Memo
  • Comments on Report Topics

  Week 4 (September 16 and 18)

  • Practice with Microsoft Applications in Business Building Labs (to be announced)
  • In-Class preparation of Report Progress Memo
  • Bring IBM diskettes and report ideas all week.
  • Two days needed for the printing of the memos

  Week 5 (September 23 and 25)

  Assignment due on Monday: final, keyboarded networking/informational interview memo; talking captions for every major paragraph; keyboarded interview questions, names of at least two more people to network with; required reaction to your resume from networked person; blow-by-blow description in the career memo of what occurred during informational interview; thank-you letter (for extra points)

  • Lecture (with slides and transparencies): "Requisites of a Well-Written Problem and Introduction to Report Writing"
  • Videotape: "Eureka: Defining the Report Problem"
  • Examples of Government Reports
  • The Structure of an Analytical Memo Report

  Week 6 (September 30 and October 2)

  • Videotape: "Elements of a Well-Written Report--A Conversation" with Ernst Jacobi Wednesday and Monday: Practice with Mindmaps at Business Building Labs (to be announced) with 2 IBM disks
  • How to Write a Proposal Memo (with examples)

  Week 7 (October 7 and 9)

  Assignment due on Wednesday: mindmap on computer paper (with Inspiration Software) and accompanying topic outline about report topic development

  NOTE: This assignment will be graded partially on your creative ability and your use of right brain thinking. It is important to have a myriad of topics.

  • Writing a Proposal Memo (continued)
  • Explanation of Organization Tree (in class)
  • Purpose Hierarchy Explanation
  • Writing Article Summaries

  Week 8 (October 14 and 16)

  Assignment due on Wednesday: keyboarded proposal memo, including detailed purpose, your qualifications for writing the report, problem as question, own and organizational benefits, estimated costs of supplies, travel, and own time, any attachments to clarify Introduction to Databases Tentative: Two Days in Oviatt Library Using InfoTrac, Lexis-Nexis, Boolean Searches

  Week 9 (October 21 and 23)

  • Lecture (with transparencies): "Criteria for Writing an Effective Survey Question"
  • Understanding the Format for the First Memo Paragraphs
  • Writing Purposes
  • Writing Scope and Limitations
  • Writing Procedures
  Assignment due on Wednesday: keyboarded, printed, or photocopied questionnaire or keyboarded interview guide(s) or both (depending on data to be gathered); keyboarded memo or cover letter (if questionnaire is sent through mail or distributed by someone other than you), and ways to follow up if respondents are slow in answering

  Week 10 (October 28 and 30)

  • Recognizing Logical Fallacies and Introduction to Reasoning
  • Lecture: "How to Write Considerations, Analysis, and Decision(s)"
  • Videotape from Effective Writing for Executives: Purpose and Audience

    Assignment due on Wednesday: keyboarded, double-spaced article summary and separate reaction, along with Turabian style manual bibliographic heading (at least six major columns of writing, at least 1,000 words or last-minute interview (also, Turabian format as heading) related to your report, clean photocopy of entire article or notes from interview; printout of Lexis-Nexis or appropriate database to show you understand the system

    Week 11 (November 4 and 6)

    • Meet in Business Building Labs Two Days for Excel work and printing
    • Exercises to Understand Use of Excel for Tables and Charts (bring 2 IBM disks)
    • Using Tables and Charts

    Week 12 (November 11 and 13)

    • Lecture: "Visually Presenting the Report with Tables and Charts (attachments)"
    • Grappling with Graphics and Cheating by Charting
    • Video from Effective Writing for Executives: Effective Organization
    Assignment due on Wednesday: keyboarded three-five pages of analytical report memo (including Considerations, Analysis, and Decision(s); memo format of To, From, Date, Subject

    Week 13 (November 18 and 20)

    • Time-Life Video: Effective Editing
    • Lecture: "Principles of Writing Well-Written Report Summaries (with transparencies)"
    • How to Prepare the Transmittal (Cover) Memo
    • How to Write the Executive Summary
    • Explanation of E-Mail and Internet Assignment
    Assignment due on Wednesday: at least one keyboarded table and one chart presenting different data from the table; tied-in explanation of table and chart meanings in memo paragraphs to be incorporated in the entire analytical report memo; keyboarded executive summary (separate page)

    Week 14 (November 25 and 27)

    Assignment due on Wednesday: keyboarded sexual harassment memo case; e-mail assignment with several choices (pick one); e-mail delivered by wire to professor's office before start of class on Wednesday

    • Issues in Sexual Harassment Memo (Office Politics)
    • Introduction to Giving a Presentation
    Week 15 (December 2 and 4)
    • Videotape: Persuasive Speaking
    • Factors in a Power Presentation
    • Practice with Writing Opening and Closing Lines
    • Introduction to World Wide Web Resources
    Assignment due on Wednesday: all copies of working papers handed back during semester (related to analytical report memo) and all collected raw data (as proof of original work) in manila envelope and labeled with your name and exact, specific contents; IBM or MAC 3 1/2-inch disk of entire analytical report memo; all notes and pieces of paper related to the interviews and dated; keyboarded, final analytical report with talking captions (not more than five pages single spaced) with attachments (tables and charts and other accompanying material); keyboarded executive summary stapled to the front of the analytical report memo; keyboarded transmittal memo; deletionary on 5 x 3 cards kept during entire semester and dated for each card

    NOTE: The entire analytical memo report has to be rewritten wherever green marks occur. The purpose of the final assignment is to rewrite. Analysis of Com. for Business
    Dr. G. Jay Christensen
    Office Systems/Bus. Ed. 205
    Fall Semester, 1996-Night
    Page 2
    

    Week 1 (August 27)

    Survey of students. Comments on How to Use Texts. How to Use Web and Internet for the Guffey textbook. Comments on computer availability. Explanation of Deletionary. Conversations.

    My immediate authorization: PLEASE FIND A BUSINESS REPORT TOPIC. The report topic has to meet the criteria contained in the purchased syllabus.

    • Videotape (tentative): The Power of Listening
    • Videotape: "Memo Mania: Any Cure?"
    • Explanation of Talking Captions
    Week 2 (September 5)

    Assignment due: final keyboarded listening memo with required talking captions, double spacing between paragraphs (only), and proper memo format. The memo must include the following, in addition to the instructions in the purchased syllabus:

    1. First paragraph with time of conversation, place of meeting, and other circumstances
    2. Answers to all of Adler's questions in narrative form
    3. Summation paragraph of what was learned about your own listening habits.
    • Slides: "Miracles in Effective Communication"
    • Exercises from Elements of Business Writing
    • Preparation for Writing Proficiency Exam
    • Differences in Writing Essay and Business Communications
    The preparation for the tryout exam includes the following:
    1. Unless the student has previously passed the exam, this person must go to the Learning Resource Center (Engineering Lawn 656) and check out a cassette tape or videotape plus workbook.
    2. In place of the workbook, the student may access the World Wide Web (www.csun.edu) and find the pages for the Epicenter. First, you click on Academic Programs, then click on Learning Resource Center. The student must print at least three pages of the Epicenter to prove the experience has been worthwhile.
    3. After completing the cassette tape/videotape and workbook before the tryout exam, the student must certify with a signed slip (dated) from the Center that the work has been completed. This slip will later be placed inside the blue booklet on the tryout exam day.
    4. Please allow at least one day at the Engineering Lawn to write a practice exam and have it evaluated after that. You need to make an appointment if you plan to have a practice exam evaluated. You may check with the Learning Resource Center about hours of operation or faxing an exam for their evaluation.
    Week 3 (September 12)

    In-Class Tryout Exam for Upper Division Writing Proficiency. Bring BLUE BOOKS AND PEN. Will count in the grades.

    • Videotape: Strictly Speaking
    • Introduction to the Business Letter Format
    • Practice in Writing Persuasive Communication (appeal for reinstatement)
    • If time: Introduction to Power Networking
    Week 4 (September 19)
    • Practice with Microsoft Applications (Word) in Business Building Labs (to be announced)
    • In-Class preparation of Report Progress Memo
    • Bring IBM diskettes and report ideas all week
    • Entire evening needed for printing of documents
    Week 5 (September 26)
    • Importance of Power Networking and Possible Verbal Networking
    • Designing the Networking Interview (transparencies)
    • Writing the Networking/Informational Interview Memo
    • Comments on Career Search Preparation
    • Comments on Report Topics
    Week 6 (October 3)

    Assignment due: final, keyboarded networking/informational interview memo; talking captions for every major paragraph; keyboarded interview questions, names of at least two more people to network with; required reaction to your resume from networked person; blow-by-blow description in the career memo of what occurred during informational interview; thank-you letter (for extra points)

    • Lecture (with slides and transparencies): "Requisites of a Well-Written Problem and Introduction to Report Writing"
    • Videotape: "Eureka: Defining the Report Problem"
    • Examples of Government Reports
    • The Structure of an Analytical Memo Report
    Week 7 (October 10)
    • Practice with Mindmaps at Business Building Labs (to be announced) with 2 IBM disks
    • Bring all ideas on how to develop your report topic.
    • How to Write a Proposal Memo (with examples and overhead required
    Week 8 (October 17)

    Assignment due: mindmap on computer paper (with Inspiration Software) and accompanying topic outline about report topic development

    • Tentative: Evening in Oviatt Library Using InfoTrac, Lexis-Nexis, Boolean Searches
    • Introduction to Databases
    Week 9 (October 24)
    • Writing Article Summaries
    • Preparing Organization Trees and Purpose Hierarchies
    • Lecture (with transparencies): "Criteria for Writing an Effective Survey Question"
    • Understanding the Format for the First Memo Paragraphs
    • Writing Purposes
    • Writing Scope and Limitations and Procedures
    Week 10 (October 31)

    Assignment due: keyboarded, double-spaced article summary and separate reaction, along with Turabian style manual bibliographic heading (at least six major columns of writing, at least 1,000 words or last-minute interview (also, Turabian format as heading) related to your report, clean photocopy of entire article or notes from interview; printout of Lexis-Nexis or appropriate database to show you understand the system

    • Recognizing Logical Fallacies and Introduction to Reasoning
    • Lecture: "How to Write Considerations, Analysis, and Decision(s)"
    • Videotape from Effective Writing for Executives: Purpose and Audience
    Week 11 (November 7)
    • Meet in Business Building Labs for Excel work and printing
    • Exercises to Understand Use of Excel for Tables and Charts (bring 2 IBM disks)
    • Using Tables and Charts

    Week 12 (November 14)

    • Lecture: "Visually Presenting the Report with Tables and Charts (attachments)"
    • Grappling with Graphics and Cheating by Charting
    • Video from Effective Writing for Executives: Effective Organization and Effective Editing
    • Explanation of E-Mail and Internet Assignment Assignment due: at least one keyboarded table and one chart presenting different data from the table; tied-in explanation of table and chart meanings in memo paragraphs to be incorporated in the entire analytical report memo; keyboarded executive summary (separate page)

      Week 13 (November 21)

      • Lecture: "Principles of Writing Well-Written Report Summaries (with transparencies)"
      • How to Prepare the Transmittal (Cover) Memo
      • How to Write the Executive Summary
      Assignment due: keyboarded sexual harassment memo case; e-mail assignment with several choices (pick one); e-mail delivered by wire to professor's office before start of night class on Thursday

      Week 14 (December 5)

      Assignment due: all copies of working papers handed back during semester (related to analytical report memo) and all collected raw data (as proof of original work) in manila envelope and labeled with your name and exact, specific contents; IBM or MAC 3 1/2-inch disk of entire analytical report memo; all notes and pieces of paper related to the interviews and dated; keyboarded, final analytical report with talking captions (not more than five pages single spaced) with attachments (tables and charts and other accompanying material); keyboarded executive summary stapled to the front of the analytical report memo; keyboarded transmittal memo; deletionary on 5 x 3 cards kept during entire semester and dated for each card

      NOTE: The entire analytical memo report has to be rewritten whever green marks occur. The purpose of the final assignment is to rewrite.

      • Introduction to Giving a Presentation
      • Factors in Power Presentation
      • Practice with Writing Opening and Closing Lines
      • Introduction to World Wide Web Resources

      ---

      Yourin addition to the detailed material you have just read can also be accessed in summary with the home page.

      For additional help please jchristensen@huey.csun.edu

      Last updated September 13, 1996