Course Syllabus

Course Information

BA/AIM 3311.004: Business Communication

Fall 2010
Tuesday & Thursday 11:30-12:45
Room: SOM 2.902

Professor Contact Information

Professor Dr. JoyLynn Hailey Reed

E-Mail Please use Elearning internal e-mail only so I will receive

your email in a timely manner

Office SOM 2.712

Office Hours Thursdays 2:30-3:30 pm and by appointment

Course Prerequisites, Co-requisites, and/or Other Restrictions

BA3311/AIM3311 requires students to have Junior standing, be admitted to the School of Management, and
have credit for Rhetoric 1302 and BA 3351. As an upper-level class, students should have at least college-
level writing skills and both written and oral proficiency in English.

Course Description

Welcome to UTD’s Business Communications course! Communication is the root activity of business.
Communication skills are rated as one of the most sought after qualities in today's job market. If you do a
Google search on ―effective communication‖ and ―business success,‖ you will find over a million hits. Many
professionals do not receive communication training until later in their careers after they have made costly
mistakes. As professionals, you will spend most of your days explaining, writing, directing, persuading, and
listening to other people. Your abilities to do these tasks clearly and effectively will directly impact your
successes in business and in your careers.

In this course, you will receive a thorough introduction to business communication and its basic concepts and
theories. You will also have ample opportunities to improve your writing skills. We will practice writing,
listening, critically evaluating, speaking, and choosing appropriate message strategies. You will gain crucial
knowledge and skills that will assist you not only in your chosen careers, but also in your academic and
social lives.

This course is structured to accommodate students’ varied learning preferences so you will be asked to
participate in many different types of learning activities. Given this instructional goal, please engage fully
with me and your classmates in all activities and assignments so that the depth and breadth of your learning
experience this semester will be rich, interesting, and useful. You never know when an assignment or
activity will capture your attention and spur your learning in unanticipated ways.
Course Goals
By the end of this class, you will:
Develop basic communication skills you need to write, make oral presentations, communicate
interpersonally, and work effectively in teams.
Value the differences between yourself and others and to employ that understanding to improve the
quality of your communication.
Build effective project teams.
Recognize and value the diverse contributions of all members of an organization.
Improve your communication in future courses and in your career.
Refine the process of written and oral communication in business.
Use methods of problem solving in business communication that can be used as an individual or as a
team.
Develop basic reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills in addition to the ability to follow complete
complex written and oral instructions.

Student Learning Outcomes

BA/AIM 3311 is the second writing-intensive course in the Communications component of UTD’s Core
Curriculum. As such, it addresses the following Component Learning Objectives:

1. Students will be able to write effectively using appropriate organization, mechanics, and style.
2. Students will be able to construct arguments that are effective and appropriate for business settings.
3. Students will be able to incorporate and interpret source material in their writing and speaking.
4. Students will be able to write in different ways for different audiences.

Social and Environmental Responsibility

Responsible business leaders of the 21st century will not only need to ensure the profitability of their
company but will also need to be able to identify and manage the many ways in which their organization
impacts its natural environment and social community. Leaders must also be able to communicate these
commitments to the public in an effective and accurate way. In this class, you will complete a major writing
project that will help you imagine the ways in which North Texas businesses can 'give back' to their
community through a significant community action program. This project will not only help you improve
your team work and communication skills, but will also bring you into a closer relation to your community
and its needs.

Required Textbooks and Materials

Our course text is: Guffey, Mary Ellen. Essentials of Business Communication (8th edition) Thomson South-
Western, 2010. Your textbook and our course quizzes will be online. This allows you to spend much less
money than on a hard copy text. You can print out the entire book if you choose to do so. In addition, you
will be able to take weekly chapter quizzes online at your own pace outside of class (please note quiz due
dates for each chapter). Extra website readings are noted in course calendar and/or announced in class.

Please see the Aplia instructions (on the pages after the course calendar in this syllabus) so that you can
register, pay, and begin working on your weekly quizzes. Failure to set up an Aplia account and purchase the
online textbook by the end of the first week of classes will result in your falling behind. THERE IS NO
WAY TO MAKE UP FALLING BEHIND WITH THE ONLINE QUIZZES so register immediately. If you
have questions about the process, please let me know.

I will highlight info from the text as well as explain info that is not clear or needs elaboration. I will NOT
repeat everything in all chapters. If you do not understand something in your textbook, please ask questions
about it so I can make it clearer for you. I am happy to answer such questions during class time, before or
after class, or anytime outside of class.
Grading Policy
Final grades will be assigned according to the following scale:

Grade Percent Points Grade Percent Points

A+ 98 – 100 882-900 C+ 77 – 79 693-719

A 94 – 97 846-881 C 73 – 76 657-692
A- 90 – 93 810-845 C- 70 – 72 630-656
B+ 87 – 89 783-809 D+ 67 – 69 603-629
B 83 – 86 747-782 D 63 – 66 567-602
B- 80 – 82 720-746 D- 60 -- 62 540-566
F <= 59 539

You must complete ALL assignments in order to pass this course. If you are taking this course
CR/NCR, you must complete ALL parts of all assignments at a "C" level to receive credit

IMPORTANT NOTE: You can feel free to discuss your work and your class performance with me
anytime. If there is an error in grading/points, politely bring it to my attention and I will fix the error
immediately. However, conversations about raising your grade are off-limits. Please do not argue with
me about grades. If you need a good grade to keep a scholarship, get into professional school or for
another reason, make sure that you study well, ask good questions, get extra help on assignments, and
keep up with the class. I will do all I can to facilitate your attempts to learn and improve in this class.

If you do not understand the reason you received a specific grade on any assignment, I definitely want to
talk with you about it. If you believe that a grade should be reconsidered, take time to review my
comments about your work and follow these instructions:
1. You must wait at least 24 hours after you received the grade but no more than one week to talk to me
about it.
2. Write a memo specifying the grade you think you deserve and your reasons for asking me to change
the grade you received. Address this memo to me.
3. Include your original evaluation and paper with your memo.

Assignments

75pts – Email
100pts – Claim Letter
125pts – Reply to Claim Letter
200pts – Online Chapter Quizzes
200pts – Collaborative Proposal
100pts---Class Participation (including attendance)
100pts – Team Presentation

900pts – Possible Total

Assignment Due Date Points Instructions

Memo and Email Assignment due 75pts – Email Specific instructions for each assignment will
Letters on September 21 be distributed and explained in class (see
100pts – Claim syllabus for dates). All letters are due in
Claim Letter due on Letter class (hard copy only) with no late papers
October 12 accepted. If you cannot be in class, arrange
125pts – Reply to for someone to submit your paper for you.
Reply to Claim Letter Claim Letter We will provide peer feedback during in-class
due on October 28 workshops. You are responsible for
participating in these exercises.
Assignment Due Date Points Instructions
Online Chapter All quizzes should be 200 points toward You have the entire semester to complete
Quizzes completed by 11:59 p.m. your final grade. these chapter quizzes. Please keep up and
on December 2 Note that the total do them regularly as it will take more time
Aplia points are to complete them than you expect it will
substantially more take. Because the quizzes are web-based,
than the 200 points there are many computer labs on campus
for the grade. There you can use in case you do not have your
will be a points own off-campus computer access. Allow
conversion. time for technical problems in case any
arise—this means AVOID waiting until the
last minute to complete these quizzes.

Team Project Hard Copy due 200 points All members of your team will receive the
Proposal December 2 at the same number of points UNLESS I observe or
beginning of class Failure to submit an have corroborated teammates’ reports that you
electronic copy will did not contribute to the team effort in writing
Send an email copy no result in a 50 point the paper. I reserve the right to deduct points
later than 7:00 pm on deduction from your as appropriate for team members who do not
December 2. team paper. contribute to the assignment or add points to
Complete and submit a teammates who worked diligently for a team
team member evaluation 50 points deducted who did not take the assignment seriously in
form. These forms may from your individual general. In addition, realize that submitting a
be submitted directly to points for NOT paper with the name of a teammate who did
me. submitting a team not contribute is a form of academic
member evaluation dishonesty which will be reported to the Dean
form. of Students for appropriate academic
penalties.
Team Due in class on 100 points All members will receive the same number of
Presentation November 30 and points UNLESS I observe or have
December 2. There are 50 points deducted corroborated teammates’ reports that you did
no exceptions to these for not participating not contribute to the team effort working on
due dates. Failure to as an audience this presentation. I reserve the right to deduct
show up means a zero on member on the day points as appropriate for team members who
this assignment—please you do not present. do not contribute to the assignment or add
do not let your team points to teammates who worked diligently
down! for a team who did not take the assignment
seriously in general. To receive credit, all
team members need to present during your
allotted time.

Class Every day in class—sign 200 points total for Every class session we will engage in various
Participation attendance sheet AND roll sheets AND in- class activities that require your participation
participate in class class and presence. You are responsible for signing
exercises/activities (may exercises/projects. the attendance sheet during every class. In
or may not require The number of these addition, there might be in-class exercises and
written work) will vary by short projects that you will submit (with your
semester depending name for credit). The total points for each
on students’ needs night of attendance and in-class exercise will
and interests. There be tallied at the end of the semester. If you
will be a points do not sign the attendance sheet or turn in
conversion at the class work, you will be forfeit your points for
end of the semester that class—no exceptions for any reason.
for attendance You are either in class (demonstrated by the
sheets and all work attendance sheet and collected assignments)
completed in class. or you are not there to participate. The only
exception to this is a documented SERIOUS
issue such as hospitalization. Your work
schedule, parking problems, minor ailments,
or child care issues are NOT viable excuses.
All work should also demonstrate the same professional and ethical standards expected of you in the
workplace, including proofreading and editing carefully all work you submit in this class. Professionalism
also means that you use appropriate source citation wherever and whenever necessary so that you avoid
violations of copyright – even if those violations are inadvertent. Finally, all work submitted will be typed
unless otherwise specified.

You should expect to work hard in this course. Like each of your other SOM courses, this is a rigorous class.

I strongly recommend that you review your assignments with me before they are due. Helping you with
your papers by answering questions and offering advice is a pleasure. You are paying tuition for this help.
Even though you will be getting a lot of feedback from your classmates you should always feel free to
involve me in your work.

You are also strongly encouraged to use the SOM Writing Lab located in 1.218. Visit
http://somwritinglab.utdallas.edu/ to make an appointment, find resources for business writing, and learn how
to use APA to cite materials in your writing.

Peer Review and Revision

The following statement comes directly from the Core Curriculum section of the UTD Undergraduate
Catalog:
All courses [that satisfy the core requirement for Communication] require that students
write, receive detailed feedback about, and revise at least 15 double-spaced pages.

This means that every written exercise you do in this class will be done TWO TIMES. First, you produce a
draft of the document and have it reviewed by one of your classmates. Your partner will perform both
formal and informal critiques of your draft. You will then revise your draft using the feedback your partner
has provided you. Your workshops will be part of your class participation grade so if you miss your
workshops, your grades will suffer. Be in class with your rough drafts to do the workshops—no
excuses! Doing workshops outside of class will NOT count toward class participation.

Course & Instructor Policies

Rules for Written Work:

1. Make sure that your name is at the top of the page. If you are submitting a team assignment, make
sure that all names are correct (know who your teammates are and how to spell their names). Also,
put the names in alphabetical order to ensure that errors are not made when recording grades.
2. Papers should be stapled or paper-clipped in the upper left corner. Do this before class because I do
not carry a stapler with me.
3. Papers should be 12 font type formatted appropriately for the type of assignment (as per the text)..
4. Hand-written papers are NOT accepted unless written as in-class assignments.

Late Work
Deadlines in the professional world are a serious matter. Missed deadlines mean lost contracts, delayed
product releases, skyrocketing expenses, and, in some cases, the loss, quite literally, of millions of dollars in
revenue. Missed deadlines also compromise professional reputations and careers. Work that does not meet
the assignment’s constraints is unprofessional and creates administrative headaches. Having technological
problems is not a valid excuse for late work, so plan accordingly.

For these reasons, late or incomplete work is not acceptable in this course EXCEPT in the most
extreme and unlikely of circumstances. All work is due hard copy in class on the date noted in this
syllabus. No electronic versions of work will be accepted unless otherwise noted.
Classroom Citizenship
During class time it is easy to distract others and interfere with their learning. I expect all students to behave
professionally and as upper-level university learners. This means contributing to a positive learning
environment in the following ways:
Please DO:
Get plenty of SLEEP BEFORE class (if you snore out loud, we will laugh out loud at you).
Be prepared – bring the correct equipment – pen, paper, etc
Review your notes from our previous class session prior to class.
SKIM or READ the assigned reading.
READ or RE-READ the assignments after class.
Work on this course a LITTLE EACH DAY.

Please do NOT:
Forget to turn OFF your cell phones or pagers.
Use computers during class unless we are working on writing in class.
Answer your cell phone in class.
Walk to the front of the classroom for a personal conversation with me while I’m trying to conduct
class.
Read newspapers, magazines, other textbooks, etc.
Study for another class or do other work during our class time.
Play video games, do text messaging, etc.
Talk to your neighbor while someone is speaking.
Come in late and walk around the room--sit near the door you entered.

Tips for Success between class sessions:

REVIEW your notes-- elaborate and fill in blank spots while the information is fresh.
Look up any terms, definitions, etc that you struggled with in class.
Practice EXPLAINING the concepts to someone else.
Study with your team…I suggest creating your own ―test bank‖ file after
each class session, then you have a great study tool for the midterm exam.
Start early and work consistently on your team project.
Remember that the secret to success in this class is simple: Keep up.
Ask me to clarify anything you do not understand.

REMEMBER:
As a courtesy to both your classmates and me, please turn off cell phones and put them away. No computer
use is allowed during class except on days when you are writing in class or working on team projects in class.
I will ask you publicly to leave the room if you are doing activities unrelated to class.

We will be using Elearning throughout the semester. Updates, documents, and answers to frequently asked
questions will be posted on Elearning. You are responsible for any information posted there so please check
it daily.

Rules for Teams

Your participation on a team for the proposal is designed to help you put into practice what you will learn in
this class about working with others to accomplish a common goal. There are various ways work teams are
structured in organizations and various levels of control that team members have over their working
situations. In this class, the following rules apply to your project teams:
1. You may fire any group member who is not contributing to your project. If you decide to fire a
group member, there is a procedure for doing so:
First, meet as a team (with the potentially-fired person included) and discuss with the member
your dissatisfaction with his/her level/quality of work. Give that person one chance to recover
 the team's confidence. After the one chance, meet with me to discuss the best way to approach
the situation.

Have a full team meeting and give effective and constructive feedback to the member you are
firing. Make sure that all members, including the one you fired, sign a statement of
understanding that the person is no longer on your team. Submit the statement to me no later
than one week after it is signed.

If a member refuses to communicate with your team by not returning phone calls, texts, or
emails, or showing up to meetings, the rest of the team may fire that person without a full team
meeting (all other members need to meet together). In that case, I will listen to their explanation
and let you know if they have fired you. Please communicate with your team so this situation
does not happen. If you are firing an unresponsive person, please submit a log documenting
dates, times, and modes of attempted contact for at least 10 attempts to contact the person.

2. If you are fired, you may submit an individual project for a maximum of 1/2 credit. No individual
papers for full credit will be accepted. That means is it to your advantage to make sure you stay on
a team.

3. You can control whether or not your team members are all contributing if you do the intro team
exercise provided in class, you increase your chances of functioning together effectively. I am
happy to serve as your consultant to help your team work effectively but please do not complain to
me about team members who are not meeting your expectations. Instead, use your knowledge
gained in this class to do something about it. As future managers and executives, motivating and
inspiring low-performing team members are something you will do often.

Class Participation & Attendance

Work assigned for this class carries no less priority than work you may have to complete for any other class
or job. Material and information will be presented in the classroom that cannot be replicated outside the
classroom or made up at a later date. Moreover, class participation is a vital part of your learning process
because this class revolves around discussion and activities. More than simply being physically present in
class, participation includes your asking questions in class about readings, answering questions, offering
suggestions, and adopting a professional, positive attitude. .It is very difficult to do well in this course if
you fail to attend class regularly and participate actively. Do not forget to sign the class attendance
sheet every day—you cannot sign it after we leave class so you will be counted absent if your name is
not on that sheet. There are no excuses accepted for missing class and in-class assignments--you will
receive zeros for missing them. The only exception to this is a verifiable emergency circumstance (e.g.
hospitalization). Note that parking problems, heavy traffic, computer problems, child care issues,
work schedules, and other unfortunate issues are not considered emergencies.

Problems? Questions?
I hope you enjoy participating in this course as much as I enjoy teaching it. If you are having any problems,
questions, or just want to talk, I encourage you to see me before class, during my office hours, or call me. In
any case, I WANT TO TALK TO YOU!!! Don't let small problems during the semester grow to a crisis at
the end. It's always easier to fix anticipated difficulties than to untangle a mess; please see me beforehand.
Assignments & Academic Calendar
(Topics, Reading Assignments, Due Dates, Exam Dates)
Date Topics/Class Activities
August 19 Course Introduction, Review
Syllabus
August 24 Discuss: Basic Concepts of
Comm., Differences b/w BC
and Other Forms
August 26 Discuss: Planning and
PreWriting
August 31 Hand Out and Discuss
Proposal Assignment
Assignment to Proposal
Teams: Discuss, Invent, etc
September 2 Effective Teambuilding
September 7 Principles of BW: Clarity &
Concision
Hand Out and Discuss E-mail
Assignment
September 9 Discuss: Email &
Memorandums
September 14 View and Discuss Email
Video
September 16 Workshop E-mail
Assignment
September 21 Discuss Positive Messages
and Letters/other genres
September 23 Work on Proposals
September 28 How to Turn People Down:
Negative Messages
Hand Out and Discuss Claim
Letter Assignment
Readings Due
Log into Aplia and order your
textbook, learn the Aplia system and
take the example quiz.
Guffey1 Keep up with Quizzes
Guffey2 Keep up with Quizzes
Teams formed
Team Members’ Names, Phone,
emails due in class tonight
Teambuilding Exercise—make sure
your entire team commits to
attending today.
Guffey 3 Keep up with Quizzes
Guffey 5 Keep up with Quizzes
Keep up with Quizzes
Bring rough draft of your e-mail
assignments for the workshop.
Guffey 6 Hard Copy of E-mail Assignment
Due at the Beginning of Class—
Submit all assignments in a 2-pocket
folder. Include your workshop form
and your rough draft (as edited by
your workshop partner)
Keep up with Quizzes
Guffey 7 Keep up with Quizzes
 Date Topic Readings Due

September 30 Discuss Persuasive Messages Keep up with Quizzes

October 5 More About Persuasion Guffey 8 Keep up with Quizzes

October 7 Workshop Claim Letter Bring copy of your claim letter

Assignment assignment for the workshop

October 12 Work on Proposals Hard copy of your Claim Letter Due

at the Beginning of Class.

October 14 Grammar Issues Bring an extra copy of your Claim

Letter to exchange for Reply to Claim
Distribute and Discuss Reply Letter Assignment
to Claim Letter Assignment
Midterm Team Report due in class

October 19 General Communication Keep up with Quizzes

Issues

October 21 Workshop Reply to Claim Bring rough draft of your reply to

Letter claim letter assignment for the
workshop.

October 26 TBA based on class interests Keep up with Quizzes

October 28 Employment Communication Guffey 13 Hard Copy of Reply to Claim Letter

& 14 Assignment Due at the Beginning of
Class

November 2 TBA based on class interests Keep up with Quizzes

November 4 Professional Etiquette: What Keep up with Quizzes

Can Make or Break Your
Career
November 9 Workshop Proposals Bring rough draft of your proposal
for the workshop

November 11 Developing Effective Guffey 12 Keep up with Quizzes

Business Presentations

November 16 Scavenger Hunt: Reporting Guffey 9 & Keep up with Quizzes

Workplace Data: Reports and
Proposals
November 18 Work on Proposals and
Business Presentations
10
Submit a well-written E-mail memo
with details about your meeting
today: What did you discuss, what
did you accomplish, who attended/did
not attend, what problems do you
need to solve, and what can I (your
professor) do to help you. Do not
submit with an attachment—send it
as an elearning email. Submit it no
later than 6:00 pm.
 Date Topic Readings Due

November 23 Work on Business Everyone Needs to be In Class Today

Presentations
Scavenger Hunt Memo Due Hard
Copy in Class

November 25 Thanksgiving HAVE FUN, RELAX, EAT

November 30 Team Presentations Keep up with Quizzes

December 2 Team Presentations Hard Copy of Proposal Due at the

Beginning of Class
Course Wrap-Up
Team Member Evaluation Forms due

ALL ONLINE QUIZZES

COMPLETED BY TODAY

Grades Available Online by December 15

Please note that this schedule may be altered however quiz, assignment, and project due dates will not
be changed.
 APLIA Student Registration and Payment Instructions for Textbook and Online Chapter Quizzes

You will take online quizzes for each chapter in the book. You will have until DECEMBER 2 at 11:59 p.m. to complete
all quizzes. After that date, you will not receive points for quizzes taken online. There are no exceptions to this deadline
so please plan accordingly.

The online quiz points total over 600 but they will be converted into the 200 points that count toward your course grade.
This means that there is not a 1-to-1 correspondence between points in chapter quizzes and points for your final
course grade. This conversion is to your advantage and allows you to miss a quiz and not suffer great consequences
for doing so.

You have three chances to answer each quiz question. Your highest score will be the one recorded in my gradebook.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How to access your Aplia course

Business Communications--BA3311 Section 004
Instructor: JoyLynn Reed
Start Date: 08/19/2010
Course Key: 3APQ-JV9Y-EYUT

You can begin working on your homework as soon as you register!

• In this course, you will use a textbook and Aplia's website.
• In most cases, you can save money if you buy Aplia and your textbook together. See payment options
below.
• You will have access to a digital version of your textbook on Aplia through the end of this course.
• Aplia is part of CengageBrain, which allows you to sign in once and access your materials and courses.

Registration
1. Connect to http://login.cengagebrain.com.
2. If you already have an account, sign in. From your Dashboard, enter your course key (3APQ-JV9Y-EYUT)
in the box provided, and click the Register button.
If you don't have an account, click the Create an Account button, and enter your course key when
prompted: 3APQ-JV9Y-EYUT. Continue to follow the on-screen instructions.

Payment
After you register for your course, you will have a variety of payment options. If you choose to pay later, you can
use Aplia without paying until 11:59 PM on 09/08/2010.
Option 1: Digital Textbook with Aplia Access
• From CengageBrain: Purchase access to your course from the CengageBrain website for US$70.00.
Option 2: Physical Textbook with Aplia Access (also includes digital textbook)
• From CengageBrain: Purchase access to your course for US$70.00 on the CengageBrain website. On
your Aplia Course Home page, you can then purchase a physical book for a discounted price.

Other Course and Relevant University Policies

Technical Support
If you experience any problems with your UTD account you may send an email to: assist@utdallas.edu or call the UTD
Computer Helpdesk at 972-883-2911.
Student Conduct & Discipline
The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas have rules and regulations for the orderly and
efficient conduct of their business. It is the responsibility of each student and each student organization to be
knowledgeable about the rules and regulations which govern student conduct and activities. General information on
student conduct and discipline is contained in the UTD printed publication, A to Z Guide, which is provided to all
registered students each academic year.

The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the procedures of recognized and established due
process. Procedures are defined and described in the Rules and Regulations, Series 50000, Board of Regents, The
University of Texas System, and in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities of the university’s Handbook of
Operating Procedures. Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of
Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and regulations (SU 1.602,
972/883-6391) and online at http://www.utdallas.edu/judicialaffairs/UTDJudicialAffairs-HOPV.html

A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of citizenship. He or she is expected to
obey federal, state, and local laws as well as the Regents’ Rules, university regulations, and administrative rules. Students
are subject to discipline for violating the standards of conduct whether such conduct takes place on or off campus, or
whether civil or criminal penalties are also imposed for such conduct.

Academic Integrity
The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty. Because the value of an
academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the work done by the student for that degree, it is imperative that a
student demonstrate a high standard of individual honor in his or her scholastic work.

Scholastic Dishonesty, any student who commits an act of scholastic dishonesty is subject to discipline. Scholastic
dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, collusion, and the submission for credit of any work or
materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another person, taking an examination for another person, any act
designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the attempt to commit such acts.

Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and from any other source is unacceptable
and will be dealt with under the university’s policy on plagiarism (see general catalog for details). This course will use
the resources of turnitin.com, which searches the web for possible plagiarism and is over 90% effective.

Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other
reproductions of copyrighted materials, including music and software. Copying, displaying, reproducing, or distributing
copyrighted works may infringe the copyright owner’s rights and such infringement is subject to appropriate disciplinary
action as well as criminal penalties provided by federal law. Usage of such material is only appropriate when that usage
constitutes ―fair use‖ under the Copyright Act. As a UT Dallas student, you are required to follow the institution’s
copyright policy (Policy Memorandum 84-I.3-46). For more information about the fair use exemption, see
http://www.utsystem.edu/ogc/intellectualproperty/copypol2.htm

Email Use

The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of communication between faculty/staff and
students through electronic mail. At the same time, email raises some issues concerning security and the identity of each
individual in an email exchange. The university encourages all official student email correspondence be sent only to a
student’s U.T. Dallas email address and that faculty and staff consider email from students official only if it originates
from a UTD student account. This allows the university to maintain a high degree of confidence in the identity of all
individual corresponding and the security of the transmitted information. UTD furnishes each student with a free email
account that is to be used in all communication with university personnel. The Department of Information Resources at
U.T. Dallas provides a method for students to have their U.T. Dallas mail forwarded to other accounts.

Withdrawal from Class

The administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any college-level courses. These dates and times
are published in that semester's course catalog. Administration procedures must be followed. It is the student's
responsibility to handle withdrawal requirements from any class. In other words, I cannot drop or withdraw any student.
You must do the proper paperwork to ensure that you will not receive a final grade of "F" in a course if you choose not to
attend the class once you are enrolled.

Student Grievance Procedures

Procedures for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities, of the university’s
Handbook of Operating Procedures.
 In attempting to resolve any student grievance regarding grades, evaluations, or other fulfillments of academic
responsibility, it is the obligation of the student first to make a serious effort to resolve the matter with the instructor,
supervisor, administrator, or committee with whom the grievance originates (hereafter called ―the respondent‖).
Individual faculty members retain primary responsibility for assigning grades and evaluations. If the matter cannot be
resolved at that level, the grievance must be submitted in writing to the respondent with a copy of the respondent’s School
Dean. If the matter is not resolved by the written response provided by the respondent, the student may submit a written
appeal to the School Dean. If the grievance is not resolved by the School Dean’s decision, the student may make a written
appeal to the Dean of Graduate or Undergraduate Education, and the deal will appoint and convene an Academic Appeals
Panel. The decision of the Academic Appeals Panel is final. The results of the academic appeals process will be
distributed to all involved parties. Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean
of Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and regulations.

Incomplete Grade Policy

As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work unavoidably missed at the semester’s end and
only if 70% of the course work has been completed. An incomplete grade must be resolved within eight (8) weeks from
the first day of the subsequent long semester. If the required work to complete the course and to remove the incomplete
grade is not submitted by the specified deadline, the incomplete grade is changed automatically to a grade of F.

Disability Services
The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational opportunities equal to those of their
non-disabled peers. Disability Services is located in room 1.610 in the Student Union. Office hours are Monday and
Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The contact information for the Office of Disability Services is:

The University of Texas at Dallas, SU 22
PO Box 830688
Richardson, Texas 75083-0688
(972) 883-2098 (voice or TTY)
disabilityservice@utdallas.edu

If you anticipate issues related to the format or requirements of this course, please meet with the Coordinator of Disability
Services. The Coordinator is available to discuss ways to ensure your full participation in the course. If you determine that
formal, disability-related accommodations are necessary, it is very important that you be registered with Disability
Services to notify them of your eligibility for reasonable accommodations. Disability Services can then plan how best to
coordinate your accommodations.

It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an accommodation. Disability Services
provides students with letters to present to faculty members to verify that the student has a disability and needs
accommodations. Individuals requiring special accommodation should contact the professor after class or during office
hours.

Religious Holy Days

The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other required activities for the travel to and
observance of a religious holy day for a religion whose places of worship are exempt from property tax under Section
11.20, Tax Code, Texas Code Annotated….The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon
as possible regarding the absence, preferably in advance of the assignment. The student, so excused, will be allowed to
take the exam or complete the assignment within a reasonable time after the absence: a period equal to the length of the
absence, up to a maximum of one week. A student who fails to complete the exam or assignment within the prescribed
period may receive a failing grade for that exam or assignment.

These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Professor.

Week 1
Dates
Assignment(s) Due Class Activities
8/25 Introduction, Review Syllabus
8/27 Guffey1 Basic Concepts of BizComm
Week 2
Dates
Assignment(s) Due Class Activities
9/1 Guffey2 Planning and PreWriting
9/3 Hand out Proposal Assignment Get into groups, invent, etc
Week 3
Dates
Assignment(s) Due Class Activities
9/8 Teambuilding Tips Teambuilding Exercise—make sure your entire
team commits to attending today.
9/10 Guffey3 Writing; distribute Email assignment
Week 4
Dates
Assignment(s) Due Class Activities
9/15 Guffey5 Email & Memorandums
9/17 Discuss Email, view Video
Week 5
Dates
Assignment(s) Due Class Activities
9/22 Bring draft of Email to class Workshop Email assignment
9/24 Email Assignment Due
Guffey6
Positive Messages
Week 6
Dates
Assignment(s) Due Class Activities
9/29 Work on Proposal
10/1 Guffey7 Negative Messages
Distribute Claim Letter Assignment
Week 7
Dates
Assignment(s) Due Class Activities
10/6 Bring draft of Claim Letter Workshop Claim Letter
10/8 Exam Review – Bring your textbook!
Week 8
Dates
Assignment(s) Due Class Activities
10/13 Claim Letter Due Midterm Exam
10/15 Proposal Work Day Proposal Work Day
Week 9
Dates
Assignment(s) Due Class Activities
10/20 Guffey8 Persuasive Messages
10/22 Bring a copy of your claim letter to class!! Distribute Reply to Claim Letter, exchange
Week 10
Dates
Assignment(s) Due Class Activities
10/27 Bring draft of Reply to Claim Letter Workshop Reply to Claim Letter
10/29 Guffey9 & 10 Informal Reports/Proposals
Week 11
Dates
Assignment(s) Due Class Activities
11/3 Reply to Claim Letter due Work on Proposal
11/5 Bring 2 copies of Proposal draft Workshop Proposal
Week 12
Dates
Assignment(s) Due Class Activities
11/10 Guffey12 Oral Presentations
Discuss Business Proposal (oral)
11/12 Guffey13 & 14 Resumes, Cover Letters, Interviewing
Week 13
Dates
Assignment(s) Due Class Activities
11/17 Proposal Due Guest Speaker from Career Center
11/19 Work in teams, prep presentation
Week 14
Dates
Assignment(s) Due Class Activities
11/24 Work in teams, prep presentation
11/26 THANKSGIVING – NO CLASS
Week 15
Dates
Assignment(s) Due Class Activities
12/1 BUSINESS PRESENTATIONS
12/3 BUSINESS PRESENTATIONS
Please note that this schedule may be altered however the quiz dates will not be changed.