Course Syllabus

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Course Overview

English 202D teaches writing strategies and tactics that business managers and executives will need in order to write successfully on the job. In this course you will be expected to read a great deal of material, conduct research, and write and revise different kinds of business documents.

Course Approach

This course is cohort-based, which means that there is an established start and end date and that you will interact with other students throughout the course.

The course is 15 weeks in length. You will have one week to work through each lesson. Within each lesson you will find online lecture material, as well as reading assignments and both individual and group activities.

Like taking a course on campus, it will be important to keep up with the course work, as you will be required to participate in online class discussions and activities that have specific time frames associated with them. As in resident instruction, we assume students will spend at least 12-15 hours per week (lesson) on a three-credit course offered over 15 weeks.

Course Objectives

Students can expect to:

  • discover and understand the discourse features that distinguish their disciplinary and institutional communities from others;

  • develop a range of writing processes appropriate to various writing tasks;

  • reveal the organization of their communications by using forecasting and transitional statements, headings, and effective page design;

  • observe appropriate generic conventions and formats for letters, resumes, memoranda, and a variety of informal and formal reports;

  • design and use tables, graphs, and business illustrations; and

  • collaborate effectively with peers in a community of writers who provide feedback on each other's work.

Required Texts

The following textbook is required and must be purchased from MBS Direct:

  • Business Communication Essentials, by Courtland L. Bovee and John V. Thill. 8th edition. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Education, 2018.

For pricing and ordering information, please see the MBS Direct website. MBS Direct can also be contacted at 1-800-325-3252.

Materials will be available at MBS Direct approximately three weeks before the course begins. It is very important that you purchase the correct materials. If your course requires one or more textbooks, you must have exactly the correct text required (edition and year).

LinkedIn Learning Access

This course includes videos and video courses from LinkedIn Learning. Penn State students can access LinkedIn Learning for free. To activate your free account, log in at https://linkedinlearning.psu.edu/ Links to an external site.

 

Required Software

This course requires you to use Microsoft Word for your formal assignments. Unless otherwise specified, files should be submitted using either the .doc or .docx file types. (In some cases, your instructor may ask you to submit an assignment as a .pdf file to preserve your intended formatting. Your instructor will advise you when to do so.)

If you do not have Microsoft Word, you should know that Penn State makes the full Microsoft Office suite, which includes Word, available to Penn State students for free.

To acquire this free version of Microsoft Office, simply login to https://office365.psu.edu Links to an external site. using your Penn State credentials.

Course Requirements and Grading

You will complete five major writing projects for this course, participate in weekly class discussions, and complete weekly writing workshops.

Assignment

Weight

Topic-Approval Proposal

15%

Correspondence Packet

15%

Job Application Packet

15%

The Social Media Profile

15%

Formal Analytical Report

20%

Class Discussions

10%

Writing Workshops

10%

Total

100%

 

Grading Scale

Final course letter grades are assigned according to the total number of points earned. The following table equates course point totals with letter grades and with university grade point equivalents.

Point Total

Grade

GPA Equivalent

94-100

A

 4.0

90-93.99

A-

3.67

87-89.99

B+

3.33

84-86.99

B

3.0

80-83.99

B-

2.67

77-79.99

C+

2.33

70-76.99

C

2.0

60-69.99

D

1.0

59.99 and below

F

 0

 

The grades of A, B, C, D, and F indicate the following qualities of academic performance:

A = (Excellent/Superior) Indicates exceptional achievement
B = (Good/Very Good) Indicates extensive achievement
C = (Satisfactory) Indicates acceptable achievement
D = (Poor) Indicates only minimal achievement
F = (Failure) Indicates inadequate achievement necessitating a repetition of the course in order to secure credit

Major Projects

This course will hold you to the professional standards of business communication. Each of your formal writing projects is expected to look professional and polished. At work, even a single error in spelling, grammar, or proofreading can jeopardize the effectiveness of some communications (depending on the rhetorical situation). Whether it is a resume, memo, or report, your communication should exhibit complete and appropriate format. Grading will reflect the seriousness with which these matters are frequently viewed in the working world. You must hand in all major projects to pass the course.

There are five major projects:

Project 1, the Topic-Approval Proposal

For this assignment you are to write a formal approval-request letter seeking my approval for your chosen topic and permission to proceed with the research necessary to complete the final assignment--your formal analytical report. The topic-approval proposal is the first document in a sequence leading up to the final assignment. This sequence includes the topic-approval proposal (Project 1), reporting progress (Reporting Your Progress Workshop), and the formal analytical report (Project 5).

Project 2, the Correspondence Packet

For this project you will demonstrate your ability to apply a variety of writing strategies to specific situations by writing four pieces of short writing in response to the situations provided. You will also include a cover memo with these documents that outlines the challenges you faced and strategies you used in completing the project.

Project 3, the Job Application Packet

For this assignment you will write a resume and application letter which are adapted to reflect your specific skills for a specific position. You will analyze a job ad and the organization that published it in order to emphasize your qualifications for the position. You will also submit a cover memo, a "generic" resume and a copy of the job ad.

Project 4, the Social Media Profile

For this assignment you will create a simple website that illustrates your professional brand. As part of the website, you will write and publish three online articles (or blog entries) that will be written and designed according to the guidelines for the online writing and effective visual rhetoric.

Project 5, the Formal Analytical Report

Complete the formal analytical report that you described in Project 1, your topic-approval proposal letter. The report must do the following:

  • define a problem;
  • analyze the criteria for a satisfactory solution;
  • propose one or more alternative solutions; and
  • argue for the solution that satisfies the criteria best.

Class Discussions and Writing Workshops

In each week of the class, you will participate in class discussions and writing workshops. These discussions and workshops are where you will interact with your classmates and where you will work together to learn and grow as writers.

All discussions and workshops are structured asynchronously. You'll be given deadlines by which you'll be expected to complete various parts of each discussion or workshop.

Unless otherwise stated, plan to read the posts of your classmates and write responses to at least two of them. Initial discussion posts should be at least 250 words. Responses or replies to your classmates' posts should be at least 75 words. The point here is to deepen the discussion with relevant and thoughtful points written in concise, effective prose. You are encouraged to include links to relevant outside sources in your posts.

NOTE: Only completing part of a class discussion or writing workshop is considered unsatisfactory. You will not receive credit for a forum unless you complete all of its work.

Deadlines

Unless otherwise specified, the work you do in this class must be submitted by 11:59pm Eastern Time on the day that it is due.

Late Policy

You are expected to complete assignments on time. Late projects will receive a 10 percent penalty per day until no points can be earned. Class discussions and weekly writing workshops cannot be made up if missed.

We use this system even in the event of excusable situations, such as minor sicknesses or other unforeseen conflicts. However, any exceptions to this policy are made at our discretion. If you have conflicts, or something unexpected arises, do not hesitate to contact me (your instructor), and we'll arrive at a solution together.

If you are ill or have a serious problem that prevents you from submitting an assignment on the day it is due, please contact me prior to the due date and we will arrange an alternative date. Additionally, students with incomplete assignments at the end of the course will be given the earned final grade.

Penn State Policy Regarding Generative Technology, Including ChatGPT

According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity Links to an external site., an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.   

Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity Links to an external site.). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.

Deferred Grades

If, for reasons beyond your control, you are prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, your grade in the course may be deferred at your instructor's discretion. When you are given a Deferred Grade, the symbol "DF" appears on your transcript until the course has been completed.

Note: Deferred Grades will only be given to students who have completed a majority of the course work.

Non-emergency requests for a deferred grade must be made before the beginning of the final examination period. In emergency situations, your instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable, authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; or the campus chancellor of the student's commonwealth campus.

For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade Links to an external site. page.

Tutor.com Tutoring Service

Tutor.com is a 24/7 tutoring service that provides students with assistance in coursework, test preparation, research, writing, and more for various subjects. The tutors are subject-matter experts, and each student will have personalized one-on-one sessions with them. Students can schedule their own tutoring appointments to engage in interactive sessions that include a whiteboard and chat feature. The service can be utilized on any device that has Internet access. Students are encouraged to use the service throughout the semester.

Accessing Tutor.com

  • Launch Tutor.com by selecting the Tutor.com link in the Course Navigation Menu on the left side of your screen.
  • Fill in the pre-session questionnaire and select SUBMIT.
  • You will be matched with the first available tutor best qualified to assist you, and then enter a virtual classrom with your tutor.
  • In the virtual classroom, you can use text or voice-chat to communicate with your tutor as well as the interactive whiteboard to share work and ideas.
  • You can upload files related to your assignments, including spreadsheets, presentation slides, screenshots, images and more.
  • After your session, please fill out the post-session survey to offer feedback on your experience.
  • For additional information about Tutor.com, please view the following How to Use Tutor.com at Penn State World Campus video Links to an external site., and read the "How It Works Links to an external site." guide.
  • If you have any questions or need additional help logging in, please contact studentsupport@tutor.com.

Library Services

Penn State Libraries provides a wide variety of services and resources. To learn how to take advantage, refer to the Online Student Library Guide Links to an external site. at http://guides.libraries.psu.edu/onlinestudentlibraryguide. This guide serves as your starting point for access to all that Penn State Libraries can offer you as an online student. Use this guide if you have questions on library services offered to you, how the library can help you, how to use the library, or what resources you can access via the library! The guide will connect you to important pages and resources within Penn State Libraries and save time from you searching for the information you need.

Academic Integrity

Penn State defines academic integrity as the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest and responsible manner. All students should act with personal integrity, respect other students' dignity, rights and property, and help create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their efforts.

Dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated in this course. Dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarizing, fabricating information or citations, facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others, having unauthorized possession of examinations, submitting work of another person or work previously used without informing the instructor, or tampering with the academic work of other students. Students who are found to be dishonest will receive academic sanctions and will be reported to the University's Judicial Affairs office for possible further disciplinary sanction. For further information, please read the University Faculty Senate Policy 49-20 Links to an external site..

How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled

In cases where academic integrity is questioned, procedure requires an instructor to notify a student of suspected dishonesty Links to an external site. (http://undergrad.psu.edu/aappm/G-9-academic-integrity.html) before filing a charge and recommended sanction with the college. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If a disciplinary sanction also is recommended, the case will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct Links to an external site..

All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please see the contact information on the World Campus Contacts and Help page Links to an external site. at http://student.worldcampus.psu.edu/contacts-help-current-students.

Additionally, World Campus students are expected to act with civility and personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and others, and a civil community.

More Information on Academic Integrity

For specific college contact information, see the Academic Integrity Contacts Chart at the bottom of the World Campus Academic Integrity page Links to an external site. (http://student.worldcampus.psu.edu/a-z-index/academic-integrity).

For more information about academic integrity, visit one of the following resources:

Disability Access

Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities. For further information, please visit the Student Disability Resources website Links to an external site. at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources.

In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation Links to an external site. described at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources/applying-for-services. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus’s disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.

Nondiscrimination

Penn State is committed to equal access to programs, facilities, admission and employment for all persons. It is the policy of the University to maintain an environment free of harassment and free of discrimination against any person because of age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, marital or family status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, physical or mental disability, gender, perceived gender, gender identity, genetic information or political ideas. Discriminatory conduct and harassment, as well as sexual misconduct and relationship violence, violates the dignity of individuals, impedes the realization of the University's educational mission, and will not be tolerated. For further information, please visit theAffirmative Action Office website Links to an external site..

Counseling and Psychological Services

Penn State's Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) office offers residential and distance-based Penn State students non-emergency mental health services in the form of case management, community resource referrals, supportive listening, care giver support, and much more.

Students may request assistance from CAPS regarding a variety of common mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, and stress. CAPS services are designed to enhance students' ability to fully benefit from the University environment and academic experience. Call CAPS at 814-863-0395 (8 am-5 pm, Monday-Friday EST) or visit the CAPS website at https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/counseling Links to an external site.to schedule an appointment with a mental health advocate, who can help you address mental health concerns that may interfere with your academic progress or social development. This appointment will include a one-on-one session that can be conducted via telephone, teleconference (Skype, FaceTime, etc.), or locally at Penn State University Park. For more information on services provided through CAPS, please visit the Penn State CAPS website Links to an external site..

Reminder: These services are for non-emergencies only. If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis situation, please call your local crisis center or 911.

TEACH Act

The materials on the course website are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course and may not be retained or further disseminated.

University Emergency Procedure

In the event of a University-wide emergency, the course may be subject to changes. Exigent circumstances may require alternative delivery methods, class materials, and interactions with the instructor and/or classmates. In addition, there may be revisions to grading policies and the Calendar, including assignments and their due dates.

In the event of a University-wide emergency, please refer to the Canvas website at https://psu.instructure.com for specific information related to the course. For more general information about the emergency situation, please refer to the Penn State website Links to an external site. or the Penn State News website Links to an external site..

To register with PSUAlert, a service designed to alert the Penn State community when situations arise that affect the ability of a campus to function normally, please go to the PSU Alert website Links to an external site.. Subscribers can receive alerts by text message to cell phones, and also can elect to have alerts sent to an email address.

Syllabus Subject to Change

The class will likely adhere to the information outlined in this Syllabus and the Calendar, but adjustments may be made based on what actually transpires during the semester. Remaining in the course after reading this Syllabus will signal that you accept the possibility of changes and responsibility for being aware of them.