| Dr. Janice R. Walker Department of Writing and Linguistics Georgia Southern University P. O. Box 8026 Statesboro, GA 30460 |
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Instructor Contact Information
This course prepares students from all disciplines to be effective communicators in their chosen professions. Students learn to write and prepare a variety of documents, including memos, letters, reports, proposals, critical studies, and recommendations. This section will also focus on modern communicative needs required by the extensive use of technology in the workplace
Required Textbooks
Required Texts:
- Lehman, Carol M, and Debbie DuFrene. Business Communication 14th ed. Cincinnati: South-Western College Publishing, 2005. ISBN #0-324-29083-7.
- Any good college dictionary.
- A good handbook of grammar and usage, such as The Longman Handbook or the Harbrace Handbook.
- A style guide such as The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (MLA), the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA),
the Columbia Guide to Online Style (COS),
Chicago Manual of Style, The AMA Style Guide for Business Writing, The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual, The Gregg Reference Manual ). There are MANY different such manuals; consult with the reference librarians at the Zach S. Henderson Library for help in locating one appropriate for your major.
Honesty
All members of the academic community recognize the necessity of being honest with themselves and with others. The integrity of the educational experience is diminished by cheating in class, plagiarizing, lying, and employing other methods of deceit or dishonesty. (See Student Conduct Code for definitions of Academic Dishonesty, including cheating and plagiarizing.) The need for honest relations among all members of the community is essential. Students will be held responsible for academic integrity and honesty in all work done in this course. The instructor retains the right to set the minimum academic penalty for dishonesty in the course.
Class Listserv
All
students will join, read, and contribute to the class listserv.
You are required to make 10 postings during the semester as stipulated
in the schedule of assignments. You also
need to read each other's postings; you will not get credit if you
merely repeat information others have already posted. You may
choose to post more than once per week, either responding to other
students' posts, asking questions regarding assignments, readings, or
class discussions, or discussing topics of interest to the general
student population. Spamming, use of inappropriate language, or
posting of inappropriate materials will not be tolerated. It is your listserv, and as such it is up to you (the students) to police it.
Postings should be substantive
(that is, they should actually have something to say) and should be
approximately 250 words in length, consider good format for email, and
reflect an awareness of the rhetorical situation of which they are a
part.
Attendance
Attendance is mandatory. My attendance policy is firm: no excuses are allowed. However, missed assignments may be made up. It is the student's responsibility to find out any assignments or information missed as a result of tardiness or absence. Please make arrangements with another student early in the semester to ensure that, should you need to be absent, you will still have access to this information. Late assignments will automatically be lowered one full letter grade, or 10% (again, no excuses; save your creativity for your essays).
Grades
Distribution of final grade:
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For information on assessment of writing, see the Department of Writing and Linguistics overview on Writing Assessment..
Writing Center
Don't forget that the University Writing Center, located in in the Forest Drive Building, Room 1119, is one of your most important resources as a student at Georgia Southern University. The consultants in the center will give you one-on-one help with any paper you're working on for any class on campus, including this one. I strongly encourage you to take advantage of the feedback and advice they can give you. Call 871-1413 for an appointment, or feel free to just drop in.
Assignments
The schedule of assignments is a tentative one and is provided for planning purposes only. Students are expected to check the schedule frequently for changes, and to complete all assigned readings and coursework as shown by the dates listed. Additional information on assignments may be added to this site and/or discussed in class. It is the student's responsibility to find out any assignments or information missed as a result of tardiness or absence. (See also Attendance policy above).