12/26/2024 4:21:52 PM	BGN 100 Course Outline as of Spring 2020	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  BGN 100	Title:  PROF BUS WRITING
Full Title:  Professional Business Writing
Last Reviewed:10/23/2023

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	1.50	Lecture Scheduled	1.50		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	26.25
Minimum	1.50	Lab Scheduled	0		6 min.	Lab Scheduled	0
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	1.50			Contact Total	26.25
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  52.50

Total Student Learning Hours: 78.75

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade or P/NP
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly: 

Catalog Description:

This course covers professional business writing including digital messages, emails, memos, and letters. Topics include audience analysis, formatting, editing, proofreading techniques, and writing strategies.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:
Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100 and Course Completion of BGN 71

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

This course covers professional business writing including digital messages, emails, memos, and letters. Topics include audience analysis, formatting, editing, proofreading techniques, and writing strategies.

(Grade or P/NP)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100 and Course Completion of BGN 71
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
UC Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Both Certificate and Major Applicable

COURSE CONTENT

Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1.  Develop professional business communications including digital messages, emails, memos,

    and letters.

2.  Develop appropriate communication content to assess and meet audience needs.

3.  Adapt a variety of techniques and strategies when writing.

 

Objectives:

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Use audience assessment techniques.

2. Apply techniques for effectively communicating positive and negative news.

3. Edit and revise professional writing for increased effectiveness.

4. Utilize a variety of language techniques.

5. Write several types of professional business communications including digital messages,

    emails, memos, and letters.

Topics and Scope

I. Audience Assessment Techniques

    A. Identify audience

    B. Identify how to appeal to audiences

    C. Identify how and when to use direct and indirect approaches

II. Proofread and Edit Problematic Communications

    A. Identify and correct grammatical and mechanical errors

    B. Identify and correct spelling errors

    C. Identify and improve incorrect sentence structure

    D. Use parallel construction appropriately

III. Revise Draft Communications for Increased Effectiveness

    A. Identify goal of professional message

    B. Improve clarity of goal for audience

    C. Improve tone to appeal to audience

    D. Use graphic techniques (bold, italic, bullets, enumeration, etc.) to improve clarity

IV. Use Language Techniques  

     A. Identify uses for concrete language

    B. Identify uses for ambiguous language

    C. Identify and avoid jargon, cliches, redundancies, and slang

V. Demonstrate Effective Communication when Composing Digital Messages such as Emails,

    Social Media Posts, and Texts

VI. Demonstrate effective communication when preparing business memos and letters

Assignments:

1. Reading approximately 30 pages each week

2. Composing approximately 3-4 writing assignments (1 - 5 pages)

3. Completing approximately 5-8 quizzes or tests, and a final

4. Engaging in class discussion, including offering peer review of work

5. Developing written communications using cooperative team-based methods

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 40 - 60%
Writing assignments
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 0 - 0%
None
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 0 - 0%
None
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 10 - 30%
Quizzes or tests, including final
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 10 - 35%
Participation in class activities

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

HOW 14: A Handbook for Office Professionals. 14th ed. Clark, James and Clark, Lyn. Cengage Learning. 2016

Instructor prepared materials

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