SFSU College of Business | BUS 714 - Elements of Business Writing

Fall 2022 | Sections: 01Z (11277) 2-4:45 pm & 02Z (11350) 6:30-9:15 pm Thursdays

Office Hours: Zoom meetings by appointment: Wednesdays 12-2 pm

Email: gchrist@sfsu.edu 

Week 3

Unit 1 Introduction

Thursday, September 8

READ:

EA Chapter 7 "Structuring Arguments" pp 135-142

EA Chapter 8 "Arguments of Fact" pp 164-185

Business Writer's Companion (BWC) selections:

• pp xxvii-xxxiv "Five Steps..."

• pp 3-6 "Audience" & "Collaborative Writing"

• p 33 "Preparation"

• p 35-38 "Proofreading" & "Purpose"

• p 39-40 "Revision"

• p 41 "Writing a Draft"

• pp 162-164 "Notetaking," "Paraphrasing," & "Plagiarism"

• pp 167-174 "Research"

• pp 310-311 "Conciseness"

STUDY:

"Rogerian Argument: Definition & Examples" | ThoughtCo  (web)

"What is Rogerian argument?" (YouTube)

• Arguments of Fact - Project Guidelines

  • Sample Project Presentation #1  (Prezi link)

  • Sample Project Presentation #2  (Prezi link)

  • Sample Project Presentation #3  (Prezi link)

LESSON:

Structuring Rogerian arguments of fact; Project overview & group selection

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Week 4

Project Workshop

Thursday, September 15

READ:

BC Chapter 2 "Start-up Strategies" pp 18-20 only

STUDY:

• Project Narrative - Assignment Description

  • Sample Project Narrative 1

  • Sample Project Narrative 2

• Unit 1 Group Check-in Questions

REVIEW:

EA Chapter 7 "Structuring Arguments" pp 135-142

EA Chapter 8 "Arguments of Fact" pp 164-185

LESSON:

Start-up strategy practice: The Questioning Method

WORKSHOP:

Group project development

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Week 5

Project Workshop

Thursday, September 22

SUBMIT:​

• Personal Project Narrative (1 p minimum)  (iLearn)

READ:

EA Chapter 15 "Presenting Arguments" pp 366-380

BC Chapter 6 "Presentations" pp 44-51

STUDY:

• Group Write - Assignment Description

  • Sample Group Write 1

  • Sample Group Write 2

• Oral Presentation Rubric

• Peer Evaluation Sheet

• Tutorial: Making Effective Presentations

• Tutorial: Presenting with Impact

WORKSHOP: 

Group project development

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Week 6

Group Presentations & Critique

Thursday, September 29

SUBMIT:  

• Prezi presentation link  (Email)

COMPLETE: 

• Peer review survey response (one for each group presentation)  (iLearn)

PRESENT:

• Group Argument Pitches & Prezis

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Week 7

Skills Week: Business Forms: Cover Letters

Thursday, October 6

SUBMIT:

• Cover Letter DRAFT (1 p min/max)  (iLearn)

• Group Write (6 pp min)  (iLearn)

READ:

BC Appendix B  pp 70-71 (pp 139-142 for print editions)

BWC "Application Cover Letters"  pp 261-265

STUDY:​

• Cover Letters | Purdue OWL  (web)

• Cover Letters | The Writer's Handbook  (web)

• Good letters vs Bad letters | Forbes  (web)

• Cover Letter Tips | Time  (web)

• "Incredible Cover Letters"  (YouTube)

• Sample Resumes & Cover Letters

• Cover Letter FINAL - Assignment Description

  • Sample Cover Letter

EXERCISE: Group work: cover letter revision

• Intuit Accounting Position Announcement

LESSON:

Cover letters: Principals and critique

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Dates & Deadlines

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First day of class:  Thur, Aug 25

Labor Day recess:  Mon, Sept 5

Add/Drop deadline:  Mon, Sept 12

Veteran's Day recess:  Fri, Nov 11

Withdraw deadline:  Mon, Nov 14

Thanksgiving recess:  M-S, Nov 21-26

Last day of class:  Thur, Dec 8

Last day of term:  Fri, Dec 16

Quick Resources​

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Course Syllabus

File Naming Guide

Formatting Template

The Rules

Proofreading Notes

Common Error Patterns

Quotation Integration Strategies

Essay Rubric Explanation

Citation Guide  (web)

MLA Citation Quick Guide

MLA Citation Generator  (web)

APA Citation Quick Guide

APA Quick Reference

APA Citation Generator  (web)