COM/295 Business Communications

Week 1 Assignments

Everything listed for Week 1 is Included in Tutorial Purchase! A+ Work!

Individual: Communication Process Worksheet

Option #1 Word Count: 1,171

Option #2 Word Count: 1,241

Option #3 Word Count:    733

Review the steps of the communication model in Ch. 1 of Business Communication Essentials (See Figure 1.3).
Identify one personal or business communication scenario to describe each step of the communication process.
Complete the Communications Process worksheet.
INCLUDE as part of a single file posted to the assignment tab - a 700-word analysis based on responses to the following bullet points -
    • Discuss how mobile technology is changing the practice of business communication.
    • Define ethical communication.
    • Explain how the widespread use of social media has increased the attention given

       to the issue of transparency.
    • Give an example of how mobile communication can be used to in a business setting.
Format your assignment consistent with APA guidelines. Include a title page, cite any references used as both in-text citations and on a reference page

Click the Assignment Files tab to submit your assignment. Please submit ONE file (Worksheet and analysis).

Week 1 Supporting Activity Questions

3 optional answers/responses for each question included!

NOTE: Discussion Questions change with each Instructor, so these may not match your weekly questions.

Supporting Activity: Ethical Communication
Watch "Ethical Communication."

• What are key tools when communicating? What happens when you lose these tools?

• When considering communicating unethically, what are the potential consequences

     or risks?

Supporting Activity: What do Employers want?
What communications skills are employers seeking?  How have these skills changed with the advent of social media and technology?

Supporting Activity: Muddiest Point
Based on the readings and activities you have completed this week describe one or two points which are least clear to you. What questions do you have that would enable you to understand these points better?

Supporting Activity: Credibility - Peter Cardon's Pinterest Page

Review the textbook author's Pinterest page and locate the topic of Credibility.
Select a video or article from the list of resources.
Click the New Message icon and post a 150- to 350-word summary of the video or article you selected.

COM/295 Business Communications

Week 2 Assignments

Everything listed for Week 2 is Included in Tutorial Purchase! A+ Work!

Individual: Definition Assignment

Option #1 Word Count: 203 words!

Option #2 Word Count: 252 words!

Option #3 Word Count: 184 words!

Develop a 150- to 200-word individual response to the following:
• Consider the multiple definitions of collaboration.
• Define collaboration and how you will apply it in this course based upon the discussion with your Learning Team. Be sure to reference and cite your sources.
Click the Assignment Files tab to submit your assignment. Be sure to attach a copy of your Learning Team Charter for Collaborative Learning Activities.

Individual: Empathetic Listening Scenario

Option #1 Word Count: 1,585 words!

Option #2 Word Count: 1,146 words!

Option #3 Word Count: 1,122 words!

Option #4 Word Count: 1,219 words!

Option #5 Word Count:    728 words!

Think back over conversations you have had with friends, family members, co-workers, or classmates.
Select a conversation in which the other person wanted to talk about something that was troubling him or her. As you replay this conversation in your mind, think about how well you did in terms of empathic listening.
Develop a 1,050-word analysis including:
    • Explain whether you found yourself being critical when the person really just

        needed someone to listen.
    • Identify whether you let the person know, by your words or actions, you cared about

        his or her dilemma, even if you were not able to help in any other way.
    • Analyze your listening performance.
Note: Be sure not to disclose any private information; you can change the names of the people involved or the circumstances as needed to maintain privacy.
Format the assignment consistent with APA guidelines.
Click the Assignment Files tab to submit your assignment.

Learning Team: Collaborative Writing Activity
Collaborate with your team to plan a meeting agenda for the monthly staff meeting of one team member's organization. The agenda should include routine agenda items and should also include a workplace issue that will be addressed at the staff meeting.
Discuss with your team in the Discussion area.
    • What typical agenda items do you cover in your current and/or past staff meetings?
    • If you have not attended a staff meeting before, what do you think should be 

       covered in a regular staff meeting?
    • Explain what agenda items you would like to cover in your current and/or past staff

       meetings and why?
    • What are some action items that may arise from a typical staff meeting? Are you

        assigned or have you been assigned action items after attending staff meetings?
    • What role do you play in your staff meetings? Do you assist in the planning

        process? Do you take minutes?
Post one original post to address the above bullet points.
Reply to at least one team member's post and contribute potential agenda items and the rationale for the agenda items.
Examine the agenda illustrated in Figure 2.2.
Examine guidelines for collaborative writing.

Week 2 Supporting Activity Questions

(3 optional answers/responses for each question included)

NOTE: Discussion Questions change with each Instructor, so these may not match your weekly questions.

Supporting Activity: 3-Step Writing Process

What is the three step writing process? Do find it to be effective?

Supporting Activity: Word Choice
Word choice in business writing is critical.  How do you select words that are correct AND effective?

Supporting Activity: Technology and the Tools of Communication
Watch "Technology and the Tools of Communication."

• What are some items you should consider when communicating in the workplace?
• What are the advantages of using technology to communicate? What are the disadvantages?
• How has technology assisted with push and pull communication?

Supporting Activity: Four Generations, One Workplace
Watch "Four Generations, One Workplace" in the University Library.
What are the communication generational differences noted in this video? How do you overcome or compromise these differences in the workplace?

Supporting Activity:

Does Technology Shape Society or Does Society Shape Technology?
Watch "Does Technology Shape Society or Does Society Shape Technology?" located in the University Library.

• What are the advantages and disadvantages of having so much technology today? What are employers doing to use technology to their advantage? Consider the hiring process, for example.
• What are the generational differences when using technology in the workplace? What did the study at the Boston Children's museum show?

Supporting Activity: Designing, Proofreading, and Delivering Messages
Watch "Designing, Proofreading, and Delivering Messages."

• What is white space?
• Why are headings important?

Supporting Activity: Planning Business Messages – Orange Photography
Watch "Planning Business Messages - Orange Photography."

• When considering clients, how does Orange Photography differ in its communication?
• How do you believe Orange Photography plans its messages to be effective to each client?

*****BONUS FILES INCLUDED***** (from past COM/295 classes)

Global Communications Worksheet

Option#1 Word Count: 565 words!

Option #2 Word Count: 378 words!

Your supervisor wants to send a brief e-mail message to welcome employees who have recently transferred to your department from Brazil, Russia, India, and China. He has written a draft message and would like your feedback.

Review your supervisor’s message below. Rewrite the message to make it appropriate for the of one of the four countries of your choice. Conduct research to know more about the of your chosen country.

"I wanted to welcome you ASAP to our little family here in the States. It’s high time we shook hands in person and not just across the sea. I’m pleased as punch about getting to know you all, and I for one will do my level best to sell you on America".

Complete the table with your rewritten welcome message. 

Ethics & Credibility in Business Communications

Option #1 - Word Count: 555 words!

Option #2 - Word Count: 403 words!

Option #3 - Word Count: 353 words! GRADED ASSIGNMENT = A+

Write a 350- to 700-word paper (not including title and reference page) on the event you have chosen in the Learning Team Collaboration Activity according to the following criteria:

• Explain the situation of the event.

• Describe the company's ethical obligation in their communications to the public.

• Answer the following questions:

  • Did you find any evidence of communications to the general public? How effective was the communication in terms of establishing credibility?

  • If not, what approach would you suggest the company take to communicate to the public to gain credibility?

  • Cite and reference at least two sources.

Week 2 Knowledge Check (with correct answers)

1. Email communication

2. Which of the following is the first step in the AIM planning process for developing influential messages?

3. In the context of the AIM planning process, which of the following tends to be the single most important planning step for many messages?

4. George, the marketing manager at Regal, believes that an employee should always act ethically and should also report instances of unethical behavior that he encounters. This belief held by George is an example of a(n):

5. Which of the following is most likely to have a negative impact on your readers' perceptions of your credibility?

6. The less specific you are while writing your business messages the greater the possibility

7. In the course of conducting a FAIR test to review your business message, when you attempt to determine how your message will affect others from ethical, corporate, and legal perspectives, you are most likely checking:

8. Craig is the sales manager at Blaize Supersports and has a 20-member-strong sales team that reports to him. On an average, Craig receives about 115 emails and sends out 75 emails a day. James, a salesperson at the store, leaves the subject line blank while typing out a leave request mail to Craig. James wants to take the week off and spend time with his family. As James is about to send it, he realizes that the subject line is blank.

9. Which of the following should James do before sending the email to Craig?

10. Which of the following reputations is a result of the meta message "I abide by the rules"? Which of the following is a reason why audience analysis for routine messages generally does not require much time?

11. In the case of a routine message, the number of words in a primary message:

12. Which of the following stages of developing routine messages involves proofreading?

     

COM/295 Business Communications

Week 3 Assignments

Everything listed for Week 3 is Included in Tutorial Purchase! A+ Work!

Individual: Constructing Effective Business Messages Part I

Option #1 Delivery Service / Word Count: 1,565 words!

Option #2 Crate Service / Word Count: 1,547 words!

Option #3  Touch Gloves / Word Count:  884 words!

Option #4 - Baby CarSeat / Word Count: 828 words!

Select a product or service for this assignment in which you believe your organization should invest capital resources to develop for sale in a global environment.
Review Ch. 4 of Business Communication Essentials.
Create a Microsoft Word analysis of 1,400 words that includes the following:
    • Describe the product or service, including its main characteristics.
    • Why do you believe this product is worthwhile?
    • A profile of your audience's. Why are these audience's important? How different

        would you approach each audience?
    • Explain how you would establish credibility.
Explain why you selected the channel.
Select the appropriate channel for delivering your message based on context, audience, and purpose.
Format your assignment consistent with APA guidelines.
Click the Assignment Files tab to submit your assignment.

Learning Team Collaborative Discussion:

Constructing Effective Business Messages for Different Audiences
Collaborate with your team to identify the different ways their respective organizations communicate, such as email, instant messaging, social media, flyers, etc.
Discuss the following with your team in the Discussion area:
    • Explain what types of messages are more effective
    • Explain what types of business message are more effective
    • List and briefly describe at least three different audiences within your organizations

        or give examples
    • Explain how your approach might be different when writing a message to these

       audiences about a product or service
Post one original post to address the bullet points above.
Reply to at least one team member's post. Your posts will count towards weekly participation requirement.

Week 3 Supporting Activity Questions

(3 optional answers/responses for each question included)

NOTE: Discussion Questions change with each Instructor, so these may not match your weekly questions.

Supporting Activity: Making your message persuasive

What are some steps you can take to make your message persuasive? Have you ever been successful in creating a persuasive message? Share your example.

Supporting Activity: Primary and Secondary Research

What is the difference between primary and secondary research? Can you conduct both on the Internet?

Supporting Activity: Colors
This section discusses the literal look and feel of your communications.  It deals mainly with printed communication, but the rules also apply to PowerPoint and other slide presentations.  When creating a slide presentations, what guidelines should you follow related to use of colors and white space?

Supporting Activity: Delivering Bad News

What are some tips for delivering bad news in proposals?  Is it ever wise to try to hide bad news?  What are the ethical considerations?

Supporting Activity: How to be persuasive

*****BONUS FILES INCLUDED*****

Collaborative Activity: Technology and Communication

Collaborate with your team to choose the most effective technology, medium, or combination of media for each of the following messages:

• A message to the technical support about an employee's computer that has been infected by a virus.
• A message from HR to all employees, explaining the changes to the company health plan in the coming year.
• A message from the CEO of a large company to employees, explaining negative news regarding the company appearing on national news channels.
• A message from a gym manager to clients about temporarily closing the pool in the gym.
• A message from a professional association to members about the coming annual conference.
  

Explain your answers.

New Hire Communication Worksheet

Select a company you are familiar with. Imagine that you work for the HR department of the company. You are tasked to develop a message to orient new hires to the company culture, process, procedures, and general information.

Compose a message for new hires using the three-step process outlined in Ch. 5 of Business Communication.

Step 1: Prewriting

Analyze the situation described above by answering each of the following questions with 1 to 2 paragraphs:

Step 2: Drafting

Research your company’s background to know about the culture, processes, and procedures within the organization you selected.

Step 3a: Revising

Copy and paste the message you drafted in Step 2 below. Proofread and edit the message using the “Track Changes” feature under the “Review” tab to show you are actively engaged in proofreading and revision.

Step 3b: Final Message for Submission

Provide the final copy of your message here.

Save the document and submit it as your assignment.

Technology and Communications

Identify the specific medium or media you would use to deliver each of the messages listed in the Week 3 Learning Team Collaboration Activity.

Write 1- to 3-paragraphs for each message that describe and explain your choices. Your answer can reference your Learning Team discussion or you can make your own choices.

Choose the most effective technology, medium, or combination of media for each of the following messages:

• A message to the technical support about an employee's computer that has been infected by a virus.
• A message from HR to all employees, explaining the changes to the company health plan in the coming year.
• A message from the CEO of a large company to employees, explaining negative news regarding the company appearing on national news channels.
• A message from a gym manager to clients about temporarily closing the pool in the gym.
• A message from a professional association to members about the coming annual conference.

Explain your answers.

Click the Assignment Files tab to submit your assignment.

Knowledge Check (with correct answers)

1. Which of the following statements is true about primary research?

2. Which of the following terms best describes the process that involves the analysis of data collected by others with no direction from you or members of your organization?

3. Which of the following is of the least importance when analyzing data?

4. Which of the following raises the credibility of a report?

5. Which of the following is an advantage of documenting your research sources?

6. What does it mean to demonstrate originality in thought when using secondary research to develop reports?

7. Which of the following demonstrates originality in thought when using secondary research to develop reports?

8. Which of the following is true of persuasive messages?

9. Which of the following is the first step in the planning process for writing persuasive messages?

10. Which of the following is true about understanding your audience?

     

COM/295 Business Communications

Week 4 Assignments

Everything listed for Week 4 is Included in Tutorial Purchase! A+ Work!

Individual: Developing Persuasive Business Messages Part II

Option #1 Delivery Service / Word Count: 1,041 words!

Option #2 Crate Service / Word Count: 1,774 words!

Option #3  Touch Gloves / Word Count:  1,553 words!

Option #4 - Baby CarSeat / Word Count: 1,041 words!

Scenario: In Week 3, you selected a product or service that you believe your organization should invest capital resources to develop the product or service for sale. To speed up the new product investment, you decide to write a memo proposing and advocating for the launch of a new product or service to the company president.
Create a memo proposal using the AIDA model in a Microsoft Word in a minimum of 1,400 words. You will add an introduction and conclusion, and your paper will include the following components:
    • Convince your audience to invest capital resources to develop the product or

        service you intend to sell and explain your rationale. See Figure 9.5 - Persuasive

        Message Using AIDA model.
    • Gain credibility (for yourself and your request) and (2) to make your readers believe

       that helping your product/service will indeed benefit the company. Close with a

       request for some specific action, and make that course of action as easy to follow as

       possible to maximize the chances of a positive response.
    • Include secondary research to support your argument, related to your product

       and/or service.
    • Explain what you will do in case the selected product or service does not initially sell

        as much as expected.
    • Indicate potential digital channels for marketing your product or service.
    • Consider cross-cultural and multinational implications. Note: Main points from this

        memo will be included in the Week 5 Persuasive Presentation.
The following guidelines will help you effectively format specific memo elements, Business Communication Essentials, 7/e (Pg. 410)...

Week 4 Supporting Activity Questions

(3 optional answers/responses for each question included)

NOTE: Discussion Questions change with each Instructor, so these may not match your weekly questions.

Supporting Activity: Enhancing Presentations with Slides
Watch "Enhancing Presentations with Slides and Other Visuals - Orange Photography."

     • According to Orange Photography, what types of illustrations do they suggest using

         in presentation? Why?

     • What does Orange Photography keep to a minimum? Why?

     • Should a presentation be complex or simplistic? Why?

Supporting Activity: Public Speaking: The Six-Pack Rule for Visuals
Watch "Public Speaking: The Six-Pack Rule for Visuals" located in the University Library.

     • What is the Six-Pack rule?

     • How does the Six-Pack rule make visuals work?

Supporting Activity: Visuals

Supporting Activity: Steps for a successful presentation

*****BONUS FILES INCLUDED*****

Word Count: 736 words!
Complete the New Hire Communication Peer Review.

Click the Assignment Files tab to submit your assignment.

Read the following sample student Week 3 New Hire Communication assignment. In the message, an HR staff member of ABC Company communicates the company’s culture, processes, procedures, and general information to new hires in emails.

Sample Student Work: HR Email Communication for ABC Company New Hires...

Persuasive Messages

Option #1 - Word Count: 534 words!

Option #2 - Word Count: 1,084 words!

Select a product or service for this assignment.
Review Ch. 9 of Business Communication about writing effective persuasive messages.
Complete the following two parts to sell the product or service to two different audiences.

Part I:
Write a message to persuade your boss to invest capital resources to develop the product or service for sale.
Include secondary research to support your argument and explain what you will do in case the selected product or service does not initially sell as much as expected. Cite and reference sources using APA formatting.
Select the appropriate channel for delivering your message based on context, audience, and purpose.
Explain why you selected the channel.
Note: Part I is the basis of your Week 5 Persuasive Presentation assignment.

Part II:
Write a sales pitch to sell the product/service to the end consumer. The sales pitch that you write could be part of a marketing campaign, which can be the verbiage for a commercial, a flyer, a message posted on social network, and so on. Make sure to identify the context, as per the examples, in which the sales pitch will take place.
Select the appropriate channel for delivering your message based on context, audience, and purpose.
Explain why you selected the channel.

Include an APA formatted title page for the assignment.
Click the Assignment Files tab to submit your assignment.

CAREER CONNECTION: Resume Building

CAREER CONNECTION: This activity connects to career by getting students started on building their resume. Go to Phoenix Career Services. Click on Resume Builder. Build your resume.

Copy your resume to a Microsoft Word document and submit it to your instructor. Make sure you include your introductory statement, which could be your career objective, qualification summary, or career summary.
Include an APA formatted title page for the assignment.
Click the Assignment Files tab to submit your assignment.

1. Which of the following is true with regard to the use of slides and handouts during presentations?

2. What is the expansion of the acronym "AIM" in the content planning process?

3. The__________ of a presentation should include an attention-getter, a positioning statement, and an overview.

    

COM/295 Business Communications

Week 5 Assignments

Everything listed for Week 5 is Included in Tutorial Purchase! A+ Work!

Individual: Designing Effective Presentations Part III

Option #1 Delivery Service Presentation

Option #2 Crate Service Presentation

Option #3  Touch Gloves Presentation

Option #4 - Baby CarSeat Presentation

Create an 8- to 10-slide presentation that should be 5 to 10 minutes in length. Please include detailed speaker notes, based on the Week 4 Persuasive Messages Part I & Part II assignment.
Apply the four aspects of designing business presentations discussed in the textbook to your presentation.
Include at least one visual to support on your slides, for example, using a line chart to show increasing sales. Include the following in presentation slides:
    • Title
    • Introduction
    • Recommendation
    • Benefits
    • Impact if product or service does not sell as much as expected
    • Conclusion
    • References
Format consistent with APA guidelines.
Click the Assignment Files tab to submit your assignment.

Week 5 Supporting Activity Questions

(3 optional answers/responses for each question included)

NOTE: Discussion Questions change with each Instructor, so these may not match your weekly questions.

Supporting Activity: Tactics for the job hunt

Supporting Activity: Preparation

What are some ways to prepare for a job interview?  Does your preparation change depending on the type of interview it is?

Final Exam

Complete the Final Examination. You are allowed one attempt to
complete the examination, which is timed and must be completed in 3
hours. Results are auto graded and sent to your instructor.

1. A colleague asks you for advice on how to understand the audience of his persuasive message. Which of the following pieces of advice will you offer?
2. Javier is an editorial manager at a publishing company. He wants to give one of his supervisors an “Employee of the Year” award. Which of the following supervisors should he choose if he is looking for an employee with a strong sense of caring?
3. Bao is conducting a study that compares the cost of keeping print messages on file versus storing digital messages in the cloud. What aspect of communications relates to the storage of messages?
4. Which of the following is true of documenting secondary research sources?
5. Rick is trying to schedule a video teleconference with colleagues at several locations. To do so, he needs to coordinate their schedules and also check to see if the company needs to invest in any additional resources to make it happen. By addressing coordination and resource issues, he is dealing with:
6. Lori is using secondary research to develop a business report. How can she write her report in a way that demonstrates originality in thought?
7. In the context of developing persuasive messages, which of the following is most likely to help you demonstrate a voice of competence?​
8. Which of the following should contain all your research sources and should be provided at the end of your report?
9. Which of the following is an example of psychological noise?
10. One of the first tasks to accomplish when developing a presentation is to:
11. Which of the following is an example of projected cognitive similarity?
12. Your coworker LaRita has asked you to review her slide presentation. You notice that it is difficult to recognize and process the most important ideas and information. To help her fix this, what will you recommend that she change?
13. In order to focus your presentation on people, you should:
14. A mistake that many job applicants make while creating resumes is:
15. By doing audience analysis, Radika discovers that the people she will be giving her sales presentation to know very little about her product. Because of this, she is likely to decide to:
16. Which of the following is typically included in the drafting stage of writing an effective business message?
17. In order to design your slides to facilitate ease of processing, you should:
18. __________ is the process of converting meaning into messages composed of words and nonverbal signals.
19. Vanessa has been assigned the task of creating an effective business message aimed at improving the productivity of the employees in her company. In the process of creating the business message, she studies the background of the employees, their needs, and priorities. To which step of the planning process for developing influential messages does Vanessa’s action typically belong?
20. In the context of persuasive messages, validating your readers means that you are:
21. Which of the following is typically included in the reviewing state of writing an effective business message?
22. ________ noise occurs when communicators apply different meanings to the same words or phrases.
23. Performing at the highest standards, not just for oneself, but for the team, for the supervisor, for the consumer, and for the company’s shareholders, indicates a sense of _________.
24. Your resume should tell a story of:
25. Which of the following is useful advice on conducting business across cultures with those who have limited English ability?
26. Which of the following facilitates a one-stop work space containing project and meeting information, shared files, and communication platforms?
27. Which of the following is true of competence?
28. Gregor, who works at a textbook company, has put together a presentation proposing that the company save money by getting its images from less expensive stock, photo sites.  Gregor needs to present his idea to the executive committee.  Considering the content of his presentation, which of the following people on the committee should he most try to influence?
29. Which of the following is a trait of individualists?
30. The career summary section of a resume should provide the candidate’s ________.