Course

Workplace Writing for Applied Community Studies

Faculty
Language, Literature & Performing Arts
Department
Communications
Course code
CMNS 1110
Credits
3.00
Semester length
15
Max class size
25
Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Seminar
Course designation
None
Industry designation
None
Typically offered
Fall
Summer
Winter

Overview

Course description
Communications 1110 is designed for students intending to enroll in the Classroom and Community Support Worker, Child and Youth Care Counsellor, Community Social Service Worker, or Early Childhood Education programs. Instruction is adapted for workplace settings in the social services fields. Assignments focus on specific workplace writing tasks, with emphasis given to particular writing strategies tailored to particular purposes and readers: summary, correspondence, memoranda, and Project Brief.
Course content

Course content will be drawn from the following areas:

I.   Tasks (Written and Oral)

  • Reports: field-research, progress reports on client contact, informational, problem/solution, minutes, agenda
  • Brief
  • Letters and Memos: application, transmittal, to the editor
  • Resume
  • Summary/Comparative Summary
  • Bibliography
  • Employment Interview Skills
  • Meeting Skills
  • Oral Presentations

II.  Compositional Strategies

  • Topic development
  • Brainstorming
  • Free and pre-writing
  • Revising
  • Editing - self or peer
  • Research
  • Comparison, cause/effect, analogy, definition
  • Argument and analysis
  • Summary.

 

Learning activities

This course will emphasize learning through interactive instruction. Students will involve themselves in the discussion, analysis, and production of various writing activities. Under the instructor’s direction, students will integrate the results of primary and/or secondary research activities with appropriate language and structural principles in a number of writing situations. Additionally, instructors will respect the principle and values advocated by instructors within the Faculty of Applied Community Studies. Students may be requested to write in response to textbook and program material, film or video scenarios, field trips and other experiential situations in the workplace. Other methods include lectures, group discussions, and presentations by resource people with field-related expertise.

Means of assessment

To pass CMNS 1110, students must demonstrate the ability to write in standard English and demonstrate communicative competence in relation to the designed writing purposes, audiences and tasks in the social services field.

Evaluation will be based on this general breakdown:

Comparative Summary 20%
Letters 20%
Job Package 10%
Brief 30%
(Covering Letter) 5%
(Progress Report) 5%
Preparation and Participation 10%
  100%
Learning outcomes

Communications 1110 has been developed to meet the communications requirements of specific programs within the Faculty of Applied Community Studies.

I.   General Skills

The student will be able to:

  1. write in standard English;
  2. demonstrate communicative competence through successful completion of writing tasks.

II.  Specific Skills

The student will be able to:

Writing Skills

  1. use correct language fundamentals in all written assignments: punctuation, spelling, grammar;
  2. write effective sentences (clear and concise);
  3. write well-developed paragraphs;
  4. demonstrate skill at developing unity, coherence, and emphasis in professional prose;
  5. quote, paraphrase, and note sources accurately;
  6. present a conventional bibliography.

Rhetorical Skills

  1. write appropriately for single and multiple readers (laypersons, supervisors, court personnel);
  2. prepare written documents using language conventions consistent with appropriate field-related standards and practices (tone, diction, voice);
  3. use field-appropriate style of documentation.

Analytical Skills

  1. seek out and select appropriate sources for assignments;
  2. use college library sources effectively;
  3. analyze research for relevant data;
  4. recognize and avoid plagiarism.

Collaborative Skills

  1. collaborate effectively with other students;
  2. interact appropriately with peer editors or readers, and participants at meetings.

III. Specific Writing Tasks

The students will be required to successfully complete writing tasks selected from the following list:

  1. extract and summarize the main points from field-related articles;
  2. develop an effective application letter and resume;
  3. develop both a chronological and a functional resume;
  4. compose an informative report on workplace/practicum site;
  5. write effective correspondence in a variety of relevant situations consistent with field-related standards and practices;
  6. demonstrate the ability to develop and compose an agenda;
  7. demonstrate the ability to record and compose accurate minutes of a meeting;
  8. compose a brief on a contemporary issue for an identified and real audience;
  9. compose an informative brochure for a field-related organization; and
  10. demonstrate the ability to develop and produce academic research papers.

IV.  Specific Oral Tasks

  1. Apply basic rules or order in formal meetings;
  2. Present motions in meetings.

 

Textbook materials

No single text is applicable for all career programs or for all course objectives. However, a handbook and/or exercise book is required. The following are examples of possibilities:

  • The Brief English Handbook. Dornan & Dawe (2001)
  • When Writers Write.  Kathleen MacDonald

 

Requisites

Prerequisites

Any College entrance Language Proficiency Requirement with the exceptions of the Douglas College Course Options in ELLA or ENGU and the assessments listed below. These require the specified higher standard for entry into CMNS, CRWR and ENGL courses.
• a minimum grade of C- in ELLA 0460, or a minimum grade of C- in both ELLA 0465 and 0475, OR
• a minimum grade of C- in ENGU 0450 or ENGU 0455 or ENGU 0490, OR
• Mastery in ELLA 0330 and any two of ELLA 0310, 0320, or 0340, OR
• TOEFL overall score of 83 with a minimum of 21 in Writing, OR
• IELTS overall score of 6.5 with no band below 6.0; for individual bands below 6.0:
       • if in Speaking, ELLA 0210 required
       • if in Reading or Listening, ELLA 0220 required
       • if in Writing, ELLA 0230 and ELLA 0240 required
OR
• CLB score of 8, OR
• CEFR level B2+, OR
• CAEL minimum overall and essay score of 70 (computer or paper based), OR
• recognized equivalent or exemption.

Corequisites

Courses listed here must be completed either prior to or simultaneously with this course:

  • No corequisite courses

Equivalencies

Courses listed here are equivalent to this course and cannot be taken for further credit:

  • No equivalency courses

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

Course Transfers

These are for current course guidelines only. For a full list of archived courses please see https://www.bctransferguide.ca

Institution Transfer details for CMNS 1110
BC Institute of Technology (BCIT) BCIT COMM 1100 (3) or BCIT COMM 1116 (4) or BCIT COMM 1135 (3) or BCIT COMM 1140 (3) or BCIT COMM 1141 (3) or BCIT COMM 1143 (3) or BCIT COMM 1144 (3) or BCIT COMM 1145 (4) or BCIT COMM 1164 (3) or BCIT COMM 1169 (3) or BCIT COMM 1178 (3) or BCIT COMM 1180 (4) or BCIT COMM 1184 (3) or BCIT COMM 1188 (3)
Camosun College (CAMO) CAMO BUS 130 (3)
Capilano University (CAPU) No credit
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) KPU CMNS 1110 (3)
Langara College (LANG) LANG CMNS 1XXX (3)
Okanagan College (OC) OC CMNS 1XX (3)
Simon Fraser University (SFU) SFU CMNS 1XX (3)
Thompson Rivers University (TRU) TRU CMNS 1XXX (3)
Trinity Western University (TWU) TWU COMM 1XX (3)
University of British Columbia - Okanagan (UBCO) No credit
University of British Columbia - Vancouver (UBCV) No credit
University of Northern BC (UNBC) No credit
University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) UFV CMNS 125 (3)
University of Victoria (UVIC) UVIC ENSH 202 (1.5)
Vancouver Island University (VIU) VIU ENGL 204 (3)

Course Offerings

Winter 2025

CRN
12228
section details
CRN Days Instructor Status More details
Maximum seats
25
Currently enrolled
25
Remaining seats:
0
On waitlist
0
Building
Coquitlam - Bldg. B
Room
B2190
Times:
Start Time
12:30
-
End Time
15:20
Section notes

This course will include some synchronous online activities. The first week of class is held in-person.

CRN
15952
section details
CRN Days Instructor Status More details
Maximum seats
25
Currently enrolled
25
Remaining seats:
0
On waitlist
0
Building
Coquitlam - Bldg. B
Room
B2190
Times:
Start Time
9:30
-
End Time
12:20
Section notes

This course will include some synchronous online activities. The first week of class is held in-person.