Course Description
This is a BC Campus online provincial course. Business Communication teaches you how to plan, organize and write correct and effective "reader-friendly" business documents appropriate for use in today’s global business environment. You will learn how to write business letters, memos, reports, and electronic messages.
Course Content
- Vocabulary, spelling and proofreading (reinforcement exercises)
- Process, goals and challenges of communication
- Basic writing techniques
- plain language
- jargon and slang
- precise verbs, concrete nouns, vivid adjectives
- clichés, repetitive words, redundancies and outdated expressions
- conciseness
- Advanced writing techniques
- positive language
- reader benefits
- inclusive language
- emphasis and de-emphasis
- unity and parallelism
- active and passive voice
- paragraph writing
- Memoranda and email
- writing strategies
- functions of memos
- characteristics of memos
- writing plan for memos
- informing, requesting and responding
- Letters that make routine requests
- information request letters
- order letters
- claim letters
- Letters that respond positively
- response letters to information requests
- response letters to order requests
- response letters to claim requests
- Letters and memoranda that carry negative news
- indirect strategy
- request refusal letters
- claims refusal letters
- credit refusal Letters
- Letters and memoranda that persuade
- persuasive request letters
- sales letters
- Goodwill and special messages
- letters of appreciation, congratulations and sympathy
- recommendation letters
- form letters
- Informal reports
- types of informal reports
- report formats
- report writing guidelines
- information reports
- recommendation reports
- justification and progress reports
- minutes and summaries
Learning Activities
Communication between instructor and students will be conducted online using the WebCT email, discussion and chat utilities. The instructor will guide the students through a series of learning objectives using motivation and online instruction.
Means of Assessment
| Assignments |
35% |
| Quizzes |
15% |
| Final Project |
20% |
| Final Exam |
30% |
| Total |
100% |
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course you will be able to:
- Demonstrate awareness of reader needs through the application of clear, persuasive writing techniques.
- Apply techniques for planning, organizing, and writing effective business documents such as letters, memoranda and reports.
- Use an email client program to write clear and effective email messages.
- Apply word processing skills to format effective, attractive, ‘reader-friendly’ documents appropriate for business.
- Analyze written communication to ensure grammatically correct writing.
- Produce mailable documents that are free from grammar, spelling and punctuation errors.
Textbook Materials
Textbooks and Materials to be Purchased by Students
Essentials of Business Communication. Mary Ellen Guffy and Brendan Nagle. Latest Canadian Edition.