Dr.
David R. Williams
FFX
RA437 drwillia@gmu.edu
Of hrs:
t/r 12-1 or appt
English 302-B09 Fall 2009
Tu/Thurs 9:00-10:15
“He who has nothing to assert has no
style and can have none.” -George Bernard Shaw
“Without a knowledge of how language
works, students will be unable either to spot the formal breakdown of
someone else’s language or to prevent the formal breakdown of their own.” - Stanley Fish
Overview:
English
302-B09 is an advanced course in writing for Business students which will
emphasize style, content, argument, voice, and mechanics, with an emphasis on
business expectations and practices. Emphasis will be on developing your own
voice and using it persuasively. Because of the length of each class,
participation and preparation will be particularly important. Required texts
are 9 Steps to Help You
engage Your Audience and Sin Boldly!:
Dr Dave's Guide to Writing the
College Paper, in addition to some downloading from electronic reserves.
Each student will also be expected to maintain a blog and to contribute through
it examples of writing about business from the media.
Requirements:
Because of the quantity of material to be
covered, much reading and writing will be required in a fairly short time. Participation and preparation will be
particularly important. Each student is
responsible for an introductory writing sample, four short papers , two business
letters, a mid-term, and a final group
research project and presentation
accompanied with an individual analysis of the group’s dynamics. Spot quizzes
can be expected on a weekly basis.
Assignments are due on the day designated next to each in the syllabus. We will set
up a class listserv and each student will construct a blog, both of which you will be
expected to keep up with.
The final group project will be an
important part of your grade and will include a power point presentation as if
trying to borrow money from a bank, a hard copy version of your proposal for the bank,
and from each individual an assessment of the group dynamics in the context of
some researched understanding of groups
and their pitfalls.
Showing
up:
Woody Allen said that 90% of life is just
showing up. He was wrong;
50% is all you get for
your bodily presence, not enough to pass.
The missing 50% is more than enough to harm your chances of getting the
grade you desire if you skip class. In
addition to showing up you need to read the desired texts by the class for
which each assignment is designated. Doing the assigned reading is part of
showing up. Be prepared for the possibility of spot quizzes on the daily
reading assignments, including handouts.
Pay attention in class. Cell phones must
be turned off or
they will be confiscated. Laptops can only be used for taking notes and will be
monitored. Be prepared in each class with a thoughtful question about the day’s
reading. You will be expected to participate in the class discussion. So be
prepared to speak up and speak out.
More than two unexcused absences can get you
expunged. So can repeated tardiness which includes leaving before the class is over.
Required
texts:
Required texts are Harvard Business Press’s 9 Steps to Help you
Engage Your Audience and Sin Boldly:
Dr Dave's Guide to Writing the College Paper. Occasional hand-outs and some readings on
electronic reserve will supplement the
class texts. These too are required reading.
Grading:
The final grade will be based on the papers
(10% each), the midterm (20%), the final (30%) , and
on class participation (10%). The format for the papers, as well as detailed
observations of what I like to see in papers, are all covered in Sin
Boldly! and
9 Steps and will, as well, be covered
in class. In-class
writings and quizzes can be expected as well as editing and rewriting
exercises. Because students will be judged more on their final improvement than
on their early stumblings, my policy is to discourage
further rewriting of unsuccessful papers in favor of spending time and energy
improving the next assigned task. Look forward, not back. The highest weight
therefore will be given to the final project. The four short papers and
mechanics test will each be worth 10% of the grade, the final worth 30%, and
the rest will be taken up by class and listserv participation, the blog, and
quizzes.
Note that English 101 is a prerequisite for
taking this course. Do not risk having to drop the course after the deadline
for return of your tuition. Special needs students need to let the professor
know what their needs are. I will be
available in my office during office hours for consultations. Messages can be
left in my box in the English Department or by e-mail at drwillia@gmu.edu.
Plagiarism:
With
the benefits of the internet have come several curses. These include spam,
phishing, identity theft, and plagiarism. You need to know that plagiarism is
the use of any other
person’s words without properly quoting and citing them. Cutting
and pasting from articles on the web, no matter how manipulated is considered
plagiarism and could get you expunged. Better to hand in your own halting,
misspelled, ungrammatical essays than a perfect essay written by someone
else.
Running
a Marathon:
Every class you take should be treated as if
it were a marathon. Study the course ahead taking note of obstacles like
Boston’s famous “Heartbreak Hill.” Save your energy for when you will need it.
Other papers, other assignments, sports engagements, impending deaths, or
marriages can all become obstacles you need to be prepared for. Pace yourself.
Keep the final goal and the overall picture of the course in mind. Think of the
big picture.
Do not assume you can slowly edge into the class. You
have to hit the ground running from the very start of the race.
A note
to the nervous:
Business writing is like writing in
almost any other discipline. The same requirements are in play: good grammar, clear argument, valid evidence, persuasive
logic, and a refutation of the
opposing point of view. Some of you
learned English not as a first but as a second language, and you might think
this puts you at a disadvantage in a class like this. Hard though it may be for
you to believe, native speakers of English, schooled in Northern Virginia, are
not much better. Do not therefore be afraid to speak up and ask basic
questions. If a question occurs in one student’s mind, it occurs in many, but
only the brave speak up and give voice to it.
Last day to add classes……………………………………………. Sept 15
Last day to drop with no tuition
liability…………………………. Sept 15
Last day to drop…………………………………………………… Oct 2
Class Syllabus
Sept.
1: Introductions, explanations,
3:
Finish introductory Editorial Exercise
Read Sin Boldly! (SB)
Chapter one
8:
Read Sin Boldly! Chaps 2-5;
Read Scott Adams on business communication (handout)
Editorial exercise (continued)
10:
Writing Sample Due: Memo on
professional goals
Use 9 Steps to Help you Engage Your audience
Chapters
one and five as
a guide
15:
Sign up for class
listserv@listserv.gmu.edu
Subscribe engl302-bxx-l name name
Mechanical Exercises
17:
Read in SB Chaps 6-9 -- Mechanics “review”
Read Tannen “Women
and Men Talking on the Job” (handout)
22:
Corrections Due; Read Sin Boldly chaps 13-16.
read 9
Steps chapters 2-3
24:
Read Sin Boldly Chapters
12-end.
More mechanical exercises
29:
Mechanical Exercises
Read chapters 4 - 5 in 9 Steps
Paper Due: Comparison and
Contrast of 2 jobs or bosses
Oct. 1:
Bring in hard copies of all assigned ereserve
texts
Mechanics Test
6:
Computer Lab: Researching the library data bases
Corrections from paper due
8:
Computer Lab:
The internet, research, and
blogging
13:
Columbus Day break No classes for Tuesday classes.
Monday classes met on
Tuesday.
15:
Markopolis Lecture 3-4:30
Center for the Arts
20:
Read chapters 6-7 in 9 Steps
Report Due On the Markopolis
Lecture
Test Returned, Corrected, and evaluated.
22:
Power point and Excel introduction and training information
Corrections from the Mechanics Test Due
27:
Read Emerson’s “On Language” (handout)
Define “Propaganda” (one
page paper)
29:
Read Orwell “Politics and the English Language” (handout)
Nov. 3: Research Paper Due: The Pros and Cons of Power Point
Bring in three copies
5:
Group project theme proposals due.
Read Chapter 8 in 9 Steps
Each person must argue for a project in
class.
4 or 5 will be selected by
ballot.
10: Read chapter 9 and Appendix C in 9
Steps
Business Letter due, bring in 3 copies
12:
Cause and Effect
Read Chapter 12 Sin Boldly
Define “causality”
17:
Group organization meetings
Individual Sessions ,,, sign up
Rewrite of Power Point Paper Due
19:
Individual Sessions ,,, sign up
24:
Group organization meetings
Individual Sessions ,,, sign up
26:
No Class --
Thanksgiving Break
Dec.
1 and 3: Group Presentations Due
8 and 10: Final Projects Due
The
written version of the proposal from each group with all
material
plus each student’s individual private assessment
of the
process including the contribution of each of the other
group
members in a memo form.