LSC Business Communication (Online Course WebCT)

Topic 1 Role of Communication in the Workplace

Knowing Your Audience

Elements of Effective Business Communication

Technology in Business Communication

Non-Verbal Communication Elements

Formulating Effective Strategies

Topic 2 Tailoring the Message to the Audience

Identifying and Analyzing Your Target Audience

Communicating Your Message

Reader Benefits

Topic 3 Cross-Cultural Communication

Culture and Cultural Differences

Non-Verbal Communication Across Cultures

Verbal Communication Across Cultures

Topic 4 Basics of Business Writing

Choosing the Right Words and Voice

Communicating with Clarity and Precision

Avoiding Bias in Communication

Grammar, Punctuation, and Style

Topic 5 Writing to Build Goodwill

Using Positive Language

Writing from the You-Viewpoint

Conversational Style

Courtesy

Topic 6 Fundamentals of Writing Business Messages

The Process of Writing Business Messages

Impact of Technology on Writing

Traditional Letters and Memorandums

Topic 7 Positive and Direct Business Messages

Organizing Positive and Direct Business Messages

Writing Positive Messages

Writing Basic Informational Messages

Ordering Messages

Using Directness for Communicating Bad News

Topic 8 Negative and Indirect Business Messages

Organizing Negative and Indirect Business Messages

Using Tone and Strategies in Negative Messages

Writing Different Negative Messages

Topic 9 Persuasive and Sales Messages

Organizing Persuasive Strategies

Organizing Persuasive Business Messages

Writing Different Persuasive and Sales Messages

Topic 10 Fundamentals of Report Writing

Determining Report Problems and Solutions

Researching Strategies and Interpretation of Data for Reports

Organizing the Information in a Report

Writing a Report

Topic 11 Writing Short Reports

The Nature of Short Reports

Features of Short Reports

Different Kinds of Short Reports

Proposal Writing

Topic 12 Writing Long, Formal Reports

Prefatory Part

Main Body

How to End a Long Report

Topic 13 Designing the Page and Using Graphics

Designing Documents, Slides, and Screens

Planning and Designing Graphics

Constructing Textual and Visual Graphics

Avoiding Common Errors in Presenting

Topic 14 Oral Business Communication

Informal Oral Communication: Meetings and Using the Telephone

Speeches and Formal Presentations

Oral Reports

Topic 15 Review

This course examines the principles of communication in the workplace. The course introduces students to common formats such as the memo, letter, and report, and helps students improve writing skills to gain greater mastery of grammar, mechanics, and style. Students learn techniques for writing informational, persuasive, sales, employment, good news, and bad news communications. Other topics include using the appropriate strategies for internal and external communication situations, audience analysis, and communication through recent technology, including e-mail, video-conferencing, and presentations.

After completing this course, students will be able to:- Demonstrate with an example the importance of communication to business.

- Using audience analysis, adapt a message to the audience.

- Write business messages and documents with clarity and precision.

- Use the you-viewpoint and positive language in writing to build goodwill.

- Organize and write clear business e-mails and letters.

- Write positive messages that are well-structured and direct.

- Compose tactful and courteous negative messages.

- Use persuasive strategies to compose a variety of persuasive messages.

- Show how to research and organize information in a report.

- Organize and write a short report or a proposal.

- Prepare a well-structured, long, formal report.

- Create different kinds of textual and visual graphics and apply the guidelines of page designing to a report.

- Prepare and organize an effective formal presentation.

- Describe what one can do to effectively communicate across cultures.