NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE
COURSE SYLLABUS
The North Central Texas College (NCTC) Course Syllabus provides the following as required by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB): (1) a brief description of the course including each major course requirement, assignment and examination; (2) the learning objectives for the course; (3) a general description of the subject matter of each lecture or discussion; and (4) any required or recommended readings. Contact information for the instructor is also provided. The Course Syllabus also provides institutional information to indicate how this course supports NCTC’s purpose and mission. Information specific to a particular section of the course will be included in the Class Syllabus and distributed to enrolled students.
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Course Title: Business Correspondence and Communication
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Course Prefix & Number: POFT2312
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Section Number: 340
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Term Code: 172S
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Semester Credit Hours: 3
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Lecture Hours: 48
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Lab Hours: 0
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Course Description (NCTC Catalog):
Skill development in concepts, procedures, and application of spreadsheets for business.
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Course Prerequisite(s): None
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Course Type:
o - Academic General Education Course (from Academic Course Guide Manual but not in NCTC Core)
o - Academic NCTC Core Curriculum Course
x - WECM Course
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Name of Instructor:
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Angela Sellers
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Campus/Office Location:
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Corinth Campus
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Telephone Number:
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940-498-NCTC
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E-mail Address:
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asellers@nctc.edu Course email in Canvas preferred.
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Name of Chair/Coordinator:
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Dr. Cherly Furdge, Division Chair
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Office Location:
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Corinth 234
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Telephone Number:
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940-498-6238
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E-mail Address:
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cfurdge@nctc.edu (preferred)
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REQUIRED OR RECOMMENDED COURSE MATERIALS
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MindTap 1 term (6months) Instant Access Code: Includes: Essentials of Business Communication text book, 10th Edition by Mary Ellen Guffey, MindTap Course Resources, and Aplia Learning Program. ISBN-13: 9781305699199
All POFT2312 Course materials/books can purchased at the NCTC Bookstore or directly online through CengageBrain.com
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GRADING POLICY:
Letter grades for this course will be assigned in accordance with NCTC standard grading policy.
A 90%-100% D 60%-69%
B 80%-89% F 0-59%
C 70%-79%
INSTITUTIONAL LEARNING GOALS
o A quality general education curriculum in all associate degree programs.
o Quality freshman and sophomore level courses in arts and sciences which parallel the lower division offerings of four-year colleges and universities.
x Quality technical programs leading directly to careers in semi-skilled and skilled occupations, and quality technical education programs up to two years in length leading to certificates and associate degrees.
o Quality programs and services in support of adult literacy and basic skills development as a mean of workforce enhancement and expanding access to higher education.
PROGRAM PURPOSE STATEMENT
NCTC seeks to implement its goal of providing quality technical programs leading directly to careers in semi-skilled and skilled occupations, and quality technical education programs up to two years in length leading to certificates and associate degrees by offering a coherent sequence of courses with appropriate breadth and depth to prepare students for success in the workforce.
DEPARTMENTAL PURPOSE STATEMENT
The Office Systems Technology department provides quality courses in office systems technology that will prepare students for employment and advancement in today’s technology intense workplace. Through this preparation, students will have the opportunity to transfer to four year universities to continue their education in Applied Sciences.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
(From Academic Course Guide Manual/Workforce Education Course Manual/NCTC Catalog
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At the successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
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LO1
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Create effective business documents
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LO2
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Evaluate business documents
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LO3
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Apply ethical communication practices
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GRADING CRITERIA
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# of Graded Course Elements
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Graded Course Elements
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Percentage or Point Values
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53
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MindTap Assignments
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30%
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14
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Video Activities/reflections
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20%
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14
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Chapter Quizzes
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20%
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4
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Exams
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30%
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GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF SUBJECT MATTER FOR EACH LECTURE/DISCUSSION
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Topic
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General Description of Subject Matter
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Communicating in the Digital-Age Workplace
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Students will understand how communication and critical thinking skills fuel career success and understand significant workplace changes including rapidly changing communication technology, anytime-anywhere availability, global competition, flattened management layers, and an increased use of teams.
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Planning Business Messages
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Students will understand that business message should be purposeful, persuasive, economical, and audience oriented.
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Organizing and Drafting Business Messages
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Students will organize information into strategic relationships, improve writing by emphasizing important ideas, employing the active and passive voice effectively, using parallelism, and preventing dangling and misplaced modifiers.
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Revising Business Messages
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Students will understand the review phase of the writing process
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EXAM I: Business Writing Process in the Digital Age
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Short Workplace Messages and Digital Media
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Students will understand the professional standards for the usage, structure, and format of e-mails and interoffice memos in the digital-era workplace.
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Positive messages
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Students will understand the channels through which typical positive messages travel in the digital era—e-mails, memos, and business letters, and explain how business letters should be formatted.
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Negative Message
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Students will describe the strategies and goals of business communicators in delivering bad news, including knowing when to use the direct and indirect patterns
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Persuasive Messages
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Students will understand interpersonal persuasion at work, and compose persuasive messages within organizations.
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EXAM II: Workplace Communication
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Proposals and Formal Reports
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Students will understand the importance, purpose, and components of informal and formal proposals. Describe the steps in writing and editing formal business reports.
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Professionalism Business Etiquette, Ethics, Teamwork, and Meetings
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Students will understand professionalism, start developing business etiquette skills, and build an ethical mind-set—important qualities digital-age employers seek.
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Business Presentations
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Students will explain how to organize the introduction, body, and conclusion as well as how to build audience rapport in a presentation.
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EXAM III: Reports and Professionalism
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The Job Search and Resumes in the Digital Age
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Students will prepare to search for a job in the digital age by understanding the changing job market, identifying your interests, assessing your qualifications, and exploring career opportunities.
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Interviewing and Following Up
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Students will explain the purposes and types of job interviews, including screening, one-on-one, panel, group, sequential, stress, and online interviews.
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FINAL COMPREHENSIVE EXAM
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Last day to Withdraw
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For the Spring 2018 semester, the last day to withdraw from a course with a “W” is April 5, 2018.
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Student Rights & Responsibilities
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NCTC Board policy FLB (Local) Student Rights and Responsibilities states that each student shall be charged with notice and knowledge of the contents and provisions of the rules and regulations concerning student conduct. These rules and regulations are published in the Student Handbook published in conjunction with the College Catalog.
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Scholastic Integrity
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Scholastic dishonesty shall constitute a violation of college rules and regulations and is punishable as prescribed by Board policies. Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but not be limited to cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion. See the Student Handbook for more information.
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STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES
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Disability Services (OSD)
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The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides accommodations for students who have a documented disability. On the Corinth Campus, go to room 170 or call 940-498-6207. On the Gainesville Campus, go to room 110 or call 940-668-4209. Students on the Bowie, Graham, Flower Mound, and online campuses should call 940-668-4209.
North Central Texas College is on record as being committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, ADA Amendments Act of 2009, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-112). http://www.nctc.edu/StudentServices/SupportServices/Disabilityservices.aspx
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Student Success Center
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The Student Success Center is designed to help all students at NCTC develop tools to achieve their academic goals. The center links students to FREE tutoring, including a Writing Center, a Math Lab, and free online tutoring in the evening. The program helps students acclimate to college by providing students free interactive workshops about Time Management, Study Skills, Test Anxiety, and much more. For more information, please visit your nearest Student Success Center.
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Financial Aid, Scholarships, and Veterans Services
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The Financial Aid Office is responsible for administering a variety of programs for students who need assistance in financing their education. The first step for financial aid is to complete a FAFSA. For more information, please visit your nearest Financial Aid Office.
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Tobacco-Free Campus
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NCTC restricts the use of all tobacco products including cigarettes, cigars, pipes and smokeless tobacco on campus property.
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ATTENDANCE POLICY
Regular and punctual attendance is expected. All absences are considered to be unauthorized unless the absence is due to sickness (verifiable by note from doctor) or emergencies, which are approved by the instructor, or due to participation in an approved college-sponsored activity. Students are evaluated on classroom participation, which cannot be measured during absences.
The instructor reserves the “right” to reduce the final points awarded for each class missed after two absences (one absence in classes that meet once a week). The instructor also reserves the right to drop the student for excessive absences. Excessive tardiness will be considered as absences. It is the student’s responsibility to drop the class through the Registrar’s office before the April 7th drop date to avoid an “F” on their transcript.
Missed Examinations will be counted as a zero. No make-up examinations allowed.
OTHER PERTINENT INFORMATION
- All course material is available via the internet through NCTC’s Canvas Learning Management System. Access Canvas at https://nctc.instructure.com/login. Please go to https://nctc.instructure.com/login and bookmark (save to favorites) this site. It is not necessary to access Canvas through the NCTC Website.
- It is the student’s responsibility to check the Canvas, SAM through Canvas, and his or her course mail at least three times weekly.
- If a student should experience problems accessing the course material in Canvas or Cengage or sending/receiving course mail, it is the student’s responsibility to resolve the issue with the appropriate Help resource and notify the instructor immediately.
- Assignments are due on the assigned date. All weekly assignments are due before 11:59 pm every Sunday night. There will be no late assignments accepted period.
- Student data files may be downloaded and/or accessed from the textbook publisher’s website through Canvas.
- Expect to spend 10 to 15 hours per week working in this course. It is recommended to spread the weekly assignments out throughout the week.
- Assignments are due as posted. Students are required to complete 75% of all assignments and exams to receive a passing grade in this course.
- The instructor reserves the right to change course assignments, grading policies, and assignment schedules at any time.
- Emails should be reserved for private, personal, and non-content related topics and will be answered within 48 hours.
- Please use the associated chapter discussion forum to ask general questions about the course and/or each module/chapter/tutorial.
- All students are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner.
- Each student will be provided a Canvas email account for course communication. All e-mails to the instructor are to be sent through Canvas.
Workforce Education Program Elements (SCANS Skills)
The Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) conducted extensive research and interviews and determined that “workplace know-how” consists of two elements: foundations skills and workplace competencies. Upon successful completion of the courses in this program, students will have demonstrated the following competencies:
(1) Foundation Skills
(a) Basic Skills: A worker must (i) read, (ii) write, (iii) perform arithmetic and mathematical operations, (iv) listen, and (v) speak effectively.
(b) Thinking Skills: A worker must (i) think creatively, (ii) make decisions, (iii) solve problems, (iv) visualize, (v) know how to learn, and (vi) reason effectively.
(c) Personal Qualities: A worker must display (i) responsibility, (ii) self-esteem, (iii) sociability, (iv) self-management, (v) integrity, and (vi) honesty.
(2) Workplace Competencies
(a) Resources: A worker must identify, organize, plan, and allocate resources effectively. This includes (i) time, (ii) money, (iii) material and facilities, and (iv) human resources.
(b) Interpersonal Skills: A worker must work with others effectively to (i) participate as a member of a team, (ii) teach others new skills, (iii) serve clients/customers, (iv) exercise leadership, (v) negotiate, and (vi) work with diversity.
(c) Information: A worker must be able to (i) acquire and use information, (ii) organize and maintain information, (iii) interpret and communicate information and (iv) use computers to process information.
(d) Systems: A worker must understand complex interrelationships as in (i) understanding systems, (ii) monitor and correct performance, and (iii) improve and design systems.
(e) Technology: A worker must be able to work with a variety of technologies, e.g. (i) select technology, (ii) apply technology, and (iii) maintain and troubleshoot equipment.