ENG 315 Week 1 Discussion

ENG 315 Week 1 Discussion

Week 1 Discussion

“Business, Interpersonal, and Group Communication and
Interference” Please respond to the following:

Communicating in the workplace provides us with
opportunities to both listen and express ourselves effectively or
ineffectively. As the the video titled “A Failure to Communicate” (2 min 28 s)
located at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ox5LhIJSBE demonstrates, it only
takes a few seconds to initiate a communication breakdown. From the e-Activity,
discuss the major interferences that can cause workplace miscommunications.
Consider topics from your readings this week, including ethnocentrism, kinesic
messages, and role perceptions.

Describe a situation where you personally experienced (or
became aware of) communication interferences that had a negative consequence.

 

 

ENG 315 Week 2 Discussion

Week 2 Discussion

“Audience, Context, and Email” Please respond to
the following:

Being able to send appropriate, professional emails is a
vital skill in today’s workplace. When considering audience and context,
determine why it is so important to know to whom you are writing and for what
specific purpose you are sending the email communication.

Describe an example of a workplace or personal email
communication in which the sender (you or someone else) did not pay close
attention to audience and context. Ascertain the consequences. Determine how
the miscommunication might have been avoided.

 

 

ENG 315 Week 3 Discussion

Week 3 Discussion

“Criteria” Please respond to the following:

• Criteria
  are a critical part of the justification report assignment. This is an
  excellent forum to enlist the assistance of your classmates if you are
  having difficulty deciding what criteria to choose for Assignment 2.1.
  • For
    this thread, you should:
    • Define
      the term criteria and examine two (2) ways they function in helping
      someone make an important decision.Note: You can use an example
      from your own life to help clearly explain your point.
    • Discuss
      your potential topic for the justification report (a workplace problem –
      see Assignment 2.1 details) then determine which criteria you intend to
      use to help make your decision. Be sure to cite two (2) reasons why you
      chose those criteria.

 

 

ENG 315 Week 4 Discussion

Week 4 Discussion

“Preparing Reports and Proposals – Research” Please
respond to the following:

• Locate
  a secondary source on EBSCOHost published in the past year that will help
  you explore the problem you have raised in your Justification Report. (Use
  the “Cite” tool on the EBSCOHost Website to copy and paste the
  APA Reference information into your response so that your classmates and
  instructor can see the source.) Next, explain why you chose this source,
  and determine how it will help you to evaluate your alternatives (i.e.
  possible solutions offered) and arrive at a recommendation for your employer.

 

ENG 315 Week 5 Discussion

Week 5 Discussion

“Incorporating Graphics Into the Justification
Report” Please respond to the following:

• This
  week, you are to add a graph to your Justification Report. Discuss how
  you’ll approach this part of your assignment, and state the main reasons
  why you feel that graphs are a necessary part of a formal report.
• From
  Part 1 of this discussion, determine the main benefits of using graphs in
  the report presentation. Next, explain the matter in which a creatively
  constructed graph might help you to better manage and present your data.

 

 

ENG 315 Week 6 Discussion

Week 6 Discussion

“Putting it All Together – Revising the
Justification Report” Please respond to the following:

• This
  week, you will utilize the techniques that you have studied in your Week 6
  readings to revise your Justification Report while adding the final parts.
  Based on your readings, state three (3) things that you will be looking
  for as you revised and proofread (e.g. organization, structure, grammar
  elements). Discuss the strategies that you will implement to ensure that
  your assignment is polished and in final draft format.

 

ENG 315 Week 8 Discussion

Week 8 Discussion

Creating power point presentations:

This week,you’ll be working on creating a power point
presentation on the justification report you’ve just turned in.One new,added
feature about the presentation is that,since this is an on line class,you
need to do the presentation by adding a voice over to the power points.If,for
any reason,you’re unable to add narration,you need to at least use the Notes
section in power point to present your information.

• Have
  you created power point slides before?
• What
  are key tips you want to share in creating power points?
• Have
  you used the voice over feature before?
• Have
  you used the Notes section before?
• Have
  you presented in front of an audience?How do you feel about that?

Please share your thoughts on any of these or anything else
you can think of on creating power point presentations.

 

 

ENG 315 Week 9 Discussion

Week 9 Discussion

“Getting the Job” Please respond to the following:

As the video titled “Melissa Forman – Hilarious Resume
Typos” (4 min 55 s) located at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FClWySJ6Sxs
demonstrates it is very important to avoid mistakes when writing resumes and
cover letters. Think back over your background and job history. What types of
messaging have you used that are related to “finding” and “obtaining” employment?
Some examples may include: job application cover letters, thank you notes,
job-acceptance letters, recommendation requests, and others. Based on the video
you watched, determine what the protocol is in your field or area of interest,
and ascertain what makes an effective messaging tool. Please share relevant
experiences / anecdotes from your work life.

 

 

ENG 315 Week 10 Discussion

Week 10 Discussion

“Reflection” Please respond to the
following:

• Review
  a guide to writing cover letters, located at
  https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/549/01/. Next, reflect on what
  you learned regarding the importance and structure of job application
  cover letters. Ascertain the key factors an employer may take into
  consideration when determining whether or not an applicant receives a job
  interview.

Identify two (2) key skills that you learned during the
course that you think will add to your communication effectiveness.

 

 

ENG 315 Week 11 Discussion

Week 11 Discussion

“Presentation Sharing” Please respond
to the following:

• This
  is your time to shine! Please post your report presentation from Week 8 to
  this thread, so that we can appreciate and applaud your accomplishments
  throughout the quarter!

 

ENG 315 Week 2 Assignment 1

Assignment 1: Procedural Email Message

Due Week 2 and worth 140 points

Write a procedural email message to employees reminding them
of standard operating procedures or organizational changes that take the form
of step-by-step instructions. Be creative, or use an issue applicable to your
work environment. (Example can be found on page 76, Figure 5.1, of the course
text.)

The message should take the form of an email; however, you
will submit your assignment to the online course shell.

The procedural message must adhere to the following
requirements:

1. Content:

1. Introduce the main idea of the message in a concise,
informative manner.

2. Itemize three to five (3-5) key points with detail.

3. Provide information about where and to whom questions
should be directed.

2. Format:

1. Use a descriptive subject line or heading.

2. Use bullets to separate ideas and simplify reading.

3. Style:

1. Include an appropriate and professional greeting / salutation.

2. Use email form including: To:, From:, Subject:, and
Signature.

4. Clarity / Mechanics:

1. Ensure that there are no grammar or spelling errors.

2. Ensure that there are no clarity, writing, and mechanical
errors.

Your assignment must:

• Be
  typed, single-spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch
  margins on all sides. Check with your professor for any additional
  instructions.

Submitting your assignment:

• Submit
  your assignment through the online course shell only.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this
assignment are:

• Use
  writing process strategies to develop brief business documents, such as
  routine messages, bad news messages, and persuasive/sales messages.
• Support
  ideas or claims in body paragraphs with clear details, examples, and
  explanations.
• Organize
  ideas logically by using transitional words, phrases, and sentences.
• Use
  sentence variety and effective word choice in written communication.
• Write
  clearly and concisely using proper writing mechanics.

 

 

 

 

ENG 315 Week 3 Assignment 2.1

Assignment 2.1: Justification Report – Part 1

Due Week 3 and worth 150 points

In Assignments 2.1, 2.2, and 2.3, you will be building up a
formal, researched justification report (one part at a time) that culminates in
a recommendation to implement a particular product, service, or program in your
place of employment. This recommended product, service, or program should
resolve a problem that you identify in your workplace and should be directed to
your employer (even if you do not actually plan to share it with your
employer).

Use the basic outline below to draft Assignment 2. Organize
your responses to each question under the following section headings:

• Problem
  Statement (for Question 1)
• Overview
  of Alternatives (for Question 2)
• Criteria
  (for Question 3)
• Methods
  (for Question 4)

Using the provided template, write Part 1 of a single-spaced
report in which you:

1. Discuss in detail a problem at work, persuading and
convincing the reader that it needs fixing.

2. Provide a detailed description of two (2) possible
solutions (“alternatives”) that could be implemented to resolve the problem
identified in Question 1.

3. List and detail five (5) criteria that you will use to
measure the worth of each alternative in Question 2.Note: The
alternative that satisfies the most criteria to the highest degree will be the
one you recommend later to your employer (in Assignment 2.3). Criteria are
standards that the audience values and are therefore used to measure the worth
of each alternative (common examples include cost, desirability, durability,
efficiency, time it will take to implement, and practicality).

4. Describe in detail how you will conduct the research
needed to determine the best alternative to recommend to your employer.Note: This
is a one to two (1-2) paragraph description of what research needs to be
completed in order to evaluate the alternatives. This is not a detailed
procedure for solving the problem.

Your assignment must:

• Be
  typed, single spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch
  margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or
  school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional
  instructions.
• Include
  a cover page containing the title of the assignment, your name, the
  professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the
  reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this
assignment are:

• Support
  ideas or claims in body paragraphs with clear details, examples, and
  explanations.
• Organize
  ideas logically by using transitional words, phrases, and sentences.
• Use
  sentence variety and effective word choice in written communication.
• Apply
  writing process strategies to develop formal business reports and / or
  proposals.
• Use
  technology and information resources to research issues related to
  selected topics.
• Write
  clearly and concisely using proper writing mechanics.

 

 

 

ENG 315 Week 5 Assignment 2.2

Assignment 2.2: Justification Report – Part 2
Due Week 5 and worth 150 points

In Part 1 of your Justification Report assignment, you built up the following
sections: Problem Statement, Overview of Alternatives, Criteria, and Methods.
In Part 2, you will revise Part 1 based on your instructor’s suggestions and
add to it the following sections: Evaluation of Alternatives, Findings and
Analysis, and References.

Use the basic outline below to draft your paper. Organize your responses to
each question under the following section headings:

• Evaluation
  of Alternatives (for Questions 1-3)
• Findings
  and Analysis (for Questions 4-5)
• References
  (for Question 6)

Using the provided template, write Part 2 of a single-spaced report in which
you:

1. Include and revise the sections from Assignment 2.1
(Problem Statement, Overview of Alternatives, Criteria, and Methods) per
instructor suggestions.

2. Research the two (2) alternatives (i.e. possible
solutions) that you’ve identified in your Part 1 Evaluation of Alternatives
section. Record bibliographic information during research.

1. Example: You might research other organizations that have
attempted similar solutions to the problem you have identified and explore the
results of those experiments.

3. Use what you discover in your research to evaluate each
alternative by each of your five (5) criteria.

1. Example: If your research revealed that four (4)
companies similar to yours increased productivity after allowing their workers
to telework from home three days per week, you might conclude that one of your
suggested alternatives – in this case, the option to telework from home three
days per week – satisfies one of your criterion of “Productivity” as a
high-potential solution to a problem you’ve identified (of decreased worker
morale and productivity at Doe’s Electronics). However, additional research might
frustrate a recommendation of this alternative if it is found to fall short of
other criteria while a second alternative fares better. For instance, a
telework alternative might be found to be too costly to implement; too
frustrating for consumers who prefer daily, in-person customer service; or too
divergent from the company’s brand, “Always there for you!”

4. Organize the assignment by your criteria. Explain in
narrative form how each of your two (2) alternatives stacks up against your
first criterion. Next, explain how each alternative stacks up against your
second criterion, etc.

1. Example: An abbreviated outline of what this longer
section might look like based on the above example is below (Note: Only
the first two [2] of five [5] required criteria are included to give you a feel
for the structure). Your researched findings, represented as circled bullets
below, should be explained in two to five (2-5) sentences. Include in-text
citations and follow up with References in APA style):

Evaluation of Alternatives

§ Productivity

2.

§ Alternative A: Telework from home three (3) days per week

§ {narrate findings based on research article 1 here}

§ Alternative B: Offer two (2) extra Floating Holidays to
each employee per year

§ {narrate findings based on research article 2 here}

§ Cost

4.

§ Alternative A: Telework from home three (3) days per week

§ {narrate findings based on research article 1 here}

§ Alternative B: Offer two extra Floating Holidays to each
employee per year

§

§ {narrate findings based on research article 2 here}

5. Briefly summarize in narrative form the major discoveries
that emerged from the Evaluation of Alternatives section.

6. Include a chart like the ones below to illustrate at a
glance:

Figure 1: Alternatives Analyzed by Criteria

7.
*Feasability = Capability of an alternative being carried out with success

8. Include an APA style (6th edition) References page that
documents the two (2) sources (minimum) that you used and cited in-text in your
Evaluation of Alternatives section. You may use secondary resources, or you may
include one primary source and one secondary source. Remember that both in-text
citations and References must be included (to avoid plagiarism) whenever you
are directly quoting, summarizing, or paraphrasing researched material.

Your assignment must:

• Be
  typed, single spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch
  margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or
  school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional
  instructions.
• Include
  a cover page containing the title of the assignment, your name, the
  professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the
  reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Support
  ideas or claims in body paragraphs with clear details, examples, and
  explanations.
• Organize
  ideas logically by using transitional words, phrases, and sentences.
• Use
  sentence variety and effective word choice in written communication.
• Apply
  writing process strategies to develop formal business reports and / or
  proposals.
• Use
  technology and information resources to research issues related to
  selected topics.
• Write
  clearly and concisely using proper writing mechanics.

 

 

 

 

ENG 315 Week 7 Assignment 2.3

Assignment 2.3: Justification Report – Part 3 (Final)

Due Week 7 and worth 180 points

In Assignments 2.1 (Part 1) and 2.2 (Part 2) of the
Justification Report, you built up the major parts of your formal, researched
justification report (Problem Statement, Overview of Alternatives, Criteria,
Methods, Evaluation of Alternatives, Findings and Analysis, and References).
For Part 3 you will begin by inserting your revisions of Parts 1 and 2 based on
your instructor’s suggestions. Then, you will include a few new sections.Note: Some
sections presented below are out of order so pay attention to where the section
should go (for instance, the Transmittal should be the second page of your
report based on the provided template). It is essential that you present the
final report in the correct section order.

Use the basic outline below to draft your paper. Organize
your responses to each question under the following section headings:

• Preliminary
  Parts (for Question 1)
• Introduction
  (for Question 2)

·

• • Problem
    Statement (for Question 2b)
  • Terminology
    (for Question 2c)
  • Major
    Sections of the Report (for Question 2d)
  • Scope
    and Limitations of the Research (for Question 2e)
• Recommendation
  (for Question 3)
• References
  (for Question 4)

Using the provided template from Week 7, write Part 3 to
complete a single-spaced report in which you:

1. Create the preliminary parts of the report that precede
the Introduction (after reading Chapter 11 in the textbook). Each element (1a
to 1d) appears on a separate page (1a should be page 1, 1b should be page 2,
etc.). The preliminary part includes:

1. Title Page

2. Transmittal (stand-alone business letter)

3. Table of Contents

4. Executive Summary

2. Create an introduction that tells what your report is
about. The introduction includes:

1. Begin with a general introduction paragraph that gives
the reader any needed background information on the company or problem.

2. Include the Problem Statement that you already created
and revised in Part 1.

3. Include terms that readers will need to know in order to
understand the report.

4. Briefly summarize the major sections and findings of the
report developed in Parts 1 and 2.Note: This is in addition to
including the revised sections not instead of including the revised previous
sections from Parts 1 and 2.

5. Discuss what your report will cover and what it will not
(including limitations such as research, time, information, or any other
factors the reader should consider when reading the report).

3. Create the Recommendation section of the Report.

1. Provide a one to two (1-2) sentence recommendation based
on what your Evaluation of Alternatives and Findings and Analysis sections have
determined is the most feasible alternative (i.e., solution) to the problem in
the Problem Statement.

4. Create the References section, which goes at the end of
the Report by pasting in your revised References page.

Note: Remember to organize the report by the
section headings. The report should reflect a style and format appropriate for
business; single spacing and bullet points are acceptable for formal business
reports.

Your assignment must:

• Be
  typed, single spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch
  margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific
  format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
• Include
  a cover page containing the title of the assignment, your name, the
  professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the
  reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this
assignment are:

• Support
  ideas or claims in body paragraphs with clear details, examples, and
  explanations.
• Organize
  ideas logically by using transitional words, phrases, and sentences.
• Use
  sentence variety and effective word choice in written communication.
• Apply
  writing process strategies to develop formal business reports and / or
  proposals.
• Use
  technology and information resources to research issues related to
  selected topics.
• Write
  clearly and concisely using proper writing mechanics.

 

 

 

 

ENG 315 Week 8 Assignment 3

Assignment 3: Justification Report – Presentation

Due Week 8 and worth 150 points

Now that you have completed your report, it is time to
design and present your findings. Your task is to organize and develop the
three (3) parts (introduction, body, and closing) of an effective presentation,
based on your Justification Report (Assignment 2.3). Chapter 12 in our text
provides overall information on presentation format, content, and delivery. Please
do not simply cut and paste your justification report content to the slides.
Instead develop clear, concise content that enhances your presentation
narration or notes. Remember that your slides are meant to be highlights and
your audience should not spend a great deal of time reading from the slides but
instead listening to you present the concepts.

Create an eight to ten (8-10) slide presentation in which
you:

1. Ensure that your PowerPoint presentation fulfills the
appropriate length requirements and professional style requirements.

2. Open with an engaging introduction of the topic of your
report. Include one (1) title slide and one (1) introductory slide.

3. For the body of your presentation, cover the main points
of your report. Create slides that reinforce and illustrate your main ideas.
Follow basic design principles for effective slide content.

4. For your single closing slide, finish with a memorable wrap-up
statement that refocuses on the purpose of your report.

5. Use PowerPoint voice-over and / or the notes section to
present your slides.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Include
  a title slide containing the title of the assignment, your name, the
  professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The title slide is not
  included in the required slide length.
• Format
  the PowerPoint presentation with headings on each slide, and two to three
  (2-3) relevant graphics (photographs, graphs, clip art, etc.) throughout
  the presentation, ensuring that the presentation is visually appealing and
  readable from 18 feet away. Check with your professor for any additional
  instructions.
• Slides
  should abbreviate the information in no more than five or six (5 or 6)
  bullet points each.
• Slide
  titles should be based on the criteria being summarized (e.g., “Four Key
  Attributes,” “Responses to Budget Issues,” etc.).

Assignment Checklist

• Descriptive
  titles on each of the slides
• Text
  contains concise, precise content
• Graphics
  convey the idea described by the slide text
• Statements
  in bulleted lists have a parallel structure
• The
  font size is easily read from a distance
• There
  are no more than three (3) different font styles in the presentation
• The
  color and background convey a formal business tone
• Animation
  effects are used in moderation
• There
  are no misspellings or typographical errors

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this
assignment are:

• Assess
  strengths and weaknesses in the student’s own oral communication and in
  the oral communication of others.
• Use
  sentence variety, effective word choice, and correct grammar in oral
  communication.
• Analyze
  verbal and nonverbal techniques that enhance oral communication within a
  business and / or professional context.

 

 

ENG 315 Week 10 Assignment 4

Assignment 4: Job Application Cover Letter

Due Week 10 and worth 130 points

Completing this assignment will help you name and identify
the skills and abilities that will move your career forward. Develop a Job
Application Cover Letter that highlights and emphasizes whyyou are
the person most suitable for your ideal role. Use the general writing
guidelines on pp. 277-278 in the text for structural and content guidance.Note: An
example can be found on p. 250, Figure 13.8.

The message should take the form of a business letter;
however, you will submit your assignment to the online course shell.

The job letter / application message must adhere to the
following requirements:

1. Content

1. Highlight relevant background and job history
information.

2. Emphasize significant qualifications and exclude
nonessential ideas.

2. Format

1. Follow proper letter formatting techniques, per business
letter format.

2. Use an appropriate and professional greeting and closing.

3. Style

1. Use professional language.

2. Use sufficient variety in sentences.

3. Paragraphs effectively developed and efficient.Note:
Six (6) or seven (7) lines when possible.

4. Mechanics

1. Ensure there are no grammar or spelling errors.

2. Eliminate wordiness and unclear sentence construction.

Your assignment must:

• Be
  typed, single-spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch
  margins on all sides. Check with your professor for any additional
  instructions.

Submitting your assignment:

• Submit
  your assignment through the online course shell only.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this
assignment are:

• Use
  writing process strategies to develop brief business documents, such as
  routine messages, bad news messages, and persuasive / sales messages.
• Support
  ideas or claims in body paragraphs with clear details, examples, and
  explanations.
• Organize
  ideas logically by using transitional words, phrases, and sentences.
• Use
  sentence variety and effective word choice in written communication.
• Write
  clearly and concisely using proper writing mechanics.