Course Name

Effective Business Communication with Writing Emphasis

Contact Hours: 12

Course Description

This series teaches the writing skills learners will need to effectively communicate in a business setting. They'll learn how to prepare for a writing task, and about strategies and skills for effective word choice, sentence building, and paragraph design. Features Flash and audio provide animated, interactive Lesson Introductions, Activities, and Simulations. Flash scenarios use real world situations to illustrate course concepts. Audio accompanies each lesson page throughout the course. Simulations teach learners to perform specific tasks in applications through guided, multi-step exercises. Activities allow learners to apply course concepts in an interactive questioning environment. Exercises allow learners to practice in the actual application being studied. A Course Topics list contains active hyperlinks, permitting quick access to specific topics. Find-A-Word allows learners to look up an unfamiliar term in the Glossary, on the Web, or in a dictionary. In addition, it lets them find other occurrences of the term in the same course. Search text enables learners to rapidly search all text within a course to easily retrieve information required. Courses challenge the learner with a variety of question formats, including multi-step simulations, true/false, multiple choice, and fill-in-the-blank. A skill assessment generates a customized learning path based on the results of a pre-test. A glossary provides a reference for definitions of unfamiliar terms. Bookmarking tracks the learner's progress in a course.

Outcome

As a result of this course you will be able to: Describe the benefits of using a planning worksheet Determine the basic prerequisites of your business communication Identify the audience of your business communication Decide the format, style, order, and attachments of your business communication Identify the five qualities of effective words Identify the rules of correct word usage Identify the guidelines for nondiscriminatory language Build effective sentences Recognize and correct common sentence faults Design paragraphs successfully Define each informative prose pattern List business applications for each pattern Provide examples of each informative prose pattern  List the acceptable letter-writing formats Discuss three categories of letters Determine which style of writing is best for a particular situation Write neutral, positive, negative, and persuasive letters  Discuss memos Explain proposals Create a press release Describe e-mail and faxes  Describe the general characteristics of formal reports Describe acceptable formats of reports Explain how formal, informational, analytical, and persuasive reports should be organized Understand the importance of planning your projects Select information relevant to your audience Identify and set up the standard sections of a document List the four rules of producing effective documentation Use charts, graphs, and tables to illustrate steps in the procedures you are documenting Choose the best formatting characteristics for your documentation project

Assessment

Courses challenge the learner with a variety of question formats, including multi-step simulations, true/false, multiple choice, and fill-in-the-blank. A skill assessment generates a customized learning path based on the results of a pre-test.

Outline

Effective Business Communication: The Planning Worksheet Effective Business Communication: Writing Skills Effective Business Communication: Patterns of Development Effective Business Communication: Letters Effective Business Communication: Memos, E-Mail and Other Communications Effective Business Communication: Reports Effective Business Communication: Documentation