English 205-252
Business Writing
Instr: Spilka, Rachel
Office: CRT 594; 229-4500
e-mail: spilka@uwm.edu
Office hours: TBA
Course Information: Online Web course (6/25-7/21)
Course Description
This online course will help you become more proficient in researching, planning, writing, and revising documents aimed at helping people function better in business contexts and situations. The focus of instruction will be on strategies for using writing as a tool to help fulfill professional or customer goals.
More specifically, in English 205, you will:
- Create highly readable, well-designed, clear, informative, persuasive, and convincing documents that have potential to increase productivity or fulfill goals in the business world,
- Write ethically in sensitive business situations,
- Conduct primary research needed to inform target audiences in the business world,
- Write an informative report or tutorial for an uninformed, international audience about a topic of interest to the student,
- Participate actively in peer reviews to gain some experience with collaborative review, which is becoming more common-and more important-in business contexts, and
- Develop time management skills and the ability to meet project deadlines.
Because all these skills contribute to effective communication in business contexts, the main goal of English 205 is to give you a "competitive edge" and increase your chances of contributing in valuable ways to current or future employers.
Assignments are likely to include a combination of routine business email messages, memos, and letters; a resume and cover letter packet; and an informational tutorial about a topic of interest to the student.
