FBC 2015 Writing Proficiency Exercise Explanation and Overview WCOB 1111 Freshman Business...

FBC 2015 Writing Proficiency Exercise

Explanation and Overview

WCOB 1111

Freshman Business Connections

walton.uark.edu/business-communication-center

*This slideshow is available for

download at the Walton Business

Communication Center website.



THIS SLIDESHOW WILL COVER:

Assignment Overview

Location of Assignment

Materials

Navigating the WBCC Website

Citations

Submitting the Brief

Objectives of the FBC writing exercise:

1. Introduce new Walton students to business writing.

2. Reinforce critical thinking and synthesis of ideas and information.

3. Help Walton develop better strategies for teaching better business writing skills.



ASSIGNMENT OVERVIEW

The board of directors of a large, international company has asked you to conduct research and write a business brief that answers two questions:

1. Should we create an official diversity policy?

2. If so, what programs and initiatives should it include?



A business brief

• is brief .• gets straight to the point.• concerns itself with the “big picture.”• does not joke or wander off topic.• synthesizes, rather than summarizes.• makes a definite recommendation.• supports that recommendation with facts,

data, and specific examples,• (yet) does not include extensive details.


(Very, very generally speaking)

Business Writing v. Academic Writing

ConciseConcrete over

TheoreticalSituation-specificMore persuasive

Few/no direct quotesCites data

Details often omitted

Often “wordy”Theoretical over

ConcreteConceptual

More interpretiveFrequent direct quotes

Cites ideasDetails expected


This is NOT academic writing, so:

• Don’t explain what a brief is.

• Don’t explain why you’re writing the brief.

• Don’t explain what “diversity” means.

The Board knows the entire context of the

brief. They were the ones who asked you to

write it.


CRITICAL THINKING & SYNTHESIS

• YOU analyze the facts so other people don’t have

to.

• YOU locate patterns and make generalizations.

• YOU decide what’s important to leave in and out.

• YOU come to a decision and stand behind it.


• DON’T just repeat information verbatim.

• DON’T simply make a list of pros and cons.

• DON’T include irrelevant facts or needless

details.

• DON’T fail to make a strong recommendation.

CRITICAL THINKING & SYNTHESIS

LOCATION OF

ASSIGNMENT MATERIALS


1. In your FBC textbook and

2. At the Business Communication Center website

You can find everything you need:

walton.uark.edu/business-communication-centerwalton.uark.edu/business-communication-center

Required Reading


1. Chapters 4 and 5 of the FBC textbook

2. Three online articles

3. A list of web links to actual diversity and inclusion policies

4. “When to Cite” guide

Navigating the

Walton Business Communication Center

FBC Workshop Web Page

walton.uark.edu/business-communication-centerwalton.uark.edu/business-communication-center


This

tab.


• Instructions

w/ Links to Online Articles

• List of Diversity Policy Links

• Citation Guide

• Pre-formatted Citations

• Additional Resources

Here, you can find:

Required Reading








The

instructions

have links to

all of the

online articles

embedded in

the file.


Required Reading








Links to

other

companie

s’ policies






Required Reading




Citation Guide



CITATIONS


1. You must cite any direct quotes, data, facts, or statistics that are not common knowledge.

2. You must cite using footnotes.

3. You must use APA citation style.

4. You don’t need a References page.

Citations


You just have

to cut and

paste into your

footnote!

5. But all the citations have been formatted for you.

*Always insert the footnote after the period at the end of the sentence.

Here.

This tab.

How to Add a Footnote in Word

If you use the same

source again, only list author and year.


SUBMITTING YOUR BRIEF


Submit via the Blackboard link.Do NOT write

or paste your

brief here.


Your brief must be in Microsoft Word format

Either .doc or .docx

Do NOT upload:.PDF .txt .rtf .zip.odt (OpenOffice)

.pages (Mac users)a link to your Google Drive


PHYSICAL FORMATHeader like this:

No indent

Empty line between paragraphs

Single-spaced

750 – 1000 words


Q & A

How do I make an appointment with the business communication center?

What if I don’t pass?

What if I miss the deadline?

What if I have a question later?

Go to our website and create an account.

It is pass/fail. You will be able to revise it.

Come see us long before that happens.

You can email JEANNIE WALLER via Blackboard.

*This slideshow is available for

download at the Walton Business

Communication Center website.


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