INDEPENDENT UNIVERSITY, BANGLADESH (IUB)

ENGLISH-105, BUSINESS ENGLISH SUMMER 2021 COURSE OUTLINE

Course Information:

Course Code: ENG 105

Course Title Business English
Course Section: 1 Room (On Campus): NA
Class Schedule: MW/8-9:30 am Meets Link: https://meet.google.com/lookup/dzx735x6n2

Pre-requisites: ENG 101 & ENG 102

Instructor Information:

Name: Prof. Moinuddin Chowdhury Cell Phone: 01711705618

Title: ADJUNCT FACULTY, SLASS Tutorial Meets Link: https://meet.google.com/lookup/dzx735x6n2
Department of English Email : [email protected]
Note: Meet link might change in case of any technical difficulty. The best option is to contact
your faculty for any update about it through Facebook group, email or mobile.

Required Text(s)
(1) Business Communication Course Kit (available as PDF from Google Classroom)
(2) Handouts/Case Studies (posted weekly through Google Classroom> Classwork > Class Drive)

References
Business Communication Today : C. L. Bovee, John V. Thill & B. E.Schatzman
Basic Business Communication : Raymond V. Lesikar & John D. Pettit, Jr.
Business Communication : P D Chaturvedi & Mukesh Chaturvedi
Business Communication & Report Writing : R C Sharma & Krishna Mohan
Advanced Business Communication : John M. Penrose, Robert Rashberry & Myers

Course Objectives
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
-Understand and demonstrate the use of basic and advanced writing techniques
-Write effective and concise letters, emails and memos
-Prepare informal and formal reports
-Write complete and accurate resumes and cover letters
-Attend meetings and interviews successfully

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Course Contents
Week Topics Activities/Functions
One & Two Principles of Proper Speaking in Business Settings
Effective Business HANDOUT 1 ON STYLE/TONE/REGISTER
Communication - Greetings, Asking Questions, Correct Register
- Verbal and Non Verbal Communication
- Formal and Informal Speech in Business settings
- Style and Tone in Conversations
- Common Communication problems
HOMEWORK: FORMAL LETTER WRITING
7 Cs of Communication
- Clarity and appropriate choice of message
- Care, completeness and conciseness in word choice
- Selecting words that readers comprehend
- Culturally appropriate communication methods
- Avoiding sexist or inappropriate language
HOMEWORK: ANALYZING AN AD FOR 7 CS
Barriers to Communication
- Physical/Effective Listening barriers
- Socio-Psychological barriers
- Perception and Viewpoint barriers
******CASE STUDY ON BARRIERS********
Three Business Intercultural Communication In The Workplace
correspondence: An - High context and low context cultures
introduction - Overcoming context, stereotypes and cultural gaps
Qualities of Effective Written Correspondence
- Negative to Positive Language writing
- You Viewpoint usage in Business Writing
- Formalizing business messages
- Minimizing technical language
****CASE STUDY ON HIGH/LOW CONTEXT******
CLASS TEST 1- 10 MARKS
Four & Five Routine business - Planning business letters
correspondence: - Understanding layout
Application of - Different approaches to business letters
principles - Inviting / Sending orders and quotations
- Writing memorandum and emails
CLASS TEST 2 – 10 MARKS
Six Specialized business - Writing sales letters
correspondence - Writing claim (acceptance and denial) letters
- Writing complaint letters/emails
- Midterm Review with sample online exam practice
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 * MIDTERM*
In Class Online Exam, 16th-19th August, 2020
Seven Business Report: An - Definition of a report
Introduction - Different between Formal and Informal Reports
- Objectives of a Report
- Form/Written Reports
- Basic Structure of a report
- Progress Report, Incident Report
HOMEWORK- PRACTICE ON REPORT WRITING
Eight Business Report - Introduction
Writing -Continued - Background
- Methodology
- Data collection
- Data analysis
- Conclusion/ Recommendations
REPORT SAMPLE(S)
CLASS TEST 3 (10 MARKS)
Nine Job application & - Format of cover letter
Interview -Analyzing and responding to Job posts
-Action verbs and assertive language in Cover letters
- Resume Structure and Resume Writing
- Interview basics: speaking and communication
- Strategies for success at interviews
- Assessment criteria of job interview

Ten Online Vivas JOB INTERVIEW (ONLINE VIVA)-10 MARKS

Eleven Meetings - Conducting effective meetings

- Writing minutes
- Preparing Agendas
HOMEWORK PRACTICE- MINUTES/ AGENDAS
(CLASS TEST 4 (10 MARKS)
Twelve - Revision for Final Exam

Thirteen *FINAL EXAMINATION *

Coordinated Exam (location TBD) 27th Sept-1st October

Attendance/Presentations during Online Classes

Punctuality and regular attendance in online classes are of prime importance for the successful completion
of this course. 5 percent of your score is dependent on Attendance AND participation. For every Eng. 105
class, check 10 minutes prior to your online class to make sure you are set up for a VIDEO on, MIKE off
class session. Only the Instructor can activate the Meets session so if you try the link and cannot enter,
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wait for your faculty and try again. Once you have signed in, keep your video on but mute your mike
unless you are asking or answering a question. Use the Chat feature of the Meets app to discuss and
comment with your classmates. Upload submissions onto the Google Classroom “Classwork” zone.

Cautionary Note
Your Classroom and Meets session registers not just your attendance, but also the time each student is
spending in a class. IUB is monitoring every single student’s sign in and sign out status. If you sign in and
mute the class, keep your video turned off, if you sign out after giving attendance, if you leave for a long
time (more than 5 mins) or leave and do not re-join, you will automatically be absent for that class.

If you think you will miss a class due to some unavoidable reasons, you must inform your instructor
immediately, VIA EMAIL. If you miss a total of EIGHT classes throughout the semester you will be
given an F or automatically withdrawn from the course. With online attendance being mandatory and
timed, no one signing into the Meets class lecture after the first five minutes will be counted as present.
This means any late attendance will be considered as a missed class. NO exceptions will be made.

Methods of Evaluation
(a)There are two terminal tests- 1 Midterm Examination and 1 Final Examination. The Midterm
question exam will be taken online, and decided by the faculty, and taking place between 16-19 August .
Midterms are 1.5 hour timed online exams, and will take place individually, in class, on camera. Final
exams are scheduled from 27 September -1 October. We will reevaluate the Finals situation (whether online
or on campus) as needed. (Midterm- 20 MARKS + Final Exam 30 MARKS = 50 MARKS)
(b) A total of 3 class-tests (2 prior to midterm exam and 1 before final exam). (3 tests = 10 + 10 + 10
=30 MARKS)
(c) Oral Presentation: Students’ mock interview on their CV/Cover letter. During week 10, each student
will Calendar his/her time and use Google Meets to give their faculty a solo Video Viva. (10 MARKS)
(d) Homeworks are there throughout the semester. Any 5 HW assignments will be graded, and the grade
counted for the total score. Attendance and class participation are also counted. (5+5=10 MARKS)
Grading Policy and Breakdown

Evaluation Scheme and Mark Distribution Letter Grades (updated SUMMER 2020)

Participation : 05% A : 90 -- 100 A- : 85 -- 89

Class Tests (3) : 30% B+ : 80 -- 84 B : 75 -- 79
Mid-Term Exam : 20% B- : 70 -- 74 C+ : 65 -- 69
Home Work : 05% C : 60 -- 64 C- : 55 -- 59
Mock Interview : 10% D+ : 50 -- 54 D : 45 -- 49
Final Exam : 30% F : 0 -- 44 I :
Total : 100 Incomplete W : Withdrawal