Business Communication Course Outline

The primary object of Business Communication is to introduce you to the various forms of written and oral communication that are helpful and, in most cases, necessary in real-life business situations or in your personal life. As you begin the course, you will perfect your language skills, including grammar, punctuation, capitalization, number usage, and word usage in written and oral communication situations. You will then use these skills to compose and produce a variety of business letters and memorandums, as well as a research report. You will learn the correct way to write each type of document, focusing on style, format, and content. You will also acquire the ability to proofread business documents to ensure that they are clear, correct, concise, complete, consistent, and courteous. Besides gaining important skills in written communication, you will also develop skills on how to orally present or communicate information in a variety of business situations, with focus on an oral business presentation. You will become a better communicator due to your ability to analyze an audience and other co-workers to determine what language, tone, style, and format are appropriate for specific situations. Finally, as you end the course, you will learn how to evaluate your own skills and interests to help you pursue the right career. You will become familiar with the process of obtaining a job by learning how to write a resume and cover letter. Finding a job can be a difficult processthis course will give you tips on how to go through an interview successfully and how to set yourself apart from the crowd by explaining what is expected of you as a prospective employee.

Unit 1: Communication Fundamentals Lesson 1: You and Business Communication What is Communication? Business Communication in Today's World The Communication Process Communication Channels Barriers to Communication Assessments Lesson 2: Communicating Grammatically The Seven Cs of Business Grammar Pre-test Unit Evaluation

Adjustment Letters Credit and Collection Letters Social-Business Letters Assessments Lesson 3: Memos Memo Format Special Memos Visual Techniques for Memos Routing Slips Assessments

Unit 3: Researching and Reporting Lesson 1: Steps to Writing Reports Purpose of Report Writing Planning Your Report Researching Information Gathering Information Assessments Lesson 2: Writing Your Report Organizing the Report Rough Draft Language Tools Presentation Tools Revising the Report Assessments

Unit 2: Developing Business Letters Lesson 1: Designing the Document The Business Letter Letter Formats Punctuation Styles Preparing the Envelope Assessments Lesson 2: Types of Business Letters Routine Letters Persuasive Letters Refusal Letters

Lesson 3: Formatting the Complete Report Parts of the Final Report Other Considerations Assessments

Writing Your Cover Letter Checkpoints for Cover Letters Assessments Lesson 4: Interviewing for the Job Why an Interview? The Pre-Interview The Actual Interview The Post-Interview Assessments

Unit 4: Oral Communication Lesson 1: Speaking and Listening Skills Speaking Listening Benefits and Drawbacks of Oral Communication Telephone Communication Participating in Meetings Office Grapevine Office Confrontations Assessments Lesson 2: Planning a Business Presentation Defining Your Purpose and Topic Knowing Your Audience Using Supporting Material Organizing Your Presentation Assessments Lesson 3: Presentation Delivery Methods of Delivery Visual Aids Voice Body Language Audience Dynamics Nervousness Practicing Assessments

Unit 5: Getting a Job Lesson 1: Career Basics What Are Employers Looking For? Why Employers Don't Hire Finding a Career Assessments Lesson 2: Selling Yourself: Resume What Is a Resume? Delivering the Resume Writing Guidelines Appearance Headings Checkpoints for Resumes Assessments Lesson 3: Writing the Cover Letter What is a Cover Letter? Cover Letter Styles