Important Announcements and Updates

Friday, May 9, 2008
As I stated I would, I have incorporated your final exam grades in order to best benefit you: if the grade helped, it counts double, whereas if it hurts, I have reduced its value by half. Below are your corrected grades by Student ID number, including your final exam grade, final average, and assigned grade. Remember, if you wish your final exam or other work back, please leave a self-addressed envelope, with sufficient postage, in my mailbox by Wednesday, May 7. Enjoy your summer!

Thursday, April 30, 2008
For those who managed to make it this far, congratulations! Remember, Monday, April 5, will be your final exam, sixty  questions (multiple-choice and true/false) based on the chapters we covered this semester; the answer to the first question is B, "record random ideas quickly" (Form A) or D, "modeling US firms after companies based in other countries" (Form B).

Saturday, April 26, 2008
As announced in class Monday, the official academic schedule was changed (again), and the schedule for class was revised yet again. Be sure to read the Appendix to your textbook (Handbook of Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage), and bring the textbook to class both Monday and Wednesday.

Monday, April 21, 2008
As announced in class today, the official academic schedule has been changed (again): even though the Academic Calendar on the school website states that Exam Period is Monday, April 28 through Saturday, May 3, I received a memo today announcing that Exam period is Monday, May 5 through Saturday, May 10. This means that we have an additional week of classes, and that the schedule for class has to be revised, yet again.

Thursday, April 17, 2008
Welcome to the home stretch. On Monday we will discuss Follow-Up Letters (Chapter 15), and Wednesday you will draft and submit one during class time, your final in-class writing assignment.

In addition, Short Paper 5 (cover letter and advertisement) was due in class on Wednesday, April 16; Monday is the last day to submit this assignment, but you must submit it in person, in class; cover letters submitted after Monday will not be accepted, nor will any that are emailed or left in my mailbox.

Short Paper 6 is due Wednesday, April 23; your r�sum� must be submitted in person, in class; as Wednesday is our last day of class, r�sum�s submitted late will not be accepted, nor will any that are emailed or left in my mailbox.

Wednesday, April 9, 2008
As previously posted and as announced in class, today was the deadline for submission of any late or missing work. Any work not already submitted will  receive a zero. Remember that on Monday, we will begin our last unit, "The Job Search." Be sure to read Chapter 15 in preparation for class.

Sunday, April 6, 2008
Students have been given repeated extensions for submission of work, despite my clearly worded policy regarding late work (see both the main page and the syllabus). However, students have repeatedly failed to meet even the most generous extended extended deadlines. As a result, I am now placing an absolute deadline on all submissions: any late work must be handed in on or before Wednesday, April 9. Late work must be submitted in person, in class, not emailed or left in my mailbox. Anything not received by the end of class on April 9 will receive a zero.

Sunday, March 30, 2008
Note: the following changes have been made to the schedule, to focus on necessary skills and to better allow students to complete their work:

 Chapter 14: Technical Research will be covered only on Monday, March 31, as we will only be discussing Writing Research Abstracts., and will not need additional time.

 Chapter 7: Letters, Memos, and Electronic Communication  will be covered beginning on Wednesday, April 2; we will spend at least two days on this chapter, and possibly more.

 Chapter 10: Proposals and Feasibility Studies is being dropped.

 Chapter 15: The Job Search will be covered beginning on Wednesday, April 9 or Monday, April 14 (depending on when we finish Chapter 7).

See the schedule on both the main page and on the syllabus for changes.

Thursday, March 27, 2008
Tuesday, April 1, will be a normal Tuesday; the announcement in the academic calendar that it would be treated as a Monday has been officially retracted. Please see the schedule on both the main page and on the syllabus for appropriate changes.

In addition, a link for the Work Assigned to Date page, including a list of Work Missing (by Student ID number), has been added to the main page; immediately below Important Announcements and Updates is now the following link: Work Assigned to Dates Click HERE. Use it!

Tuesday, March 25, 2008
As announced in class, everyone is receiving a one-time reprieve: work that was due Monday (Short Paper 4 and any late or missing work) may instead be handed in on Wednesday, March 26 with no penalty.

If you have not already done so, check the list of Work Assigned to Date, including Work Missing (by Student ID number).

Thursday, March 6, 2008
The list of Work Assigned to Date, including Work Missing (by Student ID number), is current as of 12:00 noon today. Check to see what work I have not yet received from you, and note that I will not be extending this grace period indefinitely: you must submit any or all missing work before Spring Break begins!

In addition, the due date for the Informal Report has been extended: instead of Wednesday, March 5, it is now due Monday, March 10

Monday, March 3, 2008
In class today, I gave students a chance to catch up on missing assignments. I will keep Work to Date current, so that you may check to see what work I have not received from you. Please note that this page does not currently reflect work turned in during today's class, although any online quizzes submitted before 10:45 have been recorded. Be sure to read Chapter 5 for Wednesday.

Friday, February 29, 2008
As several students have inquired regarding work assigned to date or assignments they might be missing, I have created a page reflecting Work to Date. Please check to see what work you may not have submitted, as it is your responsibility to keep up to date.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008
As announced in class today, Short Paper 3 is due Monday, March 3 (as per the syllabus and schedule); these topics were  originally planned as the second half of today's in-class writing assignment. Please disregard previously announced topics for Short Paper 3.

Also, in addition to the online quizzes already assigned, please complete Chapter 12 Quiz: Graphics and email the results to [email protected] (as previously announced, do not email quiz results or attachments to [email protected]).

Finally, be sure to read Chapter 5 for next week. Have a good weekend.

Sunday, February 24, 2008
As of Tuesday, February 26, only two students have submitted Short Paper 2 (worth 5% of your final grade). Two other students have also completed all eight online quizzes assigned so far, while another four have completed seven of eight. To date, the following online quizzes have been assigned:

Chapter 1 Quiz: Process

Chapter 16 Quiz: Style

Chapter 2 Quiz: McDuff, Ethics, & Globalism

Chapter 3 Quiz: Organizing Information

Chapter 4 Quiz: Page Design

Chapter 8 Quiz: Informal Reports

Be sure to finish reading Pfeiffer, Chapter 12: Graphics, as tomorrow's in-class writing is based on the chapter, and I will assign the Chapter 12 Online Quiz.

Sunday, February 24, 2008
For tomorrow, Monday, February 25,  be sure you have read Pfeiffer, Chapter 12: Graphics. In addition, Short Paper 2 (worth 5% of your final grade) was due in class last Wednesday, but only one student submitted it on time. Although I further extended the deadline, stating in class that the assignment could be emailed to me before the weekend, nobody did so. Hmmmm.....

Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Reminder: As announced in class last week, the readings originally listed on the syllabus and schedule for Monday, February 18 should be completed for tomorrow, Wednesday, February 20, instead. Please be sure you have read Pfeiffer, Chapter 8: Informal Reports. In addition, Short Paper 2 is due in class tomorrow; the assignment is located here. Finally, if you have not already submitted them, tomorrow is your last chance to submit scores for the following: Chapter 1 Quiz, Chapter 16 Quiz, and Chapter 2 Quiz. You may still submit Chapter 3 Quiz and Chapter 4 Quiz for the remainder of the week.

Monday, February 11, 2008
As announced in class today, there is no class meeting next Monday, February 18, in honor of Presidents' Day. The reading and assignment originally listed on the syllabus and schedule for Monday (Pfeiffer, Chapter 8: Informal Reports; Short Paper 2 Due) should be completed for Wednesday, February 20, instead; further corrections or changes will be announced and discussed in class. Also, please remember that last week, I asked students to email their grades from online quizzes to [email protected] instead of [email protected], as the school's email server is very slow and it is easier for me to access my personal email from home.

Friday, February 8, 2008
As class has been in session for three weeks now, and as Tuesday, February 5 was the last day to register, I assume no new students will be joining the class at this point. Students who have registered but not yet attended, or students otherwise missing classes, must catch up on the required reading and work; please refer to the syllabus or to the schedule on the main page to see what you have missed.

Monday, February 4, 2008
As noted in class today, additional recommended readings (Deborah Tannen, "Squeaky Wheels and Protruding Nails" (a.k.a. "How To Give Orders Like a Man"), David A. Gershaw, Too Close for Comfort, and The Body Language of Proxemics) have been added to the schedule. Recommended readings, indicated on the schedule by an asterisk (*), are not required. However, students interested in one or more of the required readings may find these interesting and/or useful.

Thursday, January 31, 2008

As announced in class, please make sure you have done the following by next class (Monday, February 4):

1. Complete the assigned reading: Chapter 2, McDuff: Ethics and Globalism in the Workplace;

2. Finish reading Chapter 1 and Chapter 16 as well, if you have not already read them;

3. If you missed class on Wednesday, complete the following exercises from Chapter 16 to turn in on Monday: 1a, 2a, 3a, 4a, 5a, and 6a (pp. 624-626);

4. Complete Exercise 10: Editing Sample Memo (pp. 628-629), also to turn in on Monday. As announced, this assignment must be typed; please duplicate the memo format shown in the assignment, substituting your name for that of Leonard Schwartz;

5. Complete the online quiz for Chapter 16, located here (as well as the Chapter 1 Quiz if you have not already done so), and email the results to me at [email protected].

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

As announced in class, please make sure you have done the following by next class (Wednesday, January 30):
1. Purchase the textbook;
2. Complete the readings for both Monday (if you have not already done it) and for Wednesday: read both Chapter 1 and Chapter 16;
3. Complete the online quiz for Chapter 1, located here, and email the results to me at [email protected].
    If you need additional instructions, please refer to the instructions for online quizzes.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008
The main page and syllabus have both been edited, and several minor typographical errors have been corrected.
Be sure to purchase your textbooks and to complete the assigned reading before Monday, January 28.

Monday, January 21, 2008
The main page and syllabus have been updated for the Spring 2008 semester.
Please remember that classes begin Tuesday, January 22; our class begins on Wednesday, January 23.

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