BCOM 275 Complete Course

Week 1

Individual Exercise 1.1

Complete exercise 1.1 from Ch. 1 of Communicating in the Workplace.

Choose two misunderstandings you experienced and fill out the chart for these.

Respond to questions 1 and 2 shown under the chart for each example of a misunderstanding. In your response, include the following:

Cite a meaningful misunderstanding rather than a general or less material misunderstanding.

Use business- or work-related examples rather than personal ones. Identify the roles of the sender and receiver, such as manager, peer, subordinate, client, vendor, and so forth.

Discussion Questions

Which step in the communication process do you consider to be the most important? Why do you think this? Which of these steps is the most uncomfortable for you? Why is this? How might you work to change this?

How has technology changed the communication process? Has technology changed the way people communicate in business? Provide examples

What are some ways in which receivers of messages provide feedback when listening to or reading a message? What effect does this have on the message? Provide examples.

What are some ways in which senders might receive feedback from their messages? How might this feedback affect the sender and the message? Why is this important?

Week 2

Individual Demonstrative Communication Paper

Write a 700- to 1,050-word paper describing demonstrative communication. Demonstrative communication includes nonverbal and unwritten communication and involves such things as facial expressions, tone of voice, body language, and so forth. Include the following elements in your paper:

Provide examples showing how demonstrative communication can be effective and ineffective, positive and negative, for the sender and receiver.

Explain how demonstrative communication involves listening and responding.

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Discussion Questions

What are some methods you might use to determine the reliability of the data you gather? Why is it important to analyze your data to determine if it is reliable?

What are some reasons you might consider data or information to lack validity, credibility, or reliability? Explain your answer by using examples.

Consider the following statement: Most disagreements or differences of opinion are more often a result of faulty, misunderstood, or confusing premises, rather than faulty reason from a valid premise. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Explain your answer.

Ch. 5 & 6 of Critical Thinking cover fallacies and rhetoric. What are two examples of persuasion that are not valid arguments according to the text? Why are these invalid arguments?

Week 3

Individual Article Rebuttal

Locate an article on a controversial subject where the author makes an argument you do not agree with.

Write a 350- to 700-word rebuttal to the article using valid arguments and supporting data. In the rebuttal, offer an analysis in which you do the following:

Analyze the reliability, credibility, and validity of the data used by the author.

Identify any logical fallacies in the argument.

Format your rebuttal consistent with APA guidelines.

Learning Team Learning Team Debate Paper

Resources: Debate Paper assignment requirements located in Week Five.

Create an outline for the Debate Paper that will be used to write the paper. Include all references to be used in the paper.

Discussion Questions

What suggestions would you offer a new employee to help them effectively communicate in your workplace when meeting face-to-face, sending an e-mail, and during a meeting?

What would be the most effective channel to communicate with your boss? Why is this? Why are other channels less effective?

You are preparing to write a formal report to be presented to the management at your workplace. What are some potential needs for the audience that you should be aware of when writing the report? What are the risks of not considering the needs of the audience?

What do you consider to be the most important features of an effective communication? Explain your choices?

Week 4

Individual Knowing Your Audience Paper and Communication Release

Resource: Over 30 Workers Trapped After Chilean Copper Mine Collapse article found in the Electronic Reserve Readings.

Research additional articles and information about the Chilean mine collapse.

Write a 700- to 1,050-word paper using this and other articles as a resource. Because communications must be designed with the audience in mind, answer the following questions:

What are some considerations to remember given the different roles and people in the audience?

What would be the potential needs of the families of the miners in receiving a message about this incident?

What would be the potential needs of the companys employees when receiving a message about this incident?

What actions must you take before and after the message is delivered to ensure that it was received as intended?

Format the paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Draft two communications from the mining company announcing the accident, using what you have learned about the audience and effective messages. One communication should be directed to the families of the trapped miners and the other as an internal news release to employees in the company. For both, identify the most appropriate channelface-to-face, e-mail, video, memo, and so on.

Discussion Questions

What keys or tips can raise suspicion about the validity of arguments, presented verbally and in writing? Cite specific examples

What is the difference between persuasion and manipulation? How do arguments and language affect the difference?

What different persuasive approaches would you use on the following audiences: a boss, a peer, a challenging person, or an open-minded person? Why would your approach differ?

Consider the list titled In Depth: Critical Thinking, The Long Version in Ch.1 of Critical Thinking. What do you consider to be the most important points? Why do you think this?

Week 5

Learning Team Debate Paper

Resource: Learning Team Debate Paper Outline

Write a 1,750- to 2,100-word debate paper in which the team creates a debate of a current event or other controversial topic and provides an analysis of arguments presented for both sides. Complete the following in the paper:

Introduction: Introduce the issue that is the subject of the debate

Body

Include a minimum of two but no more than four arguments for the pro and con sides of the debate.

Evaluate any potential ethical, moral, or legal issues.

Conclusion

Identify the teams determination of the more persuasive argument.

Reflect on the arguments presented and reveal the teams consensus.

Base the conclusion solely on the pro and con arguments.

Include a rebuttal of weaker arguments.

Explain why the selected arguments were more persuasive.

Format the paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Cite at least three sources.

Select one of the following countries:

India

Japan

Brazil

Create a 350- to 500-word cultural evaluation in which you identify the ways that arguments or presentation of the arguments would need to be changed as the result of cultural differences in the country.

Format the evaluation consistent with APA guidelines.

Discussion Questions

Consider the following: Some Pacific islander tribes expect the elderly or infirm to leave the group and go off on their own to die. Provide your view of this practice by providing arguments that consider cultural diversity.

As a manager for a large, multinational corporation, you travel around the world to different countries giving presentations and conducting meetings. You always try to include humor as an icebreaker. What potential barriers could you face when delivering your presentation in the United States, China, the United Kingdom, and India? Are you able to give the same presentation in all four locations? Why do you think this?

You are a journalist for an up-and-coming online news website. You are inadvertently given some information that you know would increase your websites popularity, but could potentially compromise national security. How might you handle the story? Explain your decision.

Is it possible for a communication to convey a message that is legal, but ethically wrong? Is it possible for a message to be ethical, but not legal? Explain your answers and provide an example.