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Course Description:
Writing for Business and Professions offers students practice writing for a business or professional audience as they develop, research, and revise an independent project.  The purpose of the class is to prepare students to think as managers capable of putting information to practical use.  All students are welcome and a wide range of proposals are possible for the class. Proposals must provide a researched rationale for a project designed to address a specific problem.  In the course of the term, students complete assignments intended to help them develop and expand their projects.

We begin by working on the resume and cover letter, both as professional documents and as examples of presenting information to a specific audience.  Then each student develops an independent class project through several stages of revision, culminating in a final paper.  Topics are freely chosen, though students taking the course usually propose business, sports management,education, government, or entrepreneurial initiatives.

Required Texts:

Effective Business and Professional Writing: From Problem to Proposal (Magrino and Goeller)                                                    

The Business Writer's Companion, sixth edition (Alred, Brusaw and Oliu)

Course Requirements:
Prompt attendance is expected for every class meeting.
All papers must be submitted in 12 point Times New Roman font with one-inch margins.
Late papers will not be accepted.

Final grades will be based on the following:

  • Attendance, Class Participation and Daily Work     10%
  • Resume and Cover Letter     10%
  • Midterm Paper     15%
  • Oral Presentation     15%
  • Final Paper     50%

Grading Criteria:
All instructors of Writing for Business and Professions grade work according to the same standards.  Please see Grading Criteria for Proposal Writing Classes for more information.

Writing Program Calendar

02 Apr 2024;
12:00AM
Undergraduate Research Writing Conference
10 Apr 2024;
10:00AM -
Professional Development Workshop
17 Apr 2024;
10:00AM - 11:30AM
201 Faculty Meeting