Syllabus: Strategic Writing for Public Communication

Syllabus: Strategic Writing for Public Communication

CDAE 195

Spring 2007

Professor

Meg Ashman

Course Description

In this course, students will learn strategies to achieve specific communication goals in writing standard strategic messages and documents for internal and external audiences. Students will get practice in writing e-mail messages, memos, letters to the editor, fundraising letters, news releases, brochures, and feature stories.

Course Objectives*

Promote your understanding of the content, organization, format, and design of standard strategic communication messages and documents
Improve the quality of your writing, including adherence to purpose, focus on target audience, organization, and mechanics (grammar, punctuation, usage, and style)
Strengthen your critical and creative thinking abilities
Help you begin building a professional portfolio

Required Books

Strategic Writing: Multimedia Writing for Public Relations, Advertising, Sales and Marketing, and Business Communication, by Marsh, Guth and Short (Allyn and Bacon)
The Gregg Reference Manual: A Manual of Style, Grammar, Usage, and Formatting (Tenth Edition) by William A. Sabin (McGraw-Hill/Irwin)

Schedule of Classes, Reading, and Assignments

Date	Topic	Reading due	Assignment due
Week 1
Class 1: Monday	Course overview Intro to strategic communication Memos/e-mail messages	SW pp 1-9, 21-22, 26-28; Memos: SW pp 191-192, 217-221; E-mail: GRM pp 427-437 (paragraph numbers 1376, 1380-1384)
Class 2: Tuesday	Intro to "Gregg Reference Manual" Proofreading Peer review of memo draft	GRM pp xiv-xvi, 348-359; New York Times article handed out in class with questions for discussion	D#1: E-mail message D#2: Memo draft
Class 3: Wednesday	Letters to the editor Grammar Gaffes recap		#D-2: Memo final
Class 4: Thursday	Editing Peer review of letter to editor draft	SW pp 253-256	#D-3: Letter to editor draft
Week 2
Class 5: Monday	Fundraising letters Punctuation Pitfalls recap	SW pp 21-22, 182-185	#D-3: Letter to editor final
Class 6: Tuesday	Literacy and readability Peer review of fundraising letter draft	SW pp 3-5, 261	#D-4: Fundraising letter draft
Class 7: Wednesday	News releases Word Woes recap	SW pp 29-43	#D-4: Fundraising letter final
Class 8: Thursday	Thank you letters Peer review of news release draft	SW p 211 (item #7)	#D-5: Announcement news release draft
Week 3
Class 9: Monday	Brochures	SW pp 159-170; Lund Family Center brochure handed out in class with questions for brochure analysis;	#D-5: Announcement news release final
Class 10: Tuesday	Grammar Gremlins recap Peer review of brochure draft		#D-6: Brochure draft
Class 11: Wednesday	Feature Stories	SW pp 76-83,	#D-6: Brochure final
Class 12: Thursday	Peer review of feature story Course review and reflection		#D-7: Feature story draft
Friday			#D-7: Feature story final Revised #D-6: Brochure

Course Requirements and Grading
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Take-home writing assignments (documents)

These will be graded as follows. (See “Grading Standards” below.)

A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1, F (or not handed in) = 0.

Handing in assignments: Take-home writing assignments must be handed in at (or no later than) the beginning of the class in which they are due. If an assignment is handed in late, it will be marked down one letter grade. (Example: An assignment that would have received a “B” will instead receive a “C.”) A late assignment will only be accepted until the beginning of the next class after it was due. After that, a “0” will be recorded for the assignment.

Revising assignments: You have the option--not obligation--of revising take-home writing assignments #D-1 through D-5 after each has been graded and returned. If you choose this option, you must hand in the revised assignment at the beginning of the next class after the original assignment was returned. You are required to revise assignment #D-6 (brochure) after it has been graded and returned. The final grade for an assignment will be the average of the grade for the original assignment and the grade for the revised assignment. Note: It may not be possible to revise the last assignment (#D-7: feature story); this will be clarified before you hand in that assignment.

In-class assignments/exercises (and at-home assignments other than documents)

<>For assignments/exercises done in class (and some at-home assignments other than documents), you will receive a “√” for completing the assignment/exercise satisfactorily or a “√+” for doing an outstanding job. If you miss a class, you will receive a “0” for that day’s in-class assignment/exercise. Note: It is not possible to make up an in-class exercise/assignment. (See “Attendance.”)

Grading Standards*

Each take-home writing assignment (document) will be graded on the following:

Content: Do the message and execution clearly, gracefully, and diplomatically fulfill the purpose? Does the message address the values of the client as well as those of the target audience? Is it factually correct?
Organization: Does organization enhance content? Does each part of the message lead logically and gracefully to the next?
Grammar: Is the message free of unintended grammatical, punctuation, spelling, and style errors?
Format: Does the execution of the message look the way it should? Are unique requirements, such as headings in a business letter, correct and correctly placed?

A = Oustanding. This grade is for work of clearly professional quality (publishable). The writing is clear and well-organized; it requires virtually no editing. The reporting is complete and leaves no significant questions unanswered. The work needs no changes before submissions to clients. These strategic messages get results, win awards, and--when appropriate--feature creative concepts; they are executed with comprehensive research, interesting presentation, and nearly flawless writing.

B = Good. This grade is for work that could be raised to professional standards without extensive editing. Writing is grammatically correct but may lack the sparkle and fine organization of “A” work. The reporting answers the main questions but may miss the proper emphasis or the best sources. The work needs only minor revisions in such areas as reorganizing, rewriting, reformatting, or providing more or better sources. “B” work doesn’t necessarily have any errors, but it could be better, often with a stronger topic or subject, a more artistic presentation, better information, or improved writing. “B” work demonstrates basic print style.

C = Adequate. This grade is for work that indicates a problem in at least one area, such as grammar or strategy. It does not measure up to professional quality but could be saved by revision. Work needs more than minor revision before submission to a client or supervisor. These messages have weak ideas, concepts, or presentation. They draw attention because they don’t quite do the job. In summary, the work is an adequate first draft but isn’t yet ready to show a client or supervisor.

D = Unacceptable performance. This grade is for work that is clearly unacceptable even in a classroom setting. The writing is confused and/or ungrammatical. The reporting is flawed and may contain major factual errors and/or omissions or may show little concept of basic strategic judgment.

F = Failing. This grade is for work that is not completed in a professional, timely way. For whatever reason, it suggests that you did not take the assignment seriously. Such performance is often the result of personal or time-management problems that extend beyond lack of skills or understanding of the research, writing, or production processes.

Grading Assumptions

The grading process starts with the assumption that the work is good, which earns a grade of “B.” (See “good” definition above.)
You may write a document with no errors that earns a “B.”
Strong (and when appropriate) clever leads, exceptional storytelling, and effective and appropriate use of traditional literary devices such as alliteration and metaphors help boost documents to the “A” category. Also, exceptional reporting and adherence to strategy can boost documents to the “A” category.
Factual errors, poor organization, grammar/punctuation/spelling/usage errors, weak verbs, weak leads, unsound strategic judgment, and/or failure to follow proper style and format will lower an assignment’s grade.

Final Semester Grade

Your final grade for the semester will be calculated according to the grades you received on assigned documents. How you performed on the in-class assignments/exercises (and at-home assignments other than documents) will then be considered: “√+’s” will bump up your grade; “0’s” will bump down your grade. Notes:

Your lowest take-home writing assignment (document) grade will be dropped.
There is no opportunity to earn extra credit.
No exams are planned.

Expectations

Attendance: You are expected to attend all regularly scheduled classes. If you have an unexcused absence, you will be penalized by receiving a “0” for any assignment/exercise done in class that day. It is not possible to make up an in-class exercise/assignment (except for excused absences ). Notes:

· If you are going to miss a class, you are still responsible for handing in--on time--the at-home writing assignment due for that class (if there is one).

· If you miss a class, you should confer with another student to find out what you missed.

Academic integrity: You should be familiar with and abide by UVM’s Academic Integrity Code (see UVM Policies).

Conduct: Let's treat one another with mutual respect, including arriving on time, turning off cell phones, and participating fully in class. You are expected to have completed the assigned reading and at-home assignment/s before coming to class and to bring to class whatever book you are directed (the class before) to bring with you.

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*Adapted from “Instructor’s Manual” for Strategic Writing: Multimedia Writing for Public Relations, Advertising, Sales and Marketing, and Business Communication (Pearson Education, 2005)