The primary aim of this course is to provide students with the skills and knowledge of communication in the business environment. These skills will contribute to professional graduate attributes and assist with the transition to, or back to, the workforce.  There is a strong focus on the understanding the theory of communication in the business context and it's application to effective business writing at a high level, persuasive and appropriate verbal and non verbal communication,  and interpersonal skills across teams and cultures. 

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Communicate successfully in the workplace, verbally and non-verbally;
2. Develop critical thinking and analytical skills;
3. Produce effective professional documents;
4. Successfully use negotiation skills in business settings;
5. Apply problem solving strategies to handle customer complaints and difficult situations; and
6. Successfully use persuasion strategies in leading others.

Research-Led Teaching

This course allows students to develop communication skills experientially and to understand communication in useful research-based analytical frameworks. The course introduces students to the latest scholarly research on business communication, and illustrates ways in which evidence- based strategies can be developed to improve business communication.

Field Trips

N/A

Additional Course Costs

There are no additional course costs to complete this course.

 

Examination Material or equipment

Students are responsible for bringing their own pencils to the examination. Multiple-choice question answer sheets will be provided. Dictionaries are not permitted.

Required Resources

Robbins, S 2014, Ganegoda, D, Panazzolo, N (compilers), Communication for Business, Pearson Australia (3nd Ed.), Frenchs Forest. ISBN: 9781488624308. Available for 2 day and 2 hour reserve from the Chifley Library.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• Written comments
• Verbal comments
• Feedback to the whole class, to groups, to individuals, focus groups

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Evidence-based management and communication theory
2	Finding and applying for a job
3	Interviews and persuasive presentations
4	Communication in leadership
5	Power and politics	Job Application: 9am, Monday 25th March, via Turnitin
6	Negotiation and conflict management	Video Interview: 5pm, Friday 5th April via Turnitin
7	Effective business writing	Draft Report due: 9am, Tuesday 23rd April via Turnitin Quiz 1: W1-6: To be done in the tutorial via Turnitin
8	Delivering bad news: Apologies and service recovery strategies
9	The role of emotions in communication
10	Strategic Communication	Report Due: 9am, Monday 13th May, via Turnitin Presentations (Part 1)
11	Inter-cultural communication	Presentations (Part 2)
12	Review	Quiz 2: W7-11: To be done in the tutorial via Turnitin

Tutorial Registration

Tutorial and/or Seminar registration is done through the course Wattle page.

When tutorials/seminars are available for enrolment:

1. Log-on to Wattle, and go to the course site.

2. Click on "Tutorial sign-up here" link

3. On the right of the screen, click "Become Member of ….." for the tutorial/seminar class you with to enrol in.

4. Confirm your choice.

If you need to change your enrolment, click on the tab "Leave group..." and then re-enrol in another group.

You will not be able to enrol in groups that have reached their maximum number.  Please note that your enrolment in ISIS must be finalised for you to have Wattle access.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Job Application	10 %	25/03/2019	05/04/2019	1,3
Video Interview	10 %	05/04/2019	23/04/2019	1,2
Report (Part 1)	5 %	23/04/2019	06/05/2019	1,2,3
Report (Part 2)	20 %	13/05/2019	27/05/2019	1,2,3
Presentations	10 %	13/05/2019	27/05/2019	1,2,5,6
Online Quiz 1	5 %	01/04/2019	22/05/2019	1,2
Online Quiz 2	5 %	27/05/2019	10/06/2019	1,2
Evidence Activity	3 %	27/05/2019	10/06/2019	2
In Class Participation	7 %	06/03/2019	31/05/2019	1,2,3,4,5,6
Final Examination	25 %	06/06/2019	04/07/2019	1,2

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website Students may choose not to submit assessment items through Turnitin. In this instance you will be required to submit, alongside the assessment item itself, hard copies of all references included in the assessment item.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

Participation is expected in all classes and assessment.

Examination(s)

The timing of the final examination is scheduled by the Central Examinations Office (not the Course Convenor), see: https://exams.anu.edu.au/timetable/. Applications for a Deferred Examination can be made with the appropriate form. The ANU Examinations Office will communicate all examination information directly to students.

Assessment Task 1

Job Application

Details of task: This assessment is designed for you to develop the ability to make contact with potential employers, state your interest in a job position clearly, and explain why your skills, qualifications and experience match the position.

To complete this assessment, students are required to (1) refer to the job advert posted on Wattle; (2) assume that you have completed your degree and prepare a resume that is appropriate for the position; and (3) draft a cover letter for your job application

Assessment Rubric: See the marking criteria on Wattle

Value: 10%

Submission requirements: Students must submit a softcopy of the assignment via the Turnitin link on Wattle by 9am Monday,

25th March. You must keep a copy of your assignment for your records.

Referencing:  References are generally not expected in this assignment but if used, the Harvard referencing system is required

Estimated return date: End of week 6

Assessment Task 2

Video Interview

Details of task: This assessment is designed for you to develop your ability to effectively engage in a video interviewer and explain your fit for a job and organization.

To complete this assessment, students are required to (1) refer to the job advert posted on Wattle; (2) assume that your resume from assessment 1 has been accepted and that you have progressed to the first round of interviews; (3) complete the short interview via ANU interview stream

Assessment Rubric: See the marking criteria on Wattle

Value: 10%

Submission requirements: Students must submit the link to their ANU Interview Stream via the Turnitin link on Wattle by 5pm Friday, 5th April. You must keep a copy of your assignment for your records.

Estimated return date: Two weeks from submission

Assessment Task 3

Report (Part 1)

Overall: Students are required to produce a draft report and final report after analysing a case study. The case study and question will be posted on Wattle. This assignment is divided into 2 sections:

Part 1:

Details of task: You are required to develop a draft of your report using bullet points to show the intended content of each section and correct report formatting. Your tutor will be available to give feedback on your draft in the week 8 tutorial.

Assessment Rubric: See the marking criteria on Wattle

Value: 5%

Submission requirements: Students must submit a softcopy of the assignment via the Turnitin link on Wattle by 9am, Tuesday 23rd April

You must keep a copy of your assignment for your records.

Referencing: References are generally not expected for this part of the assignment but if used, the Harvard referencing system is required

Estimated return date: Week 8

Assessment Task 4

Report (Part 2)

Please refer to assessment task details in Assessment Task 3 - Report (Part 1)

Part 2

Details of task: You will write your final report based on what you have learnt from producing your draft. The document should be formatted as follows: Times New Roman 12 font double line spacing, and 1 inch margins all around.

Assessment Rubric: See the marking criteria on Wattle

Word limit: 2000 words. Students will loose 10% for every 100 words or part thereof over this limit. Title Page, Table of Contents, List of Figures , Executive Summary and Reference List are not included in word count. All others words will be counted

Value: 20%

Submission requirements: Students must submit a softcopy of the assignment via the Turnitin link on Wattle by 9am, Monday 13th May You must keep a copy of your assignment for your records.

Referencing: Harvard Referencing system is required

Estimated return date: Two weeks from submission

Assessment Task 5

Presentations

Details of task: Students in each tutorial will be asked to give a short presentation on a specified topic. Topics will be uploaded to Wattle and order randomly assigned. Presentations will be 3 minutes long. (10% leeway each way will be allowed) A -1 mark penalty will be incurred for over or under time. Topics will be allocated before the mid semester break. Students should use no more than 3 slides of content plus one for referencing and one for the title page. As this is a presentation assessment (and not a speech), use of notes is not recommended.

Assessment Rubric: See the marking criteria on Wattle

Value:  10%

Presentation requirements: Students will do their presentations during Weeks 10 & 11.

Referencing: Harvard Referencing system is required

Estimated return date: Week 12

Assessment Task 6

Online Quiz 1

Details of task: There will be a quiz scheduled for you to complete on Wattle while attending your enrolled tutorial. The questions will relate to material from the class lectures, discussions, assigned readings and from the textbook.

Quiz 1, Week 6 : 10 multiple-choice questions based weeks 1 - 6

Value: Quiz 1 - 5%

Assignment requirements: Students are advised to bring a tablet, phone or laptop to the tutorial in order to complete the quiz. If any student doesn't have access to these devices a hard copy quiz paper will be made available.

Estimated return date: Two weeks from submission

Assessment Task 7

Online Quiz 2

Details of task: There will be a quiz scheduled for you to complete on Wattle while attending your enrolled tutorial. The questions will relate to material from the class lectures, discussions, assigned readings and from the textbook.

Quiz 2, Week 12: 10 multiple-choice questions based on weeks 7 - 12

Value: Quiz 2 - 5%

Assignment requirements: Students are advised to bring a tablet, phone or laptop to the tutorial in order to complete the quiz. If any student doesn't have access to these devices a hard copy quiz paper will be made available.

Estimated return date: Two weeks from submission

Assessment Task 8

Evidence Activity

?Details of task: Throughout the semester the importance of evidence to business practices will be covered. Based on this, students will be required to write a one page (single-spaced 10pt Times New Roman) analysis of a formal piece of business communication (References in addition to the one page) that occurred during the semester and explain why it is important that the business (and its audience) understand the principles of evidence covered during the course. ***

Value:  3%

Submission requirements: Via Turnitin

Referencing: Harvard Referencing (Note the reference is not countered in the one page)

Estimated return date: Two weeks from submission

*** Students may engage in an alternate task involving participation in a research study. More details will be given on Wattle

Assessment Task 9

In Class Participation

This component is intended to evaluate the level and quality of your contribution to tutorial discussions, which should reflect your analytical and problem-solving skills. It is essential to your learning – and the learning of others in the class – that you are fully involved in the course. This means that you need to:

a) Come prepared – it will be assumed that you have reviewed the lecture, completed any assigned readings and prepared for the discussion questions prior to the tutorial. Readings and questions will be provided on Wattle.

b) Actively participate in the learning – we owe it to ourselves and our colleagues to participate as fully as possible in the class sessions.

Assessment Rubric: See the marking criteria on Wattle

Value: 7% (evenly distributed across classes)

Estimated return date: Two weeks from completion, with regular mark updates on Wattle and feedback in class.

Assessment Task 10

Final Examination

Details of task: The examination will include 50 multiple-choice questions. The questions will relate to material from the class lectures, discussions, assigned readings and from the textbook. The final exam is cumulative. Students are responsible for bringing their own pencils to the exam. Multiple-choice question answer sheets will be provided. Dictionaries are not permitted.

Value: 25%

The timing of the final examination is scheduled by the Central Examinations Office (not the Course Convenor), see: http://timetable.anu.edu.au/exams/ Applications for a Deferred Examination can be made with the appropriate form.

The ANU Examinations Office will communicate all examination information directly to students.

Estimated return date: After release of final grades

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of our culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically. This means that all members of the community commit to honest and responsible scholarly practice and to upholding these values with respect and fairness. The Australian National University commits to embedding the values of academic integrity in our teaching and learning. We ensure that all members of our community understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with. The University has policies and procedures in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Visit the following Academic honesty & plagiarism website for more information about academic integrity and what the ANU considers academic misconduct. The ANU offers a number of services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. The Academic Skills and Learning Centre offers a number of workshops and seminars that you may find useful for your studies.

Online Submission

The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Returning Assignments

Assignments will be returned via Wattle 2 weeks from the due date of submission

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure The Course Convener may grant extensions for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

You are allowed to resubmit your assignments before the specific deadlines. Any submission done after the deadline will be considered as a late submission and the above listed penalty conditions will apply.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information. In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service — including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy. If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes. Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students