Business Communication Center

Thanks for seeking information about the JSOM Business Communication Center. Communication abilities, including writing and speaking, are rated as one of the most desired qualities in today’s job market. In your professional life, you will spend a great deal of time trying to explain, direct, and persuade other people through your writing and speaking skills. Your ability to do this clearly and effectively will have a direct bearing on your success in the business world.

The JSOM Business Communication Center is here to assist you as you work to develop your writing and speaking communication skills. In your writing, whether you need help organizing your thoughts, tightening your sentences, improving document design, or proofreading, our tutors will give you the feedback necessary to help you improve the clarity and impact of your written work. To enhance your speaking skills, our tutors will help you to strengthen your PowerPoint presentations, Toastmaster speeches, and other oral presentations. You can even practice your speech and get tips on how to make the delivery more effective. In addition, cameras are available for you to check out for class assignments.

Appointments are not required but are strongly recommended so that you get the time you need. I encourage you to take the first step toward developing your skills as a business communicator and explore what the JSOM Business Communication Center has to offer.

McClain Watson, PhD Director, Business Communication Center Senior Lecturer, Organizations, Strategy and International Management Email (972) 883-4875 Office – JSOM 4.415

Information for Students

Where is the Business Communication Center?

Do I need to make an appointment?

What happens when I meet with a tutor?

Will the tutor write the paper for me?

Will the tutor help me get a better grade on my assignment?

Should I make an appointment EARLY in the assignment schedule?

Information for Faculty

Are the services for undergraduate or graduate students?

Who are the staff?

How can I encourage students to use the Center?

Why do the papers of some students who visit the Center still have errors?

Can the Business Communication Center help students avoid plagiarism?

Sometimes student writing is discouraging. How can I get better papers?

What kinds of assignments can students bring to the Center?

Should I require tutor signatures on student documents as proof of visiting the Center?

Should I send my whole class to the Center?

How can I ensure that tutors will instruct my students according to specific parameters I have set for the assignment?

Items to Bring to a Session

• Students are required to bring:
• A printed, double-spaced copy of the document to review,
• The professor’s written assignment description, and
• A writing implement.

Work the Center Does Not Help With

• Someone else’s work
• Tutors do not provide assistance to students with work that is not their own. The only exception to this rule is for group projects
• Take-home exams
• Tutors assist students with take-home exams only with prior permission from the professor
• Competitions
• Tutors assist students with competition materials only with prior sponsor/advisor permission

Group Projects

Because the Center’s mission is to assist students in improving their communication skills, each group member is encouraged to attend the session addressing that member’s contribution to the project. However, the Center recognizes that full attendance, while productive, is not always practical. Therefore, one group member may represent the entire group during an appointment.

Multiple Appointments Policy

Tutors may choose to give permission for multiple appointments but may limit or prohibit them during busy weeks.

• Tutor permission is required.
• Students must enter the tutor’s name in the additional information box when booking the appointment.
• Tutors may give permission for:
  
• Group projects
• Theses or Dissertations
• Multiple Documents

Late Policy

Students over five minutes late forfeit their appointment to non-scheduled, waiting students.

Students 15 minutes late are considered No Shows

Cancellations

Students making cancellations with less than 12 hours’ notice will be considered No Shows and will incur restrictions. Appointments may be canceled by clicking on the “Manage your appointment” icon in your email appointment confirmation or reminder or by phoning the Center at (972) 883-5385.

No Show Policy

Students who do not show for an appointment or who cancel with less than 12 hours’ notice are considered No Shows.

The restrictions for No Shows are:

• First No Show
• Student receives an email explaining the policies and restrictions.
• Second No Show
• Student’s existing appointments are cancelled.
• Student is restricted from booking further appointments for one week.
• Student receives an email describing the actions taken and future restrictions for repeated incidents.
• Third No Show
• Student’s existing appointments are cancelled.
• Student is restricted from booking further appointments for two weeks.
• Student receives an email describing the actions taken and future restrictions for repeated incidents.
• Fourth No Show
• Student’s existing appointments are canceled.
• Student is restricted from booking further appointments for the rest of the semester.
• Student receives and email describing the actions taken.

The Center has three cameras available for student use for oral presentation assignments. Please observe the following guidelines:

• To check out cameras, phone the Center at 972-883-5385 to ensure that the equipment is available and that the Center Coordinator will be available to assist with the checkout.
• Bring the completed Camera Check-out Form with you to the Business Communication Center.
• A UTD Comet Card is required to check out cameras. The card will be held until all equipment is returned.
• Check-out hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Cameras must be returned by 4:00 p.m. the day of checkout. Students are expected to arrange return times with the coordinator.
• The student will assume the cost for unreturned or damaged equipment.

There are hundreds of online resources that will help you to make smart choices when you write business documents. These resources are intended to provide general writing assistance, NOT to tell you how your instructor wants the assignment written. If you have a question about whether any of the advice given below is appropriate for your class assignment, ASK YOUR INSTRUCTOR.

General Sites

• Workplace Writers This page provides links to resources for workplace writers and people writing during the job search process.
• Style in Business Writing Business writing style differs significantly from academic writing style.
• Write a Business Plan Useful guidance from the Small Business Administration.
• Steps for Successful Business Writing Business writing is as simple as eating an elephant. Do it one bite at a time.

Business Writing Blogs

• www.businesswritingblog.com Tips, Tricks, and Best Picks for Writers on the Job.
• writingmatters.typepad.com Writing Matters.
• www.badlanguage.net Writing about Writing.
• www.manageyourwriting.com Writing is a process that can be managed.

Job-Related Writing

The best way to get personalized help on your cover letter, resume, or other job-related writing is to make use of the UT Dallas Career Center and JSOM Career Management Center. Please visit their webpages for more information.

Business Writing Resources

• Why Cite? Working with sources can inspire your own ideas and enrich them, and your citation of these sources is the visible trace of that debt.

• How to Critically Evaluate Sources In the research process you will encounter many types of resources including books, articles and websites. But not everything you find on your topic will be suitable. How do you make sense of what is out there and evaluate its authority and appropriateness for your research?

• What is Plagiarism?

  Academic versus Popular Journals – When you select articles from an online search you need to make a distinction between scholarly and popular material.

• Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing This handout is intended to help you become more comfortable with the uses of and distinctions among quotations, paraphrases, and summaries. This handout compares and contrasts the three terms, gives some pointers, and includes a short excerpt that you can use to practice these skills.

View “Your Writing, Not Someone Else’s,” produced by the Business Writing Center at the University of Washington

Online sources can assist you in preparing more effective speeches. While these resources provide general advice, your professors’ instructions should be your first source of direction for your presentations. If you have questions concerning the appropriateness of any of the following links, ASK YOUR INSTRUCTOR.

Avoiding Common Presentation Mistakes
http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/8-faulty-speaker-assumptions/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIABo0d9MVE
http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/10-presentation-habits-unlearn-p1/
http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/10-presentation-habits-unlearn-p2/

Conquering Nervousness and Bad Habits
http://www.dumblittleman.com/2010/02/how-to-finally-overcome-shyness.html
http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/stop-um-uh-filler-words/

Reading Speeches
http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/reading-your-speech/

Using Slides, Handouts, and Statistics Effectively
http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/how-many-slides/
http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/handout-distribution/
http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/statistics-speech/

Dressing Professionally
http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/dress-public-speaking/

Meeting Strangers at Networking Events
http://www.personalbrandingblog.com/how-to-meet-people-in-a-room-full-of-strangers/

Supporting your claims and building credibility with readers is important in all kinds of writing. However, business students are often surprised to learn that the proper use and citation of sources can be as important on the job as it is in college. Supervisors, existing clients, potential clients, subordinates, professors, All readers need to know that what you write has been well-considered and is well-documented.

The following resources will help business students know how to properly document their writing using the APA style (the preferred style for business citation).

• Common Business APA Citation Styles
• Business Citation Guide– APA Style
• APA Citation Guidelines for Business Sources (pdf)
• Citing Online Sources Using APA