This unit provides an introduction to communication theory and practice for formal and informal, intra-personal, interpersonal, public and mass communication. It examines the importance of matching register (listening, speaking, reading and writing and non-verbal behaviours) to context, audience and purpose: active-interactive listening; oral presentations - organisation, planning and delivery; writing - business and technical reports, memos, business letters, job applications and CVs, use of graphics; meetings and interviews - protocols and procedures; negotiation skills and conflict resolution; organisational culture and practices - professional roles and relationships, cross-cultural understandings and interactions, ethics and liability issues.
Objectives
This unit aims to develop students' understandings about and competence in personal and professional communications. Upon completion of the subject, students will be able to:
recognise the tenor, mode and field of a variety of formal and informal communications
adjust their communication behaviours to suit the audience, context and purpose
use appropriate formats and protocols for writing CVs, job applications, business reports, memos, business letters, proposals.
provide fellow students with constructive critical feedback
understand and be sensitive to cultural and organisational differences
present a business report in a formal business setting
understand the rationale for ethical business practices
Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites for this unit.
Unit relationships
BUS2030 is an elective unit in the FIT under-graduate degrees. Students from other Clayton faculties may apply to enrol.
Texts and software
Required text(s)
Prescribed: Dwyer, Judith, "Communication in Business - Strategies & Skills" Prentice Hall: Australia, Second Edition, 2002
Textbook availability
Available in the library and for sale in campus bookshop
Software requirements
Nil
Hardware requirements
This unit cannot be studied off-campus
Recommended reading
Windschuttle K & Elliot "Writing, Researching, Communicating" McGraw Hill:Sydney, 1994
Eunson B "Communicating in the 21st Century" Wiley: Queensland 2005
Library access
You may need to access the Monash library either personally to be able to satisfactorily complete the subject. Be sure to obtain a copy of the Library Guide, and if necessary, the instructions for remote access from the library website.
Study resources
Study resources for BUS2030 are:
Are provided in Lectures, tutorials and the MUSO website.
The timetable for on-campus classes for this unit can be viewed in Allocate+
Assessment
Assessment weighting
Assessment for the unit consists of 2 assignments with a weighting of 45%, an oral presentation with a weighting of 25% and an examination with a weighting of 30%. Read this section VERY carefully.
Assessment Policy
To pass this unit you must:
Attend at least 80% of lectures and tutorials; participate in each of the assessment tasks; gain a score of at least 50
Your score for the unit will be calculated by:
Ass.1 score out of 20 marks
Ass.2 score out of 25 marks
Oral presentation score out of 25 marks
Exam score out of 30 marks
Total points scored out of the above
Assessment Requirements
Assessment
Due Date
Weighting
Job application, CV and interview preparation
12 midday, August 24
20%
Business report
12 midday, October 5
25 %
Oral Presentation Week 12 or 13 (attendance at both required)
Weeks 12 and 13
25 %
The exam is 2 hours long and is closed book.
Exam period (S2/06) starts on 23/10/06
30 %
Assignment specifications will be made available MUSO and handout.
Assignment Submission
Assignments will be submitted by paper submission to designated assignment box Building 63, no later than 12 midday, with the appropriate cover sheet correctly filled out and attached.
Extensions and late submissions
Late submission of assignments
Assignments received after the due date will be subject to a penalty of the mark being halved. Assignments received later than one week after the due date will not normally be accepted.
This policy is strict because comments or guidance will be given on assignments as they are returned, and sample solutions may also be published and distributed, after assignment marking or with the returned assignment.
Extensions
It is your responsibility to structure your study program around assignment deadlines, family, work and other commitments. Factors such as normal work pressures, vacations, etc. are seldom regarded as appropriate reasons for granting extensions.
Requests for extensions must be made by at least one week before the due date. You will be asked to forward original medical certificates in cases of illness, and may be asked to provide other forms of documentation where necessary. A copy of the email or other written communication of an extension must be attached to the assignment submission.
Grading of assessment
Assignments, and the unit, will be marked and allocated a grade according to the following scale:
Grade
Percentage/description
HD High Distinction -
very high levels of achievement, demonstrated knowledge and understanding, skills in application and high standards of work encompassing all aspects of the tasks.
In the 80+% range of marks for the assignment.
D Distinction -
high levels of achievement, but not of the same standards. May have a weakness in one particular aspect, or overall standards may not be quite as high.
In the 70-79% range.
C Credit -
sound pass displaying good knowledge or application skills, but some weaknesses in the quality, range or demonstration of understanding.
In the 60-69% range.
P Pass
acceptable standard, showing an adequate basic knowledge, understanding or skills, but with definite limitations on the extent of such understanding or application. Some parts may be incomplete.
In the 50-59% range.
N Not satisfactory
failure to meet the basic requirements of the assessment.
Below 50%.
Assignment return
We will aim to have assignment results made available to you within three weeks after assignment receipt.
Feedback
Feedback to you
You will receive feedback on your work and progress in this unit. This feedback may be provided through your participation in tutorials and class discussions, as well as through your assignment submissions. It may come in the form of individual advice, marks and comments, or it may be provided as comment or reflection targeted at the group. It may be provided through personal interactions, such as interviews and on-line forums, or through other mechanisms such as on-line self-tests and publication of grade distributions.
Feedback from you
You will be asked to provide feedback to the Faculty through a Unit Evaluation survey at the end of the semester. You may also be asked to complete surveys to help teaching staff improve the unit and unit delivery. Your input to such surveys is very important to the faculty and the teaching staff in maintaining relevant and high quality learning experiences for our students.
And if you are having problems
It is essential that you take action immediately if you realise that you have a problem with your study. The semester is short, so we can help you best if you let us know as soon as problems arise. Regardless of whether the problem is related directly to your progress in the unit, if it is likely to interfere with your progress you should discuss it with your lecturer or a Community Service counsellor as soon as possible.
Plagiarism and cheating
Plagiarism and cheating are regarded as very serious offences. In cases where cheating has been confirmed, students have been severely penalised, from losing all marks for an assignment, to facing disciplinary action at the Faculty level. While we would wish that all our students adhere to sound ethical conduct and honesty, I will ask you to acquaint yourself with Student Rights and Responsibilities and the Faculty regulations that apply to students detected cheating as these will be applied in all detected cases.
In this University, cheating means seeking to obtain an unfair advantage in any examination or any other written or practical work to be submitted or completed by a student for assessment. It includes the use, or attempted use, of any means to gain an unfair advantage for any assessable work in the unit, where the means is contrary to the instructions for such work.
When you submit an individual assessment item, such as a program, a report, an essay, assignment or other piece of work, under your name you are understood to be stating that this is your own work. If a submission is identical with, or similar to, someone else's work, an assumption of cheating may arise. If you are planning on working with another student, it is acceptable to undertake research together, and discuss problems, but it is not acceptable to jointly develop or share solutions unless this is specified by your lecturer.
Intentionally providing students with your solutions to assignments is classified as "assisting to cheat" and students who do this may be subject to disciplinary action. You should take reasonable care that your solution is not accidentally or deliberately obtained by other students. For example, do not leave copies of your work in progress on the hard drives of shared computers, and do not show your work to other students. If you believe this may have happened, please be sure to contact your lecturer as soon as possible.
Cheating also includes taking into an examination any material contrary to the regulations, including any bilingual dictionary, whether or not with the intention of using it to obtain an advantage.
Plagiarism involves the false representation of another person's ideas, or findings, as your own by either copying material or paraphrasing without citing sources. It is both professional and ethical to reference clearly the ideas and information that you have used from another writer. If the source is not identified, then you have plagiarised work of the other author. Plagiarism is a form of dishonesty that is insulting to the reader and grossly unfair to your student colleagues.
Communication
Communication methods
Preferred methods of communication for students in this unit are personally through tutors.
Notices
Notices related to the unit during the semester will be placed on the Notices Newsgroup in MUSO. Check this regularly. Failure to read the Notices newsgroup is not regarded as grounds for special consideration.
Consultation Times
Consultations with lecturer are by appointment to be arranged via telephone or email communication
If direct communication with your unit adviser/lecturer or tutor outside of consultation periods is needed you may contact the lecturer and/or tutors at:
This person's profile is not available.
This person's profile is not available.
All email communication to you from your lecturer will occur through your Monash student email address. Please ensure that you read it regularly, or forward your email to your main address. Also check that your contact information registered with the University is up to date in My.Monash.
