Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor
Howard Gelman
Contact via howard.gelman@mq.edu.au
Justine Martin
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Credit points |
Credit points
4
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
Admission to MIntComm or MIntRel or MIntCommMIntRel or MIntBusMIntComm or MA in Media Law and Culture
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
This unit covers writing for business from an international perspective. Students are given instruction in writing for different international audiences. On the one hand, the lectures cover strategies for writing effective business reports, government papers, press releases and public relations documents for a wide range of business and government publications. On the other hand, theoretical enquiry will explore the historical organisational and aesthetic contexts of writing for international business media.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Name | Weighting | Due |
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Writing assignments in class | 25% | weeks 2-12 |
Presentation and report | 20% | weeks 5-6 |
Financial institution report | 25% | week 7 |
Corporate Business Report | 30% | weeks 12 |
Due: weeks 2-12
Weighting: 25%
From week 2–12 students will complete 250-300 word assignments and participate in class discussions. Each task will cover a corporate writing document and will be assessed as to writer's abiltiy to understand the format and complete the task on time. Details about tutorials and grading procedures will be provided in tutorial discussions. All in-class assignments must be completed by week 13.
Due: weeks 5-6
Weighting: 20%
Each group will be assigned an international business newspaper for analysis using research, course readings, and class discussion as a guide. You will be provided with a detailed list of review items to discuss. Group presentations will take 10–15 minutes. The prresentation will be judged on coherence, conciseness and information given to the class.
Written assignment: Each member of the group will provide a 500 word written summary of their research. The report should detail your research, analysing the particular business newspaper. This is not a summary of your presentation but an analysis of your area of research about the newspaper. Reports will be assessed on their analysis of the subject area and ability to write grammatically and clearly. Presentations will take place during week 5 and the report is due in week 6 (for late submissions, 5% per day including weekends will be deducted).
Due: week 7
Weighting: 25%
In keeping with business journalism, and considering what you have learned about the aim and purpose of business news production, you will write a piece of finance journalism detailing the history and current status of one of the world’s financial institutions such as, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the G-8+5, the Euro Bank. You may consider some recent news reports covered in the daily press. The report should include a history and analysis of the functions of the institution and focus on a recent example from your country of origin in which the agency was involved.
Your report will be assessed on the basis of adequate research on the topic; ability to analyse the effects of the financial institution on your area of focus; and ability to explain in writing the main strengths and weaknesses of the institution. The report is due in week 8. For late submissions, 5% per day including weekends will be deducted.
Due: weeks 12
Weighting: 30%
Identify an industry and analyse at least two corporations or companies involved in that industry. One of the entitites should have an Australian connection. You will discuss the key issues and the implications for the relevant companies. The report should be presented as a news analysis investor feature that could be placed in a business publication discussed in class. The report will be based on independent research drawn from a variety of primary and secondary sources including interviews. The report will contain a bibliography.
Your writing will be assessed on your ability to put into practice the knowledge of formats you have used during the semester, such as, executive summaries, charts and graphs, the use of up-to-date financial data and grammatically correct writing. The report is due in week 12. For late submissions, 5% per day will be deducted.
This seminar is conduced in a computer laboratory with each student at a console and network hook-up to the instructor's computer. There are currently 23 computers available in Y3A Lab 2 for ICOM 823.
REQUIRED READING
Week 1 to 4 read pp.1–79 in Everyone Can Write, Gelman, 2014, Exisle Pub.
A collection of weekly readings for this unit will be provided at the bookstore:
Week One
McLuhan, E and Zingrone, F (1995), Essential McLuhan, London, Routledge, pp 149-51.
Week Two
Hartley, Peter and Bruckman, Clive (2002) Business Communication, London, Routeledge, pp 69-89.
Bennett, Roger (1999), International Business 2nd edition, London: Financial Times Management, pp.1-25.
Week Three
Petelin, Roslyn and Durham, Marsha, (2001) The professional writing guide, Sydney, Business and Professional Publishing, pp. 1–13.
Week Four and Five
In-class newspaper reports.
Week Six
Views of Public Relations.
Cadzow, Jane, “The hidden persuaders”, The Sydney Morning Herald, 26 May 2001,
Week Seven
Barass, Robert (2002). Writing at Work–Say it without words, London and New York: Routledge Study Guides, pp 81–98.
Marsen, Skye, (2003), Professional Writing, Hampshire Palgrave, pp. 134–164.
Week Eight
White, Sally (1996) Reporting in Australia, “The Interview”, Sydney, Macmillan pp. 74-88.
Week Nine
Applegate, Ed. (2005), Strategic Copywriting. How to Create Effective Advertising, Rowman & Littlefield, Inc. pp. 55-66.
Marra James L. (1993), Advertising Copywriting, NJ: Prentice Hall, pp. 191-229.
Week Ten
Rozakis, Laurie, The literate executive, Sydney: Mcgraw-Hill, pp 59–70.
Iacone, S. G. (2003), Write to the Point, Castle Books, pp. 23-35.
Week Eleven
Watson, Jane (2002), Business writing basics, Canada, Self-Counsel Press pp. 96-116
Week Twelve
Wilson, Ian (2000), The new rules of corporate conduct, Quorum Books, pp. 137-152.
RECOMMENDED READING
Strunk, W and White, EB (2008). The Elements of Style. Seventh edition. Boston, Allyn and Bacon.
Tredinnick, Mark, (2010), The Little Black Book of Business Writing, Sydney, UNSW Press.
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
New Assessment Policy in effect from Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html. For more information visit http://students.mq.edu.au/events/2016/07/19/new_assessment_policy_in_place_from_session_2/
Assessment Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html
Grading Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html
Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/
Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.
MMCCS Session Re-mark Application http://www.mq.edu.au/pubstatic/public/download/?id=167914
Information is correct at the time of publication
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
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