Week 2, Day 4
Written on 22.6.09 by Six
Day 4 tasks:
A note about Live Journals
Workshop for Memo
Business writing: memo format, you orientation, and common ground
Login to SL!
Welcome back! I hope you had a great weekend despite the heat and the storms. Last class we talked about first impressions and handshakes. As you arrive today, please greet some of your co-workers!
1. A note about Live Journals: How did it go? I noticed that a lot of you were very last minute on your blogs and twitters. A healthy tip is to start early each week so that you aren't rushed on the weekend. Let's try the google docs one more time.
2. Workshop for Memo: Get into groups of 4 and elect a team leader. You only need one computer per group for now. First, review the memo activities that we've done so far. Ask each other questions if you have them. Take a moment to summarize the material you studied for today. Next, go back to Day 3, activity 3. Begin memo revision. The last page of the "memo activity on netfiles" has an activity #1; choose 2 of the scenarios to outline together.
3. Business writing: First, let's look at memo format,
Next, test your knowledge. I asked you to study the seven C's and the general characteristics of good writing on Day 3. We talked about purpose, audience, content, tone and style. With your group, do the following:
1. Split into pairs. Open a new google doc (1 computer per pair). List the 4 reasons we write business letters and memos.
2. Read the following paragraph and paste it into your google doc. It is part of a memo from the manager of operations to his vice president. Circle any words or phrases that do not sound “business-like.”
The finishing plant was the scene of a confrontation today with two ladies from the morning shift accused a foreman of sexual harassment. Marta Valdez, a Hispanic inspector, and Margaret Sawyer, an assembly line worker, accused Mr. Engerrand of making suggestive comments. Mr. Engerrand, who is 62 years old and an epileptic, denied the charges and said he thought the girls were trying to gyp the company iwht their demands.
Now discuss the paragraph with your partner and list the problems with each sentence (number them 1-3). Try to explain why certain words and phrases are not “business-like.” Use the 7 Cs and the vocabulary associated with characteristics of good business writing to describe the problems.
Finally, if you have time, revise the paragraph. Then share your google document with the other members of your group. Compare your paragraphs. How did they do?
4. Login to SL! We're not quite ready to start in-class orientation today, but you should spend some time getting to know SL at home.
HOMEWORK:
Keep up with journals! Begin working on your memo revisions.
Email me the following for homework: (NOTE: send from your @illinois.edu address!)
Name (include nick name if there is something else you'd like to be called)
netID (that's the first part of your illinois email address)
gmail address (@gmail.com) If you don't have one, make one!
twitter screen name
blogger URL
SL name
Review the Day 3 information about SL, and make sure you can login. Be prepared for a discussion on Wednesday.
We're going to do a collaborative homework assinment to review business writing. Today's team leader will start a google doc for your team and invite your four team members to access it. Then share it with me, too! Copy the sentences from Activity 1: Sentence choice (1-20) in this practice handout on Netfiles into the document. Do it together! Here are some guidelines:
1. Create a legend: each team member should have a color (something easily readable) or use initials so that you know who has done what.
2. Divide and conquer: There are 20 sentences, so each of you take five (not necessesarily in order).
3. Collaborate: Check each other's answers and make comments if you think it's wrong...or tell them if you think they did a good job!
