Describes an assignment in which students write a business report on a company they would like to work for, thus providing motivation while they learn the technical aspects of writing a business report. (SR)

Describes an exercise that teaches the reverse of promotion--demand reduction. Discusses persuasive strategies to reduce demand for a product. (SR)

Describes a one-class-period assignment that introduces students to the different professional journals in their major areas of study and in business communication. Notes that students learn how and where to find the journals and what they contain. (SR)

Describes what business plans are and how educators can use them in class for a team writing assignment. (RS)

Describes adding lessons on stress management to the business communications classroom. (RS)

Describes two assignments conducted during the first few days of class that introduces students to the concept of format, provides a writing sample from each student, and furthers the process of students getting to know each other and the teacher. (SR)

Describes a business communication assignment in which students participate in a formal meeting (on coursework and evaluation) and later analyze the group processes. Notes that written activities from each student include preliminary memos, minutes of the meeting, and comments on group processes. (SR)

Presents an approach to teaching various kind of business messages that helps students recognize that different situations call for different rhetorical strategies. Details a memo assignment that blurs the boundaries between message types. (HB)

Describes a three-part assignment in which each student writes a complaint letter and an adjustment letter responding to another student's complaint letter. Discusses how the third part of the assignment--journal entries--allows students to formulate their own criteria for excellent letters based upon their reactions to the letters they receive.…

Describes a research assignment that enables students to recognize the context of a document, extract the document's message, and determine its usefulness. Suggests possible warm-up activities for this assignment. (MM)

Describes the first problem raised in an interactive case on communication taken from Dennis Moberg and David Caldwell's text "Interactive Cases in Organizational Behavior." Demonstrates a wrong and a right answer to this problem, and shows how the author developed writing assignments to supplement the solutions to the problems raised in…

Presents an evaluation method for written assignments in which students develop an evaluation checklist. (SR)

Discusses microwriting activities, which focus on the problem, the process, and the product of typical communication assignments. Describes how microwriting is used in class, and types of microwriting activities. (SR)

Asserts that textbook graphics assignments tend to give students too many hints and instructions. Suggests using newspaper articles to more closely approximate real working situations, because newspaper articles force students to use their skills and imaginations to create graphics that illustrate real data. (PRA)

Describes a personal finance course which uses special assignments designed to improve oral and written communication skills. Discusses assignments such as journal writing, letter writing, discussions with guest speakers, researching major household purchases, and managing a personal investment portfolio. (RS)