Faculty of Arts

Department of Journalism, Communication and New Media

CMNS 1290_12
Introduction to Professional Writing (3,0,0) 3 credits
Meeting time: Wednesday, 5:30-8:20pm AE 162
Office Hours: (TBA)

Thompson Rivers University’s Kamloops campus is located on the

Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc territory within the unceded traditional lands of
Secwepemcúl’ecw (Secwepemc Nation).

Faculty Information
Harmony Ráine
Office: TBA
Email: hraine@tru.ca
Moodle: CMNS 1290_12 Key: Raine19

Course Description
This course introduces students to the theories and practice of professional business and
technical communication. Students will learn the importance of effective communication in
meeting goals, developing and maintaining relationships, and the overall facilitation of
work. Elements of style, awareness of audience, and clarity of purpose are emphasized
as integral aspects of effective writing and speaking. Students will practice writing
techniques and editorial skills relevant to professional communication contexts and will
develop proficiency developing communication strategies, evaluating communication
scenarios, and assessing audience need.

Prerequisites: ENGL 1100, 1110, 1120, 1140 OR 1210; 3 credits of post-secondary

English or Communications

Note: Students cannot receive credit for more than one of CMNS 1290, CMNS 1291,
CMNS 1810, CMNS 1811.

Texts/Materials
*Required: Please bring to every class
Meyer, Carolyn, Communicating for Results, 4th Ed. Don Mills, Oxford, 2017.
ISBN: 978-0199023042

Learning Outcomes
After successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
1. Write with grammar and style suitable to a professional context;
 2. Analyze communication scenarios and design appropriate professional
communication documents that are responsive to goal, context, and audience
need;
3. Explain the best practice strategies for producing rhetorically and stylistically
effective communication documents;
4. Explain the purpose of and produce different communication strategies, including
request, response, information sharing, and persuasion;
5. Explain the purpose of and produce properly formatted emails, memos, letters and
short reports

Weekly Itinerary (subject to minor changes):

Week Date Topics Readings Activities

1 Sept. 1- Introduction to course Ch. 1 Icebreakers

7 objectives Moodle
PPT Chapter 1;
Practice email
2 Sept. 8- Getting the message Ch. 2 & 3 Review Ch. 1 and
14 across; effective Moodle review practice email;
writing, editing
&proofreading Skills: PPT Ch. 2 & 3;
word choice, tone,
grammar, conciseness grammar, editing, and
writing activities
3 Sept. 18, Last course change day -
2019 add, drop, audit, or late
registration: September
18, 2019
3 Sept. Writing and Audience, Ch. 4 & 5 Review Ch. 2 & 3;
15-21 Structure: Moodle
Plain style, word choice, PPT Ch. 4 & 5;
style, tone, concision
Revise poorly
Sentences and constructed
Paragraphs sentences (handout);

Writing improvement
exercises Ch. 5
4 Sept. Message Types: Ch. 6 Review Ch. 4 & 5;
22-28 Memos, emails, and Moodle PPT Ch. 6;
routine messages:
requests, responses, Revise poorly
information constructed
sentences (handout)

Grammar exercises
5 Sept. 29 Midterm Review Ch. First half of class –
-Oct. 5 1-6 Review Ch. 6 &
sentence structure;
Brief midterm
review

Last half of class -

Midterm Exam
6 Oct. 6- Message Types: Ch. 7 & 8 Review Ch. 6;
12 Routine and goodwill Moodle
messages; PPT Ch. 7 & 8;
Delivering unfavourable Editing and writing
news exercises

Presentation by TRU
Research Librarian

7 Oct. 13- Persuasive Messages
19 Informal Reports
Steps in the writing
process;
Structure of informal
report; Sample reports;
Intro to oral presentations
8 Oct. 20- Oral Communication
26
Poster overview
*Assignment #1 Due
Wednesday, Oct. 9,
2019 11:59 pm on
Moodle
Ch. 9 & 11 Review Ch. 7 & 8;
Moodle PPT Ch. 9 & 11;
Ted Talks and
YouTubes
Ch. 13 Review Ch. 9 & 11;
Moodle PPT Ch. 13;
Poster overview and
criteria; poster
examples;
PPTS visual rhetoric,
colour theory, etc.

*Assignment #2 Due
Wednesday, Oct. 23,
2019 11:59 pm on
Moodle
9 Oct. 25, *Last Day to withdraw
2019 from classes
9 Oct. 27 Group Lab – Poster Ch. 13 Review;
– Nov. 2 work work on posters as a
team
10 Nov. 3 - Report-writing strategies; Ch. 11 Minute thesis
9 distinguishing features; Moodle exercise in-class
researching; composing
 and revising; summary/ Ted Talks, YouTubes,
conclusions/ PPTs
recommendations

Review scholarly sources,

citations, academic
integrity, and APA.
11 Nov. 10- Oral Communication Team poster
16 Skills presentations &
critiques (teams 1,2,
3 & 4)
12 Nov. 17- Oral Communication Team poster
24 Skills presentations &
critiques (teams 5, 6,
7 & 8)
13 Nov. 24- Oral Presentations Team poster
30 (Poster) presentations &
critiques (teams 9 &
10)

*Final Research
paper due Friday,
November 29, 2019
11:59 pm on Moodle

Student Evaluation

ITEM DUE DATE VALUE

Midterm (MC/short answer) Ch. 1-6 October 2 20%
Assignment #1: Correspondence October 9 15%
Portfolio – Information email, email that
requests / responds
Assignment #2 Correspondence October 23 15%
Portfolio – Delivering bad news (email),
persuasion / promotional letter
Poster Presentation (Team) November 10 - 30 10%
Individual Written Report November 30 40%

Assignment Submission
Assignments are due either in class or on Moodle (I will let you know) on the due
date. Email submissions will not be accepted. Late submissions will not be accepted
without approval prior to the deadline. Extensions will only be granted at the
instructor’s discretion and are not guaranteed. Technical problems such as computer
failure and workload will not be considered legitimate. Late submissions with prior
approval are subject to 2% penalty per day up to a maximum of 14 days. Absolutely no
 submissions will be accepted 14 days after the due date.

Attendance
Attendance and Excused Absences: I will take attendance or pass around a sign-in
sheet at the beginning of each class. It is your responsibility to sign the sheet if you
arrive late, as it is the official attendance record for this course. Students who miss
classes are responsible for making up the work. Extra instruction or allowances will not
be provided if students miss information discussed in class. If you miss too many
classes, as defined by TRU’s Attendance Policy, you may be removed from class.

Electronic Devices
The use of electronic devices in class is restricted to coursework and class activities. If
you are using a device for personal purposes, you will be asked to turn it off and put it
away. Failure to comply can result in you being removed from the class. Electronic
devices are strictly prohibited during tests, quizzes and exams.

Disability Services
TRU’s Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Policy (BRD 10-0)
outlines the university’s responsibilities to provide accommodations for students with
disabilities. Accessibility Services at TRU provides services to students with Learning
Disabilities (LD), psychiatric/mental health disabilities, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), chronic medical conditions, and
impairments in mobility, hearing, and vision. If you have a disability requiring academic
accommodations in this course, please contact Accessibility Services at 250-828-5023
or as@tru.ca for a formal evaluation. If you are already registered with the Accessibility
Services, contact your Advisor to send me your Letter of Accommodation at the
beginning of the term. After receiving accommodations from Accessibility Services meet
with me to ensure accommodation arrangements are made. Please consult the
Accessibility Services website for the deadline to request accommodations for the
formally-scheduled exams (if applicable). https://www.tru.ca/as.html

The Writing Centre

Get help with written assignments and become a better writer. Peer tutors and faculty
at the Writing Centre provide answers to your questions, feedback, and advice. You’ll
also find handouts, tutorials and online resources. For more information or to make an
appointment, phone 250-371-5689 or visit tru.ca/writingcentre

Academic Honesty and Attendance

Students must be familiar with and follow the following TRU policies:
 Academic Honesty, Policy ED-5-0. Resources for compliance with this policy can
be found at the Academic Integrity Committee website.
 Academic Recognition, Policy ED-3-4, and
 Student Attendance, Policy ED 3-1.

Students should expect these policies to be enforced in this course. All policies can be
found online at https://www.tru.ca/policy.html