|
 Welcome
from the Instructor
Welcome to English 105, Business
English.
My name is Margaret "Marg" Taylor, and I will be
assisting you throughout this course.
As long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a
teacher. In 1976 I joined the staff of Coastline Community College and
began a wonderful journey where I have been able to help people feel
proud of themselves because they know how to use Standard English
confidently and well.
Although I teach keyboarding, business writing,
all levels of word processing, desktop publishing, office organization,
and the Student Success Center classes, I tell students business English
is the skill I value the most. Business English is part of my soul. It
is with me when I’m speaking or writing to my family, co-workers,
friends, students, or new business associates.
Business English, often called Standard English,
is the English you hear network television newscasters
speak. Confident use of Standard English will absolutely set you free
because you will be certain your e-mails, memos, letters, reports,
speeches, PowerPoint presentations, and day-to-day communications tell
others you are educated.
People who use Standard English in their careers
subconsciously judge others who make errors in grammar, spelling,
punctuation, format, or poor vocabulary as unintelligent. The sad thing
is that if you don’t know the rules of Standard English, you don’t even
know you are making errors.
Students find when Standard English is correctly
and effectively used, hardly anyone notices--since the listener or
reader is thinking about the meaning of the communication. After
students successfully complete English 105, they will have eliminated
grammar, vocabulary, and usage errors that distract from the message.
Yes, you will use English that nobody notices! This is the goal
of English 105.
Electronic mail lets people learn
quickly if we know how to use English well. PowerPoint presentations
show our English skill in
living color.
Because you are studying the most current rules of
grammar, punctuation, business correspondence formats, spelling, and
vocabulary, you will become the person others in your office and home
come to for English advice. You will earn a new level of
respect from your colleagues.
Your textbook English for Careers is
realistic and businesslike. You will only be asked to read and practice
rules that help you master Standard English.
You will find this book is
different from others you have studied. Instead of browsing through it,
you will find you LEARN your way through it. By the end of this course
your book will be filled with answers you have written
in ink.
Yes, you will have worked your way to successful mastery of Standard
English.
Most students tell me English for Careers
and The American Heritage Dictionary are part of their
office and home libraries. I also recommend students use online
dictionaries. A sample of an online dictionary that actually lets
students hear how words are pronounced is www.dictionary.com.
No longer will you think of the dictionary as just
a place to learn the correct spelling of words. You will learn how to
break the code of The American Heritage Dictionary.
Do not be surprised to be listening carefully to
the way others speak. You will find yourself analyzing radio and
television ads, billboards, newspaper and magazine articles,
correspondence, flyers, e-mails, web articles, and even your own
speaking. Sometimes you may even find yourself pausing before you speak.
This is wonderful for you because you will be applying what you are
learning on a daily basis.
STUDENT/INSTRUCTOR CONTACT
The best way to reach me is by posting a message
at the web site under Instructor/Student –
Student/Student Discussion Forum located on the home page.. I
will respond to postings the fastest. Discussion Forums allow a
class to interact with the instructor and each other. Read all messages
and answers. If you know the answer to another student’s question or
questions, respond to his or her message. Soon you will find you are
part of a winning English 105 team.
If you need to correspond with me about something
confidential, you may e-mail me at:
mtaylor@coastline.edu.
On-line Class
Format for English 105
Each week you will be following these
steps:
- Decide when and where
you are going to study English 105.
- TAKE and GRADE the short chapter pretest. Place
in your notebook.
- READ the READS, Complete REPLAYS and
RECAPS, Check your answers with Appendix E, pages 385-415. Read extra
information boxes that come along in the text, Read CHECKPOINT,
Complete PROOFREADING, and Take PRACTICE QUIZ. Check PRACTICE QUIZ
answers as shown at the home page.
- READ Short Lecture.
- COMPLETE PROOFREADING exercise/exercises at the
end of the chapter. Mark errors you find using red pen or pencil and
proofreading symbols. Photocopy this page and place in your notebook.
Type the proofreading exercises in corrected form.
Quiz
TESTING STEPS: (Take the Real Quiz AFTER
you have completely studied the chapter.)
- TAKE Real Quiz A.
- STUDY any missed questions.
- TAKE Real Quiz B.
- STUDY any missed questions.
QUESTIONS STUDENTS OFTEN ASK:
- What is my password to take the Real Quizzes?
Real Quiz password: To
create your personal password,
follow the steps shown at the Real
Quiz link on the home page. Call Distance Learning – 714.241.6216,
Ext. 0, if you have problems. During the first week of class you may
have trouble creating this password because our staff is entering your
student i.d. and name into its database. Please be patient. You
probably are not doing anything wrong if your first try doesn't work.
Just try later. I have requested English 105 be input during week 1
because I ask for your to take Real Quiz 1 soon.
Don't drop the class
because you can't use this password during the first week.
- May I take the midterm and final exams late?
Absolutely NO.
If you have an emergency, you may ask
Professor Taylor to arrange for you to test the week BEFORE the
scheduled exam. NO LATE TESTING IS ACCEPTED.
- Why does Professor Taylor ask me to come to
take the midterm and final exams with her at the Garden Grove Center
if at all possible?
Professor Taylor likes to meet her
students. She likes them to know her. She also likes to grade each
student’s notebook and discuss the notebook after the student
completes the test. She likes other WWW students to meet one another.
- How do most students do in the class?
Students who follow the outline closely
and keep up on a weekly basis usually earn between an A or a B in the
class.
Some students get an F in the class
because they don't drop themselves.
Professor Taylor DOES NOT ASSIGN
Incompletes grades.
Professor Taylor stresses organization
and time management. She is fair and honest. She wants students to be
successful. She gives many opportunities for extra credit. Students
often overlook earning 10 extra points each week by completing,
typing, and submitting the Special Assignment shown at the end of each
chapter. You may e-mail this to Professor Taylor, but you should
always include a copy of each Special Assignment in your notebook. You
may earn up to 10 points based on the accuracy of the Special
Assignment.
- Do I really have to find errors that I read in
e-mails, magazines, or correspondence? Is it acceptable to write down
errors I hear on TV or radio or in general conversation?
Professor Taylor asks each student to
keep two pads: one on the table near the TV and one in the car.
She gives one point for each error
a student finds, types, and places in his or her notebook. This is an
easy way to earn extra credit points. She says many errors are found
in signs that are written incorrectly. She also says errors in music
abound.
- I am an out of the area student who mails my
notebook to Professor Taylor. Will I get the notebook back?
YES, if you include an envelope with the
correct mailing address for you and the correct return postage. If you
don’t want to do this, you will need to pick up your notebook at the
Distance Learning department at the Warner location in Fountain Valley
no later than two weeks after the end of the semester.
Notebooks not picked up will be discarded.
- Am I required to take both A and B Real
Quizzes.
NO, you only need to take Real Quiz A.
Professor Taylor recommends your taking both quizzes since she
calculates the higher score. The midterm and final exams include
some questions from both the A and B quizzes.
- Why does Professor Taylor emphasize
proofreading?
Professor Taylor knows everyone in
business is expected to proofread well. She also knows of very few
people who are taught the skill of proofreading. She believes Standard
English and proofreading and keyboarding skills are salable and should
be included in your resume.
Best wishes for a successful semester! I truly
hope this class is the one that makes A BIG DIFFERENCE in your life.
Sincerely,
Marg Taylor
Professor, English 105
Distance Learning Department |
