Monday, June 2 Hope you had a nice weekend--although I suspect MBAI has changed your weekend habits somewhat? Let me create a comfort zone regarding your first assignment:
1. Writing a first paper for a professor is always difficult. You don't have a good feel for what I'm looking for. In the following points, I'll try to clear up any apprehensions.
2. Your last handout contains eight writing points that we haven't yet discussed in class. Please look over these relatively straight-forward points and make an effort to abide by them in your paper--but I certainly will not make these guiding principles the basis of my grade on your paper, since we haven't yet gone over them in class.
3. You've read a couple chapters on the nature of good business writing. Try to incorporate these insights into your writing.
4. If you find that my prompt (on your last handout) doesn't give you enough to write about, feel free to extend as necessary to related topics.
5. Above all, write a document that could "pass" in actual business practice. Non-native speakers in class, as I have suggested to them privately, may want to make arrangements with a native speaker to take 10 minutes for a quick review (not an edit or re-write). This review should consist of simply pointing out writing errors (or non-English expressions, which aren't really errors) and perhaps giving the non-native speaker some suggestions on how the thought at hand might be stated in standard English. You can be sure throughout the class that I will not apply "crazy" criteria to the evaluation of papers--for example, "one typo gets a F" and such nonsense. But you also realize that allowing gross errors to slip by does you no favor as you prepare for an even more successful business future. Therefore, proofread carefully and perhaps get a friend in class to proofread your paper as well. This partnership isn't cheating. In fact, it's a practice that will often be useful to you in real business practice.
Remember that I am available to you pretty much throughout each day if you need specific writing help. Although I don't want to grade papers twice, I will certainly read over what you have and help you locate problem spots.
In short, I will look for clear expression, logical organization of ideas, natural language, and careful editing in coming up with a letter grade for this first assignment. I am deeply interested in what you have to say, not just how you say it.
Art (422-6170, bell@usfca.edu, MH 116)
