Course Syllabus

Independent Study in Idaho

ENGL 3130: BUSINESS WRITING

COURSE FORMAT: Independent Study in Idaho (Self-Paced)

SPONSOR INSTITUTION: University of Idaho

COURSE AVAILABILITY: 365 Days

CREDITS: 3

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Casey (left), Echo the dog (middle), and Katie (right) sitting and smiling in front of a large white building door.

NAME: Professor Katie Krahn

EMAIL: katiek@uidaho.edu

OTHER CONTACT: Canvas Inbox Tool

Copy the ISI office at indepst@uidaho.edu on all communications.

INSTRUCTOR BIO:

Hello, and welcome to English 3130: Business Writing! My name is Katie Krahn, and I am so glad you are here 😀 I look forward to working with you as you complete this course! Here are a few things I believe you should know about me as an instructor and as a person:

As an instructor, I am passionate about teaching writing and getting to know my students as individual writers and people! This course is designed to be accessible for all students of many different backgrounds, and my job is to ensure all students have the tools and support they need to succeed in this course. So, please let me know how I can help you!

Rest assured that any student can earn a high grade in this course as long as they put in the work.

I have been teaching since 2018, and I have been teaching for ISI since August of 2023. As a teacher, I prioritize student-centered learning, discovery, and empathy within my writing courses. I am thrilled to work with you and celebrate your individuality!

As a person, you should know that I am originally from Carson City, Nevada and I have a love for exploring and trying new things. My favorite book I read in 2024 was The Measure by Nikki Erlick. My favorite genre of dessert is pie. Shows I constantly have on repeat are Gilmore Girls and Schitt’s Creek. When not teaching, you will find me adventuring with my husband and dog, training for a running event, baking sourdough, or reading.

The best way to contact me is through the email or CANVAS Inbox listed above.

You are encouraged to email me with questions you have about the course; for additional feedback on your work; and for setting up a time to meet with me via Zoom.

You will see a picture of my family: my husband Casey (left); our German Sheppard-Husky, Echo (middle); and me (right).

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course will help you build communication competencies identified by the United States Department of Labor and industry focus groups as the most important to employers. Moreover, the ability to effectively apply these skills within intercultural contexts is highly valued in today’s global workplace.

Finally, business communication is increasingly produced across a wide variety of multi-media platforms requiring skills in aural, oral, textual, and visual literacies. The projects in this course are designed to help you meet these challenges and prepare you to successfully communicate in today's workplace.

Prerequisite: Engl 102 Writing and Rhetoric I or Equivalent; sophomore standing for University of Idaho students

What You Will Learn

how to respond to rhetorical situations that arise within business environments complicated by ethical, political, social, and cultural concerns,
how to apply specific conventions used in US business communities such as tone, style, and genre and adjust those conventions to meet the needs of culturally diverse audiences,
how to communicate solutions to rhetorical problems through a variety of print and electronic genres,
how to develop an effective presentation speaking style.

What You Will Do

Major Projects

There are five (5) projects that you will complete throughout this course. These projects require you to create in a variety of modalities including written, audio, visual, and audio-visual workplace genres. Most projects will have two (2) major components – or deliverables – you will submit. Each deliverable is designed to meet specific objectives for the course as well as complement each other as they relate to each project’s focus.

Project 1: Interpersonal Communication
- Deliverable 1: Business Correspondence Package
- Deliverable 2: Speaking Style Podcast

Project 2: Visual Communication
- Deliverable 1: Public Service Announcement
- Deliverable 2: Design Justification Screencast

Project 3: Intercultural Communication
- Deliverable 1: Intercultural Training Slidecast

Project 4: Crisis Communication
- Deliverable 1: Crisis Communication White Paper
- Deliverable 2: Apology Video Analysis Screencast

Project 5: Professional Identity
- Deliverable 1: Professional Documents (Cover Letter & Resume / CV)
- Deliverable 2: LinkedIn Profile

Reflections

In addition to completing and submitting the major assignment, you will also complete a reflection that gives your instructor insight into your process, any obstacles you encountered, and the elements you are proud of.

Writing a reflection after an assignment increases metacognition—our ability to think about and regulate our own thinking—by prompting you to reflect on your learning strategies, successes, and challenges. This process deepens learning by helping you connect the assignment to other classes, your own experiences, or future projects. Ultimately, this reflection will help make your knowledge from each project more transferable and meaningful across different contexts such as your personal, education, or professional lives.

Process Work

During each project, you will complete one (1) process assignment designed to help you build and work towards your final project and receive feedback along the way. Submitting this work -such as notes, outlines, or drafts - allows you to get targeted feedback on your developing ideas and writing strategies. Your instructor will provide feedback that helps you identify strengths and areas for improvement early so you can move confidently into the next stage of your work and produce a more effective final product.

You must complete the process work in each project first and then WAIT for feedback from your instructor before moving onto the final project – which may take up to two weeks after the date of receipt by the instructor. It is important to wait for feedback so that your instructor can tell you what you are doing well, what you can improve on to meet the requirements of the assignment, and tips / tricks to help turn the process work into a draft of your final draft.

Enrichment Activities

Your instructor has created a series of “enrichment activities” which allow you to explore course concepts more deeply, increasing your connection to the material and preparing you for your upcoming project. For example, an enrichment activity focused on interpersonal communication might involve analyzing a poorly written memo and rewriting it to improve clarity and professionalism. This activity can prepare you for writing your own memo in Project 1. Another activity could be practicing different tones and styles to prepare for Project 1’s podcast. These hands-on / experiential learning exercises deepen understanding and make the learning experience more engaging and relevant.

While not required, these enrichment activities will be worth five (5) points of extra credit! You may earn the points for each enrichment activity once, but you are welcome to revise to earn all points. For example, if you earn 3/5 points on one enrichment activity, you can revise that submission until you get all 5 points.

Each schedule has a suggested time to complete the enrichment activities, but they must be completed before you submit the major assignment they accompany.

Grading

Below are the grades for each major project and their corresponding process work.

Individual Project Points
Project	Process Assignment	Final Assignment and Reflection	Total Points
Project 1: Interpersonal Communication	50 points	100 points	150 points
Project 2: Visual Design	50 points	150 points	200 points
Project 3: Intercultural Communication	50 points	150 points	200 points
Project 4: Crisis Communication	50 points	250 points	300 points
Project 5: Professional Identity	50 points	100 points	150 points
Totals	250 points	750 points	1,000 points

Grading Scale

This is graded as A/B/C/D/F meaning that the only passing grades are an A (90% or higher), B (80%-89%) or C (70%-79%). Non-passing grades are an N (for Not Yet) or F (for Failure).

The table below describes the points needed to earn each grade.

Grading Scale
Points Earned	Grade Earned
A	900 – 1,000 points
B	800 – 899 points
C	700 – 799 points
D	600 – 699 points
F	0 – 599 points

Submitting Assignments

While not required, it is strongly recommended that you work through the modules in order because the assignments are designed to build off the skills you learned in the previous module. Following this order will make the most effective use of your time and enhance your learning.

You do not need to pause all work while waiting for feedback on your process assignment. While you must wait for instructor feedback before submitting the final project for a given unit, you are encouraged to begin working on the process assignments for other projects during this time. This approach allows you to continue making progress in the course and manage your workload efficiently. For example, as you wait for feedback on the process work you submitted for Project 1, you are welcome to begin your process work for Project 2!

You may submit up to two (2) assignments each week. If you would like to submit more assignments in one week, please send Katie an email.

When to Expect Feedback

I work hard to provide feedback on your work in a timely matter, but you can expect my feedback and grade for your work within two (2) weeks. As an instructor, I grade work based on the order it was submitted.

How I Grade

I will evaluate your work based on how well you have addressed the project requirements and your level of mastery in doing so. All projects include grading criteria and rubrics.

Course Materials

No textbook is required. All materials you need to study and apply are in the course.

Technology You Need

Computer and reliable internet connectivity.
Access to Canvas
Microphone (the integrated one in your computer is fine).
Backup to store the latest drafts of your work.
Microsoft Office is free to UI students and can be installed on up to five devices. I encourage you to use it, but it is not required.

Course Policies

Contacting Me

I welcome and enjoy your questions, comments, and concerns – if you have questions about the course, your work, setting up a schedule, etc., please contact me using the email function on Canvas Inbox or through my UI email (katiek@uidaho.edu).

Response time: You can generally expect a response from me between 8am-4pm Monday - Thursday and from 8am – Noon on Fridays. If you respond to me after 4pm, please know I will respond first thing on the next work day. If you don’t hear from me within 24 hours of sending an email (48 hours on the weekend), it’s safe to assume the email has been lost. Please send me a follow-up email!

I am available most days for one-on-one meetings via Zoom. Please email me if you would like to meet.

How I Will Contact You

I will be an active participant in this course. You can expect that I will contact you regularly via the following methods:

I will send regular announcements with a variety of information including a reminder you are in the course (I find we sometimes forget about online classes), reminders about course policies, announcements about new content / resources I've uploaded, and online tips for succeeding in this course.
I will send personal emails to you through Canvas Inbox messages
I will provide grading feedback through filling out each assignment's rubric and leaving a final comment that helps connect each activity to other projects or ideas in the course.

Requesting Feedback on a Draft

I don’t provide a general “please look it over before I turn it in” type of feedback. Here’s why: I think all too often students get in the habit (frequently encouraged unwittingly by professors) to show a teacher their work, the teacher then says fix X, Y, and Z. And the student then fixes X, Y, and Z. All this does, however, is teach you how to comply with an authority figure. It does nothing to help you become a more confident writer.

So, to prepare for a writing conference or request feedback on a draft through email, do the following: review your work, review the grading criteria and rubric, and if you think some aspects are not effective, explain through email what problem(s) you see and be specific, next explain what you did to try to solve the problem(s), and finally why you are not sure if your solution(s) worked.

Revision Policy

To encourage meaningful revision and deeper learning, you are invited to revise and resubmit your work for a different grade. You may revise and resubmit each assignment once (unless otherwise approved).

To ensure that revisions are thoughtful and targeted, the following process must be followed:

Before any resubmission is considered for a new grade, you must email Katie with a "Revision Plan."
Your Revision Plan must include:
- A summary of the feedback you received on your original submission.
- A numbered list of the changes you will make, ordered by importance (#1 being the most important change, with the last being the least important)

If Katie does not receive your Revision Plan, she will request that you submit one before she re-evaluates your work.

Course Pace

Students have one year to complete the course from the date of enrollment. There are five projects in the course. Each has a schedule of steps with the estimated time it will take you to complete each step.

The minimum number of total hours you will need per project is as follows:

Estimated Times for Each Project
Project	Estimated Time to Complete
Project 1: Interpersonal Communication	12 hours
Project 2: Visual Communication	12 hours
Project 3: Intercultural Communication	12 hours
Project 4: Crisis Communication	16 hours
Project 5: Professional Identity	10 hours
Total Course	62 hours

AI Policy

As a writing instructor, I understand that writing is hard -- it is a skill and a muscle we must continually work to get better. I value the power that the written word as well as your voices and lived experiences. I also know that AI can be a useful writing tool for students. While the use of AI tools such as language models, grammar checkers, or content generators can be beneficial, they should not replace your own writing process.

Because of these beliefs, use of AI in this course is limited. All written assignments must be composed in your own words and not written using AI. AI tools may be used for tasks such as brainstorming, refining ideas, or checking grammar and style. However, these tools should not be used to generate substantial portions of your text.

If you believe that AI can significantly enhance your work, you must seek prior approval from the instructor. This includes, but is not limited to, using AI for organizing content, structuring arguments, creating images, and revising drafts.

To seek approval, submit a brief proposal outlining:

How you plan to use AI
How AI will enhance your project
How you will ensure that your work remains original and reflective of your own voice.

Email this proposal to katiek@uidaho.edu or via the Canvas Inbox at least 72 hours before the assignment is due.

Approval to use AI will be determined by the instructor. The instructor will approve the use of AI as long as it does not:

Conflict with a learning objective in this course
Replace a major part of the writing or research process

If approved, clearly document in your submission how AI was used in your writing process. To cite AI in English 3130, you will do four (4) things:

Include an in-text citations by cited elements according to MLA or APA citing practices.
Include a citation in the Works Cited according to MLA or APA citing practices.
Include a brief statement in your self-evaluation noting the extent and nature of AI assistance.
Include evidence of the generated content by downloading the conversation and including it in your self-evaluation.

Misuse of AI tools, such as presenting AI-generated content as your own or failing to seek necessary approval, will be considered a violation of academic integrity. Such violations will be addressed according to the university's academic misconduct policies.

Policy on Plagiarism.

I assume that you will do honest work and that you will work with me on improving writing that is your own. But, since plagiarism is a serious matter, I feel that it is important to explain what plagiarism is and what the consequences are.  

What Plagiarism is (Two Basic Forms): 

Using someone else’s work as your own, without citing the source. This includes direct copying, rephrasing, and summarizing, as well as taking someone else’s idea and putting it in different words. Even if several different sources were copied, it is still plagiarism. 
Using AI generated work as your own. This includes direct copying, rephrasing, and summarizing, as well as taking AI generated text and putting it in different words.
Not indicating directly quoted passages or ideas even while citing the work as a general source.

What the Consequences of Plagiarism are: 

If a paper involves plagiarism of the third kind (less serious), I will usually ask you to rewrite the paper, using correct forms of documentation. However, this type of plagiarism could also result in a more serious penalty if the plagiarism is especially flagrant, especially after you have received instruction and warnings about how to avoid plagiarism. 

If a paper involves plagiarism of the first kind, second kind, or if you repeatedly turn in work that contains plagiarism of the third kind (despite warnings and instruction of how to avoid it), I am empowered by Regulation O-2 of the University Bulletin to award “zero credit” for it. Even if you do not receive an F in the course, I will usually report the plagiarism to the Dean of Students Office as a violation of the Student Code of Conduct.   

I may demonstrate that a paper involves plagiarism in two ways: 

(1) by identifying the source, and (2) by showing the discrepancy of style between previous papers and the paper in question.   

A final word on plagiarism: I understand the occasional temptation to plagiarize—but I am surprisingly good at recognizing plagiarism. My basic message is DON’T DO IT. When you need to take something from another person’s work—an idea, a powerful statement, a set of facts, or an explanation—cite your source. 

If you are unsure about whether you have plagiarized, you should talk to me before you hand in your paper. If you are having trouble writing your paper, do not be tempted to plagiarize; instead, ask me for additional help with the assignment. This could include brainstorming together, organizing the paper together, an extended due date, etc.

For more information on UI’s policy on academic dishonesty and plagiarism, visit the Academic Dishonesty webpage and the UI Academic Honesty PDF which includes the Student Code of Conduct policy on Academic Honesty.

UNIVERSITY POLICIES AND RESOURCES

TECHNOLOGY HELP

If you need technical assistance in this course, the University of Idaho’s Office of Information Technology (OIT) is here to help you! OIT provides support for a wide range of technology needs, including:

Resetting your password and accessing your Vandal account
Troubleshooting issues with email, Canvas, and other university software
Connecting to campus WiFi and internet services
Setting up and fixing your computer or mobile devices for school use
Getting help with printing and finding computer labs on campus
Accessing self-help guides and submitting IT support requests

You can get help through the OIT website, by phone, email, live chat, or by visiting the OIT Help Desk in person. This resource is designed to make sure you have the technical support you need to succeed in your classes.

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

U of I Moscow is located on the homelands of the Nimiipuu (Nez Perce), Palus (Palouse) and Schitsu’umsh (Coeur d’Alene) tribes. We extend gratitude to the indigenous people that call this place home, since time immemorial. U of I recognizes that it is our academic responsibility to build relationships with the indigenous people to ensure integrity of tribal voices.

PROFESSIONALISM

Copying from another student or any online source/answer manual is plagiarism and is not allowed. Cheating and plagiarism will earn you an F in this course and, potentially, a visit to the dean of students. See Dean of Student's Student Code of Conduct for more information.

Remember: You’re paying to learn, not just get grades.

LEARNING CIVILITY

In any environment in which people gather to learn, it is essential that all members feel as free and safe as possible in their participation. To this end, it is expected that everyone in this course will be treated with mutual respect and civility, with an understanding that all of us (students, instructors, professors, guests, and teaching assistants) will be respectful and civil to one another in discussion, in action, in teaching, and in learning.

Should you feel our classroom interactions do not reflect an environment of civility and respect, you are encouraged to meet with your instructor during office hours to discuss your concern. Additional resources for expression of concern or requesting support include the Dean of Students office and staff (208-885-6757), the U of I Counseling & Testing Center’s confidential services (208-885-6716), or the Office of Civil Rights and Investigations (208-885-4285).

DISABILITY ACCESS AND REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS

University of Idaho is committed to ensuring an accessible learning environment where course or instructional content are usable by all students and faculty. If you believe that you require disability-related academic adjustments for this class (including pregnancy-related disabilities), please contact Center for Disability Access and Resources (CDAR) to discuss eligibility. A current accommodation letter from CDAR is required before any modifications, above and beyond what is otherwise available for all other students in this class will be provided. Please be advised that disability-related academic adjustments are not retroactive. CDAR is located at the Bruce Pitman Building, Suite 127. Phone is 208-885-6307 and e-mail is cdar@uidaho.edu. For a complete listing of services and current business hours visit https://www.uidaho.edu/student-resources/disability-accessibility-resources.

VANDAL FOOD PANTRY

The Vandal Food Pantry is a free resource stocked weekly with food, grocery bags, and various hygiene items. Its eight locations across campus are accessible during building hours and open to all. Please take what you need.

GREEN DOT SAFETY PROGRAM

What's Your Green Dot? It's up to all of us to make a safer campus. Vandal Green Dot is a program that helps students learn about the power of the bystander, how to recognize potentially risky situations, and realistic ways to intervene. Together we can bring down the number of people being hurt by interpersonal violence on our campus. No one has to do everything, but everyone has to do something! Learn more and get involved by visiting UI's Green Dot Safety Program or emailing greendot@uidaho.edu.