Should You Earn a Human Resources Degree

A human resources degree is an academic degree that is awarded to students who have completed a college, university, or business school program with a focus on human resources or human resources management. In business, human resources refer to human capital - in other words, the employees who work for the business. A companys human resources department  oversees almost everything related to employees from recruitment, hiring, and training to employee motivation, retention, and benefits. The importance of a good human resources department cannot be overstated. This department makes sure that the company complies with employment laws, acquires the right talent, develops employees appropriately, and executes strategic benefit administration to keep the company competitive. They also help to assess employee performance to ensure that everyone is doing their job and living up to their full potential.   Types of Degrees There are four basic types of human resources degrees that can be earned from an academic program. They include: Associates degree  - A basic two-year undergraduate degreeBachelors degree  - A four-year undergraduate degreeMasters degree  - A two-year graduate degreeDoctorate degree  - The highest degree in the field. There is no set degree requirement for professionals in the human resources field. An associates degree may be all that is needed for some entry-level positions. There are not many associates degree programs with an emphasis in human resources. However, this degree can serve as a springboard for students who are interested in entering the field or pursuing a bachelors degree. Most associates degree programs take two years to complete. A bachelors degree is another common entry-level requirement. A business degree and experience in areas of human resources can often substitute for a straight-out human resources degree. However, a masters degree in human resources or labor relations is becoming more commonplace, particularly for management positions. A bachelors degree typically takes three to four years to complete. A masters degree program usually lasts two years. In most cases, you will need a bachelors degree in human resources or a related field before you can earn a masters degree. Choosing a Degree Program Choosing a human resources degree program can be difficult--there are many different programs to choose from. The most important thing you can do is to make sure the program is accredited. Accreditation ensures the quality of the program. If you earn a human resources degree from a school that is not accredited by an appropriate source, you may have a hard time finding employment after graduation. It can also be difficult to transfer credits and earned advanced degrees if you do not have a degree from an accredited institution. In addition to accreditation, you should also look at the programs reputation. Does it provide a comprehensive education? Are courses taught by qualified professors? Is the program in line with your learning ability and education needs? Other things to consider include retention rates, class sizes, program facilities, internship opportunities, career placement statistics, and cost. Looking closely at all of these things can help you find a program that is a good match for you academically, financially, and career-wise. Other Education Options Students who are interested in studying human resources have education options available outside of degree programs. There are many schools that offer diploma and certificate programs in human resources in addition to seminars and workshops related to HR topics. Diploma and certificate programs are available at nearly every academic level. For example, there are some programs designed for students who have a high school diploma or less. Other programs are geared toward students who have already earned a bachelors or masters degree in human resources or a related field. Seminars and workshops are usually less broad in scope and tend to focus on a particular area of human resources, such as communication, hiring, firing, or workplace safety. Certification Although certification is not required to work in the human resources field, some professionals choose to seek the designation of Professional in Human Resources (PHR) or Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR). Both certifications are available through the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM). Additional certifications are also available in specific areas of human resources. Career Opportunities According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment opportunities for all human resources positions are expected to grow much faster than average in the coming years. Graduates with at least a bachelors degree have the best prospects. Professionals with certifications and experience will also have an edge. No matter what type of job you get in the human resources field, you can expect to work closely with others--dealing with people is an essential part of any HR job. In a small company, you may perform a variety of different HR tasks; in a large company, you may work exclusively in a specific area of human resources, such as employee training or benefits compensation. Some of the most common job titles in the field include: Human Resources Assistant - In this entry-level position, you would be responsible for assisting someone else with human resources duties. Tasks may include recruiting, staffing, benefits administration, employee orientation, employee communication, and other administrative duties.Human Resources Generalist - A human resources generalist is typically responsible for a wide range of HR duties. On a day-to-day basis, you may work on recruiting, hiring, employee communication, training, benefits management, the planning of company functions, safety regulations, and much more.Human Resources Manager - In a management position, you will be responsible for supervising one or more human resources professionals. You will assign tasks and take care of many duties yourself. Your office may be responsible for every aspect of staffing, benefits, retention, and motivation.Labor Relations Manager - Labor relations managers almost always work for large organizations. In this position, your duties m ay include implementing and overseeing labor relations programs, collecting data and statistics, assisting with contracts, and negotiating collective bargaining agreements.​

Annotated Bibliography Of Ernest Hemingway s A Farewell...

Introductory Information A Farewell To Arms by Ernest Hemingway Novel Published in 1929 during the series of battles between Austria-Hungary and Italy during WWI. The protagonist in this story is Lt. Frederic Henry who happens to be the narrator is an American ambulance driver who is in the Italian army during WWI. Although he is courageous and heroic, Henry does not want any part in boasting about medals and such. Henry meets a girl named Catherine and it changes his aspect on love, and we see his character transform into new perspectives throughout the book. Henry is a good caregiver and leader among his peers also. The antagonist in this book is World War I. The war plays a significant role in the plot and, other than the baby of course, is the only thing that really bothers the protagonist at any time. The book is centered around the title A Farewell to Arms, and how the protagonist can further remove himself from the battlefield and transform into a different person. The part of the war Henry analyzes is his time as a ambulance driver during a very bloody campaign in WWI, where over a million were killed in total. So not only did the war physically affect people, such as blowing off the main character s leg, but it affected people emotionally. Lt. Frederic Henry, an ambulance driver in the Italian army during WWI, takes a winter leave from the front and soon is introduced by an English nurse, Catherine Barkley. Although she is is grief due to the passing of her fiance

Analysis of Engineering Leaders Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Analysis of Engineering Leaders. Answer: Introduction Different engineering innovative leaders show different traits that drive their organizations towards innovative and business excellence. Some show the leadership trait of acceptance of risks and failures, coupled with an urge to make their staff learn and project that go awry while some others show talent for building and steering winning teams and knack for attracting and retaining innovators. Again some other leaders have a high degree of passion for their mission and for innovation, as well as an ardor for sharing their passion with their staff. In this report, these traits have been analyzed in addition to the analysis of the case study for the preparation of suitable communication plan. Case Study Analysis: Engineering Leaders Leadership Trait 1 - An acceptance of risks and failures, coupled with an urge to make their staff learn and project that go awry This is a particular leadership trait that is not very common among most of the innovative leaders as most of them run behind success and high margin of profit, thus reducing the margin of errors and failures. However, there are some standout innovation leaders that clearly have these traits as they always emphasize on learning for mistakes and using them as basis for further research and innovation. One such leader is Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla Motors. Tesla Motors deal with the design and development of advanced and innovative vehicles that have ultra-modern designs, highly efficient and also eco-friendly in nature (Body and Ceri 2016). However, Tesla Motors have faced a lot of failures and risks before becoming one of the leading innovative companies in the world. The risks and failures included branding as the company with unrealistic vehicle designs, extremely expensive vehicles and too far ahead of time. Another such innovative leader was the late Steve Jobs, the then co-found er and CEO of Apple. In spite of facing massive failures in the initial days of business, Steve Jobs embraced risks and failures and also encouraged the employees at Apple to learn from the mistakes and develop more innovative designs of the electronic devices (mobile, laptop, mp3 player) in order to get hold of the market (Martinez 2016). Apple is now one of the leading companies in the world in terms of business as well as innovation. Leadership Trait 2 - A talent for building and steering winning teams and knack for attracting and retaining innovators This is another leadership trait that is noticed in many leaders of innovation worldwide. There are some innovative leaders that have the knack and talent for building winning teams even within limited monetary and human resources. One leader that distinctly shows this trait is Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon. When Jeff Bezos first set up e-commerce business under the brand name Amazon, there were limitations of budget and human resources (Johnston and Marshall 2016). Moreover, since e-commerce was a relatively new concept during that time, there was risk of low publicity and response from the customers. However, Jeff used his leadership trait by building different teams for different departments of the company using his limited manpower. These teams were small but highly skilled and efficient. As a result, in a few years, Amazon developed a huge customer base and grew to become the largest international e-commerce company in the world. Another such leader is Arne M. Sorensen, CEO of Marri ott International, a leading lodging and hotel chain business brand in the world. Marriott International was initially set up as a regional hotel chain with the aim to develop a strong customer base by providing the best place for lodging and eating with the best possible food, environment and services (Paul and Cowe Falls 2015). Under Sorensens leadership, Marriott International spread worldwide and one of the highest earning hotel chains in the world. Leadership Trait 3 - A high degree of passion for their mission and for innovation, as well as an ardor for sharing their passion with their staff This is a leadership trait that is widely preferred by organizational employees worldwide but more or less uncommon in the current innovative leaders. However, there are some innovative leaders that emphasize on the policy of sharing the organizational passion with the staffs and employees (Nagamachi 2016). One such leader was Ratan Tata, the former CEO of the Tata Group. He was one of the leaders who always emphasized on sharing the organizational passion with all the employees. He also showed significant passion towards innovation and organizational mission. Similar leadership trait can be found in Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook (Donate and de Pablo 2015). Initially, he along with a friend founded the social networking website but with strong passion for mission and innovation as well as sharing the same with the employees, he has developed his website into the largest social networking site in the world. AusElec Case Study Communication Plan Analyzing the case, it can be said that there is a need for a different communication plan for AusElec as it is an international company and team members of the project are located at different time zones in the world. As a result, regular communication plans will not work and regular face to face communication will also not be possible (Lipman and Ashlock 2015). Moreover, different team members will also work at different times and hence, instantaneous communication will also not be possible. Hence, there should a specific communication plan in which all team members can take part in the team meetings at the same time. For regular communication, there should be an online portal where the team members will have to be online simultaneously (similar to social media sites like Facebook). In this portal, team members will be able to chat with each other for communication (Seeger, Sellnow and Petrun 2016). However, as there are time zone differences, if one member is unable to be online a t the same time with others, other members should just send him or her a message that he or she will read when online and revert back. Although this will be a bit more time consuming (as an extra day will taken for follow-up by the offline employee), this will be much more efficient than sending reports, documents and other traditionalproject management communication methods (Fabien Gagnon et al. 2016). Another communication mode that can be suggested is online polling or survey system. When the management has proposed a particular change of policy, it will be published in the online portal and the team members will have 2 or 3 days to evaluate the policy and forward their feedbacks and opinions regarding the same. This will replace the requirement for face to face meetings and will also solve the problem of different time zones as ample time will be given to the team members to provide their feedbacks and opinions. This communication plan is different fromtraditional project manage ment communication plan in the sense it does not involve daily or weekly face to face meetings or submission of documented reports. Benefits of Face-To-Face Communication for Project Hytrans The main benefit of face-to-face communication for Project Hytrans lies in the fact that all the team members are spread out across different time zones and hence, there will be little or less team coordination. Hence, face-to-face communication is essential in order to ensure the activities of each of the team members are going according to plan and are connected with each other (Ameen et al. 2015). Moreover, progress of the project also needs to be monitored as daily monitoring of the project from the head office will not be possible. Another benefit for face-to-face communication in this project is to solve the problems faced by a team member together. One team member may face some technical or other difficulty during the project and is unable to solve it due to several factors and constraints (Macleod, Wylie and Black 2014). In face-to-face communication, the team members will be able discuss the same with each other and may find a suitable solution for it. If meeting in person with a team member is not possible at a certain time, technology can be utilized. Video calling using Skype or similar other softwares can be utilized to bring the member in the meeting room virtually. Due to the ease of use and no hassle of transport and other factors, Skype is now a common choice for video conference in a meeting (Jones et al. 2016). Teleconference is another option but it is now somewhat obsolete as the video conferences are become popular. Hence, video conference using Skype is suggested. Conclusion In this report, different leadership traits of innovative engineering leaders have been analyzed with suitable real world examples. These leadership traits are the driving forces behind the business and innovation excellence of different organizations. On the other hand, communication plans are needed in organization in order to maintain team coordination and monitoring in the project. Hence, a suitable communication is necessary for any project. In the given case study, regular communication plans will not work and regular face to face communication will also not be possible. Moreover, different team members will also work at different times and hence, instantaneous communication will also not be possible. Hence, there should a specific communication plan in which all team members can take part in the team meetings at the same time. References Ameen, M., Brokaw, E., Jensen, K., Koroulis, C. and Ross, A., 2015. Strategic Communication Plan for Rocky Mountain National Park. Body, J. and Ceri, S., 2016. Innovation leadership in actionToday and in the future. InCreating Innovation Leaders(pp. 125-141). Springer International Publishing. Donate, M.J. and de Pablo, J.D.S., 2015. The role of knowledge-oriented leadership in knowledge management practices and innovation.Journal of Business Research,68(2), pp.360-370. Fabien Gagnon, M.D., Dessau, J.C., Abab, A., Arsenault, P., El-Turaby, F., Lachance-Paquette, G. and Vzina, F.A., 2016. Implementation of a radon measurement protocol and its communication plan by child care centre managers in Qubec.Canadian Journal of Public Health,107(3), p.319. Johnston, M.W. and Marshall, G.W., 2016.Sales force management: Leadership, innovation, technology. Routledge. Jones, K., Hollands, G.J., Shemilt, I., Doyle, J. and Armstrong, R., 2016. Planning and implementing a targeted and strategic dissemination plan for a Cochrane review: a case study.Journal of Public Health,38(3), pp.630-632. Lipman, B. and Ashlock, M.Z., 2015. Engineering and Implementing an Executive-Level Communication Plan in a Global Professional Environment: A Case Study.Journal of Media Critiques [JMC],1(2). Macleod, H., Wylie, R. and Black, R., 2014. Conservation communication camp: come with ideas, leave with a plan. Martinez, S., 2016, March. Invent to learn: Making, tinkering and engineering in the classroom. In2016 EDI. Nagamachi, M. ed., 2016.Kansei/affective engineering. CRC Press. Paul, R. and Cowe Falls, L., 2015. Engineering leadership education: A review of best practices. Seeger, M., Sellnow, T. and Petrun, E.L., 2016. Creating a Food Defense and Response Plan in Complex Food Production Systems.Food Protection and Security: Preventing and Mitigating Contamination during Food Processing and Production, p.61.

Prewriting, Writing, Revising free essay sample

ADMN 233 Assignment 2 Template Assignment 2 Instructions Assignment 2 is worth 15% of your final mark. It should be completed and submitted after you finish Chapter 7 in your textbook. This assignment is divided into three parts, corresponding to the 3-x-3 writing process described in Unit 2 (Chapters 5 to 7) of your textbook. You will complete three activities in each part of this assignment. Part 1: Prewriting (30 marks) Activity A – Analyze a task Activity B – Anticipate an audience’s needs Activity C – Adapt your message to your audience and its needs Part 2: Writing (30 marks) Activity A – Research a topic and generate ideas Activity B – Organize ideas into a coherent text structure Activity C – Compose a first draft Part 3: Revising (40 marks) Activity A – Evaluate a text Activity B – Organize a text Activity C – Revise a text General Instructions The writing tasks you will complete in this assignment are based on real-world scenarios that describe a variety of situations. 1. Read every activity and scenario carefully in order to understand the problems that the characters encounter and the actions that they take. We will write a custom essay sample on Prewriting, Writing, Revising or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 2. Complete all three activities for each part in sequence. 3. Limit your answers to a maximum of one sentence per mark, unless otherwise instructed. For example, if a question is worth three marks, ensure that you write three complete sentences. 4. Decide what information is important for your reader to know and what is not. You may need to invent additional facts that you consider important to communicate to your reader. 5. Reorganize this information to communicate it to a reader in a clearer and more efficient way. 6. Integrate the lessons you have learned as you complete this assignment. Review the following pages in the Welcome and Orientation section of this course Web site before you complete this assignment: Marking Guide Questions of Style Applying the 3-x-3 Writing Process Plagiarism Plagiarism is submitting or presenting someone elses work as your own. It includes copying words from an assignment you wrote in this course into a new assignment; copying your instructor’s comments and presenting them as your own; and copying headings, outlines, sentences, paragraphs, tables, and graphics without permission or citation. Plagiarizing someone elses writing is not allowed at Athabasca University. For information about plagiarism and intellectual honesty, consult the following page from the Athabasca University Calendar: http://www. athabascau. ca/studserv/inthonesty. htm. ADMN 233 markers use anti-plagiarism software. The consequences for plagiarism and academic misconduct are severe. If you are caught plagiarizing someone else’s text, you will obtain a zero on this assignment. A letter describing this offence will be appended to your student record. You risk being suspended or expelled from Athabasca University. Part 1Prewriting (Questions 1 to 11)30 marks Refer as needed to material in Chapter 5 of your textbook. Read the instructions for each activity. Answer all questions clearly and concisely. If possible, include examples to highlight your comments. Activity A – Analyze a task Questions/Tasks 1. What is David’s primary purpose in sending a message to his reader? (Refer to page 95 in your textbook. ) Support your answer with an explanation. (2/2 marks) Davis’s primary purpose in sending a message to his reader is to inform them of the company’s decision regarding the warranty of the car. This information will be useful to know how to proceed with the claim. 2. What is the secondary purpose of David’s message? (Refer to pages 95 and 96 in your textbook. ) Support your answer with an explanation. (2/2 marks) David’s secondary purpose in sending a message is to promote goodwill and fairness among all customers. Even though David has to communicate a negative message, Hybrid Cars Canada wants to look good and fair in the eyes if its customers. 3. Which channel (e. g. , phone call, e-mail, or letter) is best suited to communicate this type of message? Explain your answer. Consult Figure 5. 2 Choosing Communication Channels on page 97 in your textbook. (2/2 marks) The channel best suited to communicate this type of message would be a letter. When passing a message onto a consumer a written formality is needed to outline the company’s policy. Activity B – Anticipate an audience’s needs Questions/Tasks 4. Who is (are) the primary reader(s) targeted by this memo? Refer to Figure 5. 3 Asking the Right Questions to Profile Your Audience on page 98 in your textbook to provide an explanation. (1/1 mark) The primary readers targeted by this memo are Patricia Irving seeing as how she was the one that request the information and Jason Tucker because he is the Chief Information Officer and will have to work directly with the software. 5. Describe your professional relationship with your primary reader(s). Refer again to Figure 5. 3 on page 98 of your textbook. (1/1 mark) My professional relationship with the primary readers is one of an information provider for a product that they’re interested in. As this is an initial communication, our relationship is friendly but formal. 6. Given your answer to question 5, what tone should your memo convey? Support your answer with examples. Refer to pages 98 and 99 in your textbook. (2/2 marks) My tone should be friendly, positive, and courteous while focusing on empathic communication. For example, using sentences like â€Å"Zedex III Solutions software can allow you to manage large amounts of information,† instead of â€Å"Zedex III Solutions software is suitable for most small brokerage firms† includes simple language and adds a personal tone to the message. 7. In your opinion, how knowledgeable is (are) the primary reader(s) about the subject of the memo? Explain. Think about your readers’ knowledge of computer products, accounting systems, and information management prior to sending your memo. (2/2 marks) In my opinion, Patricia Irving would be quite familiar with the subject of the memo, however, she would be lacking in-depth knowledge about the software whereas Jason Tucker, being a certified network analyst, will have extensive in-depth knowledge about the subject of the memo. Seeing as how both my primary readers have different knowledge about the subject, I would have to tailor my memo to make certain that both parties will be able to fully understand. 8. Should you expect a negative response, a positive response, or a neutral response from your primary reader(s)? (2/2 marks) I would expect a positive response from Jason Tucker but simply a neutral response from Patricia Irving. This is so because it is highly likely that she is simply looking for information for a suitable alternative to her software and therefore has asked other companies to submit memos as well in a search for the best price. 9. Identify your secondary readers and describe their specific information needs. (3/3 marks) My secondary readers are Victor Boudeli, Barbara Miller, and a group of Wascana investors. Seeing as how Victor Boudeli is the sales director, I would expect that he has extensive knowledge on the subject of the memo, whereas the group of Wascana investors would have a severely limited knowledge about the subject and would require more help understanding the memo. Also, I would expect that since Barbara Miller is the Zedex President, she would have a good working knowledge about the subject but will want to make sure that her [potential] customers are being well communicated with. Activity C – Adapt your message to your audience and its needs Questions/Tasks 10. What problems should you address in order to make the language of the above memo clearer? Select these from the Checklist for Adapting a Message to Its Audience on page 104 of the textbook. Be specific and support your answers. (3/3 marks) There are quite a few problems that need to be addressed to make the language of the above memo clearer such as using words that are short and familiar but precise and vigorous (the word â€Å"acquiesce† is not necessary). ? An appropriate tone should also be used to avoid negativity and express ideas positively (â€Å"will be cause for immediate termination! † is too strong and negative and the memo should instead urge readers to act for benefits [improved safety] as opposed to avoid negative consequences) that avoid gender, racial, age, and disability bias. ?Finally, the memo should have a focus on reader benefits (as opposed to company benefits with reader benefits seemingly an afterthought) by enhancing the â€Å"you† view to make the memo conversational but professional.? 11. Rewrite your manager’s memo. Think about how expressing yourself positively, courteously, simply, precisely, vigorously, and in a conversational tone will affect your readers’ responses. Refer to pages 101 to 104 in your textbook. (9/10 marks) Date: Feb. 17, 2010 To: All Operating Personnel From: Management Subject: New Safety Procedures Management has decided to implement a new set of rules and safety procedures for all operation personnel. Previous regulations have been revised and updated so as to reduce the risk of personal injury. These revisions will not only improve safety but will also minimize damage to the company. The new list of mandatory rules and procedures has been posted outside the main doors in Shop A. These changes are effective immediately and all operation personnel who fail to adhere to these new rules will risk dismissal from the company. Sincerely, The Management Team Much better memo here It’s professional and clear and not unfriendly. Avoiding passive structures is something to watch for. This course encourages an active writing style. For Marker’s Use: Part 1 Subtotal: 29 /30 Part 2Writing (Questions 12 to 19)30 marks Refer as needed to material in Chapters 6 and 7 of your textbook. Read the instructions for each activity. Answer all questions clearly and concisely. If possible, include examples to highlight your comments. Activity A – Research a topic and generate ideas Questions/Tasks 12. Supply three specific examples of the kind of information Mary could gather using formal research methods. Refer to pages 112 to 113 in your textbook. Include the specific formal research methods you would use to obtain this information. (3/3 marks) a. Mary could gather information on tax benefits that Viscounts Hydro Inc. could enjoy if they were to help fund a non-profit organization like EnviroFriends by searching manually through reference books or searching electronically. b. Mary could also try to find out information about the company’s revenues and budget and how much of it has already been spent (thus how much would be left available to donate) by investigating primary sources. c. Mary could also search electronically for information on the primary contact that she could speak with will writing her proposition and dealing with the Viscount’s foundation. 13. Supply three specific examples of the kind of information Mary could gather using informal research methods Refer to page 113 in your textbook. Include the specific informal research methods you would use to obtain this information. (3/3 marks) a. Mary could try to gather information firsthand on the company’s policy towards donating to non-profit organizations such as EnviroFriends by interviewing the target company. b. Mary could try talking to her boss and coworkers to find relevant information about past propositions and experiences with companies similar to Viscount Hydro Inc. c. Mary could also try to gather information by looking into files that will show her the organization and content of past propositions to the company as well as and what the company’s response was. Activity B – Organize ideas into a coherent text structure Questions/Tasks 14. Help Gino organize the topics presented in Scenario 5. Create an alphanumeric or decimal outline for the human resources manual to organize this information logically (i. e. , major title, major component, subpoints). Review outlining formats on pages 114 to 118 in your textbook, especially Figure 6. 3 Two Outlining Formats on page 117. (8/8 marks) Plasto Industries Human Resources Manual 1. 0. Employment 1. 1. Generalities 1. 1. 1. Employee Recruitment and Selection 1. 1. 2. Reference Checks 1. 1. 3. Performance Reviews 1. 1. 4. Maximum Work Hours per Week for Salaried Staff 1. 1. 5. Maximum Work Hours per Week for Hourly Staff 1. 2. Compensation 1. 2. 1. Pay Scale 1. 2. 2. Holiday Pay 1. 2. 3. Overtime Pay 1. 2. 4. Salary Reviews 2. 0. Leaves and Departures 2. 1. Time Away From Work 2. 1. 1. Sick Leave 2. 1. 2. Bereavement Leave 2. 1. 3. Administrative Leave 2. 1. 4. Jury Duty Leave 2. 1. 5. Vacation Leave 2. 2. Departure 2. 2. 1. Resignation 2. 2. 2. Dismissal/Termination 2. 2. 3. Exit Interviews 3. 0. Employee Plans 3. 1. Insurance 3. 1. 1. Healthcare Insurance 3. 1. 2. Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance 3. 2. Programs 3. 2. 1. Pension Plan 3. 2. 2. Long-term Disability Program 3. 2. 3. Savings Bond Purchase Program 4. 0. Workplace 4. 1. Policies 4. 1. 1. Verbal Abuse Policy 4. 1. 2. Disciplinary Policy and Procedure 4. 1. 3. Conflict of Interest Policy 4. 2. Rules 4. 2. 1. Sexual Harassment 4. 2. 2. Drugs and Alcohol 4. 2. 3. Personal Telephone Calls 4. 2. 4. Unexcused Absences 4. 2. 5. Parking Restrictions 4. 3. Workplace Environment 4. 3. 1. Workplace Language 4. 3. 2. Dress and Appearance 4. 3. 3. Smoking in the Workplace 15. Explain and support your reasons for organizing the outline as you did. Address each of the following elements of an outline: sequence, title, major components, and subpoints. (4/4 marks) The title that I chose clearly defines what the outline is about as well as who the intended audience is. The outline is then separated into four major components so as to effectively group related matters together to make it easy for employees to navigate. These major components are then further separated into more clearly and well defined subpoints to further increase the ease of navigation. These subpoints are then put into a sequence so that the most commonly addressed topics are dealt with at the beginning. Activity C – Compose a first draft Questions/Tasks Refer to pages 121 to 129 in your textbook to complete the following tasks. 16. Clearly, Frida’s draft memo needs to be improved. Find two examples of long sentences that should be divided into shorter ones. Copy these sentences and then rewrite them, explaining how you can make each one clearer by shortening it. Clearly label your work under the headings of Original Sentence, Revised Sentence, and Explanation. Edit wordy expressions that are unnecessary or information that is off-topic. (5/6 marks) Original Sentence 1: In preparation for the development of the marketing campaign for the Spring/Summer 2010 line, I would like to provide you with an overview of the orders we have placed for the delivery in February 2010 to coincide with â€Å"Spring Break† purchases, which have traditionally provided a significant portion of our annual sales, second only out â€Å"Back to School† event in the fall, although these events may not be as successful as last year. Revised Sentence 1: To prepare the marketing campaign for the Sumer/Spring 2010 line, I would like to provide you with an overview of the orders we have placed. We have placed the orders to be delivered in February 2010 to coincide with â€Å"Spring Break† sales as they are second only to â€Å"Back to School† events in the fall. Explanation: Dividing such a long sentence into two shorter sentences helps separate ideas and increase readability and comprehensiveness. There was also unnecessary and off-topic information in the original sentence that made it hard to follow and understand what the memo was about. Original Sentence 2: There is a wide variety of styles to choose from—sandals, mules, flip-flops, stilettos, platforms, and boots—and this will be an exciting season for us, especially considering the disappointment of last year, something for everyone. Revised Sentence 2: This is going to be an exciting season for all of us thanks to our wide variety of styles to choose from. With sandals, mules, flip-flop, stilettos, platforms, and boots, there is sure to be something for everyone. Explanation: Dividing such a long sentence into two shorter sentences increase readability and comprehensiveness. It also allows for the main ideas of the sentences to be clearer thus helps readers to understand the sentences. 17. Copy one sentence from Scenario 6 that is written in the passive voice. Rewrite this sentence using the active voice. Clearly label the old and new sentences as Passive and Active. (2/2 marks) Passive: A meeting has been scheduled for us on Tuesday, November 8, to review the Spring/Summer line by us. Active: We have scheduled a meeting on Tuesday, November 8 to review the Spring/Summer line with you. 18. Copy one sentence from Scenario 6 that contains a misplaced modifier. Rewrite this sentence to clarify its meaning. Clearly label your sentences as Misplaced Modifier and Clearer Modifier. (2/2 marks) Misplaced Modifier: A meeting has been scheduled for us on Tuesday, November 8, to review the Spring/Summer line by us. Clearer Modifier: We scheduled a meeting for us to review the Spring/Summer line on Tuesday, November 8. 19. Identify two problems in the following example from Scenario 6: â€Å"Not to mention the amazing embellishments that are sure to spark the interest of our well-healed clients: flowers, butterflies, crystals, and feathers. † (2/2 marks) The first problem is the misplaced modifier (are butterflies our well-healed clients? ). The second problem is that the sentence is a dependent clause and there is no independent clause that allows readers to be able to understand what the sentence is about. For Marker’s Use: Part 2 Subtotal: 29 /30 Part 3Revising (Questions 20 to 28)40 marks Refer as needed to Chapters 5, 6, and 7 of your textbook. Read the instructions for each activity. Answer all questions clearly and concisely. If possible, include examples to highlight your comments. Maintain a â€Å"you† view throughout. Activity A – Evaluate a text Evaluate the purpose, tone, and organization of Walter’s letter. Who is the audience and what is the purpose of the letter? Does it maintain a â€Å"you† view? 20. What is Walter Bern’s specific purpose for writing to Mrs. Beaudoin? (1/1 mark) Walter Bern’s specific purpose is to inform Mrs. Beaudoin how she can accumulate points with the Boat Buyers Program (BBP). 21. In one sentence, comment on the tone of Walter’s letter. (1/1 mark) The tone is Walter’s letter is different from beginning to end as it starts conversational and then become more formal. 22. In three sentences, comment on the content organization in Walter’s letter. (3/3 marks) The purpose of informing Mrs. Beaudion on how to accumulate points should be stated at the beginning of the letter. Doing so would allow the reader to save time, prevent frustration, and set a proper mind frame. Instead of doing this however, Walter takes a long time to get to the point and causes the reader to wonder why she even received the letter. 23. Provide two examples with supportive evidence to describe how the content of the letter is on topic. (4/4 marks) The letter mentions how to collect points by helping a friend or colleague sign up for the BBP program as well as a few other methods. Seeing as how the purpose of the letter was to inform Mrs. Beaudoin how to accumulate points with the BBP program these methods are appropriate and on-topic. The letter also mentions the enclosed brochure that explains the details of the BBP program as well as information about the BBP card rewards. Enclosing the brochure allows Mrs. Beaudoin to read into further detail on the BBP program and is appropriate and on-topic. Activity B – Organize a text Assess the effectiveness of the letter’s content and organization. 24. Provide two examples of sentences that should be removed and justify your answer. (2/2 marks) Sentences 1: Your departure date is January 19th, from Miami. The ship leaves dock at 5 p. m. Explanation 1: These sentences provide information that Mrs. Beaudoin should already know, and make it harder to identify the true purpose of the letter. Sentence 2: Please call me if you have any questions and I will be glad to call you back Explanation 2: This letter should end the need for further correspondence 25. Provide two examples where parts of this letter are missing or underdeveloped. (2/2 marks) Sentence 1: The BBP card is the only card you can use to make payments on board the liner. Explanation 1: Since Mrs. Beaudoin is new to the program she would not know this and could easily miss this information especially since it is only mentioned once and because it is hidden in the middle of a sentence. Sentence 2: You get an extra 50 points if you help sign up a friend or colleague in the BBP program as well. Explanation 2: This idea is underdeveloped because certain questions are not answered like how do you get a friend to sign up? How will the company know that you are the referee? 26. Help Walter reorganize his letter by creating an alphanumeric outline (i. e. , major title, major component, subpoints). (3/3 marks) Customer Informational Letter I. Opening A. Main idea of message II. Body A. Explanation of main idea B. Additional opportunities III. Closing A. Closing thought Activity C – Revise a text 27. Proofread paragraph 1 of Walter’s letter. Refer to the Checklist for Revising Messages on page 143 of the textbook. Identify four items that need revising. Describe the writing problems these examples demonstrate. Clearly label your sentences as Examples and Problems. (4/4 marks) Example 1: Your departure date is January 19th, from Miami. The ship leaves dock at 5 p. m. Problem 1: Shun redundancies. These are repetitive phrases. Example 2: Thank you for joining the Boat Buyers Program (BBP) prior to taking your Christmas Caribbean cruise. Problem 2: Tighten your writing. Using compound prepositions increases wordiness. Example 3: We are planning to give you, our valued customer, a special Christmas bonus under this program. Problem 3: Keep it conversational. This sentence uses unnecessary fancy language. Example 4: This cruise will take you and your friends from Miami to Nassau in the Bahamas on the Maiden of the Sea, the newest cruise ship featured by Earth’s Voyages Cruises. Problem 4: Keep the message simple. Avoid unnecessary information that should already be known. 28. Rewrite Walter’s letter to improve its effectiveness. Cultivate the â€Å"you† view and focus on the receiver’s needs. Write an effective version of Walter’s text (Refer to pages 99 and 100 in your textbook. ) Present an effective version of Walter’s text using your own words. Incorporate the analysis you previously completed in questions 20–27 as you follow the 3-x-3 process. Format this text as a professional letter by cultivating a â€Å"receiver focus. † (16//20 marks) Earth’s Voyages: Discount travel that inspires memorable vacations. May 26 2009 Mrs. Jeanne Beaudoin 7 rue Ste. Therese Ville de Quebec, PQ G2K 9K7 Dear Jeanne, Thank you for joining the Boat Buyers Program (BBP) at Earth Voyages Cruises. We’re happy that you have chosen to travel with us this holiday season, and are proud to offer you exclusive deals available only to members of the BBP program. As you know, your Christmas Caribbean Cruise will take you to Nassau in the Bahamas on the Maiden of the Sea and is scheduled to depart at 5 PM on the 19th of January 2010. What you might not know however, is that you will be awarded an extra 100 BBP points for simply completing the cruise. It is important to note that the BBP credit card is the only card you can use to make payments on board the liner. To take full advantage of your cruise, you should activate your card by calling 1-800-GO-GO-BBP. You will receive 10 points for every dollar that you spend on board the ship and receive an additional 50 points if you help sign up a friend or colleague to the BBP program. Once you have accumulated enough points, there are many different ways that they can be redeemed: 2,000 points: St. Lawrence River cruise departing from Montreal 2,000 points: Queen Charlotte Island cruise departing from Vancouver 5,000 points: Caribbean cruise departing from any port in the US 10,000 points: Mediterranean cruise Your BBP points can also be redeemed for discounts on major airlines travelling from your home to the cruise port of departure. Please see the enclosed brochure for further details on the BBP program as well as information about BBP card rewards. You might also be interested in our Alaska section of the brochure regarding our super sales for Summer 2009 Travel Destinations. We hope that you take full advantage of our BBP program and all the cost savings that it offers. At Earth Voyages Cruises, we are dedicated to serving you so that you can get the most out of our cruises. Sincerely, Walter Bern Public Relations Representative Earth’s Voyages Youve definitely improved the letter here. The organization is much more logical and coherent and the language and tone both read smoothly. Remember to follow the specific patterns according to the course concepts and examples from the text. Since this is a routine memo, the introduction should clearly indicate the purpose of the letter. The important point here is to be sure to clearly and directly apply the patterns for the upcoming assignments. This is particularly important for assignment 3, in which the instructions will frequently refer you to specific pages in the text. There are several different patterns that you need to transfer from the course materials and apply into your writing tasks. Conciseness is also something to pay attention to. You can choose and modify what to include in your versions. Outstanding work on this second assignment overall! Please contact us through the Student Support Centre if you have any questions. Kind regards,