Communications

Comm 1010

General Description
  1. Each team will submit ONE report.
    1. Writing the report must be a team project. All members must participate.
    2. The report must have a consistent tone. That is, it should read as if one person had written it.
    3. All members are responsible for the accuracy of the report. Read each others' contributions to be sure you agree to what you are submitting.
 
Use of References
You are required to use five references from the text and other reliable. You will cite your references in two places in your report.
  1. In the body of the report, cite references in parenthetical notation, included right in the same sentence where you refer to the material
  2. At the end of your report, include a section titled Works Cited in MLA format. Here you will list your sources in alphabetical order, according to authors' last names. Use the guide in the learning packet for correct MLA format.
 
Before writing a document to submit, it's important to analyze the occasion and the audience you are writing for.
 
Occasion Analysis
This report requires a professional style of writing. You are expected to follow a specific format, with a professional appearance. Your document should have a consistent tone throughout, so proofread each team member's work carefully. The document you submit makes a statement about who you are, so be sure your document reflects the best you can be.
Write in appropriate business language. Your report should explain academic concepts in a style that is easy to read. Grammar, punctuation, and spelling need to be flawless. A sloppy style will probably convince your audience that it's not worth reading any farther than the executive summary.
 
Audience Analysis
Your primary audience (intended reader) is me, your professor. A potential secondary audience might be other students. I will be looking for evidence that
  • you have successfully completed all the steps of the reflective thinking problem solving sequence
  • your problem analysis was conducted thoughtfully, using effective critical thinking and analysis
  • your proposed solution is achievable and will solve the problem adequately
  • your report includes all the required content
  • your report follows the required format
 
Format for the Report
Typically, each company has its own preferred format for proposals. For this class, please use the following format. Include a heading for each section except the title page.
 
Title Page: On the title page, center the following information. Each item should be on a separate line, single-spaced:
  • a short title for the problem your group selected
  • (skip two lines)
  • submitted by
    • list all actively participating group members, in alphabetical order by LAST name
  • (skip one line)
  • college name
  • class and section
  • date submitted
 
Table of Contents: List each section in order (flush left). List the page number for each section on the right side of the page.
 
Executive Summary: Don't let the title of this section intimidate you. This section is actually just a preview of the contents of your report. It should be placed on a page by itself.
In paragraph form, explain each section of the report. Be brief, but include the most important specifics from each section. This summary allows a busy executive to quickly determine whether the report is worth reading.
 
Project Description: Write a two paragraph overview of what your group accomplished. Identify the problem. Describe your group's purpose and why it's important to find a solution to the problem.
 
Methods:Begin this section with an introductory statement, explaining that your team used the reflective thinking process to arrive at a solution. Briefly describe the purpose of the reflective thinking process (in general, not as applied to your project). Then explain that you will describe each step your group took in accomplishing your purpose (e.g., what your group did at each meeting), and will provide a brief description of your group's end-product.
For each step in the PAC-BOY Dewey Reflective-Thinking Sequence create a subheading. Under each subheading include a detailed description of your team's findings. Remember to discuss (in the section explaining your final solution) potential limitations of the solution (which you uncovered when you discussed what could possibly go wrong with your solution) and how you will manage them if they occur.
 
Conclusion: Your conclusion will include a brief recap of your main points, along with a statement about why your solution is excellent.
 
Works Cited
Include a complete bibliographical reference for the text, and any other materials you have cited in your report.
 
Appendices
You'll attach two appendices. Each appendix should have its own title at the top of the page.
  1. a copy of your Team Contract
  2. a copy of your Comparison Chart which you used to analyze your potential solutions
 
Your Member Participation Evaluations will be handed in separately (for my eyes only).


Final Team Paper.pdf Final Team Paper.pdf
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Type : pdf

Here is a review of the steps you'll need to address in the Methods section. 
Use the "PAC-BOY" acronym to remind yourself of the order of the steps:
  • Part I: P= Problem 
    State your problem question
    • "What is the best way .... "
  • Part II: A = Analyze the problem 
    Describe your research about the problem. Summarize what you learned about each of the following:
    1. Characteristics of the problem
    2. Stakeholders
    3. History
    4. Policies/politics
    5. Resources available
  • Part III: C=Criteria
List the criteria you'll use to evaluate your proposed solutions.
    • What is your general goal?
    • List at least seven realistic criteria that your solution needs to conform to
      • Some of these criteria should include references from class materials
  • Part IV: B=Brainstorm 
    Brainstorm possible solutions
    • List all the solutions you brainstormed
      • Some of these solutions should include references from class materials
  • Part V: O = Organize
    Organize your solutions into a chart that will help you choose the best.
    • Explain how you narrowed your solutions to your top five to seven
    • Explain the chart you used for analyzing the solutions. You may either insert the chart here or include it in the attachments section.
    • Answer the question: "How does this solution excel over the other solutions that you proposed?"
    • Discuss potential negative consequences and how you will minimize them.
    • Revise your solution if necessary.
  • Part VI: Y = Yes we can!
    Choose the best solution and implement.
    • Describe how you plan to implement the solution.
    • This plan must be realistic (something that you as students could actually do in the available time frame).

Reflection on Final Team Paper

A. How does this assignment illustrate the growth/change/progress you have made in this class?

I feel that my communications skills have improved thanks to this class. I have always been really nervous to give any type of presentation whether it be to a small group of people or to a large group like our class. I believe that working in a group helped me to be less nervous around people because when you work together in a group your are forced to speak with each other. 

I really do not like doing group projects. i feel like they never work out like they are suppose to and I feel like I always end up doing the work myself. When we started doing our project we decided that we needed to divide out all the tasks so that everyone had something they were doing and it all didn't end up on one person's plate. That seemed to make the project so much easier. Doing this project has helped my perspective change so now I am more willing to do a group project.

By reading our report, you can tell that we came together as one. We all brainstormed ideas together and combined our parts so that it sounded like it came from one person. We really bonded as a group.

B. How can you apply what you've learned in this class to other classes, to the workplace and to other areas of your life? Please be sincere.

This class has been really helpful in my work career. I have learned some really good speaking skills that I have been putting to use. I'm always making sure that I am fully engaged in what people are trying to say to me. I try to always give them really good eye contact so as to not loose their interest. I know how to avoid certain conversations and how to control the atmosphere around me when I am trying to speak to someone.

Communication skills are not only useful in work but also at my home life. No one likes to fight. Personally, I am always trying to avoid fighting with anyone.  Now that I know how to recognize the certain types of languages I can understand what I could say in order to keep people calm. Rephrasing or restating now someone feels helps them to know that you are really listening to them.