module specification

This core Module will focus on developing students ability in business writing and business journalism, whether for internal business writing (marketing / advertising copy, press releases, annual reports) or external business writing (news articles, feature articles, reviews, interviews, columns, social media, blogs).  This will enable students to develop confidence and expertise in their business writing for a wide range of audiences, will contribute to their understanding of how business is communicated, and will contribute to their academic development across the course as a whole.

Analysis and evaluation of the key players in the contemporary business writing industry

Analysis and evaluation of the media, digital, marketing, press, broadcasting, and publishing industries, institutions, and audiences LO1

Creative business writing exercises, designed for the contemporary business industry LO2

Creative journalism and copy-writing exercises, designed for the contemporary business writing industry

Preparation for assignments (i) and (ii) LO1,LO2

The Module will be delivered over 15-weeks, one 3-hour session per week.  Students will be required to gather and evaluate information and data from various sources, relate contemporary business academic issues to their module assignment(s), and to communicate their opinions and analysis in a variety of ways, to a range of audiences.  Guest speakers will be invited from industry and the professional bodies to give master classes and to discuss career opportunities and prospects with students.  The facilities of Web Learn will be used as part of a blended learning approach by providing students with support information and as a resource to support independent learning.  Students will be encouraged to undertake wider reading of academic journal articles and the business press, and to demonstrate these in seminar discussions, debates and in their assignments. This module also requires students to reflect upon their experiences and record their skills and personal development plan (PDP).

On completing the Module, students will be able to:
1. Evaluate and assess the key features of the business writing industry, and associated industries (e.g. media, digital, marketing, press, broadcasting, publishing)
2. Write and design ‘copy’ in a professional style for a wide range of business audiences, and for a wide range of business purposes, and evaluate and assess their impact

Textbooks:
Core Text: Talbot, F (2016) How to Write Effective Business English, Kogan Page

Other Texts:
Atkinson, I (2011) FT Essential Guide to Business Writing, Pearson
Al-Maskari, K (2013) A Practical Guide to Business Writing: Writing in English for Non-Native Speakers, Wiley
Bradshaw, P et al (2011) The Online Journalism Handbook, Routledge
Hicks, W et al (2016) Writing for Journalists, Routledge
Loizou, Andreas (2015) Smack my Pitch Up: Business Writing Success, Urbane

Journals:
International Journal of Business Communication (http://journals.sagepub.com/home/job)

Journal of Mass Communication and Journalism, at:
(https://www.omicsonline.org/mass-communication-journalism.php)

Websites:
Writing for the Web, at:
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/journalism/article/art20130702112133610)

Press Gazette Business Journalism, at: (http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/category/news/b2b)

Electronic Databases: N/A

Social Media Sources: Twitter, Instagram

Other: Company Websites and Annual Reports, Business Pages of major newspapers and magazines