Course Description

Communication remains an essential skill sought by employers, regardless of discipline or field of study. Using a practical, vocation-oriented approach, students focus on meeting the requirements of effective communication. Through a combination of lectures, exercises, and independent learning, students practise writing, speaking, reading, listening, locating and documenting information, and using technology to communicate professionally. Students develop and strengthen communication skills that contribute to success in both educational and workplace environments. Particular attention is given to the requirements of academic writing.

Essential Employability Skills

This course contributes to your program by helping you achieve the following Essential Employability Skills:

EES 1 Communicate clearly, concisely and correctly in the written, spoken and visual form that fulfills the purpose and meets the needs of the audience. (T, A)
EES 2 Respond to written, spoken or visual messages in a manner that ensures effective communication. (T, A)
EES 6 Locate, select, organize and document information using appropriate technology and information systems. (T, A)
EES 7 Analyze, evaluate and apply relevant information from a variety of sources. (T, A)
Assessment Levels —T: Taught A: Assessed CP: Culminating Performance 

Course Learning Outcomes / Elements of Performance

When you have earned credit for this course, you will have demonstrated the ability to:

1. Use information with integrity.

  • Recognize documentation standards
  • Cite sources correctly
  • Incorporate research into original communication

2. Draw information from a variety of sources.

  • Develop an organized approach to locating and recording information
  • Locate information online
  • Locate information in a library
  • Use databases, catalogues, and other electronic search tools

3. Evaluate sources of information.

  • Identify relevance and validity
  • Examine author, purpose and intended audience
  • Determine suitability for a particular task or purpose

4. Analyze a variety of messages.

  • Distinguish between fact and opinion
  • Identify potential bias
  • Identify main ideas and supporting details
  • Discuss message impact on audience

5. Develop effective research-based communication.

  • Identify a topic appropriate to task
  • Explain the topic, providing supporting details and using credible sources
  • Acknowledge perspectives and points of view
  • Demonstrate respect for ideological and cultural differences

6. Present ideas accurately in writing.

  • Identify purpose, context, and thesis
  • Create an outline
  • Develop coherent and cohesive paragraphs
  • Compose a complete draft
  • Revise for clarity and correctness

7. Use vocabulary, language, and style appropriate to audience and purpose.

  • Anticipate audience expectations
  • Apply rhetorical strategies for organization
  • Use a systematic approach to edit, revise, and proofread
  • Express ideas and information using conventions of standard English

8. Deliver organized and complete spoken messages.

  • Tailor messages for spoken delivery
  • Use verbal and non-verbal techniques to enhance spoken messages
  • Incorporate cues and transitions to guide listeners
  • Create effective visual aids

9. Use technology to support communication.

  • Identify common technology tools used to support communication
  • Select technology appropriate for particular tasks
  • Use word processing software, presentation software, and collaborative communication tools to communicate information and ideas

Learning Resources

Required Textbook:  **  Students who take ENL5000G Communication Skills in the fall should already have this textbook.

Revel Pearson:  Revel Technical Communication 8th Edition by Richard Johnson-Sheehan
ISBN-13 9780134438665

Additional materials will be provided in class and posted on Brightspace.
 

Learning Activities

In-class/online instruction, presentations, group work, online skill development
Assigned readings and exercises from the textbook
Exercises to improve sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, and mechanics
Planning, drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading
Practising techniques for effective speaking and listening
Applying critical reading strategies
Using scholarly sources for research purposes

Pre-defined Evaluation / Earning Credit

The following list provides evidence of this course's learning achievements and the outcomes they validate:

Written Assignment(s) (40%)

Validates Outcomes:  CLO 1, CLO 2, CLO 3, CLO 5, CLO 6, CLO 7, CLO 9, EES 1, EES 6, EES 7

Assessment(s) (40%)

Validates Outcomes:  CLO 2, CLO 3, CLO 4, CLO 7, CLO 8, CLO 9, EES 1, EES 2

Presentation(s) (10%)

Validates Outcomes:  CLO 7, CLO 8, CLO 9, EES 1, EES 2

Project(s) (10%)

Validates Outcomes:  CLO 7, CLO 8, CLO 9, EES 1, EES 6, EES 7

Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition

Students who wish to apply for Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) need to demonstrate competency at a post-secondary level in all outlined course learning outcomes. Evidence of learning achievement for PLAR candidates includes:

  • Portfolio
  • Other: Oral presentation of portfolio

Course Related Information

Please refer to the Course Section Information (CSI) / weekly schedule for specific course-related information as provided by your professor.

Program Information

College Related Information

Algonquin College’s policies have been developed to ensure the health, safety and security of all students, faculty and staff, and the proper and fair operation of the College as an academic institution and employer. Please refer to the Algonquin College Policies website for the most current policy information available at http://www.algonquincollege.com/policies/. 
 
Students are especially encouraged to be aware of the following College expectations 
 
Academic Integrity
Algonquin College is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity, and students are expected to uphold these standards as part of the learning process. Any academic work submitted by a student is expected to be their own work, unless designated otherwise and all sources must be attributed. All students should be familiar with the Algonquin College policy AA48: Academic Integrity which outlines student’s roles and responsibilities and what represents academic dishonesty. In some courses, online proctoring may be used to prevent academic dishonesty. Additional information can be found at Academic Integrity - Student Survival Guide - Subject Guides at Algonquin College (libguides.com) and via Academic Integrity Student Resources. Students with any questions about the course expectations regarding academic integrity are encouraged to speak to their professor and the College’s academic integrity team at acaio@algonquincollege.com  
 
Centre for Accessible Learning 
Students with visible and/or non-visible disabilities are encouraged to register with the Centre for Accessible Learning (CAL) in order to be eligible for appropriate learning supports and/or accommodations.  Students are strongly encouraged to make an appointment with the Centre for Accessible Learning as early as possible when starting a program. Once your needs are identified, a Letter of Accommodation (LOA) will be issued which you can share with your professors. If you are a returning student, please ensure that professors are given a copy of your LOA each semester. 
 
College Email 
Students at Algonquin College are provided with a college email account. This is the address that will be used when the College, your professors, or your fellow students communicate important information about your program or course activities. Your network credentials can be found in the?ACSIS portal and you are expected to check your Algonquin email regularly and to use it to send and receive college-related email. Support is available through the college Information Technology Service (ITS) at: https://www.algonquincollege.com/its/ 
 
Retroactive Accommodations 
Students are expected to meet evaluation and completion deadlines as stated in course outline and course section information documents. In circumstances where evaluation and/or completion deadlines are missed or student performance has been affected by a temporary or permanent disability (including mental health), interim or retroactive accommodations may be considered. In such instances, please consult your course faculty member. For other situations where deferral of evaluations may be warranted, please?consult Algonquin College?Policy?AA21: Deferred Evaluation. 
 
Student Course Feedback 
Algonquin College’s invites students to share their course experience by completing a student course feedback survey for each course they take. For further details consult Algonquin College Policy AA25: Student Course Feedback. 
 
Use of Mobile Devices in Class 
With the proliferation of small, personal mobile devices used for communications and data storage, Algonquin College believes there is a need to address their use during classes and examinations. During classes, the use of such devices unless authorized by your professor can be disruptive and disrespectful to others. During examinations, the use of such devices is generally prohibited unless authorized by your professor. Otherwise use is considered academic dishonesty in the form of cheating. For further details consult Algonquin CollegePolicy AA32: Use of Mobile Devices in Class 
 
Technology Requirements  
Students are required to have access to a computer and to the internet. There may also be additional technology-related resources required to participate in a course that are not included in the course materials fee, such as headphones, webcams, specialized software, etc. Details on these requirements can be found in the Course Section Information of the course outline for each course available on Brightspace. 
 
Transfer of Credit 
It is the student’s responsibility to retain course outlines for possible future use to support applications for transfer of credit to other educational institutions. 

Safe Harbour 
In the event of an unexpected major event (pandemic, etc.), your course may have changes that are not reflected in the Course Outline. Should this happen, the Course Section Information document will have updated information about your course.  

 

Other Information

Grade Scheme

Final Grade Mark Equivalent Numeric Value Final Grade Mark Equivalent Numeric Value
A+ 90% - 100% 4.0 A 85% - 89% 3.8
A- 80% - 84% 3.6 B+ 77% - 79% 3.3
B 73% - 76% 3.0 B- 70% - 72% 2.7
C+ 67% - 69% 2.3 C 63% - 66% 2.0
C- 60% - 62% 1.7 D+ 57% - 59% 1.4
D 53% - 56% 1.2 D- 50% - 52% 1.0
F 0% - 49% 0 FSP 0 0