Course Outline Assignment

Course Analysis
Course Name: ELA 238: Basics of Letter Writing
Course Length: 9 weeks
Course Type: Blended / Hybrid (3 Face-to-Face Sessions, which are optional)
Average Student:
Lower level part or full time, undergraduate student. Placement or ACT score
was below par, therefore placed in this class. Basic writing/grammar
knowledge. Not required, but preferred, Microsoft Word basic skills
knowledge.
Content Analysis:

Students should be familiar with basic grammar rules (comma usage,

capitalization, punctuation, and parts of speech). These skills are prerequisites from high school level English courses and ELA 237: Intro to
English Grammar.
Students should be able to use, and are familiar with basic writing skills
(types of sentences, sentence structure, etc). Pre-requisites from high
school level courses and ELA 237.
Students should be able to use, and are familiar the basics of Microsoft
Word (Assumed)

General Goals:

Learn
Learn
Learn
Learn

about how to correctly create a letter

the correct way to address an envelope
how to format business letters and email correspondence
about the importance of proper written letter and email etiquette

Enhancing Learning:
This course will provide students with valuable information and hands on
experience in regards to letter writing and proper email formatting. Armed
with the proper knowledge on how to format a professional letter, students
can correctly and successfully communicate, not just with their fellow peers,
but with their instructors, employers, and so on. The knowledge and skills
learned in this course will help aide students in their future career paths.

Course Outline Objectives

Module 1: Course Orientation (Week 1)

Objectives:

Identify common reasons letters are written

List the benefits of letter writing
Reflect on the benefits of taking a letter writing course

Module 2: Introduction to Personal Letters (Week 2)

Objectives:

Define friendly and business letters

Explain when it is appropriate to use friendly vs. business letters
Identify the main parts of both friendly and business
Discuss the differences between the two
Write a friendly and business letter

Module 3: Review of Personal Letters (Week 3)

Objectives:

Revise a peers personal letter

Module 4: Introduction to Business Letters (Week 4)

Objectives:

Define what a business letter is

Explain the reasons for business letters
Describe the different parts of a business letter
List the content of a business letter

Module 5: Business Letters Continued (Week 5)

Objectives:

Recognize that there are differences between the content of a personal letter
and a business letter
Discuss the main differences and similarities between a personal and
business letter.
Write a business letter expressing a request (to a higher up at work)

Module 6: Review of Business Letters (Week 6)

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Objectives:

Revise a peers business letter.

Module 7: Introduction to Email Communication (Week 7)

Objectives:

Discuss the importance of e-mail etiquette and professionalism

Reflect on the connections between the two
Review best practices for e-mail etiquette and professionalism
Construct a professional e-mail to a teacher
Write a personal and business tone email.

Module 8: Review of Email Communication (Week 8)

Objectives:

Revise a peers email communication

Module 9: Final Exam and Submissions (Week 9)

Course Assessments

Discussion Board Posts (6 total): These assessments will measure

general conceptual information that can be found on the lower levels of
Blooms Taxonomy. This would include being able to recite definitions, the key
concepts, and other important foundational information.
Personal Letter: This would allow students to demonstrate their ability to
use information that they have learned to successfully develop a friendly
letter, all while using the proper format.
Business Letter: Students will develop a business letter using the proper
format. This format is to be set up like they are talking to a higher up at work.
Emphasis on professional content.
Peer Personal Letter Review: Students are given the opportunity to
assess and revise their fellow peers friendly letters. This activity will show
they are able to correctly identify a personal letter format.
Peer Business Letter Review: Students are given the opportunity to
assess and revise their fellow peers business letters. This will show the
students that they are able to identify a business letter format, as well as the
appropriate professional content that a business letter should have.
E-mail Communication: Students will develop two email communications.
One will be geared more towards a personal tone, the second more of a
business tone. (Only one will be submitted for Peer Review.)
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E-mail Communication Review: Students are given the opportunity to

assess and revise their fellow peers email communication. This will show the
students that they are able to identify a personal or profession email
communication format.
Self-Tests (8 Total): Each self-test will allow students the opportunity to
check their understanding of the content learned in each module. There will
also be a self-test that will be used as a review for the final exam.
Feedback Surveys (3 Total): The surveys are placed randomly throughout
the course. These will allow the instructor to gather information and feedback
in regards to the course.
Final Exam/Submissions: The final exam will measure the students
knowledge of the overall content learned. The exam will consist of multiple
choice, short answer, matching and t/f statements.

Detailed Course Navigation / Outline

General Information

Syllabus
Course Schedule
Grading Policy and Evaluation
Email Response, Grading and Feedback
University Policies/University Services
Technical Support
How To Access Course Materials (Tegrity Videos)

Instructor Information

Get to Know Me
Contact Information
Office Hours

Course Orientation

Overview of Course Content

Purpose and Objectives
How to proceed

Lessons & Materials

Module 1: Course Orientation (Week 1)

Discussion Board Post Assessment/Student Interaction

4

Topic: Provide a brief introduction in order for your classmates

to get to know you. After introducing yourself, please describe a
time when you or someone you may know had to write a
personal or professional letter.
Response: After initial response, be sure to reply to two other
peers posts.
Lecture Why Do We Write Letters?
Student Reading: Why Letter Writing Still Matters

Module 2: Introduction to Personal Letters (Week 2)

Discussion Board: Assessment/Student Interaction

Topic: In your own words write down what you think personal
letters means. Please do not look up the answer. Have you ever
written a personal letter or had one written to you?
Response: Respond to two other peers posts
Video: Personal Letters
Lecture: Formats of a Personal Letter/Content of a Personal Letter
Module Self-Test: Assessment
Students have three chances to take this self-test. The highest
grade received will be the one recorded.
Personal Letter Assignment: Assessment/Assignment
Students will practice writing a personal letter; this will help with
student engagement and encouragement.
The focus will be on the format of the letter not really the
content.
Optional Face-to Face Class Meeting
Meet at McLaurin Hall Rm 205 Thursday 9:30-11

Module 3: Review of Personal Letters (Week 3)

Personal Letter Review Assignment: Assessment/Assignment

Students will be randomly assigned a partner to switch letters
with
They will review their peers letter and add any comments to the
comment section in Word.
Review must have thoughtful insight of the letter. (Comments of
encouragement and/or thoughts on wording and sentence
structure.

Feedback Survey #1: Assessment

Students will be asked to complete an optional survey. This

survey will allow for more insight from the students perspective
on any improvements that may be needed for the course.

Module 4: Introduction to Business Letters (Week 4)

Student Reading(s): Business Letters

Discussion Board: Assessment/Student Interaction
Lecture: Business Letters Formats and Content Information
Video: Why is this Important?
Business Letter Self-Test
Students have three chances to take this self-test. The highest
grade received will be the one recorded.

Module 5: Business Letter Continued (Week 5)

Lecture: Personal vs. Business Knowing the Difference

Discussion Board: Assessment/Student Interaction
Topic: Provide a minimum of three differences between personal
and business letters. What are the similarities, if any?
Response: No peer response is necessary, but is encouraged.
Business Letter Assignment: Assessment/Assignment
Students will be prompted to write a business letter. The format
of this letter will be in the form of a request. The recipient of this
letter, as well as the request matter, are solely up to the
student. This will allow for more student engagement as well as
the student being more comfortable.
The letter should be a minimum of one full page and no more
than three.
Content and formatting are strongly emphasized with this
assignment.
Optional Face-to Face Class Meeting

Meet at McLaurin Hall Rm 205 Thursday 9:30-11

Module 6: Review of Business Letters (Week 6)

Business Letter Peer Review: Assessment/Assignment

Students will be randomly assigned a partner to switch letters
with
They will review their peers letter and add any comments to the
comment section in Word.
Review must have thoughtful insight of the letter. (Comments of
encouragement and/or thoughts on wording and sentence
structure.

Feedback Survey #2: Assessment

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Students will be asked to complete an optional survey. This

survey will allow for more insight from the students perspective
on any improvements that may be needed for the course.

Module 7: Introduction to Email Communication (Week 7)

Discussion Board: Student Communication/Interaction

Topic: E-mails will either have a personal or professional
tone. The writer chooses the tone by examining the
reason for writing the e-mail. In your post provide your
classmates with a scenario. Your scenario should describe
a situation in which a personal or professional e-mail
would be written.
Response: Students should respond to one fellow peers
scenario/post. Students should reply in an e-mail format
that correlates with the given scenario that was provided
in the initial post. Determine whether the e-mail should
have a personal or professional tone to it.
Video: Email Communication Intro and Email Etiquette
Lecture: Professional Email Communication What and Why.
Student Reading(s): Best Practices for Email Communication
and 6 Rules for Writing Emails
Email Communication Assignment:
Assessment/Assignment
Email Communication Self-Test: Assessment
Students have three chances to take this self-test. The
highest grade received will be the one recorded.

Module 8: Review of Email Communication (Week 8)

Email Communication Peer Review: Assessment/Assignment

Students will be randomly assigned a partner to switch letters
with
They will review their peers letter and add any comments to the
comment section in Word.
Review must have thoughtful insight of the letter. (Comments of
encouragement and/or thoughts on wording and sentence
structure.
Optional Face-to Face Class Meeting
Meet at McLaurin Hall Rm 205 Thursday 9:30-11

Module 9: Final Exam and Submissions (Week 9)

Final Exam will be taken online with a 1 to complete it. The

test will consist of 55 questions. Includes multiple choice,
short answer, true/false statements and matching.
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Feedback Survey #3: Assessment

Students will be asked to complete an optional survey. This
survey will allow for more insight from the students perspective
on any improvements that may be needed for the course.