The goal of this course is to give students experience writing for and about business and non-profit organizations and grounding in business, economic, and financial market concepts needed to complete work. Classes will include discussion, in-class writing, and presentations by outside professionals. Assignments include group and individual projects and reading.
Final: Portfolio. (Please note: Syllabus may be adjusted based on class needs.)
We will cover business writing from the following categories--
-Individual To a Company/Organization: Job letter, resumé.
-Independent, Semi-independent, or Critical, for Public:
• Financial/economic/business news by major dailies and news services.
• Review of business or economic books
• [Trade publications and insider newsletters.
• Think-tank reports. (Tend to reflect institutional purpose or political philosophy—and increasingly corporate sponsors.)
• Books and long-form narrative journalism about business or economics.]
For the Public from Company/Organization:
• Media kit and press release on company.
• Analyst’s report
Pitch Writing (Business-to-Business, Entrepreneur-to-Investor or Organization-to-Funder):
• Business plan, pitch to investors-Must make a compelling case for company/product, capture personal qualities and business skills of the team, and demonstrate viability.
• Non-profit Letter of Inquiry or pitch to funders-Blends narrative and data to convey public benefits of project and close fit with the funder’s criteria.
Please buy the following:
-The Elements of Style by William Strunk & E.B. White
-The Great Crash of 1929 by John Kenneth Galbraith
Also very useful: Harvard Business Review Guide to Better Business Writing
-Subscribe to WSJ student digital package online. (15 weeks for $15/Year for $49)
-Sign up for free Washington Post student digital subscription
-Sign up for or renew (if you haven’t already) your free NYTimes subscription. nytimes.com/passes
Please bookmark following useful links:
-Bloomberg (news, data), http://www.bloomberg.com/
-Securities and Exchange Commission, www.sec.gov
Especially handy for definitions:
https://www.sec.gov/fast-answers
-Harvard Business Review (https://hbr.org/)
-Investopedia (www.investopedia.com)
Final: Portfolio. (Please note: Syllabus may be adjusted based on class needs.)
We will cover business writing from the following categories--
-Individual To a Company/Organization: Job letter, resumé.
-Independent, Semi-independent, or Critical, for Public:
• Financial/economic/business news by major dailies and news services.
• Review of business or economic books
• [Trade publications and insider newsletters.
• Think-tank reports. (Tend to reflect institutional purpose or political philosophy—and increasingly corporate sponsors.)
• Books and long-form narrative journalism about business or economics.]
For the Public from Company/Organization:
• Media kit and press release on company.
• Analyst’s report
Pitch Writing (Business-to-Business, Entrepreneur-to-Investor or Organization-to-Funder):
• Business plan, pitch to investors-Must make a compelling case for company/product, capture personal qualities and business skills of the team, and demonstrate viability.
• Non-profit Letter of Inquiry or pitch to funders-Blends narrative and data to convey public benefits of project and close fit with the funder’s criteria.
Please buy the following:
-The Elements of Style by William Strunk & E.B. White
-The Great Crash of 1929 by John Kenneth Galbraith
Also very useful: Harvard Business Review Guide to Better Business Writing
-Subscribe to WSJ student digital package online. (15 weeks for $15/Year for $49)
-Sign up for free Washington Post student digital subscription
-Sign up for or renew (if you haven’t already) your free NYTimes subscription. nytimes.com/passes
Please bookmark following useful links:
-Bloomberg (news, data), http://www.bloomberg.com/
-Securities and Exchange Commission, www.sec.gov
Especially handy for definitions:
https://www.sec.gov/fast-answers
-Harvard Business Review (https://hbr.org/)
-Investopedia (www.investopedia.com)
- Teacher: Julia Lichtblau