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Learning Journal Unit 3

Cherry Htun

Business Administration, University of the People

BUS1105: Business Communication

Instructor: Allan Roy Mordeno

July 5, 2023
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Course Readings Reflection

This week's readings provided valuable insights into effective business writing,

highlighting key elements like ethos, logos, and pathos, and cognate strategies. The importance

of tone, emphasis, and engagement in shaping our messages was eye-opening. Concepts of

clarity, conciseness, and arrangement underscored the need for simplicity and organization in our

communication. The roles of credibility, expectation, and reference in building trust and context

in our messaging were particularly impactful. I've also learned the importance of developing

good habits, such as regular reading and targeted writing practice, for success in writing. It

highlighted the characteristics of good writing like correctness, readability, and effectiveness.

There are varying styles of written communication, including colloquial, casual, and formal

language, emphasizing the importance of audience awareness and situational suitability.

This week's readings underscored the ethical responsibilities of a writer, including

avoiding plagiarism and libel, and provided practical strategies to overcome communication

barriers, such as attention to detail, empathy, and continuous review and revision. It served as a

comprehensive guide for enhancing effective business writing skills.

Class Discussions Reflection

During our class discussion, we examined the qualities of effective business writing using

examples from real-world sources. I chose an article from Forbes, which illustrated these

qualities exceptionally. The discussion deepened my understanding of how to apply theoretical

concepts in real-world scenarios. Analyzing the submissions of my peers was also insightful. It

allowed me to observe the various ways these qualities are exhibited in different business
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articles. The posts ranged from an analysis of Apple's business valuation to the art of persuasive

business writing and potential business ideas for 2023.

Overall, this class discussion not only solidified my grasp of effective business writing

but also fostered a learning environment that encouraged critical analysis and peer learning. It

reiterated the importance of clear, concise, and reader-centered writing in a business context.

Course Objectives Reflection

Reflecting on the course objectives, I've developed a nuanced understanding of effective

communication, distinguishing between oral and written forms. Critiquing samples of business

writing has sharpened my analytical skills. Exploring rhetorical elements and writing styles

enhanced my ability to craft persuasive messages. I've tackled common barriers to written

communication and learned the significance of being ethically responsible and prepared as a

business communicator. These insights have significantly enriched my communicative

competence in the business context.

Barriers to Communication and Rectifying the situation

The two barriers to communication I will discuss are clichés and jargon. These barriers

can prevent clear and effective communication, which can lead to misunderstandings and

inefficiencies.

Clichés refer to phrases or words that were initially creative but have lost their impact

due to overuse. They might lead to ambiguous communication, as readers and listeners often

gloss over them, missing the intended message (McLean, 2010). For example, As a private tutor,

I once wrote feedback to a student stating, "Practice makes perfect," in an attempt to encourage
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her to dedicate more time to studying. However, the student did not appear motivated. Reflecting

on it, the use of the cliché might have been seen as unoriginal and lacked a personal touch, thus

undermining the intended encouraging message.

Jargon is another language barrier, referring to the profession-specific language used by

people within a certain field (McLean, 2010). While tutoring, I often used education-related

jargon, presuming the student would understand these concepts. For instance, while explaining a

mathematical problem to my student by powerpoint presentation, I wrote in my slides and said

"Let's isolate the variable and solve the equation," but I noticed a puzzled look on the student's

face. My assumption about her understanding of these terms led to confusion rather than clarity.

In order to rectify these issues, I could have chosen more original and personal words

over clichés to provide feedback. Instead of saying "Practice makes perfect," I could have given

specific advice, such as, "Regular and consistent study sessions can help you grasp this material

better."

Regarding the use of jargon, it would have been more effective if I had first assessed the

student's familiarity with the terminology before using it. In case of uncertainty, explaining

complex terms in simpler language would have been beneficial. Instead of writing and saying

"isolate the variable," I could have said, "let's find the value of the unknown number in the

equation."

In conclusion, it's crucial to ensure clarity in our communication by avoiding overused

phrases and industry-specific terminology unless we are certain the audience understands them

(McLean, 2010). Through mindful communication, we can significantly improve the

effectiveness of our messages.

Unfamiliar Words

1) Rhetorical Elements: Key components of rhetoric, comprising logos (logic), ethos

(credibility), and pathos (emotion) introduced by Aristotle (McLean, 2010).

2) Cognate Strategies: Methods developed by Kostelnick and Rogers to foster

understanding in communication (McLean, 2010).

3) Colloquial: An informal, conversational style of writing utilizing slang and

regional expressions, suitable for certain contexts (McLean, 2010).

4) Libel: Written defamation, the publishing of false, reputation-damaging

statements. Libel severity varies based on the victim's public or private status

(McLean, 2010).
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Reference

McLean, S. (2010). Business Communication for Success. The Saylor Foundation.