Mass Media Communication - Calvary University

Calvary University

Faculty of Communication

English for Careers
Business, Professional, and Technical

9th Edition

Leila R. Smith, Emeritus, Los Angeles Harbor College
0-13-118386-9
Paperback
448 pages
2006

Brief Description

For courses in Business English, Business Communication, or English.

Designed to keep pace with changing student populations, current workplace needs, and the emerging 21st century culture, this text offers a lively, accessible, and user-friendly alternative for the many students (including those with poor English skills) who dread the thought of barebones traditional grammar and communication instruction and its overkill of rules. Personalized by warmth, light humor, and inspiration, it focuses on the “real-world” English skills needed to get a good job, hold the job, and advance in a career–i.e., how to write and speak Standard English for careers and to avoid noticeable errors. It features a reading level that assures readability for nearly any student, and uses unique presentation techniques (e.g., Read-Recap-Replay segments and adult-level “on-the-job” information embedded in skill exercises) that make principles easier to learn and remember than in similar texts.

Features

Companion Website with more practice and online grading.
Provides Distance Learning support for non-traditional coursework.

A focus on real-world English skills that contribute to good workplace communication–Emphasizes principles that reflect the oral and written communication of today's Standard English, as used by well-informed people.
Shows students that good workplace language skills may deviate in some ways from good literary language skills, but that they are also based on a standard set of principles.

A friendly, conversational style, with light humor.
Makes sure that students are drawn into the text rather than being intimidated or overwhelmed by it.

Proofreading for Careers assignments–Letters, memos, or reports with errors dealing with a chapter's topic, those of preceding chapters, and just plain typos. The proofreading exercises are also included on the accompanying CD so that they can be corrected onscreen.
Gives students hands-on practice in applying newly learned skills and reinforces skills learned earlier.

Segment on Banishing Bias from Business English –Deals with using inclusive language instead of language that stereotypes people or occupations.
Keeps students aware of the diversity around them.

Attractive chapter titles and other humorous features–Amuse and arouse curiosity.
Contributes to learning by making the class work fun.

A unique Read-Recap-Replay learning system–In each chapter, students read a small amount, practice it in a Recap or Replay, receive immediate feedback by checking answers in back of book, and then move on to another set of Read-Recap-Replay segments.
Frequent hands-on interaction with the text improves students' concentration, retention, and carryover to on-the-job applications. Recaps simplify the instructors' job by providing questions and discussion they might otherwise have to devise

Workplace ethics, etiquette, human relation, technology, and the global marketplace–All subjects that are still essential for students are included and updated within sample sentences, practice exercises, memo and letter contents and formats, proofreading exercises, and the like.
Students absorb a wide range of the latest information and vocabulary and acquire desirable workplace attitudes while improving their English skills.

Special highlight boxes–e.g., Word to the Wise; Word Power; Writing for Your Career; Memo from the Wordsmith; Jargon for the Workplace; The Global Marketplace.
Reinforces critical issues

Accompanying CD–Included with student text as well as with the Annotated Instructor's Edition. Contains additional practice for each chapter.
Gives students immediate reinforcement with a multimedia study guide.

New To This Edition

NEW–Famous quotations—Each chapter begins with a famous person’s quote relevant to the chapter material.
Promotes class discussion possibilities and ideas for writing assignments.

NEW–Chapter reorganization—Vocabulary improvement is before grammar rules, parts of speech, etc.
Begins with what would probably interest students most, providing a good experience on which to build.

NEW—Updated “International Workplace” boxes—At the end of each chapter.
Promotes discussions from foreign students and prepares students for a global workplace.

NEW–Dictionary recommendation—Microsoft Encarta College Dictionary.
Recommends students use “The First Dictionary for the Internet Age.”

NEW—Version for Chinese-speaking students.
Includes explanations in Chinese for business English instruction.

All chapters begin with “Learning Goals” and conclude with “Chapter Wrap-Up, ” “Questions for Review, ” “Questions for Critical Thinking, ” and “Keeping Up to Date.”
Dear Student.
1. Word Power: Enlarge Your Business Vocabulary
2. Weather or Knot Choose the Right Words (Homonyms, Prepositions, Pronunciation).
3. Ain't Is in the Dictionary Learn Dictionary Smarts (Dictionary Use in the 21st Century).
4. Grammar for Grownups. Identify the Tools of the Trade (Parts of Speech).
5. Apples, Tigers and Swahili. Tell Who, Whom, or What with Nouns
(Plural, Compound, Proper, and Inclusive Nouns).
6. Be Kind to Substitutes. Pronouns Substitute for Nouns.
7. Looking for the Action? Then Find the Verbs!
8. Words That Describe Describe with Adjectives and Adverbs.
9. The Taming of the Apostrophe Avoid the Apostrophe Catastrophe.
10. Secret Life of a Sentence Revealed
(Fragments, Run-Ons, Comma Splices, Correct Sentences).
11. The Pause That Refreshes ,.?!.
12. Punctuation Potpourri Use ! . ? , as well as (; : “ - -- ‘)
13. Getting Your Act Together. Write and Speak Clearly, Correctly, Logically, and Concisely.
14. Take Your Show on the Road. Use Today’s Vocabulary, “Grammar for Grownups,” Formatting, and Presentation Techniques.
Appendix A. Pop Quizzes.
Appendix B. Spelling for Careers.
Appendix C. Final Rehearsal.
Appendix D. Mini Reference Manual—Read and Replay.
Appendix E. Recap and Replay Answers.
Index.

Companion Website:

http://www.prenhall.com/smith

Preface

Dear Student

Despite learning the advanced technology of your chosen field, you may not get the job you want if your communication ability is inadequate. Someone who does get the job may lose it when it's discovered that the employee can't spell or write a clear, correct sentence. Others may keep their jobs but be stuck at a dead end, unable to advance to meaningful careers because of poor or mediocre oral or written communication.

THE EMPEROR'S GRAMMAR
In the year 1414, Sigismund, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, said (in Latin) to an important church official who had objected to His Majesty's grammar: "Ego sum rex Romanus et supra grammaticam." (I am the Roman king and am above grammar.) If you are a Roman king, don't bother to read on. For the rest of us, the language we use, both spoken and written, significantly affects our ability to earn a good living, advance in a career, and even enjoy good social contacts.

THE FRESH START
Most of us enjoy the feeling of making a fresh start when we begin a new course. The new textbook, perhaps a new CD-ROM and a new notebook, fresh pencils, and a ballpoint that writes as though it will never run out—these all contribute to the enthusiasm and the resolve to do well. You can turn this fresh start into a successful experience that you enjoy and that will help your career.

THE LANGUAGE OF CAREERS
What kind of language does a business, professional, or technical career require? "Career English" is not a special or separate language. It is the language of network television newscasters and is often called Standard English. It includes the English principles you already know, those you learned in the past and forgot, and those you wish you had learned.

DIFFERENT STROKES FOR DIFFERENT FOLKS
We all use several language styles to help communicate successfully with different people in various situations.

Imagine talking with a group of adults at a party; now picture yourself warning a young child away from a hot stove. Think about how your communication style would differ. Perhaps you use slang or possibly a regional or ethnic dialect in everyday conversation with certain friends and family. You might use a different communication style with other friends or acquaintances. We all vary our communication style with the circumstances. Standard English is the name of the style essential for success in business, professional, and technical careers as well as in many personal relationships. With a good command of English for Careers, you can communicate confidently and correctly for your career and with business and professional colleagues.

THE SYSTEM
You learn only the Standard English usage principles needed by adults to communicate successfully and confidently in the workplace.

I've left out or simplified the grammar terms and rules. You'll focus only on principles needed for oral and written communication of today's Standard English, as used by well-informed people. Most adults need instruction in Standard English for careers to be sure of being right. The information you need is presented in an interesting and amusing way that makes learning efficient. ENGLISH FOR CAREERS IS DIFFERENT
This book is different. You don't browse through it. You don't read it like other books. What you DO is learn your way through it!

CHAPTER ORGANIZATION

STARTING PAGES
Each of the 14 chapters has starting pages that include a painting of people at work in a particular field, objectives, and an introduction to that chapter's topics. These pages also tell you exactly what skills and knowledge you should expect to acquire by the time you complete the chapter.

READ, RECAP, REPLAY
Next come unique learning steps called Read, Recap, and Replay. When you Read, you get information in small portions. These short learning units are more efficient than longer ones, and you enjoy a feeling of accomplishment as you complete each portion. Then you apply what you just read by doing a Recap. After another short "portion" or two, often followed by short Recaps, you verify that you've learned by answering the Replay questions.

CHECK ANSWERS
As soon as you complete a Recap or a Replay, check your answers in Appendix E, beginning on page 364. I suggest you write your answers with a pen; then use a different color pen to show corrections. When you're ready to review, you can easily tell which ones, if any, you originally had wrong. If you have some wrong answers, reread that portion of the text and, when necessary, ask your instructor.

CLOSING PAGES
After several Reads, Recaps, and Replays, each chapter concludes with the Checkpoint (which usually summarizes the chapter), Special Assignment, Proofreading for Careers, and a Practice Quiz, which ends the chapter.

Studying the Checkpoint and taking the Practice quiz are minimum essentials for the closing pages of each chapter. Depending on time and students' needs, your instructor might also assign the Proofreading, one or more Special Assignments, and/or other chapter-related practice and enrichment on CD-ROM, online, or on paper.

THE STEPS WORK
The recommended learning steps result in student success; skipping steps results in lower achievement. So please play the game according to the rules: Read before you Recap and before you Replay. Check your answers carefully, and ask about anything not clear to you.

Most students are enthusiastic about this way of learning. However, because doing the Replays is interesting and challenging, some students are tempted to. pretest their English knowledge by responding to the questions without reading the explanations and studying the examples. Please resist such shortcuts. By following the recommended steps, you learn more, do better on tests, and end up saving time.

Because of interacting with the textbook so often, you immediately apply what you learn, enabling you to understand it better and remember it. Immediate feedback (with answers in back of the book) is satisfying and encourages you to continue with enthusiasm.

WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU?

A PROVEN METHOD THAT WORKS
What's in English for Careers for you? After successfully completing this textbook, you will enjoy confidence in the correctness and effectiveness of your speech and writing. Good communication skills, more than any other single factor, determine who gets the good job, who keeps it, and who gets the promotion.

SIDE-BY-SIDE LEARNING
While learning English for Careers, you also learn more about today's workplace, and you increase or develop a success-oriented attitude. Side-by-side learning happens because many of the sentences illustrating English points deal with business practices, workplace cultural diversity, successful behavior for today's international marketplace, workplace etiquette, and helpful attitudes for self-development.

RESPECT OF CO-WORKERS
You'll find that co-workers and even supervisors will come to you for business English help. They will soon sense that you are the company expert in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and communication style.

FUN AND GAMES
Athough learning can't be all fun and games, people don't learn very much unless they enjoy the experience at least some of the time. You'll find bits of humor hidden in the various exercises; smiling helps us feel better and puts our minds in a learning mode. Enjoy English for Careers. With a positive attitude, you'll have some fun along the way. Give it a chance; you'll find your command of English will be a lifelong asset to your career (and personal life too)!