Academic & Business Skills Course (ABSK 901)

(Summer 2016)

Instructor’s Name: Mohamed Taha

Email: mohamed.taha@guc.edu.eg
Office location: B5 221
Office hours: by appointment via email

I. Prerequisites:

Satisfying the GUC’s required score on the Graduate Management Admission Exam

II. Course Description:

ABSK 901 is the first component of two 24 hour courses (of 1 credit each) which enhances the
graduate student’s critical thinking and scientific methodology skills with a business orientation. The
skills emphasized encompass analyzing information, with specific attention given specially to scientific
thinking skills — problem solving, observation, analysis, making inferences, interpretation, and
argumentation in reading, oral and written expression; in addition to designing a questionnaire and
producing a report based on a problem. Business reading and writing tools are also introduced through
training our graduate students to look at topics from various points of view leading to a more advanced
way of organizing ideas and writing about them in a structured, coherent way. The Graduate students
are also equipped with the skills needed for career presentations. The course fosters team work spirit
in problem solving while trying to teach the graduate students to become effective team leaders and
active team members during group discussions.

III. Objectives:

Upon completion of the semester 1, graduate students will be able to:

1. Apply the steps of scientific method to solve a problem.
2. handle different question types
3. Take an active role in a group formed to solve a business problem:
3. a. effectively use the steps for active problem solving
3. b. effectively use the steps for being an active group leader
3. c. effectively use the steps for being a responsible group member
3. d. avoid miscommunication
3. e. clarify their intentions
3. f. use interpersonal communication styles
3. g. use direct and indirect communication styles
3. h. understand nonverbal communication
3. i. understand cultural differences in communication
4. Identify parts of report writing based on a problem and give a hypothesis.
5. Produce a business report based on a problem and provide a hypothesis
6. Distinguish among different types of questions in questionnaire writing.
7. Produce a questionnaire based on a problem and test the validity of the given hypothesis
8. Analyze information gathered through a questionnaire to confirm or reject the hypothesis.
9. Understand the difference between the meaning, form and use of different grammatical
forms: (verb, parallelism, false comparison, common mistakes, agreement, word choice,
wordiness, fragment, run-on, comma splice, voice)
10. Use grammar in understanding business texts
11. Analyze an issue presented in a graph, an image or a table, extract information and interpret
it both written and verbally
12.Deliver short presentations about a business issue or about a business argument:
12. a. face audience (minimize nervousness)
12. b. recognize types of speaking: speaking to inform
12. c. recognize types of speaking: speaking to persuade
12. d. use informative strategies in speaking
12. e. use persuasive strategies in speaking
12. f. analyze the audience

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 Academic & Business Skills Course (ABSK 901)
12. g. select a topic
12. h. define the purpose
12. i. find information relevant to the topic
12. j. support their ideas
12. k. use visual aids effectively
12. l. organize their speech into an introduction, a body, and a conclusion
12. m. outline their speech
12. n. use effective and appropriate body language
12. o. use effective and appropriate stress, intonation, voice level, and pacing
12. p. use effective and appropriate style
12. q. demonstrate appropriate time management skills
13. Speak grammatically

IV. Learning Outcomes:

I. Given a problem, graduate students will be able to present a solution in a written form
using the 5 steps of scientific method with an accuracy level of 90%.
II. Given a business problem, graduate students will be able to
a. distinguish between different types of questions
b. evaluate information sufficiency
c. distinguish between the need for searching for information and research
with an accuracy level of 95%
III. Given a business problem for group discussion, given a role in a team, and given
20 minutes, the graduate students will be able to:
a. effectively use the steps for active problem solving
b. effectively use the steps for being an active group leader
c. effectively use the steps for being a responsible group member
d. avoid miscommunication
e. clarify their intentions
f. use interpersonal communication styles
g. use direct and indirect communication styles
h. demonstrate awareness of nonverbal gestures
i. demonstrate awareness of cultural differences with an accuracy level of 90%
IV. Given a business problem, graduate students will be able to produce a
questionnaire to gather data with an accuracy level of 90%
V. Given a business problem, graduate students will be able to provide a
hypothesis to produce a professional business report based on a graduate student designed
questionnaire, with an accuracy level of 80%.
VI. Given a graph, a figure or a table, graduate students will be able to
a. extract information with an accuracy level of a 100%
b. interpret information in a written format with an accuracy level of 80%
c. interpret information with an accuracy level of 75%

VII. Given a 10 minute presentation or a 10 minute excerpt from a longer

presentation, graduate students will be able to:
a. recognize the type of speaking
b. analyze its structure
c. evaluate the appropriateness of the presentation for the intended audience
d. evaluate the scope of the topic
e. evaluate the clarity of the purpose
f. evaluate the appropriateness of the presented information to the selected topic
g. evaluate the adequacy of the support used
h. evaluate the use of visuals
i. evaluate the use of body language
j. evaluate the use of stress, intonation, voice level, and pacing
k. evaluate time management efficiency
with an accuracy level of 100 %.

VIII. Given a career related issue or an argument, graduate students will be able to
prepare a 15 minute presentation by:
a. narrowing down the topic
b. identifying the intended audience
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 Academic & Business Skills Course (ABSK 901)
c. defining the purpose
d. using the appropriate speaking strategies to inform
e. using the appropriate speaking strategies to persuade
f. finding an adequate amount of information
g. using adequate support
h. organizing the speech (introduction, body, conclusion)
i. outlining the speech
j. choosing appropriate visuals
k. designing effective visuals
l. choosing the appropriate style
m. budgeting time effectively with an accuracy level of 95%
IX. Given an academic or a career related topic, graduate students will be able to
deliver a 15 minute presentation by:
a. facing the audience with no apparent nervousness
b. presenting the information effectively
c. presenting the support effectively
d. presenting the visuals skillfully
e. using appropriate stress, tone, voice level, and pacing
f. using the appropriate body language
g. speaking clearly
h. maintaining the audience interest
i. demonstrating time management efficiency
with an accuracy level of 90 %

V. Evaluation

1. Group written assignment on problem solving (5%)                

2. Problem solving group discussion (10%)
3. Questionnaire  (10%)                                                                           
4. Report (20%)   
5. Criticize a presentation (5 %)                                                                                 
6. Written commentary on a graph/ figure/ table (5%)
7. Oral presentation of the graph interpretation (5%)
8. Final individual presentation (40%)

VI. Reference

Burnett, R. E. (2001). Technical Communication, 5th edition. Thomson Heinle: USA.

Dale, P. & Wolf, J. (2000). Speech communication made simple: A multicultural perspective. Longman:
NY, USA.

Fave-Verde, A., Manning, A., Nukui, C. & Book, J. (2007). University Foundation Study: Problem
Solving Course Book. Garnet Publishing Ltd: UK.

Gregory, H. (2005). Public speaking for college and career with speech mate 3.0, 7th edition.
McGraw Hill, Higher Education: USA.

Paul, R.W. &Elder, L. (2002). Critical Thinking: Tools for Taking Charge of Your Professional and Personal Life. New
Jersey:Pearson Education.

Pfeiffer, W. S. (2003). Technical Writing: A Practical Approach, 5 th edition. Pearson Education: USA.

Sayce, K.(2006). What Not to Write: A Guide to the Dos and Don’ts of Good English. Words at Work:
London.

Sweeney, S. ( 2003). English for Business Communication: Student’s Book, 2 nd edition. Cambridge University Press: U.K.

Van Aken, D. C. & Hosford, W. F. (2008). Reporting Results: A Practical Guide for Engineers and
Scientists. Cambridge University Press: U.K.

Wilson, G. L. & Hanna, M. S. (1990). Groups in Context: Leadership and Participation in Small
Groups,2nd edition. McGraw-Hill: USA.

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 Academic & Business Skills Course (ABSK 901)
Date Materials Used Content Assignment
Session

outcomeLearning
1 supplementary material (ppt. I The 5 steps of the In tutorial
Sat 28 May +articles for exercises) scientific Method in group written
University Foundation study Problem solving problem
:Problem Solving (p.11-13,23- solving
24,26-29)
2 Groups In Context: II & - Question types Assign group
 Why study group III - Data sufficiency problem
Communication (p. 5-6). - Search research solving
 Securing Information (p.39- - The role of a discussion
46) team member &
 Understanding verbal and that of a team
non-verbal communication (p.79- leader in a
112) group
 Leadership and Leaders discussion
(p.169-170)
 Characteristics of the
effective leader (p. 182-192)
 Effective Participation p.206-
218)
 Creating an effective
communication climate (p.237-
244)
Speech communication made
simple: A multicultural perspective:
Diagram of steps for problem
solving.
3 III Students deliver group Present group
problem solving problem
discussion solving
discussion
4 Reporting Results: Ch. 2 IV Students are Questionnair
Sat 4 June Technical Writing: ch.9 &V introduced to e in tutorial in
supplementary material (How to questionnaire writing & groups
write a survey) report writing
Sentence structure principles
 What not to Write (book) as Students write a
a reference questionnaire in groups
 Technical Communication: in the tutorial
UH2- UH 34
5 IV Feedback on Assign
. &V questionnaires and individual
more on report writing report
principles
6 -- When incompetence is tatamount IX The criteria for a
to fraud (article p.44) business informative/
-- Language checklist (The persuasive
introduction to a presentation – presentation
p.50) + (The end of a
presentation p.78)
 Technical Communication:
pp. 659-689

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 Academic & Business Skills Course (ABSK 901)
MBA Midterm Exams
7 Sat 11 June VII Individually evaluate a Present
presentation in tutorial individual
report
8 English for Business VIII Extracting information Assign
Communication: (p.58). from a graph/ a individual
+ Supplementary material from figure / statistics written
various websites commentary
Orally interpret the based on a
graphs in groups graph
Assign mini
individual
presentation
9 V Feedback on report Submit
VIII individual
& - Mini Individual written
IX Presentation commentary
10 VIII - Mini Individual
Sat 18 June & Presentation
IX -
- Feedback regarding
individual
commentary
11 VIII - Final individual
& presentations
IX
12 VIII - Final individual
& presentations
IX (Continued)

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