Writing for Business Advanced from Coursera

This course will teach you how to apply advanced principles and strategies to produce successful business writing. It takes an immersive narrative approach so you learn how to use context to write purposeful and audience specific business texts. You will learn to deploy a range of tools and tactics so your business writing is on point, concise and appropriate, whatever the organisational culture or whomever the client or stakeholder.

By the end of this course, you will be able to write a range of business texts showing an understanding of key features including organisational structure, vocabulary and register; identify and use a range of Business English as it functions in written business contexts; evaluate information from a variety of business texts to use in your own writing.

The skills and strategies that you learn on this course are transferable and will support successful writing in any number of other professional, personal or academic contexts.

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Syllabus

Week 1

Module 1 (Lessons 1.1 through to 1.14) covers introductory material about how the course approaches business writing, the learning scenario and the learning process. You will learn about the business narrative and the company, Globe, that provides a comparable real-life context for the course. You will consider how the course approaches learning and look at the seven key questions that successful writers are able to ask and answer as part of producing texts. This module also looks at the first Output Text that you will produce as part of the course scenario, a Short Answer Response, which will involve using a structure to organise ideas as well as writing concisely and specifically.

Week 2

Module 2 (Lessons 2.1 through to 2.14) sees you complete the application process to Globe and move into an assessment centre. You will write an example of a formal letter, a Covering Letter, and a Report. You will focus in detail on two of the seven writing questions, those concerning Register and Sentence accuracy, range and variety. You will learn about degrees of formality and how to use language features to modulate register, as well as how to use a range of sentence types to best suit your writing purpose and aims.  

Week 3

In Module 3 (Lessons 3.1 through to 3.14), you leave the Globe assessment centre and start your internship at Globe. You will write a piece of reflective writing, and through this text explore the different ways vocabulary can be packaged and used to improve range, accuracy, and variety. As you start your first internship project at Globe and deal with issues in customer relationship management (CRM), you will write an adjustment letter to a client and look at grammar features that are common in different text types. You will revisit register and vocabulary and consider how frequently occurring word items can affect your communicative purpose. 

Week 4

In Module 4 (Lessons 4.1 through to 4.14), you will complete the first internship project (CRM) and write two emails as you seek to wrap this up. One email is to a group of colleagues at Globe who you do not know, while another is to a colleague that you do know. You will explore two further key writing questions, those of Purpose and Audience, and learn how your relationship with the audience affects your decisions as writers, not only in terms of how you position yourself using register and other language choices, but also in terms of how you use information from other texts. 

Week 5

In the final Module 5 (Lessons 5.1 through to 5.13), you will start and complete your second internship project and explore ways in which you are uniquely placed to improve Globe's performance. You will write a Report that highlights your innovative and strategic business thinking and focus on the creative visual aspects of a text. Your final Output Text will be a Press Release. In this, you will bring together the skills that you have learned during the course to showcase and test out your ability to independently ask and answer the seven writing questions that you have practised during the five Modules.

Good to know

Know what's good

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, and possible dealbreakers

Suitable for business professionals looking to refine written communication skills

Focuses on practical, real-world business scenarios for maximum applicability

Offers a strong foundation for developing purposeful and audience-specific business writing

Taught by industry expert Riccardo Galgani, who brings a wealth of experience in effective business communication

Emphasizes vocabulary development, sentence structuring, and grammar accuracy in business writing

Requires some prior experience in business writing

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Writing for Business Advanced with these activities:

Review Prior Business English Skills

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Review key terms, vocabulary, and grammar in order to prepare for the course

Browse courses on Business Communication

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Review vocabulary lists related to business topics
Complete grammar exercises focusing on sentence structure and verb tenses used in business writing
Read business articles to get familiar with the tone and formatting of business writing

Analyze Business Documents for Structure and Clarity

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Study different types of business documents to understand their structure and how they achieve clarity

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Identify the key sections and components of a business proposal
Examine the use of headings, subheadings, and bullet points to enhance readability

Compose Concise and Effective Business Emails

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Practice writing clear and concise emails that are appropriate for business communication

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Write a professional email to a colleague or supervisor
Identify and correct common mistakes in email formatting and style

Three other activities

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Attend a Business Writing Workshop

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Engage with industry professionals and receive feedback on your business writing skills

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Identify and attend a workshop focused on business writing techniques
Participate in interactive exercises and discussions

Develop a Business Communication Plan

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Apply business writing principles to create a comprehensive communication plan

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Identify target audience and objectives
Develop messaging and key talking points
Create a content calendar and distribution plan
Evaluate effectiveness and make necessary adjustments

Participate in a Business Case Writing Competition

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Showcase analytical and writing skills in a competitive setting

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Identify relevant business case competitions
Form a team and develop a solution to a business case
Present the proposal and receive feedback from industry judges

Career center

Learners who complete Writing for Business Advanced will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Technical Writer

Technical Writers create instruction manuals, equipment descriptions, and training materials to explain complex technical information. They use clear and concise language to help users understand how to operate and maintain products. The Writing for Business Advanced course would be helpful for this role because it teaches students how to write effectively for different audiences and purposes. The course also covers topics such as grammar, punctuation, and style, which are essential for any writer.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Writer

Content Writer

Content Writers create written content for websites, blogs, articles, and other marketing materials. They use persuasive language to engage readers and promote products or services. The Writing for Business Advanced course would be helpful for this role because it teaches students how to write effectively for different audiences and purposes. The course also covers topics such as search engine optimization (SEO), which is essential for any content writer.

See salaries and explore the career path for Content Writer

Copywriter

Copywriters create marketing materials such as advertisements, brochures, and website copy. They use persuasive language to promote products or services. The Writing for Business Advanced course would be helpful for this role because it teaches students how to write effectively for different audiences and purposes. The course also covers topics such as branding and messaging, which are essential for any copywriter.

See salaries and explore the career path for Copywriter

Editor

Editors review, edit, and revise written content. They ensure that content is accurate, clear, and concise. The Writing for Business Advanced course would be helpful for this role because it teaches students how to write effectively for different audiences and purposes. The course also covers topics such as grammar, punctuation, and style, which are essential for any editor.

See salaries and explore the career path for Editor

Public Relations Specialist

Public Relations Specialists manage the public image of companies and organizations. They write press releases, speeches, and other materials to promote their clients in a positive light. The Writing for Business Advanced course would be helpful for this role because it teaches students how to write effectively for different audiences and purposes. The course also covers topics such as media relations and crisis communication, which are essential for any public relations specialist.

See salaries and explore the career path for Public Relations Specialist

Marketing Manager

Marketing Managers develop and implement marketing campaigns to promote products or services. They use a variety of marketing tools, such as advertising, public relations, and social media. The Writing for Business Advanced course would be helpful for this role because it teaches students how to write effectively for different audiences and purposes. The course also covers topics such as marketing strategy and branding, which are essential for any marketing manager.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager

Sales Manager

Sales Managers lead and motivate sales teams to achieve sales goals. They develop sales strategies and monitor sales performance. The Writing for Business Advanced course would be helpful for this role because it teaches students how to write effectively for different audiences and purposes. The course also covers topics such as negotiation and persuasion, which are essential for any sales manager.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sales Manager

Business Analyst

Business Analysts analyze business processes and systems to identify areas for improvement. They use their findings to develop recommendations for change. The Writing for Business Advanced course would be helpful for this role because it teaches students how to write effectively for different audiences and purposes. The course also covers topics such as data analysis and problem-solving, which are essential for any business analyst.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Project Manager

Project Managers plan and execute projects to achieve specific goals. They manage budgets, timelines, and resources. The Writing for Business Advanced course may be helpful for this role because it teaches students how to write effectively for different audiences and purposes. The course also covers topics such as project management and communication, which may be beneficial for project managers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Human Resources Manager

Human Resources Managers oversee the human resources function of an organization. They are responsible for recruiting, hiring, training, and developing employees. The Writing for Business Advanced course may be helpful for this role because it teaches students how to write effectively for different audiences and purposes. The course also covers topics such as employee relations and labor law, which may be beneficial for human resources managers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Human Resources Manager

Financial Analyst

Financial Analysts evaluate financial data to make investment recommendations. They use their findings to help investors make informed decisions. The Writing for Business Advanced course may be helpful for this role because it teaches students how to write effectively for different audiences and purposes. The course also covers topics such as financial analysis and modeling, which may be beneficial for financial analysts.

See salaries and explore the career path for Financial Analyst

Management Consultant

Management Consultants help organizations improve their performance. They analyze business processes and systems to identify areas for improvement. The Writing for Business Advanced course may be helpful for this role because it teaches students how to write effectively for different audiences and purposes. The course also covers topics such as problem-solving and decision-making, which may be beneficial for management consultants.

See salaries and explore the career path for Management Consultant

Lawyer

Lawyers advise clients on legal matters and represent them in court. They must be able to write clearly and persuasively to win cases. The Writing for Business Advanced course may be helpful for this role because it teaches students how to write effectively for different audiences and purposes. The course also covers topics such as legal research and analysis, which may be beneficial for lawyers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Lawyer

Doctor

Doctors diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries. They must be able to write clearly and concisely to communicate with patients and other healthcare professionals. The Writing for Business Advanced course may be helpful for this role because it teaches students how to write effectively for different audiences and purposes. The course also covers topics such as medical terminology and ethics, which may be beneficial for doctors.

See salaries and explore the career path for Doctor

Teacher

Teachers educate students in a variety of subjects. They must be able to write clearly and engagingly to create lesson plans and other materials. The Writing for Business Advanced course may be helpful for this role because it teaches students how to write effectively for different audiences and purposes. The course also covers topics such as educational theory and practice, which may be beneficial for teachers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Teacher