Welcome to the English in Business Advance course.
The purpose of this course is to help you develop your writing skills. People who write well are much more likely to have a successful career than those who cannot express themselves clearly. This may seem to be stating the obvious, but it is surprising how many otherwise competent people let themselves down with poor writing. There is no longer any reason why this should happen to you – especially when you have finished studying the Advanced Business English course.
As you know, the course has been compiled by professional writers and home-study experts; so you can rely on the advice you are given. This is then reinforced by personal guidance from your tutor. When this combination of expert advice and personal guidance is added to your own enthusiasm and perseverance, you have a very good chance indeed to improve your writing skills.
You will notice in the course that there is frequent reference to ‘business writing’. We use this phrase because it is convenient, but it does not mean that the techniques and know-how we give you apply only to business situations. The writing skills we teach you are applicable to any circumstances where you need to write clearly and concisely. So if you are not directly involved in business, interpret them as appropriate to yourself.
The same applies with many of the examples, which usually show business situations. However, it is a simple matter to adapt them to your own needs and requirements. In fact, you will find that many of the sentences and phrases have a very wide usage so that you can include them in your own writing – whatever your circumstances. Adapting and using these sentences can produce a marked improvement in your writing – even very early in your studies.
How To Proceed:
When designing the course we assumed that each student would have studied the Business English course first. This means that most of you will already have some writing ability on which we can build. So, if you feel you already have sufficient expertise with one particular type of writing then we suggest that you do not linger on this part of the course.
Instead, do some quick revision before going on to those aspects of more importance to you. However, we ask all students to complete the first three modules, and to complete all the assignments. This is necessary to finish the course and receive your Diploma.
Follow the course in sequence. The order in which the subjects are presented has been carefully planned so that one leads naturally into the other.
You will find that in Modules 2 and 3 there is some repetition of the work you did in the Business English course. We have tried to summarise what you learned there and remind you of the most important points before taking you further. We think you will find this revision valuable and there is, of course, plenty of new material for you to work on.
We have not given you a specific time-table to follow. You have no pressure of examination dates to meet, as often happens with other subjects, so you can progress at your own pace. Nevertheless, you will get the best results and the most enjoyment if you study regularly.
Set yourself a study schedule which suits your circumstances. Unfortunately we cannot be more precise than this. Our students have such varied life-styles and requirements that it is not really possible to set a study programme for everyone. So, experiment to discover what suits you. Then, do your best to stick to it.
As regards your dictionary – consult it whenever the need arises. You will find a lot of very useful information in a dictionary, so we recommend that you purchase a good one. We also recommend a good thesaurus. This can be a big help when you want exactly the right word to give you a specific shade of meaning and emphasis. Again, get the best you can afford.
A few moments ago we mentioned the word enjoyment, and we certainly want you to enjoy your time with us. Look upon your studies as an adventure in extending your knowledge and writing technique – a new field to conquer! Throw yourself into them with enthusiasm, as this is the only way to get both the maximum enjoyment and the maximum benefit from them.
We will help you all we can to achieve your aims. We are always here with help, advice and guidance; so if there is anything which you do not fully understand or which needs further explanation, just write to our Student Services Department at: Port Moresby, Five Mile road, P.O.Box 775, Boroko National Capital District. Our tempanary email; (course12@englishinbussiness.org) Tell us exactly what the problem is and we will answer it as fully as we can. Incidentally, in all correspondence with us, please remember to quote your enrolment number.
English in Business (Diploma & Advance Diploma Course ) 