Instructor and Student Perceptions of What is Learned by Writing the Business Report

Abstract

In many business communication courses students must write a business report. This study compared what business communication instructors believe their stu dents learn and what writing skills they improve by completing the assignment with what students believe they learn and what writing skills they believe are improved. Data were gathered from members of the Association for Business Communica tion and from students who have completed a business report. Instructors see greater improvement in student writing skills than do students. To close this gap, faculty should offer more explicit explanations of the assignment and of the con cepts to be learned and the skills to be improved. They should also explain the cri teria for evaluation and help students assess their writing skills and set personal goals for improvement. Questionnaires are provided so instructors can compare their own perceptions with those of their students as well as with the instructors and students from this study.