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Channing L. Bete Communication Center

 

The Channing L. Bete Business Communication Center, located in SOM 208, offers writing and speaking support to all Isenberg undergraduate and MBA students. You can visit the Communication Center individually or as part of a small work team to arrange edits on papers and obtain feedback on writing and speaking assignments for any class on campus or for materials related to the job search, graduate school applications, and scholarships.

 

The Communication Center's mission is to support Isenberg students in their efforts to become effective business writers and speakers.

 

We provide support in all phases of the writing process including: 

  • Brainstorming and research
  • Audience analysis and organization
  • Argument development
  • Editing and revising
  • Sentence-level grammar, syntax and style issues

 

We also provide support in the following elements of public speaking:

 

  • Delivery
  • Strategy and presentation of content
  • Development, organization and transition
  • Audience analysis and professionalism
  • Visual displays and use of PowerPoint


Isenberg students: Our goal is to help you overcome business communication challenges by diagnosing weaknesses and proposing strategies for overcoming them. We can help you improve your writing by teaching you how to revise effectively and providing tools you can use to edit and proofread your work. We assist in improving your oral communication by teaching you strategies that enhance your skills as an effective business communicator.

 

Communication Center Q&As

The following are some frequently asked questions about the Center:

 

 

 

 

Where is the Communication Center?
The Communication Center is located inside the Business Communication Program suite (SOM 208).  The Public Speaking component of the Communication Center is located in G12.

 

Who can use the Communication Center?
The Communication Center is for all Isenberg students who want assistance with writing and speaking assignments in Isenberg and other UMass courses. Consultants offer help with the writing and editing process as well as give feedback or advice on business presentations and PowerPoint development.

 

The Communication Center also has a number of handouts, writing guides and other resource materials to help faculty plan writing and speaking assignments and to help other students meet the obligations of their writing and speaking assignments.

 

Who works in the Communication Center?

The Communications Center is staffed by a faculty member from the Business Communication Program and by a graduate assistant.

 

When is the Communication Center open? 
The Communication Center is open Monday through Thursday. Check out our hours.

 

Do I need to make an appointment?
No, the Communication Center operates on a first-come, first-served basis.

 

How long do walk-in sessions last?
Usually about 20 minutes. If more assistance is necessary, you may return for a follow-up session.

 

What do I need to bring?
Bring your draft and a copy of the assignment and any handouts containing your instructor's guidelines.

 

What happens during my session?
For speaking assistance, consultants brainstorm with you, offer strategies to improve your talk or visual displays, and advise you on developing business presentations.

 

For writing assistance, consultants assess your paper, ask questions, and point to problem areas or parts that need attention. Our aim is not to "fix" papers and guarantee A's, but rather to diagnose weaknesses and prescribe methods of addressing these weaknesses. Writers are expected to do their own final proofreading, with one exception:

We offer editing and final proofreading as a professional service to Isenberg students who bring in non-graded but critical career documents, such as resumes, cover letters, graduate school essays, and/or scholarship or internship proposals.