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The Impact of Business Communication Education on Students’ Short- and Long-Term Performances

Ball State University jzhao{at}bsu.edu

Melody W. Alexander

Ball State University

The purpose of this longitudinal study was to identify the short- and long-term impact of business communication education on students’ skill developments and performance outcomes. Nearly 400 students at an AACSC International–accredited business college participated in the study during their sophomore and senior years. The findings indicate that the business communication course helped students develop good skills in writing reports, solving problems, working in teams, communicating orally, and using Internet technologies for both the short term (sophomore year) and the long term (senior year). More than 95% of the students reported achieving As and Bs on written assignments, company-analysis reports, problem-solving assignments, and oral presentations in their sophomore, junior, and senior years. However, the long-term effect was statistically less significant than was the short-term effect, although both were within the same positive range.

Key Words: longitudinal study • assessment of course effectiveness • report writing • problem solving • teamwork • oral presentation • short- and long-term effects

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