Fall 2007 Syllabus: COM 301 Public Speaking

Communication 301: Public Speaking Tuesday and Thursday 2:30PM-3:50PM in A9A: LEC 18581 And Saturday 9AM-12:10PM Downtown in Room 101: LEC 21689 Instructor: Sandra Wheeler-Abeyta, Assistant Professor Email: Direct all communication to idnasss@yahoo.com BLOG: Comm-YOU-nication (idnasss.blogspot.com) Office Hours: Tuesday 4pm-5pm Required Materials Text Book: Public Speaking by Beebe & Beebe. Published by A & B. Scantrons 882 and Quiz Forms Course Description This course is exciting and unique! You’ll be talking more than me as we explore public speaking techniques, theories and models. Enact, apply and evaluate communication strategies and techniques which will help you both in and outside of the classroom. By making multiple speeches, participating in various in-class activities, completing course assignments, and reflecting on how elements of communication apply to you, you’ll develop greater mastery and confidence speaking in all sorts of settings, from the office to the stage, even across the table from a date! Course Objectives · To evaluate your own and others public speaking & communication skills. · To develop tools for improving oral communication such as developing an awareness for rhetorical contexts, credibility enhancing techniques, persuasive language, invitational style, audience analysis & sophisticated delivery. · To explore the impact of effective performance and application of the spoken and written word while accounting for gender, culture and other communication elements. General Course Policies 1. Attendance: My policy for missed days is strict: I allow only two absences for any reason you deem necessary (illness, other plans, family activity, etc). If you miss more than 2, your final grade will drop by 25 points for each consecutive absence. Missing 3 classes drops you 25 points, 4 drops you 50, etc. Poor attendance will prevent you from passing this class and may result in an administrative drop. Many speeches, quizzes and partner evaluations can not be made-up so good attendance is vital. 2. Late Assignments: Assignments are due at the beginning of class. If they are not turned in at the beginning of class they will be considered late. I will accept late written assignments only with prior warning and only within one week after the original due date. Late work will be penalized one full letter grade (regardless of whether the assignment is two hours late or two days late). Exams, quizzes, partner evaluations, and presentations cannot be made up. NOTE: Speeches made on days that you show up late/leave early will be docked one full letter grade. 3. Beepers and Cell Phones: Turn off beepers and cell phones in class. If you have an emergency please let me know before class begins and set them to vibrate or silent. If your beeper/cell phone continues to go off in class, I will administratively drop you for not following course procedures. 4. Participation: A great deal of this class will involve the discussion of concepts and in-class activities. Many of the in-class activities will be given credit/no credit participation points. I expect every member of the class to fully participate. Department/Campus Policies Sexual Harassment: Sexual harassment is offensive and illegal and will not be tolerated in the classroom! Sexual harassment is any unwelcome sexual advance or requests for sexual favors or any other verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature in the work or college setting. Using profanity that consists of sexual innuendo or sexist language (a slur or pejorative towards a gender) are considered a "verbal" conduct that may be an unwelcome advance. If you feel that you have been the recipient or a witness of sexual harassment by any other student enrolled in the class, please report the concern immediately to the Instructor. The Instructor, the Dean or the SCC student conduct personnel will address a report of Sexual Harassment immediately in a confidential, professional manner. Academic Honesty: Los Rios Community College District values academic honesty. Current policies prohibit dishonesty, such as cheating, plagiarism, or knowingly furnishing false information to the college. All members of the academic community are responsible for the academic integrity of the Los Rios College campus. SCC Academic Honesty Process: 1. Faculty members have the right to choose whether or not to pursue suspected cases of plagiarism and cheating. 2. When addressing plagiarism or cheating with reasonable evidence, the faculty member should notify the student of the concern. 3. Faculty members may consult with other faculty, the Dean of the pertinent division, and the office of the Vice President for Student Services when determining whether plagiarism or cheating has occurred. 4. In situations where cheating or plagiarism has occurred, the faculty member is to determine consequences in compliance with board policy and regulations, which prohibit dropping a student from a course. The consequences may be any of the following options: giving the student a verbal or written warning giving the student an additional assignment giving the student a zero on the assignment assigning a grade of F for the course determining other appropriate consequences that comply with board policy and regulations. 5. In situations where cheating or plagiarism has occurred, the faculty notifies the Dean of the pertinent division, and the student that a “Referral for Student Code of Conduct Violation" will be filed through the Area Dean to the Office of VPSS. 6. Students have the right to grieve an action that they feel violates their student rights. 7. The office of the Vice President for Student Services (VPSS) shall be responsible for maintaining records related to cheating and plagiarism. Probation, suspension or expulsions are courses of action that may be determined by the College Disciplinary Officer in accordance with District policy. Definition of Plagiarism: Plagiarism is defined as representing the words, ideas, or work of another as one’s own in any academic exercise. Plagiarism consists in taking the words or specific substance of another work and either copying or paraphrasing without giving credit to the source. Plagiarism is applicable to written, oral, and artistic work. The following examples are some of the many forms plagiarism may take: 1. Word-for-word copying of work written by someone else. 2. Failure to give proper credit for ideas, statements of facts, or conclusions derived by another. 3. Failure to use quotation marks when quoting directly form another, whether a paragraph, sentence, or phrase. 4. Close and extended paraphrasing of another work without acknowledging the source. Definition of Cheating: Cheating is the act of obtaining or attempting to obtain credit for academic work through the use of dishonest, deceptive, or fraudulent means. The following are only some of the many forms cheating may take: 1. Copying another’s work on a test, paper, or project. 2. Using unauthorized materials in an exam or collaborating on work to be turned in for credit where the instructor disallows such collaboration. 3. Taking an exam for another student, purposely allowing another student to copy during a test, or providing coursework for another student to turn in as his or her own effort. 4. Submitting the same work in multiple classes for credit without permission form the instructor. Emergency and Evacuation Procedures: In the event of an emergency, the Instructor or another authorized person may need to follow the Emergency and Evacuation Procedures established within the policy of the campus and will require your compliance and cooperation. Typically, the Emergency and Evacuation Procedures are posted within the classroom. Each of the above policies is designed for your and each persons' safety with the intent for a rewarding academic experience possible at SCC. Course Assignments, Values & Grade Scale Introductory Speech 15pts. ______ Film Oral Report 25pts. ______ Quizzes 5 @ 10 pts. each 50 pts. ______ Blog Postings 10 @ 5 points each 50 pts. ______ After Dinner Speech 50 pts. ______ Informative Speech 125pts ______ Group Special Occasion Speech 100pts ______ Audience Analysis 50 pts ______ Persuasive Speech 150pts ______ Critiques 50 pts ______ Midterm 50 pts. ______ Class Participation 50 pts ______ Total 765 pts ______ 90% - 100% = A 80% - 89% = B 70% - 79% = C 60% - 69% = D 59% and below = F Assignments at a Glance Film Oral Report Class votes on and views a socially significant film. Then, in front of the class, read a 2 minute oral report including an introduction, body and conclusion linked with three complete transitions. Quizzes Given randomly and without warning, quizzes will focus on course vocabulary. No make-ups for quizzes. Scantrons required Blog Postings Welcome to the blognation. Check out Comm-YOU-nication at idnasss.blogspot.com soon. Ten blog postings minimum are required for this class, but more than that will count as extra credit if they help other students, provide support and/or share new links and ideas to expand the virtual classroom. After Dinner: Entertainment Speech If you have always wanted to be a stand up comedian, this is the 3 min speech for you! Other ideas include using a talent you have, exploiting a gimmick, doing magic and/or ranting. Elements of persuasion highlight after dinner speeches. Speech To Inform In this 5 minute speech you will inform us on a topic suited for our class in particular. Demonstrations are welcome for this assignment. Your goals are to enhance understanding, maintain interest and be memorable! Groups Your group will design a speech with a special occasion in mind and work together to create visual aids. 6 Minutes Audience Analysis Various in class activities and/or worksheets will sharpen your ability to read and respond accordingly to what Fiske calls “the active audience.” Classroom diversity and inclusion through invitational language will be the focus. Persuasive Speech You will set out to change the attitudes/beliefs/values or behaviors of your audience as you display credibility and meet listener needs while reducing cognitive dissonance in this 6-8 min speech. Critiques You will offer detailed critiques and constructive input to other speakers in our class. These must be at least one full paragraph (at least 6 complete sentences) offering 3 strengths & 3 opportunities, plus your favorite speech highlight and a movie or celebrity the speaker/speech reminded you of. Midterm Test will be taken with scantron form 882. It will focus on textbook vocabulary, class lecture notes and specific information shared by your classmates in their speeches. Participation I expect you all to participate, offer constructive feedback, bring your textbook and above all be kind and empathetic audience members as well as ethical and invitational speakers! Positive attitudes are appreciated! “When one has much to put into them, a day has a hundred pockets.” –F. Nietzche