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We communicate est. by choosing that way of speaking that is informed by the particularity and uniqueness of whom we are speaking to and with. ” -bell hooks Course Description This course is designed as an introduction to the study of the human communication process with an emphasis on effective public communication. The course includes intensive practice in public speaking, reasoning, critical thinking, and critical listening. Speech 101 is an essential general education course teaching effective use and understanding of written and spoken forms of communication. Required Textbook Devote, J. 003) The essential elements of public speaking. Boston: Allan & Bacon. Student Learning Objectives This course is designed to give students the basic skills needed to survive in the realm of public speaking. Ideally, students will be more comfortable speaking In front of an audience learning to use such tools as visual aids and eye contact. Students will develop effective listening, thinking, and analytical skills while learning to accurately and clearly convey messages in a public venue. The course will focus not only on major principles from the text and lectures, but on the importance of organization, research, and responsibility.
Students are intended to leave this course with positive feelings toward public speaking and will be able to effectively use and Course Requirements Speaking Assignments and Outlines ; There will be 5 formal graded speech presentations. Three presentations, the process, the informative and the persuasive, must be accompanied by an outline. The outline must be turned in on the day you are assigned to speak and must be in correct outline format (to be discussed in class). You will not be permitted to speak if you do not provide an outline BEFORE you deliver your speech.
Finally, topics for each speech must be approved by me at least ONE WEEK BEFORE speeches begin. Specific speech guidelines will be given out in class, however, brief explanations of each assignment follows: 1. Narrative Speech: This is a 2-4 minute speech in which you tell a story from your life experience(s). This speech is a way for you to introduce yourself to the class and begin public speaking. This speech should make you more comfortable with your surroundings making speech class manageable. This speech is worth 50 points of your total course grade. . Process Speech This is a 3-5 minute speech, accompanied by a formal outline, where you will demonstrate how to do something or explain how something operates. This speech and outline is worth 100 points of your total course grade. 3. Cultural Informative Speech: This is a 5-7 minute speech, accompanied by a formal outline, in which you inform your audience about a culture different from your own. You might focus on a cultural event, value, ritual, politics, art, etc. This speech and outline is worth 200 points of your total course grade. 4.
Oral Interpretation: This is a 3-5 minute presentation that focuses on dynamic performance. The overall emphasis of this speech is delivery and your ability to interpret and convey a message clearly. An original introduction is required for this speech. This presentation is worth 100 points of your total course grade. 5. Persuasive Speech: This 6-8 minute speech, accompanied by a formal outline, focuses on argument and reasoning and should be designed to persuade the audience for or against a question of policy using Monomer’s Motivated Sequence (to be explained in class).
You will be expected to advance formal claims and support them with evidence and reasoning. Further, each student will be cross-examined by the class *Speech Grading: Speaking assignments and outlines are graded on substance, organization, language, and delivery. Should a student fail to appear in class the day they are assigned to speak, the student will forfeit the credit and grade associated with the speech. In other words, an unexcused absence on your assigned speech day will result in a ZERO for that assignment.
Documented illness or emergencies are the only exceptions to this policy!! If one of these situations occurs, you must contact me immediately to not be penalized. NO MAKE-UP work will be accepted without proper documentation and communication with me. Self Evaluation Papers: You will complete two self evaluation papers designed to enhance your public speaking skills. Due dates for these papers are listed in the tentative schedule, however, exact assignments guidelines will be announced later in class.
Papers will be approximately two pages in length (typed) and will require students to critique and view their speeches on video; you will need access to a VS. and your own VS. tape to complete these papers. Each paper is worth 25 points for a total of 50 points f your total course grade. Reading Quizzes: Pop quizzes, based on assigned reading material only, will be given randomly over the course of the semester and will be graded on a pass/fail basis. These quizzes will be given at the very beginning of some or all classes; times and dates to be determined by me.
There are no make-ups for the reading quizzes; if you are absent on the day of a reading quiz, you will receive an F for that quiz. Quizzes are worth 100 points of your total course grade and will be calculated as follows: No Failing Grades: One Failing Grade: Two Failing Grades: A (100 points) B (85 points) C (75 points) Three or more Failing Grades: F (points to be determined) Final Project: There will be a 50 point final that takes place during the week of May 12-19, 2005. The exact assignment will be discussed later in the semester.
Attendance and Participation: In a course like this, attendance and participation are essential being that presenting, responding, and listening to other speeches happens within scheduled points possible for class participation and these points will be reduced based on your verbal participation, nonverbal participation, and attendance overall. Also, remoteness is expected of every student especially on speech days. If you should happen to be late (which should not be often) please wait outside until you hear applause.
Tardiness does not sit well with me! Academic Honesty: The maintenance of academic integrity and quality education is the responsibility of each student within this college. Cheating or plagiarism is an offense for which a student will fail the course and possibly be expelled or suspended by the college. Additional Notes: 1. I reserve the right to adjust final course grades, both up and down, on the basis of your citizenship. 2. If you are taking this course credit/no credit, then you must earn at least 700 points in order to get credit for the course. . NO MAKE-UP work will be accepted and NO MAKE-UP quizzes will be given. 4. Homework and Credit/No Credit assignments may be given randomly throughout the semester and will count toward your class participation points. If you are absent when these assignments are assigned they, cannot be made up & you will forfeit the points. 5. I do not accept assignments or submit final grades to students via email. Workload: This course is designed according to the standard of the Carnegie unit and in accordance with the VOICE policy.