BASIC PUBLIC SPEAKING Instructor: Sarah Riley COM

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1 BASIC PUBLIC SPEAKING Instructor: Sarah Riley COM Accessible at: Fall 2005 in: 124 EGJ SYLLABUS at: MW or by app t or call: to leave message GOALS OF THE COURSE COM 181 Basic Public Speaking is a 3-credit course designed to increase your understanding of the principles and processes of communicating effectively in public contexts or situations. It is also designed to facilitate development of your own oral communication competencies, specifically in: 1. Message construction -- includes identifying a clear specific statement of purpose and central idea, selecting logical and ethical strategies to help audiences make necessary connections, and gathering and selecting information necessary to formulate complete and coherent arguments; 2. Audience analysis -- includes the need to take the perspective of one s audience in order to select appropriate message and delivery strategies; 3. Message organization -- includes organizing and outlining messages which will accomplish the speaker s goals as well as meet the requirements of the specific assignment and situation; 4. Message reception/critique -- includes active critical listening and evaluation both as one hears other students presentations as well as speakers in other contexts; and 5. Message delivery/presentation -- includes the skills needed to present messages effectively through use of voice, eye contact, gestures and movement, and other aspects of adjustment. These goals are to be accomplished progressively throughout the term through a combination of speaking, listening, reading, and writing assignments. You will also want to learn to use the fine resources available at UK (especially the W. T. Young Library and the many special libraries, reading rooms and centers) as well as the Internet and other electronic information services to help you in preparing your speeches. And I encourage you to construct your messages using word-processing outlines and other software, including the user-friendly software called PowerPoint. To accomplish these goals is difficult to do within a single semester. However, even in this short time it is possible to develop a positive attitude toward communicating and to develop further your confidence in your own speaking skills. When you leave the course, you should be sufficiently armed with a basic understanding of public speaking and with an awareness of your own speaking skills (both strengths and weaknesses) so that you can continue to develop effective skills throughout your careers. If you are taking the course pass/fail, please check with your academic advisor to make sure that you will get full credit for completion of the course with that grading option. COM 181 is also part of the University Studies Program (USP) which is intended to provide undergraduates with a comprehensive liberal arts education. COM 181 can be taken to fulfill the Oral Communication Skills requirement in USP. If you have questions about the requirement, contact the Course Director, Dr. Enid Waldhart ( ), or the USP Office ( ). REQUIRED MATERIALS Textbooks:: Lucas, S. E. (2001). The art of public speaking (8th Ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill. Waldhart, E.S. (2005) COM 181 Workbook. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press, Inc. IF YOU NEED HELP If you have a particular course question or concern, please contact me by or come by during my scheduled Office hour times. You may also want to go to the course website: for additional ideas and resources. If you need additional help in making presentations, you may contact our CommSult consultant, Cyndy Harbett Miller at: <CHMiller12@aol.com>, phone , or go by her office in 250 EGJ 9:30a.m.-12p.m. and 2:00-3:00 p.m. TR. You must contact her to arrange for each session If you need help with your writing skills, you ll want to contact the Writing Center in W. T. Young Library ( ). For special online help go to: Please ask questions whenever you're not sure of something (or just to double check)! IF YOU HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS If you have a special need that requires accommodation or assistance, please let me know as soon as possible since I cannot begin to make accommodation until I know your particular needs. After you provide the documentation, we can work to make reasonable accommodation.

2 ATTENDANCE POLICY I expect you to be in class each day. You are required to attend class whenever any student is scheduled to speak since it s important for all speakers to have a complete audience. If you miss a day when others are speaking, for each such unexcused absence, ten (10) points will be deducted from your course grade total. For any day you miss, you will be allowed to make up work only if the absence is officially excused by me as your instructor (based on evidence such as a letter for any official university activity, notice from student health or letter from physician, or other evidence requested by me). Should you be absent on your assigned speaking day, you will be allowed to make up the speech only if I have officially excused the absence. If your absence is not excused, you will not be allowed to present this speech which means you will be unable to pass the course. You are responsible for contacting me regarding any absence. You must present written documentation for any university-approved activity (field trips, band trips, athletic competitions, etc.) in advance of the absence and for any other absence within two weeks of your return to class. Not only are you expected to be in class each day, but you need to be on time each day. Unexcused tardiness will be penalized by not being allowed to makeup work done in class prior to your arrival and on speech days may lead to ten-point deduction (like an unexcused absence). Excessive tardiness will be treated as an unexcused absence. I will notify you when the excessive point has been reached; after that point tardiness will count as an unexcused absence for each day. It is very important that you are respectful of your fellow students, including not disrupting any student speaker by coming into the classroom late while another student is speaking. The door has glass and you may enter in between student speakers. If you fail to honor this, there will be a strong penalty depending on your violation the range of penalty will run from counting as unexcused absence (-10 pts) to 5% of your course point total. Please be considerate of your fellow students and don t just barge into the classroom. For unanticipated emergencies of any variety: it s best to send me an message with necessary information. Or, you may call and leave a message with the Department office but ing is the most effective way to reach me. CLASSROOM CIVILITY There are certain basic standards of classroom civility that should be adhered to, particularly on a communication course. Civility does not eliminate appropriate humor, enjoyment, or other features of a comfortable and pleasant classroom community. Classroom civility does, however, include the following: 1. Displaying respect for your instructor and fellow students. 2. Attentiveness to and participation in all classroom work. 3. Use of language that is inclusive for the entire classroom community.. This is not an exhaustive list of features of classroom civility. Rather, it represents the minimal sort of behaviors that help make the classroom a pleasant place for all concerned. ACADEMIC OFFENSES: PLAGIARISM AND CHEATING I expect that all of your work in COM 181 (and in all of your other classes, too) will always be your own. You have already signed a form indicating that you have read and understand the definitions of two academic offenses --- plagiarism and cheating --- and the penalties for committing these offenses are taken from the UK Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook. This information is also available at the website: These offenses are serious and we do pursue each case. In addition, we have a department site which offers several resources available for you to use to determine in advance whether you might inadvertently be using others' work improperly. I encourage you to use this site as often as you need it: We also have a department report line to use if you suspect that cheating or plagiarizing is occurring in any way in this class. You report this electronically (and anonymously if you choose) via the site: Whatever you write in your message will be sent to the Department Chair (Dr. Nancy Harrington) as well as to me -- but unless you provide your name, there will be no way to trace a message to you. If you have any question about whether you may be plagiarizing in your speech work, please contact me or the Course Director well in advance of the due date. Afterward may be too late. The minimum sanction for these offenses is an E grade for the entire course! CELL PHONE POLICY Due to recent increases in photographic/ messaging technology, cell phones and pagers will not be allowed out during class time. If your cell phone is out during class, it will result in a deduction of attendance points. Cell phones out during quizzes/tests will be assumed to be cheating and the penalties (described above) will be enforced. SPEECH ASSIGNMENTS

3 There will be four graded speech assignments: Informative Speech, two Persuasive speeches, and a Speech of Introduction. All will be videotaped. For each of these speeches you are to speak extemporaneously -- that is, you need to prepare thoroughly, but you should not memorize the speech nor read it word-for-word from a manuscript. You may use notes. You may bring in visual aids to help you make a particular point, but please check first with me to see if such aid(s) will be appropriate. Each speech assignment has a time limit which has been designated to allow all class speakers to complete the assignment on schedule and to give you practice in fitting materials into a given time allotment. The time limit is an important part of each assignment. To abuse the time limit by speaking either too long or not long enough means that your speech does not meet the requirements of the assignment. As you prepare your speech, please allow yourself enough time to practice so you can meet the time limit for each assignment. For each speech assignment, you are expected to use topics of your choice which meet the guidelines for the specific speech assignment and, of course, topics must be legal. During each of the graded speeches selected class members and I will be writing evaluations and/or providing oral comments about your speech. These comments are intended to help you in future presentations. Your grade for each speech is assigned only by the instructor. All four graded speech assignments must be completed to pass COM 181. If you have a question about your speech grade (or the grade on any written work you hand in), please give yourself 24-hours before you come in to discuss it with me. Review your tape and the comments on your graded outline to prepare specific questions for our session. INFORMATIVE SPEECH TIME LIMIT: 3-4 MINUTES+ 1-2 MINUTES Q/A The purpose of this speech is to clarify a concept, idea, principle, method or process for your audience. Select a concept or process which is important to you (something related to your major, a hobby, a theory, etc.) and explain it so your class audience can understand it. You need to determine a clear statement of the concept or process which you will explain, a breakdown of the significant parts or elements of it, the basic notions you expect each audience member to learn or understand, and the forms of support to be used. As you speak, it is particularly important to watch the audience closely to see if they follow and understand you. You will be expected to answer questions from the class audience at the close of your presentation for up to one minute (beyond the speech time limit) and this question-answer time will count as part of your presentation grade. PERSUASIVE SPEECH : Version # 1 50 points maximum TIME LIMIT: 4-6 MINUTES+ 2-3 MINUTES Q/A Utilizing all the information you have about your class members, you will try to persuade them to accept a proposition in which you believe. The proposition may be based on a political, economic, moral or other issue, but it should be one that is important to you and one about which you already have some information. You don t have to be an expert in the area, but you should know enough that you don t have to go to the library just to discover a topic. For this speech, Monroe s Motivated Sequence or the Problem-Solution pattern of organization may be especially helpful. You will be expected to answer questions from the class audience at the close of your presentation for up to one minute (beyond the speech time limit)--- and this question-answer time will count as part of your presentation grade. SPEECH OF INTRODUCTION 100 points maximum TIME LIMIT: 1 MINUTE In business and community organizations, people often must introduce another speaker. To provide some practice in this activity, you will be assigned to work with another student for the second round of persuasive speeches. You will serve as an introducer for that student's Persuasive Speech #2. As the introducer you will prepare the audience to receive the speaker and the message. For this assignment you will welcome the audience and briefly state the speaker s topic and why it will be of interest to them. You will also need to establish the speaker s credentials on this topic and to elaborate on why this speaker is worth hearing on this topic and in general to create interest in the audience for listening to this speech. 25 points maximum

4 PERSUASIVE SPEECH: Version #2 TIME LIMIT: 5-7 MINUTES+ 2-3 MINUTES Q/A In this speech, you will re-work Persuasive Speech Version #1. The purpose of this assignment remains the same -- to persuade the audience to accept your proposition. But now, you should not only activate, but stimulate as well. The time limit is a bit longer to allow you to add at least one emotional appeal and to add or change at least one visual aid. You will again be expected to answer questions from the class audience at the close of your presentation for up to one minute (beyond the speech time limit) --- and this question-answer time will count as part of your presentation grade. Obviously the speech will NOT be exactly the same as Persuasive Speech Version #1, because based on the feedback you ve received from your classmates and me, you should have a much better idea of what your audience knows about the topic and believes about it. As such, you have the chance to refine your specific purpose statement, to identify both support which worked well and support which the audience still needs to know, and to modify your organization and delivery such that your audience can now accept your proposition. Remember that your audience only had one quick chance to listen to your message in Persuasive Speech Version #1. Often we assume that the audience will remember everything we have said during that one speech. This is your chance to learn from your first attempt to make this message even better! 100 points maximum IMPROMPTU/PRACTICE PRESENTATIONS/REHEARSALS 75 points maximum During class sessions you will be asked to work on delivering and/or practicing your presentations. I will be selecting the class times when this work will be done and it may not be announced in advance. Missed class sessions can be made up (with the assignment of appropriately similar or equivalent work as I will determine) ONLY if the absence on that day was excused. GRADING CRITERIA FOR SPEECHES Each of the speeches will be graded using a separate evaluation form (see the description of each assignment in your workbook). For each criterion listed on the form you will receive a rating of 1 to 5 (1 = unacceptable; 2 = fair; 3 = average; 4 = good; 5 = excellent) for that particular criterion. You will also be assigned a grade consisting of points for the entire speech. The total points are not the sum of individual ratings but rather are based on the impact of the speech as a whole. The following standards apply to the assignment of points: A fair (D) speech exhibits problems in one or more of these aspects: extemporaneous delivery; conforms to the assignment and type; conforms to time limits; or prepared to speak at the assigned time. An average (C) speech meets the standards for a D speech and: exhibits coherent organization with clear purpose and easily identifiable main ideas; exhibits reasonably good delivery skills; and is acceptable grammatically, in pronunciation & articulation. A good (B) speech meets the standards for a C speech and: demonstrates skill in selecting appropriate strategies and supporting materials and demonstrates skill in extemporaneous delivery and spontaneous interaction with the audience. An excellent (A) speech meets all the standards for a C speech and a B speech and at least three of the following: deals with an unusually challenging topic; demonstrates exceptional skill in selecting strategies and supporting materials; achieves a variety and flexibility of mood and manner suited to subject matter, the audience, and the speaker him/herself; and/or demonstrates skillful mastery of internal transitions and of emphasis on the speaker s ideas. See pages 37 and 59 in the Workbook for more details about criteria for the informative speech and for the Persuasive speeches respectively.

5 WRITTEN WORK Although this is a 'speech' class, half of your course grade will come from various kinds of written work which will demonstrate that you understand the concepts and principles of effective public speaking regardless of whether you are actually able to develop effective public speaking skills within the semester's time frame. Clarity in written work also illustrates clarity in thought and serves as excellent preparation for speaking aloud. This written work includes written analyses of speeches (videotaped speeches shown in class, other student speeches as well as your own), quizzes, outlines prior to the informative and persuasive speeches, and finally five essays as the final assignment which evaluates a public speaker. Specific due dates for major assignments are listed on the daily class schedule (pp. 7-8 in this syllabus). You are expected to meet all deadlines promptly; late work is always penalized and may not even be accepted. All assignments (except Workbook pages or quizzes) must be word-processed or they won t be graded. ANALYSES, QUIZZES & APPLICATION 150 points maximum Throughout the term we ll be working together to make the course content understandable and meaningful. We ll do this in a variety of ways in-class exercises/activities, written analyses, and quizzes over required reading in order to assess your knowledge and application of information from course materials. Some of this work (including quizzes) may take place without advanced notice. Since much of this will be done in class, your regular class attendance is important throughout the term. Missed work in this category of your grade may be made up ONLY if your absence was excused. OUTLINES 150 points maximum For the Informative Speech and both of the Persuasive Speeches, you will hand in to me a complete outline. This work is to be handed in on the dates listed in the daily schedule. All outlines are to be word-processed or typed. I will grade the outline and return it to you on the following class period, so you may make necessary adjustments before you present your speech in class. If you feel you need more time for making changes, contact me to make individual arrangements. Obviously this would be done earlier than two days prior to the speech and it would be entirely up to you to initiate. Late outlines will not be graded; however, I will provide critical comments to aid your presentation. EVALUATION OF A PUBLIC SPEECH 50 points maximum For this assignment, you will attend a public speech outside of your regular class meeting. I will provide you with at least two choices of speakers from an approved list and you will be expected to make necessary arrangements to attend one of those speeches so as to complete your evaluation-of-speaker paper on this speech. To attend any other speaker who has not been approved by me in advance will not meet the assignment and will not be graded. After you attend this speech, you will construct a paper of five separate critical essays in which you will rate each of five persuasive speech categories and then you will justify the rating you assigned for each category with references from the speech itself as well as from course materials and information. You will rate and justify the categories as follows: 1. Overall Impact category; 2. Either Topic Analysis or Organization; 3. Either Supporting Materials or Style; 4. Either Adjustment or Body Movement; and 5. Either Voice or Fluency. In essence each of these five essays will answer the questions: How would you evaluate the category and how do you justify that rating based on course concepts? You will apply and integrate course concepts along with specific examples or references in the presentation. This assignment is described in detail in Section 5 of your Workbook, beginning on page 83. More details will also be provided in class meetings. Each essay will be worth 10 points. This assignment is to be word-processed or typed. No electronic submissions of the final paper. You must attach your notes to the set of essays. You may talk about this speech with other COM 181 students; however, the written evaluation you submit to me is to be fully constructed by you and you alone. Remember

6 that this is not a group project. The due date is listed on your daily schedule. Late papers will not be accepted or graded. COM 181 COURSE GRADE Each aspect of COM 181 is numerically graded and these points accumulate toward your letter grade for the course. There are 700 possible points from Speeches, Impromptus, Practice/Rehearsal; 150 from Outlines; 150 from Quizzes and Analyses; and 50 from the Evaluation of Speaker assignment. Record each grade as you receive it, so you will have a clear idea throughout the semester of how you are doing in the course. SPEECHES QUIZZES Informative Speech (50 points max) 1. (5 points max) Persuasive Speech #1 (100 points max) 2. (5 points max) Introductory Speech (25 points max) 3. (5 points max) Persuasive Speech: #2 (100 points max) 4. (5 points max) Impromptu/Practice (10 points max) 5. (10 points max) Impromptu/Practice (10 points max) 6. (10 points max) Impromptu/Practice (10 points max) 7. (10 points max) Impromptu/Practice (10 points max) 8. (10 points max) Impromptu/Practice (10 points max) 9 (10 points max) Impromptu/Practice (10 points max) 10. (10 points max) Impromptu/Practice (15 points max) Total Total WRITTEN WORK Self Analysis Informative (10 points max) Self Analysis Persuasive 1 (10 points max) OUTLINES Self Analysis Introduction (10 points max) Informative (50 points max) Self Analysis of my speeches (20 points max) Persuasive #1 (50 points max) Analysis of other speech (10 points max) Persuasive #2 (50 points max) Analysis of other speech (10 points max) Total Evaluation of Speaker Paper (50 points max) The scale for the COM 181 course grade is: A = 630 or more points B = points C = D = E = 419 points or less Subtotal of all categories -10 points per unexcused absence / tardy Total Course Points

7 Fall 2005 COM 181 DAILY COURSE SCHEDULE DATE TOPIC READINGS complete by 1 st of week *WRITTEN WORK W Aug 24 Introduction F Aug 26 Communication Process Chapter 1 About Me form & Audience Survey: Course Resources Week #2 M Aug 29 & W Aug 31 & F Sep 2 Foundations Ethics & the Speaker-Audience Relationship; Listening & Dealing with Anxiety; Extemporaneous speaking; Invention & Speech Purpose Chapter 2, 3 & 4; pp Week #3 M Sep 5 NO CLASS Labor Day Academic Holiday W Sep 7 & F Sep 9 Invention/Speech purpose (cont d) Audience Analysis Chapter 5; p. 9 Week #4 M Sep12 & W Sep 14 & F Sep 16 Organizational Tools Gathering Materials; Developing Supporting Materials Chapters 6 & 7 Week #5 M Sep 19 & W Sep 21 & F Sep 23 Informative Messages; Organizing Message Content Chapters 8 & 14; pp Week #6 M Sep 26 & W Sep 28 & F Sep 30 Introductions & Conclusions; Audio-Visual Elements; New Technology & Using PowerPoint; Asking/Answering Questions Chapters 9, 10 & 13 ; pp OUTLINE #1 due F Sep 30 WB p.38; pp in class Week #7 M Oct 3 & W Oct 5 Delivery Tools Delivery; Practice/Preparation Chapter 12; p.31 F Oct 7 NO CLASS Fall Break Week #8 M Oct 10 & W Oct 12 & F Oct 14 INFORMATIVE SPEECH: Peer evaluations in class; pp. 55(after speech) Week #9 M Oct 17 & W Oct 19 *Written work due at the beginning of class on due date

8 DATE TOPIC READINGS *WRITTEN WORK (week #9 cont d) F Oct 21 Language/Style Issues Emotional Appeals Chapter 11 & pp Week #10 M Oct 24 & W Oct 26 & F Oct 28 Special Preparation: Message Strategies Persuasive Messages; TheToulmin Model; Monroe s Motivated Sequence; Analysis of Message Strategies Chapters 15 & 16; p. 30 Week #11 M Oct. 31 & W Nov 2 Criticism & Ethical Issues; Criticism Application pp OUTLINE #2 due Mon. Oct. 31 p. 65; pp in class & F Nov 4 Week #12 M Nov 7 & W Nov 9 & F Nov 11 PERSUASIVE SPEECH #1: Bring videotape & Workbook Peer evaluations in class each day; p. 69 (after speech) Week # 13 M Nov 14 & W Nov 16 PERSUASIVE SPEECH #1: Bring videotape & Workbook Peer evaluations in class each day; p. 69 (after speech) F Nov 18 Persuasive Messages Version 2 Speeches of Introduction pp ; Chapter 17 (esp. pp ) Week #14 M Nov 21 & W Nov 23 F Nov 25 Week # 15 M Nov 28 & W Nov 30 & F Dec 2 Analysis of Message Strategies; Practice/Preparation NO CLASS Thanksgiving Break INTRODUCTIONS & PERSUASIVE SPEECH #2: OUTLINE #3 due p. 77; pp in class Graded outlines returned on Wed. Bring videotape & Workbook Eval. Of Speaker Paper due Nov. 30 Peer evaluations in class p. 101 (after speech) Week # 16 M Dec 5 & W Dec 7 & F Dec 9 INTRODUCTIONS & PERSUASIVE SPEECH #2 (cont d): Summary/Evaluation Bring videotape & Workbook Peer evaluations in class p. 101 (after speech) WB pp December During time for scheduled final exam, complete any remaining Speeches of Introduction and Persuasive Speech #2 Pick up graded final papers *Written work due at the beginning of class on due date