COMMUNICATION 115
FUNDAMENTALS OF PUBLIC SPEAKING
MASTER SYLLABUS
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES
The focus of this course is the study of human communication in public contexts. Although the theory and practice explored here apply to many communication behaviors and situations, we will be concerned primarily with the study and practice of public speaking. This is primarily a "performance" class. Lectures and assignments are designed to provide a theoretical grounding and an opportunity to apply theory through the presentation and analysis of public speeches. This course is concerned with assisting you in becoming a better public speaker as well as a better consumer of public communication. In short, the goals of this course are:
- To develop an understanding and appreciation of public communication by studying topic selection, audience analysis, research, organization, and effective delivery.
- To develop skills of critical listening and evaluation.
- To encourage awareness of ethical responsibility in public communication.
- To provide basic theory in critical thinking and persuasion.
REQUIRED MATERIALS
- Bourhis, John, Carey Adams and Scott Titsworth. Style Manual for Communication Studies. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2005.
- Griffin, Cindy. Invitation to Public Speaking. 2nd ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson-Wadsworth. (NOTE: This is a customized edition of the text). 2006.
- In addition to the textbook and supplemental materials for the course, you will also need to purchase a mini-DVD +RW disc for recording your speeches.
FACULTY OFFICE HOURS
Most faculty who teach COM 115 during the day have offices on the third floor of Siceluff. To minimize potential problems we recommend the following:
- Faculty are always available by appointment and will provide you with a set of office hours during which he/she can be reached. It is usually best to make an appointment before making the trip to Siceluff.
- Your instructor is available 24X7 using electronic mail. Many of your questions can be answered using email.
- Your instructor will try to be available for a few minutes before and after each class to answer questions.
- A mailbox for your instructor is available in Craig 375, the main office for the Department of Communication. Messages and work for your instructor may be dropped off with the secretary in Craig 375 or by calling (417) 836-4423.
GRADING POLICIES
Final grades are based on an absolute point total. A student's final grade is a function of the number of points earned in the course divided by the total number of points possible. The resulting percentage is the student's final grade. The following scale is then used to compute final course grades: 100 - 90% = A; 89 - 80% = B; 79 - 70% = C; 69 - 60% = D; 59% or below = F.
Assignments for the course are divided into activities, testing, assessment and participation (425 points); writing assignments (100 points) and speaking assignments (250 points) as follows:
|
Assignment
|
Points Possible
|
Subtotals
|
|
Speech 1
|
25
|
|
|
Speech 2
|
50
|
|
|
Speech 3
|
75
|
|
|
Speech 4
|
100
|
250
|
|
|
|
|
|
Outline 1
|
10
|
|
|
Outline 2
|
10
|
|
|
Outline 3
|
10
|
|
|
Outline 4
|
10
|
40
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exam 1
|
50
|
|
|
Exam 2
|
50
|
|
|
Exam 3
|
150
|
250
|
|
|
|
|
|
Self-Analysis 1
|
25
|
|
|
Self-Analysis 2
|
25
|
|
|
External Speech Analysis
|
10
|
60
|
|
|
|
|
|
Enroll in Blackboard
|
10
|
10
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class Participation
|
200
|
200
|
|
Maximum points possible
|
|
800
|
ATTENDANCE
As responsible adults, you are expected to be on time and to attend each class session. The university’s official attendance policy reads in part, as follows:
Because class attendance and course grade are demonstrably and positively related, the University expects students to attend all class sessions of courses in which they are enrolled. Each instructor has the responsibility to determine specific attendance policies for each course taught, including the role that attendance plays in calculation of final grades and the extent to which work missed due to non-attendance can be made up. On the first day of class, each instructor will make available to each student a written statement of the specific attendance policy for that class. The University encourages instructors not to make attendance a disproportionately weighted component of the final grade. The University expects instructors to be reasonable in accommodating students whose absence from class resulted from: (1) participation in University-sanctioned activities and programs; (2) personal illness; or (3) family and/or other compelling circumstances. Instructors have the right to request documentation verifying the basis of any absences resulting from the above factors.
The following information supplements and clarifies the university attendance policy as it relates to COM 115 Fundamentals of Public Speaking.
Late Work, Incompletes, Make-up Speeches
You are expected to speak on the date and time assigned by your instructor. Being unable to speak on a day that you have been assigned should be a very rare occurrence that results from truly extraordinary circumstances beyond your control.
If you know in advance that you will be unable to speak on a particular day, contact your instructor for an accommodation. All of the assigned speaking days are listed on a daily schedule that will be distributed the first day of class. You are solely responsible for checking the speaking schedule against your personal calendar for potential conflicts and contacting your instructor if you need an accommodation.
Because missing a speech should be a very rare occurrence that results from truly extraordinary circumstances beyond your control, you may only “make-up” one (1) of the four required speeches in COM 115. Any other required speaking assignment that you miss will result in an automatic zero for the speech regardless of the circumstances. You are still required to submit an outline for every speech, even those that you miss.
You are required to contact your instructor in advance if you are unable to speak on the date and time assigned. You may call your instructor directly, leave a message with the departmental secretary at 836-4423, leave a written message in your instructor's mailbox in Craig 375, send your instructor an Email message or have a friend or classmate contact your instructor on your behalf. If you do not contact your instructor in advance of missing your speech, you will receive an automatic zero for the speech regardless of the circumstances. You are still required to submit an outline for every speech, even those that you miss. If the speech you miss is the first required speech, you will also receive a zero on the two (2) required self-analysis essays which cannot be completed absent videotaping the first speech. In this case, you are strongly encouraged to drop the course and try again next semester.
If you do notify your instructor in advance that you will be unable to speak as scheduled, you will be allowed to make-up the speech on a day and time that is convenient for your instructor. For all day sections of COM 115, this will be the last regularly scheduled day of class. At the instructor’s discretion, you may be assigned a maximum of one letter grade reduction in the final grade for the speech for not speaking on the day originally assigned. Any penalty will be assessed on a case-by-case basis by the instructor.
All written work turned in after the due date will be penalized 10% for each day (24 hour period or fraction thereof) late and NO written work will be accepted after the rest of the class' written work has been graded. Written work is due on the day assigned at the beginning of the class period unless otherwise specified. Written work turned in after it has been called for by the instructor will be considered late. Students participating in University-sanctioned activities and programs, who will be out of town when an assignment is due, should arrange to turn their work in BEFORE leaving.
Verification of Work Submitted
It is always in your personal best interest to save a copy of anything you submit to your instructor for evaluation. Always make a photocopy or computer disk file copy of any written work submitted. In the rare instance where your instructor has misplaced an assignment you have turned in, you are required to have a copy of the work you submitted for verification. Email messages and assignments are usually saved in a "sent mail" file somewhere in your e-mail program.
Participation
Throughout the semester your instructor will give short, in-class writing assignments, speaking assignments, quizzes, and exercises. There are NO make-ups on assignments and activities that are completed during a single class period. If you miss such an assignment, regardless of the reason, you will not be allowed to make-up the assignment. Your instructor may award points for participating on days when your peers are scheduled to speak. If that is the case AND you do not attend class, you will not receive those points.
TYPING
Your ability to communicate your thoughts and feelings in writing is an essential skill you must develop throughout your academic career to be competitive in today's marketplace. In COM 115, we will grade both the content and form of your written work. All work submitted for evaluation must be typed and conform to the latest edition of the Modern Language Association style manual. The MLA style is described in the Style Manual for Communication Studies (2nd ed.). You are solely responsible for any written work you submit for our evaluation. This includes any work you hire someone to "professionally" type.
PUBLIC SPEAKING SHOWCASE
Each semester the department sponsors a "Showcase" of the best speakers who have enrolled in Communication 115 that semester. Students currently enrolled in COM 115 will have an opportunity to participate in the Public Speaking Showcase. Your instructor will provide additional information about this important event early in the semester. Please mark your calendar now and plan on attending this event.
MSU BLACKBOARD
Your instructor has designed a COM115 Blackboard site to support this course. For instructions on how to create a MSU Blackboard Account visit: http://blackboard.missouristate.edu/bin/NoAccount.htm
ELECTRONIC MAIL
It is increasingly necessary that college graduates be able to demonstrate to prospective employers that they have some experience using new communication technology. Therefore, you are required to obtain an email account as soon as possible. You can apply for an email account at any of the computer labs on campus. You will need a current, valid student ID to obtain your account. You must have your own E-mail account. It is a violation of university policy to allow others to use your account OR for you to use another's account. If you had an email account last semester, it should still be active but check to make sure. The staff in all of the computer labs on campus are extremely helpful if you are kind, courteous, and patient in asking for help.
ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT
Cheating, plagiarism or other forms of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated in COM 115. All students who enroll in COM 115 are responsible for knowing what the university's policy is on academic dishonesty. Any student detected participating in any form of academic dishonesty in this course will be subject to sanctions as described in the Student Academic Integrity Policies and Procedures available at the Reserves Desk (Meyer Library), and in abbreviated form in the MSU Undergraduate Catalog. It is your responsibility to read and understand MSU’s Student Academic Integrity Policies and Procedures. It is not an acceptable defense to claim, "I didn't know I was plagiarizing," "I didn't know what I was doing was plagiarism," or "I didn't know that plagiarizing was prohibited." All members of the University community share the responsibility and authority to challenge and make known acts of apparent academic dishonesty.
In an academic environment, plagiarism is one of the most serious offenses a student can commit. Plagiarism is the intentional or unintentional representation of another person's ideas as your own. Plagiarism sometimes confuses students. It is plagiarism to turn in any portion of someone else's paper, speech, or outline as your own work. It is plagiarism to use any portion of a speech from a "file" of previously used speeches and present it in class as your original work. It is plagiarism to take passages from someone's work and include it in a speech, paper, or outline without citing the original author. It is a form of academic misconduct to knowingly allow another student to use your work as their own. All material submitted for evaluation must be the original work of the student and be produced in the current semester. It is a form of academic misconduct to submit any speech, outline or paper written for another course or competition for a grade in COM 115 without the knowledge and permission of the instructor. This includes all work produced as a high school student or used in high school competition.
SPECIAL NEEDS
To request accommodations for disability, students must contact Disability Services Plaster Student Union Suite 405, (417) 836-4192; TTY (417) 836-6792. Students must provide documentation of disability to Disability Services prior to receiving accommodations.
NONDISCRIMINATION
MissouriStateUniversity is a community of people with respect for diversity. The University emphasizes the dignity and equality common to all persons and adheres to a strict nondiscrimination policy regarding the treatment of individual faculty, staff, and students. In accord with federal law and applicable Missouri statutes, the University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, or veteran status in employment or in any program or activity offered or sponsored by the University. In addition, the University does not discriminate on any basis not related to the applicable educational requirements for students or the applicable job requirements for employees. The University maintains a grievance procedure incorporating due process available to any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against. MissouriStateUniversity is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Inquiries concerning the grievance procedure, Affirmative Action Plan, or compliance with federal and state laws and guidelines should be addressed to Jana Estergard, Equal Opportunity Officer, Siceluff Hall 296, 901 South National, Springfield, Missouri 65897, (417) 836-4252.
DROPPING THIS CLASS
If you stop attending this class but do not follow proper procedure for dropping the class, you will receive a failing grade and will also be financially obligated. To drop a class anytime after the first week, you must turn in a drop slip at an authorized registration center. You do not need to obtain any signatures on the drop slip.
POLICY ON USE OF CELL PHONES IN CLASS
As a member of the learning community, each student has a responsibility to other students who are members of the community. When cell phones or pagers ring and students respond in class or leave class to respond, it disrupts the class. Therefore, the Office of Academic Affairs prohibits the use by students of cell phones, pagers, or similar communication devices during scheduled classes. All such devices must be turned off or put in a silent mode and cannot be taken out during class. At the discretion of the instructor, exception to this policy is possible in special circumstances.
Sanctions for violation of this policy are determined by the instructor and may include dismissal from the class. In testing situations, use of cell phones or similar communication devices, or any other electronic or data storage device, may lead also to a charge of academic dishonesty and additional sanctions under the Student Academic Integrity Policies and Procedures).
There are two appeal processes available to students. A sanction for class disruption may be appealed using the appeal process stated in the Class Disruption policy; however, a violation that involves a charge of academic dishonesty must be appealed using the process described in the Student Academic Integrity Policies and Procedures. Students have the right to continue attending class while an appeal is in progress.