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COM 111 - PUBLIC SPEAKING
Summer 2009
Instructor: David Lapakko
Office: 178 Foss • Office hours: Monday – Thursday, 5:00 – 6:00
Office phone: 612-330-1722 (24-hour voice mail)
Home phone: 612-866-3860 (between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. only, please)
Internet:
GENERAL COURSE DESCRIPTION
As the title suggests, COM 111 is a basic introductory course in public speaking. However, developing skill in speaking is not the sole objective of the course; conceptual understanding is considered as important as the ability to speak effectively. Besides giving you opportunities to develop your speaking skills, the course is also concerned with such topics as: theories of communication, methods of speech preparation and organization, audience analysis and adaptation, delivery, critical thinking and listening, argumentation, style and language, and ways to criticize oral discourse. In other words, this course is in part devoted to the practice of public speaking (i.e., performance), but it is also the studyof public speaking, to a significant degree.
You may be happy to learn that there is relatively little class time available for lectures. I will talk at some length on a few occasions, but I believe that the best way to learn how to speak in public is to actually do it. Therefore, I have put the emphasis on providing as many speaking opportunities as possible. Please regard the textbook as a series of lectures that I might give if time permitted. And again, do not underestimate the importance of examinations, which stress conceptual understanding. Even though you have several speaking opportunities during the term, that is not enough to make anyone a fully accomplished speaker; therefore, having a grasp of certain guiding principles seems necessary to me. The additional experience you will gain at other times in your life.
This is also the type of course in which you must take an active role. As noted above, the majority of the course is devoted to your giving talks to the rest of the class. For many, this may seem uncomfortable at first, but over time, you may find that public speaking can actually be fun! In any event, I want to stress that the success of a course like this depends upon you. If you consider speeches as something "just to get out of the way," then the course could become rather tedious. On the other hand, if you strive to do your best, you may well find that giving and listening to speeches can be informative, provocative, and entertaining. Finally, remember it is very likely that you will address other audiences than this class in your lifetime; to that extent, a public speaking course is a practical necessity. It can help provide you with valuable skills, boost your self-confidence, and make you more aware of what you know and believe.
ATTENDANCE POLICY
Attending class regularly is the best way to get the most out of the course; nothing can take the place of actually being in class. Moreover, in a course of this sort, your absence is felt--it's hard to give "public" speaking experiences to people when the audience is limited to, say, five or six people. In addition, we only meet 9 times this term. Therefore, my expectation is that you will miss, atmost, one class. If you miss more than one class, you will lose 15 points for each additional absence. Also, as an absolute minimum expectation, you cannot miss more than three classes and expect to pass, even if you do all of the required work. I'll pass around an attendance sheet each night which will serve as the official attendance record; be sure to sign in.
REQUIRED MATERIALS
• Steven Beebe and Susan Beebe, Public Speaking: An Audience-Centered Approach, 7th ed. (Pearson, 2009).
• A personal cassette tape of at least 60 minutes (30 minutes each side) which will be used to tape all graded speeches--i.e., those which are not "P-N." This tape is your personal record of the major speeches you will give this semester. I encourage you to listen to yourself. For the four "graded" speeches, I will also make oral comments at the end of each speech that you can play back. Please print your name somewhere on this tape, and please spend an extra 50 cents for a decent quality tape. Note: Those who fail to bring a tape to class on days they speak are subject to a small deduction in their score. Please remember to bring yours.
LATE ASSIGNMENTS
The success of a public speaking course depends very much on timely completion of assignments--especially those assignments that involve classroom speaking. When you fail to give a speech on the day it is scheduled, it can and usually does have some effect on everyone else. Therefore, all late assignments--especially late speeches--will be penalized. In most situations, this means half credit.
GRADING
Although I have no set method for determining grades, I will essentially make a kind of "class curve" based on your point total for the term. In doing so, I will take into account:
(1) percentage of total points;
(2) the median point total in the distribution;
(3) how the point totals are "clustered" or distributed--i.e., if there are any gaps where it would
be appropriate to draw a line;
(4) college grade guidelines, which state that a 4.0 is work that "achieves highest standards of
excellence," and a 3.0 is work which is "above basic course standards," and
(5) any "intangibles" (e.g., perceived competence, class participation, attendance).
Keep in mind that a "class" curve is not necessarily a "normal" bell-shaped curve. I do not assume that there have to be a particular number of any grade. To put it another way: do not assume that if you have the lowest point total in the class that you will fail; similarly, do not assume that you will get an A if you have the highest point total. The class distribution of points is only one indication of a possible grade; the other considerations are mentioned above. In general, grades of 3.0 or above are considered marks of some distinction. To receive a 4.0, one must demonstrate excellence in all facets of the course--not just giving speeches, but also on exams and writing assignments. Finally, be aware that I tend to be fairly generous on the "low end" and somewhat stingy on the "high end." If you do all of the required work and attend class regularly, you absolutely will not fail--but you will really have to earn a 4.0.
Other notes about grading: (1) You must complete all assignments in order to receive credit for this course--you may not "take a zero" on an assignment and expect to receive credit. (2) Incompletes will be strongly discouraged, except under very unusual circumstances, and only by making prior arrangements with the instructor (and the registrar). (3) Although I have already indicated that I consider a number of factors to arrive at grades, if you want a rough idea of how you're doing, keep track of your percentage of total points. If it's 90 percent or above, you're doing an excellent job; if it's at least 80 percent, you're doing good work; if it's at least 70 percent, you're in the "C" range; and if it's less than 70 percent, you should be concerned. Again, this is only an indication, but perhaps the single best one you have.
GRADED ACTIVITIES (details subject to slight modification)
350 points total
EXAMS (125 points)
Exam #1 and Exam #2 are open-book take-home exams, each worth 50 points.
Exam #1 – due July 15 (50 points)
This exam will be based on the following chapters in the text: 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15. It will consist of multiple choice and short answer questions.
Exam #2 – due July 27 (50 points)
This exam will be based on these chapters: 3, 4, 7, 8, 16, 17, and 18. The format will be similar to exam #1.
Exam 1 actually has 76 points worth of questions and exam 2 has 66 total points. Your score on a 50-point scale will be determined as follows:
95 - 100 percent on the exam ……… 50 points (exam 1: 72/76; exam 2: 63/66)
90 - 94 percent on the exam ……… 45 points (exam 1: 68/76; exam 2: 60/66)
85 - 89 percent on the exam ……… 40 points (exam 1: 65/76; exam 2: 56/66)
80 – 84 percent on the exam ……… 35 points (exam 1: 61/76; exam 2: 53/66)
75 – 79 percent on the exam ……… 30 points (exam 1: 57/76; exam 2: 50/66)
Below 75 percent on the exam …… 0 points
Exam #3 – Wednesday, August 5 (25 points)
This long quiz/short exam will be based primarily on any “lecture” or other in-class material. It may also include a few items that seemed to be “troublesome” on exams 1 and 2. It will consist of true-false, multiple choice, and short answer questions.
For exam #3, you can use both sides of a 4 x 6 note card as an aid.
SPEECHES (175 points)
“Introduction”speech - 2 minutes (July 8) ...... P-N
"Pet peeve"speech - 3-5 minutes (July 13)...... ………… (25 points)
Informative speech - 6-8 minutes (July 20-22) ...... ……….. (50 points)
Persuasive speech - 7-9 minutes (July 27-29)...... …. (50 points)
Speech to entertain - 6-8 minutes (August 3-5)...... ……….. (50 points)
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT – due Monday, August 3 (50 points)
Because COM 111 is an “Engaging Minneapolis” course, we need to provide at least one assignment in which you are out in the city involved in something related to the course. Therefore, you should attend at least one “speaking event” off-campus, in the city, and write about it. You must provide details about the speech itself: who spoke, in what venue, for how long, to what audience, for what length of time. You should also summarize the main points of the speech. Then, given what you have been reading about speechmaking, and what we have discussed in class, provide a critical analysis of the speech. What did the speaker do well, and why? What were the weaknesses in the speech? In short, do anything that involves a critical analysis. Suggested length: 4 double-spaced typewritten pages. You also may be asked to discuss these experiences in class, very briefly, on August 3.
OTHER NOTES:
• A reminder that speeches, like writing assignments, can be plagiarized. I expect you to be familiar with the section of the college's student guide dealing with plagiarism. In the event of blatant plagiarism, I would be forced to determine an appropriate penalty.
• Finally, it's easy to forget some very basic things. I don't want to make your life miserable. I want you to profit from the course. Every time I make work for you, I make work for me, too. I'm open to concerns, complaints, and suggested alternatives. And I'm always just a phone call away.
SCHEDULE FOR THE TERM
7/8
______
7/13 pet peeve speeches7/15EXAM #1 due
______
7/20 informative speeches7/22informative speeches
______
7/27 persuasive speeches7/29persuasive speeches
EXAM #2 due
______
8/3 speeches to entertain8/5 speeches to entertain
Engaging MinneapolisEXAM #3 (in class)
assignment due
ASSIGNMENT SHEET: PET PEEVE SPEECH
1. This speech will give you the chance to tell the class something about yourself or your views on some matter that concerns you. It may be something seemingly trivial or fairly important, but it must be one (or possibly more) of your “pet peeves”--something that bothers you more than most people.
2. Depending on a variety of things (including what topic you choose), your primary goal may be to inform, to persuade, or to entertain. Obviously, whatever your purpose is, it should be clear to the audience.
3. This is to be a 3-5 minute speech. Speeches which are less than 3 minutes or more than 5 are subject to a penalty, so plan yours carefully. (The more you exceed these limits, the greater the deduction.)
4. As for all speeches given this term, you should not use a manuscript. But at the same time, don’t be afraid to use a fair number of notes. But don’t write the speech out word-for-word. The use of a complete manuscript may result in a point deduction.
5. Grading criteria are listed on the critique sheet I will use for this particular assignment--I’ll hand one out so that you can see them.
6. In general, this is a speech that should exercise some of your more “creative” talents. Have fun with it!
ASSIGNMENT SHEET: INFORMATIVE SPEECH
Some guidelines and expectations for this assignment:
1. This should be a 6-8 minute speech. Speeches which are outside of these limits will lose up to 5 points, so plan yours carefully.
2. Subject choice and, more importantly, treatment of your subject are critical. An informative speech must present new and interesting material--something that the audience does not already know. Good research will help in this regard and is expected.
3. Some speaking occasions (e.g., conferences or specialized seminars) bring with them people who are already interested in virtually any topic that is discussed. For this and many other occasions, however, the speaker cannot and should not assume that the audience is already interested or motivated to listen. Therefore, part of what you will need to do for this occasion is to provide what I call a “significance statement”--most likely, in the early part of the speech. A significance statement simply answers this question for the audience: “What’s in this speech for me? Why should I bother to listen?” In short, be sure to justify your topic choice--provide the audience with incentive to listen if at all possible.
4. Clear organization is also particularly critical in an informative speech. This type of speech demands more precise and explicit organization than some other types. You should have definite “major heads” which form an outline for the speech, and this organizational schema should be made clear and explicit to the audience. In this regard, a short preview and summary are important, along with clear “signposting” to make the divisions of the speech evident. See chapter 9 of the text for further guidance.
5. To give you practice using visual aids, this assignment also requires that you use at least one visual aid (of any sort) in the speech--e.g., graphs, posters, objects, or the blackboard. Good visual aids, carefully and sparingly used, can do much to get a point across. But, do read chapter 14 of the text on the use of visual aids to avoid any problems. (Remember that your visual aid does not have to be an object--it may simply be an outline of the major headings, or a visual display of a key piece of technical information. In fact, think twice about simply showing an object as your “required visual aid.” For example, your speech is on baseball, so you hold a baseball in your hand—how does that really help your audience retain the information?) Overall, I’m looking for something that’s sophisticated and also effective.
6. For educational reasons, your notes must be limited to one side of an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper or its equivalent. In other words, the speech must be extemporaneous.
7. This speech will be evaluated using the following general criteria:
• subject choice--appropriate to speaker, audience, assignment, time limit
• subject development--clear, coherent, creative, interesting
• introduction and conclusion--memorable, attention-getting, helpful in establishing your
purpose
• organization--clear, orderly, explicit, sensible
• delivery--conversational, poised, lively, communicative
ASSIGNMENT SHEET: SPEECH TO PERSUADE
•1. This should be a 7-9 minute speech which attempts to change our attitude, opinion, or behavior on an issue of some significance. Speeches which are outside of these limits will lose up to 5 points.
•2. Your thesis should meet all three of these criteria:
(a) As indicated above, the issue should have some personal significance for members of the audience. It needn't be a national issue, but it shouldn't be a trivial one.
(b) The topic should be narrowed sufficiently so that you can do justice to it in 7-9 minutes. For example, rather than arguing that U.S. foreign policy in the last 100 years has been a failure, you might do better to argue that our recent actions in Central America have been misguided.
(c) Most important, the thesis must be controversial. You must have at least some reasonable grounds to believe that at least several members of the class may not agree with you. Otherwise, the assignment offers little in the way of a persuasive challenge. Please do not give a speech on why “crime is bad” or “good nutrition is important.” A couple other topics that I have grown weary of involve why we should wear seat belts or why we ought to donate blood. (If you want to argue that we shouldn't wear seat belts or shouldn't donate blood, that's maybe another story. But please avoid the "affirmative" stance on these two issues.)
•3. This assignment places special emphasis on your ability to understand and apply principles of persuasive speaking that have been discussed in class or in the text. Please check your lecture notes along the way in this regard, as well as chapters 16 and 17 of the text.
•4. This should not be a manuscript speech--however, you are allowed to use both sides of one 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper (or its equivalent in note cards) as an aid. Feel free to make use of extensive notes--just do not "read" the entire speech from start to finish.
•5. Factors which will be considered in evaluating the speech will include:
• delivery,
• organization,
• topic and thesis choice,