INSTRUCTIONAL PACKAGE
EFFECTIVE TERM: Fall 2012/Spring 2013/Summer 2013
COURSE PREFIX: SPC 205 COURSE TITLE: Public Speaking
CONTACT HOURS: 3.0 CREDIT HOURS: 3.0
RATIONALE FOR THE COURSE: Speaking and listening competencies are vital both in the classroom and in the workplace. In fact, studies involving both faculty in higher education and employers identify the ability to communicate as the most significant indicator for success. Accordingly, SPC 205 is designed to address the demand for competent communicators by helping students develop the communication skills needed for achievement of academic and professional goals. In addition, the knowledge students gain from this course will help them become more-critical consumers of communication outside work and school.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is a university parallel transfer course that is an introduction to principles of public speaking with application of speaking skills.
PREREQUISITE COURSES: Appropriate test scores of 87 Reading and 80-89 Writing COMPASS, 19 ACT or 480 SAT, or successful completion of ENG 100.
REQUIRED MATERIALS: Stephanie J. Coopman, James Lull, Public Speaking: The Evolving Art, Enhanced 2nd ed. (Boston: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning), 2012. ISBN: 13-978-1-285-00792-2.
FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION: Grades earned in courses impact academic progression and financial aid status. Before withdrawing from a course, be sure to talk with your instructor and financial aid counselor about the implications of that course of action. Ds, Fs, Ws, WFs and Incompletes also negatively impact academic progression and financial aid status.
The Add/Drop Period is the first 5 days of the semester for full term classes. Add/Drop periods are shorter for accelerated format courses. The following week of the semester is Financial Aid Attendance Verification period. You must attend at least one meeting of all of your classes during that period. If you do not, you will be dropped from the course(s) and your Financial Aid will be reduced accordingly.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
I. Students will analyze the process of communication.
A. Explain the communication process.
B. Define speaker credibility.
C. Evaluate verbal and nonverbal communication strategies.
II. Students will create effective verbal messages.
A. Select appropriate topics.
B. Analyze audiences.
C. Invent appropriate speech purposes.
D. Adapt topics to speech purpose, rhetorical situation, and audience.
E. Organize ideas logically.
F. Create supporting material.
G. Discriminate among sources.
H. Incorporate source material.
I. Document sources.
J. Express ideas clearly.
K. Reason soundly.
L. Defend ideas logically.
M. Choose culturally sensitive language.
III. Students will demonstrate effective delivery skills in speaking.
A. Demonstrate vocal characteristics that enhance the verbal message.
B. Demonstrate use of body that enhances the verbal message.
C. Adjust to the rhetorical situation while speaking.
D. Create a sense of communication with audience members.
IV. Students will demonstrate skills in listening.
A. Determine goals for listening.
B. Demonstrate listening behaviors that enhance communication.
C. Communicate respect for others.
D. Ask questions that clarify the speaker’s message and intent.
E. Paraphrase messages.
F. Evaluate reasoning.
G. Distinguish fact from opinion.
H. Criticize the ideas and communication behaviors of the self and others.
I. Participate effectively in discussion.
J. Take useful notes.
V. Students will judge ethical issues in communication.
A. Recognize ethical dimensions of communication.
B. Evaluate alternative approaches to ethical issues.
C. Demonstrate respect for the power of words.
D. Observe reasonable ethical standards.
VI. Students will use various forms of technology.
A. Perform research using information technology.
B. Evaluate technological resources.
C. Use presentation aids effectively.
D. Judge the use of presentation software by others.
RECOMMENDED COURSE MEASURES/ARTIFACTS:
Speaking assignments
Paper(s) and/or test(s)
RECOMMENDED EVALUATION OF COURSE MEASURES/ARTIFACTS:
Speaking assignments, papers, and test scores are averaged. Individual instructors may utilize other methods for weighting.
EVALUATION
The instructor will assess student mastery of the course skills described above. At a minimum, the instructor will require:
I. A fully-developed informative speaking experience;
II. A fully-developed persuasive speaking experience;
III. One or more additional speaking experiences;
IV. One or more written tests;
IV. Additional assignments that assess mastery of the communication knowledge and skills described above.
COURSE GRADING
The College grading scale as outlined in the catalogue will be utilized.
RECOMMENDED COURSE CALENDAR*
Week 1 I. Foundations
A. Communication Theory
B. Listening
C. Ethical Implications of Language
Weeks 2 & 3 II. A First Speech
A. Communication Apprehension
B. Delivery
Week 4 B. Speaking Assignment 1.
Weeks 5, 6, & 7 III. Organization of Messages
A. Audience Analysis
B. Topic Selection
C. Speech Purpose
D. Main Points
E. Introductions
F. Conclusions
G. Transitions
H. Outlining
I. Presentation Aids
Weeks 8 & 9 J. Speaking Assignment 2.
Weeks 10 & 11 IV. Researched Messages
A. The Research Process
B. Evidence
C. The Ethical Use of Research
D. Reasoning
Weeks 12 & 13 E. Speaking Assignment 3.
Weeks 14 V. Small Group Communication in a Public Context
A. Theory of Small Groups
B. Panel Discussion
C. Speaking Assignment 4.
Final Examination
* Individual instructors may utilize other calendars.