SCM 111: Honors Oral Communication

SCM 111: Honors Oral Communication

T/Th 11:00-12:15, LAB 469

Dr. Atkins-Sayre

Spring 2010

Instructor information:

Office: LAB 475

Phone: 601-266-4370

Email:

Web site:

Facebook group: SCM 111H Spring 2010

Office Hours: M/W 12-1 (SpeakingCenter) T/Th 10-11 (LAB 475) and by appointment

Required Texts:

• The Art of Public Speaking (10th ed.; 2009), Stephen E. Lucas, McGraw Hill
• Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Years, 1954-1965 (15th anniv. ed.; 1987), Juan Williams, Penguin Books.
• Readings available in class and on the course web site

Course description:

The goal of this course is to help students become better communicators and to gain an understanding of the art of public speaking. Students will learn how to speak effectively in public, understanding why some speakers are more effective than others. Additionally, this course will create an understanding of rhetoric through the study of historical and contemporary rhetorical acts. In particular, we will study the role of rhetoric in the civil rights movement, emphasizing the importance of rhetoric to social change. In short, students should become better speakers and critics of public communication.

Course goals:

• The student will understand the need for effective public speaking skills in a variety of contexts.
• The student will use effective research and organizational skills in the preparation of speeches.
• The student will practice various genres of public speech.
• The student will understand the importance of rhetoric in the historical and contemporary civil rights movements.
• The student will study historical and contemporary speeches in order to learn rhetorical techniques.

Course requirements:

Detailed information about each assignment will be available on the course web site. Below you will find preliminary information about the projects that you will undertake this semester.

Informative speech15%

6-7 minute informative speech on some component of the historical civil rights movement. For example, you might talk about a civil rights figure, event, or concept.

Persuasive speech15%

7-8 minute persuasive speech on a contemporary civil rights issue. For example, you might talk about affirmative action, women in the workplace, gay rights, etc.

Tribute speech15%

4-5 minute speech paying tribute to any historical civil rights figure, event, or concept. Note that this speech will happen during our Birmingham Civil Rights Institute excursion.

Final speech20%

5-6 minute persuasive speech that focuses on motivating the audience to take action on a contemporary civil rights issue.

Quizzes25%

Daily quizzes over readings. You will be asked a few listing or short answer-type questions. These will occasionally take place via the Facebook group page. I will drop the lowest 2 daily quiz grades.

Participation10%

Participating in class discussions, weekly online discussions (via Facebook), and in- and out-of-class-assignments.

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute trip

As a mandatory part of the class, we will travel to Birmingham, AL, to view the Civil Rights Institute. Travel expenses (transportation, hotel, museum fee, and food) will be covered by the University. We will travel by van to Birmingham on Friday, April 30th(leaving at about 1 pm), stay overnight in an area hotel, visit the museum on Saturday, May 1, and travel back to Hattiesburg that evening. Please make sure to block out those two days on your calendar. If you are unable to make the trip, you will need to drop the class.

Course policies:

1. Participation: I expect all individuals to participate in class discussions, assignments, and exercises. The course cannot succeed without that participation. Consequently, you should read the assigned materials on the assigned days and come to class ready to interact in discussion or activity. I also encourage you to participate in your class grade throughout the semester by keeping track of grades and making appointments with me if you are concerned.

2. Late work: Because your assignments are primarily speeches, late work is practically impossible. Late speeches take away class time, thus inconveniencing the instructor and the entire class. Unless you have to miss a speech day for an emergency or serious illness, you will not be allowed to make up speeches and will be granted a zero for the assignment. If an emergency arises or you have a serious illness, you need to be in touch with me as soon as possible.

3. Attendance: I expect you to be in class everyday and on time. Absences will affect your participation grade. It is your responsibility to find out what happened on all missed days. Any assignments will be due on the due date at the beginning of class regardless of your absence (unless we have reached an agreement).

4. Grievance procedure: If you are dissatisfied with a grade (after carefully reading instructor comments), you will need to submit a typed argument explaining why you disagree with the grade. The paper should specifically mention why you disagree with the grade and use support (textbook, class notes, etc.) where appropriate. This paper will need to be given to me within one week after receiving the grade. I will then read the argument and respond either in writing, via email, or in a meeting. Please note: I will not discuss individual grades in the classroom.

5. Classroom rules: Please turn all cell phones off upon entering this class. Please be on time to class; I often make announcements that you will need to hear. Please do not start to pack up your belongings early. Do not read newspapers, text messages, etc., during class. In short, be considerate.

6. Computer proficiency: Students enrolled in this course must have Internet access available to them, including email, web access, and a Facebook account, and have the basic knowledge needed to efficiently use these Internet technologies. All course assignments will be posted on the course web site. You will be responsible for retrieving documents (syllabus, assignment write-ups, readings, etc.) from the course web site. Please become familiar with the web site early in the semester so that you know where to find the necessary information. Problems with computers or printers do not excuse you from meeting deadlines. Please note that failures of technology (e.g., “my computer crashed,” “the file won’t open,” “the lab printer was broken,” etc.) will not lead to an extension of the deadline. Please do all that you can (by backing up files, giving yourself plenty of time to print, having back-up plans, etc.) to prevent these problems.

7. Academic Honesty

From the 2008-2009 Southern Miss Undergraduate Bulletin: Plagiarism is scholarly theft, and it is defined as the unacknowledged use of secondary sources. More specifically, any written or oral presentation in which the writer or speaker does not distinguish clearly between original and borrowed material constitutes plagiarism.

Because students, as scholars, must make frequent use of the concepts and facts developed by other scholars, plagiarism is not the mere use of another’s facts and ideas. However, it is plagiarism when students present the work of other scholars as if it were their own work.

Plagiarism is committed in a number of ways:

1. reproducing another author’s writing as if it were one’s own

2. paraphrasing another author’s work without citing the original

3. borrowing from another author’s ideas, even though those ideas are reworded, without giving credit

4. copying another author’s organization without giving credit

Plagiarism is a serious offense. An act of plagiarism may lead to a failing grade on the paper and in the course, as well as sanctions that may be imposed by the student judicial system.

Refer to the plagiarism tutorial on the Southern Miss libraries website ( for more advice about avoiding plagiarism.

I reserve the right to use TurnItIn.com to verify the accuracy of a paper. I will occasionally ask for electronic copies of your outlines.

Disabilities

If a student has a disability that qualifies under the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and requires accommodations, he/she should contact the Office for Disability Accommodations (ODA) for information on appropriate policies and procedures. Disabilities covered by ADA may include learning, psychiatric, physical disabilities, or chronic health disorders. Students can contact ODA if they are not certain whether a medical condition/disability qualifies.

Address:
The University of Southern Mississippi
Office for Disability Accommodations
118 College Drive # 8586
Hattiesburg, MS39406-0001
Voice Telephone: (601) 266-5024 or (228) 214-3232Fax: (601) 266-6035
Individuals with hearing impairments can contact ODA using the Mississippi RelayService at 1-800-582-2233 (TTY) or email Suzy Hebert at .

Course Grading

The following grading scale will be used:

90 and above=A80--89=B70--79=C60--69=D59 or less=F

Support for Writing and Speaking:

Students at The University of Southern Mississippi have access to individualized assistance with writing and speaking assignments for any course through the University’s WritingCenter and SpeakingCenter. The centers offer personalized assistance at any stage of the writing or speaking process, including brainstorming for topic ideas, developing an outline, conducting research, or learning proofreading or presentation skills. The SpeakingCenter also offers practice rooms for recording presentations and working with delivery aids (PowerPoint and Internet access are available). The centers are centrally located in Cook Library on the Hattiesburg campus (first floor just past Starbucks). For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call (HattiesburgWritingCenter: 601-266-4821; HattiesburgSpeakingCenter: 601-266-4965), come by, visit online ( or or join us on Facebook (USMWritingCenter or Southern Miss Speaking Center).

Tentative Daily Schedule

Date / Topic / Readings
T, Jan 19 / Introduction to course / King speech (course site)
Th, Jan 21 / Introduction to civil rights / Eyes chap. 1, Declaration of Human Rights (course site)
T, Jan 26 / Introduction to public speaking / Text chap. 1, appendix
Th, Jan 28 / Introductory speeches
Intro to Speaking Center (Cook Library 117) / Eyes chap.2
T, Feb 2 / Ethics and speaking / Text chap. 2, Barnett speech (course site)
Th, Feb 4 / Selecting a topic/Informative speaking / Text chaps. 4, 14
T, Feb 9 / Adapting to your audience / Text chap. 5, Douglass speech
Th, Feb 11 / Civil Rights (CR) day / Eyes chap. 3, 4
T, Feb 16 / Mardi Gras holiday / No class
Th, Feb 18 / Supporting your speech
Informative speech topics due / Text chaps. 6&7
T, Feb 23 / Organizing your speech / Text chaps. 8&10
Th, Feb 25 / Introductions and conclusions / Text chap. 9, Cuomo speech (course site)
T, Mar 2 / Workshop (in Speaking Center) / Bring outline drafts
Th, Mar 4 / Informative speeches / Speaking Center
T, Mar 9 / Informative speeches / Speaking Center
Th, Mar 11 / CR day / Eyes chap.5
Mar 15-19 / Spring break / No class
T, Mar 23 / Speaking to persuade / Text chap. 15, Malcolm X speech (course site)
Th, Mar 25 / Language
Persuasive speech topics due / Text chap. 11
T, Mar 30 / CR day / Eyes Interlude, chap. 6
Th, Apr 1 / Delivery / Text chap. 12, Obama race speech (course site)
T, Apr 6 / Methods to persuade / Text chap. 16
Th, Apr 8 / Workshop (in Speaking Center) / Bring outline drafts
T, Apr 13 / Persuasive speeches / Speaking Center
Th, Apr 15 / Persuasive speeches / Speaking Center
T, Apr 20 / Speaking on special occasions / Text chap. 17
Th, Apr 22 / CR day
Tribute speech topics due / Eyes chap. 7
T, Apr 27 / Visual aids / Text chap. 13 and appendix
Th, Apr 29 / CR day
Final speech topics due / Eyes chap. 8, epilogue
Fri, Apr 30-Sat May 1 / Tribute speeches / Civil Rights Institute trip (Birmingham, AL)
T, May 4 / CR day / Speeches (TBA)
Th, May 6 / Class summary
T, May 11 / Final speeches / Final period: 10:45-1:15 (Speaking Center)

1