Comm 111/Public Communication (3 units)

Transcription

1 COURSE DESCRIPTION Comm 111/Public Communication (3 units) Syllabus Azusa Pacific Online University Azusa Pacific University System This course offers practical instruction in how to speak effectively and introduces the basic principles underlying effective communication. Topics range from the study of theoretical models of interpersonal and public communication to the fundamental skills of research, organization, and delivery of informative and persuasive discourse. MISSION STATEMENT Azusa Pacific Online University is an evangelical Christian community of disciples and scholars who seek to advance the work of God in the world through academic excellence in liberal arts and professional programs of higher education that encourage students to develop a Christian perspective of truth and life. ONLINE LEARNING Azusa Pacific Online University (APOU) specializes in online education for students who need a flexible learning schedule. The Online University vigorously pursues the goals of Christ- centeredness, academic excellence, affordability, accessibility, and relevance to the contemporary world. Fully online courses are primarily designed for asynchronous learning, which enables students to log in and complete their studies at whatever time of the day or night they wish. Occasionally, online courses include synchronous sessions where students may interact with one another in real time. SCHEDULE APOU courses begin on a Monday. Accordingly, an APOU course week extends from Monday through Sunday with the exception of the final week, which ends on Friday. Graded assignments are due on the days listed in the Course Calendar:

2 Day 1=Monday, Day 2=Tuesday, Day 3=Wednesday, Day 4=Thursday, Day 5=Friday, Day 6=Saturday, Day 7=Sunday Active participation in every assignment and every online discussion is expected. Students should be careful of any assignments that have specific opening or closing times, and should regularly consult the Course Calendar to ensure that they complete all work in a timely manner. REQUIRED TEXTS AND RESOURCES Required Textbook (10th Edition or E-book required -- with online access code) Lucas, Stephen, The Art of Public Speaking, McGraw- Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages; 10 edition (November 3, 2008) ISBN- 10: ISBN- 13: Online textbook and speech access: COURSE GOALS AND STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (SLOs) Goal 1: Help students understand how effective communication benefits the church Goal 2: Encourage and promote a growing demonstration of Christ- like behavior. Goal 3: Help students develop a maturing understanding of self Goal 4: Help facilitate students developing communication abilities SLO 1.1: Students identify how excellence in public speaking, and communication skills in general, can contribute to the health of the local church and to every kind of ministry. SLO 2.1: Students will identify and evaluate ways to become more and more Christ- like in presentations, critiques, and comments both in this class and other similar life situations. SLO 2.2: Students observe and evaluate peer presentations in order to reinforce basic speech principles and in order to be able to critique others in a positive and helpful manner. SLO 3.1: Students will identify and evaluate their own strengths and weaknesses revealed through candid evaluation by the instructor and work toward continual improvement Method of Assessment online discussion forums, self evaluations, response papers student critiques self evaluations

3 Goal 5: Equip students to grow in competence for their profession. SLO 4.1: Students will deliver speeches and identify aspects of those speeches that reflect basic speech structure. SLO 4.2: Students will evaluate aspects of audience analysis and how those aspects affect a speaker s presentation. SLO 4.3: Students will be able to articulate as well as practice the various techniques of feeling more relaxed in a formal speaking situation. SLO 4.4: Students will apply critical thinking strategies in all assignments and when choosing a speech topic. SLO 4.5: Students will be able to articulate and practice aspects of becoming a perceptive listener. SLO 4.6: Students will demonstrate significant and measurable growth in their ability to speak clearly, concisely, and comfortably in public and in effectively conveying the message of Christ with others. SLO 4.7: Students will produce quality academic research for their informative and persuasive speeches. SLO 5.1: Students will be able to express ideas with confidence and with supporting research for the purpose of advancing in their chosen careers. SLO 5.2: Students will utilize research and presentational technologies as appropriate to assigned topics. self evaluations, worksheets, quizzes, exams, self evaluations, worksheets, quizzes, exams, self evaluations, self evaluations, worksheets, quizzes, exams, self evaluations, self evaluations, speeches speeches speeches COMM111 Course Requirements Personal information page Please fill out and submit the Personal Information Page in its related assignment page. Fill it out completely and be thorough in your answers. Read and digitally sign the agreement included at the end. This is a contract between you and your Professor that affirms that you have carefully read the syllabus and understand the requirements for the course. Readings/Study Questions Thoughtfully and carefully complete all assigned readings (see reading schedule). In order to keep track of the number of readings you have completed and to prepare you for the online quizzes, you will sign-in to the online Connect Lucas website and complete the study questions as a part of your readings assignment. (You will need to create an account with Connect Lucas---instructions will be detailed for you separately.) Do not begin the online study questions until you have completed the readings in a thoughtful, careful and thorough manner.

4 Quizzes The description of the study questions in the connect Lucas website refers to it as an exam but it is not. Simply log in after you have completed the readings and answer the study questions. If you receive a score of 80% or higher, I will consider that to be a full 100% grade for your readings for the day. If you score below 80%, then whatever you get will be your grade for that readings assignment. Make sure you understand that this is not optional!! The way you will be reporting your reading to me is through completing the online study questions and it must be completed on time to receive credit. After having completed the readings and the review study questions for each chapter, you are ready to take the quizzes. Be sure not to confuse the online quizzes with the online study questions. The content of the quizzes will come from the readings and study questions, so be sure to be prepared before you start the quiz. The study questions can be taken open book but the quizzes need to be taken without the aid of any notes or readings. This will be done on the honor system. Student Critiques/Self Evaluations Some of the downloads that you will need to access from the Connect Lucas website ( include evaluation forms (self evaluation and student critiques). You will be required to complete and turn in a self-evaluation for each speech you present and also one critique of another student s speech (for each of the 4 speech categories we explore). So, in total, by the end of the semester, you will turn in 4 self-evaluations and 4 student critiques. These will consist of one page papers (one full page, single spaced) in which you will answer specific questions from specific evaluation forms. These forms are available in our online course on the respective assignment pages. IMPORTANT: Do not fill out the forms themselves, but rather, use the questions on the forms to write out your one full page, single spaced papers in paragraph form. You do not need to write out the questions you are answering in your papers. Just write your paper in paragraph form. **For the Self-evaluations use these forms: --Personal Introduction speech use Introductory Speech Self assessment --Demonstration and Informative speeches use Informative Speech Self assessment --Persuasive Speech use Persuasive Speech Self assessment **For the Student Critiques use the Out of class speech evaluation for all speeches Online Discussion Forums You will be interacting with Online discussion forums this semester on a variety of topics related to public speaking and be evaluated via seven different dimensions: that your discussions are on topic there is pointed discussion of concepts from the assigned content; that there is expression of your perspectives and that you include questions for other readers; that there is thoughtful reflection; that the tone is inviting, that stimulates additional conversation; that there is sensitivity towards others views; there are comprehensible writing mechanics; and that it is on time. Please see the instruction page for the full assignment description. Skill Building Worksheets Complete the online skill-building worksheets within the online course. These worksheets will enable you to internalize public speaking concepts on various topics including listening, audience

5 analysis and adaptation, library and Internet research, informative and persuasive speech preparation. Speech Response Papers Speeches You will also be evaluating online example speeches from the textbook publisher s website when you log in to Connect Lucas at For these you will download and refer to the prompts in the Out of Class Speech Evaluation form to submit your written responses in the related assignment page in the course. Print the form out prior to watching the speeches so you will know what questions to answer and what content to be looking for when viewing the speeches. Just like the self-evaluations and student critiques, you will format these evaluations in one-page, single-spaced papers. Use the questions on the Out of class speech evaluation form to inform the content of your paper. You will be writing, practicing and presenting 4 speeches this semester. Each speech will add some new dimension of communication you will be working on that week. This is the heart of the course. The majority of your time this semester should be spent in practicing these speeches. You will be required to present these speeches in a variety of public forum settings. Personal Introduction Speech For the first speech you will enable the audience to learn more about you by describing your life through the medium of a specific motif. Please see the instruction page for the full assignment description. Demonstration Speech In the second speech you will be adding the dimension of demonstration. You will basically be showing how the audience to do something, how to complete steps in a process. The goal of a Demonstration speech is to convey clear instructions to enable a person to effectively and safely complete a task. Please see the instruction page for the full assignment description. Informative speech In the third speech you will be incorporating the aspect of research and effectively citing sources. In this speech you will act as a teacher, giving us information that we would not otherwise have. You need to establish credibility; use supporting material effectively, capture our attention, and communicate clearly and succinctly. Please see the instruction page for the full assignment description. Persuasive Speech In the final speech you will be adding the aspect of persuasion. You will still need to incorporate an element of informing the audience to a certain extent, but now you will take that next step of trying to change their minds about something. The persuasive speech asks you to persuade members of your audience who disagree with you on a topic of genuine public controversy. You will: identify the main oppositional audience and the areas where that audience might be persuaded; develop strategies that are designed to weaken the commitment of the opposition to their original position, and/or convert them to your own position; choose and use argument and evidence effectively; and extemporize a speech in a lively manner. Please see the instruction page for the full assignment description. Detailed instructions for assignments appear on the course website.

6 ASSESSMENT POLICIES Course Evaluation Plan An assessment instrument (checklist, rubric, etc.) will accompany each major graded assignment. See the course website for specific assignment criteria and the accompanying grading instruments. Points Distribution Graded assignments will be weighted as follows: Graded Assignments Exam 1 Exam 2 Personal Introduction Speech Demonstration Speech Informative Speech Persuasive Speech Readings (Study Questions) Quizzes Student Critiques Self Evaluations Online Discussion Forums Worksheets Speech response papers Total Possible Points: Points Possible Late Work Policy Each day an assignment is late it is a letter grade drop. One week after the assigned due date, late work is no longer accepted. If an assignment is turned in late it is the student s responsibility to send the instructor an in regards to submission. *Students are not allowed to make up quizzes after the assigned due date. Grading Policies Criteria for Grading Speeches: An A speech must meet the following standards: The speech must satisfy all requirements for a B speech.

7 The speech must demonstrate imagination and creativity in topic selection and development. The speech must create and sustain strong identification among speaker, topic, and audience. Information and supporting materials must be well adapted to the audience. The speech must have an even greater research base. The speaker must demonstrate a comprehensive analysis and understanding of ideas and issue. The speaker must demonstrate the artful use of language and stylistic techniques. The speaker must make a polished presentation. A B speech must meet the following standards: The speech must satisfy all requirements for a C speech. The topic must be challenging. The topic must be adapted to fit the audience. The speaker must demonstrate personal commitment to the topic and assignment. The speech must have a greater research base. The speaker must use a variety of supporting materials. The speaker must document references within the presentation. The speech must create and sustain attention. The speech should have effective transitions, previews, and summaries. The speech must be presented with poise. A C speech must meet the following standards: The speech must be original. The speech must meet the requirements of the assignment. The topic must be appropriate for the audience. The topic must be sufficiently focused. The speech must have a clearly identifiable purpose. The speech must contain sufficient supporting material. The speech must reflect responsible knowledge. The speech must have an identifiable design complete with an introduction and conclusion. The speech must be presented extemporaneously. The speaker must use language correctly. The speech must be presented on the day assigned. A D speech does not meet two or three of the standards for a C speech or The speech is obviously unrehearsed. The speech is based entirely on biased information or unsupported opinions. The subject is inappropriate, offensive, or confusing to the audience. The speaker demonstrates a lack of seriousness about the assignment. An F speech does not meet four or more of the standards for a C speech, reflects one or more of the problems associated with a D speech, or The speech contains fabricated supporting material. The speaker deliberately distorts evidence. The speech is plagiarized. Final Grades The following scale will be used when calculating final grades: A 93%- 100% B- 80%- 82% D+ 67%- 69% A- 90%- 92% C+ 77%- 79% D 63%- 66% B+ 87%- 89% C 73%- 76% D- 60%- 62%

8 B 83%- 86% C- 70%- 72% F <60% As most grading scales say, an A is given for outstanding work. A B is given for good work, a C for satisfactory work and a D for substandard work. An A is not an automatic thing in this class just for doing all the work it must be earned with exemplary work and obvious effort. If you do all the work required in satisfactory fashion, you will receive a C. If your work is above average, then a B and only superior work will receive an A. Incomplete grades will be dealt with in accordance with APOU policy. Checking Grades Be sure to check your grades often via the course gradebook. EXPECTATIONS Professionalism All written work must be of professional quality and keyed using a computer. Handwritten work will not be accepted. Assignments that include excessive (more than 2 per page) or distracting grammatical, mechanical, or typographical errors will receive a grading penalty. All written assignments should be prepared using the American Psychological Association (APA) style format. A link to Basics of APA Style appears on the course website. As a professional, you are also expected to collaborate with your colleagues during group projects and to show respect for one another during all course interactions. Netiquette Netiquette is network etiquette, or a set of rules for behaving properly online. Virginia Shea has defined the issues, and discussed them at length, in her book Netiquette. You may view a brief summary of her Core Rules of Netiquette at the following website: They won't answer all netiquette questions, but they will provide some basic principles to use in solving many netiquette dilemmas. Academic Honesty The mission of Azusa Pacific Online University includes cultivating in each student not only the academic skills that are required for a university degree, but also the characteristics of academic integrity that are integral to a sound Christian education. It is therefore part of the mission of the university to nurture in each student a sense of moral responsibility consistent with the biblical teachings of honesty and accountability. Furthermore, a breach of academic integrity is viewed not merely as a private matter between the student and an instructor but rather as an act which is fundamentally inconsistent with the purpose and mission of the entire university. A complete copy of the Academic Integrity Policy appears on the course website.

9 Academic dishonesty (cheating, plagiarism, copying, and other forms) will be reported to the Program Director. Judicial sanctions may include, but are not limited to, loss of a letter grade or failure in the course in which the offense occurred, suspension, and/or dismissal from the University. Other Academic Policies Academic policies governing late assignments, course withdrawals, grade appeals, and many other issues appear on the course website. Students with Disabilities Students who have a disability that might prevent them from fully demonstrating their abilities should contact the Learning Enrichment Center (lec@apu.edu) as soon as possible. An advisor will explain how to initiate disability verification and will discuss accommodations that may be necessary to ensure full participation and successful completion of course requirements. SUGGESTED RESOURCES FOR FURTHER STUDY A tutorial covering Basics of APA Style appears online at: tutorial.aspx. To find a Toastmasters near you. Devito, J. A. (2010). Essentials of Human Communication. Boston: Pearson. [General overview of many aspects of communication including public speaking.] Muehlhoff, T. & Lewis, T. (2010). Authentic Communication. Downers Grove, IL: IVP [Academic. Christian concepts applied across multiple areas of communication studies.] Schultz, Q. S. (2006). An Essential Guide to Public Speaking. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker [Academic. A Christian approach to public speaking. Some good information but not thorough enough for a textbook for this class.] Verderber, R. F., Verderer, K. S., & Sellnow, D. D. (2012). The Challenge of Effective Speaking. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Cengage. [General public speaking text that discusses the same ideas as in Lucas text.] Wood, J. T. (2011). Communication Mosaics. Wadsworth/Cengage. [General overview of many aspects of communication including public speaking.]