Ranger College Syllabus

Transcription

1 Ranger College Syllabus Course: SPCH 1315 Credit Hours: 3 Instructor: Keren Myers Office Location: Online Office Hours: TBA kmyers@rangercollege.edu Phone: (361) I. Texas Core Curriculum Statement of Purpose Students will focus on developing ideas and expressing them clearly, considering the effect of the message, fostering understanding, and building the skills needed to communicate persuasively. This course may involve the command of oral, aural, written, and visual literacy skills that enable people to exchange messages appropriate to the subject, occasion, and audience. II. Catalog Description This course is a systematic study of the basic principles of effective oral communication. It provides experience in public speaking and listener analysis. Emphasis is placed on speech construction for extemporaneous speaking III. Pre-Requisites Successful complete of required placement testing. IV. Textbooks Required The Art of Public Speaking 11 th Edition by Stephan Lucas is the current textbook needed for this class. V. Method of Instruction Group forums, audio-visual materials, and self-guided exploration. VI. Core Objectives To understand and demonstrate writing and speaking processes through invention, organization, drafting, revision, editing, and presentation. To understand the importance of specifying audiences and purposes and to select appropriate communication choices. To understand and appropriately apply modes of expression, i.e., descriptive, expositive, narrative, scientific, and self-expressive, in written, visual, and oral communication. To participate effectively in groups with emphasis on listening, critical and reflective thinking, and responding. To understand and apply basic principles of critical thinking, problem solving, and technical proficiency

2 in the development of exposition and argument. To develop the ability to research and write a documented paper and/or give an oral presentation. Competence in speaking is the ability to communicate orally in clear, coherent, and persuasive language appropriate to purpose, occasion, and audience. Developing this competency includes acquiring poise and developing control of the language through experience in making presentations to small groups, to large groups, and through the media. Listening at the college level means the ability to analyze and interpret various forms of spoken communication. Critical thinking embraces methods for applying both qualitative and quantitative skills analytically and creatively to subject matter in order to evaluate arguments and to construct alternative strategies. Problem solving is one of the applications of critical thinking, used to address an identified task. VII. Course Calendar Week 1 Chapters/Speeches Ch.1 - Speaking in Public Ch.2 - Ethics & Public Speaking Additional Assignment(s) Syllabus, Etiquette, and Chapter Quizzes Chapters 1 & 2 Quizzes Week 2 Ch.3 - Listening Chapters 3 & 12 Quizzes Ch.12 - Using Language Chapter Forums Week 3 Ch Delivery Ch Using Visual Aids Speech Analysis Blair (reflection paper) Chapters 13 & 14 Quizzes & Forums Week 4 Exam 1 (covers Ch.1-3, 12-14) Patricia Fripp video Week 5 Speech 1 - What Society Needs Speech 1 self-critique is due Ch.4 - Giving Your First Speech Chapter 4 Quiz Week 6 Ch.5 - Selecting a Topic & Purpose Ch.6 - Analyzing the Audience Speech Analysis Bedi (reflection paper) Chapters 5 & 6 Quizzes & Forums Week 7 Ch. 7 - Gathering Materials Chapter Forums Ch. 8 - Supporting Your Ideas Chapters 7 & 8 Quizzes Week 8 Mid-Term Exam (covers 4-8) Week 9 Ch.9 - Organizing the Speech Body Chapters 9 & 10 Quizzes & Forums Ch.10 - Beginning & Ending the Speech Speech Analysis - MLK Week 10 Speech 2 - Commemorative Speech 2 self-critique is due

3 Week 11 Ch.10 - Outlining the Speech Chapters 11 & 15 Quizzes Ch.15 - Speaking to Inform Chapter Forums Week 12 Speech 3 - Informative of Non-Profit Speech 3 self-critique is due Week 13 Ch.19 - Speaking in Small Groups Chapters 18 & 19 Quizzes Ch.18 - Speaking on Special Occasions Chapter Forums Week 14 Ch.16 - Speaking to Persuade Chapters 16 & 17 Quizzes Ch.17 - Methods of Persuasion Chapter Forums Week 15 Speech 4 - Persuasive Speech 4 self-critique is due Week 16 Final Exam (covers 9-11, 15-19) Extra Credit Assignment is Due VIII. Course & Classroom Policies College-level course may include controversial, sensitive, and/or adult material. Students are expected to have the readiness for college-level rigor and content. This is a course in which you are expected to be self-motivated, and are highly encouraged to work ahead! Nature of the Course You will need to video record your speeches in front of a small audience (5 adult members, at minimum). If the video does not show the minimum of at least five (5) adults present for the speech, then a grade of zero will be given for the assignment. No Exceptions. The video should be taken in one, continuous interval with no stopping, restarting, or evidence of editing. Make sure you rehearse your speech! You will be allowed to use one (1) 4x6 note card during your speech. Follow the guidelines at the end of Chapter 3 for effectively making note cards. Your speech will then be uploaded to YouTube, and you will that video s URL link to me for grading. Responsibility You are responsible for making sure you meet each deadline for each assignment posted on BlackBoard this semester for this course. Late work will automatically receive a score of zero. Please contact me if you know ahead of time that you will be unable to complete an assignment. All course work per week will be available by each Monday, 8am, during our semester together, and will be due by Thursday, 4pm, that same week. Emergencies concerning participation and class work must be communicated to me 24 hours at the latest in advance. Students will be expected to complete their course work. Furthermore, you are responsible for your video recording device, operations, functions, and malfunctions, as well as your upload and process for getting your speech video to me before the due date is expired. I cannot stress this more strongly: This is an absolute prerequisite skill for this course because I will not and cannot help you make your technology work for you. Additionally, have a Plan B; a technological or Internet malfunction is not a valid excuse for not submitting an assignment on time. All assignments will be submitted via

4 BlackBoard, except video links, which will be sent to my Alternate A Note on YouTube: After you have created your YouTube account to upload and /share videos for your speech assignments, I will encourage you upload your videos as private and then invite me to view them, or the link to my Alternate address. However, you are more than welcome to upload your videos as public. If your video link or invitation to view is not ed to me by Thursday at 4pm of the week that your speech video is due, you will receive an automatic zero as your grade. Online Participation This course is offered online, using BlackBoard module. Participation is expected to be continuous throughout the course. Neglecting to turn in assignments by their due date, or participating in a timely manner via discussion forums may result in failing the course. Speech Analyses Forums Following your analyses of three speeches (which will be submitted either through BlackBoard on three separate dates), you will participate in three online discussion boards via BlackBoard forums following each analysis submission. However, if you choose to either neglect the analyses or participating in the forum, it will be reflected in your grade: half-credit for half- effort. Chapter Forums These discussion boards will count as part of your participation grade throughout the semester. These will cover the chapter reading assignments and your personal reflections on the content. You are also required to comment on your peers posts to allow for actual discussion. The quality of your entries on the forum will affect your grade! Chapter Quizzes For each chapter of the text that you are required to read, there will be a corresponding 10-question quiz posted on BlackBoard worth 10 points. You will have 5 minutes to complete each quiz once you have opened it. Quizzes will no longer be available on Thursday, 4pm, of the week which the reading is assigned. Mid-Term & Final Exams See Exams under Written Assignments for further instruction. Written Assignments Throughout this course you will have several written assignments, some requiring more of your time than others. You are cautioned, though, not to take any assignment no matter how seemingly small lightly. All will require your critical thinking skills, your reasoning, analysis, and research proficiency. Exams You will have three exams worth 100 points apiece. The first of these (Exam 1) will be taken at your respective campuses via proctor at the Counseling and Testing Centers. You will have the responsibility of contacting the Counseling and Testing Center at your campus to set up your personal testing time for Week 4 of the semester. The Mid-Term and Final Exams (during Weeks 8 and 16) will be taken online. Outlines for Speeches Each speech for this course will require a speaking outline. These will be submitted by submission link on BlackBoard. See the Addendum and Templates section of the syllabus for a sample outline.

5 Self-Critiques In addition to the speech outline, you will be required to send in a self-critique of your performance of your speech with your outline. You will use the Introductory Speech Self- Assessment, the Commemorative Speech Self-Assessment, and the Informative and Persuasive Speech Self-Assessments templates provided for you in the Addendum and Templates section. Speech Analysis Reflections During this course you will be asked to view, review, and compose a four- paragraph analysis of three professional speeches given by noted speakers such as David Cameron, Dr. Kiran Bedi, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Use your knowledge and apply chapter content as you analyze these speeches. Extra Credit Students will have the opportunity to earn extra credit by writing a paper on either Plato s, Cicero s, Aristotle s, or Quintilian s life and their specific contributions to the field of rhetoric including the five canons. This provides up to 50 points of extra credit. It is due before the week of finals. The more you write and research the more points you potentially obtain. Remember, Wikipedia is not a credible source! CLASSROOM POLICIES Academic Dishonesty The class discusses ethics in public speaking. We will cover this subject in great detail. All sources must be cited. When students use material from other sources, they must acknowledge this source. Not doing so is called plagiarism, which means using without giving credit the ideas or expressions of another. American College Dictionary defines plagiarism as Copying or imitating the language, ideas, and thoughts of another and passing off the same as one s original work. This includes oral or written use of quotations without citation, extensive paraphrasing of others ideas without citation, or using the outline of another person s work without citation. Failure to cite a source either orally on paper will result in a failing grade, and may be cause for dismissal from the class and/or college. Any student caught cheating will be dismissed from class. It is the intent of Ranger College to promote a spirit of complete honesty and a high standard of integrity. The attempt of students to present as their own any work they have not honestly performed is regarded by the faculty and administration as a serious offense. Do not allow your work to be copied in whole or in part by another student. Do not work as a group on any individual projects. Any work you turn in must be your original work only, created specifically for this class only. Student Behavior Policy Students are expected to take responsibility in helping to maintain an online forum and discussion board environment that is conducive to learning. In order to assure that all students have the opportunity to benefit from online class time, students are prohibited from making offensive remarks or engaging in other forms of distracting communication. Inappropriate communication will result in you being asked to leave the class forum. Adult behavior is expected during class. Derogatory, inflammatory, or any type of offensive language will not be permitted under any circumstances. Additionally, offensive language of any type will not be permitted and may be cause for dismissal

6 from the class. Available Support Services Ranger Help Desk: Mike Beran, Non-Discrimination Statement Admission, employment, and program policies of Ranger College are non-discriminatory with regard to race, creed, color, sex, age, disability, and national origin. Absences Even though Intro to Public Speaking is an online class, your absences will be accounted for by lack of participation during the week. This will be evident by lack of participation in a discussion forum, not turning in writing assignments when due, and/or not posting a speech on its due date. Late Consequences Assignments submitted after the deadline will maybe reviewed by the instructor at the student s request, but will earn a grade of zero for the assignment. Exceptions may be made for students with documented illnesses, jury summons, or funeral note. Because of the nature of BlackBoard, combined with the potential circumstances stated above (such as quizzes, discussion boards, exam, etc.), missed work may need to be completed via proctor by hard copy (paper). SAFETY Campus building occupants are required to evacuate buildings when a fire alarm activates. Alarm activation or announcement requires exiting and assembling outside. Familiarize yourself with all exit doors of each classroom and building you may occupy while receiving instructions. The nearest exit door may not be the door you used when entering the building. Students requiring evacuation assistance should inform the instructor during the first week of class. In the event of evacuation, follow the faculty s or class instructor s instructions. Do Not re-enter a building unless given instructions by the Fire Department, Campus/Local Police, or Fire Prevention Services. SPECIAL NEEDS If you have a condition, such as a physical or mental disability, which will make it difficult for you to carry out the work as outlined, or which will require extra tie on examinations, please notify the Counseling and Testing Office during the first two weeks of the course so that arrangements can be made. Assessment Methods & Grading Policy Speeches will be the main manner by which you will be assessed in the course. As you improve in your speech-presentation skills, so will your grade potential. In addition to speeches, you will also be assessed in three Exams, (online and given via proctor at your campus by the Counseling and Testing Center), and by Chapter Quizzes via BlackBoard. You will have to contact your home campus s Counseling and Testing Center to schedule the time and date of your Exam1. If you do not live near a RC location, you will need to find a proctoring location at which you can test. me if you have

7 questions. You will have 1-1/2 hours on each Exam, and 5 minutes on each Chapter Quiz. Your written work will also count for you as you successfully complete each assignment. Assessment Chart Assignment # Required Points Per Total Points Possible Exams Chapter Forums Syllabus, , & Chapter Quizzes Minor Speeches Major Speeches Speaking Outlines Self-Critiques Speech Analysis Reflections Speech Analysis Forums Letter Grades = A = B = C = D 754 & below = F