Communication Studies 100, Section 11 : Fundamentals of Communication

Fall 2015

Course Professor: Laura Jacobi

Recitation Instructor: Israel Tan

Office Number: Armstrong Hall 206B

Email: israel.tan@mnsu.edu

Office Hours: Mondays 9am-10am, 2pm-4pm

Tuesdays 3pm-6pm

Wednesdays 9am-10am, 2pm-4pm

CMST 100 is an introductory course in Communication Studies. Students explore communication dynamics in a variety

of contexts, including interpersonal relationships, small groups, and public speaking.

This course is a lecture hall/recitation course. You will attend a large lecture in WC AUD every Monday and then attend a

recitation section during the week. Depending on the section you enrolled in, you may attend recitation class once or twice

a week (please pay special attention to your schedule).

Required Text: Floyd, Kory. (2015). Communication Matters, 2nd ed. New York: Mc-Graw Hill.

*Available through the bookstore ($107.15) or through website ($75 + shipping for book & e-book; $55 for e-book

alone): http://shop.mheducation.com/mhshop/productDetails?isbn=1259732894; Connect Support: 1-800-331-5094

SPECIFIC COURSE OBJECTIVES & LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Following the completion of this course, students should be able to:

1. Discover and analyze a number of complexities in everyday human communication (overarching goal).

2. Recognize, analyze, and articulate ways communication impacts personal identity.

a. Articulate ways in which a specific person or life event has influenced his/her identity in a speech.

b. Explore ways in which communication allows us to understand ourselves and others in group discussions.

3. Recognize, analyze, and articulate ways communication helps us to advocate for ourselves and others.

a. Explore ways in which communication aids us in advocating for ourselves in making decisions, in

leading, in small group communication, at work, and in public presentations.

b. Recognize and use effective research strategies, especially as they relate to creating a persuasive

argument/speech.

c. Advocate for their positions effectively on various topics in group discussions and speeches.

4. Recognize, analyze, and articulate ways communication aids us in building and maintaining our relationships.

a. Analyze a number of complexities in interpersonal communication and apply interpersonal theory to

everyday relationships.

b. Recognize non-obvious forms of nonverbal communication and evaluate ways we use nonverbal

communication to produce meaning.

c. Analyze the listening and perception processes and evaluate themselves as listeners.

d. Recognize effective conflict management strategies and be able to apply them in relationships.

Category 1B: Communication: Speech and Oral Reasoning

Successful completion of this course signifies that students have completed the requirement for Category 1B of the MSU,

M General Education Requirements. Following the completion of this course, students will be able to:

(a) understand/demonstrate communication processes through invention, organization, drafting, revision, editing

and presentation;

(b) participate effectively in groups with emphasis on listening, critical and reflective thinking, and responding;

(c) analyze, evaluate, and synthesize in a responsible manner material from diverse sources and points of view;

(d) select appropriate communication choices for specific audiences;

(e) construct logical and coherent arguments;

(f) use authority, point of view, and individual voice and style in communications;

(g) employ syntax, usage and analytical techniques appropriate to academic disciplines and the professional

world.

COURSE POLICIES

ATTENDANCE & LATE WORK: Class attendance is expected and is critical to be successful in this course.

Attendance is included in the participation portion of the grade. You will get points based on how many classes you

attend. For example, if there are 30 class days and you miss 3 days (and thus attend 27 classes), you will receive 90% of

the points allotted since you attended 90% of the classes. If however, you miss no more than 2 classes throughout the

semester, I won’t deduct any attendance points—incentive to attend class! Furthermore, if you miss class you will almost

certainly miss a graded assignment and/or lecture material that will appear on an exam. If you contact me in advance

and/or have a valid, documented excuse for missed days (i.e. medical or family emergency, university-sponsored activity),

we can negotiate an arrangement for missed speeches and quizzes/exams. Without approval, late speeches and

exams/quizzes will be lowered one full letter grade. Written reflections and graded discussions CANNOT be made up;

any that are missed due to excused absences will be exempt. Any that are missed due to unexcused absences will result in

a 0 on that written reflection or discussion.

ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT: Your instructor assumes that while in this course, you will perform to the utmost of your

ability in an honest and sincere manner. Cheating (or intentionally helping someone else cheat), plagiarism (claiming

another's words or ideas as your own), or any other form of academic misconduct will not be tolerated. Academic

dishonesty will result in no points for the assignment in question, and may result in the offending student's failure in the

course.

SPECIAL NEEDS: Any student with a documented disability condition (e.g., physical, learning, psychiatric, systemic,

vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations should contact the instructor and Disability

Services at the beginning of the semester. Please see the instructor right away to accommodate any special needs for

student success in this course. Disability Services, (507) 389-2825 (v) or 1-800-627-3529 (MRS/TTY), assists in ensuring

equal access for students with disabilities by documenting disabilities and providing or arranging reasonable

accommodations, academic adjustments, auxiliary aids and services, training, consultation, and technical assistance. This

information will be kept confidential. Student athletes must take responsibility to check their travel schedules

against the syllabus to look for conflicts, and notify me of travel conflicts as soon as possible.

CLASSROOM CONDUCT:

Turn off technology with any noise such as cell phones before entering the classroom.

Maintain confidentiality. One of the things we will do in this course is share stories of experiences. In order to

promote open discussion, students should not “spread” any of the stories or observations outside of the classroom.

And it is especially important that names are not attached to stories you share outside of the classroom for

educational or reflective purposes.

Be respectful. As we explore theories and practices of communication this semester, it is important for our

learning that we respect one another. We do not always have to agree, but please remain respectful of the voices

and perspectives of your colleagues.

Because entering class late can be disrupting and may prevent understanding class material, students are expected

to come to both lectures and recitation sections on time. Should consistent tardiness become a problem, the

instructors of recitation and lecture reserve the right to not count reflective writing or discussion points on any day

the student is late.

GRADE DISPUTES: You may dispute any grade you receive, provided you follow these conditions:

You must submit a written appeal to the instructor explaining your reasons why the grade should be changed

You attach the assignment to the appeal.

Your appeal makes a coherent and compelling argument

We can then discuss the grade outside of class time.

EXTRA CREDIT: At times, opportunities arise for students to participate as subjects in research conducted by the

Communication Studies department. I will make you aware of such opportunities if/when they arise and potentially other

extra credit opportunities. Each extra credit opportunity adds 3% to the final grade. Students may pursue one

opportunity.

ASSIGNMENTS

Speeches (40% of grade/200 total points):

Identity Speech 25

Advocacy Speech 75

Group Presentation 100

Participation (40% of grade/200 total points):

Written reflections in large lecture 100

Graded group discussions/activities 50

Attendance 50

Quizzes (20% of grade/100 total points): 100

Total Points: 500

Grades: 90-100% (448-500)= A; 80-89% (398-447 pts.) = B; 70-79% (348-397pts.) = C; 60-69% (298-347 pts.)= D; 59%

and below (297 pts. and below) = F

IDENTITY SPEECH (25 points): With this 3-4 minute speech, you will have the opportunity to explore what person or

life event has had a significant influence upon your identity.

ADVOCACY SPEECH (75 points): With this 5-7 minute speech, you will have the opportunity to advocate for a

solution to a controversial topic of interest.

GROUP PRESENTATIONS (100 points): With this 8-10 minute group speech, you will have the opportunity to apply a

course concept of interest to a fitting TV show or movie.

WRITTEN REFLECTIONS (100 points): In most of the large lecture classes, there will be an opportunity for students

to do short reflective writings, for which you will receive points. If you are in class and complete the work, you typically

receive full credit for the work. You will only receive less than full credit if there are significant problems with your

reflection. Reflective writings are directly linked to what we are doing in large lecture on a particular day and

consequently cannot be made up. In the case of excused absences only, missed written reflections will be exempt; missed

written reflections due to unexcused absences will earn a 0.

GRADED GROUP DISCUSSIONS/ACTIVITIES (50 points total): In some of the classes, there will be a small group

discussion on a set of questions on a particular topic for 20-30 minutes. Discussion questions may be based on written

reflections in large lecture or on other topics reviewed in recitation. The purpose of the group discussion is to reach some

kind of group insight into the answers. If given in advance, please bring your responses to the discussion questions to

class. Along with your individual submissions, my observations of the group, and a presentation of your group’s findings,

a recorder will fill out a sheet summarizing the main points of your discussion; all of these will be used in determining the

group’s grade. In the case of excused absences only, missed graded group discussions will be exempt; missed group

discussions due to unexcused absences will earn a 0.

GRADING OF THE DISCUSSIONS: You will earn a “1” for discussions with substance (i.e., it reflects critical

thinking upon the readings and lecture, ALL group members worked productively to achieve insight into the questions).

You will earn a “.5” for discussions that have some substance yet are lacking in some way (i.e., do not reflect enough

critical thinking, 1 or 2 group members strayed from the topic periodically). You will earn a "0" for discussions in which

you did not submit a response as an individual group member, or discussions in which you did not participate due to an

unexcused absence, or for discussions with no substance (i.e., little to no critical thinking upon reading and lecture ideas,

most or all group members strayed from the topic at hand). At the end of the semester, I will average your scores together

(the "1"s, ".5"s, and "0"s) and use this total to determine the percentage of points allotted for the discussion portion of the

grade (e.g., an average of .8 will earn a student 80% of the points or 40 points).

QUIZZES (100 points total): There will be 2 quizzes. Quizzes will be based on text readings and lecture material from

large lecture and recitation sections. Quizzes will consist of any combination of multiple choice, true/false, fill in the

blank, and short answer questions.

CLASS SCHEDULE

Communication helps us to . . . Understand ourselves and others

Date Topic Readings Due Assignments Due

8/24-8/28 Introduction Functions of Communication

Syllabus & D2L Site Chap. 1

Graded Group Discussion #1

8/31-9/4 Identity Chap. 3 pp. 66-75

Graded Group Discussion #2

9/7-9/11

No classes on 9/7 Basics of Public Speaking

Chapters 11 & 12 & 13

9/14-9/18 Communication & Culture Chap. 2 Graded Group Discussion #3

9/21-9/25 Impression Formation & Attraction Chap. 3 pp. 55-66 & Chap. 7 pp. 156-160

Communication helps us to . . . Advocate for ourselves and others

9/28-10/2 In making decisions & in leading: Communication Climate

Tables 8.2 and 8.3 & Chap. 10 text

Identity Speeches

10/5-10/9 In groups: Small Group Communication Chap. 9 Graded Group Discussion #4

10/12-10/16 At work: Organizational Communication Chap. 16 Quiz 1 (50-points)

10/19-10/23 In public presentations: Public Speaking Chapter 15

Communication helps us to . . . Build and maintain relationships

10/26-10/30

Relationship Development Chap. 8 pp. 186-189 & 192-193

Advocacy Speeches

11/2-11/6 Self-disclosure Chap. 7 pp. 164-168 text Advocacy Speeches Large Lecture Homework: Haptics Journal or Artifacts or Space Norms

11/9-11/13 Nonverbal Communication Chapter 5 Large Lecture Homework: Listening Inventory Graded Group Discussion #5

11/16-11/20 Listening Chapter 6 Large Lecture Homework: RD Questionnaire

11/23-11/27 Maintaining Relationships Chap. 7 pp. 163-164 & Chap. 8 pp. 179-186 & 202-203

Large Lecture Homework: Conflict Inventory

11/30-12/4

Managing Conflict Chap. 7 pp. 172-175 & Chap. 8 pp. 189-201

Quiz 2 (50-points) Group Presentations

12/7-12/11 Final Exam Week: No classes

Dec. 7-Dec. 11: Finals Week; The group presentation is the final for this course. If you need, you can use this week

in the lecture hall to make up speeches. The University schedule final time for CMST 100 is based upon their

Lecture Hall time [not your recitation section time]; see final exam schedule.