TCU Mission: To educate individuals to think and act as ethical leaders and responsible citizens in the global community

COMM 10123 – Basic Speech Communication – Syllabus

I. Course Description

A. Catalog DescriptionSurveys fundamental communication concepts with emphasis on developing public speaking skills. Not available to students who have completed COMM 10133.

B. Degree Requirements Meet by the CourseThis course meets the oral communication essential competency for the TCU Core Curriculum. It is also one of several courses required for declaring a major or a minor in Communication Studies.

C. Credit HoursStudents will earn three undergraduate credit hours for successfully completing this course.

II. Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for this course

III. Learning Outcomes

Students will demonstrate the ability to construct and deliver effective messages, adapted to the audience, purpose, and context of the situation.

Students will demonstrate the ability to facilitate interpersonal and group communication.

IV. Required Text and Additional Resources

Floyd, K. (2011). Communication matters: An introduction to communication. New York: McGraw-Hill.

V. Course Policies

A. Grading

Each instructor will provide a description of all assignments that will be evaluated and how their students’ work will be translated into a final course grade. In addition to this explanation, the grading scale will be included. Currently, every faculty member has the option of using the plus/minus grading method or traditional letter grades.

The faculty definition of grades, and the point system designed to indicate quality of work, is as follows:

A 4.00 – Excellent A- 3.67 B+ 3.33 B 3.00 – GoodB- 2.67 C+ 2.33 C 2.00 – Satisfactory C- 1.67 D+ 1.33 D 1.00 – Poor

D- 0.67 F 0.00 – FailingP Passed the course. NC No credit awarded for the course.

In all cases where academic policy requires a grade of “C” or better, a “C-”will not meet those criteria. The same applies for “B” and “B-”.

B. University Attendance Policy

The University Attendance Policy is that regular and punctual class attendance is essential and no assigned work is excused because of absence, no matter what the cause. The course instructor will keep records of class attendance. When an accumulation of absences reaches the point of endangering a student's academic status, the faculty member should report his situation to the Campus Life Office. An instructor should not assume that continued absence from class indicates an official withdrawal until notified by the Registrar.

The Campus Life Office may grant official University absences for students who miss class to represent the University (as in athletics, band, chorus, national or state meeting of organizations represented at TCU). Faculty/staff who wish to have an activity sanctioned for official University absence status must submit the names of all students, including date and hours absent from campus, to the Campus Life Office no later than one week prior to the date of the activity. The Dean of Campus Life reviews and approves the request as appropriate and forwards the names for publication and distribution to all faculty members through the TCU Weekly Bulletin. Faculty members are required to permit students to make up work missed because of official university absences.

Serious illness or family emergencies may be verified by the Campus Life Office but are not considered official absences. Illnesses that will be verified are those involving hospitalization, or catastrophic accidents or illness. When a serious illness or emergency has been verified, each instructor should assist the student to make up any missed work. Time lost through such absences should NOT prejudice class standing. Faculty members should specify the appropriate time frame for making up missed work.

Students who miss an instructional experience are expected to meet with faculty to discuss their absence as soon as possible. Faculty may permit a student to make up missed work or assess a penalty for class absence.

C. Academic Misconduct

Academic Misconduct (Sec. 3.4 from the Student Handbook) –Any act that violates the academic integrity of the institution is considered academic misconduct. The procedures used to resolve suspected acts of academic misconduct are available in the offices of Academic Deans and the Office of Campus Life and are listed in detail in the Undergraduate Catalog (Student Policies>Academic Conduct Policy Details; http://catalog.tcu.edu/undergraduate/). Specific examples include, but are not limited to:

Cheating: Copying from another student’s test paper, laboratory report, other report, or computer files and listings; using, during any academic exercise, material and/or devices not authorized by the person in charge of the test; collaborating with or seeking aid from another student during a test or laboratory without permission; knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, transporting, or soliciting in its entirety or in part, the contents of a test or other assignment unauthorized for release; substituting for another student or permitting another student to substitute for oneself.

Plagiarism: The appropriation, theft, purchase or obtaining by any means another’s work, and the unacknowledged submission or incorporation of that work as one’s own offered for credit. Appropriation includes the quoting or paraphrasing of another’s work without giving credit therefore. 

Collusion: The unauthorized collaboration with another in preparing work offered for credit.

D. Statement of Disability Services at TCU

Disabilities Statement: Texas Christian University complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 regarding students with disabilities.  Eligible students seeking accommodations should contact the Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities in the Center for Academic Services located in Sadler Hall, 11.  Accommodations are not retroactive, therefore, students should contact the Coordinator as soon as possible in the term for which they are seeking accommodations. Further information can be obtained from the Center for Academic Services, TCU Box 297710, Fort Worth, TX 76129, or at (817) 257-7486.                                 Adequate time must be allowed to arrange accommodations and accommodations are not retroactive; therefore, students should contact the Coordinator as soon as possible in the academic term for which they are seeking accommodations.  Each eligible student is responsible for presenting relevant, verifiable, professional documentation and/or assessment reports to the Coordinator.  Guidelines for documentation may be found at http://www.acs.tcu.edu/DISABILITY.HTM.

Students with emergency medical information or needing special arrangements in case a building must be evacuated should discuss this information with their instructor/professor as soon as possible.

E. Netiquette: Communication Courtesy Code

All members of the class are expected to follow rules of common courtesy in all email messages, threaded discussions and chats.  If I deem any of them to be inappropriate or offensive, I will forward the message to the Chair of the department and the online administrators and appropriate action will be taken, not excluding expulsion from the course. The same rules apply online as they do in person.  Be respectful of other students.  Foul discourse will not be tolerated.  Please take a moment and read the following link concerning "netiquette". http://www.albion.com/netiquette/

Participating in the virtual realm, including social media sites and shared-access sites sometimes used for educational collaborations, should be done with honor and integrity:http://macaulay.cuny.edu/community/honorable-technology/guidelines/

F. TCU Campus Resources for Students

Many resources exist on the TCU campus that may be helpful to students: Mary Courts Burnet Library (257-7117); Center for Academic Services (257-7486, Sadler Hall. 11); the William L. Adams Writing Center (257-7221, Rickel Bldg. 244); Student Development Services (257-7855, BLUU 2003); and Office of Religious & Spiritual Life (257-7830, Jarvis Hall).

Only the official TCU student email address will be used for all course notification. It is your responsibility to check your TCU email on a regular basis.

G. Department Research Requirement

All COMM undergraduate students are required to participate in research projects conducted or sponsored by the Department of Communication Studies. Examples of typical research activities include completing opinion surveys, observing the communicative behavior of others, or assessing one’s own speaking performance or other experiences during the course. Identities of all students participating in departmental research will be kept strictly confidential. All research conducted with the assistance of COMM students will conform to the University’s policy for research involving humans. Alternative activities, such as tests over readings on communication research, are available for students who are unable or do not wish to participate in the Department’s research program.

SYLLABUSCOMM 10123: Basic Speech Communication

Summer, 2014

Instructor: Paul King, MB 307S, 817-257-6466, p.king@tcu.eduOffice Hours: In the summer, I am available after class or by appointment.Text: Floyd, K. (2nd Edition). Communication matters: An introduction to

communication. New York: McGraw-Hill.

COMM 10123 Catalog Description:Surveys fundamental communication concepts with emphasis on developing public speaking skills.

Core Curriculum Requirement--Oral Communication:Communication 10123 meets the Oral Communication requirement under the Essential Competencies Curriculum component of the TCU Core Curriculum. The Oral Communication requirement states that students should be able to “articulate thoughts clearly using appropriate verbal and nonverbal communication skills”.

Learning Outcomes Completed Through COMM 10123:(1) Students will demonstrate the ability to construct and deliver effective messages, adapted to the audience, purpose, and context of the situation.(2) Students will demonstrate the ability to facilitate interpersonal and group communication.

COMM 10123 Course Objectives (from Amber Finn’s regular semester course):

During COMM 10123 students will: identify examples of concepts. participate in conversations with fellow classmates. complete group projects. prepare and present informative speeches. prepare and present persuasive speeches. display appropriate listening behaviors during all speaking assignments. define key terms. apply communication principles to hypothetical situations.

Upon completion of COMM 10123, students will demonstrate: thorough knowledge of oral communication concepts. interpersonal communication competence. appropriate listening behaviors during all speaking assignments. proficiency in small group discussion. effective public speaking skills.

Course Schedule:

5-12 Introduction to the course. History of the study of communication, basic principles, a model of the process, communication ethics. Read chapters 1-4.

5-13 Communication Competence. Communication Apprehension. The role of perception in communication. Communication vs. attribution. Intrapersonal communication. Verbal and nonverbal communication. The dependent relationship of verbal and nonverbal expressions. Read chapter 5.

5-14 A test of listening effectiveness. Rules for success in listening. Active listening in therapeutic settings. Read chapters 6-8.

5-15 Exam 1 (chapters 1-5). Interpersonal communication. Dimensions of relationships. Interpersonal communication activity followed by completion of self report measure. Preparation for triplespeak activity.

5-16 Read chapters 9-10.

5-19 Triplespeak activity.

5-20 Group dynamics and group roles. Skills related to successful group communication. Development of group project and time for teamwork on project.

5-21 Group presentations.

5-22 Test #2 (chapters 6-10). Informative speaking: preparation, topic development, organization, tips & challenges. Managing Speech Anxiety. Use of visual aids. Chapters 11-13.

5-23 Informative speeches. Read chapters 14-15.

5-26 The process of persuasion. Persuasion theory. More on speech delivery. Preparation for persuasive speaking assignment. Read chapter 16.

5-27 Final preparation for persuasive speeches.

5-28 Persuasive speeches.

5-29 Test #3 (chapters 11-16). Work day preparing for final exam speeches.

5-30 Final exam speeches

Exam 1: May 15 (20 questions over chapters 1-5)Exam 2: May 22 (chapters 6-10)Exam 3: May 29 (chapters 11-16)

I will make assignments for presentation order by random draw. If you are aware of a specific conflict, you must inform me during the first week of the semester. Otherwise, your only option is to exchange presentation dates with a classmate. There will be three short exams covering reading material and notes each week. Due to the nature of the 3 week term, I am substituting a final presentation for the normal, final exam.

Grades are calculated in the following manner:

Informative presentation 60Persuasive presentation 60Group presentation 50Chapter exams (3 @ 50) 150Homework/activities/participation 20Final presentation 60 Total 400

A = 360B = 320C = 280D = 240

I reserve the right to curve tests if item analysis indicates such alterations are justified. Relax, I will only add points—never take them away! If you complete all of your homework assignments and all class activities, you can earn 20 points, which is half of a full letter grade. I consider this to be a sizeable bonus that you can obtain even if you have trouble with the exams or the presentations. If you are having trouble, talk to me! You will receive ongoing feedback throughout the semester with regular performance grades and weekly exam grades, so please don’t wait until the last week to come and see me since there is little that I can do to be of help that late in the semester. Helping you to do well in this course is my job and my joy, so do not hesitate to seek that help.

Consistency with other sections of COMM 10123:

This course is normally taught as a full semester course with an online and laboratory component. Some alterations in course structure must be made in order to accommodate other curricular approaches, such as summer semesters. Rest assured, however, that we will use the same textbook, cover the same major assignments, and (mostly) cover the same content as the long semester class. In particular, the weighting of the performance vs. testing components of the course are quite similar to the 16-week course.

Statement of Disability Services at TCU

Texas Christian University complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 regarding students with disabilities.  Eligible students seeking accommodations should contact the Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities in the Center for Academic Services located in Sadler Hall, 11. 

Accommodations are not retroactive, therefore, students should contact the Coordinator as soon as possible in the term for which they are seeking accommodations. Further information can be obtained from the Center for Academic Services, TCU Box 297710, Fort Worth, TX 76129, or at (817) 257-7486.

Electronic Devices

Unless you have prior approval, electronic devices must be turned off during class (this includes cell phones, ipods, smart devices, etc.. No EM’s allowed!) A class with student speaking performance is a venue where it is very annoying to hear unexpected rings, beeps, and tones. One such distraction can complete disrupt a novice speaker who is very concerned with doing well to receive a good grade.

I do not mind use of laptops to take notes. I very much mind use of laptops to send messages to friends, read the gossip columns, check up on Facebook friends, play FarmTown, etc. I will occasionally have a laptop raid. If I find you are using the laptop for non-academic purposes, or encounter a blank screen, or if you do not have an up-to-the-minute set of notes on the display, you will lose the privilege of using a laptop in class. I am sorry to be so hard headed about this, but I have repeatedly tried the soft, persuasive approach and there are some students who just refuse to give up FaceBook. I will not stop you from wasting your time scribbling on paper, if you must. I will have no paper raids.

Class Attendance:

If you are ill, we don’t want to catch it. I will provide you with make-up work if you contact me the day you return and provide me with written documentation that you absence was due to illness or another just reason. If you fail to communicate! with me and simply cut class, you will lose points in a number of ways, including a direct deduction of 10 points from your final total. There is a reason that I have this policy and it is related to the need to have an audience for presentations. We’ll discuss this in class.

Ethical Conduct:

Our mission is “to educate individuals to think and act as ethical leaders and responsible citizens in the global community.” The issues of ethics and responsibility are completely incompatible with academic dishonesty. We will discuss academic conduct in class, but I am attaching a copy of the TCU policy so that you can be familiar with the relevant terms and issues.

3.4 Academic misconduct Any act that violates the academic integrity of the institution is considered academic misconduct. The procedures used to resolve suspected acts of academic misconduct are available in the offices of Academic Deans and the Office of Campus Life. Specific examples include, but are not limited to:

3.4.1 Cheating a. Copying from another student's test paper, laboratory report, other report, or computer files and listings;b. using, during any academic exercise, material and/or devices not authorized by the person in charge of the test;c. collaborating with or seeking aid from another student during a test or laboratory without permission;d. knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, transporting, or soliciting in its entirety or in part, the contents of a test or other assignment unauthorized for release;e. substituting for another student or permitting another student to substitute for oneself, to take a test or other assignment or to make a presentation.3.4.2 PlagiarismThe appropriation, theft, purchase or obtaining by any means another's work, and the unacknowledged submission or incorporation of that work as one's own submitted for credit. Appropriation includes the quoting or paraphrasing of another's work without giving credit thereof.3.4.3 Collusion The unauthorized collaboration with another in preparing work offered for credit.3.4.4 Abuse of resource materials Mutilating, destroying, concealing, or stealing such material. 3.4.5 Computer misuse Unauthorized or illegal use of computer software or hardware through the TCU Computer Center or through any programs, terminals, or freestanding computers owned, leased or operated by TCU or any of its academic units for the purpose of affecting the academic standing of a student.3.4.6. Fabrication and falsificationUnauthorized alteration or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise. a. Falsification involves altering information for use in any academic exercise.b. Fabrication involves inventing or counterfeiting information for use in any academic exercise.3.4.7 Multiple submission The submission by the same individual of substantial portions of the same academic work (including oral reports) for credit more than once in the same or another class without authorization. 3.4.8 Complicity in academic misconduct Helping another to commit an act of academic misconduct.3.4.9 Bearing False WitnessKnowingly and falsely accusing another student of academic misconduct.

Informative Presentation Evaluation

Name:___________________________________________Date:___________

Topic:_____________________ Inadequate/Unacceptable

0

Very Poor

1

Poor

2

Average

3

Good

4

Very Good

5

Exceptional

6Speech CriteriaIntroduction1. Attention Getter2. Audience Motivation3. Credibility Statement4. Purpose Statement 5. Preview of Main PointsBody6. Organization7. Transitions8. Sufficient support materials9. Credible support materials10. Free from irrelevant informationConclusion11. Summary12. Closure (no persuasion)Delivery13. Eye contact14. Posture15. Appropriate movement16. Appropriate gestures17. Free from distracting behavior18. Facial expressiveness19. Vocal variety20. Verbal fluency21. Appropriate volume 22. Appropriate rate23. Articulation (no mumbling)24. Pronunciation25. Professional appearanceTechnical Integrity26. Use of time27. Appropriate use of language28. Informative (not Persuasion)

29. Oral Citations (minimum of three sources, proper oral citations) Max=1230. Visual Aid (appearance, usage, free from grammatical & spelling errors) Max=1031. Extemporaneous delivery style (no reading, conversational quality) Max=10

Total Points Earned ______

Persuasive Presentation Evaluation

Name:___________________________________________Date:___________

Topic:_____________________ Inadequate/Unacceptable

Very Poor Poor Average Good Very Good Exceptional

Speech CriteriaIntroduction 0 1 2 3 4 5 61. Attention Getter2. Audience Motivation3. Credibility Statement4. Purpose Statement 5. Preview of Main PointsBody6. Organization7. Transitions8. Sufficient support materials9. Credible support materials10. Free from irrelevant informationConclusion11. Summary12. Call to actionDelivery13. Eye contact14. Posture15. Appropriate movement16. Appropriate gestures17. Free from distracting behavior18. Facial expressiveness19. Vocal variety20. Verbal fluency21. Appropriate volume 22. Appropriate rate23. Articulation (no mumbling)24. Pronunciation25. Professional appearanceTechnical Integrity26. Use of time27. Appropriate use of language28. Persuasive appeals

29. Oral Citations (minimum of three sources, proper oral citations) 1230. Visual Aid (appearance, usage, free from grammatical and spelling errors) 1031. Extemporaneous delivery style (no reading, conversational quality) 10

Total Points Earned (200 possible) ______

Informative Presentation Outline

Topic: _________________________

General Speech Goal: ______________________

Specific Speech Goal: I want my audience to _________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________.

Introduction

I. Attention Getter (get your audience interested in your topic): ___________________

__________________________________________________________________________

II. Establish Credibility (state your qualifications): ______________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

III. Audience Motivation (indicate why the topic is relevant to your audience):

__________________________________________________________________________

IV. Purpose Statement (declare your specific goal): ________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

V. Preview Statement (preview the main points you plan to discuss in the body):

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

Transition Sentence: ____________________________________________________________

Body

I. Main Point #1 ________________________________________________________

A. Subpoint __________________________________________________________

1. Support _____________________________________________________

2. Support _____________________________________________________

B. Subpoint __________________________________________________________

1. Support _____________________________________________________

2. Support _____________________________________________________

C. Subpoint __________________________________________________________

1. Support _____________________________________________________

2. Support _____________________________________________________

Transition Sentence: ____________________________________________________________

II. Main Point #2 _________________________________________________________

A. Subpoint __________________________________________________________

1. Support _____________________________________________________

2. Support _____________________________________________________

B. Subpoint __________________________________________________________

1. Support _____________________________________________________

2. Support _____________________________________________________

C. Subpoint __________________________________________________________

1. Support _____________________________________________________

2. Support _____________________________________________________

Transition Sentence: ____________________________________________________________

III. Main Point #3 _________________________________________________________

A. Subpoint __________________________________________________________

1. Support _____________________________________________________

2. Support _____________________________________________________

B. Subpoint __________________________________________________________

1. Support _____________________________________________________

2. Support _____________________________________________________

C. Subpoint __________________________________________________________

1. Support _____________________________________________________

2. Support _____________________________________________________

Transition Phrase: ______________________________________________________________

Conclusion

I. Summary (re-cap main points): ___________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

II. Closing (provide closure): _______________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

References: (use APA format)

Informative Presentation Outline

Topic: _________________________

General Speech Goal: ______________________

Specific Speech Goal: I want my audience to _________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________.

Introduction

VI. Attention Getter (get your audience interested in your topic): ___________________

__________________________________________________________________________

VII. Establish Credibility (state your qualifications): ______________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

VIII. Audience Motivation (indicate why the topic is relevant to your audience):

__________________________________________________________________________

IX. Purpose Statement (declare your specific goal): ________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

X. Preview Statement (preview the main points you plan to discuss in the body):

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

Transition Sentence: ____________________________________________________________

Body

IV. Main Point #1 ________________________________________________________

A. Subpoint __________________________________________________________

1. Support _____________________________________________________

2. Support _____________________________________________________

B. Subpoint __________________________________________________________

1. Support _____________________________________________________

2. Support _____________________________________________________

C. Subpoint __________________________________________________________

1. Support _____________________________________________________

2. Support _____________________________________________________

Transition Sentence: ____________________________________________________________

V. Main Point #2 _________________________________________________________

A. Subpoint __________________________________________________________

1. Support _____________________________________________________

2. Support _____________________________________________________

B. Subpoint __________________________________________________________

1. Support _____________________________________________________

2. Support _____________________________________________________

C. Subpoint __________________________________________________________

1. Support _____________________________________________________

2. Support _____________________________________________________

Transition Sentence: ____________________________________________________________

VI. Main Point #3 _________________________________________________________

A. Subpoint __________________________________________________________

1. Support _____________________________________________________

2. Support _____________________________________________________

B. Subpoint __________________________________________________________

1. Support _____________________________________________________

2. Support _____________________________________________________

C. Subpoint __________________________________________________________

1. Support _____________________________________________________

2. Support _____________________________________________________

Transition Phrase: ______________________________________________________________

Conclusion

III. Summary (re-cap main points): ___________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

IV. Closing (provide closure): _______________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

References: (use APA format)

Triplespeak assignment, May 16

Prepare a brief informative presentation on the topic, “The most interesting place I have been.” Note that this topic can be interpreted in various ways. An interesting place can be a physical location or a psychological state. The physical location can be an exotic vacation destination or something unexpected very near your home.

Turn in a copy of your notes (an outline) to Dr. King first thing on May 17.

Time limit: 3 to 5 minutes.

Include an introduction, body and conclusion. Attempt to achieve the goals of an effective introduction and conclusion. The introduction should contain some element to catch the attention and interest of the audience and it should end with a thesis statement, “In this brief presentation, I am going to describe to you…” etc. The conclusion should leave the audience with something important, a take away, from the presentation.

Use note cards (preferably only 1) not to exceed 3X5 inches. Buy some. You will be using them all semester.

Try to establish eye contact with your audience.

Your body should appear relaxed, although you should have good posture (don’t lean on the table, stand on one leg, etc.). Your involvement in the message should create the motivation for gestures, which should be natural and should not appear rehearsed.

Do your best to look like you are enjoying what you are doing

Consider 1-3 areas of concern in which you would like to improve. Before you begin your speech, tell your audience what those areas are and ask for specific feedback on them. As you move from speech to speech, try to make incremental improvements in those areas!

As an audience member, treat speakers as you will want to be treated when you are speaking. Complete your feedback within a minute or two of the conclusion of the speaker’s remarks (obviously, you will have to be brief and cannot comment on everything. Be kind in your remarks but do indicate what you believe the speaker can do to improve his/her performance. These speeches are not graded and I will not retain copies of your remarks, so be gentle but honest.

Name of Speaker ___________________________________________

Group # (circle one) 1 2 3

Introduction, body, and conclusion that were clearly distinguishablePoor 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Excellent

Eye contactPoor 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Excellent

Relaxed and natural body movement and posturePoor 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Excellent

Speaker appears to be enjoying the speechPoor 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Excellent

Comments to help the speaker improve (particularly consider any areas on which the speaker indicates s/he wishes to work):