ASSIGNMENTS

 SCHEDULE

 

 

COMM 100
Public Speaking
Fall 2009

Innovation Hall 135

Comm 100-021
Tuesdays/Thursdays
9:00 - 10:15

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Catalogue Description

Presents principles to develop effective presentations for public and professional settings while integrating appropriate technologies. Emphasizes analyzing audience; composing meaningful, coherent messages; conducting responsible research; developing effective arguments; and improving delivery skills to strengthen confidence and credibility

Course Description:

Students will learn the skills and strategies necessary to prepare and deliver informative and persuasive speeches. Special consideration is given to adapting communication styles and content to diverse speakers and audiences you will encounter throughout your life. The course emphasizes how to compose meaningful and coherent messages, conduct responsible research on appropriate topics, and how to argue, develop, and polish effective presentation skills.
Students will gain a deeper understanding of the uses of technology in the process of oral communication.  The emphasis will be on different types of public communication and will integrate different media and computer technologies into informative and persuasive presentations.  The ethics of free speech, oral communication principles, persuasion and influence-processes, and key human dimensions of the communication process will be developed to shape appropriate choices of technology and media.

Course Objective/Rationale:

During the course you will be asked to present while appropriately integrating technology that VISUALLY ENHANCES the information in your speech, stand before a group and deliver information, as well as argue a position. It is important that you command the audience’s attention and present yourself as a credible speaker. In this course, you will be asked to present a minimum of EIGHT prepared speeches. The goal is for you to gain more confidence with communicating in public contexts.

This course utilizes a progressive introduction to the use of technology to enhance oral communication.  The presentations feature increasingly sophisticated uses of technology, starting with showing tips and tricks of using slide show technology (e.g., PowerPoint), integrating a video or audio clip and the use of static PowerPoint slides, moving to a professional PowerPoint presentation, and finally an advanced PowerPoint presentation (or another computer-based presentation) with the additional use and integration of one or more internet sites relating to the topic.

Required Textbook:

Beebe, S. & Beebe, S. (2008). Public speaking: An audience –centered approach. George Mason University Ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. With additional materials by Boileau, D. and Talkington, B. ISBN 0536 432279

Student Learning Objectives:

In the basic communication classes, the following objectives are involved:

Oral communication competency at George Mason University is defined as the ability to use oral communication as a way of thinking and learning as well as sharing ideas with others.  The general education program identifies numerous learning goals in oral communication, which are addressed specifically in two Communication courses, COMM 100, Public Speaking and COMM 101, Interpersonal and Group Interaction.  Common to both courses are these six learning goals:

  1. Students will understand the role of free speech in a democratic society.

  2. Students will learn and practice principles of ethical communication.

  3. Students will understand the influence of culture in communication and will know how to cope with cultural differences when presenting information to an audience.

  4. Students will develop analytical skills and critical listening skills.

  5. Students will understand and practice effective elements of verbal and nonverbal communication.

  6. Students will demonstrate understanding of and proficiency in constructing multiple message types.

Goals for COMM 100, Public Speaking:

  1. To understand fundamental principles of communication, and to develop clearly structured and well supported evidence and/or arguments when seeking to inform or to persuade.

  2. To develop a critical perspective for assessment of the credibility and appropriateness of information and supporting materials, especially information retrieved through electronic means.

  3. To closely assess the effective and appropriate use of technology  AND OTHER VISUAL COMMUNICATION AIDS  to enhance messages and convey greater depths of information, knowledge, and feeling.

  4. To develop skills in using presentational technology, including the integration of video and audio, the effective design and composition of slides, the appropriate use of animation, some advanced design components, and the integration of credible Internet sites relating to topic content.

  5. To develop skills in other related areas of the communication process, including listening, using feedback from others to improve communication, researching, and writing.

Participation:

ATTENDANCE: Be in class so that you can participate fully in every event.

ABSENCES: Excessive absences will likely result in lower grades from missed/late work, missed quizzes, and uncovered classroom material as well as from a possible reduction in participation credit. Again: you are responsible for material covered in class whether you are present or not. Please do not email me with the rather egocentric “I was sick so I missed class today. Did I miss anything important?” toned email. I think we do important things everyday, or I wouldn’t be wasting my time here. Please have a “buddy” in class who takes notes for you and gathers handouts in your absence.

TIMELINESS:  Late arrivals receive less participation credit, as do those who leave class early.  I will ask those who are excessively tardy to leave the classroom for creating a classroom distraction. . It is expected that students in this class will respect the presentation times of their classmates. Students who interrupt a speaker either verbally OR nonverbally (such as by walking in late during a classmate’s presentation or working on PDAs or Cell phones) may lose points off their FINAL COURSE GRADE. One point will be deducted from the final course grade each time a student interrupts a classmate’s presentation. Students who appear uninterested or uninvolved in a particular presentation (text-messaging, reading the newspaper, etc…) may be asked to provide a synopsis of the speech once it is completed.

PENALTY: Make every effort to inform me if an emergency prevents you from giving a presentation on an assigned date. If you miss, or are late for, your scheduled presentation time a grade penalty of 10 percent is automatically imposed and will increase by 10% every class meeting thereafter.  There will be NO EXCEPTIONS to this rule out of fairness to all the other students taking this course (without the explicit permission of the Basic Course Coordinator). IF YOU FAIL to make up your missed presentation, you will receive a “0” for the assignment.

It is critical that you stay in touch with me by e-mail when you are experiencing illness or difficulty.  If you wait until your problems are over to talk to me, I may have no option but to fail you based on course policies. This is a communication course, communicate with me to discuss options.