Public Speaking

Comm 1110-B (CRN 208)

Fall 2022 MW 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Room: Academic 202

 

Professor: Peter Boltz, Ph.D. 

E-mail: pboltz@gordonstate.edu

Website: faculty.gordonstate.edu/pboltz/

Office: Academic 103-E

Office Hours: before or after class, or by appointment.

 

Course Description: This course will introduce the basics of effective speaking. This includes the basics of writing and outlining a speech and the basics of speech delivery.

 

Course Objectives:  By the end of the semester you will

--   be able to gather supporting material from high-quality sources such as the virtual library GALILEO or a

      physical library like the one on Gordon’s campus;

--   be able to structure informative and persuasive speeches into an introduction, body and conclusion form;

--   be able to write an outline and all its different elements like a specific purpose and central idea;

--   and be able to recognize and avoid academic dishonesty.

 

Textbook:             The Art of Public Speaking, Stephen Lucas, 12th ed.

 

GRADED ASSIGNMENTS:

 

Exams:  A midterm exam and a final exam will be given, testing your knowledge of the concepts and information in the text and from the lectures. 

 

Speeches:  You will be required to give three (3) speeches this semester.  Your performance will be rated according to criteria learned in lecture and exercises.  Speeches will be timed and must be 4 to 6 minutes long.

 

Speech Outlines: These are required twice: first draft and the final outline that accompanies your speech delivery.

 

Quizzes: You can expect to be quizzed on every assigned chapter.

 

Participation/Attendance: On a weekly basis, you will have assignments to complete. These assignments will constitute your participation/attendance grade.

 

REGULATIONS

 

1.  Outlines:  All outlines will be graded against professional and collegiate standards and will be submitted in paper form by end of class on the due date.

 

2.  Late Work: I do not accept late work.

 

3.  Academic Dishonesty:  This includes but is not exclusively plagiarism and cheating. The penalty for this offense is failure of the assignment, of the course and/or further prosecution by the college.

 

4.  Emailing: I encourage students to write me and send me questions or concerns or, at times, assignments. You should use Gordon’s email system, and not the D2L email system. I check my email on a regular basis, but this does not guarantee immediate or a timely response.

 

5.  Consultations: Grades are private and protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. I will discuss your grades only with you and in private.

 

6.  Keeping Track of Your Grade: I do not keep a running average of your semester grade. All your graded assignments are returned to you, so you can calculate your own average at any time.

 

7.  I reserve the right to adjust this syllabus any time during the session. Students will be consulted and informed of changes during class periods.

 

8.  If you need academic accommodations for a disability, you need to make an appointment with student counseling. The number for that office is 678-359-5585.  

 

9.  Scantrons. You are required to purchase 12 Scantrons from the campus bookstore for use in this class for quizzes and exams. You will hand them in by the second week of the semester. Students who have not done this will not be allowed to take quizzes or exams.

 

GRADE WEIGHTS

 

Informative Speech outline (draft for review)                                          1.5 percent

Informative Speech final outline and delivery                                          13.5 percent

Persuasive Speech outline (draft for review)                                             1.5 percent

Persuasive Speech final outline and delivery                                            13.5 percent

Impromptu Speech delivery                                                                           5 percent

Participation/Attendance                                                                                 10 percent

Quizzes (average of all quizzes)                                                                     15 percent

Midterm exam                                                                                                   20 percent

Final Exam                                                                                                          20 percent

 

 

 

POINT/GRADE DISTRIBUTION

 

90-100   A             80-89     B            70-79     C            60-69     D             <60         F

 

 

 

GRADING FOR TIME

 

<1:30 or > 8:30 = 0 pts.                      <2 or > 8 = 1 pt.                                   2 or 8 = 2 pts.       2:15 or 7:45 = 3 pts.           

2:30 or 7:30 = 4 pts.                            2:45 or 7:15 = 5 pts.                            3 or 7 = 6 pts.       3:15 or 6:45 = 7 pts.

3:30 or 6:30 = 8 pts.                            3:45 or 6:15 = 9 pts.                            4 or 6 = 10 pts.

 

 

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

 

Week 1: Aug. 17                 Overview of Course: not about you, your family or friends. Plagiarism. Sources. Outlining. Delivery. Structure. Writing. Deadlines. Length of speeches. Exercises. Use my faculty website and not D2L unless instructed. See Chapter 2 Ethics, pp. 34-38 on plagiarism. Gordon Academic Catalog pp. 71-72, 325-326

 

Week 2: Aug. 22                 Repeat Overview of Course.

                                                Reading: Chapter 15 Speaking to Inform and PP

 

                Aug. 24                 Quiz: Chapter 15 Speaking to Inform

 

Week 3: Aug. 29                 Reading: Chapter 5 Selecting a Topic and Purpose and Chapter 7 Gathering Materials

 

                Aug. 31                 Quiz: Chapter 5 Selecting a Topic and Purpose and Chapter 7 Gathering Materials

 

Week 4: Sept. 5                   Labor Day

 

                Sept. 7                    Readings: 8 Supporting Your Ideas and PPs

                                                Quiz: Chapter 8 Supporting Your Ideas

 

Week 5: Sept. 12                 Readings: Chapters 9 Organizing the Body of the Speech and 10 Beginning and

                                                Ending the Speech and PPs

 

                Sept. 14                 One-on-one workshop about how to proceed on their topics

 

                                                Quizzes: Chapter 9 Organizing the Body of the Speech and Chapter 10 Beginning and

                                                                  Ending the Speech

 

Week 6: Sept. 19                 Readings: Readings: Chapter 11 Outlining the Speech and PP

 

                Sept. 21                 Quizzes: Chapter 11 Outlining the Speech and Bibliography Quiz

 

Week 7: Sept. 26                 Exercises: “Informative Speech Criteria”

                                                                    “Documentation in the Outline”

                                                                    “Citing Sources in MLA”

                                                                    “Word Outline Template”            

 

                Sept. 28                 Exercises: “Writing the Draft Informative Outline” due

 

Week 8: Oct. 3                     Exercises: Return of “Writing the Draft Informative Outline”

 

                Oct. 5                     Midterm Exam Chapters 5, 7-10, 15

 

                                                Assignments: Informative Speech Delivery due 10/10

 

Week 9: Oct. 10, 12            Delivery: Informative Speeches

 

 

Week 10: Oct. 17                Fall Break

 

                  Oct. 19                 Readings: Chapter 12 Using Language and PP

 

                                                Quizzes: Chapter 12 Using Language

 

                                                Persuasive speech draft outlines due 11/14.

 

Week 11: Oct. 24                Readings: Chapter 16 Speaking to Persuade and PP

 

                                                Quizzes: Chapter 16 Speaking to Persuade                  

 

                  Oct. 26                 Readings: Chapter 17 Methods of Persuasion and PP

 

                                                Quizzes: Chapter 17 Methods of Persuasion

 

                                                Persuasive speech draft outlines due 11/14.

 

Week 12: Oct. 31                Readings: Chapter 13 Delivery and PP

 

                  Nov. 2                  Readings: Chapter 17 Methods of Persuasion

 

                                                Quizzes: Chapter 13 Delivery

 

                                                Persuasive speech draft outlines due 11/14.

Week 13: Nov. 7                  Readings: Chapter 11 Outlining the Speech and PP

 

                  Nov. 9                  Due: “Writing the Draft Persuasive Outline” (with quick critiques)

 

                                                Persuasive speech draft outlines due 11/14.

                                                Persuasive speech delivery 11/28 and 30.

 

Week 14: Nov. 14, 16         Readings: Chapter 14 Using Visual Aids and PP

                                                One-on-one critiques of persuasive speech outlines.

 

Week 15: Nov. 21               Persuasive Speech outlines critiqued (cont’d)

 

                Nov. 23                 Thanksgiving.

 

Week 16: Nov. 28, 30         Persuasive Speeches delivery

 

Week 17: Dec. 5, 7              Impromptu Speeches

 

Final Exam                           Dec. 12, 10:15 a.m. (Chapters 11-14, 16, 17)

 

Title IX

Gordon State College is committed to providing an environment free of all forms of discrimination and sexual harassment, including sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking. If you (or someone you know) has experienced or experiences any of these incidents, know that you are not alone. All faculty members at Gordon State College are mandated reporters. Any student reporting any type of sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence or stalking must be made aware that any report made to a faculty member under the provisions of Title IX will be reported to the Title IX Coordinator or a Title IX Deputy Coordinator. If you wish to speak with someone confidentially, you must contact the Counseling and Accessibility Services office, Room 212, Student Life Center. The licensed counselors in the Counseling Office are able to provide confidential support. Gordon State College does not discriminate against any student on the basis of pregnancy, parenting or related conditions. Students seeking accommodations on the basis of pregnancy, parenting or related conditions should contact Counseling and Accessibility Services regarding the process of documenting pregnancy related issues and being approved for accommodations, including pregnancy related absences as defined under Title IX.

 

ADA and 504

If you have a documented disability as described by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504, you may be eligible to receive accommodations to assist in programmatic and/or physical accessibility. The Counseling and Accessibility Services office located in the Student Center, Room 212 can assist you in formulating a reasonable accommodation plan and in providing support in developing appropriate accommodations to ensure equal access to all GSC programs and facilities. Course requirements will not be waived, but accommodations may assist you in meeting the requirements. For documentation requirements and for additional information, contact Counseling and Accessibility Services at 678-359-5585.

 

House Bill 280

For information regarding House Bill 280, see the University System of Georgia at the following link: http://www.usg.edu/hb280

 

Religious Holidays

Gordon State College acknowledges that the academic calendar can sometimes conflict with major holidays from among our diverse religious traditions. If a student must miss class due to the observance of a religious holiday, that absence may be excused. To be excused, the student must inform his/her instructors before the absence and make alternate arrangements for any work due at the time of the absence. An excused absence for the observance of a religious holiday does not excuse student from responsibility for required course work.

 

Hightower Collaborative Learning Center & Library

The Hightower Collaborative Learning Center & Library offers Gordon State students specialized library research assistance. Students can meet with their personal librarians for one-on-one help in each discipline, major, or course to search and evaluate information sources effectively. Go to http://libcal.gordonstate.edu/ to schedule an appointment by clicking the Personal Librarian tab or click