SP 220 Public Speaking Syllabus
Instructor: Hank Renfrow
E-mail: renfrowd@pdx.edu
Office: NH 49 Office Hours Tue.& Thur-1PM-3PM
Phone: 503-725-3542 Also, appointments outside of office hours by arrangement
Room NH42 Class Times: Tue&Th 12PM-1:50PM
CRN 13295 Section 006
A note on email: If you are sending me an email, please put your name in the subject line along with "public speaking." Because of the threat of email viruses, I will not open any email without that information. Please note that I will not accept assignments through email . Email is for contact only.
Materials:
Mandatory text: Devito, Joseph. (2006). The Essential Elements of Public Speaking; Second Edition. Pearson Education Inc. Boston.
The text is available to you in the PSU bookstore.
Suggested Text: Hacker, Diana. (2004). Pocket Style Manual. One blank VHS tape
Other Required Supplies:
90 minute VHS tape
3X5 note cards
VCR: You may need to have a VCR or plan access to one to watch your videotaped speeches.
Course description from the 2005-2006 Bulletin: Research, writing, delivery, and listening skills for oral presentation in a variety of settings, including multicultural. Equal consideration given to speech preparation and delivery with critical thinking, argument forms, and audience analysis emphasized. Issues of speech anxiety addressed.
Additional Description: This is a course designed to help students become more proficient at public speaking through a variety of means. I choose the term "more proficient" because each student in this class comes with a different level of experience and understanding. This course will also help students acquire a variety of skills of organization and presentation. At the end of this course, the student should be able to identify and give several different types of speeches in a multitude of personal and professional settings.
Course Objectives:
- Students will know how to differentiate between informative and persuasive speeches and know their appropriate uses.
- Students will know strategies for persuasion and argumentation, including logical fallacies.
- Students will know how to create an outline and organize a speech.
- Students will know how to do research for a speech.
- Students will understand what an ethical speaker is.
- Students will develop critical thinking skills.
- Students will learn tools to manage the anxiety associated with public speaking.
- Students will understand the important connection between speaking, thinking, and listening.
- Students will know appropriate and constructive ways for giving feedback on speeches.
My Classroom Policies:
Attendance: Because this class is primarily performance based and because lecture in this class is detrimental to learning the necessary skills, attendance is required.
Attendance on speech days is mandatory. You may have up to three absences on non-speech days, no questions asked, without losing points. Attendance will be factored into your grade at the end of the term through class participation points. Class participation points may not be made up.
If you miss four classes it will result in failure of the course, no exceptions. If you know right now that you will be missing several classes, I encourage you to take this class at another time. Absences during your assigned speech days will result in a zero on the assignment. Speeches may not be made up. If you miss class on a speech day during which you are not giving a speech, you will lose twenty points from your grade. Partial absences on speech days will have points deducted accordingly.
Tardiness and Leaving Early: Tardiness is disruptive to the classroom so please be on time. Account time into your schedule for parking and late buses. Be aware of the strenuous parking situation at PSU as it is a commuter campus. You will be counted as absent if you are more than five minutes late to class three times or leave early three times.
Late Work: Work is expected to be in on time. I do not accept late work. If you are unable to attend a class when an assignment is due, it is your responsibility to have it in my box, time stamped by the communications office (NH23) before 5PM on the same day it is due. No exceptions! I will not accept work through email. It is your responsibility to account time for computer errors. Do not leave printing to the last minute. If you do not have a reliable computer at home, there are many computer labs on campus with excellent hours.
Discussing Grades: If you disagree with a grade you receive, please address me during a break, after class, during office hours, or on the phone. I will not discuss grades during class time. Unless the dispute is a calculation error, I will require a written appeal of the grade due to me within one week of receiving the grade. I will respond to your request in a timely fashion and will allow myself one week to respond to you. Please do not discuss your grades with your peers during class time.
Additionally, I will not discuss your peers' grades with you. Grading is done on an individual basis.
Food and Drink: Food and drink are allowed in class unless it becomes disruptive to others. Please do not bring food on performance days but beverages are acceptable.
Side Conversations: This is extremely important and I cannot stress this enough! I am easily distracted by side conversations in the classroom. If you have a question about what is being discussed, ask me. I would never want to embarrass anyone but please do not be surprised if you are having a side conversation and I halt the lecture to interrupt.
Class Preparation: Please come to class prepared for the lecture or performance. A calendar of lectures and assignments is included. If assignments are ever moved, it will be to your advantage and will be due later rather than earlier than the date on the calendar. It is a disservice to yourself and your peers if you are not prepared for class because this is a collective learning environment. It is also your job to keep up on the syllabus with what is due.
Children: If you have extenuating circumstances, your may bring your child to class. Please be prepared to offer materials to your child to keep them entertained so they do not become distracting. It is better to bring your child than to not attend class.
Class Time: Do not pack up your belongings before the class period is over as it is distracting. Often, a clarification of an assignment or important information is given in the last few minutes in class.
Cell Phones: Please turn your cell phones off. If you have an unusual circumstance and your cell phone must be left on during class time, please notify me in advance and set it on vibrate or a low tone. Please do not ever answer your cell phone during class. If you do have an emergency, please take the phone outside of the classroom. The same is true of pagers. Please do not send text messages during class time.
Breaks: We will be taking a ten-minute break in the middle of class.
Incompletes: It is very difficult to get an incomplete in the course so please keep me updated of any extenuating circumstances.
Written Assignments: You are expected to use spell check and grammar check on all written assignments. All take home assignments are to be typed and double spaced. In a Times New Roman font of 12 point. If you need help with writing assignments, please consider using the communication mentors or the free help in the writing center (listed in syllabus). More than three writing errors in any written component will result in a lowering of your grade by 5%. Substantial errors (more than six) will result in a request to redo the assignment or you may receive a zero.
Academic Honesty: Only original work by the student will be accepted. I, along with the university take academic dishonesty very seriously. To avoid academic dishonesty, you must always properly cite materials, ideas, and quotes that are not your own. The university's policy also includes the prohibition of buying and selling papers, plagiarism, performing tests for other people, and other activities generally regarded as academically dishonest. Failure for the assignment, course, suspension from the university for up to two years, and a mark on your permanent record are all possible consequences of academic dishonesty.
Support Services
Communication Studies Mentors: This is an advanced group of Communication students who assist undergraduates with their academic concerns including: library research, paper organization and editing, concept and theory interpretation, and other coursework questions in Communication. If you are interested in learning more, please contact our department website www.comm.pdx.edu
Appointments encouraged; walk-ins welcome; alternative times availableLocation: NH57
Email: comm-mentors@lists.pdx.edu
Phone: (503) 725-3252
Communication Studies Program Advisor:
Darlene Geiger <7nbsp; NH39, 503-725-4194 geigerd@pdx.edu
Advising on Wednesdays and Thursdays 10:30-12:30 and by appointment.
Child Care: Children's Center 143 Smith Center (503) 725-CARE. If it becomes necessary for you to bring your child to class, please have a blanket, some food and toys to keep him/her occupied.
Information and Academic Support Center (IASC): 425 Smith Center (503) 725-4005. IASC offers a variety of supportive opportunities for newly enrolled students to aid in retention.
Writing Center: 188F Cramer Hall; (503) 725-3570. Offers professional critique of student work for all writing abilities. Repeat appointments with a consistent person are advised.
Student Health and Counseling (SHAC): 1880 SW 6th Ave. (UCB 200) 503-725-2800 All regularly enrolled students taking 9 or more credit hours, or students taking 4-8 credits who elect to pay the health fee, are eligible to use SHAC. SHAC offers medical, counseling, pharmacy, testing services, and complete dental.
Grading Scale: 500 points
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A= (95-100%) = 475-500 | A-= (90-94%) = 450-474 | | B+= (86-89%) = 430-449 | B= (83-85%) = 415-429 | | B-= (80-84%) = 400-414 | C+= (77-79%) = 385-399 |
| C= (74-76%) = 370-384 | C-= (70-73%) = 350-369 |
| D+= (67-69%) = 335-349 | D= (64-66%) = 320-334 | | D-= (60-63%) = 300-319 | F= (59% or below) = 295 and below |
Assignments and Points: Please note that thorough descriptions of assignments will be given closer to the date of the actual assignment.
There will be five speeches for this course. All outlines must be provided to me on the first day of speeches. A five point deduction will be made for every minute you are over on a speech and three points for any time you are over that is less than a minute. The same is true for being under on your speech.
Personal Identity Narrative: (25 Points) The personal identity narrative is a 2-3 minute, graded speech during the second week of class. You will bring in some type of bag (brown bag, backpack, etc) with three items in it that are representative of your identity. Be prepared that some level of self-disclosure is required in this assignment but you can determine the depth or level of that disclosure. Please not share information that you do not want others to know. Please do not feel pressured to disclose deeply personal things.
Ceremonial Speech (Speech of Occasions): (50 points) This will be a 4-5 minute speech that you might do for a special occasion (award, toast, eulogy, honor, etc.). You are not required to use visual aids for this speech but they are encouraged. You must provide a basic outline for this speech.
Impromptu Speeches (25 points) These will be in class speeches that last 2-3 minutes and will be designed to showcase the skills you are learning in class. One will be graded and the rest will count as class participation points.
Informative Speech: (100 points) This will be a 6-8 minute graded speech intended to inform the audience on a topic. This is not to be confused with a persuasive speech! You will be providing information to the class without intending to persuade them.
Persuasive Speech: (150 points) This will be a 6-8 minute graded speech intended to persuade the audience. You must consider audience analysis in your topic selection. For example, raising the issue that tuition increase should cease is a loaded case. Your audience is students in a classroom and it is likely that most of them will agree with you. The goal of this assignment is to persuade the audience by making cogent arguments for one side of an issue. You will be required to use two visual aids for this speech and the outline will be graded.
Peer Feedback: (50 points) There will be several opportunities for you to give graded peer feedback to your peers after the speeches. We will also be practicing peer feedback throughout the term, which will count towards class participation.
Class Participation/Quizzes/Journals: (100 points) There will be reading comprehension quizzes and in class activities. These will generally not be announced ahead of time so do the reading. These points cannot be made up. There will also be in class journals throughout the term that count as class participation. Please note that these points accounts for 20% of your grade so you must be present.
Extra Credit Options:
Critique of Informative speech: (10 points) This is a 1 ½ -2 page paper. This will be an opportunity for you to practice giving feedback. This will involve watching the video tape of your performance and evaluating your strengths and weaknesses using the critiquing tools you learn in class. This will be due the last week of class.
Mentors/Office Visits: (2 points each, not to exceed 10 points in the term)
If you visit the mentors or me in my office, you can receive two points per visit up to ten points for the term. If you visit the mentors, you must get a stamp from them.
Additional extra credit options will be discussed later in the term.
Other extra credit opportunities TBA.
Students with disabilities of any kind should come and see me during the first week of class to discuss accommodations. If you are working with the office for students with disabilities or think that you might need to, please let me know. The Disability Resource Center can be reached at 503-725-4240 or 503-725-4150.
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