Communication and Journalism 130: Public Speaking

General Syllabus

A performance course that deals with the analysis, preparation, and presentation of speeches.

 

General Course Objectives

• Demonstrate effective and ethical speech preparation, including planning, research, forms of elaboration, critical and creative thinking, organization, research, outlining, audience adaptation, and speech introductions and conclusions.
• Describe and interpret the theoretical framework behind public speaking.
• Demonstrate critical thinking skills when examining arguments, sources, processes, etc.
• Apply appropriate presentational skills across a variety of contexts, ranging from interpersonal, to the workplace, to formal encounters.
• Evaluate and critique a variety of presentations including classmates and his/her own, in order to become a more effective speaker and audience member.
• Demonstrate effective speech delivery through use of language, nonverbal elements and the creation of presentation aids.
• Develop impromptu and extemporaneous delivery skills.
• Manage presentation anxiety.

 

Public Speaking Core Requirements (minimum):

• Purchase a textbook(s) or reading packet
• Deliver 4 major speeches
• Demonstrate your knowledge of public speaking through quizzes, exams, writing assignments, and presentations.

 

Instructor Requirements

Requirements and content will vary with each individual instructor. Please consult the detailed syllabus provided by your instructor. The detailed syllabus will explain which text you will be required to purchase; the types and content of the presentations you will be expected to give; how your presentations and skills will be evaluated; the class policies such as attendance, late work, and tardiness that you will be expected to follow; and a schedule for readings, assignments, and presentations.

 

University and Department Policies

 

Academic Dishonesty

According to UNM policy, academic dishonesty is defined as but not limited to "dishonesty in quizzes, tests or assignments; claiming credit for work not done or done by others; hindering the academic work of other students; misrepresenting academic or professional qualifications within or without the University; and nondisclosure or misrepresentation in filling out applications or other University records." You must do original work and properly cite all sources. Original work does NOT include reusing a speech someone else has written for another section or during a previous semester nor does it allow for Internet-generated speeches. If you are suspected or found to be in violation of this policy, severe sanctions may be imposed. These sanctions may include being assigned an F for the assignment or for the entire course, filing a formal complaint with the university, and being expelled from the university. Please consult your UNM Pathfinder for more information.

 

Ethics

The course emphasizes ethical practices and perspectives. Above all, students and instructors should strive to communicate and act, both in class interactions and in assigned coursework, in a manner directed by personal integrity, honesty, and respect for self and others. Included in this focus is the need for academic honesty by students as stated by the UNM Pathfinder. Students need to do original work and properly cite sources. For example, be aware of plagiarism—directly copying more than 3 or 4 words from another author without quoting (not just citing) the author is plagiarism. Further, course content will encourage the ethical practices and analysis of presentational speaking.

 

Diversity

This course encourages different perspectives related to such factors as gender, race, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, and other relevant cultural identities. This course seeks to foster understanding and inclusiveness related to such diverse perspectives and ways of communicating.

 

Withdrawal

Please consult your course catalog for withdrawal and refund deadlines. Students may withdraw from a course during the first six weeks of the semester without Dean approval and the withdrawal (W) will not be noted on your academic record. However, withdrawals initiated after the sixth week of class will be subject to grades of W/P (passing grade at time of withdrawal) or W/F (failing grade at time of withdrawal). The grade of W/F will be calculated as a failing grade in the student's grade point average. When students leave the University during a semester and do not complete the withdrawal process, they become liable for grades of "F" in their courses, even though they may have been passing at the time of leaving.

 

Instructor Drops

Students should also be aware that their instructors may drop them from a course for various reasons. You may be dropped as early as the first day of class if there are many students waiting to get into the section—so if you need to be absent in the first week, be sure to notify your instructor that you want to remain in the class.

 

 

 

Incompletes

A grade of Incomplete is given only when circumstances beyond the student’s control have prevented completion of the work of a course within the official dates of a semester or session. Students are responsible for making arrangements with the instructor for resolving an incomplete grade. If you receive an incomplete, you must complete the work by the published ending date of the next semester or the grade will automatically turn to an F.

 

Special Needs

The University of New Mexico currently provides a network of services intended to assist in students with various disabilities. While many departments and programs are essential to this network of support, the two primary service delivery programs are Student Support Services (SSS) and Learning Support Services (LSS), which are housed within the Center for Academic Program Support.

 

Qualified students with disabilities who need appropriate academic adjustments should notify their instructors immediately to ensure that their needs are met in a timely manner. If you have a certified disability, please inform your instructor as soon as possible. He or she will be happy to work with you and disability services to make reasonable accommodations. Your instructor cannot help you, however, unless he or she is aware of the disability and you are working with SSS or LSS. All disclosures will be kept confidential. However, if you choose not to disclose your disability and you do poorly on an assignment, the instructor cannot go back and adjust your grade or make accommodations for you. Thus, it is in your best interest to establish an open dialogue with your instructor as soon as the semester begins.

 

Core Requirement

Public Speaking is a core university requirement, and in order to receive credit a student must pass the course with a grade of C or higher. Earning a C- or lower will necessitate repeating the course.

 

Academic Disputes

If you find you have a disagreement or dispute with your instructor over grades or other matters, you should first try to resolve the grievance informally by discussing the grievance with the instructor as soon as reasonably possible. If you and the instructor cannot reach an agreement, you should then contact the course supervisor for C&J 130. The detailed syllabus your instructor will provide should identify the name and contact information for the Public Speaking course supervisor. If, after talking to your instructor and the course supervisor, the situation is still unresolved, please contact the chairperson of the Department of Communication and Journalism. The department chair will meet with you (in most cases) only after you have met with your instructor and the course supervisor prior to contacting him or her. If the matter still persists, you will be referred to the Dean of Arts and Sciences.

 

Grading Scale

Individual instructors may adjust this grading scale; however pluses and minuses will be assigned for all letter grades, excluding failures. Remember, you must earn a C in order to receive credit for this course.

 

100-98 % A+             89-88 % B+               79-78 % C+              69-68 % D+   59 ↓ F

97-94 % A               87-84 % B                  77-74 % C                 67-64 % D

93-90 % A-              83-80 % B-                73-70 % C-               63-60 % D-

Grading Standards

 

A “C” presentation fulfills the basic requirements of the assignment, as described by the instructor. A “B” presentation fulfills the basic requirements and goes beyond them in some way—originality, creativity, etc. An “A” presentation demonstrates excellence in every aspect of the presentation. A “D” presentation fails to meet some of the requirements of the assignment and contains several serious errors and flaws. An “F” presentation fails to meet most of the requirements of the assignment or is not completed at all.

 

Reminders

²   Grades cannot be based on effort. Instructors cannot measure time or energy expended; only outcomes can be measured.

²   Grades cannot be assigned because a student needs/wants a particular grade. If you desire the A, you will need to fulfill the conditions needed to earn an A.

 

Student/Instructor Bill of Rights

As a student you are entitled …

To have a Instructor who is prepared, knowledgeable and organized

To have access to your Instructor

To be given clear directions and assignments

To have your work evaluated and returned to you in a timely manner

To be treated with respect

To be listened to

To feel safe                

As an instructor, I am entitled to…

            To be treated with respect

            To have students who are prepared, attentive, and participate

            To have students who listen and follow directions

            To have students who put effort into each assignment

            To have students who respect one another

           

Resources

 

Please consult your instructor about the citation of sources and other matters of formatting. The following You may find the following Internet sources helpful.

Web address	Good For
http://www.stylewizard.com/apa/apawiz.html	Helps you create common types of APA citations
http://www.apa.org/journals/faq.html	Has frequently asked questions and helps you formulate a reference list
http://beadsland.com/weapas or http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/online/cite6.html	Create references for ONLINE data
Links UNM Pathfinder