Public Speaking Syllabus Fall 2019 , Late PDF

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PUBLIC SPEAKING SYLLABUS – FALL 2019 – TIMOTHY BARR

Northeastern University - Department of Communication Studies COMM 1112: Public Speaking M/W/Th/ 10:30-11:35 AM – Forsyth 150 Instructor: Timothy Barr, Ph. D. Office: Holmes 244 Phone: 484-238-4803 (cell)

Mailbox location: 212A Lake Hall Email: [email protected]

Office Hours: Mondays 2-4 and by appointment Course Description This course is designed to assist students in developing public speaking skills. Students are trained in analysing the specific situation including the audience, the speech objectives, the setting and possible elements of noise and inhibition; finding and evaluating appropriate content and expressions; organising their speech; wording their speech effectively and vividly; preparing their manuscript; developing their delivery skills; and analysing other students’ speeches critically and carefully. To achieve these aims the course will consist in a mixture of practical training and short introductions to key elements of rhetorical theory that help the students to improve their speaking skills most effectively. To enable optimal results special consideration will be given to an atmosphere of mutual respect and critical scrutiny. Feedback by the students to the students during class is welcome and will be a central element of training and improvement. Course Objectives In this course, you will develop your public speaking skills and learn key concepts of rhetorical theory that will help you achieve this goal. During this course, you will:  Gain an understanding for the basic kinds of rhetorical situations and appropriate kinds of speeches  Improve your ability to analyse a given setting before and during your speech with a special emphasis on the audience and opposing views or contributions  Learn to effectively organise your speech and to find appropriate arguments  Sharpen your understanding of the structure of arguments and their specific weaknesses  Train vivid delivery skills that help you to communicate clearly, persuasively and effectively and gain security in rhetorical situations Textbook Joshua Gunn: Speech Craft. Bedford/St. Martin’s. Boston & New York 2018. Other Course Materials Students will be required to make minor purchases of materials for the preparations, recording and delivery of their speeches (including an SD card) and must have access to a computer with email and internet (including Blackboard). Students are also solely responsible for bringing appropriate presentation devices for their media supported presentations, including (where necessary) adapters to connect personal electronics to in class projectors. 1

PUBLIC SPEAKING SYLLABUS – FALL 2019 – TIMOTHY BARR

Course policies 1) Privacy and Respect Speaking in public may be a challenge to some or most students. One of the course’s central objectives is to provide a setting in which this challenge can be addressed and potential fears overcome. This can best be achieved in an atmosphere of mutual respect and a protected environment. For this reason, it is strictly prohibited to use any recording or telecommunication devices during class without prior permission. This does include cameras, voice recorders, mobile phones and laptop computers. All phones and computers must be turned completely off before class. If you want to use any of these devices, please consult your instructor in advance. Please also respect the training environment of all students by refraining from coming late or leaving early. Both will also have detrimental effects on individual grades. In the unlikely event that you are late for a class always make sure that no speech is in progress and never enter during a student’s speech. 2) Attendance For the process of training public speaking the speaker is as important as the audience. Please keep this in mind and minimize your absence from class. Attendance is obligatory. Please be prepared to show written documentation if you cannot attend a class for medical reasons, family emergencies or similar causes. Poor attendance and participation will result in lower grades. Two delays of more than 5 minutes will be counted as one absence from class. Please avoid this and help us build an active, respectful and critical audience at all times. Absence from class without a university accepted reason during grading periods (speech timeslots and exam) will lead to failing that element. Usage of phones in class will be counted as mental absence for the purpose of (lack of) attendance and participation. 3) Assignments All assignments are due at the beginning of the class for which they are assigned unless otherwise noted. Handing an assignment in at any later time will result in a reduction of 25% per day starting with the day of the assignment. If you are having appropriate reasons for not being able to hand in an assignment, please see your instructor in advance and be prepared to produce written documentation of your reason. 4) Speech Outlines Speech outlines are due before the beginning of the class preceding the first segment of that speech. Outlines must be handed in to the turn-it-in assignment on blackboard. Outlines are a mandatory, dependent part of your grade, meaning, they do not constitute a separate grade, but are required to receive a full grade for your speech. Deficits in the outline for a speech (quality, timing, originality or existence) will reflect in grade deductions for that speech. 5) Video Recording All long speeches will be recorded with university cameras on students’ SD cards for the purposes of a) personal review, b) self-analysis papers (see 6g), c) additional feedback (see 7) and d) potential grade challenges. All students must bring functional, individual SD cards to all speech occasions. Lack of SD card is treated like lack of outline (i.e. unprepared for speech), recording any speech on personal devices (e.g. phones) is not permitted, because it fails with regard to purpose c) and d) above. 2

PUBLIC SPEAKING SYLLABUS – FALL 2019 – TIMOTHY BARR

6) Projects and Grading There are nine elements that influence the final grade of the course, which include: a) Introductory Speech: 10% 2-3 min speech about you and one distinguishing quality of yourself that makes you noteworthy to the class. Use of speech aids (index cards, overview) allowed but discouraged. Speeches may not be read or recited word for word from memory. b) Informative Speech (with use of your choice of media): 10% 3-5 min praise of a person of your choice under the heading of ‘most underappreciated person in history’. Your task is to introduce the person with his & her noteworthy deeds, and to show that this person is the most underappreciated human in (U.S. / world / music / literature / engineering / etc.) history. You are encouraged to use a computer presentation (PowerPoint, Keynote, Prezi or similar) or other media (hand-out, overhead, poster, or similar). Minimalistic speech aids permitted but discouraged. c) Persuasive Speech (free delivery): 15% 5-7 min debate against an opponent on a policy topic plus cross-examination by the audience. No notes of any kinds are allowed for delivery. No supportive media. d) Controversy Speech (free delivery): 15% 5-10 min declamation against an opponent based on a mock trial case. No notes of any kinds are allowed for delivery. No supportive media. e) Final pro & con speech (during final exams week): 20% This is the signature speech of this class and the equivalent of a final exam. In this speech you must show all of the skills you have learned and trained during this semester in a concise 3 min (strict timing) speech for or against a proposition that will be provided approximately one week in advance. Assignment of sides and propositions is random. Most students will speak against an opponent not from their class and will be graded by outside instructors. The timeslot for your final speech may be different from the default timeslot you receive from the registrar’s office! Details will be discussed in class early in the semester. f) Opening Speech: 5% 1-2 min short address on the textbook chapter of the day. Opening speeches will be called at random and may be requested more than once. If more than one opening speech is delivered the average grade of the speeches will be taken. Students must be ready to deliver opening speeches for the assigned textbook chapter during all classes. If an inclass delivery is impossible due to excused or unexcused absence from class the instructor may request a written version of the opening speeches for the assigned chapters for grading instead.

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PUBLIC SPEAKING SYLLABUS – FALL 2019 – TIMOTHY BARR

g) Self-analysis papers: 5% each (x2) Transcription of your first (‘intro speech’) and third (‘debate’) speech from video or audio recording plus short (approx. one page) self-criticism and suggestions for improvement. Transcriptions must be precise word by word, and include errors, fillers, pause indicators etc. Self-analysis papers must be uploaded to the turn-it-in assignments by the beginnings of the class following the last class when the speech was delivered. h) Class participation and minor assignments: 15% This section includes regular, punctual and complete attendance, active participation in class and exercises, preparation and homework, as well as minor tasks such as the TRACE participation or short assignments. All speeches are graded based on the outline and the actual delivery. Please hand in your outlines at the beginning of the class preceding the class in which delivery of speeches will begin. Speeches for which the outline has not been handed in on time will receive a grade reduction of up to 50%. Be prepared to deliver your speech at any time during the timeslot for the respective speech type. If you cannot attend a class during this period, please see your instructor in advance. Speeches that are not delivered on the required date without written documentation of an appropriate reason for absence will receive zero points. All tasks will be explained in further detail in class. Please do not hesitate to ask if you have any questions about the requirements. Grading table: B+: 89.99-87.00% C+: 79.99-77.00% D+: 69.99-67.00%

A: 100-93.00% B: 86.99-83.00% C: 76.99-73.00% D: 66.99-63.00% F: 0-55.99%

A-: 92.99-90.00% B-: 82.99-80.00% C-: 72.99-70.00% D-: 62.99-56.00%

Speech grades: A – The speech is flawless or nearly flawless. There are no or hardly any aspects that could be improved. Listening to an A speech is a pleasure, no matter the topic. B – The speech clearly fulfils all requirements of the task, shows no major weaknesses, and displays an appropriate structure and very able use of language. The strengths clearly outweigh the weaknesses. C – The speech fulfils all major requirements, but shows some weaknesses in structure, content or delivery. Areas for improvement can clearly be identified. D – The speech does not fulfil all requirements of the task, but shows a serious attempt. The weaknesses outweigh the strengths. F – The speech does not fulfil the task or shows weaknesses that are so significant that they undermine the purpose of the speech.

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PUBLIC SPEAKING SYLLABUS – FALL 2019 – TIMOTHY BARR

The grading will take the class progress and training into account, so the expectations for what is considered a good (B) or outstanding (A) speech will rise as the course progresses. 7) Feedback Whenever it is possible extensive feedback will be given for all speeches during class. The feedback process includes both the instructor and students from the audience. If you are having additional questions concerning your speech, a project or grades please feel free to see your instructor during office hours. 8) Honesty and Plagiarism This class is based on honesty and a clear distinction between your own and other people’s work. Failure to give credit to the author of a work may results in plagiarism. Plagiarism is a serious offence. Students caught plagiarizing may be faced with severe penalties ranging from the failure of a project or the entire course to the expulsion from University. Using the work of others without giving credit to them may be plagiarising independent of the kind of use. Forms of plagiarizing can include: exact copying, translating, rephrasing contents, using original structures or arguments. If in doubt give reference! References to the sources used must be given in the reference section of the written materials accompanying your speech. If you feel that you are having serious troubles with an assignment please consult me as early as possible to avoid any temptation. Starting early enough helps as well! 9) Students with disabilities or special challenges If you are having a disability or a special challenge that requires modifications in seating or other class elements, please see your instructor as early as possible so that we can make appropriate arrangements in conjunction with the Disabilities Resource Centre. 10) General policies Please carefully read this syllabus and the ‘Avoid Plagiarism’ page of the University Libraries as well as the more detailed description provided by Indiana University and linked on that page. Also make yourself familiar with the basic functions in blackboard. Make sure to note any aspects that might be unclear and address them during your first week in our class. On September 13th please submit a short confirmation that you have read these documents to the ‘Turn-it-in reading confirmation’ assignment on blackboard. Completion of this task accounts for one per cent of the class grade. 11) CAMD common TRACE policy College policy: “CAMD considers student feedback essential and requires all students to complete TRACE evaluations at the end of the semester. You will be asked to provide a screen shot to your instructor that reflects your participation. Note that you can, anonymously, opt out of completing the survey and still receive the screen shot that satisfies the TRACE requirement.” For this class that means: Please confirm that you have participated in TRACE by uploading a statement that you have participated to the discussion board on blackboard during the last week of classes (December 2-6).

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PUBLIC SPEAKING SYLLABUS – FALL 2019 – TIMOTHY BARR

COURSE SCHEDULE

Week 1: Introduction & The ‘art’ of Rhetoric Sep. 4 – Introduction Sep. 5 – Kairos Week 2: Audience & Analysis Sep. 9 – Goals & Situation analysis Sep. 11 – Inhibition (Ch.1) Sep. 12 – Audience analysis (Ch.3) Week 3: Basic Skills Sep. 16 – Beginning, Ending & Structure (Ch.8) Sep. 18 – Intro speech prep; Manuscript & Memory (Ch. 7) Sep. 19 – Delivery (Ch. 10) Week 4: Introductory Speeches Sep. 23 – Introductory speeches I Sep. 25 – Introductory speeches II Sep. 26 – Introductory speeches III Week 5: Description & Vivacity Sep. 30 – Narration (Ch.14) Oct. 2 – Vivid Description (Ch.6) Oct. 3 – Informative speech prep Week 6: Informative Speeches Oct. 7 – Visual aids (Ch. 11) Oct. 9 – Informative speeches I Oct. 10 – Informative speeches II Week 7: Informative Speeches Oct. 14 –Columbus Day / no class Oct. 16 – Informative speeches III Oct. 17 – Informative speeches IV Week 8: Persuasion & Argumentation Oct. 21 – Effective Persuasion (Ch.15) Oct. 23 – Persuasive speech prep Oct. 24 – Ethics & Argumentation (Ch.2 & 16)

Week 9: Refuting & Persuading Oct. 28 – Questions, Interjections & Responses (Ch.4) Oct. 30 – Persuasive Speeches I Oct. 31 – Persuasive Speeches II Week 10: Persuasive Speeches Nov. 4 – Persuasive Speeches III Nov. 6 – Persuasive Speeches IV Nov. 7 – Stasis & Burden of Proof (Ch.5) Week 11: Defence & Declamations Nov. 11 – Veteran’s Day / no classes Nov. 13 – Controversy speech prep Nov. 14 – Sample controversy Week 12: Controversies Nov. 18 – Controversy speeches I Nov. 20 – Controversy speeches II Nov. 21 – Controversy speeches III Week 13: Final Speech prep Nov. 25 – Types of speeches (Ch.13) Nov. 27 – Thanksgiving recess Nov. 28 – Thanksgiving Week 14: Final Speech prep Dec. 2 – Final Speech review Dec. 4 – Final Speech workshop; Class Synopsis & Feedback Final pro & con speeches – schedule TBA Examination classes indicated in bold: Mandatory attendance – absence during any of these classes without documentation will lead to failing that element. Textbook chapter are indicated in brackets behind the class for which they are to be read. If a chapter has not been the topic of an opening speech yet, it remains active for preparation for the following classes. Schedule is subject to adaptation and change...