SPE 102H: Honors Public Speaking.

Spring 2000.

Text: The Audience Will.

Table of Contents:

COURSE GOALS:

ASSIGNMENTS:

COURSE PROCEDURES:

GRADE DEFINITIONS:

DEFINITION of PLAGIARISM:

Course Goals:

The successful public speaking student will have obtained a practical acquaintance with the fundamentals of Public Speaking. Among them:

1.The ability to formulate a concrete message.

2.The ability adequately to support that message with logical and emotional appeals.

3.The ability to organize efficiently the oral delivery of that message.

4.The ability to customize that message to a particular audience.

5.The ability to enhance that message with the proper delivery style.

 

The Honors Sections of SPE 102 are taught differently than the regular sections. In the Honors Sections, it is expected that students can digest and employ the materials in the text more independently and with less elaboration than usual. Therefore, the reading assignments will constitute an assumption that the student both read and understand the material. A brief amount of time will be provided at the beginning of each session for questions related to the reading. If no questions are asked, the instructor will assume that the material has been consumed and understood. To document that you have read this section please send email to that effect at this link Barry Morris.

The time we would normally spend in lecture can be used instead to increase the amount of "face time" or experiene actually speaking that the student receives. Though it will be difficult to include every student in every exercise, each of you should come to class every day expecting to speak.

The Class Topic:

The honors section is also different in that all of the speeches in it will revolve around a common topic. The topic for this semester will be Student Political activism. Part of our class discussion time will be spent just mulling over the subject. Then on each assignment (see below) the student should draw speech topics from this broader issue. In order to facilitate that agenda, I am supplying a website that might aid your research and development of ideas.

The Student Activism Website.

ASSIGNMENTS:

In order to achieve the above goals the student will complete the following assignments:

The "I Think and Here's Why!" Speech.

The Digest Speech.

The Demonstration Speech.

The Speech to Convince.

The Speech to Overcome Resistance.

No speech in which a manuscript has been employed will receive a higher possible grade than C.

Outlines:

The student will provide for each speech an outline that conforms to the description below. Outlines will be due at the beginning of the period on a given speech day. Failure to provide such an outline for any reason will constitute a NO CREDIT grade on that assignment.

The outlines will be graded as an assignment separate from the speech itself. Those grades will be combined, with the outline being 25% of the total speech grade. Example: Speech Grade=A Outline Grade=D Assignment Grade=B+

Outlines will be--

• Typed on standard, white 8-1/2 x 11" paper. Xerox paper, standard computer paper, and bond are acceptable. Onion skin, any other kind of erasable or "corrasable" paper, or paper already used are not acceptable. Students should remove printer strips before they come to class. They will conform to the format and indentation standards demonstrated on the sample outline attached to this document.
• No form of folder or cover should be employed (including a typed cover page).
• Pages will be connected to one another with a staple or paper clip. No other means will be acceptable.

Internet Outline Assistance:

If you would like for me to review an outline, okay a topic, etc. You can send it to me via the internet, and I will reply. You simply need to make sure I get the message and time to respond to it before I leave for New York. I am sorry that I cannot guarantee responses. You should not assume I got your message unless you get a reply.

In addition, a selection of Outline Samples is available.

Examination:

Each student will take a multiple choice final examination over the text and the lecture notes.

Later in the semester, a practice exam will be loaded into this site.

Course Procedures.

Attendance:

Students are expected to attend every class session, but conflicts will inevitably arise. If you miss a session on a non-speaking day*, you are not responsible to notify the instructor. You are responsible to acquire the day's assignments, information, notes, etc. Frequent absences and chronic late arrival undermine the flow of the course, so endeavor to arrive on time. More than three total absences in a semester will constitute failure to attend.The student will be given permission to withdraw, but if no permission is sought, the student will receive a course grade of "F".

Arrival in class after the first 30 minutes constitutes an absence.

*Students more than 30 minutes late on a speech day will be counted absent, and will not be allowed to give the speech (unless by special permission). Students who do not attend on a speech day will receive an "F" on the assignment unless substantial documentation can be provided to prove an unavoidable conflict. Scheduled medical procedures, court dates, most "family" emergencies and similar circumstances do not constitute unavoidable conflicts. Travel reservations before and after breaks do not constitute unavoidable conflicts. The instructor reserves the right to either schedule a make-up or reconfigure the grade weight formula to resolve the conflict.

If a student provides an excuse that turns out to be fraudulent, the instructor will assign a grade of "F" for the semester. No exceptions, no excuses.

Definition of Plagiarism

The university handbook has a definition of plagiarism. It is pretty complicated. I have a definition of plagiarism too. Mine is pretty simple. I give you an assignment. You do the assignment from that point on. Start from there. If you get information from any other source, tell us where you got it. Do your own work; why make it any harder than that?

P.S. I am at least as conversant in web surfing as most of you; the materials on the internet aren't worth the effort it takes to find them. Do your own work.

What Grades Mean.

Grades are distributed according to the following criteria:

F

You either fail to do the assignment your work is too far below acceptable standards to merit any consideration. You either completely miss the point of the assignment or disregard critical elements of it.

D

You demonstrate that you understood the assignment, but constructed and presented the material in a less than satisfactory way. Your performance was sub-standard relative to normal expectations.

C

You give the speech that the average public speaking student, working the average amount of time should be expected to prepare. Your work is complete but in no way exceptional or deserving of extra attention.

B

You exceed expectations. Your preparation and delivery serve as examples of the proper concepts and practices. All of the required material is plainly in evidence, and your work is fluid and smooth.

A

Your work obviously stands out from that of the normal body of students. You serve as a role model for how the speaking assignment should be carried out.You are creative and energetic, expanding the boundaries of the assignment.

COURSE CALENDAR.

Tentative Schedule: Dates and assignments subject to change at the instructor's discretion.

Examination will take place in accordance with the University Schedule.

PLEASE NOTE: Reading assignments should be completed by the date listed on the calendar to promote productive class discussion. You are responsible to have read the entire textbook by the end of the regular semester, even if specific chapters are not referenced in the reading schedule.

University Policy on Observance of Religious Holidays.

Yom Kippur is a religious holiday. Any student who misses work owing to celebration of that holiday will be allowed to make it up. Students must,however, declare their intention to be absent, so that other arrangements can be made. Simply not showing up for the assignment and claiming to have been celebrating the holiday will not be protected by university rules, since you have been given another option.