SYLLABUS

SPCOM 102: FUNDAMENTALS OF PUBLIC SPEAKING.

Instructor: Barry A. Morris Office: 41 Park Row
Hours: Announced
Phone: 212-346-1204

E-Mail: Bmorris@pace.edu

Text: The Audience Will.

The Student Speech Quote Hall of Fame.

The ability to formulate a concrete message.
The ability adequately to support that message with logical and emotional appeals.
The ability to organize efficiently the oral delivery of that message.
The ability to customize that message to a particular audience.
The ability to enhance that message with the proper delivery style.

ASSIGNMENTS:

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

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. 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.

Assignment	weight
Moment	NG
Digest	20%
Demonstration	20%
Speech to Convince	20%
Final Speech	25%
Final exam	15%
Total	100%

The Grade Exchange Option.

At the end of the semester, a student may opt to exchange his or her lowest grade for that earned on Speech Assignment One--if that lowest grade is on a speech other than Speech Assignment Five and was not received because the speech was not delivered. In other words, if you got a bad grade on Speech Two, Three or Four, and want to exchange that grade for Speech One, you can

IF . . .

You have not missed more than two classes, and I have a record of your completion of at least three of the web-based exercises and tutorials I will be offering.

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.This Includes Session One!
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 half-hour constitutes an absence.

*Students more than 1/2 hour 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. Should a make-up be scheduled, it will be incumbent upon the student to provide an "audience" of at least four other people at the instructor's convenience. Failure to do so will void the student's opportunity to make the speech up.

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?

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.

9/5-6		Introduction to course. Review of Syllabus. Speaking With a Purpose. Making and Supporting Claims. Read Virtual Reality. Virtual Insistence.
9/12-13		Speech I
9/19-20		Basic Outlines and Patterns. Introductions and Conclusions. Read Virtual Clarity.
9/26-10/4		Promoting Comprehension.
10/3-11		Speech II.
10/10-18		Demonstration
10/17-25		Evidence and Support.Read Virtual Assurance.
10/24-11/1		Speech III
10/31-11/8		Strategic Organizing. Read Virtual Consensus. Adapting to an Audience.
11/7-15		Speech IV
		11-19 through 11-24: Thanksgiving Break
11/14-11/29		Adding Urgency to a Case. Read Virtual Disaster.
11/28-12/6		Speech V Course and Instructor Evaluations.
12/5-12/13		Speech V Course and Instructor Evaluations.

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.