Course Description

This survey course is an overview of the diversity of human communication.  Concepts covered include fundamentals theories and competencies in interpersonal, small group, public, and interpersonal communication.  Oral presentations are required.

 

Required Course Text

Verderber, Rudolph F., Kathleen S. Verderber, and Deanna D. Sellnow. COMM 3. Third Edition. Boston, MA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2015. Print. ISBN: 9781285445588

 

Required Materials

For this course you will need access to a computer and printer, 3x5 index cards, and a stapler. There may also be some copy costs.

 

Course Objectives

1. Explain the fundamental principles of communication.
2. Perform a minimum of three speeches, one of each from the following categories: informative, persuasive, and impromptu (including one group presentation).
2. Create full-sentence outlines for informative and persuasive speeches using appropriate, credible research sources and attribution and appropriate speech organization.
3. Demonstrate proficiency in direct eye contact, appropriate speaking volume, and body control.
4. Speak extemporaneously (with minimal notes) for the required informative and/or persuasive speech assignment.
5. Compare and contrast communication differences across cultures.
6. Analyze group member roles and norms.
7. Solve a problems as a member of a group.
8. Evaluate his or her listening behavior and develop strategies for improvement.
9. Apply basic rules and assumptions that govern interpersonal communication.
10. Define and evaluate his or her self-concept using a cultural framework.

 

Student Learning Outcomes for this course:

1. Students will evaluate their self concept.
2. Students will solve a problem as a group.
3. Students will understand the need to adapt communication style to acknowledge the differences in others

 

NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY

“Mt. San Antonio College provides opportunities for the pursuit of excellence for all students and through its educational services…The college will provide open access to a college education and all support services without regard to sex, race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, age over 40, marital status, physical or mental disability (including HIV and AIDS), sexual orientation, or Vietnam Era Veteran Status”

SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS

This campus will provide reasonable accommodations for students who face unique physical, learning, and emotional challenges.  If you have special conditions as addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act and need accommodations, please inform me within the first two weeks of the semester.  There are eligibility requirements for some of the programs offered.  Please visit Disabled Student Programs and services or call ext. 4290.  It is your responsibility to work with DSP&S to make arrangements for special accommodations in this class.

Course Readings

You are expected to read the designated chapters in the text beforecoming to class on the day the readings are due.  Coming to class is not a substitute for reading the text, nor is reading the text a substitute for attending class.  Class time will be used to build on your reading, not to review it.  Come to each class prepared to ask questions you have about the reading, to explore confusing aspects of the material, and to provide examples and illustrations of the theories and concepts covered in the text.

Writing Requirements

There are three writing assignments in this course.  Your writing competence will be assessed in determining your final course grade (see “Point Summary” section).  You are expected to organize and express your ideas well.  You will receive timely feedback and suggestions on your writing.  You will be expected to address any deficiencies in your subsequent writing assignments.  Guidelines regarding the writing assignments for the course appear in this syllabus, and more specific expectations will be addressed in class orally and through handouts. 

Speaking Requirements

There are three speaking assignments in this course.  These include an impromptu, informative, and persuasive speech.  Your informative speech will be given as a group presentation.  The informative and persuasive speeches will include creating full-sentence outlines with credible research referenced in MLA format.  Your speech competence will be assessed in terms of content and delivery according to the rubric distributed in class.

How do I earn an…

To earn an “A”: You complete the assignment exceeding expectations impressing the instructor with your final work product.  You do an “exceptional or perfect job.”

To earn a “B”: You complete the assignment not only meeting the requirements but exceeding the instructors requirements and expectations for the assignment. You do an “above average job.”

To earn a “C”: You simply complete the assignment fulfilling all requirements. You do an average job.

To earn a “D” or “F”: You complete the assignment without meeting requirements or fail to turn in assignments. Work does not improve throughout the semester.  You do a “below average job.”

Attendance

Because speech communication involves listening, evaluating, and writing as well as speaking, you are expected to attend ALL class meetings.  Attendance and class participation are necessary for success in this course.  However, I realize that there may be times when an absence is unavoidable.  Therefore I offer the following Communication Department Attendance Policy.

 

Absences without penalty:

Students are allowed the following amount of absences from class without penalty in acknowledgment of occurrences such as personal or family emergencies, religious observances, transportation difficulties, serious illness, or other concerns at the discretion of each student:

 

 

Absences in excess of these listed above will result in the lowering of your final course grade by 5% for each subsequent absence. For example, if you are receiving a 90% in the class and have one more unexcused absence than you are allowed, you will then receive an 85% for the course. If you have two extras, you receive and 80% and so on. 

 

Students are expected to have all work submitted to the instructor by the assigned date regardless of absence, and should be current with the course upon their return.

 

In the event of an absence on the day of a scheduled speech by that student, the student is not permitted to make up that speech and will receive a score of “0” for that assignment. (Instructors may also specify a tardy policy for speech days and/or additional penalties for other missed work if specified in their syllabus.)

 

Exceptions:

1) Any student who is absent for a college-approved activity (such as a field trip, athletic competition, or leadership conference) and notifies the instructor in advance of the absence will not be penalized for the absence and will be allowed to make up graded work.

 

2) The only other exception will require that the student apply for exception by completing the official “department of communication extraordinary exception form for attendance.” The form is to be submitted to the instructor (or the instructor with the consultation of the department chair, if desired) within one week of the absence. Valid documentation must be attached to the form, and only the following circumstances will be considered:

 

• Mandatory court appearance, Military service, Hospitalization of the student, Funeral

 

If the form is signed as approved, the student will not be penalized for the absence and will be allowed to make up the equivalent points for graded work that was missed, including speeches, through any means determined by the instructor.  Students whose exceptional circumstances require them to miss a substantial number of graded assignments may be advised to pursue a withdrawal.

 

Makeup: The only time a student may makeup missed work is for one of the above listed exceptions. 

 

Tardies:

In addition to attending class, you are also responsible for being to class ON TIME.  Walking in late is disrespectful to the professor as well as the rest of the class.  You will be considered tardy if you arrive within the first twenty (20) minutes of class.  After twenty minutes, you will be considered absent. This means you will not be allowed to give your speech, or take an exam! You will also be marked absent if you leave class more than twenty (20) minutes before the scheduled ending. This may include extended restroom breaks. If you leave between twenty (20) minutes and the ending time, you will receive a tardy.  BEWARE, for every three (3) tardies you will receive and unexcused absence!

CHEATING/PLAGIARISM

 

Cheating/ plagiarism (representing somebody else’s words or ideas as one’s own) of any kind will not be tolerated and will earn you an “F” on the assignment in question or an “F” for the entire course depending on the seriousness of the offense. Cases of plagiarism may be reported to the Department Chair and/or the Dean of Students.

 

The term “cheating” includes but is not limited to

• Plagiarism
• Receiving or knowingly supplying unauthorized information
• Using unauthorized material or sources
• Changing an answer after work has been graded and presenting it as improperly graded
• Illegally accessing confidential information through a computer
• Taking an examination for another student or having another student take an examination for you
• Forging or altering registration or grade documents

CLASS CONDUCT, RULES AND POLICIES

Please keep in mind that a college classroom is a professional learning environment in which mutual respect amongst students and between students and the professor is expected.  For a detailed description of Mt. San Antonio College’s Code of Conduct, please see the college catalog.  Here are some examples of disruptive behavior listed in your catalog:  obstruction or disruption of the educational process; willful disobedience and/or the open persistent defiance of authority; verbal or physical threats to students, faculty, or staff; excessive talking in class; turned on pagers and cell phones; passing notes in class; excessive lateness; sleeping in class; and poor personal hygiene.

Remember, we all want a comfortable, respectful atmosphere for optional learning and success.  In addition, here are a few more rules and policies for my class:

• Absolutely no liquor, firearms, weapons, explosives or animals.
• All written work must be typed in order to receive credit.
• E-mailed work will not be accepted.
• You must give your speech on the day that is assigned.  Unless you have a documented, excused absence, NO SPEECHES WILL BE GIVEN AFTER THE DESIGNATED SPEECH DAYS!
• No late work is accepted - Plan ahead.
• Exams will be a combination of True and False, Multiple Choice, and/or Essay.  No scantrons are required. Students may leave the room only after completion of an exam.  No headphones, iPods etc are allowed.  Your final will involve an in-class speech critique.
• Some extra credit may be offered…stay tuned.

 

WARNING!

• All cell-phones, beepers, etc. must be silenced (not on vibrate) prior to the beginning of class and be put away, out of sight.   If a cell phone goes off, I will ask you to leave.  You will then receive an unexcused absence for that day.
• Also, please do not text-message in class.  If you do, you will be asked to leave and receive an unexcused absence as well. It is best make sure phones are out of sight so that you don’t even give the appearance that you are texting.  
• This means that you could potentially miss an important speech AND receive a 5% grade reduction all because you chose to text or allow your cell phone to go off! 
• Just say no.

 

Course Requirements

1. Class Participation/Homework (100 points): 

      A course in human communication requires active participation in class discussion and exercises.  You must be present to be an active participant.  Excessive tardiness is unacceptable and will result in a lowered participation grade.  If you foresee problems being in class or arriving to class on time, you should seriously consider dropping this class. 

 

      Participation will be evaluated by attendance, degree of preparation for class (including the timely completion of activities/exercises that are to be done outside of class and brought to class on a particular day), demonstrated efforts to learn and understand the material, and constructive input and receptivity to others during class. 

 

      I will facilitate in-class discussion but it is your responsibility to participate. While I encourage open expression of ideas in this class, your freedom to share your thoughts should not infringe on other students’ rights.  Civility is expected.  Please be considerate of others and of your instructor so we can all enjoy a dynamic, engaging, and comfortable environment! 

 

2. Weekly Journals (200 points): 

      Each week a journal topic will be distributed for you to reflect on the class lecture and reading from the text.  These are due on the first day of the week and are designed for you to critically evaluate the previous week’s material in light of your own growing communication competency. There will be a total of 10 journal assignments each worth 20 points. These journals are designed for you to really explore your own implicit theories of communication and will be graded on completeness, thoughtfulness, and incorporation of the course material.  There are no right or wrong answers to journal assignments.

 

3. Reaction Paper  (100 points):

The reaction paper is your opportunity to explore the intercultural communication unit of our class.  You MAY NOT submit a paper after it is scheduled to be turned in.  The paper must be three to five pages, double-spaced, and typed with your name clearly at the top of each page.  Proper grammar and language rules must be followed for you to receive a desirable grade.  Successful completion of the reaction paper will facilitate your reflection upon your progress toward accomplishing the learning goals of this course. 

 

4. Impromptu Speeches (100 points):

      Impromptu speaking is a key skill for a competent communicator and one that is very valuable during the job interviewing process.  As such, we will practice impromptu speaking during the early part of our public speaking unit primarily to review the basic speech outline.  You will complete two impromptu speeches. The first will consist of an on-the-spot interview style generic interview question.  This speech should be no more than 1 minute and will be done in groups.  The second impromptu you will be using the informative or persuasive format.  For this speech, once you have drawn a topic, or received your prop, you will be given 3 to 5 minutes to gather you thoughts before beginning to speak.  Each impromptu speech is worth 50 points.

 

5. Group Informative Project (200 points):

 

You will be assigned to work in a 3 person group to prepare and present an informative speech. The purpose of this group is for you to assist each other in selecting, preparing and researching your topic. The goal is to initiate a supportive relationship that will provide constructive feedback and evaluation of the speech.  This experience will enable you to address all of the learning goals for this course as you prepare to deliver a clearly spoken message using appropriate evidence and exhibiting sensitivity to the various demands of working with a partner and tailoring a message for a specific audience.  This assignment will require meetings outside of class time.  Your preparation should consider audience analysis, overall speech structure, organization, evidence, credibility, and delivery of the speech. This speech will count 100 points towards your grade (50 group points | 50 points individual presentation points).  A 3-5 slide PowerPoint will be required for your 5-6 minute speech.

 

Additionally, after completing your current event speech you will submit a written 2-page summary of findings from your personal perspective of the experience incorporating references to your textbook.  You must write your own paper and it must be two to three pages, double-spaced, and typed with your name clearly at the top of each page. There is a possibility of 100 points for the paper. 

 

6. Transfer Persuasive Speech (100 Points):

      Given the importance of being competent in making public presentations, you will be required to do a persuasive speech on a potential transfer university. This speech should be 5-6 minutes in length. Visual aids must be used in the form of a 3-5 slide PowerPoint presentation.  Your instructor must approve your school but it can be any four year university that a Mt. SAC student could transfer to after completing their AA requirements.  You will research the information and turn in a typed outline.  It is imperative that you be prepared to make your presentation on the day you are assigned to do so. 

 

      You will also be expected to attend and actively listen to the public presentations of your fellow classmates.  Each of you will be given a feedback card to write helpful comments for the speeches you watch.  Part of your grade will include your participation in listening to other presentations through feedback forms.

 

7. Exams (200 points | 4 @ 50 points each) 

There will be four exams.  Each is worth 50 points.  Exams will cover the material from the text and lectures.  The final exam will be cumulative.  You must have a legitimate excuse for not attending an examination (see course guidelines above).  The examinations offer you the opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of the concepts, theories, and processes associated with the accomplishment of all learning goals for this course. No scantrons are needed.

Grading and Evaluation

 

There are a total of 1000 points possible in the course.  The point breakdown is as follows:

 

	Final Grade Points A 900-1000 B 800-899 C 700-799 D 600-699 F Below 600   Tardies* Absences         *Remember that every three tardies equals one absence. Each additional unexcused absence is 5% or 50 pts off of your final grade.

 

 

 

Assignment	Possible Points	Your Points
Class Participation/Homework	100
Weekly Journals	200
Impromptu Speeches	100
Info Group Speech	100
Info Group Paper	100
Persuasive Transfer School	100
Reaction Paper	100
Exams	200
Extra Credit	?
Total	1000

 

 

Note about grading: 

 

      I do not change grades unless I have made a mathematical error.  I am happy to talk with you about how you can enhance your performance, but I will not argue with you about a grade I have given.  Any discussion of grades will be held privately between the individual student and the instructor; class time will not be used as a forum to address these concerns. 

 

      Furthermore, the point total that you receive at the end of the semester is your final grade. I do not bump up students 1 or 2 points to the next grade.  Please take advantage of extra credit opportunities.

 

Extra Credit

 

There will be ample opportunity for extra credit assignments in this course.  Some examples of extra credit opportunities: Observing or competing in an intercollegiate speech tournament/ Reactions to opinion or editorials/ extra reaction papers.  All extra credit opportunities will be made available to the entire class and announced only during class.  ALL EXTRA CREDIT ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE TURNED IN BY THE FINAL EXAM.

 

Incompletes

 

An Incomplete will be given only when all College policies are met. To discuss an incomplete, please make an appointment with me that is conducive to both of our schedules. Notification must be done prior to the end of the semester and initiated by the student. You need verification (e.g., doctor’s letter) and a copy of the college’s incomplete policy. Refer to your college’s current catalog for further details on this matter. 

 

 

 Course Schedule*

DATE	TOPIC	ASSIGNMENTS DUE
2/24	Welcome to SPCH 2, Syllabus Review, Communication Perspectives	READ: Ch 1
2/26	Perception / Self Awareness	READ: Ch 2 DUE: Journal #1
3/3	Verbal Messages	READ: Ch 4
3/5	Nonverbal Communication	READ: Ch 5 DUE: Journal #2
3/10	Listening	DUE: Social Media Self Presentation/Journal #3 READ: Chapter 6
3/12 *	Exam #1 (Ch 1,2,4,5,6)
3/17	Communicating in Groups	READ: Chapter 9
3/19	Group Leadership & Problem Solving	READ: Chapter 10 DUE: Journal #4
3/24	Intro to Public Speaking	READ: Chapter 11
3/26	Outlining / Delivery	READ: Chapter 12, 15 DUE: Journal #5
3/31	Informative Speaking	READ: Chapter 16
4/2 *	Exam #2 (Ch 9,10,11,12,15,16)
4/7 *	-- cancel / group meetings --
4/9 *	-- cancel / group meetings --
4/14	Informative Workshop
4/16	Informative Speeches
4/21	Persuasive Speaking	READ: Chapter 17
4/23	Language	READ: Chapter 14 DUE: Journal #6
4/28	Impromptu Speaking	READ: Appendix Interviewing DUE: Group Info Reaction Paper
4/30	Impromptu Speeches	DUE: Journal #7
5/5 *	-- cancel --
5/7 *	Interpersonal Relationships	READ: Chapter 7
5/12 *	Interpersonal Communication	READ: Chapter 8
5/14 *	Intercultural Communication	READ: Chapter 3
5/19	Persuasive Speech Workshop
5/21	Exam #3 (Ch 3,7,8,14,17)	DUE: Journal #8
5/26	Ethics	DUE: Reaction Paper
5/28	Argumentation	DUE: Journal #9
6/2	Persuasive Speeches, Day 1
6/4	Persuasive Speeches, Day 2	DUE: Journal #10
FINALS	Final (Exam #4) – Thursday, 6/11 7:30am

*Schedule subject to change.