CALS 001
Foundations: Communication Methods

Fall 2010 Syllabus

Speech dates and lab roles and Rotating lab role responsibilities

Lecture One (Aug 30 - Sept 3)   Lecture Two (Sept 13-17)   Lecture Three (Sept 20-24)

Lecture Four (Sept 27 - Oct 1)         Lecture Five (Oct  4 - 8)     Lecture Six (Oct 11 - 15)    Lecture Seven (Oct 18 - 22)
 
Lecture Eight (Oct 25-29)                 Lecture Nine (Nov 8-12)     Lecture Ten (Nov 15-19)    Lecture Eleven (Nov 29 - Dec 3)

Lecture Twelve (Dec 6-10)

Course Description: This course develops skills for college success and beyond.  Here you will become oriented to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and UVM, and learn how to give oral presentations that are appropriate for different purposes and audiences.  You will improve your public speaking skills by conducting research, organizing information and selecting appropriate media to make dynamic presentations.  You will give several presentations and critique other student and professional presentations.  This class is highly recommended of all first year students in CALS, because, regardless of your major, you will need highly developed oral communication skills to complete your undergraduate degree and become successful beyond college.

Why is This Course Important?   In today’s complex and ever changing world, the ability to communicate clearly is more important than ever.  Although communication takes on many forms, humans communicate mainly through the written and spoken word.  You will have many opportunities to work on improving your written communication skills during your college years, but few opportunities exist to help you improve your speaking skills.  Recent graduates of UVM and employers all agree that the ability to speak in public is an essential skill that every college graduate should possess.  In fact, oral communication is a core competency for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS).  This course will be one of the few opportunities to study, to learn, to practice, to make mistakes, to critique, and to improve your speaking skills--in short, to become a better oral communicator.

General Course Goal: The overall goal of Fall Foundations course is twofold:

1. To help you improve your oral communication skills. 

2. To help you discover and learn what the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and UVM have to offer, how you fit in, and how you can develop to the fullest of your potential at UVM and beyond.

Course Objectives: You will:

1. Increase your understanding about UVM, its history, mission, organization, rules and regulations, people, services, resources and opportunities for student development.
2. Increase your understanding about the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, its mission, structure, curriculum and opportunities for students.
3. Make a positive adjustment and assimilation into the University and CALS.
4. Develop a positive relationship with your CALS academic advisor.
5. Better understand the developmental changes involved in the transition into and out of the first year of college.
6. Better understand and utilize the full resources of the library.
7. Develop positive student-to-student interactions and become a contributing member of the CALS and UVM community by joining a club or UVM organization.
8. Develop critical thinking skills through reading, reflection, discussion, oral presentation and writing.
9. Learn a set of study and interpersonal skills for succeeding in college.
10. Demonstrate increased confidence in speaking.
11. Understand different types of presentations and different audiences, and be able to appropriately match the two to meet specific speaking objectives.
12. Be able to critique and learn from another person’s oral presentation.
13. Prepare appropriate media for presentations.
14. Be able to research, construct and present a dynamic and effective speech to a group.
15. Demonstrate teamwork and group presentation skills as a contributing member of a team.

Required Texts and Flash Memory Data stick (USB thumb-drive):

            Gelb, Michael J., Present Yourself!,  Jalamar Press, Torrance, CA: 1988  ISBN 0-915190-51-6.  This is a quick and easy-to-read summary of public speaking that will get you started in developing your presentations.  It provides valuable information that you should adopt in your public speaking.
             One USB 2Gig or greater Flash memory thumb-drive.  The thumb-drive must be brought to each of the three labs when you present your informational, persuasive and choice speeches.  Each speech will be recorded on a Flip camera and you must view the recorded presentation on your thumb-drive as part of your reflection document process.  See section 12 below for reflection details.

Recommended Texts:

            Lucas, Stephen E., The Art of Public Speaking, McGraw Hill , New York , NY: 2001, ISBN 0-07250419-6.  This is the most popular college public speaking textbook in the US.  It is  an important resource for public speaking and provides a rich background for your presentations,
            Lawry, John D., College 101, Second Edition, McGraw Hill, Boston: 1999  ISBN 0-07-313159-3.  This text is for First-Year students to help you make the transition from high school to college.  Reflecting on Blackboard on the assigned reading in the Lawry text is a critical way for you to learn and understand the many changes that are taking place as a First-Year student at UVM.  You will note that the Untitled Student Essay (p.179) written by Amy Corey was an assignment in this former class that author Lawry included it in the second edition of College 101.

Journal:   Keep an electronic journal through the BlackBoard Discussion Board and Email functions--reflecting on your readings, class presentations and discussions and your personal and academic progress at UVM and CALS.   Journal guidelines may be viewed here.  Minimum expectations are one quality and thoughtful discussion/journal entry per week.  Selected appropriate and reflective entries will be posted on the course BlackBoard site.

Attendance Policy:  This is not a class to cut and get notes from someone else .  Since we have only thirteen lectures, every class is important.  You are expected to come to all lecture and lab classes and be in your seat a few minutes early, participate, and stay the entire class time.   Unexcused lateness or absences of either lecture or lab will lead to a 1% reduction in your final grade for each absence or lateness.  No students have earned an A in this course who have had more than two unexcused absences.  Athletes are excused only for Varsity Games (and work is expected to be made up within one week).  If you are late, you will be marked absent. Absences are excused only in cases of extreme sickness, death in your immediate family, or other extreme documented circumstances.  In such circumstances, notify the CALS Deans office (Rose Laba, rlaba@uvm.edu, 656-0289 who will contact Prof. Leonard with an official excuse), Dr. Leonard, and your lab TA within 24 hours of missing class.

Make-Up Policy: If you can not make a class, you must notify your instructor before the class.  Ex post facto notification will result in earning a zero for that class and assignment.  If you miss a speaking assignment without notifying your instructor before the class or if you miss a speaking assignment because you weren’t prepared, you will earn a zero for that assignment. Only legitimate prior-notification absences (death in the family, serious illness, or accident) will be made up.  This should be a rare occurrence.  In such circumstances, notify the CALS Deans office (Rose Laba, rlaba@uvm.edu, 656-0289 who will contact Prof. Leonard with an official excuse), Dr. Leonard, and your lab TA before missing class.   

Class Behavior: Students are expected to have a positive attitude and to arrive to class a few minutes early and be in their seat when class time begins and stay for the entire class time.  Talking or texting on your cell phone during lecture or lab is not permitted.  Only one person should be speaking during class at any time.  You will be asked to leave the class and you will loose at least one percent of your course grade each time you: 1. continue to talk while the recognized speaker is talking, 2. fall asleep during class, 3. read the newspaper or do other assignments not related to our class,  4. leave the class early without prior permission of the instructor,  5. text or talk on your cell phone during class,  6. are late for class.  Being late to class, leaving early without notifying the instructor, hurtful or strong negative criticism of others, is not appropriate or welcome.  Whining or excessive complaining about this or any other UVM course is not appropriate in class.
    You are expected to come to class with a pen, pencil and notebook and to take notes by hand.   It is appropriate and acceptable to raise your hand and ask questions during class.  You may eat food and drink water during class.  Laptop or Notebook Computers, cell phones, or any other electronic devices are not to be used during lecture unless you are instructed to do so.

Religious Holidays:  Students have the right to practice the religion of their choice. Each semester students should submit in writing to their instructors by the end of the second full week of classes their documented religious holiday schedule for the semester.

Oral Assignments: It should be no surprise that students who spend lots of time preparing for their oral presentations do much better than students who throw something together at the last moment or, worse yet, just “wing it.”  Studying for this class is not passive (like reading a textbook or studying for an exam), instead it is active (practicing your presentations in front of friends and receiving feedback). It is required and expected that you will spend time practicing your presentation in front of others and get feedback.

Plagiarism: Students are expected to read the examples of plagiarism and know when to use quotations and references in writing.  A student caught plagiarizing at UVM will receive an XF for the class.

Academic Honesty: Students are expected to be familiar with the UVM Code of Academic Integrity. 

UVM Academic Integrity Standards:

1.       All ideas, arguments, and phrases, submitted without attribution to other sources, must be the creative product of the student.  Thus, all text passages taken from the works of other authors must be properly cited.  The same applies to paraphrased text, opinions, data, examples, illustrations, and all other creative work.  Violations of this standard constitute plagiarism.

2.       All experimental data, observations, interviews, statistical surveys, and other information collected and reported as part of academic work must be authentic.  Any alteration, e.g., the removal of statistical outliers, must be clearly documented.  Data must not be falsified in any way.  Violations of this standard constitute fabrication.

3.       Students may only collaborate within the limits prescribed by their instructors.  Students may not complete any portion of an assignment, report, project, experiment or exam for another student.  Students may not claim as their own work any portion of an assignment, report, project, experiment or exam that was completed by another student, even with that other student’s knowledge and consent.  Students may not provide information about an exam (or portions of an exam) to another student without the authorization of the instructor.  Students may not seek or accept information provided about an exam (or portions of an exam) from another student without the authorization of the instructor.  Violations of this standard constitute collusion.

4.       Students must adhere to the guidelines provided by their instructors for completing coursework.  For example, students must only use materials approved by their instructor when completing an assignment or exam.  Students may not present the same (or substantially the same) work for more than one course without obtaining approval from the instructor of each course.  Students must adhere to all course reserves regulations, including library course reserves, which are designed to allow students access to all course materials.  Students will not intentionally deny others free and open access to any materials reserved for a course.  Violations of this standard constitute cheating.

The principle objective of The University of Vermont policy on academic honesty is to promote an intellectual climate and support the academic integrity of The University of Vermont.   Academic dishonesty or an offense against academic honesty includes acts which may subvert or compromise the integrity of the educational process at The University of Vermont. Offenses against the Code of Academic Integrity are deemed serious and insult the integrity of the entire academic community.  Any suspected deliberate violations of this code are taken very seriously and will be forwarded to the Center for Student Ethics & Standards for further investigation. 

Grading:  Students begin with no points (0), and earn points.  Students never lose points on an assignment; instead, they earn them.  Download Excel Grading Template here .

    Rubric for grading presentations

Assignments in Detail:  

1.  Formal Class Introduction in lecture (2.5%).  Students’ names will be called randomly throughout the semester to introduce themselves (2 to 3 minutes) to the large class.  Topics to be covered include:

Name
Family Background (brief Mother & Father history, names of sibs and what they are doing)
Where you grew up (culture and location)
Academic Major

Why you chose UVM
Interests & Hobbies
Plans after UVM
Something about yourself no one else in the room knows

Grading sheet is here.   If you are absent when you name is randomly called, you will earn a zero.

2.  Quiz on the book, Present Yourself  (5.0%)  Individual and group quizzes will be averaged.  Cell phones, I-pods, or any electronics with ear buds or screens are not permitted during exams. 

3.  Dramatic Reading (5.0%)  Pick a favorite story to read in front of your lab.  The story should be for adults, not for children.  Your dramatic reading should be between 5-10 minutes long and include you adopting the voices of those speaking in the story.  Here is the grading sheet.

4.  Join a UVM Club or Organization (2.5%)  To complete this assignment you must show convincing evidence to your lab Teaching Assistants (TAs) that you have joined and are an active participant in a UVM club, sport, or organization.  You can report this to your TA anytime during the semester. To view the Student Government Association (SGA) list of clubs, go to the Lynx and click on the "Organizations" link.

5.  Library Exercise (2.5%)  This exercise is to introduce you to the UVM Bailey-Howe Library and to help you develop background research for your informational presentation topic.  This exercise must be handed in to your TAs when you give your informational presentation.

6.  Advisor Meetings: (2.5%).   You must meet with your Academic Advisor at least twice during the semester to discuss your major checklist, speech topic choices, academic concerns and just to get to know each other better.  Your advisor must sign and date a form to be turned in to your TA before the end of the semester.

7. Attend and critique a formal speech given outside of class (5%).  Submit a four to six page paper to your TA.  Here are the details.  Papers handed in after the due date will receive 10% reduction the first week, 20% the second week, and no credit, 0% if any later.  Papers need to be edited by a fellow student in your lab. You must hand in the edited first draft with your editor's signature, along with the final draft of your paper. Papers must be handed in on paper.  No email attachments will be accepted.

8.  Give an eight to ten minute informational presentation to an audience of student peers (5%).  You will be given adequate lecture, handout materials and text assignments to help you prepare for your presentations. Each presentation will be videotaped, and you will receive a grade for your speech as well as a grade for the pocket folder containing your three to five page reflection paper.  The folder is due in lab the following week.  This reflection paper (see details below in section 12) should be based on student feedback and your own critical analysis of your presentation and should include these three sub-headings :

(1) The speech I prepared for
(2) The speech I gave
(3) Improvements for next time

The subject of your presentations should be something that you are interested in (indeed, have a passion for!) and it should be “appropriate for your audience.”  If in doubt, ask.  Here is the checklist for grading your informational presentations.  In addition, you will need to hand in other materials along with the reflection paper.   See details below in section 12. Please hand in your materials in a pocket folder with your name, presentation title, and the date you delivered your presentation prominently displayed on the outside.

To introduce you to the resources of the UVM library and help you develop background research for your informational presentation, you must complete the library assignment booklet and hand it in to your TAs when you give your informational presentation.

9.  Be part of a team that gives a group critical analysis presentation (10%).   The world of work that you will be entering consists of teams working together .  You will be assigned to a small group during the semester to prepare a 12 - 15 minute critical analysis symposium presentation scheduled for the middle two labs of the semester.

Your group needs to select a controversial political or current event topic that everyone in your group is interested in.  Find a minimum of two articles (in journals, newspaper, magazines, books, or the web) that take opposite viewpoints and use the Guidelines for a Critical Analysis of an Article to orally critique each article in your presentation.  Discuss the conclusions your group can make about your chosen topic as a result of this analysis.

Your grade will be determined by the depth and coherence of critical analysis of each article, the quality of the group presentation, the support and interaction among group members, as well as your personal participation in the group project as rated by your peers.  Here is the checklist for group critical analysis presentation grading requirements. Groups should submit copies of the articles they analyze to the lab TAs.

Each team member bears personal responsibility for group participation. If you miss team meetings and fail to participate fully in the group presentation, then you have not met objective number nine (above) for this class and you will be graded accordingly.  It is your responsibility to make group meetings and fully participate in the group project. Here is a link to the group participation grading sheet.

10.  Give an eight to ten minute persuasive presentation. (you must dress appropriately, or be willing to accept a reduction of half a grade on your presentation) (15%).   Students will be expected to have improved from the previous presentations.  This speech will also be videoed to use in writing a reflection paper to be handed in the following week.  For your reflection paper, use the same three sub-heading format as detailed below in section 12..

The subject should be something controversial that you feel strong enough about that you want to persuade others to understand and/or adopt your viewpoint.  Here is the checklist for persuasive grading requirements.

11.  Give an eight to ten minute presentation of your choice (informational, persuasive, entertaining) (20%).  This is your final individual presentation and the culminating speech to demonstrate your competency in public speaking.  You may choose to give either an informational, persuasive or entertaining presentation (or a combination) on the subject of your choice.  Here is the checklist for grading your choice presentation.  Again, after your speech, write a reflection paper based on a review of the videotape and student comments and your personal reflection of the experience (see following section 12 for details). 

12.  Write three reflection papers(15%, three @ 5% each).   Outlined above, these papers are to show reflection and learning from the three individual speech experiences (Informational, Persuasive, Choice).   The three papers, three to five pages in length, should be written after viewing the videotape of your presentation, reading the student critiques, and honestly reflecting on the experience.  Use the following three headings to frame your paper, and discuss all of the topics in the sub headings below in your paper:

a. The Speech I Prepared For :  Why you chose your topic…how your conducted your research…the credibility of your sources, especially web –based sources…the objectives of your speech…how you went about constructing the speech…the amount and type of practice you did…who you practiced in front of, and how many times...the feedback you received…any other preparation.  

b. The Speech I Gave :  Give details of how your speech went…comparison of the speech with the one you practiced…what was going on in your head during the speech…what the video tape showed…things you did right…things you did wrong…student critique comments…anything else concerning the actual speech and how it felt to you.

c. Improvements for Next Time :  Things you wish you had done differently to give the ideal speech…what would you have done differently in preparing for and delivering your speech…what will you do next time to improve…anything else that you wish you had done and would do in the future. 

Hand in your reflection paper in a POCKET FOLDER with your name, speech title, lab section (day & time), and date delivered on the front cover.  Inside the folder, in the pockets should be: 1. Your reflection paper (speech I prepared for, speech I gave, improvements for next time, with page numbers), 2. First Mind Map draft. 3. an updated re-drafted Mind Map.  4. Detailed speech outline. 5. Presentation outline (detailed outline reduced down to minimum in big font).  6. Research materials (articles, photocopies you made. 7. Copies of visual aids (images, overheads, etc.) if they will fit in the folder.   8. Student critiques from those who watched your presentation.  9. List of Objectives: what you want your audience to know or do because of your talk, how the audience will be changed by your talk.  Your Pocket Folder is due at the beginning of lab the week after you present (if late -10% the first week, -20% the second week, No credit afterwards).  Here is a checklist for your folder.

13. Critique student presentations/Class participation/BlackBoard Discussion Journal/Attitude (5%).  Being a critical listener and being able to give constructive feedback is an important communication skill and will help you develop as a speaker as well.  You will have the opportunity to give written and oral feedback to your fellow students.  Signed written critiques will be given to the student presenter for feedback.  Your grade will reflect how well you critically analyze and give helpful feedback (both positive and negative) to your colleagues.

Unexcused absences from lecture or lab result in 1% reduction of your final course grade.  Attendance will be taken each lecture and lab.  Students will also be graded on their overall participation and attitude toward the class. Those showing enthusiasm for learning and helping their fellow students to learn will receive a high score, while those who argue each grade, refuse to participate, regularly come to class late and/or seem disinterested in the class will fare poorly.

It is important for you to reflect on the changes that are happening in your life and the learning that is taking place as a first-year college student.  Students are required to make at least one Black Board discussion postings a week, reflecting on your experience as a First Year student.   See Journal guidelines here. Black Board Thread Postings should be made to the Black Board communication lab Discussion list, which will include your lab TAs as well as your lab section group members.   More than one discussion postings a week are encouraged.  Please note do not confuse creating a Forum  with creating a Thread within a Forum.  When you post you should create a Thread within an already existing Forum for your lab on Black Board.

What to post on BlackBoard Discussions:  Post reflections on what you are learning in our course.  Create threads about thoughts or questions that the assignments have raised for you.  Also write about our class or other classes or experiences you have had at UVM such as: readings, lab or lecture material, and resident hall and life experiences that have been provocative and interesting. Postings about class-related material that is confusing, or makes you think of connections to other courses or experiences in your life, are welcome.  Contact lab mates, or reply to their postings giving your own opinion or suggestions to questions or comments they have posted.  Organize study sessions or review of our class or other class material.  Constructive criticisms or suggestions for future labs are welcome.  To earn full credit, you should post at least once every week during the semester (14 postings minimum).  Replies to other postings count as postings as long as they are Threads within a Forum.  Emails to the TAs or Dr. Leonard do not count as a posting.

What not to post on BlackBoard Discussions:  Hurtful thoughts or strong negative criticism of others in our class are not welcome.  Whining or excessive complaining about this or any other UVM course is not appropriate.  Do not post about drinking, drugs, or sex.

14.  Midterm exam (5%).  This will cover all readings, labs, and lectures up to the midterm.  To do well, you must come to class, take notes, do all the readings and study.  

Dress:  For the dramatic reading, informational, persuasive, choice, and group presentations you will be graded on your dress.  Your clothing should be clean, neat, and conservative.  Slacks, skirts, ties, dress shirts, sweaters, and dress shoes are appropriate.  Inappropriate dress includes jeans, T-shirts, baseball caps, or clothing that is stained, ripped, torn, or with holes. Belly buttons and underwear should not be visible.  You should not have bare feet.  Your hair should be pulled back so it does not hang in your face.    No hats, unless your speech requires you to dress in a costume for the speech topic.

PowerPoint:  If you choose to use PowerPoint, use it only for images.  Use no text or keep text to an absolute minimum!  The focus of your presentation should be you the speaker, not the slides in the presentation.  Use blank BLACK slides in between images when you will be discussing and giving information.  It is essential that you try out your presentation in the room where you give your presentation ahead of time.  It is your responsibility to know how to use the audio-visual technology.  It is not the responsibility of the TAs.  Use the facilities scheduling link to find out when the room is free so you may practice many days ahead of your presentation date.

Have a Plan B:  Be prepared for technical difficulties.  If, for example, you planned on using PowerPoint and the computer is broken, be prepared to show your images from printed images on the document camera, or pass the printed images around the room.  One of the best fail-safe backup plans is a small flip chart. 

Fall 2010 CALS 001 Lecture and Lab outline: