CALS 001 Communication Methods
CALS 001: Students go to one lecture and one lab per week |
Lecture Professor Jonathan Leonard |
Lecture A (CRN 90137) Mondays 1:55 -
2:45pm 001 Kalkin |
208D Morrill Hall, UVM |
Lecture B (CRN 90138) Wednesdays 1:55 - 2:45pm 001 Kalkin |
Go to any lecture, stick to your lab 656-2979 (Office) |
Lecture C (CRN 92994) Fridays 1:55 - 2:45pm 004 Kalkin | 434-3787 (Home before 8:00 pm please) |
Lecture D (CRN 92995) Tuesdays 2:30-3:45pm 314 Dewey |
jleonard@uvm.edu |
CALS 183: Students go to one lecture and one lab per week | Office Hours:
Tuesdays |
Lecture A (CRN 90152) Tuesdays 1:00-2:15pm L/L Commons 315 | |
Lecture B (CRN 91497) Thursdays 1:00-2:15pm L/L Commons 315 | |
Lab Schedule | Dr. L's Weekly schedule |
Speech dates and lab roles and Rotating lab role responsibilities
Look up when lab rooms are free
Lecture
One, Aug 25-29, Lecture
Two Sept 2-5, Lecture
Three Sept 8-12, Lecture
Four Sept 15-19, Lecture
Five (QUIZ) Sept 22-26, Lecture
Six Sept 29 - Oct 3, Lecture
Seven Oct 6-10, Lecture
Eight Oct 13-17, Lecture
Nine Oct 20-24, Lecture
Ten Oct 27-31, Lecture
Eleven TEST Nov 3-7, Lecture
Twelve Nov 10-14,
Course Description: This course will develop your public speaking skills for presentations at UVM and in your life beyond. You will learn how to give excellent oral presentations that are appropriate for different audiences. While improving your public speaking skills you will conduct research and select appropriate media to make dynamic presentations. During our class you will give and critique many presentations as well as critiquing professional presentations outside of class.
Why is This Course
Important? In today’s
complex and ever changing world, the ability to communicate
clearly is more important than ever. You will have many
opportunities to work on improving your written communication
skills during your college years, but few opportunities exist
specifically to help you improve your speaking skills. Recent graduates of UVM and
employers agree that the ability to speak in public is an
essential skill that every college graduate should possess.
Oral communication is a core
competency for the
General Course Goal: The overall goal of this Communication Methods course is to help you improve your public speaking skills.
Course Objectives: By completing this course you will:
1. Make a positive
adjustment and assimilation into the University and CALS.
2. Develop a positive relationship with your CALS academic
advisor.
3. Better understand the developmental changes involved in the
transition into and out of the first year of college.
4. Develop
positive student-to-student interactions and become a
contributing member of the CALS and UVM community by joining a
club or UVM organization.
5. Demonstrate teamwork and group presentation skills as a
contributing member of a team.
6. Develop critical thinking skills through reading, reflection,
discussion, oral presentation and writing.
7. Understand, use, and be able to critically analyze widely
used propaganda
techniques.
8. Demonstrate increased
confidence in speaking.
9. Demonstrate an Informational, Persuasive, and Group
Presentation.
10. Develop your skills to critique
and learn from other persons'
oral presentations.
11. Prepare appropriate media for presentations.
12. Demonstrate teamwork and group presentation skills as a
contributing member of a team.
13. Adopt the UVM Email
Protocol.
Required Texts &
Flash Drive (USB):
Pollan, Michael. Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation. Penguin Press, NY 2013. ISBN 13: 978-0143125334. This is the required summer read for all first-year UVM students.
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 flash drive (2-GigaBytes minimum). The flash drive must be brought to each of the three labs when you present your informational, persuasive and choice speeches. Each formal lab presentation will be recorded on a Flip camera and you must view the recorded presentation on your flash drive as part of your reflection document process. See section 11 below for reflection details.
Attendance Policy: Unexcused absences from lecture or lab result in 1% reduction of your final course grade for each unexcused absence. Attendance will be taken each lecture and lab. If you are late, you will be marked absent. This is not a class to cut and get notes from someone else. This is a class where you must come to lecture and lab a few minutes early every time and be ready to participate for the entire lecture or lab. Athletes are excused only for Varsity Games (and work is expected to be made up within one week). No students have earned an A in this course who have had more than two unexcused absences. If you can not make a class, you must notify your instructor before the class. Notification after the class will result in 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 were not prepared, you will earn a zero for that assignment. Only extreme legitimate prior-notification absences (death in the family, serious illness, or accident) will be made up. For an excuse to be legitimate you must contact your college's Deans office (for CALS Deans Office Rose Laba, 656-0289, rlaba@uvm.edu) and they will notify Dr. Leonard. This should be a very rare occurrence. The TAs and Dr. Leonard need to hear from the Deans Office for an excuse to be legitimate.
Examples of
unexcused absences:
- Family Vacation
- Wedding
- Plane ticket for flight during class
- Field trip for another class
- Overslept
Make-Up Policy: If you can not make a class, you must notify your instructor before the class. Notification after the class 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 were not 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 your college's Deans Office (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. The TAs and Dr. Leonard need to hear from the Deans Office for an excuse to be legitimate.
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. If you need to leave class early, notify the
instructor before the
class begins. Only one person
should be speaking during class at any time. You may be
asked to leave the class and you will lose 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 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,
notebook, or tablet computers, cell phones, or any other
electronic devices are not to be used during lecture unless
you are instructed to do so by your professor or TA. You
are expected to take notes on paper with pen or pencil.
Religious Holidays: (University Policy) 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. Students have two weeks to complete the assignments missed due to religious holidays. If assignments are not completed within the two week time period, students will earn no credit for the assignments missed.
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 that you spend time practicing your presentation in front of others and get feedback.
Plagiarism: Students are expected know when to use quotations and references in writing. A student caught plagiarizing at UVM will receive an XF for the class. Here's a very useful link to the University of Wisconsin's Writing Center's guide on using quotations.
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.
Graded Assignments |
% |
|
|
1. Formal Class Introduction (in lecture) |
2.5 |
2. Present Yourself Quiz (in lecture, the week starting Sept 22) |
5.0 |
3. Dramatic Reading |
5.0 |
4. Join UVM club or organization |
2.5 |
5. Two Advisor Meetings |
2.5 |
6. Outside Speech Critique. (due in lab, the week of Oct 20) |
5.0 |
7. Informational presentation |
7.5 |
8. Group critical analysis presentation |
10.0 |
9. Persuasive presentation |
15.0 |
10. Choice presentation (informational, persuasive, entertaining, or combination) |
20.0 |
11. Three speech reflection papers (5% each) |
15.0 |
12. Student Critiques/Attendance & Participation/BlackBoard Discussion Journal/Attitude |
5.0 |
13. Midterm exam (week of Nov 3) |
5.0 |
|
|
TOTAL |
100.0 |
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 4-8 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. 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.
6. 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.
7. Give an
seven to nine minute Informational Presentation to an
audience of student peers (7.5%). You will be given adequate
lecture, handout materials and text assignments to help you
prepare for your presentations. Each presentation will be
recorded, and you will receive a grade for your speech as well
as a grade for the pocket folder containing your
(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 11. 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.
8. 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 not earn full credit. 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.
No reflection paper for the group critical
analysis presentation.
9. Give an seven to nine minute persuasive 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 11.
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.
10. Give an seven to nine 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 11 for details).
11. 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 recording 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.
12. 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. You will have the opportunity to give written and oral feedback to your fellow students. 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.
Postings should be at least a short paragraph. Create
threads about thoughts or questions that the assignments have
raised for you. Also it is fine to 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 makes you think of
connections to other courses or experiences in your life, are
welcome. Anything useful to other students makes a good
post. 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 on average 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. Do not wait until the last two weeks of the
semester to complete the posts!
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.
13. Midterm exam (5%). This will cover all readings (including Cooked), 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, dress shirts (tucked in), 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 or flip flops. Do not chew gum. 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, Prezi, or Google Presentatinos, use them 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 2014 CALS 001 Schedule
Week Starting |
Lecture Topic Outline |
Lab Topic Outline
|
Reading Assignment Due |
Aug 25 | Welcome to the class. Attendance speeches. Go over course structure, syllabus, materials, grading. Dramatic Reading example. Go over Dramatic Reading grading sheet & Informational speech grading sheet & examples informational speeches (Tsunamis, Eat with your Hands). | Meet your lab!
Introduce each other. Go over lab schedule and
speech date assignments, correct lab roster.
Role
Assignments. Prepare for Dramatic Reading, go over
grading sheet. Speaking Posture exercise. |
|
Sept 1 | Lectures meet. Monday Lecture go to another lecture for this week. Go over Dramatic Reading grading sheet & Informational speech grading sheet & examples informational speeches (Tsunamis, Eat with your Hands). | No labs this week, Monday Labor Day | Required: Read the
Syllabus CAREFULLY!, Present Yourself: Chpts. 1-3. Gary Reynolds's Presentation Tips Gary Reynolds's Before & After slides |
Sept 8 |
Attendance speeches. Go over Dramatic reading and formal introduction grading sheets. Examples of informational speeches (Tsunamis, Eat with your Hands). Go over the informational speech grading sheet example of Informational speech presentation. |
Dramatic Readings. |
Required: Present Yourself: Chpts. 4-6 |
Sept 15 |
Attendance speeches. Examples of Informational speeches. Stylistic Language Devices. The best speech of the 20th Century. Formal Introductions. |
Dramatic Readings. |
Required: Present Yourself: Chpts.
7-10 |
Sept 22 |
Present Yourself Quiz. Formal Introductions. |
Dramatic Readings / Informational
Presentations. |
Study all previous readings and handouts. |
Sept 29 |
Hand Back Quiz. Group Critical Analysis introduction. Formal Introductions |
Informational Presentations. |
Study all previous readings and handouts. |
Oct 6 | Group Critical Analysis work, group rating sheet. Persuasive speech PowerPoint, & review grading sheet. | Informational Presentations / Group
Presentations. |
Study
all
previous readings and handouts. |
Oct 13 |
Attendance
speeches. Persuasive presentations grading sheet,
example of Persuasive presentation. |
Group Critical Analysis
Presentations |
Study all previous readings and handouts. |
Oct 20 |
Attendance speeches. Formal Introductions. |
Outside speech critique and edited draft due at the beginning of this week. Persuasive Presentations. |
Study all previous readings and handouts. |
Oct 27 | Attendance speeches. Introductions. | Persuasive Presentations |
Study all previous readings and handouts. |
Nov 3 |
Mid-Term Exam |
Finish Persuasive Presentations /
Choice Presentations |
|
Nov 11 |
Attendance speeches. Finish Formal Introductions. Beck Weathers PART 1. Class Evaluations. |
Choice Presentations |
|
Nov 17 |
Attendance speeches. Beck Weathers PART 2 | Finish Choice Presentations |
|
Nov 24 |
No lectures or labs: Thanksgiving Break |
Thanksgiving Break. No labs or lectures |
|
Dec 1 |
No lectures |
Labs complete any unfinished business |
|
No final exam in this class |