Spring 2008
CALS
183: Communication Methods
Code
Number: 12386 3 Credits
Lecture:
Lab:
|
Thomas F. Patterson, Jr., Ph.D. |
Jonathan G. Leonard, Ph.D. |
|
656-0042 (work) 658-7496 (home – before |
656-2979 (work), 434-3787
(home -- before |
|
thomas.patterson@uvm.edu |
jonathan.leonard@uvm.edu |
|
Office Hours: Thursdays |
Office Hours: Wednesdays |
|
Lecture: |
Labs: Lafayette 207, Perkins 107, Rowell 244 |
|
Lab Teaching Assistants: Emily Gross, Lizzy Mazer Rowell 244 |
Lab Teaching
Assistants: Mandy Perkins 107 |
|
Lab Teaching Assistant: DaVaughn Vincent-Bryan |
|
Course Description: In this class participants learn how to give a variety of oral presentations appropriate for different audiences. The focus is on improving public speaking skills, selecting appropriate media, and organizing information and materials to make dynamic presentations. Participants develop communication competencies by giving several presentations and critiquing other student and outside presentations.
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. That is what’s happening now when you are reading this syllabus: communication is taking place.
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 are in agreement that the ability to communicate is an essential
skill that every college graduate should possess. In fact, oral
communication is a core competency for the
Course Goal: The overall goal of this course is to help students improve their oral communication skills. This is accomplished by students demonstrating specific competencies in oral communication and showing an understanding of concepts and ideas related to the art of spoken communication.
Course Objectives: Students will:
1. Develop critical thinking skills through reading, oral
presentation, listening, discussion and reflection.
2. Understand propaganda techniques to give and analyze persuasive
presentations.
3. Understand different types of presentations and different audiences,
and be able to appropriately match the two to meet specific speaking
objectives.
4. Be able to critique and learn from another person’s oral
presentation.
5. Prepare appropriate media for presentations.
6. Be able to research, construct and present a dynamic and effective
speech to a group.
7. Understand and utilize small group dynamics and the concept of
teamwork both from a participant and facilitator standpoint.
8. Demonstrate teamwork and group presentation skills as a contributing
member of a team.
9. Demonstrate increased confidence in speaking.
Texts and Tape:
Lucas, Stephen E., The Art of Public Speaking, (
Gelb, Michael J., Present Yourself! (Jalamar
Press, Torrance, CA: 1988)
In addition, you must purchase a VHS videotape to be used to tape your
presentations.
Apple Tree Approach: Click here to view the Apple Tree Approach to constructing a speech. You will the need the Adobe Acrobat Reader to display this file. The Apple Tree Approach is a useful formula for researching and constructing your speeches for CALS 183.
Attendance Policy: Most of your final grade will depend on your active performance, both as a speaker and as a listener, in class. Attendance will be noted each class. This is not a class to cut and get notes from someone else. This is a class where you must come to every class and lab on time and be ready to participate. If you are not willing to do this, then make sure you know when the add/drop or withdrawl period ends. Since we have only 15 classes, every class is important. More than one unexcused absence is grounds for a reduction in your grade by one letter for each absence.
Make-Up Policy: If you can not make a class, you must notify your instructor or lab Teaching Assistant before the class. Ex post facto notification will result in loss of points 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. This policy has been enforced over the years without exception.
Class Behavior: Students are expected to have a positive
attitude and to arrive to lecture and lab a few minutes early and be in their
seat when class time begins. Cell phone use during lecture or lab is not
permitted. Only one person should be speaking during class at any
time. If you need to leave class early, notify the instructor BEFORE the
class begins. You will 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. talk on your
cell phone during class, 6. are late for class. Being late to class,
leaving early without notifying the instructor, making hurtful or strong
negative criticisms 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 and notebook and to take notes. It is appropriate and
acceptable to raise your hand and ask questions during class. You may eat
food and drink water during class, but make sure you clean up after yourself
when class is over. Students are expected to stay in lab the entire lab
time. Your job as an audience member is to give your fellow speakers
helpful feedback. Leaving early if you have spoken or are not speaking
will result in you not earning full credit for attendance.
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.
Written Assignments: All written assignments should be word-processed. Handwritten work will not be accepted.
Oral Assignments: Since this is a course in oral communication, your oral assignments are important. It should be no surprise that students who spend lots of time preparing for their oral presentations do better than students who throw something together at the last moment or, worse yet, just “wing it.” Even though there are some extemporaneous speaking assignments, you can prepare for them by practicing before class. Studying for this class may not always be passive (like reading a textbook or studying for an exam), in many instances it will be active (like practicing a presentation in front of friends).
Student Dress and Demeanor: Students will be expected to dress and behave appropriately for the assigned audience. For example, introducing yourself to your peers will call for regular everyday dress, while you will need to wear business attire (which includes slacks, skirts, ties, dress shirts and dress shoes) when giving your persuasive speech. The speaking assignments are clear regarding appropriate dress. If in doubt on what to wear to your performance, ask. If you do not wear suitable attire, your score will be reduced a minimum of half a grade.
Honesty Policy: From The Cats Tale:
The principal objective of The
|
Graded Assignments |
% |
|
|
|
|
1. Extemporaneous Introduction to the large class-- plus quizzes |
5 |
|
2. Impromptu speech |
5 |
|
3. |
5 |
|
4. Group presentation |
10 |
|
5. Informational presentation |
10 |
|
6. Persuasive presentation |
15 |
|
7. Choice presentation (informational, persuasive, entertaining) |
20 |
|
8. Three speech reflection papers (5 points each) |
15 |
|
9. Critique student presentations/Class attendance and participation/Attitude |
5 |
|
10. Final written exam |
10 |
|
TOTAL |
100 |
Assignments in Detail:
1. Extemporaneous Introduction to the large class, plus quizzes (5%). Students’ names will be called randomly throughout the semester to introduce themselves (2 to 3 minutes) to the large class. Minimal topics to be covered include the following (to receive more than a C grade, you should include more than the minimum, e.g. read your favorite poem, give a short memorized quote, show us a picture of your favorite dog or cat, talk about the lucky penny you always keep in your pocket, demonstrate your favorite yoga position, etc. ):
Name
Family Background
Where you are from
Academic major
Interests/Hobbies
Why you chose UVM
Plans after graduating
Something about yourself no one else in the room knows
You should demonstrate that you are prepared for this assignment and not just “wing it.” It will be obvious if you do.
Quizzes will be announced ahead of time. Individual and group quizzes will be averaged. There is a quiz on the booklet "Present Yourself" scheduled for the January 23 class.
2. Impromptu
speech. (5%) The impromptu speech gets you up in front of your lab group
and is intended to reveal a speaker's ability to develop a point of view on a
general topic and to organize a 2 – 3 minute presentation within very
limited preparation time. Impromptu
speech topics will be familiar ground for all speakers. We will look for
clarity of thought, structure (introduction, body, & conclusion) and the
effective use of plain spoken English.
3. Attend and critique a formal speech given outside of class.
(5%) Submit a three to five page paper that has been peer edited. Click here for
details. Due no later than
4. Be part of a team that gives a group presentation (10%).
The world of work that you will be entering consists of teams working together
toward a common vision. You will be assigned to a small group during the
semester to prepare a 12 - 15 minute critical analysis presentation scheduled at
the end of the semester.
Your group needs to select a controversial political or current event topic
that everyone in the group is interested in. Find a minimum of two
articles (in journals, newspapers, magazines, books, or from credible web
sources) 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. Click here for the checklist for group critical analysis presentation grading requirements.
N.B. 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 9 for this class and you will be graded accordingly. It is your responsibility to make group meetings and fully participate in the group project. Do not expect your TA to intervene for you or to take mercy on you at the end of the semester.
5. Give an eight to ten minute informational presentation to an audience of student peers (10%). You will be given adequate lecture, handout materials and text assignments to help you prepare for your presentations. The subject of your presentations should be something that you are interested in (indeed, have a passion for!) and want to share with others. It should be “college level” and “appropriate for your audience.” If in doubt about your subject, ask. Click here to see the checklist for grading your informational presentations.
Each presentation will be videotaped, and your cumulative grade will depend
on your speech as well as a
(1) the
speech I prepared for
(2) the speech I gave
(3) Improvements for next time
Along with the reflection paper, you need to hand in your
notes or an outline or mind map of your speech, any visual aids that you used
during your speech, and all the student critiques. Please hand in
your materials in a pocket folder with your name prominently displayed on the outside.
6. Give an eight to ten minute persuasive presentation to a formal
audience (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 first presentation to the second. The
persuasive presentation will be graded in part on how much improvement you
demonstrate from your first presentation. This speech will also be
videotaped 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 above.
The subject and intent of your persuasive presentation must be approved by your lab instructor(s) the week before the first persuasive presentation is due (March 5th). The subject should be something controversial that you feel strong enough about that you want to persuade others to at least understand if not adopt your viewpoint. Click here to see the checklist for persuasive grading requirements. Remember to hand in your reflection paper, notes or outline or mind map, visual aids and student critiques. Please hand in your materials in a pocket folder with your name prominently displayed on the outside.
7. 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 on the subject of your choice. Click here to see 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. Hand your notes or outline or mind map, visual aids, and student critiques with your reflection paper in a pocket folder the following week.
8. Write three reflection papers (15%). Without reflection, all experience is meaningless. To truly learn, you need to consciously reflect on your experiences to put them into some sort of order or construct that makes sense to you. This paper is an opportunity for you to reflect on the experience of putting speeches together and presenting them in your lab. Only then does learning from experience take place.
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. Start with the objectives of your
presentation -- what you want your
audience to know and to do as a result of your presentation, then use the
following three headings to frame 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…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.
9. Critique student presentations/Class participation/Attitude (5%) Being a good listener and being able to give constructive feedback is an important critical thinking and 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.
Students will also be graded on their overall participation and attitude toward the class. Attendance will be taken. 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.
10. Final written exam (10%). This will cover all
readings, lectures, and guest speakers. To do well, you must come to
class, take notes, do all the readings and study. The final is scheduled
for
Spring
2008 CALS 183 Lecture/Lab Schedule
|
Spring 2008 Date |
Lecture Topic |
Lab Topic |
Reading Assignment Due |
|
Jan 16 |
Welcome, Course structure, WebCT. |
Go over lab schedule and assignments |
None |
|
Jan 23 |
Apple Tree approach. Writing presentation objectives. Research source credibility. Present Yourself
Quiz |
Small Groups and Synergy |
Lucas, Chpts. 1,3,6,7, plus “impromptu speaking,” pp. 296-298 (8th edition) Gelb, Present Yourself Group Speech Preparation |
|
Jan 30 |
"Must knows" of public speaking, Group speech presentation, Critical Thinking Exercise |
Impromptu Speeches |
Lucas, Chpt 18 Group Speech Preparation |
|
Feb 6 |
Informational speech example, preparing visual aids |
Group Speeches |
Lucas, Chpts. 4,6 |
|
Feb 13 |
Informational speech examples. Introductions |
Group Speeches |
Lucas, Chpts. 8, 12 Informational Speech Preparation |
|
Feb 20 |
Stylistic Language Devices. Best speech of the 20th century. Introductions |
Informational Presentations (7) |
Lucas Chpts. 13,14 |
|
Feb 27 |
Persuasive v. Informational speaking. Persuasive speech example. Introductions |
Informational Presentations (7) |
Lucas, Chpts. 5,7 |
|
Mar 5 |
Persuasive speech example, persuasive speech grading sheet. Introductions |
Informational Presentations (6) Approval of persuasive topics and intents |
Lucas, Chpts. 9 Persuasive Speech Preparation |
|
Mar 12 |
SPRING BREAK!! |
SPRING BREAK |
|
|
Mar 19 |
Choice speech example. Introductions |
Persuasive Presentations (7) |
Lucas, Chpts. 10, 15 |
|
Mar 26 |
Choice speech example. Introductions |
Persuasive Presentation (7) Outside Speech Critique Due |
Lucas Chpt 16 |
|
April 2 |
Choice speech example. Introductions |
Persuasive Presentations (6) |
Lucas, Chpt 11 Choice Speech Preparation |
|
April 9 |
Introductions |
Choice Presentations (7) |
Lucas, Chpt 17 |
|
April 16 |
Introductions |
Choice Presentations (7) |
|
|
April 23 |
Interviewing. Introductions |
Choice Presentations (6) |
|
|
April 30 |
Speak Off. Class Evaluations. |
Lab Celebration of semester end |
|
|
May 8 |
|
Final Exam |
Prepare for Final |