COMM200

Course Summary

Course : COMM200 Title : Public Speaking

Length of Course : 8

Prerequisites : N/A Credit Hours : 3

Description

Course Description: Public Speaking will introduce students to the field of communication studies, giving them a basic foundation in the issues relevant to communicating effectively in today’s global, technological, and diverse world: history and theories of communication, ethics, the audience, developing and delivering a speech, and types of speeches and specialized speech situations, including the job interview. This course utilizes Thinkwell Public Speaking online materials, which includes video selections of historic speeches for study as well as examples of student speakers. Students enrolling in this course must be able to capture video (required) for their speeches. Video files are created and stored within the classroom for the students’ security.

Course Scope:

Nearly everyone speaks every day of their lives, so speaking is not a new phenomenon. However, most people are very reluctant to “speak in public,” owing to the fact that they are the center of attention and perhaps appear foolish to those watching. In this class, we will examine how placing the emphasis on the message rather than on the speaker will help to allay many fears about public speaking, whether it is for informing the audience, persuading the audience, or answering the need for some other specialized speaking function.

Objectives

After successfully completing this course, you will be able to: CO1: Analyze and understand the elements of public speaking.

CO2: Organize, prepare and deliver speeches to inform or persuade using appropriate media and visual aids.

CO3: Compare and contrast historical and present-day speeches (both informative and persuasive) to identify specific elements in all types of public presentations.

CO4: Understand the importance of audience analysis in public presentations.

CO5: Understand and explain the communication process.

CO6: Apply benefits, general history and ethics of communication to public presentations and future career endeavors.

Outline

Week 1: Introduction to Public Speaking: A Brief History and Overview

Learning Objective(s)

Apply the benefits, general history, ethics, and theories of communication to course works. Analyze the elements of public speaking and their relationships to critical thinking.

Reading

Week 1 Reading & Resources Week 1 Lesson

Forums and Assignments Week 1 Forum

Week 1: Speech 1 Outline

Week 2: Speech Preparation

Learning Objective(s)

Apply the benefits, general history, ethics, and theories of communication to course works. Analyze the elements of public speaking and their relationships to critical thinking.

Demonstrate an organized speech, briefing, or other public presentation, using appropriate media. Reading

Week 2 Reading & Resources Week 2 Lesson

Forums and Assignments Week 2 Forum

Week 2: Speech 1

Week 3: How to Effectively Organize a Speech

Learning Objective(s)

Apply the benefits, general history, ethics, and theories of communication to course works. Analyze the elements of public speaking and their relationships to critical thinking.

Reading

Week 3 Reading & Resources Week 3 Lesson

Forums and Assignments Week 3 Forum (Peer Review)

Week 4: Assessing and Analyzing the Audience

Learning Objective(s)

Apply the benefits, general history, ethics, and theories of communication to course works. Analyze the elements of public speaking and their relationships to critical thinking.

Demonstrate an organized speech, briefing, or other public presentation, using appropriate media. Examine listening skills in relation to public speaking.

Analyze an audience for different speech situations. Reading

Week 4 Reading & Resources Week 4 Lesson

Forums and Assignments Week 4 Forum

Week 4: Speech 2 Outline

Week 5: Types of Speeches

Learning Objective(s)

Apply the benefits, general history, ethics, and theories of communication to course works.

Compare and contrast informative and persuasive speeches, briefings, or other public presentations. Reading

Week 5 Reading & Resources Week 5 Lesson

Forums and Assignments Week 5 Forum

Week 5: Speech 2

Week 6: Effective Delivery Techniques and Visual Aids

Learning Objective(s)

Apply the benefits, general history, ethics, and theories of communication to course works. Demonstrate an organized speech, briefing, or other public presentation, using appropriate media. Choose effective visual aid practices within a presentation.

Reading

Week 6 Reading & Resources Week 6 Lesson

Forums and Assignments Week 6 Forum (Peer Review)

Week 7: Small Group Communication and Public Speaking

Learning Objective(s)

Apply the benefits, general history, ethics, and theories of communication to course works. Generalize how public speaking skills are relevant to small group communication.

Reading

Week 7 Reading & Resources Week 7 Lesson

Forums and Assignments Week 7 Forum

Week 7: Speech 3 Outline

Week 8: Applying Your Public Speaking Skills

Learning Objective(s)

Apply the benefits, general history, ethics, and theories of communication to course works. Analyze the elements of public speaking and their relationships to critical thinking.

Demonstrate an organized speech, briefing, or other public presentation, using appropriate media. Choose effective visual aid practices within a presentation.

Reading

Week 8 Reading & Resources Week 8 Lesson

Forums and Assignments Week 8 Forum

Week 8: Speech 3

Evaluation

Grading:

Name	Grade %
Forums	35.00 %
Week 1 Forum	4.38 %
Week 2 Forum	4.38 %
Week 3 Forum	4.38 %
Week 4 Forum	4.38 %
Week 5 Forum	4.38 %
Week 6 Forum	4.38 %
Week 7 Forum	4.38 %
Week 8 Forum	4.38 %
Outlines	15.00 %
Week 1: Speech 1 Outline	3.75 %
Week 4: Speech 2 Outline	3.75 %
Week 7: Speech 3 Outline	7.50 %
Speeches	50.00 %

Week 2: Speech 1	12.50 %
Week 5: Speech 2	12.50 %
Week 8: Speech 3	25.00 %

Materials

Book Title: Various resources from the APUS Library & the Open Web are used. Please visit http://apus.libguides.com/er.php to locate the course eReserve.*

Author:

Publication Info:

ISBN: ERESERVE NOTE

Required Readings, Additional Resources, and Websites

Book Title: Public Speaking: The Virtual Text.

Author: The Public Speaking Project (Lisa Schreiber, ed. – each author is credited in their chapter)

Publication Info: Public Speaking Project (http://publicspeakingproject.org/)

Library Course Guide for COMM200: http://apus.libguides.com/comm200

Course Guidelines

School of Arts & Humanities Late Policy

Students are expected to submit classroom assignments by the posted due date and to complete the course according to the published class schedule. As adults, students, and working professionals, I understand you must manage competing demands on your time. Should you need additional time to complete an assignment, please contact me before the due date so we can discuss the situation and determine an acceptable resolution.

Work posted or submitted after the assignment due date will be reduced by 10% of the potential total score possible for each day late up to a total of five days, including forum posts/replies, quizzes, and assignments. Beginning on the sixth day late through the end of the course, late work, including forum posts/replies, quizzes, and assignments, will be accepted with a grade reduction of 50% of the potential total score earned.

Writing Expectations

Write your outlines in complete sentences, using active verbs. Include all of your supporting evidence. Follow the example outlines in the weekly Lessons.

Citation and Reference Style

Follow the MLA or APA Style.

Turnitin.com

Speech Outlines are automatically reviewed through Turnitin.com for originality when submitted through the assignment submission link in our course. Please be sure to write your own work, and if using source material, quote and cite sources appropriately. Your instructor may also submit forum posts and replies through the Turnitin checker at various points throughout the course. Please be aware that this is a common practice to check for originality in student submitted work. All work submitted for discussions and course assignments must be your own.

How to Succeed in COMM200:

While many if not most people approach public speaking with fear and trepidation, this course is certainly no more difficult than any communication or general education course. But it is different; you will be speaking rather than writing papers. So here are some guidelines on how to succeed:

Picking a Topic

You can pick your own topic, provided it is applicable and appealing to a general audience. For topic ideas, refer to http://global.oup.com/us/companion.websites/9780199747382/student/speechtopicideas

Always use a thesis. This is not the topic; it is the point. It answers two questions for the audience:

what are you going to tell me about the topic, and why should I care?

Be sure your thesis has some debatable point, a claim or prediction. Yes, that includes informative speeches. That is one of the key differences between a briefing and a speech.

Stand and Deliver

Stand up so you can use body language and gestures.

Be sure you are visible from the waist up and facing the camera. If I cannot see your hand gestures, I cannot score them or coach you,

For attire, this course emulates business speaking, so you should dress at least in business casual, or the military equivalent—no hats or tee-shirts.

Don’t read your speech; reading is not public speaking. I never “write:” a speech for myself. I make an outline and practice from it. You can find outline samples in our course and in the Public Speaking Virtual Text. The goal of this course is to enable you to speak extemporaneously.

Act like you are speaking to an audience; it is more natural. If possible, gather a real audience of family, friends, colleagues, etc. to watch you. Having or not having an audience will not affect your grade in any way—except—you will almost surely perform better speaking to people than your computer.

Forums state that you must answer the forum questions and respond to “at least” two colleagues or me. “At least” is the minimum passing performance and does not guarantee a high score.

University Policies

Student Handbook

Drop/Withdrawal policy Extension Requests Academic Probation Appeals

Disability Accommodations

The mission of American Public University System is to provide high quality higher education with emphasis on educating the nation’s military and public service communities by offering respected, relevant, accessible, affordable, and student-focused online programs that prepare students for service and leadership in a diverse, global society.