Baruch College Department of Communication Studies
Com 1010: Spring 2013
Speech Communication
COM 1010 Section BMWA 9:30-10:45AM Room 3-130
Instructor Information
Julia Goldstein, M.Ed.
Department of Communication Studies Office: 8thFl, RM 230K
Office Hours: Monday 11am-12pm, or by appointment
E-mail:
Class blog:
Objectives
This course is an introduction to the theory and practice of basic speech communication skills. Students will learn and practice the preparation and delivery of original, extemporaneous speeches. Critical thinking skills and research will also be emphasized. In this course you should:
- Gain an appreciation for the diverse requirements of situation and audience in oral communication.
- Develop basic skills in organizing and delivering speeches.
- Become acquainted with the issues pertinent to oral interpretation, small group communication, interpersonal communication and/or debate.
Required Textbook
O’Hair, Stewart, and Rubenstein. A Speaker’s Guidebook: Text and Reference, fourth edition. This is available in the bookstore (new and used), or you can purchase second-hand copies online (Amazon, Abebooks, Alibris). The book is also available on reserve in Baruch’s library with call number PN4129.15 O39.
Course Policies
Attendance/Lateness:
In order to fulfill the requirements of this course, you must be present at each class and participate fully. It is disrespectful to your colleagues to miss class on the days when others are speaking and you are not, and late arrivals will interrupt their presentations. On each day of presentations, students will be required to complete peercritiques of classmates’ speeches.
If you are unable to attend a class for any reason, you must let me know in advance (preferably by email)before the class itself. It is still your responsibility to get any assignments to me by the due date and to find out what you missed in class. Missing more than three classes for any reason, even legitimate ones, will lead to a drop in the final grade assigned, one grade level for each missed class. For example, a student with an A- average who misses four class sessions will receive a B+.
If you arrive late, please be considerate when entering—either enter quietly or (if fellow students are presenting), please wait outside until a suitable break presents itself. Arriving 20 minutes or more after the start of class counts as an absence. Excessive lateness, even of a few minutes, will result in a grade reduction at the instructor’s discretion.
It is extremely important that you are in class and prepared to present your speech on your assigned speech dates. If you are sick or otherwise unable to attend class on a speech day, notify me by email before the class session. You will be allowed to make up the speech at a later date for a 20% reduction in your grade. You will be given the opportunity to recover most of this credit through an extra credit assignment. If you do not notify me of the situation prior to class, you will not be permitted to make up the speech.
If you arrive 15 minutes late or more on your speech day, you will automatically have 5 points deducted from your speech grade.
Academic Integrity:
Cheating and plagiarism are serious offenses. The following definitions are based on the College's Academic Honesty website:
Cheating is the attempted or unauthorized use of materials, information, notes, study aids, devices or communication during an academic exercise.
Plagiarism is the act of presenting another person's ideas, research or writing as your own, such as:
- Copying another person's actual words without the use of quotation marks and footnotes (a functional limit isfour or more words in a row taken from the work of another)
- Presenting another person's ideas or theories in your own words without acknowledging them
- Using information that is not considered common knowledge without acknowledging the source
- Failure to acknowledge collaborators on homework and laboratory assignment
My policy is to give afailing grade to any assignment that has been plagiarized or an exam in which you have cheated. In addition, I am required by College policy to submit a report of suspected academic dishonesty to the Office of the Dean of Students. This report becomes part of your permanent file.If you have any doubts regarding what constitutes academic plagiarism, please speak with me about it. You may also view the tutorial available from Baruch’s library website at:
ESL Services:
Oral comprehensibility is essential for college and workplace success. If you are a nonnative speaker and would like to improve your spoken English, please make an appointment with one of the professional speech tutors at the Student Academic Consulting Center (SACC, NVC 2-116) for free one-on-one tutorials. In addition, please visit the new ESL Lab (NVC 6-121, enter through NVC 6-120) for individual practice. See for more
information on tutorials, lab services, and accent reduction FAQs.
Additional Course Policies:
-Written assignments must be typed: 12 pt. Font, Times New Roman, with Standard Margins.
-Assignments must be stapled or secured with a paper clip before being turned in.
-Blog postings will be accepted for partial credit up to one week after the due date.
-Cell phone use during class is distracting. Please keep your phone away.
-Drinking (i.e. coffee, water) is permitted in class, as is minor snacking.
-No computers (taking notes on a laptop creates a physical barrier between you and everyone else and can discourage participation), except for on designated research days.
Evaluating the Objectives
As a process-oriented class about public speaking, it is important for you the student to contribute on a regular basis. This means showing up to every class period with with the materials read, and with a willingness to contribute to the discussion. Evaluative criteria for speeches and other assignments will be explained in detail as the assignments approach.
Grades will be administered according to a percentage system. The breakdown of percentage points, distributed among the course assignments, is as follows:
Monologue5%
Personal Speech10%
Informative Speech25%
Persuasive Speech25%
Final Essay15%
Class Activities10%
and Participation
Other Assignments10%
(blog posts, outline drafts, etc.)
Schedule of Classes and Assignments
(This schedule may be changed as necessary)
Wed. Aug. 28: Syllabus and Introductions; Introduction Interviews
Mon. Sept. 2: NO CLASS (Labor Day)
Wed. Sept. 4: NO CLASS
Mon. Sept. 9:Intro to Public Speaking, Aristotle’s On Rhetoric, Introduction Speeches
Due: Read Chapter 1
Due: Blog Post #1
Wed. Sept. 11:Physical and Vocal Delivery Part 1
Due: Read Chapters 19 and 20, complete notes
Due: Monologue Choice (1st and 2nd choice)
Mon. Sept. 16: Monologue Workshop
Wed. Sept. 18: Monologue Workshop/Delivery Part 2
Mon. Sept. 23:Monologue Presentations
Wed. Sept. 25:Organizing the Speech, Introductions and Conclusions
Due: Read Chapter 12, p.204-208, Chapters 15 and 16, complete notes
Mon. Sept. 30: Personal Speech peer review/rehearsal
Due: Personal Speech outline drafts
Wed. Oct. 2:Present Personal Speeches
Due: Personal Speech Outlines
Mon. Oct. 7:Informative Speaking/Visual Aids
Read Chapter 4, p.329-331, 333-337, complete notes
Due: Informative Speech topic choices (two options)
Wed. Oct. 9:Supporting your Points/Research/Verbal Citations/Bibliography
Due: Read Chapters 8 complete notes
Due:Blog post #2
Mon. Oct. 14: NO CLASS
*TUES. Oct. 15: (classes follow Mon schedule) Making your Working Outline and your Speaking Outline
Due: Read Chapter 12, p. 189-193, and Chapter 14, p. 202-210, complete notes
Due: Blog post #2
Wed. Oct. 16:Language Use
Due: Read Chapter 17, complete notes
Due: Blog post #2
Mon. Oct. 21:Informative Speech outline peer review
Due: Informative Speech outline draft
Wed. Oct. 23: Informative speech delivery workshop
Mon. Oct. 28:Informative Speeches
Due: Working Outline and Bibliography for Informative Speech
Wed. Oct. 30:Informative Speeches
Due: Working Outline and Bibliography for Informative Speech
Mon. Nov. 4:Persuasive Speaking
Due: Read Chapter 25, 350-361, complete notes
Due: Blog post #3
Wed. Nov. 6:Methods of Persuasion
Due: Read Chapter 26, p. 376-377.
Due: Persuasive Speech topic (two possible topics, written out)
Mon. Nov. 11: TBA
Wed. Nov. 13: Workshop persuasive speech arguments
Mon. Nov. 18: Workshop persuasive speech arguments
Wed. Nov. 20: Workshop persuasive speech arguments
Mon. Nov. 25: Persuasive Speech presentation workshop
Due: Persuasive Speech Outline Draft
Wed. Nov. 27: NO CLASS
Mon. Dec. 2:Persuasive Speeches
Due: Working Outline and Bibliography for Persuasive Speech
Wed. Dec. 4:Persuasive Speeches
Due: Working Outline and Bibliography for Persuasive Speech
Due: Blog Post #3
Mon. Dec. 9:Persuasive Speeches
Due: Working Outline and Bibliography for Persuasive Speech
Due: Blog Post #3
Wed. Dec. 11: Persuasive Speeches
Due: Working Outline and Bibliography for Persuasive Speech
Due: Blog Post #4
Final Essay due: TBA