Jefferson State Community College

  1. Course: SPH 106: Fundamentals of Oral Communication (3 credit hours)
  1. Course Description

This is a performance course that includes the principles of human communication: intrapersonal, interpersonal, and public. It surveys current communication theory and provides practical application.

  1. Prerequisite

No prerequisites are required for this course

  1. Textbook and Supplemental Materials
  • Communicate! The 15th edition By Verderber, Sellnow, and Verderber
  1. Course Objectives

The student will demonstrate knowledge of:

  • Intrapersonal communication – students will learn how intrapersonal communication affects every day interactions
  • Interpersonal communication – students will (1) learn how interpersonal communication affects every day interactions and (2) develop better skills through study and everyday interaction
  • Group communication – students will (1) learn the concepts involved in small group communication and (2) develop group communication skills through study and everyday interaction
  • Public speaking – students will learn (1) theory and concepts involved and (2) develop speaking skills and deliver public speeches
  1. Course Outline of Topics

A. Process of Intrapersonal Communication

B. Process of Interpersonal Communication

C. Process of Group Communication Skill Development

D. Process of Public Speaking

  1. Course Calendar

Please see instructor’s addendum for weekly schedule. Schedule is subject to change and students will be notified of any changes in advance by the instructor.

  1. Assessment of Student Achievement

Written Exams – 25%

Formal Speeches – 50%

Communications Activities, homework, participation – 25%

Grades will be given based upon A = 90 – 100%, B = 80 – 89%, C = 70 – 79%, D = 60 – 69%, and F = below 60%.

A grade of 60% will pass the course and count towards your associates degree. A 70% will be required for the course to transfer.

Class Attendance

Class attendance is an essential part of the educational process at Jefferson State, and students are expected to attend all classes for which they are registered to facilitate their academic success. In general, academic performance is impacted by the number of classes a student attends. Financial Aid and other scholarship programs may require stringent attendance. Student absences in all courses (traditional, hybrid, online, etc.) are

calculated from the first official day of class. Attendance in Internet and/or Hybrid courses is based on documentable participation in class activities, such as interacting with the instructor and with enrolled students, attending required on-campus meetings and/or submitting course assignments. If a student has excessive absences and is in jeopardy of failing the course, she/he is encouraged to consult with the instructor. Instructors will not withdraw students for any reason. If a student fails to officially withdraw from a course, this failure could result in a grade of “F”. Students receiving financial aid or scholarships should consult the Financial Aid Department or their scholarship coordinator to determine how an “F” or “W” may affect their tuition assistance. Students withdrawing from a course after the Withdrawal date has passed will receive a WP (withdraw passing) or a WF (withdraw failing) in the course.

Statement on Discrimination/Harassment

The College and the Alabama State Board of Education are committed to providing both employment and educational environments free of harassment or discrimination related to an individual’s race, color, gender, religion, national origin, age, or disability. Such harassment is a violation of State Board of Education policy. Any practice or behavior that constitutes harassment or discrimination will not be tolerated.

Americans with Disabilities

Jefferson State Community College is compliant with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as amended in 2008. Students having known disabilities requiring academic accommodations should contact the ADA Accommodations Office for an appointment () or 205-856-6077.

Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes

Direct assessments will be made in accordance with the current class Student Learning Outcomes (SLO). This assessment will not be used to figure grades for the class, but will be used to determine class success within current SLO addressed areas. Direct assessment SLO will change every three-year cycle.

  1. Academic Honesty

Plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited. Plagiarism can be defined as unintentionally or deliberately using another person’s writing or ideas as though they are one’s own. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, copying another individual’s work and taking credit for it, paraphrasing information from a source without proper documentation, mixing one’s own words with those of another author without attribution, and buying or downloading a paper from the Internet.

Any student involved in an incident such as, but not limited to, unsatisfactory clinical performance; a proven form of academic dishonesty, for example blatant plagiarism; etc. will receive the grade of 0 for the assignment, with other possible repercussion, including, but not limited to, failure in the course.

*INSTUCTOR ADDENDUM*

Instructor: Dr. Vernon Ray HarrisonEmail:Phone: 812-2714Office: 127, Pell City Campus

Expectations and Assignments:

Assignments will be evaluated based on the time, effort and thought put into them. Pay attention to spelling, grammar, punctuation, and the stated objectives of each assignment. FOLLOW ALL DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY!

Expectations for Class and Meeting Deadlines:

  • Be on time and stay the entire class time
  • Attend and actively participate in class
  • Do not pack up before class is over
  • Check your syllabus on a regular basis and, more importantly, when you miss a class.
  • Check Blackboard and Jeff Statee-mail DAILY– This is essential to being successful in SPH 106
  • Respect others’ opinion and differences
  • Ask questions if unclear on lecture and/or assignment
  • Turn off cell phones, iPods and any other electronics during class. Phones and electronics are to be out of sight at all timesduring class. If I catch someone with their phone out, then the whole class will get a pop quiz valued at 5 points. These quizzes can be unlimited.
  • Type and thoroughly proofread all assignments before submitting
  • Late work or make-up work is accepted if you are on jury duty, military assignment, part of official college procedures. I may allow you to make-up work due to illness, but I will need a doctors excuse, but it is up to my discretion.
  • If you miss a class, you are responsible for submitting homework on the day it is due. Any assignment turned in late will not be accepted. Each assignment will be given a due date/time that you must adhere to. If you miss class and there is an assignment due, you can email the assignment, send it with a classmate, or turn it in earlier than the due date.
  • You are to read the chapter before coming to class.If I start asking questions for class discussion and it is apparent that no one is reading, I reserve the right to give you an unlimited amount of quizzes on the readings that will be added into your grade.
  • Speech days will be assigned well in advance of the upcoming speech. If you miss the day you are assigned, then you will NOT be able to make that speech up on any other speech day. If you know in advance that you will miss your assigned speech day, then you may switch with another classmate and let the instructor ASAP.
  • If you read your speech you will make a 0 on the speech. If you plagiarize your speech (either by not writing it yourself or not citing sources in your speech) you will make a 0 on the speech. Don’t plagiarize.
  • All papers for this class are to be typed, double-spaced, 1” margins with Times New Roman 12 point font.

Semester Assignments and Point Value:

Assignments Point Value Grading Scale

  1. Participation Points 30 A = 270-300
  2. Test 1(or quizzes) 37 B = 240-269
  3. FInal 38 C = 210-239 D = 180-209

F = 179-and below

  1. Interviewing Activity (In-Class) 45
  2. Introduction Speech 20
  3. Informative Speech 40
  4. Persuasive Speech 60
  5. Introduction speech outline10
  6. Informative Speech Outline 10
  7. Persuasive Speech Introduction/Outline10

If I have to give cell phone quizzes then it will be factored in the participation points. If I have to go over, they will be added to the 300 point total. For example: if we have 3 cell phone quizzes then your grade will be out of 315 points.

Calendar subject to change

8/21 / Syllabus/Introduction
8/23 / Chapter 1
8/28 / Chapter 2
8/30 / Chapter 3
9/4 / Labor Day No Class / No Class
9/6 / Chapter 6 / No Class
9/11 / Chapter 5
9/13 / Chapter 4
9/18 / Chapter 7
9/20 / Chapter 8
9/25 / Appendix
9/27 / Interview
10/2 / interview
10/4 / interview
10/9 / Chapter 9
10/11 / Chapter 10
10/16 / Chapter 13
10/18 / Group Presentation
10/23 / Group Presentation
10/25 / Chapter 11 and 12
10/30 / Chapter 14 and 15
11/1 / Chapter 16
11/6 / Informative Speech
11/8 / Informative Speech
11/13 / Informative Speech
11/15 / Chapter 17
11/20 / Thanksgiving no class / No Class
11/22 / Thanksgiving no class / No Class
11/27 / Persuasive Speech
11/29 / Persuasive Speech
12/4 / Persuasive Speech
12/6 / Persuasive Speech
12/11 / Finals

SPH 106 Syllabus1