COMM 1300: Public Speaking
Department of Communication, University of Colorado at Boulder
Syllabus —Spring 2008
Course Website: comm.colorado.edu/jjackson/1300
“There are three things to aim at in public speaking: first, to get into your subject, then to get your subject into yourself, and lastly, to get your subject into the heart of your audience”
- Alexander Gregg (1819-1893), an Episcopal clergyman, was the first bishop of Texas
“All of us are born with a set of instinctive fears - of falling, of the dark, of lobsters, of falling on lobsters in the dark, or speakingbefore a Rotary Club …”
- Dave Barry, bestselling American author and Pulitzer Prize-winning humorist
Course Description:
The goal of Comm 1300 is to learn how speakers and audiences interact. The course combines lecture, discussion, readings, and other exercises in order to:
- Become a confident, articulate and ethical speaker by gaining both theoretical and practical knowledge of public speaking and related communication processes.
- Learn to analyze and adapt speech content and delivery for different rhetorical situations.
- Research, think critically, and organize ideas to create clear, concise and engaging presentations.
- Practice public speaking skills as both a speaker and observer.
- Become familiar with introductory concepts in rhetoric and how to think rhetorically.
Section 009 — Tues/Thurs, 8:00 AM – 9:15 AMin EKLCE1B75
Instructor:
Daniel Schaefer
Email is the best way of contacting me. I will respond to you as quickly as possible. However, if you contact me over the weekend, I reserve the right not to contact you until Monday. Also—please check your University of Colorado email account often for official announcements and communications.
Office Hours:
- Wednesdays from 2:30pm-3:30pm at Buchanan’s Coffee Pub (1301 Pennsylvania Ave.)
This course requires hard work! I encourage all of you to make use of my office hours. I am always willing to look over outlines and answer any questions you might have. I guarantee that your grade will be higher if you take advantage of this.
Coursework:
Textbooks/Materials: There is one required text for the course: David Zarefsky, Public Speaking: Strategies for Success, (Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 2007) Fifth Edition. There are additional course materials on the class website: comm.colorado.edu/jjackson/1300.You will need to access the website throughout the semester.
Optional Purchase:Each student should (but is not required) to purchase a Digital Video Tape. These are tapes that are much smaller than a standard VHS tape. These tapes will be used to videotape your speeches. If you have not brought a videotape to tape your speeches, you may not appeal the grade you have received for your speech.
Examinations: There is a MIDTERM examination during Week 8 of the semester, and a FINAL comprehensive examination on the following date:
- Section 005 (noon class)—Tuesday, May 6, 7:30am-10:00am
- Section 006 (1pm class) — Tuesday, May 6, 4:30pm-7:00pm
Attendance: For every class you miss after three you will be penalized 10 points from your final point total for the class. The only exception to this rule is a documented religious, legal, University, or physician’s excuse. Failure to attend section during the first week of class will result in you being dropped from the class. I reserve the right to develop a more stringent policy should frequent tardiness interfere with course objectives.
Attendance is critical to our success in this course. You will improve your own communication skills through active participation. Your classmates will also learn from your involvement. If you miss one or fewer recitation sessions during the semester, you will receive 15 bonus points. You will not be eligible for these bonus points with more than one absence regardless of the reason for the absence(s). If your signature is not on the sign-in sheet at the end of class, you will NOT receive credit for attendance that day.
Tardiness: Since late arrivals are distracting, I will consider you absent whenever you arrive ten minutes or more after the start of class. Please note that you will not be eligible to receive attendance bonus points if you have multiple tardies of this nature. If you arrive late on a speech day, please be respectful to your classmates—wait to enter until no one is speaking.
Participation Expectations:This course requires each of you to speak in front of the class on speech days as well as during regular class sessions. Please treat each other with respect. This means being a supportive and active listener. Also—please interpret this to mean that your fellow classmates (and your recitation leader) will not benefit when you spend your time in class text messaging, reading non-course related materials, working on other assignments, etc.
Cell Phones, etc.: Please turn off all electronic devices. If a cell phone goes off during your speech or during another student’s speech, you will lose 10% (rounded) of the total points available for that speech. I reserve the right to deduct points for distracting usage of electronic devices at any point during regular class sessions.
Speeches: Students give five major speeches during the course: 1) a self-introduction speech; 2) an informative speech; 3) a persuasive speech designed to change attitude; 4) a persuasive speech designed to encourage action; and 5) a special occasion speech. You will also be expected to participate in impromptu and practice speaking activities.
In the first two weeks of the course each student will commit to a speaking schedule over the semester. Students are responsible for adhering to this schedule.Failure to speak on a scheduled date renders a score of 0 for that speech. There are no exceptions to this policy except documented religious, legal, University, or physician’s excuses.
Community Volunteer/Activism Requirement: Your persuasive action speech will require you to engage in a project that benefits your community in some way—this means that you must conduct some form of volunteer work or work to further a social cause by the middle of March. We will discuss this requirement further in class.
Quiz and Activity Points:There are 170 points that represent your progress and participation in this course. These section points are earned throughout the semester and will include participation, short writing assignments, quizzes, impromptu speeches, and self and peer evaluations.
Assignment Format Requirement: Written assignments must be typed and double-spacedwith one inch margins and 12 pt. font.
Late Work: No late work will be accepted. No in-class exercises may be made up if the absence was unexcused. All assignments must be turned in during the class period on the day they are due in order for you to receive full credit. (I do not accept assignments via email unless you were unable to attend class based on an excused illness or excused religious holiday).
Grade Appeal:I am happy to discuss any evaluation of your work with you, but I ask that you wait until at least 24 hours after the assignment is returned. This 24-hour period will allow you time to reflect on your performance and the feedback provided. Disputes should be handed in or e-mailed to me in written form. Make sure to indicate those areas on the evaluation form that you believe should be reconsidered. You must explain in compelling detail why reconsideration is warranted. After I receive your appeal, we will make an appointment to discuss it. You have no further right to appeal if you fail to appear at this scheduled meeting. If you did not record your speeches, you have no basis for appeal.
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Points Available:
Speeches:
Self-Introduction Speech50
Informative Speech 100
Persuasive Speech 1 150
Persuasive Speech 2 200
Special OccasionSpeech 30
Quizzes and Activities:170
Examinations:
Midterm 100
Final 200
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Total Points Available:1000
The final letter grade for the course will be assigned as follows:
A1000-933
A- 932-900
B+ 899-866
B 865-833
B-832-800
C+ 799-766
C 765-733
C- 732-700
D+ 699-666
D 665-633
D- 632-600
F 599-0
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Class Calendar:
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Week 1 (Jan. 15-19): Themes and Goals.
Reading: Zarefsky, Chapter 1.
Week 2 (Jan. 22-24): Getting Started in Public Speaking.
Reading: Zarefsky, Chapter 2, 3.
No Class, Jan. 21: MLK Jr. Day.
Week 3 (Jan. 29-Jan. 31):Strategy, Topics, and Purposes.
Reading: Zarefsky, Chapters 5,6,10.
Self-Introduction Speeches.
Week 4 (Feb. 5-7): Informative Speaking.
Reading: Zarefsky, Chapters 8, 9, 14.
Week 5 (Feb. 12-14): Audience AnalysisI.
Reading: Zarefsky, Chapters 4, 11.
Informative Speeches.
Week 6 (Feb. 19-21): Audience Analysis II.
Reading: Chapters 12, 13
Informative Speeches.
Week 7 (Feb. 26-28): Review for Midterm Examination.
Reading:Midterm Review Sheet.
Week 8 (March 4-6): Midterm Examination.
Week 9 (March 11-13): Persuasive Speaking.
Reading: Zarefsky, Chapter 15
Week 10 (March 18-20): Reasoning and Argument I.
Reading: Zarefsky, Chapter 7
Persuasive/Action Speeches.
Week 11 (March 25-27): Spring Break. No Classes
Week 12 (Apr 1-Apr. 3): Reasoning and Argument II.
Persuasive/Action Speeches.
Week 13 (Apr. 8-10):Pending …
Week 14 (Apr. 15-17):
Persuasive/Attitude Speeches.
Week 15 (Apr. 22-24): Ceremonial Speaking.
Reading: Zarefsky, Chapter 16
Persuasive/AttitudeSpeeches.
Week 16 (Apr. 29-May 1): Review for Final.
Special Occasion Speeches.
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Faculty Course Questionnaire: At the end of the semester you will be asked to complete a Faculty Course Questionnaire (FCQ). Please do not wait until the end of the semester to indicate dissatisfaction with our class—talk to me about your concerns sooner rather than later so we can take steps to make this class work for everyone.
Disabilities Statement: If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit to Dr. Jackson a letter from Disability Services in a timely manner so that your needs may be addressed. Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities. Contact: 303-492-8671, Willard 322, and
Decorum, Harassment, and Honor Code: Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Students who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards may be subject to discipline. Faculty have the professional responsibility to treat all students with understanding, dignity and respect, to guide classroom discussion and to set reasonable limits on the manner in which they and their students express opinions. Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with differences of race, culture, religion, politics, sexual orientation, gender variance, and nationalities. Class rosters are provided to the instructor with the student's legal name. We will gladly honor your request to address you by an alternate name or gender pronoun. Please advise us of this preference early in the semester so that we may make appropriate changes to our records. See polices at and at
The University of Colorado at Boulder policy on Discrimination and Harassment can be found here: The University of Colorado policy on Sexual Harassment and the University of Colorado policy on Amorous Relationships applies to all students, staff and faculty. Any student, staff or faculty member who believes s/he has been the subject of discrimination or harassment based upon race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status should contact the Office of Discrimination and Harassment (ODH) at 303-492-2127 or the Office of Judicial Affairs at 303-492-5550. Information about the ODH and the campus resources available to assist individuals regarding discrimination or harassment can be obtained at
All students of the University of Colorado at Boulder are responsible for knowing and adhering to the academic integrity policy of this institution. Violations of this policy may include: cheating, plagiarism, aid of academic dishonesty, fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening behavior. All incidents of academic misconduct shall be reported to the Honor Code Council (; 303-725-2273). Students who are found to be in violation of the academic integrity policy will be subject to both academic sanctions from the faculty member, up to and including a grade of F for the class, and non-academic sanctions (including but not limited to university probation, suspension, or expulsion). Other information on the Honor Code can be found at and at
Religious Observance: Campus policy regarding religious observances requires that faculty make every effort to reasonably and fairly deal with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams, assignments or required attendance. In this class, you will be allowed to make up a speech or assignment that is scheduled for a day of your religious observance. The University’s religious observance policy is here: and a calendar of many days of religious observance is here:
COMM 1300: Public Speaking Course Contract
I, ______, hereby acknowledge that I have read and understood the COMM 1300 Syllabus.
______
SignatureDate
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