COMMUNICATION AS CRITICAL INQUIRY (COM 110-Fall 2016)
Instructor: Gabrielle Dillon Office Hours: W 10:00-11:30 am or by appt.
Office: 053 Phone: (708)-971-6134
Email: Section: 059
Classroom: Fell 152 Meeting time: T/TH 5:00-6:15 pm
COURSE MATERIALS
Simonds, C. J., Hunt, S. K., & Simonds, B. K. (2013). Communication as Critical Inquiry (5th ed. for Illinois State University). Boston, MA: Pearson Custom Publishing.
(Access codes available at Barnes and Noble, Alamo II, or directly from Pearson at http://www.pearsoncustom.com/il/com110_ilstu/—See below).
Simonds, C. J., Hunt, S. K., & Hooker, J. F. (2016). Communication as critical inquiry: Supplementary materials packet. Champaign, IL: Stipes Publishing.
(Available at the School of Communication Resource Center in Fell 034—See below).
E-Textbook Purchasing Procedures. You are required to have an eText Access code for Com 110, which will allow you to access the textbook as well as other materials necessary for the completion of the course. You will register this code with Pearson as well as with your instructor so please do not discard this access code or your receipt of purchase. Access codes may only be registered once per student and will go offline once the semester is completed. You may purchase this code directly from Pearson (http://www.pearsoncustom.com/il/com110_ilstu/) at a reduced cost. Additionally, if you prefer to also have a hard copy of the text, you may purchase it once you have registered your online access code.
Spiral Workbook Purchasing Procedures.
You will purchase the spiral workbook (Com 110 Communication as Critical Inquiry) through the School of Communication online store using a credit, debit, or monetary gift card. The website can be found at the following address:
http://tinyurl.com/08jjxke or the longer version of website.
https://secure.touchnet.com/C20868_ustores/web/store_main.jsp?STOREID=47&SINGLESTORE=true
The workbook will cost $31 plus tax and will be available for you to pick up in the Communication Resource Center located in the Lower level of Fell Hall, Room 34, 1-2 business days after the online purchase. You will need to show their ISU ID card and Resource Center workers will verify they have purchased the book and give it to them at that time.
When you purchase the spiral, you will will be notified that all orders will be available 24 hours after their purchase on the next school/business day. So, if you were to order the spiral on a Friday afternoon, the manual will be available the following Monday. You will receive an electronic copy of your workbook 24 hours after the purchase.
COM 110 Lab Manuals will NOT be distributed until the first day of class so if you order a lab manual a week before class you will not be able to pick it up until the first day of class.
The Speech Lab Coordinator (Patty Franz, , 438-5898) will print out a list from the above website that states the names and information of all students who purchased a COM 110 spiral workbook in the past 24 hours (the past weekend for Monday reports), This list will then be used to verify your purchase. ONLY people who are on the list will receive a spiral workbook. Due to the 24 hour disclaimer, anyone who purchases the workbook online and then brings in a receipt, picture, printout, etc., the day of their purchase will not receive a spiral even though they have proof of purchase. They must wait until the spiral sales are open again the following day to pick up their purchase when their name is on the official list.
Athletic students must go to their department secretary and get an athletic book voucher in order to pick up their spiral. They DO NOT have to go online and order, they only need the book voucher.
We will be selling the Lab Manuals out of Fell 034 for two weeks.
Communication Resource Center Hours of Operation
1st week hours: Fell 034
Monday, August 22nd– 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, August 23rd – 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, August 24th – 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, August 25th – 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Friday, August 26th – 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
2nd week hours: Fell 034
Monday, August 29th – 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, August 30th – 9:00 a.m. –6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, August 31st – 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 1st – 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 2nd – 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
COMMUNICATION AS CRITICAL INQUIRY (COM 110) COURSE GOALS
Communication as Critical Inquiry (Com 110) seeks to improve students’ abilities to express themselves and to listen to others in a variety of communication settings. Effective oral communication is viewed as an essential life skill that every person must possess in order to function in today’s society. The course emphasizes participation in a variety of communication processes in order to develop, reinforce, and evaluate communication skills appropriate for public, small group, and interpersonal settings. The course content and experiences will enable students to assume their responsibilities as speaker-listener-critic in a culturally diverse world. In short, the course is designed to make students competent, ethical, critical, confident, and information literate communicators.
COM 110 addresses the following General Education outcomes:
II. intellectual and practical skills, allowing students to
a. make informed judgments
c. report information effectively and responsibly
e. deliver purposeful presentations that inform attitudes or behaviors
III. personal and social responsibility, allowing students to
a. participate in activities that are both individually life-enriching and socially beneficial to a diverse community
c. interact competently in a variety of cultural contexts
IV. integrative and applied learning, allowing students to
a. identify and solve problems
b. transfer learning to novel situations
c. work effectively in teams
Primary outcomes are indicated in plain text and secondary outcomes are indicated in italics.
ASSIGNMENTS
INTRO SPEECH: The second day of class, you will be required to deliver a 2 minute speech in which you will introduce yourself to your fellow students.
CIP: This is a short paper in which you will analyze your own communication style, strengths, and weaknesses and discuss what your goals and expectations are for your improvement in this course. The paper will also discuss a plan of action that you will use to achieve those goals.
SYNTHESIS: In this paper, you will reflect on your experiences as a Com 110 student. Specifically, you will explain how the material learned in this class can be applied to your personal and professional life. You will also discuss ways you have improved as a communicator throughout this class, as well as the areas in which improvement is still necessary.
Exams. There will be a midterm exam and a final exam. Exams will assess your understanding of communication concepts and theories, as well as your application and integration abilities.
Each student will present three speeches:
a. Informative speech (5-7 minutes, no more than 7:30; at least 4 sources)
b. Group presentation (25-30 minutes, no more than 30:30; at least 10 sources)
c. Persuasive speech (5-8 minutes, no more than 8:30; at least 6 sources)
ALL THREE SPEECHES must be completed to pass the course. Each presentation will be evaluated on content and delivery. Specific details will be clearly outlined in class. Typed outlines and references are required for each (a sample will be provided).
PREPARING TO PARTICIPATE CHAPTER ASSIGNMENTS (P2Ps): Each chapter of the text includes questions entitled “Preparing to Participate.” You are required to answer the “knowledge” questions for ALL 18 of the chapters. Each chapter MUST be typed, printed, and turned in on the assigned chapter day listed in the syllabus. You may not turn in P2Ps after the assigned date. Each P2P is worth 5 points. You are highly encouraged to complete the P2Ps for all chapters, as they will prepare you for discussion and serve as a study tool for the midterm and the final.
PARTICIPATION ARGUMENT: Because Communication as Critical Inquiry is a skills-based, developmental course, participation is essential to a positive learning experience. Participation requires more than being present in class; it is a demonstration of having read the material, asking questions that extend the thinking of the class and instructor, contributing relevant examples, and demonstrating respect for the contributions of classmates. At the end of the semester, I will ask that you provide me with a one page explanation of what your participation grade should be. I will take in account your justification and my attendance records to make the final decision of your participation and justification grade.
COM 110 ASSESSMENT SURVEY OF CIVIC AND POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT
Because this course is a general education requirement, we will be conducting assessment of your civic and political engagement. Your instructor will provide a link to a Civic and Political Engagement Survey to be completed at the beginning and end of the course and will be one of the elements of your portfolio. You may choose to reflect on the results of this survey in your CIP and/or Synthesis paper. Your participation is voluntary and opting out will not affect your grade in the course. Should you choose to opt out of taking this survey, an alternative assignment will be provided to you. You will receive 5 points for each survey (or alternative assignment) you complete at the beginning and end of the course for a total of 10 pts.
https://forms.illinoisstate.edu/forms/national_civic_engagement_indicators_project_questionnaire
EVALUATION:
Informative Speech 100 pts.
Group Presentation 100 pts.
Persuasive Speech 100 pts.
CIP 45 pts.
Portfolio/Synthesis 45 pts.
Midterm Exam 100 pts.
Final Exam 100 pts.
P2Ps 90 pts.
Participation Argument 60 pts.
Total 740 pts.
The grading scale is a standard ten percentage point scale:
90-100% = A; 80%-89% = B; 70%-79% = C; 60-69% = D; below 60% = F
COURSE POLICIES
ATTENDANCE:
You are expected to come to class prepared to discuss and participate in activities associated with the readings. I will not lecture over the material you have read; rather, I will synthesize the material into discussions and activities where you will play a large role. Thus, regular attendance is expected. Excessive absences will affect your participation grade in this class. I will grant you 2 absences without penalty, If you miss 3 classes, you can get no better than a B on your participation points; 4 absences means no better than a C; 5 absences means no better than a D; more than 5 absences means you will receive a failing grade for your participation. You are always responsible for all material distributed in your absence.
If you have a legitimate reason for not being in class, you must tell me as far as possible in advance via e-mail or bring a doctor’s note in case of illness. With very rare exceptions, you must provide me with documentation verifying that your absence was due to a legitimate reason should you wish to avoid grade penalties or turn in late work for full credit. If you are involved in university activities that will cause you to miss class such as athletics or the speech team, I need a schedule of classes that you will miss and a signed note from your coach or sponsor verifying that you are on the team.
ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY BEREAVEMENT POLICY. In the event that a student experiences a death of an immediate family member or relative as defined below, the student will be excused from class for funeral leave, subsequent bereavement, and/or travel considerations. The student will provide appropriate documentation and arrange to complete missed classroom work as soon as possible according to the process outlined below.
Upon notification of the absence and proper documentation, each faculty member shall excuse the student from class according to this policy and provide an opportunity to complete missed exams, quizzes, and other required work. Ultimately, the student is responsible for all material covered in class and must work with each individual professor as soon as they return to complete any required work. Details can be found at the following website: http://policy.illinoisstate.edu/students/2-1-27.shtml
Please do NOT be late for class. Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class session. If you are consistently late to class, I will start to dock points for every tardy after your third offense.
PAPER FORMAT: All papers should be typed, double spaced, with Times New Roman 12 pt font. Extra spacing between paragraphs should be removed. Headers should be right aligned and should include ONLY the following: Name, Date, Class, and Title/Assignment. It should be singled spaced, but should not be more than four lines.
COMMUNICATING WITH ME:
Email is the best way to get in contact with me if you have questions or concerns, proper emailing etiquette is expected. Please allow at least a 24-hour response time.
ELECTRONIC DEVICES: I am NOT open to your use of laptops and tablets. Please do not bring/use them in class unless instructed to do so. If I see them, you will be directed to put them away immediately.
CELL PHONES/TEXTING: All phones are to be put away before class begins. If your phone rings during class or if I see you texting, I will have you put your phone on the table in the front of the classroom. If you are not paying attention in my class, I do not feel that you have truly attended my session and thus will mark you absent for the day. IF YOUR PHONE RINGS DURING SOMEONE ELSE’S SPEECHES OR YOU ARE TEXTING, I WILL DEDUCT 20% FROM YOUR OWN SPEECH GRADE.
LATE WORK: All work is expected on the date it is due. Late assignments will NOT be accepted. I will work with you if you have a legitimate reason for your absence AND arrangements have been made with me prior to the class meeting. I want to help you in any way possible but will not accept less than your full effort. Like most instructors, I am more understanding if you keep me informed, so let me know right away if you encounter problems.
ILLINOIS ARTICULATION INITIATIVE. The Illinois Articulation Initiative is designed to allow students to transfer course credit between institutions. The IAI requires that all Com 110 students present at least three speaking opportunities that include research and are five minutes, or longer, in duration.
SPEECH LAB. You are encouraged to visit the speech lab at least once during the semester to practice your speech. It is also recommended that you plan a visit to the speech lab at least one week before your speech so you have enough time to synthesize the feedback received from the attendant and incorporate it into your speech. Ultimately, the speech lab can be a useful tool in improving the quality of your speech and public speaking skills. Remember, in order to complete a speech lab session, you must come prepared with a completed outline of your speech. To schedule time in the speech lab, call call 438-4566 or come to Fell 032 and schedule an appointment in person. If you wish to video-record your presentation, please tell the attendant when booking your appointment. Remember to book your appointment early, as there are a great number of students trying to make appointments.