testbankwizard.eutestbankwizard.eu/sample/test-bank-for-cengage-advantage-books... · web...

Instructor’s Resource Manual with Test Bank

For

Cheryl Hamilton’s

Essentials of Public SpeakingFifth Edition

Alycia EhlertVolunteer State Community College

Cheryl HamiltonTarrant County College

Full file at http://testbankwizard.eu/Test-Bank-for-Cengage-Advantage-Books-Essentials-of-Public-Speaking-5th-Edition-by-Cheryl-Hamilton

Copyright page

ii


Table of Contents

PART I: Welcome to the 5th edition of Essentials of Public SpeakingPlanning Your Course 1Technology Resources for Essentials of Public Speaking 1Teaching Philosophy and Methods 3Structuring Assignments 8Troubleshooting and Course Mechanics 10 Multi-Section Courses 17 Constructing the Course Syllabus 18 Sample Course Syllabus 27 Sample Student Contract 32 Sample Student Data Sheet 34Sample Speech Evaluation Forms 35Sample Grade Sheet 38Sample Guidelines for an Informative Speech 39

PART II: Chapter-by-Chapter Resources: Objectives, Outlines, and Classroom Exercises

Chapter 1: Public Speaking, Ethics, and You 42Chapter 2: Building Speaker Confidence 52 Chapter 3: Listening: What Speakers Should Know 62 Chapter 4: Analyzing Your Audience 71Chapter 5: Selecting, Outlining, and Researching Your Topic 81Chapter 6: Supporting Your Ideas 87Chapter 7: Organizing a Successful Speech 92 Chapter 8: Delivering Your Message 99Chapter 9: Perfecting Language Style 104Chapter 10: Preparing Effective Visual Aids 110Chapter 11: Informative Speaking 118Chapter 12: Persuasive Speaking: Individual or Team 124Chapter 13: Persuasive Methods and Theories 132Chapter 14: Special Occasion Speaking 141Video Suggestions for Public Speaking 147

iii


PART III: Test QuestionsChapter 1: Public Speaking, Ethics, and You 148Chapter 2: Building Speaker Confidence 148Chapter 3: Listening: What Speakers Should Know 152Chapter 4: Analyzing Your Audience 157Chapter 5: Selecting, Outlining, and Researching Your Topic 171Chapter 6: Supporting Your Ideas 176Chapter 7: Organizing a Successful Speech 182Chapter 8: Delivering Your Message 192Chapter 9: Perfecting Language Style 199Chapter 10: Preparing Effective Visual Aids 206Chapter 11: Informative Speaking 214Chapter 12: Persuasive Speaking: Individual or Team 219Chapter 13: Persuasive Methods and Theories 230Chapter 14: Special Occasion Speaking 240

iv


Welcome to the 5th edition of Essentials of Public Speaking

Planning Your Course

The fifth edition of Cheryl Hamilton’s Essentials of Public Speaking brings a proven formula for success in public speaking courses to students, as well as new or seasoned instructors. The text has a strong focus on verbal messages, includes ways to integrate technology into both the classroom and the student presentation, and asks students to think critically about the lessons in each chapter. The Quick Start Guide at the beginning of the book gives important information for preparing speeches that may be given early in the course. Essentials of Public Speaking includes Speech Builder Express, a step-by-step program for putting together speeches for different purposes and occasions. The Hamilton Essentials of Public Speaking website provides resources as well as web quizzes that can be easily added to the course.

This manual is designed as a resource guide to support every level of instructor. If you are new to this course—a first-time instructor or a graduate student—you will find it helpful to read the manual in its entirety before putting together assignments and conducting class. If you are a more experienced instructor, use the manual as a handbook to supplement your own teaching practices. Each class of students is unique, and every group will develop their own ideas, distinctive styles of speaking, and select topics that are compelling to their reality. Similarly, each instructor will approach the public speaking course with their own individual perspective and will bring their own gifts to the learning process. What you will find most useful about Cheryl Hamilton's approach to the process is that her text allows for flexible adaptation to your particular instructional style, student audience, and teaching environment; yet the text emphasizes sound fundamental principles that any competent graduate of the course will acquire. You will find that some ideas and exercises work well for you, while others just aren't suited to your teaching style. Dr. Hamilton uses a basic, common sense, step-by-step approach for developing a professional presentation with creative and easy-to-read visual aids.

Technology Resources for Essentials of Public Speaking

The following resources are available with the 5th edition of Essentials of Public Speaking. To receive additional information about these products or a demonstration, please contact your local Cengage Learning representative or call the Academic Resource Center at: 1-800-423-0563.

Hamilton Essentials of Public Speaking CourseMate

The Hamilton Essentials of Public Speaking CourseMate for the fifth Edition includes numerous student and instructor resources. For students, chapter-by-chapter resources include learning objectives, activities, InfoTrac activities, active critical thinking tools, a digital glossary, speech

1


preparation forms, speech evaluation checklists, and a practice quiz. In addition, all of the URLs included in the book are maintained for each chapter under WebLinks, and select chapters feature special dynamic tools such as an interactive version of the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA) and the Personal Report of Public Speaking Anxiety (PRPSA) in Chapter 1, but also discussed in Chapter 2.

The CouseMate also offers a variety of rich learning resources designed to enhance the student experience. These resources include self-assessments, blogs (online journals), images, video, web resources, and animations. All resources are mapped to key discipline learning concepts and users can browse or search for content in a variety of ways. More than just a collection of ancillary learning materials, the CourseMate also features important content and community tools that extend the education experience beyond a particular class or course semester.

Speech Builder Express

How many times have you heard students say that they were almost finished with their speech when the computer crashed? With Speech Builder Express, students won’t have to worry about losing information on faulty drives or because of computer crashes. SBE can be accessed from any computer that is Internet accessible at any time of day or night. Students can build their speech from the thesis statement to the conclusion, do research, add transitions and signposts, and go back to the SBE website at their convenience to work on their presentation. This tool is not designed to be a substitute for classroom study but can be used as an aid to help students create a professional presentation.

InfoTrac College Edition

Four months of FREE anywhere, anytime access to InfoTrac College Edition (the online library) is automatically packaged with each new book. The new and improved InfoTrac College Edition puts cutting edge research and the latest headlines at your students’ fingertips, giving them access to an entire online library for just the cost of one book! This fully searchable database offers more than 20 years worth of full-text articles (more than 10 million) from almost 4000 diverse sources, such as academic journals, newsletters, and up-to-the-minute periodicals including Time, Newsweek, Science, Forbes, USA Today, and Vital Speeches. This is an excellent resource for speech topic selection and speech research. Integrated activities throughout the text guide students in using this resource.

PowerLecture for the 5th Edition of Essentials of Public Speaking

This one-stop lecture tool makes it easy for you to assemble, edit, publish, and present custom lectures using Microsoft PowerPoint. PowerLecture lets you bring together text-specific lecture outlines and art from the text, along with video and animations from the web or your own

2


materials—culminating in a powerful, personalized, media-enhanced presentation. The CD also features an electronic version of the Instructor’s Resource Manual and ExamView software. With ExamView you can create, deliver, and customize tests and study guides (both print and online) in minutes with this easy-to-use assessment and tutorial system. ExamView offers both a Quick Test Wizard and an Online Test Wizard that guide you step-by-step through the process of creating tests, while the unique what-you-see-is-what-you-get capability allows you to see the test you are creating on the screen exactly as it will print or display online. You can build tests of up to 250 questions using up to 12 question types. Using ExamView's complete word processing capabilities, you can enter an unlimited number of new questions or edit existing questions. ExamView® features over 750 questions specific to Hamilton’s Essentials of Public Speaking.

Video Examples: Student Speeches for Critique and Analysis

Sample student speeches are offered online through CourseMate, a website featuring access to each chapter of Essentials of Public Speaking, with links to videos of speeches featured within the chapters of the book. Featuring impromptu, informative, and persuasive speeches as well as speeches of introduction and group speeches, these videos are a great tool for helping students learn to analyze and provide effective feedback on imperfect and exemplary speeches. Select speeches feature non-native English speakers and the use of visual aids. The speeches featured as models in this text are included on CourseMate. New to the 5th edition include:

“Endometriosis” by Rebecca DeCamp – Chapter 9“College Student Volunteering and Civic Engagement” – Chapter 11“The African Serval” – Chapter 11“Bacterial Meningitis” by Emily Wilson – Chapter 11“Together, We Can Stop Cyber-bullying” – Chapter 12“Untreated Depression in America” by Sean Stewart – Chapter 13“Water” Ceremonial – Chapter 14

Teaching Philosophy and Methods

You will want to share your teaching philosophy for the course with your students in one of the earliest class meetings. Many instructors stress a few crucial observations about the process of public speaking and the nature of the course that follow.

1. Public Speaking is not an innate talent; it is an acquired skill. Amazingly, many surveys have shown that people often place fear of public speaking on par with fear of death. It is extremely important for the instructor to create a cooperative, supportive learning environment and encourage a sense of “togetherness.” When students feel that they know their classmates, it is easier to discuss, critique, and brainstorm. Students who feel they are speaking to a group of friends usually experience less communication anxiety and have a greater chance of completing the course successfully. The activities provided in this manual will help the instructor create a sense of community within the

3


public speaking classroom. Ultimately, what matters most to the student are the professional skills they have acquired that will allow them to succeed in real world contexts. While in-class feedback should always be a part of this highly interactive course, comments can and should be constructive and should emphasize how speakers can maximize positive speech behaviors they already have, while minimizing or eliminating those negative presentation behaviors that are marring their performance. Everyone can become a competent and poised speaker if he or she is willing to take the time to learn the principles of effective preparation. The instructor can be a great influence in creating a community approach to goal-setting and improvement over the term. The classroom should be a place where students can make honest mistakes as they learn, and where they can experiment with their personal approach to public speaking. The only dishonor in public speaking is a lack of preparation.

2. Public Speaking is a course in critical thinking, listening, and criticism. By its very nature, public speaking is a course in critical thought because making assertions is an integral part of the speech process. Assertions require logical proof and as such are always open to debate and discussion. Critical assessment of any speech centers on two dimensions: the content of the message and its execution. Since students often select their own topics, their speeches yield a marvelous opportunity for the sharing of divergent opinions on the full range of issues. A successful instructor will spend as much time, if not more, listening than they will spend lecturing. In terms of oral and written criticism, you will want to expect your students to do as much teaching as you do, and in that they will serve as a sounding board for their classmates' views. Students should not come to this class with the expectation that they can be passive participants in the process; they can expect to have their own values, beliefs, and attitudes challenged. This can be an incredibly exciting process for everyone in the classroom. Sometimes an outstanding speech can actually change classmates' (and instructor's) viewpoints on a controversial issue. In cases where opinions are not altered, those with opposing viewpoints may come away from the speaking situation with stronger and more legitimate reasons for retaining their original viewpoint. Public speaking should challenge and educate.

3. Public speaking is a content-oriented class. It is writing intensive and requires competency in research skills, as well as a conscientious awareness of current events. Many students entering the fundamentals course in public speaking mistakenly assume that it will be a "fluff course." It is always helpful to disavow them of this notion on the first day. In many ways, public speaking is more demanding than other liberal arts courses, because not only do students have to meticulously research and craft a written or extensively outlined version of their speech, they must also rehearse and present it in class, usually with supporting aids. Students who challenge themselves will find the course invaluable in terms of reinforcing library, interviewing, and Internet research skills that will help them succeed in all their courses and in life in general. The presentation aspects of the course will also bolster the student's self-confidence and self-presentation style in contexts beyond the public communication arena

4


by helping them in interpersonal and group communication as well. Finally, the course requires that students monitor current events to allow them to select intriguing, fresh, and contemporary informative and persuasive topics. A sophisticated awareness of current issues is also of great importance in the role students serve as critical assessors of their classmates' work. This focus on global awareness absolutely reinforces the notion of engaged citizenship. In addition to becoming a more effective speaker, the successful graduate of any solid course in public speaking should become a much more effective critical consumer of communication.

4. Develop standardized grading criteria. While public speaking can be a very individualistic exercise, fair assessment of speeches must be based on reasonable, standardized criteria. Cheryl Hamilton's text and this manual provide several suggested approaches to developing a criteria list that will suit your teaching situation. It is always important to remind students that the instructor never gives them grades; rather, the instructor assesses the success of their assignments in terms of how they fulfilled the stated assignment goals as defined by the assignment criteria. In other words, students earn a grade. (You will also want to discuss your grading philosophy with your students during the first week of class. You may choose to stress that you render professional assessments of the student’s work as presented, with a focus on future goals for improvement. This process has absolutely nothing to do with the student's personality. Similarly, when grading speeches on controversial social or political issues, your assessment should be completely divorced from your personal viewpoints, and instead reflect the degree to which the speech fulfilled the stated speaking and audience goals.) What is particularly helpful is to provide explicit instructions both orally and in writing for all assignments well in advance of due dates. Being proactive not only helps the students better realize your goals for them, but it also provides you with a written record of grade requirements that defends your methods in any potential grade disputes.

5. Provide models of good communication. The most prominent model of good communication in the classroom should be the instructor. We all have to remember that teaching is a form of public speaking and we should be vigilant to present an appropriate example of effective and professional communication. Beyond our own personal behaviors as teachers, it is extremely useful to show videos of successful student speeches for analysis and deconstruction in class, as well as videos of effective political or social issue speeches from national figures. Allowing for extra-credit assessments of speakers outside of the classroom can be a remarkably fruitful activity. (Even a bad speech can be highly useful in terms of demonstrating what doesn't work in a speaking contingency.) You may also want to start a file of outstanding student speech outlines or texts as examples of what you would like to see your current students emulate in their own work. Video recording each student’s presentations is also an excellent model that can be used in the classroom. When students give an outstanding presentation, ask them to fill out the permission slip (provided in this manual) so that their speeches can be used in other classes as an example of

5


a professional, confident presentation. Most students are excited to think that their presentation will be seen by others and used as a model of an excellent presentation.

6. Encourage involvement and improvement. The key to a successful course often lies with the enthusiasm exhibited by the instructor. Everyone should have a voice in the class, and you will want to make a special effort to draw out the more reticent members of class and encourage them with praise when deserved. Take a personal interest in each student and realize that each one has different goals. Some may be very glib and confident in performance but may need to improve their research and content; others may be outstanding on paper but uncomfortable or awkward in verbal and/or non-verbal delivery. Every student will not have the same goals. A student with a great deal of debate or individual speaking experience may find the course a useful arena in which to refine skills they already possess. Total novices with a fear of public presentation may have much further to go. The best approach is to grade on improvement, while applying the same evaluative criteria to all speeches. (You may want to integrate the improvement concept into your assignment percentage "weighting" scheme in your syllabus. An easy way to do this is to have the major speaking assignments increase in value as the term progresses. The final speech is worth far more than the first, because it should reflect significant improvement.)

7. Public speaking is an excellent course for schools that provide learning communities. The concepts provided in Dr. Hamilton’s text can be easily integrated into a learning community. Strong speaking skills, the requirements for creating a sound outline, and heavy research skills will incorporate public speaking into any discipline within a learning community.

6


Model Permission Slip

I ______________________________________________________ (print name) do hereby give College/University Name Here/or Instructor Name or representatives thereof (“College”), the right to use (and to grant permission for others to use) my name, likeness, picture, portrait, voice, video of, image or photograph (collectively, the “Representation”) in all forms and in all media, without any restrictions as to changes or alterations (including but not limited to composite or distorted representations or derivative works made in any medium) for course illustration, advertising, promotion, and/or exhibition.

I hereby release and discharge “College”, its assigns, licensees, successors in interest, employees and officers from any liability by virtue of any blurring, distortion, alteration, optical illusion, or use in composite form whether intentional or otherwise, that may occur or be produced in the use of my video/images, or in any processing tending toward the completion of the finished product. I agree that “College” owns the copyright in Representations, and all portions thereof, and I hereby waive any claims I may have based on any usage or adaptation of Representations and all portions thereof, or works derived therefrom, including but not limited to claims for either invasion of privacy or libel. I agree that this release shall be binding on me, my legal representatives, heirs, and assigns now and in the future.

I have read this release, and I am fully familiar with its contents.

____ I am of full age and am competent to sign this release (if not checked, guardian consent release must be completed below).

Student ________________________ Witness ________________________Address __________________________________________________________________Date ________________________

We are the parents or guardians of the minor named above, and have the legal authority to execute the above release. We approve the forgoing and waive any rights in the premises.

Guardian Consent (if applicable)

Guardian ________________________ Witness ________________________Guardian Address ____________________________________________________________Date _______________________

Guardian Consent (if applicable)

Guardian ________________________ Witness ________________________Guardian Address ____________________________________________________________Date _______________________

7


Structuring Assignments

Anyone who has taught public speaking recognizes that the course is always top-heavy: students seem to have to learn everything before they're allowed to do anything. To some extent, that assessment is correct. Without a firm grounding in the principles of effective communication, speeches of even the most capable students can be disorganized messes of partially developed and poorly articulated ideas. For this reason, Cheryl Hamilton has included The Quick-Start Guide (at the beginning of the book), which is an easily-accessed tool to provide brief information on the nine steps in putting together a professional presentation.

The key to success in this kind of course is designing the assignments incrementally, gradually working toward longer and more demanding speeches. This technique also puts less stress on speakers who may suffer from severe speech anxiety.

The incremental approach works on several different levels. Usually the time of speeches will increase as students become more proficient at research, and as their presentations develop more detail. When speakers become more confident, they naturally feel more comfortable about giving longer speeches. A workable time progression for the speeches might look like this:

Speech 1: 2-3 minutesSpeech 2: 3-5 minutesSpeech 3: 5-7 minutesSpeech 4: 5-10 minutes.

These times weren't just pulled out of thin air. A class of 25 students ordinarily would take two weeks or more to deliver a round of speeches if each presentation lasted ten minutes. Most instructors can't afford such a leisurely pace if they hope to cover all the necessary material. Naturally, the time you allot to speeches (and the number of speeches you require) will be dictated by the number of class meetings, your school’s curriculum, and the enrollment. (Hint: You will probably find it necessary to schedule speeches so that at least 15 minutes of class is left free for transitions between speeches, setting up visual aids, and question-and-answer sessions. Again, much depends on the time constraints unique to the instructor's school situation. Some instructors reserve three minutes after each performed speech. After the speaker concludes his/her presentation, the next speaker on the day's roster begins setting up his/her visual and supporting aids, while the preceding speaker takes questions. Other instructors prefer to reserve time at the end of each delivery day so that the speeches of the day can be discussed as a group. No matter which arrangement you prefer, you may want to randomly ask one student for a comment or opinion on the topic, content, or delivery and follow up by selecting one student to mention one positive tactic or strategy employed either in terms of content or delivery and one suggestion for improvement. The trick is to encourage students to be succinct. You may also want to point out anything that was exceptionally well done or improved upon.)

Another incremental progression involves the rigor of assignments. The first graded speech tends to allow students to get the feel of giving presentations. The later speeches become more

8


oriented to research and argumentation. A few rounds of impromptus can be given early in the course, without actual graded assessment but with oral critiques. This allows the students an opportunity to become comfortable in front of the class and to receive feedback before the graded assignments begin. The progression might look something like this:

Speech 1: (Informative or Instructive) Three outside sources required. Visuals encouraged but not required and not graded. 10%

Speech 2: (Informative) At least five outside sources. One visual minimum. 20%Speech 3 (Persuasive) At least five to seven outside sources. At least one primary

research source required, and two visuals required. 30%Note: Additional points can be given for a fully detailed outline and source bibliography. This can be turned in, graded, and returned with suggestions for refinement to the student at least two class periods prior to scheduled performance date. Some instructors also choose to meet individually with students (in the classroom or in their office) to go over the outline and bibliography. This gives an opportunity to discuss the pros and cons of the presentation choices, suggest additional supporting material, help with citing sources, and discuss visual aids. If you choose to do this, try to schedule this day at least a week before the presentations are due so that the students will have time to make any needed corrections. This system requires that the outlines are handed-in well in advance of the actual speech, but it encourages the writing and rewriting processes that reward conscientious preparation.

(The number of required speeches can be rounded out with special occasion speeches, group presentations, final projects, and impromptu exercises. How many speeches you choose to require should be dictated by the course curriculum as well as enrollment and class time.)

Whatever system you develop is your choice and ultimately should work for your classroom needs, but an incremental system seems to be popular in that it does emphasize and recognize improvement over the term or semester. This system reinforces a crucial principle all good speakers know: speaking skills constantly evolve and no speaker is ever finished learning or improving. (Some instructors use this system and video-record both the first and last speech the student does; the student then writes a "capstone" assessment at term or semester's end on their progress and sets future goals.)

9


Troubleshooting and Course Mechanics

This section provides an overview of some common situations you will confront as an instructor. It also will enable you to respond to students more confidently when questions arise regarding the course.

Extra Credit

A public speaking course provides ample opportunity for extra credit assignments outside the classroom throughout the term. (Most institutions host guest lecturers from industry, politics, and the arts, as well as social advocates on the lecture circuit. Similarly, televised speeches such as the President's State of the Union Address, social advocacy speeches on C-SPAN, and political campaign speeches provide interesting models for criticism. All are rich opportunities for students to exercise their critical assessment skills outside the classroom and to become engaged with their world.) The most important thing for students to remember is that such activities are extra credit above and beyond their fulfillment of basic course requirements. Their ultimate grade should reflect how well they performed on their major class assignments, not how many extra credit assignments they did. You may want to implement a cap on extra credit assignments to discourage students from missing classroom assignments and attempting to “make up” the work with extra credit.

Many students, especially those who have just performed poorly on an assignment, will ask for extra credit. (As those of you more experienced instructors know, these requests are usually made by marginal students during the last days of exam week!) The choice to award extra credit rests with you, but you should use this privilege wisely and sparingly. First, make absolutely sure that if you award extra credit, equivalent opportunities are available for all students. The cardinal rule in grading is that everyone has an equal chance to earn a grade. If you are teaching a section of public speaking in a large program, you may wish to verify that other sections allow similar opportunities. Otherwise, your students have an unfair advantage. Finally and most importantly, any extra credit opportunities should be earned in activities that relate directly to the content of the course. Try to encourage a healthy work ethic by insisting that extra credit points be the result of efforts to further communication skills. (Hint: announce opportunities in class and establish guidelines for how the extra credit will be awarded—requiring students to write a critique or assessment is one way to handle this. Talk with your local high schools and find out if they have a forensics program. If they do, they often need judges for their competitions. Your students may find this an excellent opportunity to learn more about public speaking by observing and judging competitions.) You may want to limit the number of extra credit assignments a student may attend (or total points they may earn) or you may want to apply the points only to their class participation grade. This prevents someone with a "C" average on in-class assignments from getting an unfair "A" grade due to excessive extra credit points. Again, extra credit is just that...extra.

10


Extreme Communication Apprehension

Instructors of public speaking encounter a phenomenon few other teachers must face. We can be sure that the vast majority of students harbor some degree of fear about doing what the course requires: speaking in public. Occasionally, however, we find students who have a debilitating fear of public communication. Don't feel badly if you can't identify these students. Since the degree of communication apprehension is unrelated to intelligence or to physical factors, you can't be expected to diagnose severe communication apprehension on sight.

The nightmare of every student and instructor is to have someone break down before or during a speech, unable to speak because of utter terror. These worst case scenarios are rare. Part of instilling confidence comes from a friendly, cooperative classroom environment that provides encouragement while maintaining academic rigor. (You may wish to remind your students that unlike undertakings such as skydiving or bungee jumping, it is rather hard to expire as the result of giving an address! They are in fact much more likely to die crossing the street than they are from delivering a speech.)

To predict who might suffer from severe apprehension, you may find it useful to administer the PRCA questionnaire (Personal Report of Communication Apprehension) at Hamilton’s Essentials of Public Speaking Web site, located under Student Resources for Chapter 1, as early as possible in the term. After privately noting the students who have the highest scores, make sure that they have ample opportunities to practice the anxiety reduction techniques described in Chapter 2. Regular classroom exercises and homework designed to reduce apprehension will benefit all class members. If you are teaching in a large program, you may wish to check with your course director to see if your school offers a special section for self-described apprehensive speakers. If your program does not currently offer such a section, establishing one may be worth consideration.

It is quite common for communication apprehension to become a vicious cycle of self-fulfilling prophecy. A student is reluctant to communicate because he or she has developed a self-image of incompetence. This fear then causes the student to prepare inadequately, using the illogical but convincing reasoning of "I'll do badly anyway, so why bother?" Because the speech was not prepared and practiced adequately, the speaker's worst fears come true. To assure adequate preparation, make frequent progress checks as students prepare their presentations. Ease them into their first speeches by having everyone discuss their topics and give feedback to classmates. This way you'll be able to discover who needs extra help.

Generally, very apprehensive students tend to prefer speaking early, usually requesting the first spot for each round of speeches. Honor such requests when they are made. The reason is simple: students who see many other speeches precede theirs will tend to compare those speeches to their own. For a high CA (someone who suffers from severe communication apprehension), such comparisons can be devastating. Since high CAs tend to have low self-concepts, they will downgrade their own speaking abilities even more, thinking: "I could never

11


do as well as she did. The audience will really think I'm stupid now." Aside from the self-imposed comparisons, however, speaking early can have its benefits in reducing anxiety. As everyone knows, the longer someone tries to put off a task, the more difficult that task becomes. This phenomenon applies to public speaking with a vengeance. The longer a high CA has to think about giving a speech, the greater the chance that some negative thoughts will creep in to disrupt even the positive imagery.

Sometimes it proves helpful to have high CAs engage in supervised, structured practice to make sure they are well-prepared. You may want to offer "test run performance" opportunities during office hours for those who are concerned about their confidence levels. If you conduct such sessions, use the time to practice positive imagery as well as the speech itself. The best way to overcome extreme speech anxiety is to practice anxiety reduction regularly and rigorously. Such disciplined practice might call for your supervision until the student becomes accustomed to initiating anxiety reduction techniques independently.

This is another time when video-recording speeches comes in handy. Without making a big production of the recording, do it with each speech during the semester. When it is explained, expect massive moaning, groaning and complaining. Let the students know that they will be the only one to view their video, unless they choose to share it with others. It is also good to tell the students that there may come a time in their professional career when they will need to be recorded while speaking. By practicing in the classroom, they will be seasoned professionals when the time comes to be taped in a business setting.

Recording speeches allows students to see themselves in a different light, through the eyes of others. Those speakers with anxiety are usually pleasantly surprised when they view their video. Many students cannot believe that it is really them, because their perception of themselves is so different from what the audience sees. One student once told an instructor, “I couldn’t believe that was me on the tape. I have always thought my voice shook when I spoke and that my face got red. I didn’t see any changes at all, and my voice was very strong and confident.” She started the semester with high communication anxiety, but after viewing her video, her anxiety lessened, her confidence increased, and she ended the semester as one of the most outstanding speakers in the class.

You may also want to have your library order some books on speech anxiety and put them on reserve for students to use throughout the course. There are many excellent books with numerous exercises students can try. (A quick Google search on “speech anxiety books” netted 282,000 hits!)

Speech Order

The issue of speech order raises two questions: (1) what should be the order of the assignments, and (2) what should be the order of the speakers? Let's consider both matters.

12


As for the sequence of assignments, examination of almost every major textbook yields a consensus: informative speeches should precede persuasive speeches. Hamilton’s textbook preserves this order. The reason is that persuasive presentations involve all the skills of informative speeches plus additional skills such as advocacy and covering opposing arguments. It is logical, therefore, that persuasive speeches be scheduled only after those skills have been covered. Special occasion speeches can fall anywhere. Many instructors use ceremonial speeches early in the term because they require less formal research (such as gathering materials from libraries) than the other genres. Sometimes ceremonial speeches can provide a fitting conclusion for a course because these presentations resemble speeches that students will make at important junctures in their lives: receiving awards, delivering eulogies, proposing wedding toasts. The central guideline for the sequence of speaking assignments is that students have ample opportunities to learn and practice the necessary principles before delivering a graded speech. The Quick Start Guide offers survival skills for a first speech and can be referred to when questions arise that need a quick reference guide.

Who speaks when? The order for each speech must be settled before the speeches begin. To avoid chaos, there are several ways to approach setting up the order of presentations. One method that keeps students on their toes is randomization. All students are instructed to be prepared to speak the first scheduled speech day. The instructor then randomly picks people to speak on each day that speeches occur. Randomization has the advantage of fairness: everyone has exactly the same amount of time to prepare, because everyone must be ready the first day. On the other hand, randomization can cause headaches for students who must lug cumbersome visual aids to class, uncertain whether they will be used that day.

Another method of deciding speaking order is to settle it randomly at the beginning of the semester (or when each speech is assigned). Construct a schedule based on your official class roster. Allow students to switch their speech days before finalizing the schedule. Once you have set the schedule, students can switch their speech days only in case of dire emergencies.

Many instructors also choose to use a "sign-up" sheet, circulated a week or two before the actual performances, which allows some degree of selection choice. Over the years, this system has proven most popular as it allows students with rigorous schedules to balance the demands of exams and presentations in other classes and in the other aspects of their lives with their responsibilities in speech class. The list can be passed in the front of the class for the first speech and the back for the next and so on; those who are absent on "sign-up" day have to take "pot luck." You can also offer advance sign-ups for students who know they will not be in class on a certain day due to an excused absence. You can also randomize the sign-up by putting the sign-up sheet on the lectern during impromptu speeches. Those who deliver their impromptu speeches first get to sign-up first.

If you are teaching an online course that requires students to come to an “in person” meeting to give a speech, you can also develop a sign-up sheet. Determine the dates, times, and locations in advance and post them on the discussion board. The instructor should also determine exactly how many speakers will be presenting during each time slot. Let the students know in advance how many speakers you will have time to hear during each time period and ask that no one else sign up when they see the time slot is full. This method has proven to be a very successful way

13


of organizing presentations for online students. Several online instructors organize their “in-person” speeches by asking students to speak with others in their section. This creates a group of speakers that will remain together during the entire semester.

The principle that guides the speaking order is fairness. No one should have to speak first or last repeatedly. Another option is to rotate the speaking order to guarantee a variety of placements. This rotation is not only fair but teaches a very useful lesson. Beyond the classroom, students will not be able to choose when they speak; they will have to adapt to a variety of speaking situations.

If a student needs to switch the day of a speech, the best way to do that is to exchange the speaking position with someone else. These mutually agreeable switches must be confirmed with you beforehand to make sure that the speeches run as planned. This also puts responsibility for switched dates where it should lie, with the students.

It is usually wise to "top load" the speaking schedule, putting the fewest people on the last scheduled day to account for possible overruns in time or last-minute emergencies. A typical schedule for a five-minute speech in a 50-minute class of 25 students might look like this:

Speech Day 1: Speakers 1-6Speech Day 2: Speakers 7-13Speech Day 3: Speakers 14-20Speech Day 4: Speakers 20-25

Notice that the schedule allows time for setting up and dismantling visual aids and for brief question-and-answer sessions. Packing a dozen or so speeches into a 50-minute session may be possible but is not recommended if you or your students want to retain your sanity.

New instructors should be aware of the fact that some students do not attend class on the days they are scheduled to speak. Make sure you think about this and determine how you will handle it in your syllabus. Some instructors assign an automatic zero for students who do not show up when they are scheduled to speak; others will allow students to make-up the speech after everyone else has gone if there is time (these “make-up” speeches are often given a reduced grade because they were late).

Oral Critiques

Every instructor needs to decide whether or not they wish to give oral critiques in class. This can be an integral part of the learning process but should be balanced by written evaluations by the instructor, and assessments, both oral and written, by classmates. (Often, our students make excellent and perceptive points about details instructors might miss. The broader the range of assessments students receive, the more beneficial their experience.)

While it goes without saying, the key to successful oral critique is compassion and tact. You also want to balance praise with suggestions for improvement. Even the worst speech in the world delivered by the most incompetent speaker has some quality that can be singled out for

14


praise. You can make a few limited suggestions for improvement goals and reserve the more detailed remarks for your written assessment. Oral criticism can be an invaluable tool to build confidence and self-esteem. It is a golden opportunity to praise improvement and encourage; it also allows the instructor to celebrate student accomplishment and engender a classroom community focus on goal attainment. Informal or formal critiques by students also reinforce critical thinking. (One idea is to require each student to assess a partner student both verbally and on a pre-designed form and grade the critique as well as the speech being assessed. This can work particularly well on speeches toward the end of the semester or term). You will want to create a supportive environment for your students, but that concern must be balanced by the realization that in the real world, they will be judged by competitive standards, so they need to learn how to receive constructive criticism.

Here are a few suggestions for additional post-performance comments that may stimulate discussion:

• What did you find was the easiest part about preparing for this speech?• What did you have the most trouble with in preparing your speech?• What advice would you give other speakers for their next presentation?• What did you learn from preparing this assignment?• What will you do differently in the next speech?

Oftentimes students have no idea of how to give oral critiques and may say things like “They did a great job” or “I liked their speech.” Several days before presentations begin, you may want to hand out a copy of the critique that will be used for grading and spend some time going over the evaluation form with the class. This allows you to discuss each criteria, what it entails, and how to achieve it. This seems to assist the students and give them additional in-depth information on giving oral or written critiques. You may also want to consider opening class critiques with open-ended questions such as “What worked?” and “What needs to be improved?”

During presentation days, the students can be given evaluation forms and asked to evaluate two classmates in writing. Dr. Hamilton suggests putting their initials in the top corner of the form and giving points for a well done evaluation that contains both constructive criticism, praise for areas of improvement and comments on various aspects of not only the content but delivery. (You may also want to consider having students write an over-all critique of the speeches. Have them focus on two or three elements that are essential for an effective speech and then use examples from their own and their classmates’ speeches to support and illustrate their points.)

Disputes about Grades

15


Grading any assignment involves a certain degree of judgment. Inevitably you will encounter students who are dissatisfied with the grade earned. What do you do when confronted by an irate student?

Remember that most emotional reactions to grades are knee-jerk responses. It is quite normal for a student to get back an assignment, look at the grade, and immediately begin to dispute it without reading the reasons behind that grade. These situations can be defused easily. First, always return graded material at the end of class unless you plan to review it right then. Chapter 3 in the text discusses internal stimulation, which are the thoughts a person generates that might interfere with listening. Do you want to risk students missing what happens in class because they are fuming about a grade they disagree with? Second, allow a cooling-off period so the student can digest your comments and review the rationale for the grade. This waiting period, which can be a few hours or one or more days, gives the student a chance to calm down and approach the situation rationally. It is useful to require all grade disputes to be discussed in office hours. This allows you time to review the student's grades and prevents the individual discussion from sidetracking class time or distracting the instructor from setting up the class agenda and materials prior to class. It also enforces the cooling-off period.

Every student deserves to know the reasons behind a grade. You are obligated to explain those reasons to the student, who may not agree with you but at least should be able to understand the justification for the grade. Treat all questions about grades with respect and interest. Some instructors get very defensive about any questions regarding grades. If you feel secure about how you grade, you should have no qualms about explaining your reasoning. Most importantly, if you have been pro-active and have given students a detailed written criteria for each assignment well in advance, you will be able to effectively and fairly justify the grade. Written criteria will also serve to protect your interests if the student seeks redress from a higher authority later on.

Sometimes, however, a student wants to discuss a grade and you just can't remember the assignment. For written assignments, this poses no problem. You or the student simply will produce the material and proceed. Speeches are different. Unless you are recording every speech, your memory will fade and you won't be able to reconstruct every detail of a presentation. The student claims to have cited five sources, yet you wrote on the evaluation that only one was cited. Weeks after hearing that speech and dozens or even a hundred others, will you remember? The answer is, of course, no. Because of this, it is a good idea to have a statute of limitations for grade appeals. Be honest with your students. If you teach several sections of a public speaking course, you may hear more than 100 speeches in a week. Stipulate that you welcome all questions about grades, but you cannot accept grade appeals after a certain amount of time. The time span depends on what works for you and your students, but it should allow them the chance to talk about their speeches while the presentations are fresh in your mind and you can offer the best feedback. Two weeks after the grade is returned for each individual assignment should be ample time. (This will prevent contingencies such as a student who comes to office hours in the last week of classes, who wishes to dispute every single grade they have received all term!)

16


Again, video-recording speeches can come in handy in grade disputes. The speech department at Tarrant County College requires instructors to record speeches (as they have built-in cameras in each speech classroom). Once students have viewed their videos, they very seldom have questions about the grades that were received because they can review their written evaluations along with their videos and actually see the things that they did or didn’t do to earn their grades. In the rare instance of a student questioning a grade after viewing the video, Tarrant County College has a panel of speech instructors who are asked to view the student’s video and evaluate it. The grades of the panel are averaged and this grade is then given to the student. (If you have no such process in place at your college, talk with your colleagues and develop a process that will work at your institution and with your students.)

Multi-Section Courses

At your institution, you may be asked to supervise or teach a multi-section course. If several sections of this course are being offered, you should pay attention to several points that such a format brings to the forefront. First, it may be best to keep the assignments in all sections consistent. One way to keep all the sections on track is to use a standardized syllabus or at least to have the instructors coordinate their syllabi. This safeguard will help students who switch sections, because they will not be penalized for changing their schedule and having to catch up. Check with your course director or all the other instructors to make sure the number and weight of assignments are the same. If students find that the workload differs from section to section, they will voice a legitimate complaint that their grades should not depend on what time they take the course. Consistency doesn't mean that everything has to be identical in all sections. Individual instructors can introduce variety within the specific assignments. For example, some stipulate that a certain portion of the course grade comes from assignments the graduate assistants design and administer. Often, course directors simply ask the graduate instructors to clear assignments with them so they can make sure they are appropriate. If you are a first-time instructor, you will want to be sure to touch base with the course director on specific consistency policies.

A second type of consistency is the even-handed application of course policies. There are many cases where instructors decided to "buck the system" and institute policies (such as extra-credit) that no one else was using. Such practices are dreadfully unfair to students because they undermine the efforts of instructors who stick to the stipulated course guidelines. Ultimately the students are penalized because some sections get special treatment that others did not. Perhaps the best way to blend creativity with standardization is for the instructors to collaborate in designing the assignments and course format. Sometimes, particularly if you are a novice instructor, you will "inherit" a course that has been pre-designed. Within any framework, however, creative instructors can stimulate their students to perform well and treat the course as more than just another hurdle to jump before graduation. Many beginning instructors feel adrift their first few terms of teaching. Remember that you are not alone in this effort to enlighten. Multi-section courses have the distinct advantage of placing several instructors in a situation where they will share many of the same challenges. Take advantage of this opportunity to share your ideas with your colleagues. We all become better teachers when we share concepts and new approaches.

17


Even if you have to handle a multi-section course alone, you can get advice. Find out which other colleges and universities in the area offer similar courses. Extend your network of colleagues to any institution where public speaking is taught.

A final issue that surfaces in multi-section courses is consistency of grading across sections. If the standards for effective communication are applied fairly, all instructors should be looking for the same sorts of qualities. To make sure that you and the other instructors are applying the evaluative criteria evenly, you should conduct practice evaluation sessions. In these sessions, use your evaluation forms to grade video recorded speeches. Check to see where inconsistencies arise and discuss the sources of disagreement. These dry runs should be conducted before the first graded speeches occur. While some subjectivity is inevitable, instructors will be able to adjust their grading so that it is more predictable and fair.

(Hint: With the advent of Student Learning Outcome (SLO) requirements, viewing recordings of student speeches can serve as norming sessions for the SLO assessment rubrics as well as helping individual instructors develop objective grading criteria. If you do not choose to video-record your students, viewing the sample student speeches available on DVD with Hamilton’s textbook can be used for these sessions.)

Constructing the Course Syllabus

A syllabus is not just a schedule of what will happen and when it will occur. The course syllabus is your working contract with your students. In some situations, a syllabus can be legally binding. It should be planned carefully and adjusted only when absolutely necessary. The syllabus ordinarily contains a description of course policies and a schedule for the term. Depending on the exact format of the course, the details of the syllabus will vary. Despite minor variations in content, however, these items should still be covered.

A carefully constructed syllabus has two benefits. First, it saves you work during the term. With the course format and objectives stated explicitly, you will have to handle far fewer confused or lost students. An extremely explicit syllabus also minimizes disputes over confusion regarding course goals and standards. Second, and more importantly, the syllabus allows students to be prepared. As a result, their confidence increases—always an important factor in a public speaking course, where confidence plays a central role in the quality of performance. One of the most widespread complaints heard from students at all types of educational institutions is, "I didn't know what the teacher wanted." Your syllabus makes the course orderly and predictable without, hopefully, making it monotonous.

You should distribute the syllabus as early in the term as possible, preferably the first day of class and no later than the first week. Several institutions are introducing an item on course evaluations that asks whether the syllabus was distributed within the first week of class. The schedules of students are tighter than they have ever been. In this era of budgetary restraints,

18


more students are entering college with heavy outside obligations: families, jobs (many are working more than 20 hours weekly), and service activities. By introducing structure to the course immediately, you give students the opportunity to budget their time and anticipate the required workload.

The following list offers suggestions as to what should be included in your syllabus. Bear in mind that your syllabus should contain the following items at a minimum. You may decide that other pertinent information should be included. You will also want to check with your course director, chair or department head, or Dean's office about any standardized institution-wide "syllabus inserts" that should be included. If your institution has the ability to allow you to place your syllabus on the Web, it is an excellent idea. Many instructors now do this, and it provides an immediately accessible reference to course requirements and dates and also eliminates problems with lost or misplaced syllabi.(Hint: For years one professor had a problem with many students misplacing their syllabi. The course syllabus seemed to vanish amid the reams of paper students received the first week of class. This situation was dangerous, since a student without a syllabus is like a ship without navigational equipment. It's tough to stay on course when you don't know what lies ahead. The solution was simple.

For the past few years, the syllabus was copied on a different color of paper. For extra visibility, he gravitated toward fluorescent colors: electric pink, optic yellow, etc. These colors stand out in the stack of papers and help students find their syllabi easily. He also color-coded the different section times for easy reference. That way multiple syllabi didn’t get mixed up. It works. Since he started using bright colors, he has had to replace fewer than half a dozen syllabi per semester in a course of 400 students!)

Course Name, Number, and Credit Hours: This information sounds basic, but it allows students to find the syllabus at a glance. When students often have to file syllabi from five or more courses, the course name needs to be clearly visible. The course number and credit hours prove helpful for students who have just added the course or are thinking about doing so. Make sure this information coordinates with the same material in the current schedule of classes and in the college catalog. If your institution has computer codes or other data students need to add a course, it helps to include that data at the top of the syllabus. You might save students time and reduce errors in registration.

Instructor’s Name: This is obvious, but including your name is essential in multi-section courses, especially since the course content and instructional methods might vary depending on the teacher. You should include how you want to be addressed. (You will want to consider whether or not to adopt a "first name" basis with your students. With more mature groups populated by continuing education students this may be perfectly appropriate, but for first time graduate instructors, particularly those dealing with traditional 18-22 year-old students, such familiarity can backfire. There is a risk that the students will assume the instructor is their peer, a friend who just happens to teach. When the graduate student exercises authority in the class, especially through grading, that peer relationship must be redefined. It might be wiser to

19


cultivate a somewhat more formal relationship that is adaptable to the duties an instructor must exercise.)

It is also handy to list your official position in the department so students know what kinds of administrative questions you can handle. Making your position clear also defines the scope of your responsibilities. If you are a graduate assistant, students should know that the professor supervising the course is ultimately responsible for the course's content. If you are the director of the basic course, students should understand that you are the person who handles matters relating to the overall course.

How to Reach You: This information is one of the most crucial items you will communicate to your students. You should include specific office hours, noting when and where they are held. Your office number should always be on the syllabus. If you do not have voice mail, leave the departmental phone number as well. That way you know that someone will be able to take messages during business hours.(Hint: Easily the three most frequently asked questions in this course will be: "Where's your office?" "When are your office hours?" "How do I get in touch with you?" Don't leave the answers to chance. Aside from including your office location, hours, and phone number on your syllabus, include the same information on the guidelines for major assignments. Emphasizing your availability becomes important when you distribute guidelines because students may have questions. If they don't have to search through a stack of papers to find out how to reach you, they will be more likely to consult with you.)

Whether you include your home telephone number is up to you. If privacy is a concern for you, not listing your home number is perfectly acceptable, provided you check your office messages daily and return calls reasonably. If you do allow your students to use your home number, provide reasonable calling guidelines. If you publicize your home telephone number, make the guidelines for calls explicit as a matter of courtesy. For example, if you don't want any calls after 10:00 P.M., then say so. If your home telephone number is not listed on the syllabus, students tend to assume that you do not want to be called at home.

In our high-tech era, email can be an excellent way for students to ask detailed questions and receive in-depth answers without it being intrusive for anyone. Using email has an added dividend of encouraging computer literacy in an age where that skill might be necessary for workplace survival. (Many professors now require students to submit their outlines and written assignments on email.)

(Hint: No matter how you want your students to contact you, it’s always a good idea to let them know how long it will reasonably take you to get back to them. Some students need to be reminded that you aren’t on your computer at all hours of the day and night. Many instructors tell their students to allow them a minimum of 24 working hours for a response to email or voice mail messages.)

Overall, here is the type of information you should include to tell how you can be reached:• Office Location• Office Hours

20


• Office Phone Number/voice mailbox number• Department Phone Number• Home Phone Number (optional)• E-mail Address (or personal/dept. FAX numbers if relevant)

This degree of detail might sound unusual, but the key here is reasonable access. Students may not voice all their questions in class, especially if they have a high degree of communication apprehension. Furthermore, peer pressure can make students feel "stupid" if they ask questions. Many students (and instructors, for that matter) feel more comfortable discussing class-related matters in the more private and personal setting of a one-on-one conference or a small discussion group. Office hours can provide an invaluable opportunity to offer special and specific assistance that will truly lead to improvement in speeches presented in class. You especially want to encourage the more “at risk” students to use office hours. (Ironically, office hour visits are usually made by academically superior students, rather than those who really need the help). By encouraging students to come in for help and use the time to their advantage, you may be helping them set far more productive, proactive, and assertive academic behaviors. Students who do improve with your personal assistance will remember the experience in positive terms. These conferences can make teaching much more fulfilling and invariably lead to more positive teaching evaluations.

Full Listing of All Texts and Other Instructional Materials: Listing all the instructional materials students must buy is a practical matter. Since most trips to the bookstore will be made the first week of classes, your syllabus provides the official shopping list. You will help students avoid confusion and delays by listing the complete citations of all books. As an added bonus, a clear listing of books will reduce stress levels of employees at your local bookstore. You may choose to include on the syllabus the cost of books as well, because that information allows students to budget their money. (Keep in mind, in college towns with multiple bookstores, prices can vary; you may wish to informally suggest the least expensive vendor in class.) You will want to include ISBN codes for books, because different editions might look similar but can be distinguished by their ISBN codes. If you have more than one bookstore in town, specify which store carries the texts. (If you only have one bookstore, check with them before classes start to make sure they ordered your text and that they have enough copies in stock.)

Course Objectives: At most institutions, course goals or objectives are required to be listed in detail on every syllabus. The rationale is that this allows students to immediately grasp the purpose of the course and to comprehend the general goals the instructor and program have delineated for the individual student. (You may want to refer back to the earlier section on "Teaching Philosophy" and utilize that list as a model for developing your own distinct course objectives. Hint: Wording in this section can be phrased in terms of the following lead-in: "By the end of the term/semester, the successful student will have demonstrated competency in the acquisition of the following skills. . ." This listing of goals is very compatible with value-added instructional standards so popular with many institutions today.

21


To some extent, the objectives will be tailored to the course curriculum, the description in your institution's catalog of classes, your department's mission, and your own instructional goals. Remember to list the more obvious instructional objectives, such as gaining experience in giving oral communication. Since accreditation agencies and state governments are apt to treat oral communication as a basic skill, they need to know that this course contributes to developing that skill. Most importantly, your course objectives should be tailored to the needs of your students. Technical colleges will have students who tend to be vocationally-oriented, so the relevance of this course to the job market should be emphasized. Community colleges have many students who are preparing to transfer to four-year institutions, so it would be wise to explain how public speaking skills transfer to upper-division courses. Non-traditional students appreciate the application of public speaking skills to their community activities and family relationships. At large universities, the role of public speaking in law school or medical school (either of which might be on campus) might be especially relevant. Your course objectives, therefore, reflect how this course is designed to meet the specific needs of the students you teach.

How the Objectives Will Be Achieved: Briefly explain the types of activities that will enable students to accomplish the objectives. This course always includes "platform" speeches, which are relatively formal addresses by one person to an audience. Aside from the major speeches, what other tools will be used to develop skills in oral communication? Beyond the concerns of "oral communication" itself, you may wish to emphasize the broader theme of communication competencies, highlighting activities and aspects of the class that help the student acquire or enhance their non-verbal communication skills, listening skills, writing and research skills, etc.

Explicit Grading Criteria: The grading criteria include how much each assignment is worth (i.e., the proportion of the total grade) and the grading scale for the course. Make sure you include all assignments on your grading criteria.

Beyond listing how student work will be evaluated, it is a good idea to emphasize the qualities that students should develop if they want to excel. Cultivating the qualities that make excellent students can help instructors and students reach beyond minimum competencies and toward excellence. Here are the types of qualities you may wish to list on your syllabi:

• demonstrating curiosity about intellectual issues by raising thoughtful, relevant questions,

• exhibiting careful and thorough preparation (e.g., attention to detail, planning and editing, rigorous practice),

• voluntarily making tasks more challenging by focusing on improving performance rather than meeting minimal requirements,

• seeking feedback on ideas from colleagues and offering your insights and abilities to them,

• active class participation by guiding discussion toward issues you find problematic,

• focusing on how future performance can be improved rather than on how past performance can be excused,

• approaching tasks and discussions from original or inventive perspectives.Remember that any characteristics you list are exemplary and not exhaustive.

22


Attendance Policy: Although the attendance policy you use will be to a large extent the product of your institution's guidelines, attendance assumes special importance in this course. Public speaking is a transactional process. It requires speakers and listeners. The only way a speaker can improve presentational skills is through the presence of an engaged, attentive audience willing to offer constructive feedback. Since listening is one of the skills emphasized in the text, it is logical that students must be present to listen.

Attendance on speech days is absolutely crucial for several reasons. A supportive audience will lend confidence to apprehensive speakers. Also, speakers tend to improve faster if they can respond to questions from the audience. The interaction an audience provides helps the speaker elaborate on issues that might not have been developed fully during the speech itself. Third, the audience learns from observing speakers, effective and ineffective.

Most importantly, however, attendance on speech days shows respect for the speaker. Nothing is more demoralizing for a speaker than to prepare for a presentation only to be faced with the prospect of talking to an empty room. It is wise, by the way, when formulating your attendance policy, to discuss in class or write on the syllabus (or both) the demeanor you expect audience members to exhibit. An audience is valuable only when it is attentive, and that means extraneous activities such as reading the newspaper, doing homework, working on their own speeches, and text messaging should be prohibited. Again, stress that these behavioral codes are part of the ethical obligations of audiences. If your focus is on creating a learning community environment, then all stakeholders have a responsibility to each other.

There is a lot of disagreement about how to encourage attendance. Some instructors reward good attendance by giving extra points if students attend. Some education codes, however, prohibit the grading of attendance. Rather than giving points for attendance or deducting points for absences, making the in-class activities and assignments essential to a student’s ability to successfully complete the course is much more effective.

You can use the attendance issue to stress the importance of prompt, accurate communication. Whenever possible, students should notify you in advance if they know they will miss class. It is often helpful to emphasize that early notification allows everyone to plan ahead and avoid confusion. Finally, you will want to stress to students that regular, reliable attendance is part of developing professional behaviors. Their careers do not start two or four years after they start college; rather they should think of their first day of higher education as their first day of their career. Numerous studies show a direct correlation between regular attendance and higher grades. Therefore attendance is an investment in one’s self.

Behavioral Expectations: It is no longer viable in any higher education context to assume automatically that students know what civil behavior entails. Being proactive by explaining what does or does not constitute appropriate classroom behavior on your syllabus is a good idea. Some institutions provide a "classroom rights and responsibilities" insert in every syllabus, which explicitly details appropriate and inappropriate classroom conduct in a higher education setting. An effective way to broach the topic of behavioral expectations is to stress democratic ideals, i.e., all have a voice and all deserve a chance to be heard. Professionalism is

23


also a standard to emphasize. If you have any particular concerns, (like no cell phones turned on in class, no beepers, no hats in the classroom, no disruptive tardiness, no gum or tobacco chewing, no newspaper reading or excessive private conversations), you should absolutely include a section on your syllabus listing specifics.

In the hopefully unlikely event that a student will have to be removed for disruptive behavior, the fact that you as instructor circulated a written record of your standards will support your position strongly in any dispute that follows. You should also take the time to become very familiar with your institution's student and faculty handbooks and know where the extent of your authority lies in your classroom. In these litigious times, it makes good professional sense to follow institutional procedures by the book.

Honor Violations: It is extremely important to summarize or include in full your institution's policies regarding honor violations. This information might seem redundant, but it proves vital if a student is accused of academic dishonesty. Sadly, incidents of cheating have increased substantially in the past two decades. By including the types of honor violations and the penalties on the syllabus, students receive fair warning that such behaviors are not tolerated. The information also protects you if an offender claims that "the teacher didn't tell me this was wrong." Ordinarily, honor violations include: cheating, stealing, alteration of records, compliance, and plagiarism.

You will want to be sure your students are aware of consequences of such behavior, which at most schools result in at least a failing grade for the assignment, often a failing grade in the course, and in some contingencies may result in expulsion.

The most common honor violation is plagiarism, where a student will employ the words or ideas of someone else without proper acknowledgment. While this sometimes occurs out of ignorance, in many cases it is done deliberately and is becoming perhaps more pervasive given the ease of instant access to Internet sources. This Fifth Edition of Hamilton’s text expressly addresses plagiarism on pages 17-18. This issue should be discussed and defined in class during the first weeks of class. A concise and helpful discussion of plagiarism is also included in: Joseph Gibaldi, MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. Seventh ed. New York: Modern Language Association of America, 2009, pp. 52-61. Similar discussion can be located in: The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association . Sixth ed. Washington D.C.: American Psychological Association, 2010, p. 170. Most dictionary definitions of plagiarism are also sufficient, providing you take time to explain them in class. Many incoming freshmen may have no concept of the process of footnoting or sourcing and why it is important. You want to be certain that they are clear as to how they should cite their sources and that they understand that ignorance of the procedural requirements is not an excuse. You may wish to determine what style manual is endorsed by your department and refer your students to that source. You will want to cover citation style and bibliographies in class, and many instructors find it helpful to provide a Modern Language Association (MLA) or American Psychological Association (APA) “cheat sheet” handout for more common forms of bibliographical entries, such as books, periodicals and journals, interviews and on-line sources. (Note: in communication, most journals now specify APA style).

24


Be aware that plagiarism applies to oral presentations as well as written material. (Although usually a "canned" speech composed by a previous student and pulled from a file is easy to spot. Such students rarely take the time to update their bibliography and sources.) To deter plagiarism and to allow documentation of charges in a case where you detect plagiarism, you might want to collect the speaker's notes immediately after the speech, and then return the notes with the speech grade. That way you have firsthand knowledge of whether the speech was original. If you do suspect plagiarism, a meeting in office hours might be useful. Having a third party present at this informal meeting, during which you may wish to ask the student questions about their research to determine whether or not they actually did the research, can be helpful. As with all honor code violations, generally students are "innocent until proven guilty," so it is important to proceed with caution and avoid dramatic accusations unless you possess iron-clad proof. In any event, you should know in advance what your institution’s policies and standards are regarding such matters.

Missed Assignments, Late Assignments, and Make-Ups: You need to develop a consistent policy on make-up work and late assignments. If you are new to teaching this course, consult with your department chair and senior faculty members to find out what the customary policies are in your department. The important thing to remember is that your policy should be enforced uniformly to assure fairness to all students.

Extenuating circumstances should be sufficient reasons for allowing students to make up work. Be sure, however, to make a distinction between legitimate reasons and poor excuses. Legitimate reasons for absences or missed assignments include: personal illness, family emergency (death or serious illness in the immediate family), religious holidays, official school activities, such as debate, athletics, or academic conferences (make sure you are notified of these schedules at the beginning of the term).

You want to note that religious holidays generally have to be excused by law or by institutional policy. You want to be careful and discreet in handling these situations. Even in legitimate situations it is still the student's responsibility to apprise you of their situation and to make up all missing work at a time that the instructor finds mutually convenient or viable. In situations involving long-term illness that prevents the student from attaining enough equity in the class to be graded, you will wish to consult your supervisor for policy advice on an arrangement for an "incomplete" grade or other options.

In all cases, to separate potential "pinnochios" from those with legitimate reasons for absence, you will want to require reasonable documentation for absence, such as doctor's excuses, funeral announcements, etc. This policy guarantees fairness.

Special Needs: To accommodate any special needs students have, it is helpful to have your students fill out confidential "personal data" sheets on the first day of classes. These forms can provide you with useful information about the student's class standing, background, and initial goals. Adding a section that asks if they have any particular learning challenges, medical needs, or personal responsibilities that may cause concern or need to be addressed gives students the opportunity to inform you of their needs. These forms help instructors to be

25


proactive in accommodating students with severe allergies who carry adrenaline hypodermics, students who have attention deficit disorders, dyslexic students, students with hearing impairments, parents with daycare demands, etc. Knowing the challenges early can allow you to adapt to the individual student’s needs or refer them to resources on or off campus where they can obtain assistance. (These forms can be shredded after each term is concluded in order to ensure confidentiality.) A sample sheet is included in this section of the Instructor’s Resource Manual. It is also a good idea to check with your department chair or dean to find out what your institution’s policies are for meeting special needs. Some institutions have a set statement that must be included on every syllabus.

Written Work Copies: It is a good idea to require students to retain hard copies of written work they perform for the class. This avoids problems if the instructor's briefcase is stolen or a paper is misplaced or an instructor accidentally records an incorrect grade. Warn students that saving materials on disk or drive is not sufficient as disks or drives can be subject to memory loss, viruses, etc. There is no excuse in our high-tech world for students not to retain full hard copy files of all work they complete. If you have students who email assignments, ask them to always copy themselves on the email. If you do not receive the email, you can ask them to forward the original email, which will contain the original date, letting you know if the assignment was submitted on time.

A Note on Posting of Grades: If you choose to post grades outside your office or somewhere else on campus, you want to avoid posting grades by name or social security number. Recent lawsuits have established legal prohibitions from using all or any portion of a person's social security number on a public display. A far better system is to ask students to select their own identifier (a random number or word). Because of FERPA regulations (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974), student records are private and may only be disclosed with prior written consent. Grades may only be disclosed directly to the student. It is best to ask students to check your college’s grade reporting system to see their final grade instead of to risk violating FERPA regulations by disclosing a grade through improper channels. If you have questions about these regulations, you may want to talk to your department chair or dean.

26


Sample Course Syllabus(Please note that this syllabus is offered only as a suggestion; your own syllabus and calendar will reflect your own institutional needs and teaching style. The following syllabus is for an 18-week term with class meeting twice a week for one hour and twenty minutes each.)

COM 103: Public Speaking

Instructor: Alycia EhlertPhone: 615-230-3214Office: Ramer Room 101Email: [email protected] Hours: Monday, 1-3 p.m.; Wednesday, 1-1:30 p.m.; and Tuesday, 6-6:45 p.m.;

Thursday, 10:30-11:50 a.m.; and by appointment.

Textbooks: Hamilton, Cheryl. Essentials of Public Speaking. 5th edition.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of English 1010 or the equivalent.

Course Objectives: The primary objective of this course is to help students improve their public communication. The emphasis is on practical experiences, and therefore, lecturing by the instructor is kept to a minimum. The skills learned in this course will be useful in other courses and throughout the student’s life. Detailed objectives will be provided with each assignment.

Assignments:• There will be five speaking assignments: introductory speech, demonstration speech,

informative speech, persuasive speech, and a final speech as well as two impromptu speeches. Students must speak at their assigned time or receive a zero for the speech. The only exceptions will be in cases of true emergencies.

• A typed outline of the demonstration, informative, and persuasive speeches are due on the assigned speaking date.

• Students will write a critique of the informative speech presented by themselves and their classmates. Students will also write a critique of an outside speaker.

• In addition to the above, students will be expected to complete homework and in-class exercises.

• Complete quizzes.

Assignments and Grading: The course grade will be based upon a straight percentage of the total points for the following assignments. All assignments are graded according to how well students meet the specific requirements given with each assignment. All out-of-class work must be typed, and all work must be turned in on time.Assignment Weights:Introductory Speech 25 points

Demonstration Speech 50 points 50 pointsInformative Speech 100 points

27


Persuasive Speech 150 pointsFinal Speech 50 pointsImpromptu Speeches 25 pointsCritiques 25 pointsQuizzes 50 pointsOther assignments 25 points

Total: 500 points

Mastery Level:90-100% A80-89% B70-79% C60-69% D59% and lower F

Requirements:• Complete all assignments and turn them in on time.• Consistently complete work at a passing level or above.• Have textbook and required materials .• Attend all class meetings on time, prepared to participate, with a positive attitude.• Participate in class activities• Keep track of work, assignment due dates, and progress in the course.• Abide by all course policies (including the academic honesty policy).

Attendance/Make-Up Policy/Late Assignments: Each student must attend class unless excused by the instructor. An excused absence consists of a documented illness, family or work emergency, or school-related activity (but does not include studying for another course or making up work in another course!). Whenever possible, the student is to notify the instructor in advance of an absence. When it is not possible to contact the instructor in advance, the student is to contact the instructor at the earliest possible time so arrangements can be made for making up missed assignments. All required work is to be made up and turned into the instructor within one week of the absence. The instructor reserves the right to not accept late work . It is the responsibility of the student to meet with the instructor (outside of class) to find out what work was missed and whether or not that work can be made up. After missing the equivalent of one week of a full-semester class, a student may be dropped from the course. No late work will be accepted after Friday, May 2.

If a student's behavior is disruptive to the classroom learning environment, he or she will be asked to leave the classroom. Such action will be counted as an unexcused absence. If a student is asked to leave the room again, a meeting will be scheduled with the Dean of Instruction. The following are examples of disruptive behavior:

Talking while the instructor is talking. Excessive tardiness (three late arrivals equal one absence). Leaving class early without prior notification (talk to the instructor before class). Three

"early exits" equal one absence. Entering or exiting the classroom during student speeches. Any behavior that is disrespectful to fellow students or the instructor. Answering phones in class (beepers, phones, watch alarms, MP3 players, etc. should be

off during class)*. Failure to cooperate. Distracting behavior (playing with body piercings, inappropriate attire, excessive talking,

etc.).

28


*If your phone does ring, turn it off immediately. Do NOT answer it! Repeated incidents of electronic device disruptions may result in any of the following measures: confiscation of the offending item, dismissal from the class, and/or a pop quiz for the entire class. If you must have your phone on for emergency or work reasons, talk with me about this outside of class.Students are responsible for dropping courses they no longer wish to be enrolled in. Do not assume the instructor will drop you if you simply stop attending class. If you do drop a course, print the page as verification of having executed the drop.

Academic Dishonesty Policy: Anyone caught passing off someone else’s work, words, or ideas as his or her own can be failed. Additionally, students working together on assignments, quizzes, or examinations when they are expected to work independently (this includes work done on BlackBoard) are also violating academic honesty policies. (See the catalog and student handbook for more information.)

Academic Accommodation: If you have a verified need for an academic accommodation or materials in alternate media (i.e.: Braille, large print, electronic text, etc.) per the Americans with Disabilities Act or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, please contact your instructor as soon as possible.

Course Outline

Chapters are to be read prior to coming to class the first day of the week they are assigned.

Week One Chapter 1Monday, January 14 Overview and IntroductionWednesday, January 16 Public Speaking Basics

Week Two Chapters 2 & 3 Quiz #1Monday, January 21 NO CLASS—Martin Luther King, Jr. DayWednesday, January 23 Assign Introductory Speech

and Critique of Outside Speaker

Week Three Chapters 4 & 14 Quiz #2Monday, January 28 Storytelling (bring a favorite picture book)Wednesday, January 30 Introductory Speech Due

Assign Demonstration Speech

Week Four Chapters 5 & 6 Quiz #3Monday, February 4 Work on Demonstration SpeechWednesday, February 6 Work on Demonstration Speech

29


Week Five Chapters 7 & 8 Quiz #4Monday, February 11 Demonstration Speech Due/Assign Informative

speechWednesday, February 13 Impromptu Informative SpeechFriday, February 15 Lincoln’s Birthday—NO CLASSES

Week Six Chapter 11 Quiz #5Monday, February 18 President’s Day—NO CLASSESWednesday, February 20 Work on Informative Speech

Week Seven Chapter 9 Quiz #6Monday, February 25 Work on Informative SpeechWednesday, February 27 Work on Informative Speech

Week Eight Chapter 10 Monday, March 3 Informative Speech Due Wednesday, March 5 Finish Informative Speeches

Week Nine: Chapter 12 Quiz #7Monday, March 10 Informative Speech Critique Due

Assign Persuasive Speech Wednesday, March 12 Library Orientation

Week Ten SPRING BREAK NO CLASSESMonday-Friday, March 17-21 NO CLASSES

Week Eleven Chapter 13 Quiz #8Monday, March 24 Work on Persuasive SpeechWednesday, March 26 Impromptu Persuasive Speech

Week TwelveMonday, March 31 Work on Persuasive SpeechWednesday, April 2 Work on Persuasive Speech

Week Thirteen Quiz #9Monday, April 5 Work on Persuasive SpeechWednesday, April 7 Critique of Outside Speaker Due

Week FourteenMonday, April 14 Work on Persuasive Speech

30


Wednesday, April 16 Persuasive Speech DueFriday, April 18 LAST DAY TO DROP

Week FifteenMonday, April 21 Persuasive SpeechesWednesday, April 23 Persuasive Speeches

Week Sixteen Quiz #10Monday, April 28 Persuasive SpeechesWednesday, April 30 Finish Persuasive Speeches; Assign Final SpeechFriday, May 2 LAST DAY FOR APPROVED LATE WORK

Week SeventeenMonday, May 5 Work on Final SpeechWednesday, May 7 Work on Final Speech

Week Eighteen:Monday, May 12 Work on Final SpeechWednesday, May 14 Work on Final Speech

Week Nineteen:Monday, May 19, 9-11 Final Speech Due

This schedule is tentative.It will probably change! If substantial changes occur, you will receive an updated outline.

31


SAMPLE STUDENT CONTRACT

I received a class syllabus with an explanation of the policy on absences and an explanation of the course assignments and grading policy. I understand that I must attend class and submit all work on time and at a passing level and I must participate in order to receive a passing grade for the course. I also understand that it is my responsibility to keep track of my work, assignment due dates, and my progress in the course. By signing this contract, I agree to abide by the rules (including the academic honesty policy) for this course as stated in the syllabus.

Signed: ___________________________________________ Date: ______________________

Name: _________________________________ (print) Student at Vol State since: __________

E-mail & phone number:__________________________________________________________

Intended major/career: ___________________________________________________________

I meet the English 1010 prerequisite for this course because I successfully completed English 1010 with a grade of _____ during the __________ semester of _________. Or, I meet the prerequisite because_____________________________________________________________.

Please list communication (oral and written) courses you have taken (high school and/or college) and/or other experiences you feel will contribute to your success in this course. Please explain.__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Please complete the following statements:When it comes to public speaking, I ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________When it comes to working in groups, I ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

32


In order for me to succeed in this course, I need ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Please feel free to write further comments on the back of this sheet.If you have special needs, please let me know what they are and how I can meet them.

33


SAMPLE STUDENT DATA SHEETAll information is confidential and is destroyed after the term/semester concludes; this information is requested only so that the professor can better serve your learning needs.

Please print neatlyCOM 103: Public Speaking Section ______________ Class Time: _____________Name__________________________________ Preferred name: ________________

If you work:

a. Where do you work?

b. Rank, title, or position?

c. Number of hours per week?

d. What job or position do you hope to get after college graduation?

Class standing__________________ (freshman, sophomore, etc.)

Major or tentative major_______________________________

1. What are your goals for this class?

2. Do you have any prior public speaking experience?

3. What do you hope to gain from this course (Other than an “A”)?

4. Are there any special needs as a student that the instructor should be aware of? (Examples: any health problems you may be subject to such as epilepsy or asthma; learning challenges such as dyslexia or attention deficit disorder; or physical challenges such as hearing impairments? Any additional concerns that might affect attendance, such as jobs, day care demands, or commuting?)

34


SAMPLE SPEECH EVALUATION FORM I

* Note to Instructors: This particular form is weighted for a 100-point presentation.

Name _________________________________ Topic ________________Date:________Grade _______________________Ratings: 1 (missing) 2 (poor) 3 (fair) 4 (good) 5 (excellent)

Did INTRODUCTION:1. Begin with attention getter? 1 2 3 4 52. Motivate audience to listen? 1 2 3 4 53. Establish credibility? 1 2 3 4 54. Preview main points? 1 2 3 4 55. Include clear thesis statement? 1 2 3 4 5

Were MAIN IDEAS:6. Easy to identify and follow? 1 2 3 4 57. Arranged in effective pattern? 1 2 3 4 58. Characterized by good transitions? 1 2 3 4 5

Was SUPPORTING MATERIAL:9. Well-documented during speech? 1 2 3 4 510. Adequate in verbal supports? 1 2 3 4 5 _____Statistics? _____Experts? _____Comparisons? _____Illustrations? _____Examples? _____Explanations?11. Adequate in visual supports? 1 2 3 4 5 _____Interesting? _____Professional? _____Easy to see? _____Handled well?

Did CONCLUSION:12. Summarize topic and main ideas? 1 2 3 4 513. Close in a memorable way? 1 2 3 4 5

Was DELIVERY characterized by:14. Relaxed, confident posture? 1 2 3 4 515. Direct eye contact? 1 2 3 4 516. Natural conversational quality? 1 2 3 4 517. Freedom from distracting mannerisms? 1 2 3 4 5 _____”Uh”/”Um”/”And Uh”/”You know”/”Like” _____ Plays with pencil, clothes, hair, or pointer _____ Nervous laugh or cough?

35


_____ Slouches, taps feet, paces, or sways? _____ Over-reliance on notes? _____ Other?18. Effective volume, pitch, rate, and emphasis? 1 2 3 4 5

Was PRESENTATION AS A WHOLE:19. Suited to audience? 1 2 3 4 520. Suited to time and assignment? 1 2 3 4 5

36


SAMPLE SPEECH EVALUATION FORM II

CRITERIA REMARKS

Content:

I. Introduction--Attention step clear?-Identification step relevant?-Thesis/purpose clear?-Preview in place?-Terms defined if necessary?

II. Body--Main points clear and logically related to purpose?-Evidentiary support adequate, varied and appropriately cited?-Organization of points clear?-Transitions smooth?-Effective language usage?

III. Conclusion--Adequate summary?-Inspiring last line/sense of closure?

Delivery:

I. Non-verbal--Good posture?-Effective gesticulation?-Reasonable eye contact?-Appropriate movement built into speech?-Visuals handled well/smoothly integrated?-Quality of supporting aids?-Reactive facial expression?

II. Vocal/verbal--Good vocal variety/pitch shifts?-Verbalized pauses eliminated?-Assertive volume/projection?-Appropriate vocal mood?-Enunciation/diction/pronunciation appropriate/clear?

37


SAMPLE GRADE SHEET

COM 103 Name: ______________________Informative Speech – Evaluation Sheet

To receive a C grade, you must: -be prepared to speak when it is your turn -meet the specifications of the assignment -stay within the time frame -score 70% or better -prepare a typed outline in the correct form and turn it in when it is your turn to speak

To receive a B grade, you must do all of the above plus: -speak at least three minutes but no more than five minutes -score 80% or better -carry sentence outline to the 3rd level (Arabic numerals) in at least two sections -use a visual aid

To receive an A grade, you must do all of the above plus: -do something unusual or unexpected -show audience awareness throughout the speech -have above average organization and focus -have exceptional delivery -score 90% or better

Rating scale for the following: E-excellent G-good A-average F-fair P-poorLetter Grade: A B C D F

Introduction E G A F PBody E G A F PConclusion E G A F PDelivery E G A F POverall E G A F P

Grade: _____/100 points Letter Grade: _____

38


SAMPLE GUIDELINES FOR AN INFORMATIVE SPEECH

COM 103Informative Speech

Purpose: to share information about a non-controversial subjectSubject: your choice to fit audience, occasion, your own interests and knowledge, the time

limit, and extemporaneous speech formMode: extemporaneousTime limit: 3-5 minutesIntroduction and conclusion: should be planned carefully; avoid resorting to “thank you” in place

of a planned conclusionNote cards: you may use note cards if they are confined to key words, statistics, or direct

quotations. Use index cards or your outline for speaking notes. Use only one side of the card and number the cards. Keep notes to a minimum. Do not write out your speech.

Sentence outline: As you get up to speak, hand in a sentence outline of your speech. Head the page with the speech title (which you will not announce when you speak). The outline should follow this pattern:

TitleRhetorical purpose: A speech to informSpecific purpose: To inform the audience...Organizational pattern: Chronological, topical, spatial, etc.Thesis: A complete, single, declarative statement of the central idea of your

speechIntroduction: Written out in a paragraph form more or less as you plan to give itBody: Three main headings (Roman numerals) should be the most you will

need. You must use two. Include subheadings to the second indentation (capital letters). All entries must be complete sentences and should be parallel in form. Do not use questions in the outline. Transitions may be indicated if you wish. Use one of the patterns of organization listed in the text (see Chapter 7): Chronological, spatial, causal, problem-solution, or topical.

Conclusion: Written out in paragraph form, as for the introduction.

To receive a C grade, you must:-be prepared to speak when it is your turn-meet the specifications of the assignment-keep your speech within the time frame-score 70% or better-prepare a typed outline in the correct form and turn it in when it is your turn to speak

To receive a B grade, you must do all of the above plus:-speak at least three minutes but no more than five minutes

39


-score 80% or better-carry sentence outline to the 3rd level (Arabic numerals) in at least two sections-use a visual aid

To receive an A grade, you must do all of the above plus:-do something unusual or unexpected-show audience awareness throughout the speech-have above average organization and focus-have exceptional delivery-score 90% or better

COM 103Informative SpeechSample Outline

Title: A Key to Good Grades

Rhetorical Purpose: A speech to informSpecific Purpose: A speech to explain to the audience how to use S-Q 3-ROrganizational Pattern: ChronologicalThesis: To use S-Q 3-R, you must Survey, Question, and apply the 3 R’s:

Read, Recite, Review.Introduction: This is the key to my car. When I want to go somewhere, I put this

key into the ignition. Without this key, the car stands still. I have another “key” to show you. This key allows you to get somewhere—not in a car but in school. With this key, you can earn better grades and win the admiration of your friends and family. You will also save time studying and will have more time to do other things. Using the S-Q 3-R study method will make you a better student. Let’s discuss the three cuts in this key to good grades: Survey; Question; apply the three R’s: Read; Recite; Review.

Body:I. When you start reading, quickly survey the chapter or assignment.

A. First read the first and last paragraphs.Then go back to the first paragraph and reread.Next read all paragraphs in between.Then reread the last paragraph.

B. When you've done that, read the sub-headings in bold-faced print.

II. When you're done reading, create questions that you will answer when you read.A. To get started, turn the chapter title into a question.B. Once you have questions for the chapter, turn each sub-heading into a question.

III. Whenever you're studying, use the 3-R’s.A. Read the material to answer the questions.B. Recite the answers to the questions until they are well in mind.

40


C. Review the entire chapter.1. Do this immediately after reading each chapter.2. Do this again after several hours.3. Do it again once a week.

Conclusion: Use the S-Q 3-R method each time you study. You will learn faster, and you will have the key to getting somewhere in school.

Bibliography: Tanner, Fran Averitt. Creative Communication, 2nd edition. Caldwell, Idaho: Clark Publishing Company, 1979.

(Note: The above outline was created by Phyllis Ennes and used in her middle school public speaking courses. It’s useful as a sample for showing students the correct outline format but also for giving them some excellent hints for studying. For additional ideas for speech assignments and evaluation forms, talk to your colleagues. Many will be more than happy to share with you!)

41


Chapter-by-Chapter Resources: Objectives, Outlines, and Classroom Exercises

CHAPTER ONE

PUBLIC SPEAKING, ETHICS, AND YOU

Chapter Objective: This concise orientation chapter emphasizes the crucial role public speaking plays in individual lives and in a broader sense, how it can be a positive force in creating societal change. The classic "process model" of communication is introduced and the affective nature of communication is discussed. The important principle of feedback and sensitivity to communication environment is also introduced and sets the stage for later discussion of audience adaptation across speaking settings. The potential for internal or external communicative message disruption and distortion from noise is also stressed. The importance of visual, verbal, and vocal codes in message transmission is also addressed. Finally, a candid and timely discussion of the need for ethical awareness, responsibility, and vigilance is offered. (This last section includes a thorough definition of plagiarism and adds a useful perspective on ethical behavior in the classroom environment). In summation, the chapter establishes the centrality of public address in the life of any functional society.

To use this chapter most effectively, explain several personal and civic benefits of taking a public speaking course or seminar. List the three different types of presentations and a sample topic for each. Identify the main elements of the basic communication model and explain why understanding this transactional process can lead to speaking success. Also explain why being ethical is a public speaker’s obligation, and compare professions that are viewed by the American public as the most ethical with professions that are considered the least ethical.

Chapter OutlineI. Public speaking: Benefits in your life

A. Enhancing personal satisfaction and development 1. Delivering effective speeches builds confidence and yields satisfaction.2. The knowledge gained from public speaking increases personal control

and self-determination.B. Ability to influence events

1. Participation in public affairs requires the ability to speak competently.2. Important individuals have been able to make positive changes in society.

For example, Mae Jemison, the first black female astronaut in space, uses public speaking to address the inequities of today’s health care.

C. Career advancement1. The National Association of Colleges and Employers in 2010 stated that

communication skills were the most important skill in a potential candidate. Communication skills are also listed as “the most lacking in new college graduates.”

42


2. As you advance in your career, the necessity to deliver speeches increases, no matter what size company you work for, in whatever capacity.

3. Many companies have speaker's bureaus of employees who discuss their areas of expertise with outside groups.

4. Oral communication skills have been identified in numerous studies as crucial to success in a wide array of businesses such as engineering.

5. You already have built a foundation for developing public speaking skills by giving informal talks to friends and classmates.

II. The Right Speech for the SituationA. Informative speeches promote understanding of an idea or convey a body of

related facts; comprehension is the key goal.B. Persuasive speeches attempt to influence beliefs, choices, or opinions.C. Special occasion speeches lend distinction to important events.

III. The Communication Process and the Public SpeakerA. Communication, consistent with its etymology, is defined as the sharing of

thoughts, ideas, and feeling so they are understandable to others.B. The speaker (sender) and listener (receiver) simultaneously send and receive

verbal and nonverbal messages from each other.C. A stimulus triggers a thought, which results in the desire to communicate or

listen.D. Motivation is the desire to communicate or listen.E. Encoding is deciding how a message can be conveyed best to the audience.F. Decoding is the attempt by listeners to determine the meaning of a message.G. Encoding and decoding are problematic because speakers and listeners do not

always share the same frame of reference for communicating, especially when different cultural contexts are involved.

H. Messages are conveyed via distinct code systems.1. The verbal code involves spoken and written words.2. The visual code encompasses the nonverbal dimension: visual aids,

personal appearance, facial expression, eye contact, etc.3. The vocal code includes tone, volume, pitch, rate, emphasis, and other

qualities of the voice.4. Vocal and visual cues often carry more weight with adult audiences than

verbal cues. (Hence email users have created emoticon symbols to replace missing vocal and visual codes).

I. Feedback is verbal, visual, or vocal responses to messages.J. The environment includes the time, physical surroundings, and social context of

the message; audience preoccupations are also key.K. Noise is anything that interferes with blocking or distorting the message.

1. External noise is located in the environment, e.g., poor lighting.2. Internal noise refers to conditions present in the listeners, e.g., physical

illness or mental distractions.L. The effective speaker will plan the presentation to:

1. Stimulate and motivate listeners.2. Encode messages that are appropriate to the audience.3. Pay attention to visual and vocal as well as verbal messages.

43


4. Pay careful attention to audience feedback.5. Control the speaking environment and possible noise factors as much as

possible.IV. Ethical Obligations

A. Since public speakers can influence others, they incur moral obligations.B. Unethical behaviors have eroded confidence in public figures and have proven

costly to the offenders.1. 37 engineering graduate students were found to have plagiarized over a

20-year span, which led to the dismissal of two faculty members at Ohio University, the punishment of the students (with the possibility of having their degrees revoked), as well as other consequences.

2. Marilee Jones, the admissions dean at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was dismissed in 2007 after the school learned that Jones had lied on her resume in 1979.

3. The producer of “Katie Couric’s Notebook” was fired when it was learned that on April 4, 2007 contained plagiarized material.

C. Public speakers should not exaggerate claims by overstating them or their importance.

D. Public speakers should avoid distortion, which involves misrepresenting or twisting facts.

E. To avoid plagiarism, speakers should make sure they credit their sources of information appropriately.

F. These same ethical guidelines absolutely hold for presentations in class as well as for speeches in the public and professional world.

G. The Internet has created new issues for public speaking students.1. Because it is so easy for students to copy and paste information directly

from the Internet, many students unintentionally or intentionally plagiarize.

2. The Internet also hosts a number of sites where speeches can be downloaded.

3. There are several Internet sites where professors and students, can check material for plagiarism. For example, Turnitin.com is becoming extremely popular on college campuses.

H. There are numerous reasons not to buy speeches.1. It’s unethical.2. Plagiarism comes with consequences that can be costly even years after

the offence was committed.3. You won’t learn the necessary skills for successful speech preparation, a

skill you will need in the future.4. It’s more difficult to deliver a speech that you didn’t write.5. Buying speeches is a waste of money that carries a great risk.

Classroom Exercises

InfoTrac Activity

44


Do a keyword search on InfoTrac for ethics in public speaking and mark the box that says “ in entire article content”. Have students read the article: Motivational speakers: The Integrity of Inspiration.(Transcript) Irving H. Buchen. Executive Speeches April 2000 v14i5, p13. This article focuses on the ability of a speaker to motivate an audience through Public Speaking. Have the students write down three personal goals they would like to accomplish during the semester that they obtained from this article on being a motivating, inspiring speaker.

Online Activity

If you are teaching this class online, a good way to start the class is to have your students determine the individual who they feel is the best speaker they’ve heard. If they don’t know where to start, have them visit The History Channel.com or CNN.com and watch some of the speeches that are available on these websites. With presidential elections, there are a large number of political speeches to use as examples as well. They should write a brief paper telling who the speaker is, the attributes/skills this person has that make them exceptional, and which of the speaker’s skills the student would like to incorporate into their own public speaking.

Speech Builder Express Activity

Ask your students to log into Speech Builder Express and create a new account. They should look around and make themselves comfortable with SBE. If you have determined what type of speech your students will be giving first, have them complete the “Create a New Speech” page.

Active Critical Thinking Activity

To think further about the importance of oral communication, ask students to complete the following:

1. Check current job ads for engineering and at least two other careers that interest you personally. How often do you see the requirement “excellent written and oral communication skills”?

2. Summarize a past opportunity that you missed due to lack of oral communication skills, and discuss one specific way that public speaking skills will likely benefit your future life.

To think further about the three types of presentations, ask students to complete the following:1. List two topics that would make good informative speeches, two topics that would

make good persuasive speeches, and two topics that would be good for special occasion speeches.

2. Evaluate your list of topics, putting a check by each that is labeled correctly or rewriting any that seem incorrect.

To think further about the communication process, ask students to select one of the basic elements of the process summarized in the chapter that gives them the most difficulty and complete the following:

1. Discuss why the element causes you problems, and give a personal example to illustrate it.

45


2. Suggest at least one solution that might solve your problem and how you plan to use it.

To think further about communication and ethics, ask students to complete the following:1. Find a magazine or billboard ad campaign. Visually, what is the ad campaign

communicating? Does the ad violate any standards of ethics? If so, how? 2. If you were to write out a personal code of ethics, what two things would

definitely be in it? Why do you consider them to be so important?

1.1 Proving the Relevance of Oral Communication

Bring the "Help Wanted" ads from several newspapers, Internet classifieds, or your school’s career center to class. Ask students to scan the ads and note the variety of different advertisements for jobs that require "excellent communication skills ... good people skills," "public communication ability," or other oral communication skills. Discuss exactly which aspects of the job involve specific communication skills such as accurate information, persuasion, and sensitivity to feedback.

1.2 Perceiving the Need to Study Communication

Think, Pair, Share Activity: These activities are designed to engage students and help them with active learning. In think, pair, share the students are given a question to think about for a few minutes. They are then asked to pair with someone sitting near them and talk about the question and their feelings about it for a very brief period of time (usually two to three minutes). Class discussion is then initiated on the questions and the findings of pairs of students. When students become accustomed to participating in think, pair, share activities in the classroom, there is usually lively student-initiated discussion.

Ask the class to identify a time when they wished they could have spoken up for themselves or for a situation when they wanted to respond to someone, but didn’t. Why were they hesitant to speak their mind? How could communication skills have improved the situation?

After the activity, identify how these specific areas will be addressed in this course and describe how public speaking skills, including listening, reducing anxiety, and better delivery will help confidence in speaking, and not only in giving a presentation, but in classrooms, meetings, or even with friends.

1.3 The Crucial Nature of Feedback

Develop a four or five sentence long "rumor" about some event or occurrence on campus. (Ex. The President of the university is considering accepting a position at another university, not because he dislikes the job, but because his wife doesn't like the town. If he does leave, the Provost may be the new President). Whisper the "rumor" to the student in the first seat of the first row. (They may not take notes!) The first student then must "pass along" the message as

46


accurately as possible to the student behind them. The listener may not ask questions nor take notes, nor may the message sender repeat any part of the message. The process then continues all the way around the class. Hilarity usually ensues when the last person attempts to recap a message that invariably has nothing to do with the original message. This classic exercise teaches an important message about the crucial nature of feedback, not to mention the potential inaccuracy of gossip in informal communication networks. This activity is fun for the students when rumors are created about celebrities or political figures.

1.4 Coping with Communication Breakdown

Assign a pair of students to enact each of the following scenarios:-An international student needs directions on how to get to this classroom.-One student is trying to convince another to take a course in public speaking.-Two friends reunite after not seeing each other for several years.-Roommates are deciding where they should eat dinner tonight.-Two food critics are debating over what is the best restaurant in town.

You can add your own scenarios, but here's the catch. For each situation, instruct the pair to arrange for one of the following elements in the communication process to go wrong:

-insufficient or misleading feedback-external noise getting in the way of the message-internal noise preventing effective communication-poor adaptation to the receiver (audience)-overemphasis on the verbal code-inadequate emphasis on the visual or vocal codes

The object of this exercise is to help students develop ways of coping with problems that might arise in communication. The important element is to practice adjusting to difficulties that emerge in the communication process. This anticipation of difficulties can prevent such situations from arising and thus can reduce anxiety associated with public speaking.

1.5 The Role of Communication in Your Career

Have each student describe as specifically as possible what his or her ideal career would be. Place no limits; encourage students to use their imagination. Next, have them describe an ordinary day in that career. Invite other students to point out where and how in a typical day specific communication skills are used.

1.6 The Role of Communication in Your Life

Have each student keep a "Communication Diary" for one day. In that diary, the student should note every opportunity that arises to speak, listen, or otherwise employ elements of the communication process discussed in this chapter. After sharing the entries, students should make some estimates about the percentage of each day that is occupied with some facet of communication.

47


1.7 Guest Speakers

Often students understand the value of communication best when they hear it from someone who is a practitioner. Invite one or more of the following types of people to speak to the class. Make sure you invite people who are accomplished public speakers so students have models to emulate.

-A local politician who can attest to the importance of public speaking.-An alumnus or alumna who thought public speaking was useless-until entering the

professional world.-A member or coordinator of a local speaker's bureau who can explain how speaker's

bureaus work.-A personnel director who can provide firsthand confirmation of the studies that identify

oral communication as crucial for job applicants (this person might share some amusing stories, too).

-A university public relations official or administrator to discuss how crucial effective communication is to their job performance.

Leave plenty of time for your speaker to interact with the class by answering questions. The class (with your guidance) should be responsible for crafting an appropriate letter of appreciation afterwards.

1.8 Communication Assessment Often students are not aware of their communication weaknesses until outsiders point out their strengths or weaknesses. Ask students to survey their friends and family about their communication strengths and weaknesses. Questions they may ask include:

-How often does it appear that I am not listening to what you are saying? Please provide an example of a time I didn’t listen to you that was frustrating for you.

-How often do I use filler words (um, uh, like) when I speak? How do you feel this impacts my communication ability?

-Please recall a time that we had a miscommunication. What happened? How could we have communicated differently to avoid the miscommunication?

Students should write a 1-page reaction paper to the survey results they obtained, discussing the strengths and weaknesses they learned about, the most surprising thing they learned, and how they intend to improve on their weaknesses. Discuss how some, if not all, of the weaknesses demonstrated relate to the communication process to help students grasp this process more clearly. Offer your own tips for strengthening the communication processes. At the end of the semester, ask students to report back about the progress they have made on their communication strengths and weaknesses. Offer a reward to the student who demonstrates the most improvement over the course of the semester.

1.9 Rewarding Responsible Speaking

Here is an excellent way for your class to interact with the community. Each term, the class as a whole should vote for a local person who exemplifies the highest standards of ethical communication. Whom do the students admire? Who would serve as a model for future students? Students must be able to formulate specific ethical criteria that the recipient should

48


fulfill. Name the award and decide on appropriate ways to notify the winner. Arrange a small ceremony for the award to be presented, with one or more students giving a special occasion speech to honor the recipient.

1.10 "Icebreaker" Exercises for the First Class Sessions

Here are a few suggested "icebreaker" activities that will get students up before the class in a non-threatening way and will help you and your students familiarize themselves with everybody's names immediately.

-The "Name game"-This exercise requires every student to think of an alliterative label to attach to their first name. (The label has to be positive, such as "Lovely LaTasha," or "Cool Corey," rather than "Alcoholic Albert," or "Low self-image Louise.") Starting with the first student in the first seat in the first row, or at the start of the seating chart, the first student states their label. The second student then repeats the first student's name label and adds theirs; the third has to list in order, the two names preceding his/hers, and so on. This process usually takes 20 minutes with the average class, but proves amusing and remarkably useful for remembering everyone's name early on.

-A variation on the name game requires each student to think of a favorite food that begins with the same letter as their first name. When I do this, I begin the exercise with “My name is Ms. Blankenship, and I like brownies.” The next students introduces him/herself (ex: “My name is Stephen, and I like spaghetti”) and introduces the instructor (“This is Ms. Blankenship, and she likes brownies.”) This continues around the room until all students have been introduced. I end the exercise by introducing every student and their favorite food. The students love this activity and usually know everyone’s name by the end of that class period. The repetition of the names and the listening required in this activity, are a great way to demonstrate the importance of listening. This can also lead into a discussion of what to do when you meet someone that you should know, but can’t remember their name.

-"What's yer Beef?'-This exercise is a favorite, because everybody loves to "blow off steam" about something. (Do caution your students that obscenity is not permitted). After introducing him or herself, each student has exactly one minute to complain about anything they wish. While this sounds like a negative exercise, students actually find it cathartic and you will be surprised at just what is on the minds of today's students.

-A few other suggestions for more informal one-minute impromptus-"Three wishes"-where students get to respond to the classic "genie-in-a-bottle" contingency; "I aspire"-where everyone gets to talk about what future goals they have, professional or otherwise; "My most embarrassing moment"-where everything from dating disasters to interviewing mishaps can be discussed; "My hero"-where students share their favorite role model from their personal lives or from the national or international arena; "Pot luck"-a hat or a bowl is passed and students submit subjects, (everything from serious current events issues to wacky topics like "nasal hair ... why?") Students must then blindly select a topic and hold forth for one minute; etc. (You get the idea. The list of

49


options for informal impromptus is endless. As the class progresses, you can introduce more challenging types of impromptus, such as the standard seven minute format used in forensics competitions, but during the first week you probably want to focus on creating a fun and comfortable atmosphere.)

1.11 More advanced classes may enjoy the challenge of quotation impromptus.

A staple of the collegiate forensics circuit in both the American Forensics Association and the National Forensics Association, these more involved impromptus are usually seven minutes in length. I use a condensed three-minute version.

Ask all students the class prior to the exercise to locate a favorite quotation and write it neatly with the author’s name/attribution on a 3 x 5 index card. (The Oxford Book of Popular Quotations or any quotation web site like bartleby.com will prove useful. This exercise will also help make students familiar with these valuable speechwriting resources). The students will then place the cards in a bowl and each will randomly select someone else’s quotation. They are then timed and should use up to a minute to “plan” their interpretation of the quotation. (They can take a blank 3 x 5 card up to the front of the room with them.

The approximately two minute speech should be organized with an actual intro attention step which includes a restating and attribution of the quotation, and an initial assessment of what they think it means. (An easy way to achieve this is to simply agree or disagree with the quotation and explain why).

The body will include one or two illustrative examples from different “areas of knowledge” that illustrate the speaker’s “take” on the quotation. (For example, if the quotation was football coach Vince Lombardi’s famous assertion that “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing,” and the student disagrees, one example could come from the realm of politics--the 1977 Camp David Peace accords between Israel and Egypt were a classic example of a brokered “win-win” transformative solution. In this case both sides walked away winners by rethinking their goals in a co-operative rather than competitive fashion.)

Some ideas for “categories” to brainstorm illustrative examples are: current events, movies and television shows, music and art, political examples, literature (both novels and non-fiction), any field of study or discipline such as sociology, psychology, anthropology, history, mathematics, sciences, sports, etc. The one or two examples the students brainstorm allow them to showcase their general knowledge for the audience by referencing books or academic theories with which they are familiar. Of course the example(s) should be bracketed with a conclusion as well as a preview and review if multiple examples are used.

Usually the conclusion will include a restatement of the quotation and a summary statement as to why the speaker’s interpretation is valid. Closure can be achieved by using a framing device, recalling the introduction, or another related quotation or catchphrase.

This exercise can be intimidating to novices, but if presented the right way is a superb way to condense much basic speech construction theory into a fun exercise. Students will learn good ways to begin and conclude a speech, learn the value of basic structure and the import of

50


previews and reviews, how to credit sources, and how to illustrate points vividly. They will also be able to practice delivery basics, improving projection, avoiding verbalized pauses, etc., in a non-graded, hopefully non-threatening way. They will also be amazed at how much they actually know.

You can even have the class compete for small, funny prizes and vote for the best impromptus at the end of the round. A great way to start this exercise is to do “general drills.” Pull a quotation and give the entire class one minute to jot a swift interpretation and one illustrative example they can think of at their seats and then compare and contrast. With a class of twenty-five students or so, you may want to reserve at least two class periods for this exercise, or you may wish to explain the process and have one student do a quotation impromptu everyday at the beginning or end of class. If your college has a forensics team that competes in impromptu, consider inviting team members to class for a demonstration. This exercise takes time, but can yield remarkable results.

51

testbankwizard.eutestbankwizard.eu/sample/test-bank-for-cengage-advantage-books... · web...

Documents