Fundamentals of Speech Communication

Communication 200

Dr. Ray Penn

Fall, 2001

Office:                                                                     Phone:

Home Phone: (423) 562-4559  E-mail: pennseven@aol.com

Office Hours:           9 a.m. M.T.W.Th.F.

                              10 a.m. M.T.W.Th.F.

                             2:15-3 p.m. T.W.Th.                       

Other times are available by appointment.

Campus Address:   Box 1002

Home Address:                        138 Lilac Drive, LaFollette, TN, 37766

Course Description: This is an introductory course designed to increase skills in oral communication through the development of analytical thinking, clear organizational skills and effective delivery techniques.

 

Textbook:  Malcolm Kushner, Public Speaking for Dummies.

 

Course Objectives: At the end of this semester a student should be able to: (1) understand the nature of stage fright and cope with its effects, (2) organize an oral presentation so that the audience can follow and remember the material, (3) understand the nature 

of effective delivery and use this knowledge in preparing speeches and critiquing the speeches of others, (4) understand the basic theoretical foundation of persuasion and use this understanding in crafting persuasive speeches and (5) gain confidence in oral delivery through impromptu speeches.

 

Requirements:

1.     An informative speech, 5-7 minutes in length, that explains an idea, place, person or thing .

2.     A demonstration speech, 5-7 minutes in length, that demonstrates how something works or how a process is done.

 

 

3.     An occasional speech, 5-7 minutes in length, that increases our emotions. This type of speech may be one of the following: the introduction of a famous person, bestowing an award, receiving an award, a eulogy, an extended wedding toast, a humorous after-dinner speech, or a tribute to an influential person.

4.      A persuasive speech, 5-7 minutes in length, that persuades us to believe in a certain idea, support a certain cause or behave in a specific way.

5.     The topic for the final speech, 5-7 minutes in length, will be assigned by the instructor. Each student will receive a different topic designed to expand upon the student’s area of interests and expertise.

 

In addition to the preceding speeches, each student will be assigned another student in the class to critique. These critiques will be typed and handed in to the instructor who will grade the critiques and then hand the critiques to the speaker. These critiques will be done anonymously.

 

Grading:

 

          Each assignment will be weighted in the following way:

                    Critiques: 5%

                    Informative Speech: 10%

                    Demonstration Speech: 15%

                    Occasional Speech: 20%

                    Persuasive Speech: 25%

                    Final Speech: 25%

 

          The following letter grades will be used:

                    A, A-: This type of speech is almost flawless in its performance, contains real research or powerfully vivid emotional appeals; it is the kind of speech that leaves the audience wanting more.

 

                    B+, B, B-: This type of speech is a solid work of thinking and delivery; the flaws are relatively minor although they are noticeable to a trained critic.

 

                    C+, C, C-: This type of speech meets the minimum requirements of the speech but lacks the polish and or depth of the above speeches. While this type of speech does not leave the audience deeply moved or profoundly impressed with the research, it is a speech that fulfills the task of the speech and indicates that the speaker has honestly tried to think about the needs of the audience. Often this type of speech lacks sufficient eye contact to create any real bond between the audience and the speaker.

 

                    D+,D, D-: This type of speech lacks depth, lacks delivery and only certifies that the speaker managed to stand up before an audience for a length of time. It may indicate that the student completely misunderstood the nature of the assignment or tried to take the easy way out and plagarized material. This type of speech is an insult to the intelligence of the audience.

 

                    F: Failure to do any of the above assignments.

 

Tentative Speaking Schedule:

          Informative Speeches: September 10,12,14

          Demonstration Speeches: October 1,3,8

          Occasional Speeches: October 22,24,26

          Persuasive Speeches: November 12,14,16

          Final Speeches: December 3,5,7

 

Reading Assignments:

          Impromptu Speeches: Chpts. 20,24,25

          Delivery: Chpts. 15,16,17,18

          Informative: Chpts. 4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11

          Demonstration Speeches:Chpts. 13,19

          Occasional Speeches: Chpts. 12,21,22,23,26

          Persuasive Speeches: 1,2,3

 

Writing the Speech Critique: In writing your critique remember to mention both what the speaker did that was helpful and what he or she needs to do to improve. Think in terms of two major factors: content and delivery. In terms of content, here are factors that are important: an introduction that captures attention, a preview to help understand the structure of a speech, transitions from point to point, an identifiable conclusion that summarizes and brings the speech to a gentle ending. In terms of delivery, think about: eye contact, mannerisms, stance, gestures, appearance, movement, use of visual aids, voice projection, enunciation, energy level. Aim for at least a typewritten page of evaluation. Use full sentences and give as many examples as possible.