Course Textbook & Supplies

Stand up, Speak out: The Practice and Ethics of Public Speaking

Stand Up, Speak Out: The Practice and Ethics of Public Speaking

https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/77

Chapter 18   http://publicspeakingproject.org/groups.html OER –Open Educational Resources.  linked on Blackboard and in every overview of each module. 

An e-book, pdf,  is available.

ISBN 13: 9781946135254 

1. Computer access for Blackboard (Bb) quizzes

An 11-week simulation called Stukent Simulation is required and will be used for this course. Be sure to use your ACC email address to register. 

https://join.stukent.com/join/2AF-635  Mimic Public Speaking (Stukent Simulation) costs approx. $69.99 per student.

Technical Support for Simulation: Students are invited to call Stukent’s Virtual TA team with questions regarding use of the simulation. Students may email virtualta@stukent.com or call (855) 788-5368.

Course Rationale

Developing communication skills can give students a competitive edge in their professional and academic career. Not only are communication skills highly valued in the workplace, communication courses taken at ACC transfer to all colleges and universities in Texas. Communication skills are essential to personal and professional success. A public speaking class is incredibly valuable to any college graduate - so much so that Carmine Gallo, communication coach and speaker, calls public speaking an essential skill for every job field. Students may feel some natural anxiety about giving speeches. However, public speaking is a skill that is learned and developed over time and through practice. In this course, students will learn skills to help them elevate their public speaking skills such as confidence, organization, and clarity of thought and expression. These life-long skills are used by professionals in every industry.  

Course Description

Public Speaking is the application of communication theory and practice within the public speaking context. Emphasis is placed on audience analysis, speaker delivery, ethics of communication, cultural diversity, and speech organizational techniques to develop students' speaking abilities, as well as ability to effectively evaluate oral presentations.  Additional emphasis given to the use of verbal and non-verbal skills to make points clear and effective, and reducing stress when speaking publicly. 

Skills: E 

• Credit Hours: 3 
• Classroom Contact Hours per week: 3

Instructional Methodology

This is an DISTANCE LEARNING ONLINE, Synchronous, class specifically for ACC students. All assignments, projects, readings will be done in Blackboard and the Stukent platform regularly.  Students will be a part of a 11-week pilot program for the use of Stukent in this course in order to ensure use of the latest speech simulation, active case studies, and interactive software. 

Stand up, Speak out: The Practice and Ethics of Public Speaking

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Copyright Year: 2016

Last Update: 2023

ISBN 13: 9781946135254

Publisher: University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing

Language: English

Formats Available

• PDF
• Online
• eBook
• XML
• ODF

Conditions of Use

Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
CC BY-NC-SA

Table of Contents

• Chapter 1: Why Public Speaking Matters Today
• Chapter 2: Ethics Matters: Understanding the Ethics of Public Speaking
• Chapter 3: Speaking Confidently
• Chapter 4: The Importance of Listening
• Chapter 5: Audience Analysis
• Chapter 6: Finding a Purpose and Selecting a Topic
• Chapter 7: Researching Your Speech
• Chapter 8: Supporting Ideas and Building Arguments
• Chapter 9: Introductions Matter: How to Begin a Speech Effectively
• Chapter 10: Creating the Body of a Speech
• Chapter 11: Concluding with Power
• Chapter 12: Outlining
• Chapter 13: The Importance of Language
• Chapter 14: Delivering the Speech
• Chapter 15: Presentation Aids: Design and Usage
• Chapter 16: Informative Speaking
• Chapter 17: Persuasive Speaking
• Chapter 18: Speaking to Entertain

Assignments and Grading

Course Assignments and Weight

Below is a brief summary of each assignment in this course and how it figures into the total final grade. Grades in this course are weighted as follows:

• 4% of final grade: any Written Materials for Presentations
• 4% of the final grade: Poster presentation, live-streamed; all speeches must be delivered to an audience.
• 10% of the final grade –Informative Speech Live in Zoom, Extemporaneous, outline, references and 3+ sources, and visual aid required, peer evaluations, live streamed from classroom.  
• 8% of the final grade: Special Occasion Tribute Speech Video -Manuscript, and visual aid required; recorded in front of an audience.
• 6% Children’s Presentation Reading   
• 12% of the final grade Persuasive Speech.  Any recorded presentations in Stukent Simulation and. Final Speech for IdeaCon, Informative  (Team Simulation Based) Extemporaneous, outline, references and 3+ sources,  and visual aid required, recorded in Stukent. 
• 25% of the final grade: on-time Completion of Public Speaking Simulation on Stukent.
• 10% Vlogs on Flipgrid (3)
• 15%  Exams: Students are required to successfully complete a module exam  (4) exams in this course. This course will divide the information into 4 exams. There will not be a cumulative exam, rather we will complete the Simulation final presentation on Stukent.

Descriptions of Each Project:

The Communication Studies Department at Austin Community College requires that all students who take SPCH 1315: Public Speaking successfully complete these minimum requirements. Thus, students will be assessed over their ability to reflect and consider multiple points:

Speeches: SPCH 1315 requires that students complete a minimum of four speeches throughout the course of the semester. We will use both Flip(grid) and  Zoom platform in order to livestream and or record presentations. Some activities, assignments, and speech practice for the Simulation will occur on Stukent.

In order for students to gain experience with various forms of delivery, the speech assignments listed below utilize at least two of the following forms of delivery:  

Impromptu o Manuscript o Memorized o Extemporaneous

Students will be assessed over their ability to reflect and consider multiple points:

1. Informative Speech: 5-6 minutes, 10% of the final grade (extemporaneous, peer-review of rough draft of outlines, required, cited research required, 3 academic sources, bibliography/works cited required) Research a cultural topic of an assigned country and develop an informative speech. 

1. One Persuasive speech (extemporaneous)  (Monroe's motivational speech, Team-based presentation) (extemporaneous, outline required, cited research required, 3 academic sources, bibliography/works cited required)  A symposium is a planned public event that features a series of speakers on one central topic. You and the members of your group will be selecting a “problem” and each person will be present a unique solution to it. Therefore, when heard collectively the audience has many perspectives of the problem and possible solutions. Please be advised there is a research component that all members will participate in prior to the symposium. Each group will receive one grade for the research and symposium planning portions of the project.  Each person will receive an individual grade for their 5-7 minute persuasive speech presented during the symposium. In addition to the collective group research project, each individual will construct an outline to be used during their presentation.  Students will be assessed on ability to consider different points of view and to work effectively with others to construct and deliver the team presentation. This speech is weighted at a minimum of 10% of the final course grade.   This speech will include a multimedia component, used to support and supplement the speech (e.g., PowerPoint, Google Slides, Keynote, Prezi). Also required: include presentation outlines and cited research, and a bibliography/works cited page with a minimum of three academic sources.  

1. Children’s Book Reading: 3-6 minutes, (manuscript & be ready for impromptu interactions q&a with classmates) Read a children’s book to your classmates as you would to an elementary class. Focus on Delivery and impromptu interaction with your classmates.

1. One Special Occasion speech (Manuscript) (8% of final grade) -Tribute Speech with Visual Aid: 5-6 minutes; 70 points (manuscript & visual aid required) –Online delivery required. Focus on use of language devices and communicating via online platform using a professional recording. Special emphasis on effectively using the platform, recording, and explaining visual aids during the presentation.

Give tribute to someone in your life! Give them praise. This should be a heartfelt

speech. 

1. One speech category of the Instructor’s Choice–”What’s my Name” (4% of final grade) (poster presentation, extemporaneous, in round-robin presentation mode) Students will create a poster that showcases their name. Students are encouraged to be creative in their presentation by using memory devices for their audience. Students will be presenting as they move about the room to each station. 

Exams: Students are required to successfully complete (4) exams in this course over four of the modules.  I may choose to segment these exams into smaller assessments, administered at different times. Exams will occur on Blackboard. Test Questions

• 15% of the final grade 
• Tests include multiple-choice and true/false questions.
• Un-answered items are factored-in to your score as incorrect responses.
• Test questions are shown and answered one-at-a-time.
• ‘Backtracking’ to a previous question is not permitted.

Tests are Timed

• Lock Down Respondus Browser will be used

1. Additional Credit Options: Students are required to successfully complete all work assigned. These assignments may include, but are not limited to, the following: 

Individual and group speech preparation activities in the form of video recordings and/or presentations.

Analysis of written, recorded, and/or live speaking performances. 

Simulation activities in the form of Rounds in the 11- week simulation in Stukent.

Written self-assessments of individual speech performances.

Written assessments of other students’ speech performances or outlines. 

Participation during in-class activities as we practice how to explain visual aids, how to use the technology during a presentation, how to state oral citations. 

Vlogs on Flipgrid. 3 worth (10% of the final grade). In order to communicate privately with each student about their public speaking journey, students will submit 3 Vlogs using both audio and video on the Flipgrid site for our class.

 Example of Vlog 1: Read the document Managing Irrational Beliefs about Public Speaking.pdf Managing Irrational Beliefs about Public Speaking.pdf -

Review the Worst-Case Speech Scenarios identified in the Module 1 PowerPoint.

Post your VLOG. VLOGs/Journals can only be seen by you and your professor.

Use information provided in module content to answer the following questions:

What are your Irrational Beliefs about public speaking?

What can you tell yourself to dispute your Irrational Beliefs?

What are your Worst-Case Scenarios about public speaking?

What can you do to handle your Worst-Case Scenarios?

Assignment Tracking Table

• 4% of final grade: any Written Materials for Presentations
• 4% of the final grade: Poster presentation, live streamed; all speeches must be delivered to an audience.
• 10% of the final grade –Informative Speech Live in Zoom, Extemporaneous, outline, references and 3+ sources, and visual aid required, peer evaluations, live streamed from classroom.  
• 8% of the final grade: Special Occasion Tribute Speech Video -Manuscript, and visual aid required; recorded in front of an audience.
• 6% Children’s Presentation Reading   
• 12% of the final grade Persuasive Speech.  Any recorded presentations in Stukent Simulation and. Final Speech for IdeaCon, Informative  (Team Simulation Based) Extemporaneous, outline, references and 3+ sources,  and visual aid required, recorded in Stukent. 
• 25% of the final grade: on-time Completion of Public Speaking Simulation on Stukent.
• 10% Vlogs on Flipgrid (3)
• 15%  Exams: Students are required to successfully complete a module exam  (4) exams in this course. This course will divide the information into 4 exams. There will not be a cumulative exam, rather we will complete the Simulation final presentation on Stukent.

Grading Policy/Schema

How Grades Are Earned in This Course: Grading System: This course uses a standard percentage grading for the course grades: 

Extra Credit: I offer extra credit only to the class as a whole, so I will not offer extra credit to individual students. 

How Grades Are Assigned in This Course: I use criterion grading in this course. Your grades are determined by how well you meet the objectives of the assignment. I specify the grading criteria for each assignment in a rubric that is linked in the assignment instructions and included in the grade center on Blackboard. Each rubric details the requirements that you must meet to earn a specific grade. 

How I Assign Grades: Your grades are my considered, professional evaluation of your performance based on the grading criteria for an assignment. I can base my objective assessment ONLY on how well your performance meets a criterion. Please do not ask me to consider factors other than the stated criteria for grading an assignment for you! I cannot consider your awareness (or the opposite) of due dates, the grading criteria, or possible deductions on the assignment; how much effort you put into an assignment; how you intended to perform on that assignment; how outside factors (e.g., jobs and family) affected your performance; or how much you need to earn a certain grade, either on an assignment or in the course. 

Returning Grades: I make it my goal to return your grades no later than two weeks after they have been submitted, and I make every effort to return grades well before that time. I cannot immediately return grades for major assignments; it takes time to assess what you’ve done. I will e-mail the entire class through Blackboard when grades for assignments have been posted. 

Checking Your Progress: After I return grades, you should check the “My Grades” tool in Blackboard to review feedback for your work. The “My Grades” tool allows you to access all work that you have submitted in Blackboard. It is vital that you check your progress regularly so that you can achieve your goals. You are responsible for monitoring your progress in this course. Saying “I didn’t know that was required,” or “I didn’t understand the requirement,” at the end of the semester or after the deadline will NOT change your outcome. Check your progress early and often and ask questions to ensure your success. 

Specific grading criteria will be provided for every assignment. If you have any questions regarding the expectations of an assignment, especially the Stukent Simulation, please do not hesitate to seek clarification. Use of proper grammar and punctuation is a requirement for all assignments. If you have concerns regarding a grade given on an assignment, please wait 24 hours before contacting me. During that time, please review the assignment and grading criteria, contemplate the feedback given on the work, and then contact me if you still have questions about the grade given on the assignment. Don’t wait too long, however. Grades are only open for discussion for a period of eight (8) days after they have been handed back to the class, whether you were present/active/participating that day or not.  

GRADES

Success in this course requires thoughtful self-evaluation of your performance. When you discuss grades with your instructor, be prepared to make a well-thought-out case regarding the evaluation during office hours or over the phone. Your argument must be related to your assignment as presented and based on how it compares with the criteria for the assignment (not how you think it compares with someone else’s work or how it will affect your GPA or scholarship status). Discussions about particular assignments should occur during office hours or over school email because I cannot discuss grades during class time. 

To view your grades for this class log onto Blackboard and click on view my grades on the left-hand side of the screen.

General Education Competencies

Communication Skills

Develop, interpret, and express ideas and information through written, oral and visual communication that is adapted to purpose, structure, audience, and medium.

Critical Thinking Skills

Gather, analyze, synthesize, evaluate and apply information for the purposes of innovation, inquiry, and creative thinking.

Personal Responsibility

Identify and apply ethical principles and practices to decision-making by Blackboarding choices, actions and consequences.

Social Responsibility (Civic and Cultural Awareness)

Analyze differences and commonalities among peoples, ideas, aesthetic traditions, and cultural practices to include intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities.

Teamwork

Consider different points of view to work collaboratively and effectively in pursuit of a shared purpose or goal.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate skills in researching, planning, organizing, rehearsing, and delivering a variety of speeches individually and/or in groups. 
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the foundation models of communication leading to effective and ethical communication based on audience and context.  
3. Illustrate and appropriately employ verbal and nonverbal various modes of delivery in oral communication (e.g. manuscript, extemporaneous, impromptu, memorized). 
4. Recognize and use principles of critical thinking, problem solving, and technical proficiency in gathering information for the development of oral presentations and argument.  
5. Employ appropriate research and provide speeches with appropriate documentation. 
6. Practice effective use of computer-based technology in communicating and acquiring information. 
7. Recognize the roles that public speaking plays in civic awareness. 
8. Identify how culture, ethnicity and gender influence communication.  
9. Utilize listening skills for analysis and evaluation of a speaker’s message.  
10. Participate in teamwork situations to foster interpersonal and collaboration skills.  
11. Practice strategies for reducing stress while presenting to an audience.  

Course Skill Levels

In accordance with H.B. 2183, students who enroll in Communication Studies courses at ACC are expected to demonstrate competent English speaking and listening skills: 

• “Competence in speaking is the ability to communicate orally in clear, coherent, and persuasive language appropriate to purpose, occasion and audience.” 
• “Listening at the college level means the ability to analyze and interpret various forms of spoken communication.”