JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "COM 101-7"
COURSE NAME: "Public Speaking: Oral Rhetoric and Persuasion"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2022

SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Effie Marie Quattrociocchi
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: TTH 10:00 AM - 11:15 AM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course provides students with an introduction to the fundamentals of rhetoric and how they are applied in oral communication, and how these principles and concepts lead to effective public speaking. Students will learn how to prepare and organize persuasive speeches by learning the fundamental structures of the persuasive speech. In addition, students will begin to acquire basic skills in critical reasoning, including how to structure a thesis statement and support it through a specific line of reasoning using idea subordination, coordination, and parallel structure.

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

Through the analysis of the more fundamental aspects of classical rhetoric students will learn to prepare and deliver effective and persuasive public speeches.Through analyzing the speeches of others and applying course material through in-class speeches the course will develop competency in the following areas:

The need for public speaking skills,
Speech anxiety, components of a speech (introduction, support and conclusion),
Audience adaptation,
Choosing, developing, researching and structuring a speech topic,
Freedom of speech and ethical speaking,
Rhetorical devices,
Critical listening,
Verbal and nonverbal public speaking cues.

Students will craft and deliver the following types of speeches: Informative, Pro and Cons, Impromptu, and Argumentative Persuasive (final).

This being a communications course, the developing of critical reading, discourse, is crucial in engaging with topics and audiences. Students will be expected to participate in discussion in a range of topics that connect directly and indirectly with public speaking and rhetoric.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Students will become better speakers and listeners. They will develop a deeper awareness of their skills and areas in need of improvement.
Develop confidence and overcome speech anxiety.
Successfully deliver a range of speeches: informative, pro ad con, impromptu and persuasive
Be able to develop, research, structure and deliver a speech using appropriate verbal and non-verbal cues.
Understand and apply the principlesof audience adaptation.
Engage in constructive feedback and self-criticism.
Develop a toolbox of rhetorical strategies for persuasive speaking. Know your own shortcomings and be on the way to improve on them.
Build speeches with strong organization (introduction, thesis statements, topic sentences, signal words, supporting arguments and conclusion)
Learn about the principles of ethical speaking and freedom of speech.

TEXTBOOK:

NONE

REQUIRED RESERVED READING:

NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:

NONE

GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Assignment	Guidelines	Weight
In-class participation/homework	Short answer quizzes, homework assignments, in-class informal presentations	20%
Informative Speech	This is a 5-7 minute speech to educate your audience on a topic of your choice. This speech can discuss the development of an issue historically or provide a guide for improvement in an area. Your speech should emphasize why this is an important issue for your audience to become informed about.	20%
Impromptu Speech	This is a 4-5 minute speech that you will deliver in class with a few minutes to prepare for. The important criteria for this speech are that it addresses the topic accurately, engages the audience, has a clear organization, and communicates these ideas utilizing appropriate verbal and nonverbal cues.	15%
Pros and Cons Speech	This is a 5-7 minute speech to introduce your audience to a debatable topic of your choice. While two (or more) sides of the topic will be addressed, it should present them in a balanced way and should cite the important figures or schools of thought.	20%
Persuasive Speech/fFinal	This speech is between 10-15 minutes long and seeks to persuade your audience of a topic of your choice. Your speech should be well-researched, accurately cited and while it seeks to convince your audience of your side, it must also address criticisms and opinions from the opposing side. Attention should be placed on why your audience should be concerned about the topic. The speech should have a clear organization, engaging content and be delivered with appropriate verbal and nonverbal cues.	25%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
A90-100%. Work of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
B80-89%: This is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
C70-79%: This is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
D60-69%: This level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material. Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
F0-59%: This work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY

Attendance is crucial to student success.

Attendance is mandatory on speech days even if you are not presenting. The only absences that will be excused on speech days are those excused by the Dean’s office.
Beyond speech days, you will be allowed three, no questions asked absences. After the third absence, 5% will be deducted from the overall grade for each additional absence.
You are responsible for the material covered and completing in-class assignments if you are absent. Ask a classmate, check the Moodle course page or email me.
Missed in-class assignments must be submitted at the next class meeting.
If you must miss a lesson for religious reasons, please inform me in advance.
Absence does not excuse work from being graded as late.
To attend a lesson remotely, students must present written permission from the Dean of Students in advance of the lesson.
Students who arrive to class after attendance has been taken will be counted as late. Two late arrivals will count as one absence.

Speeches can be made-up only with the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed.

Late work(excluding speeches) will be accepted up to two days after the due date. Work turned in the next day will receive a 5% point deduction and a 10% point deduction on the second day. Lack of an internet connection does not excuse a student from completing and submitting assignments on time. If you have problems with Moodle or Turnitin, contact moodlesupport @johncabot.edu.

ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.

STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

Important Dates

September 5 (Mon) Classes Begin

September 9 (Fri) Last day to drop or add classes

September 16 (Fri) Make-up day for Thursday, November 24

October 21 (Fri) Make-up for Tuesday, November 1

October 31 (Mon) Deadline for Faculty submission of mid-term warnings

November 1 (Tue) November 1 Holiday (make-up day Friday, Oct. 21)

November 8 (Tue) Last day to withdraw from a class

November 24 (Thu) Thanksgiving Holiday (make-up day Friday, Sept. 16)

December 2 (Fri) Make-up day for Thursday, December 8

December 7 (Wed) Last day of classes

December 12-16 (Mon-Fri) Final Examinations

Below is a general outline of course material that will be presented. The schedule is subject to cahnge to best fit student needs. See the course Moodle page for specific due dates and updated calendar.

Week	Content
Week 1	Course Orientation. Intro and origins of public speaking.
Week 2,3	Understanding and overcoming speech anxiety. Listening skills.
Week 4	Basic Speech Components. Selecting and developing a topic.
Week 5,6	Audience Adaptation
Week 7,8	Intros and Conclusions/Thesis Statements/Topic Statements/ Transition words
Week 9-10	Researching and supporting your arguments
Week 11	Verbal and Nonverbal delivery skills
Week 12-13	Persuasion/Rhetorical devices/Logic
Week 14, Dec. 5-9	Ethics and freedom of speech
Week 15/Dec. 12	Finals Week