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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "COM 101-7"
COURSE NAME: "Public Speaking: Oral Rhetoric and Persuasion"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2024
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Silvia Giagnoni
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: TTH 1:30 PM 2:45 PM
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:
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.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
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.
TEXTBOOK:
NONE
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Introductory SpeechStudents are required to introduce themselves to the class (timed performance).10
Informative SpeechStudents are required to deliver a 6-8 minute-long, informative speech on a relevant, original topic of their choice in a conversational and natural manner. Topic needs to be previously discussed with your Instructor.30
Persuasive Speech AnalysisStudents will perform a take-home, written analysis of a persuasive speech.15
Final Persuasive SpeechStudents are required to deliver a 8-10- minute-long, persuasive speech on a controversial topic of their choice in a conversational and natural manner. Topic needs to be previously discussed with your Instructor.30
Participation/AttendanceStudents are allowed 3 unexcused absences in this course. After that, students will automatically lose a letter grade for every three absences. Lateness: Students more than 10 minutes late are marked as absent. Late arrival (less than 10 minutes) is marked as such, and 3 late arrivals are counted as one absence. Leaving class early (read, more than 15 minutes before the end of class) will be counted as one absence. Leaving in the middle of class and coming back after more than 10 minutes will also be regarded as an absence. Students are expected to do the required readings for the day before coming to class and to be prepared to comment, discuss them, or ask questions.15

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork 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.
BThis 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.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis 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.
FThis 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:
You cannot make-up a major assignment (midterm or final) without 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. The final exam period runs until December 13.
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

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

!!! Please refer to the Moodle site for updates on the schedule!!!

 

R:Reading

W: Watching

L: Lecture

S: Speeches

 

Week One (September 3-9)

L: Introductions+ Intro to Public Speaking & Human Communication/Communication Apprehension+ Syllabus

R: Public Speaking as Advocacy

W: “I have a dream speech” (1963) by Martin Luther King Jr. & “The Power of Vulnerability” (2014) by Brené Brown

 

Week Two (September 10-16)

S:  Introductory Speeches due (January 23)

L: Speaking to Inspire & Breathing + Nonverbal & Body Language

R: “Giving and Receiving Feedback: It is Harder than You Think”+ “Nonverbal Delivery”

W: Amy Cuddy’s “Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are”

 

Week Three (September 17-23)

L: Finding a Topic: Mind mapping + Intro to Informative Speaking R: Brainstorming W: 2022 Toastmasters World Champion of Public Speaking: Cyril Junior Dim W: Ted Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking/Chris Anderson/Talks at Google”

 Week Four (September 24-30)

 L: Let's start from the beginning: Attention Getters

R: Opening a Speech 

L: ... end with Power!

R: Closing a Speech 

September 28 (Fri) Make-up Day for Thursday, November 28 (Thanksgiving Day)

L: Presentational Aids (Use of)

R: Chapter 6 from The Young Adult's Guide to Public Speaking 

 

Week Five (October 1-7)

L: Formulating a Thesis Statement & Organization and Support; Library Research Session

R: Organizing your Speech and Harnessing the Power of Three 

W: A new way to explain explanation by David Deutsch (suggested, at-home watching) & The Tale of Two Robes by Julie Hogan & Where good ideas come from by Steven Johnsons

Extra reading (recommended if you need to know more about storytelling): Chapter S: Storytelling: How to develop Stories to Be a More Compelling Speaker from ABCs of Speaking 

 

Week Six (October 8-14)

Informative speech presentations (Midterm)

  

Week Seven (October 15-21)

L: Persuasion in Public Speaking I
W: NYS Senator Diane Savino speaks on the Marriage Equality Bill (2009)
R: Persuasive Speechmaking 

 

Week Eight (October 22-28)

L: Persuasion in Public Speaking II: Using Emotion & Logic (Inductive & Deductive Reasoning +Most Common Logical Fallacies)

R: Persuasive Speechmaking (cont.) 

W: "How can you change someone's mind" created by Hugo Mercier & Niro Sivanathan's "The counterintuitive ways to be more persuasive"

W: Emma Gonzalez' March for Our Lives speech (watch on your own)

Week Nine (October 29-November 5)

L: Audience Analysis

R: Engage your Audience 

W:  Barack Obama's A More Perfect Union (watch on your own)

A: Continue working on your persuasive speech ~ focus on counterarguments + Prepare two questions to gauge audience's needs and find common ground for speech 

 

Week Ten (November 6-11)

L: Cont. Speech Analysis

November 8: Speech analysis (due, class time)

Week Eleven

Library Research Session - Researching for Persuasive Speaking 

W: Bryan Stevenson: We need to talk about an injustice (in-class screening & analysis)

 

Week Twelve (November 12-18)

Review+ Final Persuasive Speech Presentations begin

 

Week Thirteen (November 19-25)

Final Persuasive Speeches

 

Week Fourteen (November 26-December 2)

Final Persuasive Speeches

NO CLASS - November 28 Thanksgiving Holiday

Thursday December 5 s the last day of classes 

Final Examinations (December 9-13)