COURSE DESCRIPTION
Objectives
Policies
Plagiarism
Grading
Topics
Team Leaders & Syllabi
Oral Communication is a general education requirement in Category 5, Communication Essentials.
Oral Communication Oral Communication is a requirement because communication skills are necessary throughout one's life. The ability to speak clearly, eloquently, and effectively has been the mark of an educated person since ancient times. The College Board's report, Academic Preparation for College: What Students Need to Know and Be Able to Do, identifies reading,writing, listening, thinking, and speaking, as necessary skills college students should possess if they are to be successful. Business and industry employers also require employees to be effective communicators and thinkers. In addition, they require workers who can get along well with others in a diverse society. Speech communication provides the foundation for higher learning. In addition, communication is essential to the functioning of the individual in political, economic and social settings.
This course is designed to provide information and background on effective
communication in a variety of settings (relationships, groups, and public), in
our decision making and problem solving, and in situations where we must make
public presentations. Effective speech communication is learned. We may think we
are "natural" speakers, but, natural ability can be enhanced through study and
application of effective communication theories and principles.
This course is designed to increase your understanding of the principles of effective COMMUNICATION (speaking, listening, thinking, and writing) to help you develop effective habits of mind, and to improve your communication and thinking skills. You will prepare and deliver graded speeches, write research, analysis, and synthesis papers, and participate in: group projects, class discussions and class activities (graded and non graded). See course guide for handouts and specifics.
COURSE POLICIES
(See a complete listing in the course guide)
You are required to have both a course textbook, COMMUNICATION IN OUR LIVES (Wood, 1997), and a copy of Oral Communication: A Guide (Beall, 1997). Unless you have the correct forms from the course guide, you will not receive credit for your assignments.
Attendance Policy: You are expected to attend class each scheduled day. Absences may result in a lower semester grade. See your instructor for specific details. Due dates for all class work will apply whether or not you are present in class that day. Promptness is important, too, as we often cover due dates, detailed assignment information, and other important information in the opening minutes of class. It is important to be here for other speeches as well as for your own, as listening is a critical factor in the communication process. You are responsible to speak on all assigned dates. Any exceptions must be negotiated with instructors prior to the class. ALL ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED IN ORDER TO PASS THIS CLASS.
Your instructors may have additional policies and procedures listed for their specific sections.
You should be familiar with University policies on plagiarism. See UNI catalog for complete information. All plagiarized assignments will receive failing grades, further penalties may be given as well. When presenting information, keep this in mind: ALWAYS GIVE FULL SOURCE CITATIONS AND INDICATE MATERIALS THAT ARE QUOTED OR PARAPHRASED FROM OTHER SOURCES OR OTHER PEOPLE. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS REQUIRED WITH EACH OUTLINE OR PAPER.
Each assignment requires forethought, research, planning , and practice. You will be expected to display your understanding of reading assignments and class discussions in all assignments, papers, quizzes, and exams. Assignments must conform to the guidelines given for each. A's will be awarded only for outstanding work. B's will be assigned when the work clearly goes beyond the minimal requirements. C's will be assigned when the work adequately meets the requirements. D's and F's will be given when work does not fulfill the assignment and is below the expected standards of collegiate competence.
The Topics we will cover include: