Sabbatical/ FIL Project Report Template
Name, Faculty Rank, Department:
Daniel J. O’Neill, Ph. D., Professor in Communication Studies, djoneill@ysu.edu
Title of Sabbatical/ FIL Project:
Modern communication textbook revision/ Draft of public speaking textbook
Abstract/ Objective:
This proposal grew out of the successful completion of a textbook manuscript with Dr. Adam
Earnheardt which is currently published by Great River Technologies Publishing Company. This text is an
original approach incorporating how to communicate effectively in this era of new communication
technologies. As this textbook idea emerged, we both saw the need to write a thematically parallel book
which would exclusively treat the topic of public speaking. Studying college and university web sites
showed that a significant majority of higher education institutions favored requiring Public Speaking
over the hybrid course where Public Speaking is combined with interpersonal Communication and Small
Group Communication. We approached our managing editor, Mr. Keith Kopp about doing such a text
and he fully supports our idea of creating a text in Public Speaking which emphasizes the theme of the
impact of the new communication technologies on the topic of Public Speaking. This Faculty
Improvement Leave would help me to give my full attention to the completion of our manuscript for
publication to Great River Technologies with its refreshing approach to teaching Public Speaking in our
technological age.
I envision two major undertakings. First, I would like to create a draft manuscript in Public
Speaking following the theme set forth in our textbook, THE MODERN COMMUNICATOR. Second, this
manuscript will be accompanied by a website that we need to create with student activities, sample
speeches, and test taking capabilities. Both Dr. Earnheardt and I want to make sure that there are
original and major interactive activities to supplement the textbook in our proposed web site.
The manuscript must be fully completed at the end of my FIL. A copy of the manuscript will be
forwarded to the Provost’s office as part of my project summary. I envision that the book would either
be in production or published soon after the completion of this FIL.
Sabbatical/ FIL Results:
The manuscript has been revised in anticipation of the second edition of “The Modern Communicator”.
A preliminary draft of “The Modern Public Speaker” has been completed in anticipation of publication.