Houston Community College/ NE
Introduction to Communication Course Syllabus
Spring Semester 2015
Introduction to Communication: Speech 1311/ CRN 42190
Course Location: HCC NE
Instructor: Cherise Johnson
Email: cherise.johnson@hccs.edu
Text: Communication: Making Connections, 9th Edition
Authors: Seiler, William J.
Course Description: 3 Credits (3 hrs. lec.) Introduces basic human communication
principles and theories embedded in a variety of contexts including interpersonal, small
group, and public speaking.
Course Objectives/Expectations:
 To become aware of the communication process and barriers that inhibit effective
communication.
 To be able to use appropriate verbal, oral and aural communication skills to
effectuate audience influence.
 Over the course of this semester, two comprehensive examinations will be given
(Mid-Term and Final).
 Each student will be expected to present a chapter from the textbook to the class
in the form of a lecture.
 The students will also be split into groups and assigned a group project over
reviewed material in the textbook.
 There will be one term paper required for each student to complete and there will
be a list of topics provided but the student is not limited to those topics.
Course Student Learning Outcomes:
 Understand and apply the principles of human communication including:
perception, verbal communication, nonverbal communication, listening, and
audience analysis.
 Understand how to establish and maintain relationships through the use of
interpersonal communication.
 Understand and apply small group communication skills including: problem
solving, group roles, leadership styles, and cohesiveness.
 Develop, research, organize, and deliver formal public speeches
 Recognize how to communicate within diverse or multicultural environments
 Demonstrate understanding of the relevance of cross-cultural, co-cultural, gender,
and age influences on human communication.
Course Student Learning Objectives:
 Direct students to initiate and engage in conversations
 Provide opportunities for students to research and use different resources to attain
data for formal and informal discussions, presentations, and conversations
 Place students in roles of interviewer and interviewee to enhance interviewing
skills
 Give assignments that promote team and group participation, as well as those that
develop leadership and followership skills
 Work with students individually and collectively to build self-confidence
 Train students to improve their vocal, aural, and nonverbal skills
GRADE EVALUATION:
Requirement
Tentative Date
Percent of Final
Average
In Class Participation
Mid- Term Exam
Final Exam
Chapter Presentations
Project
Paper
Total
10%
20%
25%
15%
15%
15%
100%
LETTER GRADE ASSIGNMENT:
Final letter grades will be assigned after computing individual final averages in percent as
follows:
Final Average in Percent
Letter Grade
100 – 89.5 %
79.5 – 89.4 %
69.5 – 79.4%
59.5 –69.4%
0– 59.4%
A
B
C
D
F
CLASS PERFORMANCE
1. Presentations: Presentations will be given in front of the class to allow to students to
gain more confidence when presenting to various size audiences.
2. Topic Approval: Topics chosen by the student for the end of semester speech must
be approved by the instructor, to avoid duplications of other speakers’ topics, to avoid
inappropriate topics, and to avoid offensive or profane material.
3. Outlines: Immediately before giving a presentation or speech the student will provide
the instructor with a Neatly Typed copy of his/het outline. The student may use
notecards while speaking. Never read a speech word-for-word!
4. Audience Behavior: While presentation and speeches are in progress, students should
not talk to others, work on other subjects, enter or leave the room, or engage in any
other behavior which might distract the speaker. Students’ guests are not permitted
in class, except for someone assisting with a Demonstration Speech with prior
permission of the instructor.
5. Late Work: Late work will not be allowed.
6. Attendance: Because the public speaking at the heart of this course requires the
presence of an audience, attendance for all is required on all days on which
speeches or presentations are being presented. LEAVING EARLY OR NOT
BEING PRESENT FOR OTHER STUDENT PRESENTATION IS NOT
ACCEPTABLE. 10 POINTS WILL BE DEDUCTED FROM YOUR GRADE
IF YOU LEAVE OR ARE NOT PRESENT DURING PRESENTATIONS. DO
NOT ASK FOR EXCEPTIONS. Do not make appointments or any other
commitments for the scheduled class time.
HCC Policy
Statement:
HCC Policy Statement: Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)
According to federal and college guidelines, any student with special needs
bears responsibility of notifying faculty accordingly. Official notification
from Disabled Student Services must be received to provide special
consideration and accommodations. Any student with a documented disability
(e.g., physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to
arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the Disability Services
Office at the respective college at the beginning of each semester. Faculty is
authorized to provide only the accommodations requested by the Disability
Support Services. Contact Jette Lott at (713) 718-7218 for additional
information.
HCC Policy Statement: Academic Honesty
You are expected to be familiar with the College's Policy on Academic
Honesty, found in the catalog and student handbook. Students are responsible
for conducting themselves with honor and integrity in fulfilling course
requirements. Penalties and/or disciplinary proceedings may be initiated by
College System officials against a student accused of scholastic dishonesty.
“Scholastic dishonesty” includes, but is not limited to, cheating on a test,
plagiarism, and collusion.
Cheating on a test includes:
 Copying from another student’s test paper;
 Using materials during a test that are not authorized by the person
giving the test;
 Collaborating with another student during a test without authority;
 Knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, transporting, or soliciting in
whole or part the contents of a test that has not bee administered;
 Bribing another person to obtain a test that is to be administered.
Plagiarism means the appropriation of another’s work and the
unacknowledged incorporation of that work in one’s own written work offered
for credit.
Collusion means the unauthorized collaboration with another person in
preparing written work offered for credit.
Violations: Possible punishments for academic dishonesty may include a grade
of “0” or “F” on the particular assignment, failure in the course, and/or
recommendation for probation or dismissal from the College System. A
recommendation for expulsion will be referred to the College Dean of Student
Development for disciplinary disposition.
Students who wish to appeal a grade penalty should notify the instructional
supervisor within 30 working days of the incident. A standing committee
appointed by the College Dean of Instruction (Academic or Workforce) will
convene to sustain, reduce, or reverse the grade penalty. The committee will
be composed of two students, two faculty members, and one instructional
administrator. A majority vote will decide the grade appeal and is final.
Attendance Policy:
Research has shown that the single most important factor in student success is
attendance. Roll will be taken each class period in the form of a sign-in sheet
available to students during the first fifteen minutes of class. It is the students’
responsibility to sign the attendance sheet during the first fifteen minutes of
class to be counted as present for the day. Due to unforeseen events or
emergencies, four unexcused absences will be allowed for the semester.
Students, who miss more than 4 days (6 hours) of class may be dropped.
Absent students are responsible for discovering what was missed and must be
prepared for the next class. For each absence over four, ten points will be
deducted from the total grade at the end of the semester.
Administrative drops are at the discretion of the instructor. If you are
doing poorly in the class, but you have not contacted your professor to ask
for help, and you have not withdrawn by the official withdrawal date, it
will result in you receiving a grade of “F” in the course.