Course Syllabus
Introduction to Speech Communication
SPCH 1315 – DE
Semester with
Course Reference
Number (CRN)
Spring 2013: Speech 1315
CRN: 34069/33806/34167
Instructor contact
information (phone
number and email
address)
Dustin McDunn
dustin.mcdunn@hccs.edu
713-718-2505
Office Location
and Hours
Felix Morales 124
Office Hours: Tuesday/Thursday 10-11 a.m., 12:30-1 p.m., and 2:30-4 p.m.
Course
Location/Times
Southeast: Felix Morales
Distance Education: 80% Online, 20% on Southeast Campus
Course Semester
Credit Hours (SCH)
(lecture, lab) If
applicable
Credit Hours
3.00
Lecture Hours
3.00
Laboratory Hours NA
Total Course
Contact Hours
48
Course Length
(number of weeks)
16
Type of Instruction
Distance Education (DE)
Course
Description:
Research, composition, organization, delivery, and analysis of speeches for various
purposes and occassions. Designed to develop proficiency in public speaking situations;
emphasis on content, organization, and delivery of speeches for various occasions. Open to
all students. Required for speech majors. Core Curriculum Course.
Course
PREREQUISITE(S):
Prerequisite(s)


SPCH 1311 or
ENGL1301 or department approval. Required for Speech majors.
Academic
Discipline/CTE
Program Learning
Outcomes
1. Research and select appropriate source materials to develop ideas and support claims for
oral presentations.
2. Deliver speeches and other oral presentations with structure, style, self-confidence, and
consistent eye contact. The latter will foster a speaker-audience connection.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of the cannon of public speaking, and be able to present
prepared and impromptu talks.
4. Integrate teh use of appropriate vocal and nonverbal techniques to enhance content.
5. Name and explain the different categories of speeches and delivery methods.
6. Recognize reasoning fallacies.
7. Work in groups or on teams as a member, and as leader-thinker.
Course Student
Learning
Outcomes (SLO): 4
to 7
1. Analyze speeches, statements, and behaviors; orally and in writing;
2. *Prepare and present speeches and other presentations, using the appropriate verbal,
oral, aural, and nonverbal communication skills;
3. *Compose and present a persuasive speech using logic and source materials to frame
and support arguments. Other appeals and the use of appropriate verbal, oral, and aural
communication skills should be use to effectuate audience influence.
4. Listen actively, critically and empathetically;
5. Identify various kinds of listeners.; and
6. Distinguish types of speech delivery methods, and use them effectively.
Learning
Objectives
Analyze speeches, statements, and behaviors; orally and in writing;
1. Conduct discussions to help students evaluate diverse issues and topics.
*Prepare and present speeches and other presentations, using the appropriate verbal, oral,
aural, and nonverbal communication skills;
1. Employ exercises and assignments that will train students to properly structure oral
presentations for formal and informal settings.
*Compose and present a persuasive speech using logic and source materials to frame and
support arguments. Other appeals and the use of appropriate verbal, oral, and aural
communication skills should be use to effectuate audience influence.
1. Explain the use of different types of claims and ways to reason.
Listen actively, critically and empathetically;
Identify various kinds of listeners.; and
Distinguish types of speech delivery methods, and use them effectively.
Program/Discipline
Requirements: If
applicable
1. Identify and explain the components of the communication process and the role they play
in human interactions.
2. Deliver informative and persuasive oral presentations that are consistent with and
appropriate for the audience and purpose.
3. Identify, evaluate, and utilize evidence to support claims used in presentations and
arguments.
4. Discuss the major types of interpersonal relationships, and how conflict and power issues
can be handled effectively with communication.
5. Effectively communicate and interact with others in interpersonal, personal and
professional situations.
6. Demonstrate through performance and analysis the importance of both verbal and
nonverbal communication.
7. Work as a productive team member as either a leader or follower.
HCC Grading
A = 100- 90
4 points per semester hour
Scale
B = 89 - 80:
3 points per semester hour
C = 79 - 70:
2 points per semester hour
D = 69 - 60:
1 point per semester hour
59 and below = F
0 points per semester hour
IP (In Progress)
0 points per semester hour
W(Withdrawn)
0 points per semester hour
I (Incomplete)
0 points per semester hour
AUD (Audit)
0 points per semester hour
IP (In Progress) is given only in certain developmental courses. The student must re-enroll to
receive credit. COM (Completed) is given in non-credit and continuing education courses. To
compute grade point average (GPA), divide the total grade points by the total number of
semester hours attempted. The grades "IP," "COM" and "I" do not affect GPA.
See "Health Science Program/Discipline Requirements" for grading scale.
Instructor Grading
Criteria
Speeches, assignments and projects will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
 Adherence to all specific assignment guidelines/content requirements.
 Adherence to deadlines.
 Level of technical difficulty attempted and achieved. More sophisticated work
may receive higher scores.
 Creativity and Originality: Solving the assignments in an imaginative and unique
way may lead to a higher score.
 Honesty: Submit your own work.
Late assignments or discussions
Late assignments or discussions will lose 10 percentage points for each day that they are
late.
Missed Exams, Quizzes or Speeches
You must notify the instructor within 24 hours and must provide verifiable medical/HCC
service excuse. You may not make up a missed exam, quiz, or speech without a verifiable,
official, excused absence.
Instructor’s Final Grading Legend:
The final grade will consist of the following:
 3 speeches, 100 points each
 1 speech critique
 5 online discussions, 50 points each
 15 weekly quizzes, 10 points each
 midterm exam:
 Final Exam:
 Total:
Instructional
Materials
300 points
100 points
250 points
150 points
100 points
100 points
1000 points
Mandatory textbook:
O’Hair, D., Rubenstein, H., & Stewart, R. (2010). A pocket guide to public speaking (3rd ed.).
Bedford/St. Martin's.
Calendar
Classes Begin
HCC Calendar:
Per specific Semester
Monday, Jan. 14
Holidays and Breaks
Last day for student/administrative
withdrawals
Instruction ends
Final examination deadline
Monday, Jan. 21
Monday, Feb. 18
March 11-15
Friday, March 29
Monday, April 1
Sunday, May 5
11:55 p.m. Wednesday, May 8
Course Calendar:
Date
Topic and reading
Assignments, assessments and deadlines
Week 1
Welcome: why study
public speaking
Getting started: chapters
1-5
Quiz 1 due 11:55 p.m. Jan. 18
Weeks 2 &
3
Weeks 4 &
5
Weeks 6 &
7
Weeks 8
Springbreak
Week 9
Weeks 10 &
11
Weeks 12 &
13
Weeks 14 &
15
Week 16
HCC Policy
Statement:
Quiz 2 due 11:55 p.m. Jan. 25
Introduction Speech in person Jan. 29, 30,
31, or Feb. 2
Quiz 3 due 11:55 p.m. Feb . 1
Discussion 1 ends @ 11:55 p.m. Feb. 1
Development: chapters 6- Quiz 4 due 11:55 p.m. Feb. 8
11
Quiz 5 due 11:55 p.m. Feb. 15
Speaker critique due @ 11:55 p.m. Feb. 15
Organization:
chapters Quiz 6 due 11:55 p.m. Feb. 22
12-14
Discussion 2 ends @ 11:55 p.m. Feb. 22
Quiz 7 due 11:55 p.m. March 1
Midterm Exam due 11:55 p.m. March 1
Starting, finishing and Quiz 8 due 11:55 p.m. March 8
styling: chapters 15-16
Quiz 9 due 11:55 p.m. March 22
Discussion 3 ends @ 11:55 p.m. March 22
Delivery: chapters 17-19
Quiz 10 due 11:55 p.m. March 29
Quiz 11 due 11:55 p.m. April 5
Types
of
speeches: Informative Speech in person April 9, 10,
11, or 13
chapters 23-25
Quiz 12 due 11:55 p.m. April 12
Discussion 4 ends @ 11:55 p.m. April 12
Quiz 13 due 11:55 p.m. April 19
Presentation
aids: Quiz 14 due 11:55 p.m. April 26
Persuasive Speech in person April 30,
chapters 20-22
May 1, 2, or 4
Quiz 15 due 11:55 p.m. May 3
Discussion 5 ends @ 11:55 p.m. May 3
Final exam
Due 11:55 p.m. May 8
Please remember that this syllabus is subject to change.
All changes will be documented by the instructor.
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:
Class attendance: As stated in the HCC Catalog, all students are expected to attend
classes regularly. Students in DE courses must log into their Eagle Online class and actively
participate or they will be counted as absent. Just like an on-campus class, your regular
participation is required.
Although it is the responsibility of the student to withdraw officially from a course, the
professor also has the authority to block a student from accessing Eagle Online, and/or
to withdraw a student for excessive absences or failure to participate regularly. DE
students who do not log into their class by the Official Day of Record will be
AUTOMATICALLY dropped for non-attendance. Completing the DE online orientation
does not count as attendance.
Final grade of FX: Students who stop attending class and do not withdraw themselves prior
to the withdrawal deadline may either be dropped by their professor for excessive absences
or be assigned the final grade of “FX” at the end of the semester. Students who stop
attending classes will receive a grade of “FX” compared to an earned grade of “F,” which is
due to poor performance. Logging into a DE course without active participation is seen as
non-attending.
Please not that HCC will not disperse financial aid funding for students who have never
attended class. Students who receive financial aide but fail to attend class will be reported to
the Department of Education and may have to pay back their aid. A grade of “FX” is treated
exactly the same as a grade of “F” in terms of GPA, probation, suspension, and satisfactory
academic progress.
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
Access Student
Services Policies
on their Web site:
http://hccs.edu/student-rights
Access DE
Policies on their
Web site:
The Distance Education Student Handbook contains policies and procedures unique to the
DE student. Students should have reviewed the handbook as part of the mandatory
orientation. It is the student's responsibility to be familiar with the handbook's contents. The
handbook contains valuable information, answers, and resources, such as DE contacts,
policies and procedures (how to drop, attendance requirements, etc.), student services
(ADA, financial aid, degree planning, etc.), course information, testing procedures, technical
support, and academic calendars.
Refer to the DE Student Handbook by visiting this link: http://de.hccs.edu/de/de-studenthandbook
Access CE
Policies on their
Web site:
http://hccs.edu/CE-student-guidelines