Speech Communications
Online SPC 2608
Instructor: Terri Moore
Telephone: 321-433-5536
E-mail: mooret@brevardcc.edu
Office: 1/220 - O
This is a 3 credit hour online course in the Fundamentals of Speech Communications. It
requires the use of ANGEL to facilitate your online learning. The virtual classroom will be
frequently monitored by the professor to ensure student participation.
You will need a computer with at least a modem 56K+ and an Internet Service Provider (ISP). If you
don’t own a computer, you are welcome to use on-campus computers in the BCC library, Learning Lab,
Student Services area and/or Public Library.
The goal of this course is for you to become more comfortable, more skillful and more effective as a
communicator. Emphasis in this class is placed on public speaking and group communication, but we will also
discuss methods of improving interpersonal communication in one-on-one relationships, and we will examine
the importance of good listening skills. The study of theory and methods presented in your textbook, analysis
of video clips of sample speeches, and practice in composing and delivering speeches to live audiences, will
help you reach your communication goals.
You will participate in group discussions leading to the completion of group assignments. Your discussion
forum responses and assignments will be monitored and graded on a weekly basis. Assignments and
other pertinent information for the class will be distributed through Blackboard. You will find your weekly
assignments in the Folders that are marked for each week.
As part of your grade, you are required to submit weekly discussion forum questions such as the
following examples:
 According to the author of your text, improving listening skills will make you a better public
speaker. Do you agree with this concept?
 Have you experienced what the author describes?
 Please explain why you fell this is an accurate or an inaccurate correlation.
Timely submission of your comments in these forums will constitute your attendance grade for that week.
Failure to comment during the week’s assigned forum will result in an absence recorded for that week.
In addition to internet access you will need the following materials for this class:
Required Text: Public Speaking Handbook, Steven A. Beebe & Susan J. Beebe, Third Edition.
ISBN: 987-0-205-64835-1
*Access to a videotaping equipment (camcorder). The library on the Melbourne Cocoa campuses of Brevard
Community College have Speech Video Labs available for students should you choose to use that videotaping
equipment for the recording and submission of your speech presentations.
*If you plan to use the speech lab, however, please note that two of your speech assignments
have the requirement of a live audience, so you must be able to bring your audience members
with you to your taping sessions on campus.
You may also rent equipment for the time necessary to complete each of your three videotaped assignments.
Students must have the capacity to upload their recordings into any of the following formats for submission to
the online course room drop boxes:
QuickTime, MP, Windows Media Player 4, Flash, Real Time.
NO Speeches will be mailed to the instructor. Additionally, students much have an audience of at least
seven (7) adults for the two of the required presentations. Any equipment that you use will be required to
have the ability to pan the audience as part of the recording to prove that these presentations have been done
as instructed with a live audience. Failing to have the required number of audience members in attendance
will result in a failing grade for that speech.
Course Description:
This is a basic course in effective oral communication concentrating on improvement of speaking and
listening through individual and group speech activities.
Course Objectives:
 To explore the role of interpersonal, intercultural, small group and public communication.
 To gain practical skills for effective public communication in any of these settings, including
speaking effectively to inform, to persuade, or to navigate issues of group problem solving.
 To learn how to listen more effectively and process information more critically.
Course Competencies: As a student of SPC2600 upon successful completion of this course you will be
able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Demonstrate audience centeredness.
Organize ideas.
Conduct research.
Demonstrate active listening
Apply effective delivery.
Incorporate effective presentational aids.
Manage speech anxiety.
Communicate effectively within a small group.
Model ethical and culturally respectful communication traits.
Apply strategies to the goals of informative and persuasive communications.
Course Requirements:
Speeches: (3) Recorded, (1) Written manuscript
Self-Introduction Speech: a 2-3 minute speech introducing yourself. You should choose three
objects which represent your past, your present and your future, and use these objects to organize
your speech of self-introduction. This will be your first use of visual aids. This speech must be
videotaped and placed in the drop box for the Self-Introduction Speech in the Angel course room. This
is the ONLY presentation that doesn’t require an audience of seven.
Informative Speech: a 5-7 minute informative speech, incorporating the use of a visual aid to help you
teach a process or an idea. This speech must be delivered and videotaped before an audience of at least 7
adults. You are expected to answer questions and hold follow-up instruction with your audience immediately
after your speech, and this question/answer session will be videotaped, as well. This speech must be
videotaped and placed in the drop box for the Self-Introduction Speech in the Angel course room
Persuasive Speech: a 5-7 minute persuasive speech in which you will be an advocate of an idea, a policy, a
plan of action, a program or a product. This speech must be delivered and videotaped before an audience of at
least 7 adults. Your audience members will conduct a feedback and discussion session with you immediately
after your speech and this session will be videotaped. This speech must be videotaped and placed in the drop
box for the Self-Introduction Speech in the Angel course room.
Commemorative Speech: a 2-5 page manuscript speech in which you pay tribute to a person, a group of
people, an institution or an idea. This speech must make use of advanced rhetorical techniques in language,
structure and organization.
Other Course Requirements:
Speech Critique Paper: 3-5 page paper in which you analyze the speech strategies and methods used by
another public speaker. You must attend a "live" (not taped, televised, filmed or recorded) speech in your
community and write a critique of that speaker's performance.
Group Work:
Weekly Group Discussion: Each week, it is your responsibility to use the discussion forums to post
discussion responses to the questions from the assigned reading. You will be expected to treat this as a
genuine group discussion, not simply individual postings of your answers to questions. In other words, you
should build on each other's comments, question and challenge each other as you would do in a face-to-face
group discussion. I will not initiate group discussion, but will join in when it seems appropriate. I will monitor
group discussion for evaluation of individual performance. This will count as your weekly attendance grade.
Failure to respond during the assigned time for the discussion forum will result a report of nonattendance for
that week. If you have any questions regarding the criteria for your responses, please review the discussion
forum rubric.
Group Problem Solving Project: You will be assigned to a group and your group will meet online to solve a
problem. The group will be given two weeks to work on an issue and response in a 3-5 page group paper. The
aim of this assignment is for you to practice consensus-building techniques in group problem solving. I will
monitor group discussions for evaluation of individual performance.
Explanation of requirements:
Speech of introduction: This is a two-three minute presentation in which you introduce yourself using
a number of visual aids that represent different aspects of your life or personality. It must be arranged
in a logical format. Submission of a speech outline is required.
Speech to inform: Present a five- to seven-minute speech designed to inform. You are expected to
TEACH in this presentation and idea or process. The use of effective visual aids is required along with a
bibliography with a minimum of 3 sources attached to your outline.
Speech to persuade: This is a 7-10 minute speech designed to change listeners' opinions, beliefs or
behaviors about an issue of importance. You will persuade the audience for or against a question of policy
or persuade the audience on either a question of fact or value. This speech requires considerable
research and skillful use of the methods of persuasion. Visuals are also required.
1.
You will deliver your speech extemporaneously, though you may use note cards for your quotations,
statistics or other information difficult to remember
2.
You must turn in an outline using the form attached to this assignment and cite a minimum of 5
sources to support your arguments in your speech.
3.
You must use the Monroe's Motivated Sequence format to deliver this speech.
Commemorative Speech: A (2-5) page manuscript speech in which you pay tribute to a person, a
group of people, an institution or an idea. This speech must make use of advanced rhetorical
techniques in language, structure and organization.
1. Acquaint yourself with different forms of commemorative speeches by reading chapter 17
and viewing the relevant video clips from your CD-ROM.
2. Study the rhetorical techniques presented in chapter 11, particularly the material on
using imagery and rhythm. View the accompanying video clips from your CD-ROM.
3. Decide on a hypothetical or real occasion when a commemorative speech would help
bring people together in a special way. Determine what could be the topic or theme of
such a speech.
4. Write a manuscript speech suitable for delivery at this occasion. Your speech should be
between 2 and 5 double-spaced pages in length. Generally, it takes 1 minute to deliver 1
page of double-spaced text, so this would be a brief (2-5 minute) speech.
Other requirements:
Speech Critique: Find a public speaking event in your community to attend (you must be a member
of the "live" audience -- this cannot be a broadcast or videotape). Newspapers generally list events
that will have speakers. In the past, students have been able to attend a live public speaking event: at
church (sermons, seminars), on campus (a guest speaker), at the public library (authors or experts),
at a local bookstore (author book-signing or public lecture), at work (seminar, sales meeting with
motivational speaker), at a local Toastmasters International chapter (see the "External Links" to find a
Toastmasters club in your community), in their neighborhoods (home show, homeowners association
meeting), at local city or county government buildings (viewing a court case, attending a city council
meeting), or at their children's schools (PTA, Scouts). Attend the speech, but be sure to take a
notebook to jot down your immediate impressions of the speaker, the message, the method, the
audience reaction and the environment
Write your "Speech Critique" paper based on your observations of the speech event. Be sure to
include the following in your analysis:
1.
The time, place, location and reason for the speech
2.
The message strategies the speaker used
3.
The delivery strategies the speaker used
4.
The success of the speaker
5.
The observable reactions of audience members
6.
The overall "climate" of the event -- before, during and after the speech
7.
Identify ways the speaker could have improved his/her speech
PLEASE NOTE: It is not necessary for you to summarize the content of the speech. You may need to
make reference to content by way of making a point about the speaker's methods, but this paper
should not be a "report" of the speech. It is, rather, an evaluation of the speaker's performance.
Your 3-5 page paper should follow the format of a college essay (typed, double-spaced, 12-point
font, 1" margins) and should be free of spelling and grammar errors. Submit your paper as
indicated in the course room.
Small Group assignment:
Small Group Assignments will be on the "Announcements" board. You will sign-in to your group's
message board and discuss the question and assignment that you will present as a group paper.
1.
You will receive your group's task via in your group’s discussion forum. The task will be to
choose between two issues and reach a group consensus and report on what you came up
with. Use your group's private message board to coordinate your group's work in solving the
assigned task. You may also use the "chat" feature of the Blackboard classroom to meet your
group mates live online or meet in person.
2.
Decide within your group who will report your group's solution to me via course room drop
boxes. Your group's solution due date will be assigned when the group discussion forum is
created with your group membership assignments.
3.
After I receive your group's solution, please complete Peer Evaluation forms.
4.
Your individual grade for this assignment will be based on your group's overall performance,
the group member’s evaluations of your performance, as well as my evaluation of your
individual contribution to the group (based on the quality and quantity of your postings to the
message board, group member's evaluations).
Exams: There will be 2 exams during the term. A proctored midterm and a final completed online.
Attendance Policy
Attendance is also MANDATORY in the VIRTUAL CLASSROOM. All students are required to log on at least
two times per week and respond to discussion questions and complete assignments. LATE responses will
not be accepted!
Excessive absences (more than 15% of class hours), either excused or unexcused, will negatively affect a
student’s grade. Being late on postings reduces your chance for good interaction with your peers
concerning the issues suggested for reflection. Therefore, posts that are late may not be given credit.
Late Work
If you are late in submitting your speech presentations or other assignment s in the course drop boxes, a
deduction of 10 points per day will be taken from your grade. (This results in a letter grade drop per
day). A student wishing to withdraw from class is responsible for filling the necessary forms. Students
who stop attending class without filing a withdrawal form will be continue to be reported as nonattending and may be dropped by the college or may receive a failing grade for the course.
Grading
*Assignment Point Breakdown
Speeches
Critique Paper
Discussion Forums
Group Problem
Midterm Exam
Final Exam
Attendance/ Participation
TOTAL POSSIBLE:
400 (100 points per speech)
100
100
100
100
100
100
1000
Grading Scale:
900-1000
800-899
700-799
600-699
599 and below
A
B
C
D
F
Category Weights and Breakdown of Assignments
Speeches
Self Introductory
Informative
Persuasive
Speech Critique
Manuscript Speech
Discussion Forums
Discussion Forums 1-10
50% or 500 points
10% or 100 points
10% or 100 points
10% or 100 points
10% or 100 points
10% or 100 points
(each 1%)
Tests
MidTerm
Final
10% or 100 points
10points each
20% or 200 points
10% or 100 points
10% or 100 points
Participation
Attendance
Student Information Sheet
Quizzes (1-18)
(each .5%)
10% or 100 points
.5%
10 points
.5%
10 points
9.0 %
80 points
Group Work
Group Project
10% or 100 points
10%
100 points
Total
100% or 1000 points
Attendance Points Absence is counted by failure to make comments during the
assigned Discussion Forum in each weekly discussion forum.
0 abs. = 100 pts.
3 abs. = 60 pts. (3 weeks)
1 abs. = 90 pts. (1 week)
More than 3 absences = 0 pts. (4 weeks or more)
2 abs. = 80 pts. (2 weeks)
IMPORTANT NOTES:
* Please note that you must complete ALL assigned presentations in order to receive a passing grade for the
class, regardless of your grade average.
** If you are absent from the course room for more than 3 weeks, you will receive a 0 for
attendance and it may not be possible to pass this course per college policy as that will constitute
absences of more than 15% for the course.
The above information is intended as an overview and orientation to the course. Please
refer to the "Assignments" section of each week for specific guidelines and due dates of
all coursework required in this class.
The Discipline Coordinator for this course is:
Robin Boggs: boggsr@brevardcc.edu
You may also contact the campus HELPLINE [321-433-7600] to help you resolve any
technical issues.