GAFL 502.002 Public Speaking
Instructor: Arthur C. Benedict
Phone Number: 610-407-0381 or
610-247-0043 (Cell)
Email Address:
abenedic@sas.upenn.edu
Fall Term 2012
Class Meets: Tuesday, 6-9pm
Classroom: Fels Seminar Room
Fels Mansion—3814 Walnut Street
COURSE BACKGROUND
Successful leaders must be able to convey their integrity and their ideas, their vision and their
values clearly and convincingly in public settings. By analyzing noteworthy speeches and
affording students the opportunity to prepare and deliver different types of speeches, this course
teaches the fundamentals of persuasive public speaking while encouraging students to develop
their own voice.
This is a performance course. Students will gain skill and confidence in their speech writing and
public speaking abilities through practice, peer feedback, and extensive coaching. Class lectures
and discussions will focus on persuasive strategies, delivery, and techniques for handling
communications challenges such as tough audiences, community meetings, Q and A sessions,
and dealing with the media. Speeches will be taped and analyzed.
Overall Objective: Students will enhance their leadership skills by becoming better
communicators.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING
Expectations:
• Students will read/view/listen to all of the assigned articles, speeches, and texts and be prepared
to fully engage in class discussion. Learning from the assignments and class discussion is
expected to be demonstrated in the speeches. In addition, students will look at the video of their
speeches as soon as possible after each speech is delivered.
• Students are required to attend all class sessions and be fully engaged by giving and receiving
critical feedback. Since this is a safe learning environment, it is also expected that students will
take risks and try new things in their speaking in order to stretch their skills and grow.
• Students will select a speech partner with whom s/he will collaborate for the duration of the
semester through in-depth written feedback and in-class discussions.
Speeches
Points
Speech #1, Speech of Introduction: 10
Speech #2, Influential Leader/Person Speech: 20
Speech #3, Occasion Speech: 15
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Speech #4, Choice of Assignments: Informative Briefing using Visual Aid OR Impromptu
Speech: each is worth 25 points
Speech #5, Persuasive Speech (Tough Audience): 35
Speech #6: Hearing or Public Meeting Speech: 35
Speech #7, Final Speech: Inspirational Speech: 60
Total Speeches: 200 (80%)
Note: All assignments are described in detail on Blackboard.
Participation
Includes attendance, individual meeting with instructor, class participation, working with
with speech partner and giving partner written feedback: 50
Total Participation: 50 (20%)
Total: 250 (100%)
In general, speeches will be graded on content, structure, and delivery. Individual speeches
may have more specific grading criteria. If so, they will be included on the detailed speech
assignment.
STUDENT CONDUCT
Students are expected to submit their own work, and presenting the work of others as their own
is not acceptable. Suspected instances of plagiarism or other abuses in this course will be
referred to the University Office of Student Conduct, and the students involved will be given
grades of Incomplete for the course until the situation is resolved.
All speeches are to be well prepared and to be delivered on the date due. On-time submission is
a matter of fairness, since delayed assignments may benefit unfairly from the work done on time
by other students and presented in class. Students who deliver speeches after the date due may
receive lower grades at the sole discretion of the professor.
ATTENDANCE
The course is planned on the assumption that students will attend all classes; students who miss
classes should make arrangements to catch up without delay on the material presented. Final
grades of Incomplete will not be given except under extraordinary circumstances such as medical
emergencies. Outside these extraordinary circumstances, if work has not been completed by the
end of the course, a final grade will be assigned based on the best information available in the
sole discretion of the professor. Students are responsible for meeting all schedule commitments,
including drop and add notifications, as well as for meeting all other program and degree
requirements.
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READINGS
Please purchase the Course Pack at the Campus Copy Center (3907 Walnut Street). All reading
assignments are listed by the class they are due (including Class One). In addition, there may be
assignments not contained in the syllabus (e.g., viewing or attending speeches, etc.).
GAFL 502.002 SCHEDULE BY WEEK FALL 2011*
Week 1 (9/11)
Read Week 1 Assignment
• Introduction to the course
• Lecture: “Finding One’s Voice and Speaking the Truth”
• View and discuss Barbara Jordan’s Impeachment Hearing Statement (1974) and Robert F. Kennedy’s
extemporaneous “eulogy” for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (1968)
• Impromptu Speech with playback and feedback (1minute) (un-graded)
• Select Speech Partner
Assignment: Prepare Speech # 1—Speech of Personal Introduction (2 minutes) (10) (Note: Detailed Assignments
for each class are posted on Blackboard.) Due Week 2.
Week 2 (9/18)
Read Week 2 articles on speaker anxiety
Analysis and Discussion: Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” Speech (1963); analyze delivery techniques (e.g.,
cite Obama, Clinton, et al)
• Lecture on Anxiety and Delivery
• Speech # 1: Speech of Introduction, “What Makes You You?”(2 minutes)
• Feedback: Receive feedback from speech partner, class, and instructor
• Sign up for Individual Coaching Session (to be held before class weeks 3-7)
Assignment: Prepare Speech # 2—Influential Leader/Person Speech (3 minutes) (20) Due Week 3. View the late
Professor Randy Pausch’s “Last Lecture” for discussion Week 3. (On YouTube)
**Week 3 (9/25) (Scheduled Coaching Sessions before class.) #
Read Week 3 articles on organization
Analysis and Discussion of the “Last Lecture”; view and discuss Isabel Allende’s TED Talk (2007)
• Lecture: “Organizing Your Thoughts so that the Audience can Follow You”
• Speech # 2: Influential Leader/Person Speech (3 min.). Focus on structure—a beginning, middle, end.
• Feedback: on structure with speech partner and class
Assignment: Prepare Speech # 3—Occasion Speech—e.g., speeches of introduction, eulogy, award, toast, event,
ceremony, etc. (2 minutes) (15) Pick/prepare one type of Occasion Speech (your choice). Also, locate and bring
copy to class of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address for discussion Week 4.
**Week 4 (10/2) (Scheduled Coaching sessions before class) #
Read Week 4 articles on how to write a speech
Analysis and Discussion: Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address; Rep. Barbara Lee’s 2001 speech against war resolution—
occasion speeches to establish tone/direction, commemorate event, express a belief, etc.
• Lecture: “Writing for the Ear: How to Write a Speech”
• Speech # 3: Occasion Speech – focus on vocal variation when delivering.
• Feedback on speech
Assignment: Prepare Speech # 4—Choice of assignments: Either an Informative Briefing using PowerPoint or other
visual aid OR an Impromptu Speech—topic assigned by instructor. Each is about 3 minutes long and worth 25
points. Due: Week 5. Be prepared to answer at least one question after the speeches. Read Week 5 materials on
Presentations and Visual Aids; View and analyze Steve Jobs “iPhone Introduction” Presentation at 2007 MacWorld.
(Note: not his keynote address that same year.) (On YouTube)
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Week 5 (10/9) (Scheduled Coaching sessions before class) #
Read Week 5 materials on Presentations and Visual Aids
Discuss Steve Jobs “iPhone Introduction” Presentation (2007 MacWorld)
• Brief Lecture: “Preparing and Presenting Visual Aids Effectively”
• Speech # 4: Informative Briefing on any subject (3 minutes)
• Feedback on briefing
Assignment: Begin preparation of Speech # 5: Persuasive Speech to a tough audience (5-6min.) (35) Due: Week 7
and Week 8 (half the class each week); Watch Richard Nixon’s “Checker’s” Speech (1952) on Miller Center of
Public Affairs Presidential Speeches; bring text of the speech to class for discussion; read Week 6 materials on
Persuasion. (Note: no student speeches Week 6 except make-up speeches)
**Week 6 (10/16) (Coaching sessions before and after class) #
(Note: Entire class devoted to lecture/discussion of Persuasion)
Read Week 6 materials on Persuasion
Analyze and Discuss Richard Nixon’s “Checkers” Speech (1952)
• View and critique JFK’s Houston Ministers Speech and Q&A following speech (1960)
• Lecture: “Persuading Tough Audiences using Ethos, Logos, and Pathos”; handling tough questions
• Make up speeches (if necessary)
Assignment: Prepare Speech # 5: Persuasive Speech to a tough audience on a serious topic; e.g., a government,
business, or social issue you feel strongly about. Use speech to persuade this audience which consists of at least a
few people who will be unfavorable to your stance to at least listen and perhaps even reflect a little more on the
issue. Be prepared to answer a couple of questions from audience after speech. (5-6 min.) (35) Due: Weeks 7 and 8
(half the class each week)
(FALL BREAK: OCTOBER 20 THROUGH OCTOBER 23—NO CLASS 10/23)
Week 7 (10/30) (Scheduled Coaching sessions before and after class) #
• Speech # 5: Persuasive Speech to Tough Audience (35) (half the class)
• Lecture: Speaking at Meetings, Hearings, etc. View and discuss selected Hearing video(s).
Assignment: Begin preparation of Speech # 6—A speech at a Public Meeting or Hearing or before a Board of
Directors (whichever is more appropriate to your profession). Be prepared for several questions from the audience
following the speech. (35) Due: Week 9 and Week 10—half the class Week 9; remainder of Class Week 10. Read
Week 8 materials on dealing with the media.
**Week 8 (11/6)
Read Week 8 materials on dealing with the media.
• Lecture: “Filling the Information Void: Dealing with the Media and the Public in Crisis Situations”
• Speech # 5: Persuasive Speech to Tough Audience (35) (Remainder of the class)
• Questions and feedback from class
Assignment: Prepare Speech # 6 (See detailed assignment on Blackboard; Due Weeks 9 and 10); Look at and be
prepared to discuss in Week 9 FDR’s First Inaugural Address (1933) and Steve Jobs’ Stanford Commencement
Address (2005). Both on YouTube.
**Week 9 (11/13)
• Lecture: “What does it take to inspire people?”; additional comments and discussion on writing and delivering
longer speeches (Note: Read the lecture notes on preparing and delivering from texts.)
Analysis and Discussion of FDR’s First Inaugural Address and Jobs’ Stanford Commencement Speech
Show and discuss Bono’s NAACP Award Speech (2008) and selected student speeches
• Speech # 6: Speech at Community Meeting/ Public Hearing or Board/Council followed by Q&A. (35) (Half the
class)
• Questions and feedback from class
Assignment: Prepare final speech, Speech # 7—8-10 minute Inspirational speech. (60) Half the class will deliver
speech Week 11; the remainder of the class will deliver speech Week 12. Please invite guests.
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Week 10 (11/20)
Analysis and Discussion of a selected Winston Churchill Speech
• Speech # 6 (35) (Remainder of the class)
• Questions and feedback from class
• Show and discuss selected student speeches
Assignment: Prepare 8-10 minute Inspirational Speech; Watch Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s “Reconciling Love”
Speech (UC-Santa Barbara: 2005) on YouTube.
Week 11 (11/27) Note: this class meets in Auditorium to be assigned; Guests are encouraged
Analysis and Discussion of Archbishop Tutu’s Speech
• Speech # 7: 8-10 minute Inspirational Speech (60) (Half of the class)
• Questions and feedback from class
Week 12 (12/4) Note: this class meets in Auditorium to be assigned; Guests are encouraged
• Speech # 7: 8-10 minute Inspirational Speech (60) (Remainder of the class)
• Questions and feedback from class
• Play and discuss Robert F. Kennedy’s formal speech on Dr. King’s death (April 5, 1968)
• Time permitting, final Impromptu Speech (1 minute) (un-graded)
• Review and Wrap-up the course
Notes:
* All Assignments are reviewed in detail on Blackboard
** Classes marked with double asterisk have Lecture Notes available for them on Blackboard
# Individual coaching is available on request throughout the semester; scheduled coaching session is
mandatory
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