Spring 2016 1
Course Description
Application of communication theory and practice to the public speaking context, with emphasis on audience analysis, speaker delivery, ethics of communication, cultural diversity, and speech organizational techniques to develop students’ speaking abilities, as well as ability to effectively evaluate oral presentations.
Major Course Requirements/ Task Listing
10. Write effective paragraphs
13. Give oral presentations
16. Accommodate cultural diversities in oral and written communication
17. Apply non-verbal communication techniques
19. Apply active learning skills
27. Perform research
28. Document research sources
30. Read analytically
33. Apply time management techniques
This course is divided in sections and they include the following:
Part 1- Speaking and Listening
Part 2- Speech Preparation: Getting Started
Part 3- Speech Preparation: Organizing and Outlining
Part 4- Presenting the Speech
Part 5- Varieties of Public Speaking
SPCH 1315 Learning Objectives
In accordance with recommendations from the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board, all speech courses at Texas State Technical College will

Spring 2016 2 address the following core objectives:
1.
Critical Thinking Skills- including creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information .
2.
Communication Skills- including effective written, oral, and visual communication.
3.
Teamwork- including the ability to consider different points of view and to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal.
4.
Personal Responsibility- including the ability to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making.
SPCH 1315 Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of SPCH 1315, students will be able to:
1.
Demonstrate an understanding of the foundational models of communication.
2.
Apply elements of audience analysis.
3.
Demonstrate ethical speaking and listening skills by analyzing presentations for evidence and logic.
4.
Research, develop and deliver extemporaneous speeches with effective verbal and nonverbal techniques.
5.
Demonstrate effective usage of technology when researching and presenting speeches.
6.
Identify how culture, ethnicity and gender influence communication.
7.
Develop proficiency in presenting a variety of speeches as an individual or group (e.g. narrative, informative, or persuasive).
Course Schedule
(Tentative Schedule subject to change by your instructor)
Day Date Lecture Topic
Mon. Jan.11 Course Introduction
Introduction Presentation
Assignment
Measureable Activities
Wed. Jan.13 Speaking in Public-Ch. 1
 Power of Public Speaking
 Tradition of Public Speaking
 Similarities Between Public Speaking and Conversation
 Differences Between Public Speaking and Conversation
Syllabus Quiz Due

Spring 2016 3
Speaking in Public (Cont.)- Ch.1
 Public Speaking and Critical Thinking
 The Speech Communication Process
 Public Speaking in a Multicultural
World
Wed. Jan.20 Ethics and Public Speaking- Ch.2
 The importance of Ethics
 Guidelines for Ethical Speaking
 Plagiarism
 Guidelines for Ethical Listening
Mon. Jan.25 Introduction Presentations!!!
Chapters 1 & 2 / Reading
Quiz 1 Due
Wed. Jan.27 Selecting a Topic and a Purpose-
Ch. 5
 Topics You Know a Lot About
 Topics You Want to Know More About
 Brainstorming for Topics
 Determining the General Purpose
 Determining the Specific Purpose
 Phrasing the Central Idea
Analyzing your audience- Ch.6
 Audience-Centeredness
 The Psychology of the Audience
 Situational Audience Analysis

Chapters 5-7, Reading
Quiz 2 Due
Mon. Feb.1 Analyzing your audience- Ch.6
 Getting Information About the
Audience
 Adapting to the Audience
Gathering Materials- Ch.7
 Using Your Own Knowledge and
Experience
 Doing Library Research
 Searching the Internet
 Interviewing
 Tips for Doing Research
Wed. Feb.3 Supporting Your Ideas- Ch.8

Spring 2016 4
 Using Examples
 Using Statistics
 Testimony
 Citing Sources Orally
Mon. Feb.8 Organizing the Body of the
Speech- Ch. 9
 Organization is Important
 Main Points
 Supporting Material
 Connectives
Wed. Feb.10 Speaking to Inform Ch. 15
 Types of Informative Speeches
 Guidelines for Informative Speeches
Outlining the Speech (part 1)-
Ch.11
 The Preparation Outline
 The Speaking Outline
Mon. Feb.15 Beginning and Ending the
Speech- Ch. 10
 The Introduction
 The Conclusion
Informative Presentation (Professor Profile)
Assignment Overview
Chapters 8,9,10, 11, & 15/
Reading Quiz 3 Due
Wed. Feb.17 Informative Presentation Workshop Day Interview Questions Due at end of class!
Mon. Feb.22 Outlining the Speech Part2- Ch. 11
 Citing Sources in your Written Outline
 Citing Sources Verbally
Using Language- Ch. 12
 Meaning of Words
 Using Language Accurately
 Using Language Clearly
 Using Language Vividly
 Using Language Appropriately

Spring 2016 5
Delivery – Ch. 13
 The Speakers Voice
 The Speakers Body
 Practicing Delivery
 Answering Audience Questions
Wed. Feb.24 Informative Presentation
Workshop Day
Mon. Feb.29 Using Visual Aids- Ch.14
 Kinds of Visual Aids
 Guidelines for Preparing Visual Aids
 Guidelines for Presenting Visual Aids
Wed. Mar.2 Informative Presentation
Workshop Day
Mon. Mar.7 Informative Presentations
Wed. Mar.9 Informative Presentations
Interview Answers Due!
Chapters 11, 12 & 14/
Reading Quiz 4 Due
PowerPoint, Outline, and notecards Due!
Final Outline Due
Final Outline Due
Mon. Mar.21 Story Circle Protocol and Practice
Story Circle 1-Characteristics of College
Wed. Mar.23 Prep for Story Circle 2
Friday Mar.25 Story Circle 2-Hispanic College Students
Prep for Story Circle 3
Mon. Mar.28 Story Circle 3 – Dreams into Reality
Wed. Mar.30 Movie
Mon. Apr.4 Movie
Wed. Apr.6 Story Circle 4- Movie
Mon. Apr.11 Prep for Story Circle 5
Wed. Apr.13 Story Circle 5-Stigma
Mon. Apr.18 Student Choice
Wed. Apr.20 Final Exam Review
Mon. Apr.25 Cumulative Final Exam
Note: The instructor reserves the right to modify the course calendar and the course syllabus. The class will be notified if any changes occur, either through inclass lectures or via MyMail and Moodle.
Required Text and Materials:

Spring 2016 6
Lucas, S. (2012). The Art of Public Speaking (11 th Edition). Boston: McGraw-Hill.
ISBN: 978-0-07-662687-8
Supplemental Reading (Not Required for this Course)
Beebe, S. A., & Beebe, S. J. (2011). A Concise Public Speaking Handbook (3 rd
Edition). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Grading Criteria
Oral Presentations 40%
Reading Quizzes 20%
Story Circles 20%
Final Exam 10%
Assignments 10%
Grades will be distributed in the following manner:
A (90-100)
B (80-89)
C (70-79)
D (60-69)
F (0-59)
Course Requirements
1. Oral Presentations (100 pts.)
Introduction Presentation (30 pts.)
Professor Profile Presentation (50 pts.)
Professor Profile Interview/Outline (20 pts.)
2. Examinations
Final Exam (Cumulative) (100 pts.)
3. Reading Quizzes (50 pts.) 5@10pts. Each
4. Story Circles (100 pts.) 5 @ 20 pts. Each
5. Assignments (50 pts.)
Attendance. Good attendance contributes to a positive learning environment, and you can’t do your best in this course if you do not attend regularly. There are many things to be learned on a weekly basis that are not measured directly on the tests. Since I know your objective is to increase your learning, my assumption

Spring 2016 7 is that you will attend class. It is your responsibility to get the information covered in the classes missed. NO distinction is made between an “excused” and
“unexcused” absence. If you miss 3 or more class periods you will be encouraged to drop the course.
Dropping Course. It is your responsibility to drop the course prior to the last date for withdrawal (April 1 st ) without incurring an “F” grade. Failure to withdraw will result in an “F” grade.
Oral Presentations. You will develop, organize, and deliver one introduction presentation and one informative presentation (professor profile). The assignment description, evaluation criteria, and evaluation forms will be given to you at the appropriate time during the semester. After developing your presentations you will be expected to deliver them on two different occasions during the semester. See course schedule for details. All of the presentations will be worth 40% of your final grade. You will be encouraged to drop if you miss one of the presentations throughout the semester.
Reading Quizzes: You are expected to read the assigned chapters as indicated in the course schedule and complete the reading quizzes available online thru
Moodle as indicated before class (BC). Each quiz will be available to take til
10:00am on the due date (after which the quizzes will be closed). (Ex: Reading
Quiz 1 over chapters 1 & 2 will be available to take til 10:00am on Wednesday,
January, 20 th .) It’s wise to take notes during class, as I might cover material not mentioned in the book that will show up on your quiz. In addition, it’s highly likely that I might not cover everything in each chapter; therefore, you must read each chapter thoroughly in order to do well on the quiz. There are 5 quizzes in total (worth 5pts. each).
Story Circles: A story circle is a structured class discussion in which all students must participate in order to receive credit. Story circles can be very fruitful and engaging when done correctly or they can be very boring and stressful if students show up unprepared. We will go over the story circle rules and protocol in detail and practice the activity at the appropriate time. There will be five story circles in total (worth 20% of your final grade).
Assignments: Assignments will be given at the instructor’s discretion. These assignments will be worth a total of 50pts and will be 10% of your final grade.
Exam. You will take one exam (mid-term) in this course. This exam is multiplechoice format and objective-based. A review for this mid-term will be held in class. This exam is worth 10% of your final grade. Please bring a #2 pencil and
Scantron for this exam, as I will not provide them for you.
NOTE: If you are absent on the day you are signed up to present, you will receive a zero for that presentation and will be encouraged to drop the course. No make ups will be allowed for presentations. Additionally, you MUST attend on ALL

Spring 2016 8 presentation days, even if you are not presenting. You will have 15 points deducted from your speech grade if you do not show up on other presentation dates, even if you are not signed up to present on those days AND/OR if you’re caught texting, talking, or distracting students while someone is presenting.
Lastly, if you do not attend class on workshop days, you will be signed up to present first on the upcoming speech.
NOTE: If instructor makes a safe and educated assumption that a student has either plagiarized or cheated on an exam or any other assignment the student will be given a zero in that particular assignment and will be reported to the community standards office.
DEPARTMENT PARTICIPATION POLICY:
Only absences of an extreme or catastrophic emergency may be excused and must be corroborated in writing by an appropriate authority (hospital, doctor), merely phoning in does not excuse an absence. Students must file a withdrawal form with the Admissions Office to be withdrawn from the course. It is the responsibility of the student to drop the course prior to the last date for withdrawal without incurring an “F” grade. The withdrawal process will no longer be initiated by the instructor.
*If you are absent more than three times because of a health issue, you will be encouraged to contact the Student Support Services Office immediately.
ACCOMMODATION STATEMENT : If you have a documented disability which will make it difficult for you to carry out the work as the instructor has outlined, and/or if you need special accommodations due to a disability, please contact
(956) 364-4521 or visit the Support Services Office located in the building EK as soon as possible to make appropriate arrangements.
COPYRIGHT STATEMENT
The material used in the course (textbooks, handouts, media files, podcast, MP3,
Videos, RSS Feeds), and all instructional resources on the colleges Learning
Management System (Moodle) are intended for use only by students registered and enrolled in this course, and are only to be used for instructional use, activities associated with, and for the duration of the course. By “handouts,” this means all materials generated for this course, which includes but are not limited to syllabi, quizzes, exams, lab problems, in-class materials, review sheets, and any additional materials.
These materials may not be retained in another medium or disseminated further.
They are provided in compliance with the provisions of the Teach Act. These materials may not be reproduced, displayed, modified or distributed without the express prior written permission of the copyright holder or TSTC. For further information contact your instructor.
Communicating with your instructor (MyMail Email System)

Spring 2016 9
The use of Your MyMail TSTC College Student e-mail account will be the only way to receive official notices from the college. When communicating with instructors and/or employees of the college you are required to use your TSTC MyMail student e-mail address. If you choose to forward your email to another account, please be advised that all communication from and within the college will use your MyMail student e-mail.
Safety
“TSTC Harlingen faculty, staff, and students are asked to report all threats, perceived or real, immediately to College Police located in the Auxiliary Building.
If the threat is imminent, the College Police emergency phone line at 364-4234 or
9-911 should be called. College Police will then coordinate the proper response in accordance with State and federal laws and TSTC System/College rules and regulations.”
In the event of an emergency, students should familiarize themselves with building and classrooms emergency exits/evacuation routes and be able to locate the nearest fire extinguisher. When an emergency alarm is activated, students should immediately leave the classroom, exit the building, and go to a designated safe area until clearance is given to go back into the building.
Students should also register and be familiar with the Emergency Notification
System.
OTHER POLICIES
Student Success Office
If you need assistance in your academic studies, please contact (956) 364-4110 or visit the Student Success Office, in Building D, Room 121. For supplemental instruction, you can go to the website: http://www.tstc.edu/oss/ossprograms.aspx
Electronic Devices
No electronic recording devices will be allowed in class. Children are not allowed in lecture rooms or laboratories.
General Education Program Assessment
Assignments from this course are subject to being archived for general education assessment. Procedures will follow protocol as prescribed by the research guidelines of the Association for Institutional Research.
Note: The instructor reserves the right to changes in the due dates of activities, assignments and quizzes. Any changes to this course syllabus will be announced/provided in writing to the students.
*The last day to drop the class with a grade of “W” is April 1 st , 2016.

Spring 2016 10
The Supplemental Instruction & Tutoring Program at TSTC offers free tutoring and academic support services to help you achieve your academic and career goals. You can access the most up-to-date Supplemental Instruction & Tutoring Schedule, as well as
MyTSTC Video Tutor Library, by using your smart phone to scan over the QR code below or visiting our webpage at: http://www.tstc.edu/harlingenoss/situtoringprogram
For more information, please contact the Office of Student Success at
956.364.4163 or the Supplemental Instruction & Tutoring Program at 956.364.4170.