South Central College
COMM 110 Public Speaking
Common Course Outline
Course Information
Description
This course develops or improves effective performance in acquiring, evaluating,
organizing, and communicating information. Learners develop and apply critical and
creative thinking to structuring arguments, making presentations, using multimedia, and
supporting each other in impromptu and extemporaneous speaking. Course deemphasizes competition and stresses personal and workplace effectiveness in
communication skills. (Prerequisites: Must have a score of 85.5 or higher on
the Sentence Skills portion of the Accuplacer test or completion of ENGL 0080 and
ENGL 0090 with a grade of C or higher). (MNTC: Goal areas 1 and 9).
Career
Cluster
Liberal Arts & Sciences
Instructional
Level
Associate Degree
Total Credits
3.00
Total Hours
48.00
Types of Instruction
Instruction Type
Credits/Hours
Lecture
3
Pre/Corequisites
Prerequisite
Score of 85.5 on the Sentence skills portion of Accuplacer or ENGL 0080 and ENGL 0090
with a C or higher.
Institutional Core Competencies
1
Civic knowledge and engagement- local and global: Students will understand the richness and challenge
of local and world cultures and the effects of globalization, and will develop the skills and attitudes to
function as “global citizens."
2
Ethical reasoning and action: Students will develop ethical and social responsibility to self and others,
and will collaborate with others to address ethical and social issues in a sustainable manner.
3
Written and oral communication: Students will communicate effectively in a range of social, academic,
and professional contexts using a variety of means, including written, oral, numeric/quantitative, graphic,
and visual modes of communication.
Course Competencies
Common Course Outline - Page 1 of 4
Tuesday, October 29, 2013 11:04 AM
1
Problem-solve the condition and effects of communication apprehension.
Learning Objectives
Identify common speech-related stressors.
Build confidence through positive self talk.
Employ anxiety-reducing strategies including mindful breathing and visualization.
2
Demonstrate invention and revision steps of the speaking process.
Learning Objectives
Identify components of a speaking situation.
Identify criteria for choosing a topic relevant to audience and occasion.
Use speech topic generation strategies.
Identify a specific purpose.
Create clear and concise thesis statments (central ideas).
Construct main points to support thesis statement.
3
Organize messages to serve the speech purpose and listening audience.
Learning Objectives
Contrast organizational patterns.
Choose organizational patterns fitting one's purpose, audience, and occasion.
Incorporate the internal structures of signposting, stating, supporting, and summarizing within the larger speech
structure.
Craft introductions and conclusions using best practices from speakers and writers.
Outline speeches to test balance, strength, and length of speech structure.
4
Deliver professional and engaging speeches with varying purposes (e.g., impromptu,
informative, persuasive, special occasion).
Learning Objectives
Select or create a professional presentation aid appropriate for the message and audience.
Use presentational aids mindfully and purposefully.
Practice extemporaneous speeches to increase confidence and improve message effectiveness.
Prepare verbal and nonverbal messages, including appearance and timing.
5
Participate actively as an audience member and peer evaluator, with emphasis on listening,
critical and reflective thinking, and responding.
Learning Objectives
Identify personal listening challenges.
Problem-solve listening barriers weakening your role as an audience member.
Consider messages with an open, but critical mind.
Provide useful peer feedback.
Apply critical thinking strategies to the messages you hear and the messages you send.
6
Locate, evaluate, and synthesize in a responsible manner material from diverse sources and
points of view.
Learning Objectives
Constrast types of resources and their intended purposes.
Describe the nature and origin of academic, scholarly resources.
Locate scholarly resources, whether library or Internet in origin.
Evaluate resources for relevance and quality.
Pull quality supporting evidence from resources.
Cite your research, both orally in the speech and in a written list (style determined by the instructor).
7
Select appropriate communication choices for specific audiences and occasions, including
academic disciplines and the professional world.
Learning Objectives
Identify relevant demographics and psychographics of your audience.
Address audience needs and expectations through word choice, presentational aid use, and nonverbal cues such
as dress and venue.
Common Course Outline - Page 2 of 4
Tuesday, October 29, 2013 11:04 AM
Answer audience questions directly, honestly, and concisely.
Select nonbiased, inclusive language.
Distinguish between formal and informal speaking occasions.
8
Construct logical and coherent arguments reflecting one's own view and in response to others'
positions.
Learning Objectives
Evaluate arguments, including individual claims and their premises.
Make claims of fact, value, or policy.
Demonstrate how reasoning and evidence support claims representing your point of view.
Refute arguments from others' viewpoints.
Check arguments for common logical fallacies.
9
Advocate for specific issues as a result of examining and applying an ethical viewpoint.
Learning Objectives
Define communication ethics.
Identify values shared among members of the American culture.
Describe a personal communication ethic you can apply to your advocacy and decision-making.
Advocate personal values as they relate to your communication ethic.
10
Identify ways to use public communication to exercise the rights and responsibilities of
citizenship.
Learning Objectives
Explain how rights and responsibilities are associated with citizenship.
Compose a strategy for being an informed member of society who can intelligently contribute in the public realm.
Apply critical thinking strategies while weighing competing points of view.
Make speaking choices as a result of examining issues and varying points of view.
Advocate for issues of importance to self and society.
11
Display appropriate and professional audience and classroom behavior.
Learning Objectives
Attend class punctually and regularly.
Demonstrate active listening during classroom speeches.
Provide verbal and nonverbal support for classroom peers.
12
Describe the relationship between informed and engaged citizens, communication, and
democracy.
Learning Objectives
Recognize the historic relationship between public speaking and democracy.
Discuss the significant role informed and engaged citizens have in the democratic process.
Outline the components of the First Amendment.
Demonstrate free speech through public communication.
Discuss the relationship between free speech and ethical communication.
13
Analyze and reflect on the ethical dimensions of issues (legal, social, economic, religious,
scientific, etc.) involved with creating arguments and speech giving.
Learning Objectives
Generate speech topics associated with debatable, public issues.
Construct persuasive speeches on public issues that include analyses of their ethical dimensions.
Refute opposing points of view where ethical positions may differ.
Modify a position if a different point of view fits more comfortably with a personal communication ethic.
14
Recognize the motives and interests behind the diversity of perspectives in our society.
Learning Objectives
Consider the motivations behind human feelings in respect to topics in public speaking.
Reflect upon your own motives and interests guiding communication choices.
Adapt communication messages to address the motivations and interests of audience members.
Common Course Outline - Page 3 of 4
Tuesday, October 29, 2013 11:04 AM
SCC Accessibility Statement
If you have a disability and need accommodations to participate in the course activities, please contact your
instructor as soon as possible. This information will be made available in an alternative format, such as Braille,
large print, or cassette tape, upon request. If you wish to contact the college ADA Coordinator, call that office
at 507-389-7222.
Disabilities page http://southcentral.edu/academic-policies/disability-rights.html
Common Course Outline - Page 4 of 4
Tuesday, October 29, 2013 11:04 AM