COMM 1010-03
Introduction to Communication
General Overview
Instructor:
Office:
Class Time:
Classroom:
Office Hours:
Mr. Dalaki J. Livingston
CN 213 K
MWF 9:00 a.m. – 10:50 p.m.
BU 208 (map of SUU)
MW 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.
Email: dalakilivingston@suu.edu
Phone: (435)590-1733
Materials Needed
Textbook (Online)
Introducing Communication: A Digital Learning
Experience
Authors: M. Barton & J. Holiman
Publisher: Kendall Hunt
Course Overview
Communication is intertwined with the human experience. No matter what you do, you are
communicating something. The purpose of this course is to give an introduction into the
wonderful world of communication: theories, occurrences, and applications. As an introductory
course, we shall be going over the highlights of communication as a discipline. As you grow and
learn in this course, you will be supplied with the necessary skills to research, critically select,
and analyze communication within your experiences interpersonally, in groups, and in
organizations. We will also have a strong focus on the creation and delivery of a well-organized
speeches. My personal focus is in presentations and public speaking and will be the main forte
of this course.
Assignments:
Assignment
Journal Responses
Speech Center Visit
Midterm & Final
Informative Speech
Persuasive Speech
Peer Evaluations
Self-Evaluations
Quizzes
Citizenship
Points
10 points each
10 points each
100 points each
75 points each
75 points each
20 points each
20 points each
5 points each
100 points
Total
100
20
200
75
75
40
40
50
100
Total points 700
A
AB+
B
BC+
Grading Policy:
94-100%
C
73-76%
90-93%
C70-72%
87-89%
D+
67-69%
83-86%
D
63-66%
80-82%
D60-62%
77-79%
F
59% or lower
Deadlines — Deadlines are established for each assignment. An assignment not submitted by the
deadline incurs an automatic, non-negotiable grade penalty of 10 percent. For every 24 hours that
passes after the deadline, an additional 10 percent will be added to the grade penalty. Work
submitted more than seven days after the deadline will not be accepted for a grade. The only
exceptions to this rule are serious illness and family emergency. Excuses must be documented.
The instructor is the sole and final arbiter of what constitutes an “emergency.”
Learning Outcomes:
1. Students will have opportunities to develop research skills by actively gathering relevant
information, skillfully conceptualizing a speaking situation and expressing these ideas in
required informative and persuasive speeches.
Assessment: Accomplished by completing the speech assignments and through
instructor feedback on students’ impromptu, informative, and persuasive speeches.
Ties to SUU Essential Learning Outcome: Communication; Critical Thinking
2. Students will have opportunities to develop, organize and express ideas by learning how to
locate and identify credible sources for both informative and persuasive speeches.
Assessment: Accomplished through conceptualizing and synthesizing information into
required speech preparation outlines.
Ties to SUU Essential Learning Outcome: Communication; Critical Thinking
3. Students will have opportunities to think about and systematically explore issues in
interpersonal relationships in their work and personal lives by applying course knowledge to the
lived experiences.
Assessment: Accomplished through class discussion and sharing experiences. Also
through journal responses to modules.
Ties to SUU Essential Learning Outcome: Inquiry & Analysis; Critical Thinking
4. Students will have opportunities to develop a stronger knowledge base about basic
communication theories and concepts directly related to relationship development and
maintenance in personal and professional contexts and express this knowledge to the instructor.
Assessment: This objective will be accomplished through completing course readings,
journals and exams.
Ties to SUU Essential Learning Outcome: Communication
IMPORTANT NOTICES
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: Scholastic dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted
to the fullest extent. You are expected to have read and understood the current issue of the
student handbook (published by Student Services) regarding student responsibilities and rights,
and the intellectual property policy, for information about procedures and about what constitutes
acceptable on-campus behavior.
NOTE FOR THIS CLASS: PLAGIARISM IS A SERIOUS OFFENSE. FIRST
OFFENSE WILL RESULT IN A FAILURE FOR THAT ASSIGNMENT. SECOND
OFFENSE WILL RESULT IN FAILURE IN THE COURSE AND POSSIBLE
UNIVERSITY SANCTIONS. WE WILL HAVE MULTIPLE DISCUSSIONS ON
PLAGIARISM’S DEFINITIONS AND DIFFERENT ASPECTS. IF YOU HAVE ANY
DOUBT, TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTION TO GUARD AGAINST PLAGIARISM.
ADA STATEMENT: Students with medical, psychological, learning or other disabilities
desiring academic adjustments, accommodations or auxiliary aids will need to contact the
Southern Utah University Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD), in Room
206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or phone (435) 865-8022. SSD determines eligibility for and
authorizes the provision of services.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT STATEMENT: In case of emergency, the University's
Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain
updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition,
students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols
posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management
plan can be found at http://www.suu.edu/ad/facilities/emergencyprocedures.html
HEOA COMPLIANCE STATEMENT: The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-topeer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law.
Detailed information can be found at http://www.suu.edu/it/p2p-student-notice.html.
SYLLABUS SUBJECT TO CHANGE: Information contained in this syllabus, other than the
grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with
advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.
Module Numbering
1. Communication: Process and Skill Set
2. Topic Selection
3. Relevant Evidence
4. Public Speaking Ethics
5. Effective Organization
6. Outlining
7. Presentation Aids
8. Language
9. Effective Delivery
10. Informative Speaking
11. Persuasive Speaking
12. Self, Perception and Listening
13. Forming Relationships
14. Maintaining Relationships
15. Terminating Relationships
Tentative Schedule
Tentative means that this schedule is flexible and could change.
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Date
Jan 6
Jan 8
Jan 11
Jan 13
Jan 15
Jan 18
Jan 20
Jan 22
Jan 25
Jan 27
Jan 29
Feb 1
Feb 3
Feb 5
Feb 8
Feb 10
Feb 12
Feb 15
Feb 17
Feb 19
Class Discussion
Investment
Communication: Process & Skill Set
Topic Selection
Relevant Evidence
Public Speaking Ethics
No Class/Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Effective Organization
Outlines
Outlines
Presentation Aids
Presentation Aids
Language
Effective Delivery
Effective Delivery
Informative Speaking
No Class/ Conference
No Class/ Conference
No Class/ President’s Day
Informative Speaking
Informative Speeches
Assignment/Readin
Module 1
Module 2
Module 3
Module 4
Module 5
Module 6
Module 7
Module 8
Module 9
Module 10
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Finals
Week
Feb 22
Feb 24
Feb 26
Feb 29
Mar 2
Mar 4
Mar 7
Mar 9
Mar 11
Mar 14
Mar 16
Mar 18
Mar 21
Mar 23
Mar 25
Mar 28
Mar 30
Apr 1
Apr 4
Apr 6
Apr 8
Apr 11
Apr 13
Apr 15
Apr 18
Apr 20
Informative Speeches
Informative Speeches
Informative Speeches
Persuasive Speaking
Persuasive Speaking
Midterm
No Class/ Spring Break
No Class/ Spring Break
No Class/ Spring Break
Self, Perception and Listening
Self, Perception and Listening
Self, Perception and Listening
Forming Relationships
No Class/ Conference
No Class/ Conference
Forming Relationships
Forming Relationships
Maintaining Relationships
Maintaining relationships
Maintaining Relationships
Terminating Relationships
Terminating Relationships
Terminating Relationships
Persuasive Speeches
Persuasive Speeches
Persuasive Speeches
Apr 22
April 28
Persuasive Speeches
Final: 9-10:50 a.m.
Module 11
Module 12
Module 13
Module 14
Module 15
Assignment Description
Journal Responses are in regards to modules throughout the book. Each module will be an
opportunity to complete a journal response. Journal responses require you to apply the
material in the module to a personal or pop culture example. The format includes the
principle or theory, an example of it, and an explanation of why. For reassurance to get full
points for a journal response, explain how you can benefit from this particular principle of
communication. The length should be 2-3 paragraphs. I do not necessarily care about the
length as long as you cover everything.
Speech Center Visits are required for each speech (excluding impromptu). You need to have
this visit a week before the actual presentation. You must make an appointment and I would
recommend setting up an appointment as soon as you can. Do not procrastinate this. Do
NOT procrastinate.
Midterm & Final exams are a fluid commitment. The purpose of this course is to teach
communication skills. The exams are to cover important aspects of the modules. If people
are not reading the modules, completing quizzes, or participating in class, we shall fall to the
exams to ascertain the extent of the knowledge you have gained. Each class is different so
this part of the assignments may be fluid, it depends on our class dynamic.
Informative Speech, the next step in your public speaking progress. You will be required to
write an outline, visit the presentation center and give an informative speech in front of the
class. This type of speech is an informative tool that you will use throughout your collegiate
and professional careers. Each person will have a unique topic and inform the class on said
topic. A rubric will be given so you will know what is required in your speech and of you in
detail.
Persuasive Speech is the final speech you will give in class. A persuasive speech is to persuade
the class about a certain idea, topic, or conflict. We will go over the required structure for
this speech. An outline, visit to the speech center, and also presenting in class is also
required for this speech.
Peer Evaluations are also a part of the speech process. Constructive criticism for your
classmates can help them become better as public speakers and communicators. Each
student will be assigned two people to peer evaluate but everyone may give positive feedback
after each speech.
Self-Evaluations is another integral part of public speaking process. As communicators, you
need to be able to see strengths and weaknesses in your presentations. Realizing both the
good and bad part of your communication can help you adapt to future situations.
Quizzes can be found in the book modules and are a great tool for you to evaluate what you have
learned. Exam questions may be pulled solely from these quizzes. They are to stimulate
your memory and help you retain information.
Citizenship is a conglomerate of several factors. Student attendance, participation, and respect
to the instructor and fellow classmates. Disrespect includes texting while in class, surfing the
interwebs, and anything else that detracts from progression of class discussion. A portion of
this grade is self-evaluation and combined with my own evaluation of the student’s efforts.
Extra Credit will be possibility for you. A questionnaire that can be filled out about the book is
one way to gain extra credit. Other opportunities may arise but is solely based upon the good
graces and direction of your instructor. Extra credit means going above and beyond what is
required. Are you ready to accept the challenge?!