Communication Fundamentals
Communications 231 Section 05, Fall 2015
Course Information
Course Information
Course Number and Section: COM 231.05
Instructor: Cynthia Landrum
Course Dates: Monday 1:00 PM – 3:54 PM, 09/14/2015-12/21/2015
Location: Justin Whiting Hall, Room 109
Email: landrumcynthial@jccmi.edu
Office Hours: by appointment - Mondays before class
Text: Human Communication: The Basic Course. J. A. DeVito. 12th Edition
LLA / Bert Walker main office: (517) 796-8582
Center for Student Success: (517) 796-8415
Solution Center: (517) 796-8639
Jackson College Switchboard: (517)787-0800
Course Description
Learn the basic principles of communication theory, including listening, nonverbal
communication, discussion and public address. Participation in this course will improve your
public speaking skills and prepare you for a variety of situations where you can effectively
communicate before an audience.
Associate Degree Outcomes
Jackson College’s Board of Trustees has determined that all of our graduates should develop or
enhance a variety of important skills while enrolled in courses. The ADO’s (Associate Degree
Outcomes) for this course include:
 ADO 2: Speak clearly, concisely and intelligibly
 ADO 9: Work productively with others, recognizing individual contributions to group
success
Course Outcomes
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Apply current research in the analysis of communication
Evaluate the effectiveness of communication
Demonstrate appropriate effective communication in classroom presentations, public
performance, and small group activities
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Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Consistent with the ADA and Section 504, Jackson College is committed to quality of
educational opportunity and ensures that no qualified person shall by reason of a disability be
denied access to, participation in, or benefits of any program or activity operated by the college.
Each qualified person shall receive reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access to
educational opportunities, programs, and activities.
Contact the Center for Student Success for more information.
Communicating With the Professor
This is a class on communications, so paying attention to your communication with the professor
is important. Outside of class, e-mail is the best method to communicate with me, using the JCC
e-mail address listed on the first page. As an adjunct instructor, I do not check the JCC e-mail on
a daily basis, however, so make sure to communicate in advance of your need, or call if there is
an emergency. It is courteous communication to let the professor know if you plan to drop the
class or have a planned absence.
You are expected to have read this syllabus. It is my agreement with you for the course, and you
are responsible for the material contained in this document. Please refer to it first with any
questions, as many things are answered herein.
Class Behavior
It is inappropriate in this course to use obscene language or gestures, tell offensive jokes, or
allude to sexual, racial, cultural, or gendered references that may be demeaning or offensive.
Please be mindful of how you communicate with others in this class.
Anything that distracts from the communication process should be avoided in class. All personal
(non-medical) electronic devices need to be turned off when not being used as part of the class.
Cell phones or pagers may be kept on vibrate if necessary. Texting or other cell phone use
during class is not appropriate. If you must make a call or send a message, please quietly leave
the room to do so. More than one ‘warning’ to an individual by the professor will affect the
attendance grade.
Grade Information
Academic Honesty
Students are expected to be familiar with and adhere to Jackson College’s policy on academic
honesty. Plagiarism and cheating will result in a failing grade for the assignment and may result
in a failing grade in the course, and will be reported to the Academic Dean except in very minor
instances.
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Academic Honesty: Is defined as ethical behavior that includes student production of their own
work and not representing others' work as their own, by cheating or by helping others to do so.
Plagiarism: Is defined as the failure to give credit for the use of material from outside sources.
Plagiarism includes but is not limited to:
 Submitting other's work as your own
 Using data, quotations, or paraphrases from other sources without adequate
documentation
 Self-plagiarism –is the reuse of significant, identical or nearly identical portions of one’s
own work without acknowledging that one is doing so or without citing this original work
Cheating: Is defined as obtaining answers/material from an outside source without
authorization. Cheating includes, but is not limited to:
 Plagiarizing in any form
 Using notes/books without authorization
 Copying
 Submitting others' work as your own or submitting your work for others
 Altering graded work
 Falsifying data
 Exhibiting other behaviors generally considered unethical
Grades
Participation .............................. 30
Impromptus ............................... 40
Quizzes...................................... 50
Johari Window .......................... 10
Midterm Exam ........................ 100
Impromptu Speeches ............... 100
Informative Speech ................ 150
Informative Speech Outline ...... 40
Persuasive Speech ................... 150
Persuasive Speech Outline ........ 40
Group Presentation.................. 150
Group Presentation Materials ... 40
Final Exam .............................. 100
Total ...................................... 1000
A/4.0 .................... 94 % and up
A-/3.5 .......................... 90-93%
B/3.0 ............................ 84-89%
B-/2.5 ........................... 80-83%
C/2.0 ............................ 74-79%
C-/1.5 ........................... 70-73%
D/1.0 ............................ 64-69%
D-/0.5 .......................... 60-63%
F/0 ................... 59% and below
Incomplete Grade
The incomplete grade is designed for successful students with extenuating circumstances to
allow them to complete the course requirements after the semester or session has ended. Students
may receive an “I” if, in the opinion of the instructor, their work is sufficient in quality, but is
lacking in quantity, to meet the objectives specified in the course syllabus. The course objectives
are to be satisfactorily completed during the next year or within the time agreed to by the
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instructor and the student. If the student does not complete the course within the designated time
period the “I” grade will be replaced by the grade earned as assigned by the instructor.
The grade of “I” is not awarded to students who did not attend, or seldom attended, or to those
who simply are not pleased with their final grades. Students receiving an “I” submit only the
remaining work that had not been completed at the end of the semester. Students do not reregister for the course, nor redo work that had already been graded.
Extra Credit
There will be two 10-point projects that may be done for extra credit or to replace a missing quiz
score. Information on these projects will be given in class.
Late Policy
Late assignments, including speeches, will receive a 10% deduction for each class period that
they are late. Assignments beyond two weeks late will not be accepted unless approved by the
professor.
HQV
Each semester instructors are required to report status of students within a class. A majority of
classes are required to report three times during the semester. At Jackson Community College,
this is done through a process called “HQV.”
“H” stands for Help – this means you could be a student the instructor notices is working hard
but may need extra help (tutoring, etc) – is struggling to make it to class consistently – has not
turned in assignments, etc.
“Q” stands for Quit – the student has not shown up for class consistently with NO CONTACT
from the student. The instructor has every inclination that the student has QUIT the class without
withdrawing/dropping/notifying someone. If given a Q, the student will be withdrawn from the
class, student will need instructor approval to be signed back in.
“V” stands for Verify – in this case, the instructor is verifying the student has been attending, is
turning in work, and the student is doing well in the course.
Please note that this reporting is required of ALL instructors/faculty at the college, therefore, you
will see this for your classes within e-services “grading.” If you have questions, please feel free
to ask the instructor.
Students receiving an “H” will receive a phone call from a College representative. Don’t be
anxious to take the call. In many cases, by the time (if not before) staff are given the reports, any
concern is discussed by the student/instructor.
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Course Assignments
Attendance and Participation
Participation is mandatory, and you must be in attendance to participate. Excessive absences
will result in removal from the class. Each class may have participation exercises in it that will
count towards your final participation grade. These points cannot be made up, and you must be
in attendance to earn them.
Excused absences are the only way to make up certain missed exams and grades. Excused
absences are medical reasons and crisis reasons only. Medically excused absences must have
documentation from a medical professional. Certain other family crises are excusable at the
professor’s discretion and may require documentation, as well. Transportation and scheduling
problems and vacation are not excused absences.
Quizzes and Exams
Quizzes are on materials covered in the book and are taken with closed books and notebooks
except when indicated. Quizzes are 10 points each and cannot be made up. For excused
absences, a make-up assignment will be assigned.
Midterm and Final Exams are on information in the books and also material covered in class.
Exams are 100 points each. For excused absences only a make-up exam will be made available.
It is your responsibility to contact the professor and arrange for a make-up exam.
Johari Window
Students are expected to turn in a Johari Window exercise. An online version is available at
http://kevan.org/johari.
Impromptu Speeches
Impromptu speeches will be assigned on different class dates throughout the semester.
Generally, missed impromptu speeches may not be made up except for excused absences.
Students should expect to do five impromptu speeches over the course of the semester. These
may appear on the dates indicated in the course calendar, but are subject to change, and will
sometimes be with no advance notice.
Informative Speech
Informative Speech Requirements:
 Approved topic – topic must be approved in advance
 Extemporaneous delivery with note cards
 5-7 minutes in length
 Typed full-sentence outline with evidence with parenthetical documentation
 Bibliography
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Informative Speech Assignment
Your informative speech should be 5-7 minutes in length. The topic must be approved by the
instructor in advance. The speech should be extemporaneous. Notecards are allowed.
Presentation aids are allowed (i.e. PowerPoint presentation), but should enhance the speech and
not serve merely as reminders. A full-sentence outline must be turned in in advance. Extra care
should be taken to ensure that the speech is informative in nature and does not become a
persuasive speech.
You must turn in:
 A full-sentence outline of your speech. Your speech should match your outline.
 A Works Cited (bibliography) page in MLA format. Your speech must include one oral
citation, and the work cited must be included in your Works Cited page.
 Your notecards.
Grade: Informative speeches are graded on the following:
 Topic selection – Original, challenging, imaginative and appropriate to the assignment
 Time – Within the allotted time (with a 30-second grace period)
 Audience adaptation and relationship – Building a bond between the audience and the
speaker. Related topic to audience.
 Verbal evidence – Manner in which quality evidence is presented to audience. Required
number of sources.
 Introduction and conclusion – Introduction gained attention and interest, introduced topic
clearly. Purpose and significance clearly stated in the introduction. Conclusion reinforced
central idea, effective summary of main points.
 Physical delivery – Eye contact, gestures, and movement.
 Extemporaneous delivery – Polished and well rehearsed without appearing read aloud
within the allotted time.
 Organization in delivery and body – Use of rhetorical devices, clear purpose, smooth
transitions that allows the audience to connect with the speech within the allotted time.
Main points clear, fully supported.
 Peer Evaluation
Persuasive Speech Assignment
Persuasive Speech Requirements:
 Approved topic – topic must be approved in advance
 Extemporaneous delivery with note cards
 5-7 minutes in length
 Typed full-sentence outline with evidence with parenthetical documentation
 Bibliography
Your persuasive speech should be 5-7 minutes in length. The topic must be approved by the
instructor. The speech should be extemporaneous. Notecards are allowed. For this speech you
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should include one presentation aid (i.e. PowerPoint presentation), which should enhance the
speech and not serve merely as reminders or to fill the requirement. An outline must be turned in
in advance. Extra care should be taken to ensure that the speech is persuasive in nature – it must
be arguable such that a reasonable person and a sizeable percentage of the population would take
the opposing view.
You must turn in:
 A full-sentence outline of your speech. Your speech should match your outline.
 A Works Cited (bibliography) page in MLA format. Your speech must include two oral
citations, and the work cited must be included in your Works Cited page. The sources
cited must be credible sources for your subject.
 Your notecards.
Topics which will not be allowed: abortion, the death penalty, legalizing or medical marijuana,
same-sex marriage, the Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”), anything about smoking, gun
control, violence in the media and video games, lowering the alcohol consumption age. Again,
your topic must be approved in advance.
Grade: Persuasive speeches are graded on the following:
 Topic selection – Original, challenging, arguable
 Time – Within the allotted time (with a 30-second grace period)
 Audience adaptation and relationship – Building a bond between the audience and the
speaker. Related topic to audience. Tone appropriate to audience.
 Verbal evidence – Manner in which quality evidence is presented to audience. Required
number of sources.
 Introduction and conclusion – Introduction gained attention and interest, introduced topic
clearly. Purpose and significance clearly stated in the introduction. Conclusion reinforced
central idea, effective summary of main points.
 Physical delivery – Eye contact, gestures, and movement.
 Extemporaneous delivery – Polished and well rehearsed without appearing read aloud
within the allotted time.
 Organization in delivery and body – Use of rhetorical devices, clear purpose, smooth
transitions that allows the audience to connect with the speech within the allotted time.
Main points clear, fully supported.
 Argument – Contains acknowledgement of opposing argument and refutes it. Avoids
logical fallacies. Uses logos, ethos and pathos in appropriate amounts.
 Peer Evaluation
Group Presentation
Midway through the course you will be assigned a group. Group members who fail to contribute
will be removed from the group and given the option of taking a zero for the group presentation
or applying for membership in another group. Accepting a group member must be a unanimous
decision, individually submitted in writing to the instructor. All members of the group are
expected to participate in the successful completion of the group presentation and will be
evaluated by their group concerning their contribution. A reflection on working with the group
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and an evaluation of your group members is a required individual component of the group
presentation.
Objectives:
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Analyze a group based on a number of traditional group functions as discussed in our text.
Apply correct terminology from the assigned reading to observed behaviors.
Complete the assigned tasks as a small group demonstrating appropriate behavior as
explained in the text.
Reflect upon the completion of the task and effectiveness of your group.
Requirements:
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As a group select a film that each member of the group can obtain a copy of to view.
The selected film must have several characters who interact together as a group as defined by
the text. (Examples: workplace groups, fraternities, friend groups, etc.) The group should
have some level of internal conflict or a role in main conflict of the film.
Film must be approved - keep in mind films such as Twelve Angry Men and The Breakfast
Club which have been used many times to teach small group communication and have
resources for doing so, will not be allowed.
The film should be easily rentable for all members of your group.
After viewing the movie, the group will complete a two to five page summary paper in which
you analyze the group identified in the film.
The paper should be in 12-point font with one-inch margins and be free from grammar,
punctuation, and spelling errors.
One paper submitted for the entire group - everyone must contribute to the completion of the
paper!
Using the paper as a guide complete a PowerPoint that can be effectively used to discuss
your film in a presentation before the class. All members of the group must contribute to the
presentation. Still images and video clips should be included in your presentation to help the
audience understand the concepts found in your film.
Paper & Presentation Format:
Section I - Introduction: The Group
Give a brief description of the group you observed to set the stage for the rest of our paper.
Identify the type of group. Include relevant background information needed to understand
analysis. DO NOT assume that the reader has seen the movie - write with detail.
Section II - Group Decision Making Method
Label, define, and cite examples of the group's decision-making methods. Correctly apply the
terminology from the text. A definition and example are two different things.
Section III - Conflict
Label, define, and cite examples of conflict and conflict management in the group. Pay attention
to both positive and negative examples. Correctly apply terminology from the text.
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Section IV - Group Member Roles and Group Leader Roles
Label, define, and cite at least two examples of the group's roles out of each of the categories;
group building and maintenance roles, individual roles, and group task roles. Label, define, and
cite examples of the group leadership.
Section V - Conclusion
Conclude your presentation/paper. What did you learn? What did you enjoy? Would you
recommend this film as an example of group dynamics? Did the group handle things well
overall? Etc.
PowerPoint
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The PowerPoint will follow the same structure as the paper
No slide limit - but each slide must be meaningful and advance understanding of the analysis
of the film
Minimal retelling of the story. The purpose is small group communication not retelling the
story of the film. Focus on small group communication and backfill the story when needed.
Correctly label each section. Using the header or title to group slides will help the audience
follow the point you are trying to make.
Correct grammar and spelling.
Use images and video clips. Look for images from the film to use.
*Correctly cite the images - give credit to the original source.
Grade
Your group will be graded individually, and you will be asked to evaluate each of your group’s
performance. See syllabus information on small groups for information about how a group
member who is not performing may be removed and possibly readmitted.
Extra Credit
Students may replace low quiz grades or do extra credit by submitting 2-page typed reflection
essays for 20 points each. Students should pick the chapter for the essay based on the class or
quiz to be made up. Extra credit may be used a maximum of three times, and may not be used to
improve impromptus, speech grades, or group projects. Essays must be turned in no later than
three weeks after the chapter is discussed in class. Students may pick from the following
subjects, or the role of culture and gender or the role of ethics in the subject of the chapter:
Chapter 2: Ethnocentrism
Chapter 3: The Pygmalion Effect or the Just World Hypothesis
Chapter 4: Lying
Chapter 5: Theories of Gender Differences
Chapter 6: Space Violations or Culture and Time
Chapter 7: Apologizing
Chapter 8: Repairing Relationships or Online Relationship Theories
Chapter 9: Culture, Gender, and Families
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Chapter 10: Group Power
Chapter 11: Styles of Leadership or The Leader’s Ethical Responsibilities
Chapter 12: Advertising
Chapter 13: Myths About Conflict or Finding Win-Win Solutions
Schedule
The class schedule is tentative and subject to revision at the professor’s discretion. It is your
responsibility to ask if there is a revised schedule if you miss class.
Important Dates
Last Date to Drop for Refund: 9/18/15
Last Date to Drop for a Grade of W: 12/9/15
HQV 1: 9/16/15 – If you have missed class on the first two days you will be dropped unless you
have communicated with the professor your desire to stay in the class by e-mail. It is your
responsibility to make sure the professor has received your communication.
HQV 2: 10/4/15 – If you miss class on both weeks prior or have a substantial number of
absences, you are at risk to be dropped on 9/23 unless you have communicated with the
professor your desire to stay in the class by e-mail. It is your responsibility to make sure the
professor has received your communication.
HQV3: 11/6/15 – If you have missed substantial class time leading up to the third HQV date or
haven’t made arrangements for your informative speech, you are at risk for being dropped on
10/28 unless you have communicated with the professor your desire to stay in the class by email. It is your responsibility to make sure the professor has received your communication.
Class Schedule
Date
Mon. 9/14
Mon. 9/21
Mon. 9/28
Mon. 10/5
Mon. 10/12
Topics Covered
Syllabus & Introductions
Preliminaries to Human Communication
Culture and Communication
The Informative Speech
The Self and Perception
Supporting and Organizing Your Speech
Catch-Up Day
Listening in Human Communication
Style & Delivery in Public Speaking
Assignments Due
Impromptu Introduction Speech
Review: Chapter 1
Read: Chapter 2 & 17
Quiz #1: Chapters 1& 2
Impromptus #2
Read: Chapter 3 & 15
Impromptus #2
Read: Chapter 4 & 16
Quiz #2: Chapters 3 & 4
Johari Windows Due
Due: Topic Approval for
Informative Speech
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Date
Mon. 10/19
Mon. 10/26
Mon. 11/2
Mon. 11/9
Mon. 11/16
Mon. 11/23
Mon. 11/30
Mon. 12/7
Mon. 12/14
Mon. 12/21
Topics Covered
Assignments Due
Impromptus #3
Verbal Messages & Nonverbal Messages
Read: Chapter 5 & 6
Work on Informative Speech
Due: Outline for Informative
Speech
Impromptus #3
Informative Speeches
Quiz #3: Chapters 5 & 6
Interpersonal Communication:
Read: Chapter 7
Conversation
Informative Speeches
Informative Speeches
Informative Speeches
Midterm
Midterm (Chapters 1-6)
The Persuasive Speech
Read: Chapter 18
Impromptus #4
Due: Topic Approval for
Persuasive Speech
Interpersonal Relationship Stages and
Read: Chapter 8 & 14
Theories
Work on Persuasive Speech
Public Speaking Topics, Audiences, and
Due: Persuasive Speech Outline
Research
Impromptus #4
Work on Persuasive Speech
Quiz #4: Chapters 7 & 8
Friends, Families & Lovers
Read: Chapter 9
Work on Persuasive Speech
Persuasive Speeches
Impromptus #5
Small Group Communication
Read: Chapter 10
Persuasive Speeches
Persuasive Speeches
Quiz #5: Chapters 9 & 10
Members and Leaders
Read: Chapter 11
Persuasive Speeches
Work on Group Presentations
Human Communication in the Workplace: Read: Chapter 12 & Chapter 13
Organizational Communication
Impromptus #5
Interpersonal, Group, and Workplace
Quiz #6: Chapters 11 & 12
Conflict
Group Presentations
Final Exam
Final Exam (Chapters 7-13)
Class Awards