1
Valencia College
Fundamentals of Speech-SPC 1608 Syllabus
Professor:
Term:
Office:
Email:
Jesusa Jackson
Fall 2013
No Office
jjackson78@valenciacollege.edu
Email is the best way to contact professor.
Phone #:
No phone number available. Please email me.
Office Hours: No office hours available. Please email me.
SPC 1608- Fundamentals of Speech
CRN:
15798 and 15799
Credit:
3
Prerequisite: None
Meeting Place and Times: None
Course Outcomes: Students will be able to demonstrate understanding of the
relationships and responsibilities between the sender and receiver in the oral
communication process. Students will be able to prepare and orally present a message
according to specific assignment guidelines. Students will be able to listen with literal
and critical comprehension; this includes self-assessment and peer assessment of oral
presentations.
Educational Materials:
1. Textbook: Communication Works 11th Ed. Special Edition for Valencia College
(ISBN-13: 978-0-07-766160-1) (ISBN-10: 0-07-766 160-5)
2. 3x5 index cards to use for speaker notes
3. Word processing capability. You will need Microsoft Office and Microsoft
PowerPoint. (Available for free use on campus) All assignments should be
submitted in Microsoft Word files (.doc OR docx). All other document types
(including Microsoft Works, Word Perfect, or Notepad) will not be accepted.
4. Internet Access (Available for free use on campus) and active email address
(Available through Blackboard)
5. Digital Video Camera for recording speeches.
6. Flash Drive (1 GB) of free space to save speech and other files.
7. Access to record speeches on campus through the Speech Lab at Valencia
College.
a. East Campus
http://valenciacollege.edu/east/academicsuccess/writing/SpeechLab.cfm
b. Must call to set up an appointment: 407-582-2795
c. Building 4 Room 120
d. Hours: http://valenciacollege.edu/east/academicsuccess/writing/hours.cfm
2
e. West Campus
http://valenciacollege.edu/west/lss/communications/videospeechlab.cfm
f. Must call to set up an appointment: 407-582-1812
g. Building 5 Room 155
h. Hours: http://valenciacollege.edu/west/lss/communications/hours.cfm
Assessment Methods and Evaluation
Calculation of Final Grade:
Here is a list of all class activities and their point values. You may estimate your process
in this course by keeping track of your own scores on the tally sheet below. To find your
final percentage, divide the number of points you have earned by 800.
Assignments
Point Value
Speeches (43.7%)
Cultural Show and Tell Speech
Practice Speech
Informative Speech
Persuasive Speech
Special Occasion Speech (Final)
20
50
110
120
50
Quizzes (35%)
Quiz 1 (Chapter 1 & 13)
Quiz 2 (Chapter 5)
Quiz 3 (Chapter 6)
Quiz 4 (Chapter11)
Quiz 5 (Chapter 12)
Quiz 6 (Chapter 14)
Quiz 7 (Chapter 15)
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
In Class and Graded Assignments (21.2%)
Practice Speech Outline
Practice Speech Self Assessment
Informative Speech Documentation File
Informative Speech Self Evaluation
Persuasive Speech Documentation File
Persuasive Speech Self Evaluation
Online Assignment(s) (This includes discussion postings and
writing assignments)
20
10
20
10
20
10
80
800
Your Grade
3
Type of Final: The College policy states, “Professors are required to offer final
examinations to all credit students (except those taking coursework for audit) during the
scheduled final examination period.” “A student who fails to take the final examination
or complete all coursework may receive the final course grade earned, unless the
professor elects to assign the student a grade of "I" or as otherwise addressed in the
professor’s course syllabus.” Students must complete all coursework or they will be
assigned a grade of 0 for any work not submitted, unless it is an optional assignment.
The final is not required, but is an assignment. If you don't complete the final, you will
earn a grade of 0 for the final. If you don’t complete the final, you will receive the final
course grade earned.
Grade Scale: Will be on an 800 point scale:
A:
800- 720
(90%)
B:
719- 640
(80%)
C:
639- 560
(70%)
D:
559- 480
(60%)
F:
479 or less
Failing
There are no +/- grades in this class.
No-Show Procedure: Any student who does not attend class by the drop deadline
prior to the start of the no-show reporting period for the part of term for this course will
be withdrawn by the instructor as a no-show. This will count as an attempt in the class,
and students will be liable for tuition. If your plans have changed and you will not be
attending this class, please withdraw yourself through your Atlas account during the drop
period for this part of term.
In order NOT to be dropped as a No-Show- you must complete: discussion posts, quiz 1,
and the syllabus quiz. Completing the three assignments within the first week of school:
discussion posts, quiz 1, and the syllabus quiz- will keep you enrolled in my course.
Classroom Policies Attendance: You must submit a minimum of one assignment [or
quiz, posting, or speech] each week to meet the attendance requirement. Missing the
equivalent of more than 3 weeks of classes for any reason, other than absences excused in
accordance with Valencia’s policies or in cases of documented emergencies, is excessive
and a basis for withdrawal.
Withdrawal: Per Valencia Policy 4-07 (Academic Progress, Course Attendance and
Grades, and Withdrawals), a student who withdraws from class before the established
deadline for a particular term will receive a grade of “W. A student is not permitted to
withdraw after the withdrawal deadline. See Important Dates below for the
Withdrawal Deadline for your part of term A student who is withdrawn by faculty for
violation of the class attendance policy will receive a grade of “W”. Any student who
withdraws or is withdrawn from a class during a third or subsequent attempt in the same
course will be assigned a grade of “F”. For a complete policy and procedure overview
on Valencia Policy 6Hx28:4-07, please go to:
4
http://valenciacollege.edu/generalcounsel/policy/ .
Important Dates:
Full Term: Classes begin August 26. Drop/Refund Deadline 11:59 p.m. Sept. 3.
 No Show reporting period Sept. 4-13.
 Withdrawal deadline for W grade is 11:59 p.m. November 1.
 Classes end Dec. 8. Final Exams held Dec. 9- 15.
Credit Classes Do Not Meet:
September 2
October 15 (Faculty Work Day Osceola and Lake Nona)
October 17 (Faculty Work Day West, East, Winter Park)
November 27- 29
* Final exams are scheduled for the last class period for these parts of term.
See College calendar for important dates and final exam schedule at
http://valenciacollege.edu/calendar .
Make-up Policy: Please make sure that you complete and submit all work early. If an
emergency should happen, the professor may or may not accept documentation to makeup work. Likely, there will be no make-up opportunities, due to the ample time available
to complete work.
Academic Honesty: Each student is required to follow Valencia policy regarding
academic honesty. All work submitted by students is expected to be the result of the
student’s individual thoughts, research, and self-expression unless the assignment
specifically states “group project.” Any act of academic dishonesty will be handled in
accordance with Valencia policy as set forth in the Student Handbook and Catalog.
Please do not use the Internet in any form (like google, etc.) to assist with the quizzes.
You are to only use your textbook assigned for quizzes.
College Policies: A full description of all College policies can be found in the College
Catalog at http://valenciacollege.edu/catalog/ ; Policy Manual at
http://www.valenciacollege.edu/generalcounsel/ ; and the Student Handbook at
http://valenciacollege.edu/studentdev/CampusInformationServices.cfm .
Links to the College Catalog, Policy Manual, and the Student Handbook
o College Catalog - http://www.valenciacollege.edu/catalog/
o Student Handbook http://valenciacollege.edu/studentdev/CampusInformationServices.
cfm
o Policy Manual - http://www.valenciacollege.edu/generalcounsel/
 Student Code of Conduct http://valenciacollege.edu/generalcounsel/policy/default.cf
m?policyID=180&volumeID_1=8&navst=0
5
Smoke Free Campuses:
http://valenciacollege.edu/generalcounsel/documents/Valencia_Smoke_Free_Policy_and
_Procedure.pdf
Student Assistance Program: Valencia College is interested in making sure all our
students have a rewarding and successful college experience. To that purpose, Valencia
students can get immediate help with issues dealing with stress, anxiety, depression,
adjustment difficulties, substance abuse, time management as well as relationship
problems dealing with school, home or work. BayCare Behavioral Health Student
Assistance Program (SAP) services are free to all Valencia students and available 24
hours a day by calling (800) 878-5470. Free face-to-face counseling is also available.
Office of Student with Disabilities Information: Students with disabilities who qualify
for academic accommodations must provide a Notification to Instructor (NTI) form from
the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) and discuss specific needs with the
professor, preferably during the first two weeks of class. The Office for Students with
Disabilities determines accommodations based on appropriate documentation of
disabilities.
 East Campus Bldg. 5, Rm. 216 Ph: 407-582-2229 Fax: 407-582-8908 TTY: 407582-1222
 West Campus SSB, Rm. 102 Ph: 407-582-1523 Fax: 407-582-1326 TTY: 407582-1222
 Osceola Campus Bldg. 1, Rm. 140A Ph: 407-582-4167 Fax: 407-582-4804 TTY:
407-582-1222
 Winter Park Campus Bldg. 1, Rm. 212 Ph: 407-582-6887 Fax: 407-582-6841
TTY: 407-582-1222
Disclaimer: Syllabus and schedule changes may occur during the semester. You will be
notified in advance of any changes. It is the responsibility of the student to make any
adjustments as announced. I don't usually offer extra credit. If you are having any
problems, concerns, or need more clarification in this class, please contact me. I am
accessible after class and through email. I want you to learn and succeed in this course.
Suggestions: The most important steps to success in college are making a commitment to
work hard, managing your time, and keeping in contact with your professor. Please feel
free to email me at any time with questions or concerns.
Late Assignments: All assignments are due as stated on the course schedule. Late work
will NOT be accepted. ALL assignments, homework, outlines, etc. must be typed and
submitted on the proper due dates.
This is nonnegotiable and will be strictly enforced for everyone.
Testing Policy: All quizzes will be done online through Blackboard. It is the
responsibility of the student to complete the quiz within the dates allowed. Please remain
aware of Blackboard maintenance schedules. Quizzes may be completed at home;
however, you must have reliable Internet access. If your Internet access at home
6
continually or occasionally shuts off, you should take quizzes on campus. You generally
will have a week to take the quizzes. There are 7 quizzes at 20 OR 40 questions each and
you will have 1 hour and 40 minutes to complete. I will only reset quizzes if you email
me that your quiz has frozen by Thursday night at the latest before the deadline
(Saturdays by 11:55PM). Any quizzes that freeze (Blackboard kicks you out or you
sign out) taken Friday or Saturday will not reset. If you have continual problems with
Blackboard kicking you out of quizzes, you may have to take at the Testing Center on
campus.
About this Online Course: This is an online course, managed through Blackboard.
You must have access to reliable Internet (available on all Valencia campuses) to
complete the course requirements. There will not be any required meetings on campus
and we will not have set chat or discussion times each week. You will have full access to
the course 24/7 and may participate in the times most convenient to you, while adhering
to the respective due dates.
Logging into the course:
1.Go to: https://learn.valenciacollege.edu/and log in using your Atlas username and pass
word. If/when Atlas is down; you can still access the course.
2. Reserved Maintenance Window: Blackboard will be unavailable
2:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. every Sunday morning is reserved for system maintenance. Please
remain aware of any other Blackboard maintenance schedules. You must submit all
assignments on time within the deadline, regardless of the Blackboard maintenance
schedules.
3.If you are having technical difficulties, please contact Blackboard for help. Blackboard
help desk number is 407-582-5600.
SPEECH EXPECTATIONS





You are expected to practice to meet the time requirements of each speech. Not
observing the time limit will result in a 3-point penalty per 30 seconds over/under the
time limit. You will have a 30 second grace period. Late speeches will be accepted
up to 4 days after the deadline. This time does not include the time you show your
audience before or after the speech. Speeches submitted after the due date will result
in a 20% reduction of speech value. Late speech not accepted for special occasion.
Speech outlines (part of documentation file) must be submitted with speech files.
Your whole speech must be written in your outlines and you must present based on
your submitted outline. Examples will be provided. Please do not ramble off topic.
You must use notecards to deliver your speeches.
You must present different topics for Cultural, Practice, Informative, and
Persuasive speeches.
You must dress in acceptable speech attire. Not doing so will result in a loss of
points. There will be a PowerPoint listing the proper attire.
7




You are expected in present your speech in a professional setting. You may
present your speech in your living room, but it is your responsibility to ensure the
audience pays attention to you. This means that you must eliminate all distractions
including, but not limited to TVs, stereos, computers, laptops, games, children, and
other people who are not participating as audience members. Keep in mind that these
noises will distract you and make it hard for me to grade you.
You are expected to submit your speech on time and in the proper manner. All
speeches must be recorded electronically and uploaded. If you do not have a digital
camera, you must plan to record your speech at the East or West Speech lab. A
deduction of 20% will be assessed for late speeches. Speeches are only accepted late
for up to 4 days (except special occasion).
o You must upload video clip to YouTube. You can set your speeches to
unlisted so only people you give the direct URL to can view it (i,e, it’s not
public). You can set your speech to public (everyone on YouTube can view).
You can also set your speech to private and add my email address:
jesusajackson@yahoo.com
You are expected to provide proper documentation of you audience members.
You must have a minimum of 5 adult (age 18 and older) audience members for all of
your speeches. To demonstrate that you have met this requirement, you must show
the entire audience at both the beginning and end of the speech video. You may not
edit your speech video.
You are expected to submit high quality videos of your speeches. Please follow
instructions carefully as failure to comply will result in a zero (0) for the speech.
o Check the sound and video quality produced by your video camera. I will
not grade your speech if I cannot easily see you (the picture is distorted or
sideways or your face is cut off the view) or hear you.
o If you are recording in a dark room, the light must be in front of you.
The light cannot be behind you or next to you, as this will create a shadow. I
will not be able to see you in the video.
o Before you begin your speech, your video camera operator should slowly pan
(videotape) the audience with the camera to show how many audience
members you have. Without turning off the camera, have the camera
operator turn the camera to you so that you may begin your speech. It is
essential that the camera remains on between the time of showing the
audience and the beginning of your speech. It is essential that I see each and
every audience member. Give your speech in its entirety, and then pan
(videotape) your audience one last time before ending your video. If you do
not have an audience of 5 adults ages 18 and over for the informative and
persuasive speeches, you will receive a zero “0” for your speech.
o Audience of adults ages 18 and over required for: Informative Speech
and Persuasive Speech. NO audience needed for: Cultural, Practice, and
Special Occasion.
o Keep the camera running throughout your speech. You may not edit your
speech for any reason.