Course Syllabus

Anne Arundel Community College

COM 111-Fundamentals of Oral Communication Course Description

Learning to communicate well is an important life skill, and this course is designed to provide you with the knowledge and skills to develop competence and confidence as a public speaker. My commitment is to support you in learning public speaking theory and practical skills needed for successful speaking in various situations.  Prospective employers want employees who can organize information clearly and present it in an engaging way.  In fact, in order to even obtain a job, most people must demonstrate strong communication skills in job interviews.  The abilities you develop in this course helps you communicate more clearly in all areas of your life, whether you want to build a persuasive argument by citing evidence, explain how something works, or pause effectively to allow your message to resonate.   

Through discussion and practice, we strive for clear oral expression of thought, informed critical thinking, effective use of basic research techniques, and rhetorical analysis. There are many opportunities in the safe atmosphere of our class to refine your public speaking skills and develop other valuable skills, such as the ability to gather information from credible sources, recognize rhetorical techniques, and evaluate messages.

3 credits, meets Arts/Humanities General Education requirement

Textbook

Lucas, S.E.  (2020). The Art of Public Speaking. Boston:  McGraw-Hill. The 12th or 13th edition is acceptable.  

Recommended Materials

3-ring binder for storing supplemental learning materials, paper and pen

Instructor Biography &/or Teaching Philosophy

Shelley Mahoney has taught at AACC for more than four years; she also has taught at the Community College of Baltimore County, Liberty University, and in private high schools. Mrs. Mahoney holds a M.A. in Strategic Communication and a B.S. in Speech Communication (both from Liberty University) as well as a Letter of Recognition in Creative Writing from AACC. She attended AACC for two years after high school and loves the supportive and fun atmosphere at the college. 

 

Course Outcomes

Assignments in this course are designed to help students meet the following outcomes:

1. Communicate complex messages through writing, speaking, and using technology;
2. Locate, organize, analyze, and appropriately cite information from credible sources in order to develop informed, well-reasoned, and substantiated arguments;
3. Exhibit effective listening skills and critically evaluate verbal and nonverbal messages;
4. Demonstrate knowledge of communication theory;
5. Recognize the influence of culture on messages and exhibit an awareness of ethics, diversity, inclusiveness, and equity.

Grading

Exercises and activities 25%

Speech preparation and delivery 50%

Quizzes 15%

Final Exam 10%

Exercises & Activities

Other essential individual and group assignments relate to the communication process, communicating in a culturally diverse world, small group communication, ethics, listening, language usage and more.

Speech Preparation and Delivery

Speech preparation and delivery make up a substantial portion of the final grade. You and your classmates deliver at least four speeches, three of which are formal presentations. They include an informal introductory speech (2-4 minutes) and three formal speeches: commemorative (4-6 minutes), informative (5-8), and persuasive (6-8 minutes).

To help you prepare for the formal speeches, I include coursework on aspects of speaking to commemorate, inform, persuade. These assignments may include brainstorming, audience analysis, research, outlines, analysis of speeches and visual aids and more. Part of your informative and persuasive presentation grades are based on researching evidence, outlines and the development of bibliographies; other parts of the grade are based on speech delivery skills.

Our coursework includes at least one research assignment to demonstrate your ability to use the library catalog, databases and internet to identify and evaluate sources appropriate for academic purposes, as well as cite them in APA format. A typed, well-organized “preparation outline” and “speaking outline” are required for major speeches.  A preparation outline is written in complete sentences, while a speaking outline uses phrases. Double-space outlines using an easy to read 12-point font and APA format. Outlines should contain an introduction (with an attention-getter, thesis topic reveal, credibility statement and preview), a body with 2-3 main points (with oral citations), a conclusion (with a summary and final thought), and explicit transitions. 

Visit the Writing Center or Virtual Writing Center and reach out to me for help with thesis development, research, manuscript writing, outlining and citing sources. Everyone has opportunities to receive peer feedback on the informative and persuasive speech outlines and bibliographies prior to me grading them. Since a significant portion of the course schedule is devoted to presentations, we need to adhere to scheduled speech delivery dates.

Quizzes

Required quizzes assess knowledge of content covered in the reading.

Final Exam

Our final exam assesses understanding of key concepts, terms and ideas covered in our textbook and our discussions throughout the semester.

Class Policies & Procedures

Submitting Assignments

Submit assignments on Canvas by the due date using the following document types: doc., docx, or rtf. Double-space and edit carefully before you submit work, including discussion posts. Contact the Help Desk at helpdesk@aacc.edu or 410-777-HELP for assistance submitting work.

Attendance

Consistent Participation/Attendance: Since participation and good time management are crucial to learning in COM 111, plan to attend all classes, arrive on time and stay for the entire class. Much of the learning in the course happens as a result of your participation in course activities. Full participation enhances your grade! To check school closing information, go to the college Stay Informed page. If the campus closes, check Canvas for any assignments posted.

Be Punctual: If you arrive late, you are responsible for letting me know so that your attendance can be changed from absent to late. While on-time arrival is expected for all classes, it is especially important on speech delivery days; arriving or submitting work late on speech days can affect the time management portion of your grade. Please do not enter the classroom or online meeting room during a speech performance.

Make up work: When you are absent or unable to participate, you are responsible for finding out about assignments due, notes and any activities you missed. When possible, make-up work is allowed with acceptable documentation of an emergency. There is not normally make-up work available for interactive activities.

Cell Phones and Electronic Devices: Communication is more effective when communicators are fully present. Multitasking with cell phones and other electronic devices is often distracting, minimizes listening and unintentionally conveys lack of respect. For those reasons, unless advance approval is granted, please do not use your cell phone, laptop or other electronic devices during class. If technology use directly supports our classwork you can expect me to make an announcement.

Learning Environment: You can help create a supportive learning environment by embracing the “Credo for Communication Ethics” adopted by the National Communication Association (NCA). It includes the conviction that ethical communication:

• • advocates truthfulness, accuracy, honesty, and reason.
  • accepts responsibility for short-term and long-term consequences of communication.
  • strives to understand and respect other communicators before evaluating and responding to their messages.

Exposure to perspectives different from our own improves listening skills, so let’s challenge ourselves to listen even when we disagree. Controversial topics can add interest to the class, especially when course members share relevant experiences and insights. Since some topics are emotional ones for some people, it is important to share insights with sensitivity to the emotions of others in the room. Avoid purposefully inflammatory and offensive comments intended to create a divisive learning environment.

Additional behaviors that contribute to a supportive learning environment include listening to one another without interrupting, using one another’s names, and paraphrasing ideas before responding to them. Finally, ethical communication can involve “speaking up” when something important needs to be said. Your voice counts, so express yourself!

DRESS CODE for FORMAL SPEECHES. In addition to presenting a well-prepared and well-practiced speech, your attire is one way to create a professional image. Your clothing can communicate a message of competence, seriousness, and credibility. Students are expected to do their best to dress professionally for formal speeches (business casual or business wear).

Communication with Professor

Be proactive: There is always a need for clear communication between the instructor and the students and this is the perfect course in which to practice effective communication! It helps you do well in the course. You can meet with me in person or via email. Be proactive! Express concerns and ask for assistance in a timely manner. I want you to have a successful experience in the course, so please feel comfortable communicating with me.

Email: Check your Canvas emails daily because I communicate with you through Canvas email and/or announcements.  You can expect me to respond to your emails within 24 hours, except on weekends. Remember to put the assignment name or nature of your concern in the subject line.

Etiquette: Please email me in Canvas and put the name of the assignment or topic in the subject line. Practice using professional netiquette by starting emails with a greeting (e.g., Dear Professor ______). Re-read to check for typos and end with your own name.   

Peer Support: You need and deserve peer support. Early in the semester, exchange telephone numbers and email addresses with several classmates you can reach out to when you have a question or need guidance from someone other than the professor. Be sure to support your classmates when they reach out to you too!

College-wide Information, Services & Policies

CANVAS & Technical Help

If you are new to the CANVAS learning management system, complete the Virtual Student Orientation which can be accessed from the navigation bar on the left in CANVAS. For technical help, contact the Technical Call Center (Help Desk) at 410-777-HELP (-4357) or helpdesk@aacc.edu. For problems with using CANVAS contact the Distance Learning Support Team at 410-777-2486 or virtualsupport@aacc.edu

Disability Support Services

The Disability Support Services Office (DSS) provides equal access to educational opportunities for qualified students with disabilities. If you are interested in course accommodations, please call 410-777-1411 or go to the Disability Support Services Office. Once they approve accommodations, their office sends me an email with the relevant details. Deaf and hard of hearing students can reach the DSS office by calling Maryland Relay 711 or by emailing dss@aacc.edu for more information.

Notice of Nondiscrimination

AACC is an equal opportunity, affirmative action, Title IX, ADA Title 504 compliant institution. Call Disability Support Services, 410-777-2306 or Maryland Relay 711, 72 hours in advance to request most accommodations. Requests for sign language interpreters, alternative format books or assistive technology require a 30-day notice. For information on compliance and complaints concerning sexual assault, sexual misconduct, discrimination or harassment, contact the college federal compliance officer at 410-777-1239 or complianceofficer@aacc.edu or the Title IX coordinator at 410-777-2256, or Maryland Relay 711.

MyAACC

Canvas: There is an active Canvas board for this course. Email, assignment details and submission areas are on Canvas. You log-in through your MyAACC account and click the “Access My Classes” link. Students are encouraged to download the free Canvas by Instructure app for mobile devices. Visit your mobile app store (iTunes, Google Play, etc.), search for AACC Mobile and click “Install.” Once downloaded, sign in with your MyAACC username and password.

Student Opinion Form (SOF): As the course comes to a close, you can complete a course evaluation or SOF by accessing the form through MyAACC>Self Services>Student Opinion Form.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity forbids any form of cheating and/or plagiarism.  Cheating includes, but is not limited to such acts as using part or all of a speech you found online or that was prepared by someone else; stealing and altering information for academic purposes; offering, giving or receiving unauthorized assistance on an examination or other assignment in a course.  Plagiarism includes taking and passing off intentionally as one's own the ideas, writings, or work of another individual without crediting the author. The minimum disciplinary penalty imposed upon a student found to have committed an infraction includes receiving a “0” (no credit) for the assignment; other possible penalties include receiving an F in the course and suspension from the college.  AACC procedures for implementation of our Academic Integrity Policy can be found online at http://www.aacc.edu/studentpolicies. Avoid plagiarism by learning what constitutes plagiarism and conducting yourself ethically in this course.

College-Wide Core Competencies  

Consistent with the institutional mission and vision, Anne Arundel Community College expects students to gain and demonstrate appropriate proficiency in core competencies, which encompass general education and essential life skills. The college is committed to offering experiences that allow students to acquire, develop and demonstrate growth in these competencies. The attainment of these competencies provides the foundation for lifelong learning.  

Communication 

Using listening, speaking, reading, writing and visual communication skills effectively.  

Technology Fluency 

Utilizing technology to enhance productivity in one’s academic, professional and personal life.  

Information Literacy 

Recognizing when information is needed and locating, evaluating, and using information appropriately.  

Personal Wellness 

Demonstrating the use of strategies that promote holistic health and wellness.  

Self-Management 

Displaying accountability and adaptability as a learner.  

Scientific Reasoning 

Applying logic and the scientific method to interpret observable evidence.  

Quantitative Reasoning 

Applying mathematical concepts appropriately to analyze and interpret quantitative information.  

Social and Civic Responsibility 

Participating in communities as an informed, committed and productive individual.  

Global Perspective 

Awareness and understanding of the diversity and interdependence among cultures, communities and the environment.  

Innovative and Critical Thinking 

Integrating knowledge to analyze problems using different modes of thinking (critical, creative, and innovative).  

Click here to download a printable version of the course syllabus. See the Course Summary (schedule) below for required assignments and due dates.