V13.2 Revised 9.15.

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COM 230 – 003/010/004
TECHNIQUES OF SPEAKING
FALL 2021
Meets: Section 003 TTH 9:30 am - 10:50 am
Section 010 TTH 12:30 pm – 1:50 pm
Section 004 TTH 3:30 pm - 4:50 pm

Instructor: Prof. Richard Forney

Office: 3201 Arch Street, Room 153
Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday, 2:00-300pm
Email: professor.forney@drexel.edu
Phone: 215.571.4334

DIGITALTEXTBOOK:

The Art of Public Speaking 13th edition

By Stephen E. Lucas, PhD McGraw-Hill ©2020,
Connect Plus™ Access Card ISBN-13: 9781260693430

*Note: Connect Plus™ access is REQUIRED. You will have the choice of buying the
card directly from McGraw-Hill once you have registered for access to the program
online.

COURSE DESCRIPTION
You can do this. While public speaking is often a source of great stress and intimidation
for many people, the benefits of challenging and mastering this art are real and
significant. Regardless of who you are, what your college major is, or what your
professional plans are, public speaking is a skill that is essential for success. The skills
that you develop in a public speaking class will improve your ability to communicate
effectively, articulately, and confidently throughout your life. This course will focus on
several genres of public speaking. You will be expected to effectively research and
organize your speeches, as well as develop logical and effective arguments that are
tailored to your audience. Moreover, you can expect to have some fun in this course as
you get to know your classmates and become more relaxed about speaking to them.
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Course Objectives:

General
You should be able to:
1. Demonstrate written communication competence.
2. Demonstrate oral communication competence.
3. Demonstrate effective, efficient research skills, and
4. Identify and analyze policy issues.

Specific
You will:
1. Increase your understanding of common genres of public speaking.
2. Practice public speaking skills across common genres of public speaking.
3. Develop enhanced confidence in public speaking situations.
4. Conduct academic research, critical thinking, and organizational skills, and
5. Enhance your understanding of public speaking through self and peer analysis.

CLASS FORMAT

This course will include lectures. performance and evaluations The lectures are
intended to provide a background of the theories and research pertaining to public
speaking. Becoming familiar with the underlying principles of public speaking will help
to prepare you for most of the course work. However, this is primarily a performance
class. Most of this class will focus on helping you develop and practice your public
speaking skills. As such, this course is unique. This is not a course based merely on
memorizing facts. Rather, this is a course based on doing something (performing). As
you will notice on the class schedule, a significant amount of time will be devoted to
your speaking assignments.

ASSIGNMENTS

Detailed information and multiple examples for each of the assignments will be provided
in class and will be available on line through “Drexel Learn”.

For your third speech (Speech of Commemoration) you must upload to Blackboard
a complete word-processed manuscript.
For each of the last two speeches (Informative and Persuasive), you must submit a
word-processed “full-sentence” outline and bibliography in MLA format. If you do
not submit an outline and bibliography, you will not receive credit for your speech.

PLEASE NOTE: I may modify an assignment requirement because of time

constraints. I reserve the right to amend assignments. I will make the class aware
of any changes or amendments.
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Participation
Class discussions and the providing of useful feedback for speakers is very important to
this course. As such, class participation will be factored into the final grade.

GRADING
• Final grades for this course will not be curved.
• Final grades are not “rounded” up or down.
• There will be no extra credit.

Assignment Point Value

Introductory Speech Ungraded

SI: Favorite Job or Volunteer Experience 40 (7%)
Self-evaluation 20 (3%)
SII: Commemorative Speech 50 (8%)
SIII: Speech to Inform 125 (21%)
SIV: Persuasive Speech 125 (21%)
Connect-LearnSmart Readings (18@10 pts each) 180 (30%)
Homework Connect Modules (15 @ 10pts)
Attendance 60 (10%)
Total 600 points

The grading scale equals the following:

A+ 97-100% C+ 77-79%
A 93-96% C 73-76%
A- 90-92% C- 70-72%
B+ 87-89% D+ 67-69%
B 83-86% D 60-66%
B- 80-82% F 59%-0%

I will provide you with a detailed evaluation sheet for each of your graded
speeches in spreadsheet format so you can see what areas of your performance
may need improvement.

POLICIES
Do not cheat. Academic misconduct includes plagiarism (using ideas or information
without giving credit to the source), cheating on exams or quizzes, using speeches
that have been written by someone else, or doing assignments for other students.
Plagiarizing means you have taken the ideas of someone else and presented
them as your own. If in your outlines or speeches you use information that is word for
word (or if you paraphrase the information from another source), you must cite the
source in your outlines and speeches. This means that you will cite sources several
times in your outlines and during your speeches. Academic misconduct constitutes
grounds for failure of the course. It is also grounds for university judicial
proceedings for potential expulsion from the University. Additionally, every
incident of plagiarism is reported to the Chair of your department. I will check all
manuscripts and outlines using Turnitin Plagiarism software.
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Read the Provost’s Academic Dishonesty policies here:

PROVOST POLICIES ON ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

and STUDENT AFFAIRS CODE OF CONDUCT

and STUDENT AFFAIRS COMMUNITY STANDARDS

Discussion of Grades Policy

I will gladly discuss with your grade for any assignment. Do not be afraid to talk
to me about these. To discuss a grade, please make an appointment with me to
speak in private (I will not discuss your grades publicly).

Attendance
Because feedback from your classmates is a critical part of this class, you are expected
to attend all meetings. Attendance will be taken each class meeting. Do not miss a
class when you are scheduled to speak, as I make no guarantee that we’ll have
time for a “makeup”. If you must miss a class, I expect you to email BEFORE the
class meeting. Regardless of the reason for your absence, it is your responsibility
to get lecture notes and instructions from a trusted classmate. Do NOT email me
asking me to detail what you missed because of your absence. However, if you are
absent for more than two consecutive class meetings, you should make an appointment
with me to review what you might be able to do to make up the work.

The academic term lasts 11 weeks (10 weeks of classes and one week of
final exams). See the Provost’s attendance policies here: DREXEL
PROVOST POLICY ON ABSENCES

Written Work:
All written work must be word processed. Professionalism is important.
Therefore, written assignments will be graded on content as well as format,
grammar, punctuation, spelling, and writing style.

Course Schedule
The schedule provided will be followed as closely as possible. The instructor reserves
the right to amend the schedule if necessary. Students will be informed of any changes
that must be made.

Due Dates
Assignments are due on the dates specified. I will only accept late work if you have
made prior written arrangements with me.

All assignments must be uploaded to BBLearn. **You may not email, or otherwise
submit an assignment electronically, unless I give you prior permission.

Class Cancellation:
In case of class cancellation due to inclement weather or illness on the part of the
instructor, assignments will be completed during the next class meeting.
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Instructor Expectations:
Complete the assigned electronic, interactive reading modules and think about the
material prior to class.

Respect each other. In public speaking class, it is very important to develop

rapport with your audience. Presenting a speech is not an easy task. Remember
this and be respectful and attentive when classmates give speeches, provide
comments, or ask questions. Attentiveness means that you focus on each
speaker and respond non-verbally when appropriate. Diversity is valuable in any
classroom. Remember that your audience is made up of people from a variety of
cultural backgrounds.

GENERAL

Come to me with problems. I am here for you, and you will be treated with the
respect you deserve. Do not hesitate to stop me with a question, problem, or just
to say hello. Remember that unless you ask questions in class, see me in
person, or email me, I won't know what you're thinking and can't help you.

Special Accommodations
It is the University's policy to provide a learning environment that provides all
students with the opportunity to realize their full potential. To this end, the goal of
the Office of Disability Resources ("ODR") is to assist students with disabilities in
becoming self-sufficient, independent, and successful members of the
University's community and to provide students with disabilities with equal
opportunity of access to University courses, programs, facilities, services, and
activities. Students seeking reasonable accommodations for their disabilities
must first register with ODR. The staff of ODR will work closely with students to
review medical documentation, assess their individual needs, and link them with
the services necessary to ensure them the opportunity to participate fully in
college life. The Office of Disability Resources website can be found at OFFICE
OF DISABILITY RESOURCES

Notice: Appropriate Use of Course Materials

It is important to recognize that some or all of the course materials provided to you
may be the intellectual property of Drexel University, the course instructor, or
others. Use of this intellectual property is governed by Drexel University policies,
including the policy found here: Instructional Technology Acceptable Use
Policies

Briefly, this policy states that course materials, including recordings, provided by
the course instructor may not be copied, reproduced, distributed or re-posted.
Doing so may be considered a breach of this policy and will be investigated and
addressed as possible academic dishonesty, among other potential
violations. Improper use of such materials may also constitute a violation of the
University's Code of Conduct found here: University Digital Material Privacy
Policies and will be investigated as such.
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ADD, DROP AND WITHDRAWAL POLICIES

• You can add this course until the end of week 1:

If you add this course after the start of the term, you are responsible for
completing ALL work that you may have missed.

• You can drop this course until the end of week 1; the course will then be
removed from your transcript.
see Provost policies for "Course Add or Drop"

• The course withdrawal deadline is Friday, November 5th, 2021. You will
have received some graded work prior to this deadline. If you have any
questions about your progress at any time of the term, please contact me.
If you choose to Withdraw, a “W” will be recorded in your transcript.
See Provost policies for “Course Withdrawal”

**VERY IMPORTANT: Mask Etiquette for the 2021 Fall Quarter

As of August 3, 2021, Drexel requires all students and employees to wear a

mask in all on-campus public and shared spaces, including instructional and
research settings, regardless of vaccination status. Specifically, masks are
to be worn in classrooms, laboratories, lecture halls and seminar rooms.
Students are not permitted to eat during class or otherwise remove their
mask. If a student needs to remove their mask (to drink water etc.) they may
step outside the class, to do so and then return to class. Please remember
your mask to avoid class disruption.

If a student does not wear a mask or follow other required health and safety
guidelines in the classroom, the instructor will take the following steps:
• Ask the student to please correct their behavior. This may involve
determining if there is a reason why the student is unable to comply
with the request; for instance, they may not have a mask. If a solution
to the problem can be easily identified, and the instructor is able to
assist the student in complying, such as directing them as to where to
find a mask, they will do so.

• If the student refuses to mask, the instructor will inform the student
that they will be referred to Student Conduct and they will be asked to
leave the class.
As members of the Drexel community, we all play a role in supporting our
collective health and safety, and I appreciate your collaboration and
commitment to this. If you have questions or concerns about masking in
class, please do not hesitate to ask. More information about masking is
available at the link above and on the Drexel Response to Coronavirus
website.
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SCHEDULEOF CLASSES:
**REVISED SEPTEMBER 15TH 2021**

WEEK TOPIC ASSIGNMENT DUE

Week One Welcome – Syllabus Review
Speaking in Public Chapter 1 + Connect Assignment 1
Giving Your First Speech Chapter 4 + Connect Assignment 2
Week Two Listening Chapter 3 + Connect Assignment 3
Ethics and Public Speaking Chapter 2 + Connect Assignment 4
Selecting a Topic and Purpose Chapter 5 + Connect Assignment 5
Week Three Self-Introduction Practice Speech (ungraded)
Beginning and Ending Your Speech Chapter 10 + Connect Assignment 6
Organizing the Body of the Speech Chapter 9 + Connect Assignment 7
Week Four Speech #1 Fav Co-op Job or Volunteer Experience
Delivery Chapter 13 + Connect Assignment 8
Using Language Chapter 12 + Connect Assignment 9
Week Five Self-Evaluation of Video Due Self-Evaluation of Video Due
Speaking on Special Occasions Chapter 18 + Connect Assignment 10
Speech #2 Commemorative Speech+ Manuscript
Week Six Speech #2 Commemorative Speech+ Manuscript
Informative Speaking Chapter 15+ Connect Assignment 11
Gathering Materials Chapter 8 + Connect Assignment 12
Week Seven Outlining Your Speech Chapter 11+ Connect Assignment 13
Supporting Your Ideas Chapter 14+ Connect Assignment 14
Using Visual Aids Chapter 8 + Connect Assignment 15
Week Eight Speech #3 Informative Speech & Outline
Speech #3 Informative Speech & Outline
Week Nine Speaking to Persuade Chapter 16+Connect Assignment 16
Methods of Persuasion Chapter 17+Connect Assignment 17
Week Ten Analyzing Your Audience Chapter 6 + Connect Assignment 18

Week Eleven Speech #4 Due on Date of “Final” Persuasive Speech & Outline