Course Description

Designed to acquaint students with the fundamentals of the discipline and to give them confidence in speech situations. This course considers voice, platform technique, message organization and audience analysis. Emphasis is upon the formal speaking situation. Group 2 course.

Credit Hours

4

Contact Hours

4

Lecture Hours

4

General Education Outcomes supported by this course

Communications - Direct, Critical Thinking - Direct

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge:

• Learn four primary elements of a model illustrative of the communication process.
• Learn to explain the primary elements of a model of critical thinking.
• Learn key variables to consider in the analysis of audiences for speeches.
• Learn key principles involved with informative, persuasive, group, and special occasion speeches.

Application:

• Demonstrate an ability to apply a model of critical thinking.
• Demonstrate the ability to apply an audience analysis model.
• Demonstrate competence in the presentation of informative, persuasive, group, autobiography, and special occasion speeches.

Integration:

• Have the opportunity to complete optional integrated learning projects.
• Apply new knowledge of speech-making to their listening and speaking practices.

Human Dimension:

• Gain an ability to explain the relevance of public speech to social change and American culture.

Caring - Civic Learning:

• Discover that speech is not about them it's about adapting to an audience.
• Learn the norms and ideals of ethical speaking and listening.

Learning How to Learn:

• Choose their own speech topics and learn how to adapt course materials given the nature of their topic and the nature of their particular audience.