Dr. Lynne Kelly                                                                                       Gray Center E216
Office Hours: M 3-4, T 2-3, W 11-12, R 10-11:30 & by appt.                      768-4647 or 4633
E-mail: kelly@mail.hartford.edu

TEXTS:
 Kelly, L. & Watson, A.K. (1986) Speaking with confidence and skill. Lanham, MD: University Press of America.
 Dwyer, K. K. (1998).  Conquer your speechfright.  Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace College Publishers.

INTRODUCTION
 This section of CMM 115 is designed for intensive work in communication situations in which you feel your performance needs to be improved.  This course is not a means by which you can avoid speaking situations that you find difficult and uncomfortable.  On the contrary, it is a course designed to teach you the skills that you need to perform effectively in most speaking situations.  Course assignments require that you practice the skills you are taught both within and outside of the classroom.  The syllabus is quite flexible because the course is tailored to your individual needs.  Once I get to know you and your communication strengths and weaknesses, we can work together on an individual basis to determine what specific assignments you should complete during the course.

The following communication concepts will be covered:

1. The Context:  How do time and place shape behavior in a
   communication situation?
2. The Goal: What specifically do you want to accomplish through
   talk?
3. The Sayables: What can you talk about in a given situation?
4. The Order: How do you structure (organize) messages?
5. The Practice: How do you rehearse before entering a speaking situation?
6. The Evaluation: Did you achieve your goal?  How can you improve in your next attempt?

REQUIREMENTS
1. Conference with the instructor.
 Each of you will meet with me in my office for a 15-20 minute conference.  The purpose of the conference is to discuss your communication strengths and weaknesses, your goals for the course, and to get you started on your first assignment.  Sign-up for the conferences will be held today.  I would like to try to complete all conferences before the end of the week.

2. Self as Communicator Paper #1.
 When you come in for the conference, you are to bring a paper in which you discuss your communication strengths and weaknesses, your goals for the course, and so forth.  Tell me in what ways you are not satisfied with your communication and how you would like to improve.  We will use this paper as the basis for our conference discussion.  The paper is designed to get you to think specifically about these matters before you meet with me.  The paper will not be graded but it is required.

3. Self as Communicator Paper #2.
 At the end of the course you will turn in a paper in which you discuss the ways that you have improved as a communicator, areas in which you feel you still need improvement, etc.  This paper is not graded but must be handed in.  It will not be read until final grades have been submitted to the Registrar.

4. Exams.  There will be two exams on course content and reading.  The dates are on the attached schedule of classes.

5. Quiz.  There will be one quiz on goal analysis very early in the semester.  The date for the quiz is on the attached schedule.

6. Goals.
 A. You are required to complete three out-of-class goals from any of the following categories unless waived by the instructor:

  1. Social conversation:  initiating and maintaining conversations in a variety of settings; talking to persons in authority, etc.
                        2. Group discussion:  class participation, small group problem  solving,
  committee work.
             3. Interviewing:  job interviews, appraisal interviews, internship
  interviews. etc.
  4. Public speaking:  speeches, technical reports, etc.

 B. You are required to complete two in-class goals, one of which must be
  an individual public speech.  Other possibilities include:
  1. Oral interpretation: performing a piece of literature (reading it aloud
  to the class).
  2. Group oral presentation.

NOTE: At the conference you and I will negotiate how many goals you should do from the different categories based on your needs.

7. Goal Analysis and Report Papers.  For each goal that you complete, both in and out of class, you need to hand in two papers.  The specific format of these papers will be given to you in class.
 a. Goal analysis paper:  turned in and approved before you complete your
  goal.
 b. Goal report paper:  turned in after you complete your goal.

8. Group Activity.  Each of you will be involved in a group project.  You will be assigned to a group and will be given a task.  Your group will prepare one paper to be handed in.  Details will be presented in class.

9. Attendance and Due Dates.  Attendance is required.  This is a performance course, and there will be a lot of activity in class that requires your participation.  If you miss more than three classes, your final grade will be lowered.  If a goal analysis is not turned in and approved and returned to you before you complete the goal, it will not count as a completed assignment.  Late papers will not be accepted.

GRADING
 You are guaranteed a "C" in class if you do the following:
1. Three satisfactory out-of-class goals.
2. Two satisfactory in-class goals.
3. Miss no more than three classes.
4. Turn in both Self as Communicator papers.
5. Get satisfactory grades on the tests and quiz.
6. Do a satisfactory job on the group assignment.
To get a higher grade in the course, you need to complete more goals, get above average grades on the tests, and do a thorough job on the goal analysis and report papers.

TENTATIVE CLASS SCHEDULE

W 1/19 Orientation to the course;  sign up for conference.
  Assignment: write Self as Communicator #1 & bring to
  conference; read K&W Ch 2.

F 1/21  Basic principles of communication.
  Assignment: read K&W Ch. 1 & 4.

M 1/2  Goal analysis.
  Assignment: read K&W Ch.3.

W 1/26 Quiz on goal analysis; situation analysis.
  Assignment: read K&W Ch. 5; write goal analysis #1

 F 1/28  Audience analysis.
  Assignment: read K&W Ch. 6.
  DUE:  Goal analysis #1

M 1/31  Social conversation.
  Assignment: rewrite goal analysis #1 if required.

W 2/2  Review goal analysis; talking to authority figures.
  DUE: revised goal analysis #1

F 2/4  Rehearsal for goal #1.

M 2/7  Class participation.
  Assignment: read K&W Ch. 7.

W 2/9  Group communication; assignment of group project.

F 2/11  Goal report #1; continue group communication.
  Assignment: Write goal analysis #2.
  DUE: Goal report #1

M 2/14 Finish group communication.
  DUE: Goal analysis #2

W 2/16 Interviewing and resume writing.
  Assignment:  prepare resume.

F 2/18  Interviewing continued.

M 2/21 Finish interviewing; groups work on project.
  DUE: Resume

W 2/23 Mock interviews.

F 2/25  Mock interviews    .

M 2/28 Goal report #2; groups work on project.
  DUE: Goal report #2

W 3/1  Mid-term exam.

F 3/3  Groups work on project.
  DUE: Goal analysis #3

M 3/6  Oral interpretation of literature.

W 3/8  Oral interpretation continued.

F 3/10  Finish oral interpretation.
  Assignment: read K&W Ch. 8 & Dwyer Ch. 1 & 3.

SPRING BREAK!!!!

M 3/20 Begin public speaking; speaking as extended conversation; types
  of speaking; choosing a topic; speech purposes and residual messages.
  Assignment: read Dwyer Ch. 4-5.

W 3/22 Audience and situation analysis for public speeches.
  Assignment: read Dwyer Ch. 6.

F 3/24  Goal report #3; parts of a speech.
  Assignment: read Dwyer Ch. 7.
  DUE: Goal report #3

M 3/27 Structuring as a method of organizing a speech.
  Assignment: read Dwyer Ch. 8.

W 3/29 Structuring continued.
  Assignment: read Dwyer Ch. 9.

F 3/31  Finish structuring; developing supporting materials.
  Assignment: read Dwyer Ch. 10.
  DUE: Group report

M 4/3  Rehearsing and delivering a speech.
  Assignment:  read K&W Ch. 9, Dwyer Ch. 11.

W 4/5  Topics as needed.
  Assignment:  read Dwyer Ch.12

F 4/7  Exam #2.

M 4/10 In-class goals.

W 4/12 In-class goals.

F 4/14  In-class goals.

M 4/27 In-class goals.

W 4/19 In-class goals.
F 4/21  In-class goals

M 4/24 In-class goals

W 4/26 In-class goals

F 4/28  No class--ECA convention

M 5/1  In-class goals; summary and course evaluation; turn in folders.

SELF AS COMMUNICATOR PAPERS AND OTHER PAPERS ARE DUE ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 3.
 
 

Back