The North Central Texas College (NCTC) Course Syllabus provides the following as required by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB):

1. a brief description of the course including each major course requirement, assignment and examination;
2. the learning objectives for the course;
3. a general description of the subject matter of each lecture or discussion; and
4. any required or recommended readings. 

Contact information for the instructor is also provided. The Course Syllabus also provides institutional information to indicate how this course supports NCTC’s purpose and mission. Information specific to a particular section of the course will be included in the Class Syllabus and distributed to enrolled students. 

Course Name & Number: SPCH 1315 (Public Speaking)

Semester & Year: Spring 2020

Catalog Description Application of communication theory and practice to the public speaking context, with emphasis on audience analysis, speaker delivery, ethics of communication, cultural diversity, and speech organizational techniques to develop students’ speaking abilities, as well as ability to effectively evaluate oral presentations. [Rev 8-14-17]

Instructor's Name: Tracey Rhodes

Office Phone #: 830.832.4824

Email Address: trhodes@nctc.edu (Please message me in Canvas via Inbox instead of @nctc.edu)

Office Hours: Online -- 6pm - 7 pm Tues & Thur

Textbooks & Materials:  Speaker’s Guidebook  by O’Hair, Bedford St. Martin’s, 7^th ed.

3 x 5 notecards (Package of 100 should be plenty.)

COURSE AND COLLEGE INFORMATION

Learning Outcomes. Students who successfully complete this course will meet the following learning outcomes:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the foundational models of communication.
2. Apply elements of audience analysis.
3. Demonstrate ethical speaking and listening skills by analyzing presentations for evidence and logic
4. Research, develop and deliver extemporaneous speeches with effective verbal and nonverbal techniques.
5. Demonstrate effective usage of technology when researching and/or presenting speeches.
6. Identify how culture, ethnicity and gender influence communication.
7. Develop proficiency in presenting a variety of speeches as an individual or group (e.g. narrative, informative or persuasive).

Foundational Component Area: Communication

• Critical Thinking Skills (CT) - to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information
• Communication Skills (COM) - to include effective development, interpretation and expression of ideas through written, oral, and visual communication

• Teamwork (TW)- to include the ability to consider different points of view and to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal
• Personal Responsibility (PR)- to include the ability to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making  

Institutional Learning Goals. A quality general education curriculum in all associate degree programs.

• Quality freshman and sophomore level courses in arts and sciences which parallel the lower division offerings of four-year colleges and universities.
• Quality technical programs leading directly to careers in semi-skilled and skilled occupations, and quality technical education programs up to two years in length leading to certificates and associate degrees.
• Quality programs and services in support of adult literacy and basic skills development as a mean of workforce enhancement and expanding access to higher education.

Program Purpose Statement. NCTC seeks to implement its goal of providing quality freshman and sophomore level courses in arts and sciences that parallel the lower division offerings of four-year colleges and universities by offering a coherent sequence of courses with appropriate breadth and depth to prepare a student for transfer to a university.

Departmental Purpose Statement. The Department of English, Speech, and Foreign Language provides quality instruction to students pursuing their academic and career goals.

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

College Attendance Policy: Regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students in all classes for which they have registered. All absences are considered to be unauthorized unless the student is absent due to illness or emergencies as determined by the instructor. It is the student responsibility to provide documentation as to the emergency for approval and judgment by the faculty member. Approved college-sponsored activities are the only absences for which a student should not be held liable and only when provided by a college official ahead of the absence. Valid reasons for absence, however, do not relieve the student of the responsibility for making up required work. Students will not be allowed to make up an examination missed due to absence unless they have reasons acceptable to the instructor. A student who is compelled to be absent when a test is given should petition the instructor, in advance if possible, for permission to postpone the exam. The student will be dropped from a class by the Registrar upon the recommendation of the instructor who feels the student has been justifiably absent or tardy a sufficient number of times to preclude meeting the course’s objectives.   Persistent, unjustified absences from classes or laboratories will be considered sufficient cause for College officials to drop a student from the rolls of the College. From Board Policy FC (LOCAL)

The instructor should describe here his/her attendance policy based on the discipline, the course, and the pedagogical techniques. Per NCTC policy, ALL INSTRUCTORS are required to take attendance every class meeting for reporting purposes.

Disability Accommodations: North Central Texas College does not discriminate on the basis of disability for admission or access to its programs. The College is committed to providing equal access to its students with disabilities by providing appropriate accommodations; a variety of services and resources are made available through the ACCESS Department. Students are responsible for notifying the ACCESS Department of their need for assistance. Students with documented disabilities, such as mobility impairment, hearing or visual impairment, learning, and psychological disorders are eligible for services.

The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides accommodations for students who have a documented disability. A disability is anything that can interfere with learning, such as a learning disability, psychological challenge, physical illness, or injury. Accommodations may include extra time on tests, tests in a distraction-reduced environment, volunteer note taker in class, etc.

On the Corinth Campus, go to room 170 or call 940-498-6207. On the Gainesville Campus, go to room 110 in the Administration Building (100) or call 940-668-4209.  Students on the Bowie, Graham, Flower Mound, and online campuses should call 940-668-4209 to arrange for an intake appointment with OSD.

North Central Texas College is on record as being committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, ADA Amendments Act of 2009, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-112). http://www.nctc.edu/student-services/disability-services/index.html 

EEOC Statement: North Central Texas College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, or disability in the employment or the provision of services.

Financial Aid, Scholarships, and Veterans Services: The Financial Aid Office is responsible for administering a variety of programs for students who need assistance in financing their education.  The first step for financial aid is to complete a FAFSA.  For more information, please visit your nearest Financial Aid Office: http://www.nctc.edu/financial-aid/index.html.

Last day to Withdraw: Last day to drop a class with grade of “W” is April 3rd.

Writing Policy. College-level writing skills are expected. This is doubly important in an online course, as our perceptions of each other will be shaped largely by our written words. You should take care to avoid typos, grammatical errors and sentence structure problems in any written assignment you submit for this class. Here are some excellent resources to assist you:

                   http://www.grammarbook.com (Links to an external site.)/

                   https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/ (Links to an external site.)

                   http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com (Links to an external site.)/

The prevailing violation of the English language in college classrooms is the use of a lower case “I” when referring to yourself. Please don’t do this. When texting, emailing friends, or posting on social media - by all means - do what you like. In this course, however, understand that failure to capitalize the individual “I” means failing to meet the standard for college-level writing.

This online class includes multiple writing assignments in the form of blogs/discussion boards. Be sure that your submission for these assignments fully and clearly addresses the issue or question at hand. Vague or irrelevant responses will not receive credit. 

Scholastic Integrity – Plagiarism: Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but not be limited to cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion. See Student Handbook “Student Rights & Responsibilities: Student Conduct” #18.

Disciplinary Actions [Student Handbook, #5] “When cheating, collusion, or plagiarism has occurred beyond any reasonable doubt, the instructor may give the student or students involved an “F” on a particular assignment or in the course. [See Scholastic Dishonesty FLB (Local)] The instructor shall make a written report of the incident and the planned action to his Department Chair. The Department Chair shall report the incident and action to the appropriate instructional dean who shall review the case, notify the student and, if necessary, take further action. This may involve either probation or suspension of the student or students in question. If such disciplinary action is deemed necessary, the Dean of Student Services shall be notified, and the action shall be taken through that office.”

Plagiarism, which should be avoided at all costs, includes the following student actions:

1. Turning in someone else's ideas, opinions, theories, or work as your own;
2. Unintentionally or inadvertently turning in someone else's ideas, opinions, theories, or work as your own as the result of failing to document sources both internally and on the reference page;
3. Copying words, ideas, or images from someone without giving credit; Failing to put a quotation in quotations marks;
4. Giving incorrect information about the source of information, quotations, or images;
5. Changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit;
6. Copying so many words, ideas, or images from a source that it makes up the majority of the student's work, whether or not the student gives credit.

Learning and teaching take place best in an atmosphere of intellectual freedom and openness. All members of the academic community are responsible for supporting that freedom and openness through rigorous personal standards of honesty and fairness. Plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty undermine the very purpose of college and diminish the value of an education. All graded work—examination answers, quizzes, presentations, written assignments, etc. — must be the original work of the student claiming credit for the assignment. Students guilty of knowingly using or attempting to use another person’s work as though it were their own, and students guilty of knowingly permitting or attempting to permit another student to use their work will receive a penalty ranging from an F on the assignment, to an F in the course, to possible expulsion from the institution, depending on the egregiousness of the violation. See your Student Handbook for additional information.

Cutting and pasting text from the Internet into your assignment WITHOUT the use of quotations AND attribution back to the source is plagiarism.  OK – go back and read that sentence again. Please note that “I did not know” is not an excuse for unintentional plagiarism.  You are a 21^stcentury college student - it’s time to know. 

You simply cannot use someone else's words in your outlines – or any other assignment – without quotation marks and attribution. Please, don’t do it. You will absolutely receive a zero for the assignment. Failure to follow the proper guidelines for documentation constitutes plagiarism. 

Visit one of the links below to further educate yourself before submitting your work:

http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/QPA_plagiarism.html (Links to an external site.)

http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml (Links to an external site.)

http://www.northwestern.edu/provost/students/integrity/plagiarism.html (Links to an external site.)

http://www.umuc.edu/writingcenter/plagiarism/index.cfm (Links to an external site.)

http://library.duke.edu/research/plagiarism/index.html (Links to an external site.)

http://writing.mit.edu/wcc/avoidingplagiarism (Links to an external site.)

http://www.library.arizona.edu/help/tutorials/plagiarism/index.html (Links to an external site.)

Please be aware that I take plagiarism very seriously.  

If I discover that a student has committed plagiarism, the assignment that has plagiarized materials will receive a zero. If there is evidence of intentional and/or blatant plagiarism. I will recommend to the department chair that the student fails the course.

Student Rights & Responsibilities: NCTC Board policy FLB (Local) Student Rights and Responsibilities states that each student shall be charged with notice and knowledge of the contents and provisions of the rules and regulations concerning student conduct.  These rules and regulations are published in the Student Handbook published in conjunction with the College Catalog.  All students shall obey the law, show respect for properly constituted authority, and observe correct standards of conduct.

Student Success: The Student Success Center is designed to help all students at NCTC develop tools to achieve their academic goals.  This program also links students to FREE tutoring, including a Writing Center, a Math Lab, and free 24/7 online tutoring and helps new students acclimate to college by providing computer lab services for prospective students.  All students are invited to visit the Student Success Center on the Corinth Campus, rooms 170, 182, or 188; on the Gainesville Campus, rooms 114 or 111; on the Flower Mound Campus, room 111; and on the Bowie Campus, room 124.

Tobacco-Free Campus. NCTC restricts the use of all tobacco products including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, electronic cigarettes, and smokeless tobacco on campus property. NCTC is aware that tobacco use influences underage students, which cumulates unsightly tobacco litter and interferes with assuring clean air for all who come to NCTC. NCTC recognizes the health hazards of tobacco use and of exposure to second-hand smoke. Information on a tobacco cessation program is available for students, faculty, staff who wish to stop using tobacco products. We would like to "thank you" for your help in making our campuses Tobacco-Free. For questions or concerns, please contact the Office of Vice President of Student Services at 940-668-4240.

Grading Policy & Procedures.

The workload for this course has a total of 1,000 possible points. Students earn points by submitting the various assignments described below. Your point total at the end of the term will determine your letter grade for the semester.

Grades will be posted as follows:  

900 - 1,000 points = A 

800 - 899 points = B

700 - 799 points = C

600 - 699 points = D

599 and below = F

Late Work Policy:  Assignments are due by 11:59 p.m. on the posted due date. Minor assignments like quizzes are blogs have a one-shot deadline, and late submissions are not accepted. Major assignments - like outlines - will follow this late-work policy:

One day late: Within 24 hours of due date: 25 point deduction

Two days late: Between 24 and 48 hours of the due date: 50 point deduction

Three days late: Between 48 and 72 hours of the due date: 75 point deduction

After 72 hours (fourth day) the portal will close, and no credit will be posted for the assignment.

Missing a speech appointment: Students sign up for their preferred speech delivery session. If you have to miss a speech delivery session, it is critical to contact the instructor prior to the session. A “no show” for the speech delivery session is grounds for a zero, unless written documentation of a legal or medical emergency is provided in a timely manner. Contacting the instructor in advance about missing the speech delivery session is critical, and may afford the possibility of submitting the speech at a later time, or in alternate fashion. The decision to accept a late/alternate speech delivery is solely at the discretion of the instructor.

Letter Grade Policy: Please note that all three speeches and the group project presentation must be completed to receive a grade of “C” or better for this course, regardless of the point total for all other submitted assignments. In other words, students who miss  one speech, or the group project cannot earn a letter grade above “D” – even if the point total would otherwise be equivalent to a higher grade.

Extra Credit Policy: Extra credit assignments are available via Canvas. All extra credit must be submitted by Sunday, May 3rd.

Calendar or Course Outline:

Our weeks will run on a Tuesday through Monday schedule. Assignments are due Monday night by 11:59 p.m. each week, unless otherwise noted.

Quizzes and blogs have no wiggle room with the deadline, so the point value for quizzes and blogs will be a -0- if not submitted by the posted deadline. See the late work policy for major written assignments like speech outlines.

Assignments Overview:

QUIZZES – A brief quiz will be available via Canvas each time we begin a new chapter. Naturally, the intent of these quizzes is to encourage you to read the chapter. Reading is the foundation for gaining a basic knowledge of course concepts, and you will therefore be expected to read the textbook as indicated in the course calendar. Please pay close attention to the correct spelling of key terms, as proper spelling will be required for quiz and test responses to be counted for credit. Do not expect to earn a passing grade in this course if you are unwilling or unable to read the textbook. Quiz deadlines are firm, and late submissions will not be possible.

BLOGS – We will use the discussion board as a kind of class blog. Be sure read the instructions for each blog carefully, and to review your writing and correct typos or errors prior to submitting your post. (As noted later in this document, use of lowercase “I” when referring to yourself in a blog post will lower your grade for the assignment.)

SPEECHES – You will deliver four speeches: artifact, informative, and persuasive. Speeches are delivered live via the Zoom video chat platform, and require an audience of peers in the course. Please note that once your speech appointment has been confirmed, rescheduling is not an option. Your fellow classmates serve as the audience, so it’s critical to build the schedule carefully and stick to it. You may find it difficult to reconcile the speaking schedule dates and times with your availability. Please be mindful that ALL speeches are required to pass the course. You may need to seek alternative course options if you cannot be available at a specific time on the designated speech days. Please contact the instructor immediately if you feel you cannot be available for at least one session per speech.

Please take care to become familiar with the video conferencing platform prior to your speech day. If you are not prepared to use the video interface at the appointed time, you may have to forfeit your speech delivery, as the other class members will not be prevailed up to wait for you to download plug-ins or sort through technical issues. (Practice runs with the technology prior to speech day are crucial.)

You will be provided with a copy of the speech rubric by which you will be graded prior to speech delivery. More details will be forthcoming via Canvas and classroom discussion. Remember, you must deliver three speeches to earn a grade of “C” or better for the course. Missing more than one speech will cause the highest possible grade to be a “D.”

SPEECH OUTLINES – You will submit an outline prior to three of the speeches. Two speeches will require research, and a formal reference page citing at least FIVE (5) REFERENCES in APA format. An outline template will be provided. Your submission should follow the organizational pattern and formatting of the outline exactly. Outlines that do not adhere to the template formatting will not be reviewed for credit. As noted in the academic honesty section, using someone else’s words in the outline without attribution to the source and quotation marks will result in a grade of zero for the assignment. Please take care to paraphrase or properly quote statements originating from research and source material. More details regarding outline assignments will be forthcoming via Canvas and classroom discussion.

GROUP WORK – Effective communication is an important aspect of collaboration in the modern world. You will be collaborating with fellow students to prepare and deliver a presentation in the form of a panel discussion. Students who fail to participate effectively can be voted out by the group, and will receive a zero for the assignment. Peer reviews will be a factor in determining grades for the project. More info will be available via Canvas.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Be sure to review the course schedule carefully, as it clearly shows due dates for each assignment.  Please note that any work that is not submitted when the assignment  portal closes on Canvas will receive a grade of 0.