Course Name & Number

SPCH 1321

Business and Prof. Communication

Semester & Year

FALL 2017

Catalog Description

Study and application of communication within the business and professional context. Special emphasis will be given to communication competencies in presentations, dyads, teams, and technologically mediated formats.

Instructor’s Name

Dee Ann McFarlin

Office Phone #

(940) 498-6204

Instructor’s Office #

Corinth 313

Office Fax #

E-mail Address

Use Canvas email, please; as last resort, use dmcfarlin@nctc.edu

Office Hours

MW: 7:30-9:00 am

and11:00-noon by Canvas email or phone;

Sundays: 4:00-6:00 pm by email

Textbooks & Materials Required/Recommended

Required Text: Ronald B. Adler, Jeanne Elmhorst, and Kristen Lucas.  Communicating at Work: Strategies for Success in Business and the Professions, 11 ed.  ISBN 978-0-07-803680-4

Course Requirements

1.      You must have or be willing to do the following:

·        Students must have access to recording equipment (video camera, digital camera, web camera, etc.). Students in this course are responsible for obtaining their own video recording equipment and an audience of at least six adults (age 16 or over). Students are encouraged to join recording groups which will be explained below in the Guidelines for Recoding Speeches Document [Important Documents Module],

·        Students must submit their speeches as 'public' on YouTube. In order to do this, you must establish a YouTube account. Please see the YouTube Instructions [in the Important Documents Module]. If you are unwilling to do this, do not take this course.

·        You must have a valid email address in order to enroll in this course.

·        You must have access to a computer with internet and email capabilities. You also must have average-level computer skills and familiarity with the internet, email, and word processing programs such as Microsoft Word.

·        You must have or be willing to install Windows Media Player on your computer. A free download (Links to an external site.) is available.

·        If you do not meet all of the above stipulations, you may not take this course.

1.      Students will be required to make at least one recorded presentation.  You must provide six adult audience members when your record your presentation.

2.      Students will be required to attend and report on one meeting of a city council or a public school board.

3.      Online instruction requires students who are self-disciplined and can work independently. Students are required to complete the Canvas  orientation before they can access this course. The instructor has the right to drop any student who does not complete the orientation the first week of class. It is, therefore, critical for students to begin working on the course the first day of class.

4.      Exams, announcements, and other communications will be administered through Canvas. There is a link to Canvas on the NCTC homepage, www.nctc.edu (Links to an external site.).

Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete SPCH 1321 will meet the following learning outcomes:

1. Demonstrate communication competence and critical thinking through an understanding of the foundational communication models.
2. Demonstrate essential public speaking skills in professional presentations.
3. Demonstrate written and oral competencies related to employment (including job searches, interviews, interpersonal interaction, conflict management, leadership and performance appraisals.)
4. Apply essential didactic and small group processes as they relate to the workplace.
5. Use various technologies as they relate to competent communication.
6. Demonstrate effective cross-cultural communication.

Core Objectives

 Foundational Component Area:  Communication

Courses in this category focus on developing ideas and expressing them clearly, considering the effect of the message, fostering understanding, and building the skills needed to communicate persuasively.  Courses involve the command of oral, aural, written, and visual literacy skills that enable people to exchange messages appropriate to the subject, occasion, and audience.

*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.

 [Rev. 5-2014  THECB]

Grading Policy & Procedures

 If you disagree with any posted grade, you have 48 hours from the time the grade is posted to dispute the grade. Instructions for disputing a grade are given in the Important Documents Module.

 This instructor does not accept late, make-up, do-over, or extra-credit work. Students must diligently monitor their syllabus and class announcements to ensure on-time submission of their completed work.

 All work and communication submitted--from an outline to an email--must be written using all aspects of Standard English--capitalization, spelling, punctuation, grammar, syntax, etc. This means you may not use emoticons. You will lose points on your assignment if you do not use Standard English. If you email me using emoticons or text-messaging jargon, I will return the email to you requesting that you resubmit it using Standard English.

 Grading is based on a total-points system. At the end of the semester, the student’s grade will be determined by dividing the total points possible into the total points earned.

 90-100% = A; 80=89% = B; 70-79% = C; 60-69% = D; 0-59% = F

Scholastic Integrity

Scholastic Dishonesty shall include, but not be limited to, cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion.  See Student Handbook “Students Rights & Responsibilities: Student Conduct [FLB  (LOCAL)]” #18.

Disciplinary Actions [Student Handbook, #5] “When cheating, collusion, or plagiarism had 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 FBL (Local).] The instructor shall make a written report of the incident and of the planned action to his Department Chair.  The Department Chair shall report the incident and action to 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 Students 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 in the Works Cited;
3. Copying words, ideas, or images from someone without giving credit; failing to put a quotation in quotation 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. 

[Rev. 3-2-2012-Plagiarism text added cb]

Attendance Policy

Students must stay current in the course by logging onto Canvas (and working on the course) at least 3 times a week for course information and communication with the instructor. Do not contact this instructor to say that you have been unable to log-in due to computer problems. Canvas can be accessed from any computer. If your computer is broken, use a friend or family member’s computer or go to your local library or the campus library.

Canvas records when you log in and out, where you go in the system, and how long you spend in each section of the course. If you do not log in and submit all work as specified, you will be counted absent for that week. 

This instructor reserves the right to drop from this course any student who fails to complete all assignments for more than two weeks.  If this failure to complete all work for two weeks occurs after the final withdrawal date established by NCTC, this instructor reserves the right to lower a student's grade by 10 points for each week that all assignments are not recorded.  No further warnings concerning absences will be given. It is the student’s responsibility to remember absences. 

 The last day to drop this or any course with a 'W' is November 9, 2017.

 Online Instruction

 Each student will be given a Canvas account for course information and communication.

Students are responsible for contacting the NCTC Canvas technical staff (submit a work ticket as stated earlier in this syllabus) and for notifying the instructor immediately if they experience difficulty using Canvas.

ADA Statement

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/or psychological disorders are eligible for services.

Disability Accommodations

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, a 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, and section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-112).

[Rev. 7-25-2012 per Brent Wallace/Mary Martinson.]

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.

Calendar or Course Outline

Other Pertinent Information

 Any information given in an announcement concerning assignments, grading, etc. will supersede information given elsewhere in the syllabus or on Canvas.

Communication with Instructor:

 Please post any questions for your instructor on the Ask Your Instructor Discussion Forum. That way, all students can benefit from answers you receive. More personal issue may be sent via Canvas email.

Your instructor will respond to communications within 24 hours weekdays and 48 hours weekends. If you have not received a response within those time limits, please post or email again.

Under the Lessons Tab, read the Rules for Discussion Board Usage document [Important Documents Module], the policy for appropriate use of the discussion forums.

 If you need adobe viewer: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html (Links to an external site.).

Tobacco-Free Campus

NCTC restricts the use of all tobacco products 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 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.

[Rev. 5-2014]