Course Name & Number

SPCH 1321-400

Business & Professional Communication

Semester & Year

Fall, 2017

Course 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. [Rev 8-14-17]

Instructor’s Name

Dr. Terry Moellinger

Office Phone #

940-438-6282

Instructor’s Office #

1500 N Corinth St. Corinth, TX, 76208

Office Fax #

E-mail Address

jmoellinger@nctc.edu

Office Hours

Before/After Class

Textbooks &  Materials

Required / Recommended

Adler, R. B., Elmhorst, J., & Lucas, K. (2013), Communicating at Work: Strategies for success in business and the professions. 11^th Ed. New York: McGraw Hill.

[Rev. Fall 2017]

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 as it relates to employment (including job searches, interviews, interpersonal interaction, conflict management, leadership and performance appraisals).

4.   Apply essential dyadic and small group processes as they relate to the workplace.

5.   Utilize various technologies as they relate to competent communication.

Demonstrate effective cross-cultural communication. [Rev 8-4-17]

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 of the grade is posted to dispute it. . 

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

English--capitalization, spelling, punctuation, grammar, syntax, etc.  You may not use emoticons in your communications.  You will lose points on your assignment if you do not use Standard English. 

For speeches in this class, we engage in extemporaneous speaking—delivering your speech from notes. You should not deliver your speech from memory and you should not read it. If you read or deliver from memory, you will lose a minimum of 20 points. If, in my opinion, you read from cue cards, you will lose a minimum of 20 points, so be sure you make eye contact with your audience, not the floor or walls. If, in my opinion, you read from cue cards a second time, you will make a zero on the speech. 

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

The following tentative assignments will be completed.

Scholastic Integrity

Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but not be limited to cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion.  See Student Handbook “Student Rights & Responsibilities: Student Conduct [FLB- (LOCAL)]” #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 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 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 in the Works Cited;
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.

[Rev. 3-20-2012–Plagiarism text added cb]

Attendance Policy

You are expected to attend all classes.  Your presence in class is as important when you are a listener as it is when you are a speaker.  You will, consequently, be penalized for excessive absences.  Three tardies equal one absence.  If you are tardy, it is your responsibility to see that the instructor marks you present before you leave class that day.  Students who leave class before being dismissed by the instructor will be counted absent or tardy (at the discretion of the instructor).  Those who leave at break will counted as absent. 

Absences are sometimes excused.  If you feel you have justification, then email your request to the instructor.  You will receive the answer by email.  Email is the only means by which absences may be excused in this class.  Do not assume that smiling or nodding on the instructor’s part is acknowledgment of an excused absence.

There is an attendance Grade of 30 points (not reflected in the above grade assement).

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

SEE TENATIVE DAILY SCHEDULE AT THE END OF THIS SYLLABUS. This schedule also includes the specific learning outcome & objectives for each assignment (in italics).

.

Other Pertinent Information

 For the Fall 2017 semester, the last day to withdraw from a course with a “W” is November 9. 2017.

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.

[Rev. 5-2014]

Date

Activity/Assignment

8/28

Introduction to course

Discuss and Assign Artifact Speech: You will present an artifact speech of self-introduction of around 5 minutes. You will also present an outline for this presentation (9/6 & 9/13). Use from one to three artifact(s)--object(s) that in some way represent(s) who you are. The object(s) must be tangible and should be something that has symbolic meaning to you, and/or represent an aspect of your personality, have cultural meaning to you, have been passed down to you from family members, or it may be something that you have recently acquired to represent the “new you.”  It is up to you to convey the personal value of the artifact(s).

8/30

Lecture on Listening & Outlining (Body of the Speech, Introductions and Conclusions).

9/4

No Class: Labor Day

9/6

Presentation of Artifacts Speech (25 points) and Outline (10 points) {CT, COM, PR}

9/11

Presentation of Artifacts Speech (25 points) and Outline (10 points) ) {CT, COM, PR}

9/13

Exam 1: Listening: Chapters 3 and Outlining: Chapter 9. Also related power-points (50 points)

9/18

Lecture on Selecting a Topic, and Supporting Your Ideas.

Discuss the Career Speech Assignment 

9/20

Discuss Impromptu Speeches & Lecture on Communication and Culture

Online Assignment: Read NCTC Library Tutorial on MLA work cited format and submit MLA citation at the beginning of next class 10 points.

9/25

Presentation of Impromptu Speeches (10 points) ) {CT, COM, PR}

9/27

Exam 2: Communication and Culture (Chapter 2), Selecting a Topic: pp. 249-259 & Supporting your Ideas: pp.  286-297. Also related power-points. (50 points)

10/2

Lecture: Visual Aids. Create a Three Slide Power-Point Presentation and submit a hard copy of the presentation at the beginning of the next class. (10 points)

10/4

Lecture on Informative Speaking and Developing Main Points

10/9

Lecture on Media & Advertising  

10/11

Exam 3: Informative Speaking (pp. 339-349), Visual Aids (pp298-308) & Developing Main Points (pp. 315-325). Also related power-points (50 points)

10/16

Lecture on Speaking to Persuade & discuss the Monroe’ Sales Speech Assignment

10/18

Presentation of Impromptu Speech (15 points) ) {CT, COM, PR}

10/23

Presentation of Career Speech (80 points); Outline (25 points) & Interview Packet (25 points) ) {CT, COM, PR}

10/25

Presentation of Career Speech (80 points); Outline (25 points) & Interview Packet (25 points) ) {CT, COM, PR}

10/30

Discuss Group Presentation; and selection of groups

11/1

Examination 4: Leasing and Working in Teams (Chapter 7), Persuasive Presentations (pp. 350-365) & Group Presentations (pp. 366-68)

11/6

Presentation of Sales Speech (80 points) and Outline (40 points) ) {CT, COM, PR}

11/8

Presentation of Sales Speech (80 points) and Outline (40 points) ) {CT, COM, PR}

11/13

Group Work Day & Make-up Speeches

11/15

Group Members Evaluation and Group Presentation (70 points) ) {CT, COM, PR, TW}

11/20

Group Presentation (70 points) [Make-up Test day] {CT, COM, PR, TW}

11/22

No Class: Thanksgiving Holiday

11/27

Group Presentation (70 points) [Make-up Test day] {CT, COM, PR, TW}

1129

Lecture: Personal Interview Techniques and Resumes and Cover Letters Discussed

12/4

Personal Interview (50 points) with related documents (20 points) ) {CT, COM, PR}

12/6

Personal Interview (50 points) with related documents (20 points) ) {CT, COM, PR}

TBA

Final Exam (50 points): Interviewing and Interview Techniques (Chapter 6 and related information on Canvas)—50 points