21
SAMPLE 15-WEEK TERM—5 SPEAKING EVENTS
Week 1 Discussion Topic/Reading
• Course Overview/Introductions
• Chapter 1: Communication: Essential Human Behavior
• Chapter 13: Delivering Presentations
Week 2 Discussion Topic/Reading
Week 3 Discussion Topic/Reading
• Chapter 11: Preparing and Researching Presentations
• Explain Demonstration Speeches
Week 4 Discussion Topic/Reading
• Self-Introduction Speeches
• Chapter 12: Organizing, Writing, and Outlining Presentations
Week 5 Discussion Topic/Reading
Week 6 Discussion Topic/Reading
• Chapter 9: Communicating in Groups
• Chapter 10: Leadership and Decision Making in Groups
• Explain Informative Group Speeches
• Explain Impromptu Speeches
Week 7 Discussion Topic/Reading
• Midterm Review
• Midterm Examination—Chapters 1, 5–14
Week 8 Discussion Topic/Reading
22
SAMPLE 15-WEEK TERM—5 SPEAKING EVENTS (continued)
Week 9 Discussion Topic/Reading
• Demonstration Speeches
Week 10 Discussion Topic/Reading
• Informative Group Speeches
Week 11 Discussion Topic/Reading
Week 15 Discussion Topic/Reading
• Final Exam
23
SAMPLE 10-WEEK TERM—4 SPEAKING EVENTS
Week 1 Discussion Topic/Reading Assignments Due
• Course Overview/Introductions
• Chapter 1: Communication: Essential Human Behavior
• Chapter 13: Delivering Presentations
• Explain Self-Introduction Speeches
Chapter 1 Quiz*
Chapter 13 Quiz*
Week 2 Discussion Topic/Reading Assignments Due
• Chapter 7: Developing and Maintaining Relationships
• Chapter 8: Managing Conflict in Relationships
• Chapter 11: Preparing and Researching Presentations
• Explain Demonstration Speeches
Chapter 7 Quiz*
Chapter 8 Quiz*
Chapter 11 Quiz*
Week 3 Discussion Topic/Reading Assignments Due
• Self-Introduction Speeches
• Chapter 12: Organizing, Writing, and Outlining Presentations
• Chapter 6: Listening
• Chapter 5: Nonverbal Communication
Chapter 12 Quiz*
Chapter 6 Quiz*
Chapter 5 Quiz*
Week 4 Discussion Topic/Reading Assignments Due
• Chapter 14: Informative Speaking
• Chapter 9: Communicating in Groups
• Chapter 10: Leadership and Decision Making in Groups
• Explain Informative Group Speeches
Chapter 14 Quiz*
Chapter 9 Quiz*
Chapter 10 Quiz*
Week 5 Discussion Topic/Reading Assignments Due
• Midterm Review
• Midterm Examination—Chapters 1, 5–14
Week 6 Discussion Topic/Reading Assignments Due
• Demonstration Speeches
Week 7 Discussion Topic/Reading Assignments Due
• Chapter 15: Persuasive Speaking
• Explain Persuasive Speeches
• Informative Group Speeches
Chapter 15 Quiz*
24
SAMPLE 10-WEEK TERM—4 SPEAKING EVENTS (continued)
Week 8 Discussion Topic/Reading Assignments Due
• Chapter 2: Perceiving the Self and Others
• Chapter 3: Communication and Culture
• Chapter 4: Verbal Communication
• Persuasive Speeches
Chapter 2 Quiz*
Chapter 3 Quiz*
Chapter 4 Quiz*
Week 9 Discussion Topic/Reading Assignments Due
• Persuasive Speeches
• Final Exam Review Time
Week 10 Discussion Topic/Reading Assignments Due
• Final Exam
*All quizzes due by the beginning of class
25
SAMPLE SUMMER SESSION—8 WEEKS/4 SPEAKING EVENTS
Week 1 Discussion Topic/Reading
• Course Overview/Introductions
• Chapter 1: Communication: Essential Human Behavior
• Chapter 13: Delivering Presentations
• Chapter 7: Developing and Maintaining Relationships
• Chapter 8: Managing Conflict in Relationships
• Explain Self-Introduction Speeches
• Explain Demonstration Speeches
Week 2 Discussion Topic/Reading
• Chapter 11: Preparing and Researching Presentations
• Self-Introduction Speeches
• Chapter 12: Organizing, Writing, and Outlining Presentations
• Chapter 6: Listening
• Chapter 5: Nonverbal Communication
Week 3 Discussion Topic/Reading
• Chapter 14: Informative Speaking
• Chapter 9: Communicating in Groups
• Chapter 10: Leadership and Decision Making in Groups
• Explain Informative Group Speeches
• Midterm Review
Week 4 Discussion Topic/Reading
26
SAMPLE SUMMER SESSION—8 WEEKS/4 SPEAKING EVENTS (continued)
Week 7 Discussion Topic/Reading
• Persuasive Speeches
• Final Exam Review Time
Week 8 Discussion Topic/Reading
• Final Exam
27
SAMPLE SUMMER SESSION—5 WEEKS/4 SPEAKING EVENTS
Week 1 Discussion Topic/Reading
• Course Overview/Introductions
• Chapter 1: Communication: Essential Human Behavior
• Chapter 13: Delivering Presentations
• Chapter 7: Developing and Maintaining Relationships
• Chapter 8: Managing Conflict in Relationships
• Chapter 11: Preparing and Researching Presentations
• Explain Self-Introduction Speeches
• Explain Demonstration Speeches
Week 2 Discussion Topic/Reading
• Self-Introduction Speeches
• Chapter 12: Organizing, Writing, and Outlining Presentations
• Chapter 6: Listening
• Chapter 5: Nonverbal Communication
• Demonstration Speeches
• Midterm Review
Week 3 Discussion Topic/Reading
• Midterm Examination—Chapters 1, 5–8, 12–14
• Chapter 14: Informative Speaking
• Chapter 9: Communicating in Groups
• Chapter 10: Leadership and Decision Making in Groups
• Explain Informative Group Speeches
• Chapter 15: Persuasive Speaking
• Explain Persuasive Speeches
Week 4 Discussion Topic/Reading
• Chapter 2: Perceiving the Self and Others
• Chapter 3: Communication and Culture
• Chapter 4: Verbal Communication
• Informative Group Speeches
Week 5 Discussion Topic/Reading
• Persuasive Speeches
• Final Exam
28
SAMPLE HYBRID COURSE—15 WEEKS:
F2F = Face to Face (in class); OL = Online
For more information on blog assignments, see page 34.
Week 1 Discussion Topic/Reading Assignments Due
• Course Overview/Introductions (F2F)
• Chapter 1: Communication: Essential Human Behavior (OL)
• Chapter 13: Delivering Presentations (F2F)
Chapter 1 Quiz*
Chapter 13 Quiz*
Blog Assignment—
Chapter 1
Week 2 Discussion Topic/Reading Assignments Due
• Explain Self-Introduction Speeches (OL)
• Chapter 7: Developing and Maintaining Relationships (OL)
• Chapter 8: Managing Conflict in Relationships (OL)
Chapter 7 Quiz*
Chapter 8 Quiz*
Blog Assignments—
Chapters 7–8
Week 3 Discussion Topic/Reading Assignments Due
• Chapter 11: Preparing and Researching Presentations (F2F)
• Explain Demonstration Speeches (OL)
Chapter 11 Quiz*
Blog Assignment—
Preparing Speeches!
Week 4 Discussion Topic/Reading Assignments Due
• Self-Introduction Speeches (F2F)
• Chapter 12: Organizing, Writing, and Outlining
Presentations (OL)
Chapter 12 Quiz*
Blog Assignment—
Chapter 12
Week 5 Discussion Topic/Reading Assignments Due
• Chapter 6: Listening (F2F)
• Chapter 5: Nonverbal Communication (F2F)
• Chapter 14: Informative Speaking (OL)
Chapter 6 Quiz*
Chapter 5 Quiz*
Chapter 14 Quiz*
Blog Assignment—
Chapter 14
Week 6 Discussion Topic/Reading Assignments Due
• Chapter 9: Communicating in Groups (F2F)
• Chapter 10: Leadership and Decision Making in Groups
(F2F)
• Explain Informative Group Speeches (OL)
Chapter 9 Quiz*
Chapter 10 Quiz*
Blog Assignment—
Speech Preparation!
Week 7 Discussion Topic/Reading Assignments Due
• Midterm Review (OL)
• Midterm Examination—Chapters 1, 5–14 (F2F)
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Week 8 Discussion Topic/Reading Assignments Due
• Demonstration Speeches (F2F)
Week 9 Discussion Topic/Reading Assignments Due
• Demonstration Speeches (F2F)
• Chapter 15: Persuasive Speaking (OL)
• Explain Persuasive Speeches (OL)
Chapter 15 Quiz*
Blog Assignment—
Chapter 15
Week 10 Discussion Topic/Reading Assignments Due
• Informative Group Speeches (F2F)
Week 11 Discussion Topic/Reading Assignments Due
• Chapter 2: Perceiving the Self and Others (OL)
• Chapter 3: Communication and Culture (OL)
Chapter 2 Quiz*
Chapter 3 Quiz*
Blog Assignments—
Chapters 2–3
Week 12 Discussion Topic/Reading Assignments Due
• Chapter 4: Verbal Communication (OL)
Chapter 4 Quiz*
Blog Assignment—
Chapter 4
Blog Assignment—
Preparing for Your
Speech!
Week 13 Discussion Topic/Reading Assignments Due
• Persuasive Speeches (F2F)
Week 14 Discussion Topic/Reading Assignments Due
30
SAMPLE ONLINE COURSE
Section 1: Introduction to the Course
Assigned Chapter Chapter 1: Communication: Essential Human Behavior
What Is Due? Chapter 1 Quiz, Online Scavenger Hunt Activity, Small Group
Discussion on Blogs
Speech Due: Self-Introduction Speech
Section 2: Putting Together an Effective Public Presentation
Assigned Chapters
Chapter 11: Preparing and Researching Presentations;
Chapter 12: Organizing, Writing, and Outlining Presentations;
Chapter 13: Delivering Presentations
What Is Due?
Chapter 11 Quiz, Chapter 12 Quiz, Chapter 13 Quiz,
Organizing/Outlining the Speech Activity, Small Group
Discussion on Blogs
Speech Due: Demonstration Speech
Section 3: Special Types of Communication and Speaking
Assigned Chapters
Chapter 9: Communicating in Groups; Chapter 10: Leadership
and Decision Making in Groups; Chapter 14: Informative
Speaking; Chapter 15: Persuasive Speaking
What Is Due?
Chapter 9 Quiz, Chapter 10 Quiz, Chapter 14 Quiz, Chapter 15
Quiz, Group Problem-Solving Activity, Small Group Discussion
on Blogs
Speech Due: Informative Speech
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Section 4: Understanding Human Communication
Assigned Chapters
Chapter 2: Perceiving the Self and Others; Chapter 3:
Communication and Culture; Chapter 4: Verbal
Communication; Chapter 5: Nonverbal Communication;
Chapter 6: Listening; Chapter 7: Developing and Maintaining
Relationships; Chapter 8: Managing Conflict in Relationships
Chapter 2 Quiz, Chapter 3 Quiz, Chapter 4 Quiz, Chapter 5
Quiz, Chapter 6 Quiz, Chapter 7 Quiz, Chapter 8 Quiz, Choose
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USING COMMUNICATION AND YOU IN THE CLASSROOM
Communication and You contains numerous pedagogical features that can be used to enhance
your course and to provide a learning experience for students that they can apply to their own
lives. Below are some tips for how to use each of these features.
THE AND YOU FEATURE
Throughout Communication and You, students are asked to relate their experiences to the
concepts that are addressed in the And You questions that appear in the margins. These
questions get students to think about and apply the course materials to their lives, focusing on
three key areas: ethics, culture, and technology. Here are a few ways that the And You features
can be used:
• Have students answer these questions as a journal assignment.
THE THINGS TO TRY FEATURE
This feature appears throughout each chapter and suggests activities that will help students to
better grasp specific concepts discussed in the chapter. You can use these activities in the
following ways: as short assignments, to encourage students to consider them on their own, for
brief discussions during lectures to help improve student comprehension of a concept before
moving on, or as talking points during review sessions.
THE WHAT ABOUT YOU? SELF-ASSESSMENTS
In each chapter, there are self-assessments that allow students to discover how ideas, terms,
and concepts from the text play out in their own lives. For example, in Chapter 2 (Perceiving
the Self and Others) students are ask a series of questions about themselves aimed at helping
them discover if they tend to favor high or low self-monitoring. By gaining this objective
THE BACK TO FEATURE
Each chapter of Communication and You begins with a discussion of a common real-life
scenario or a scene from a television show or movie. These discussions introduce the major
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concept of the chapter. The Back To feature at the end of each chapter revisits the discussion
from the introduction and asks students to reconsider the scenario with the new perspective
they gained from the information in the chapter. This feature can be used to stimulate
classroom discussion about the topics from the chapter and can help you to gauge student
comprehension.
YOUR REFERENCE
The Your Reference page at the end of each chapter in Communication and You provides a
concise summary of the chapter’s content. Each section is broken down by specific learning
objectives and the corresponding content that meets each objective. This is a tremendous
resource for students who are required to participate in class but were pressed for time and
unable to read the chapter and for students who have read the chapter and want a refresher.
Encourage students to use this as a review tool to help synthesize the material they learned in
preparation for exams.
EVALUATING YOUR STUDENTS
EXAMINATIONS
• When thinking about your examinations, the first question is: What are you testing? Think
back to the goals that you set out in the syllabus—how do you plan on assessing students
regarding those goals? Thinking about this can help you construct your exam.
• How much time do you have? Do your students have 1 hour to complete the exam?
90 minutes? 50 minutes? Think about these questions as you construct your exam. Any
student who is well prepared for the exam should be able to finish the exam in slightly less
time than you give them. The extra time allows them to double check their answers or give a
more flushed out answer for essays.
QUIZZES
• Again, the first question to ask yourself is: What am I testing? The quizzes in the syllabi
listed above have “reading the text” as the goal. In other words, the quizzes are a way to
ensure that students have at least opened and perused the textbook before coming to class.
Quizzes that test students’ ability to synthesize information from the text and information
given in class would be given after the class period, not before.
• How much time do you have? If quizzes are given online, there is no class time involved. If
they are given during class, time must be set aside. However, unless students are directed to
go to a testing center, they will use their textbooks and/or notes during a quiz. This is not
necessarily a bad thing—it depends completely on the goals of testing.
MIDTERMS/FINAL EXAMS
• Once you determine the goal for your evaluation, the time you have available, and the
format of your test, you need to determine what information will be covered on the exam.
How many chapters will you cover? Will you use a study guide? If so, will you provide
sample questions or give students the format of the test?
• Will you have a comprehensive final exam or will your final exam only cover the
information taught since the midterm? Will you give your final exam during a final exam
time? If so, is that exam time longer than a traditional class period? Will that affect what
your final exam looks like? These are all questions to think about before giving the exam.
• What about cheating? Will you use multiple exam formats so that students can’t cheat off
their neighbor? Will you give the exam back to students or will you only give out the scores
and collect the exams for safekeeping? (If you give back exams and you don’t use different
copies the next semester, they will show up. So beware!)
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS
Journals and/or Blogs
These assignments can be very useful for students. Journals and blogs allow students to
connect concepts discussed in class with their own experiences. This can lead to deeper
learning for the students. If you use blogs, it is helpful to put students into small groups of four
to five so they can have contained conversations about the topics.
Group Papers
Group papers can be very beneficial to students. These papers not only help students process
ideas together, they also help them refine their writing skills by working together. However,
there are problems with group papers. How should they be evaluated? Should I give one grade
or many? What do I do about groups where one student does the majority of the work or one
student does none of the work? Here are some ways to deal with these issues:
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• Have students write parts of the paper and then combine them together into a single paper at
the end. Each student writes one part of the paper (and turns it in) or all students write
multiple parts of the paper and then combine their parts. Segments that are turned in can be
used as drafts for you to comment on or they can be used as simply A/C/F grades (A = good
effort; C = minimum standards met; F = not turned in or minimal standards not met).
• Have students write the paper together, but use some sort of a free group-writing tool such
as Google Docs that can track who wrote what and when. Instructors can grade students on
their individual work while still having the experience of writing a group paper.
• Have students write a group paper in a traditional manner. Then have them evaluate each
other, using the student evaluations to adjust individual student’s grades accordingly.
Group Assignments
If group speeches or group papers aren’t used, students can complete other types of
assignments in order to get experience working in a group. For example, students can work on
a service project together, each giving an individual speech either about his/her cause or about
his/her experience. Groups can work together to gather evidence for a speech, such as
interviewing or collecting survey information, to support their individual speeches later in the
semester. Groups can also work together on smaller projects such as creating a video.
SPEECH ASSIGNMENTS
Introductory Speeches or “First” Speeches
• Telling a Story
• Time: 2–3 minutes
• Objective: To give students the opportunity to present a manuscript speech and to start
feeling more comfortable in front of an audience. Focus is on practice and vocalics.
• Directions: Students prepare a script (either one they write themselves or one they prepare
from an outside source) and then present it to the class. Grading focuses primarily on time
and vocalics.
• Requirements: Students are required to turn in a copy of their script before their
presentation with a marked beginning and end. Students must complete their speech
within the time limitations and must be easily heard.
• Hints and Tips: If students use a children’s text (hence the name), do not have them show
the pictures. It takes too much time and students lose points if they exceed the time limit.
• Self-Introduction: “It Represents Me”
• Time: 2–3 minutes
• Objective: To practice speaking with an introduction, body, and conclusion while getting
to know each other better. Students will also begin to use objects as props in their speech.
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Informative Speeches
• Demonstration
• Time: 3–5 minutes
• Objective: To structure an informative speech in a chronological order and effectively use
a visual aid.
• Directions: Students show the audience either how to do/make something or how
something works. Students choose their topic they wish as long as it is appropriate (keep
it PG and noninflammatory) and conforms to the time limits (i.e., a speech on how to
rebuild an engine would take longer than 3–5 minutes).
• Requirements: Follow the time limit; hand in a full sentence outline; use at least two
sources that are verbally cited in the speech; use an extemporaneous speaking style; and
use at least one visual aid.
• Note: If you have requirements about citations (e.g., no Wikipedia or no about.com),
ensure that students know about these limitations!
• Informative (General)
• Time: 5–7 minutes
Persuasive Speech
• Time: 7–10 minutes
• Objective: To construct a speech in order to change the beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors of
their fellow students. Students will construct a well-organized speech according to one of
the speech patterns discussed in the text.
• Directions: Students adapt their speech to a specific audience—the class at the university—and
select a real-life, significant problem (at the university, local, state, or national level) that has a
personal impact on members of the audience. Speech topic can be structured around a question
of fact, a question of value, or a question of policy as long as the choice can be justified.
• Requirements: Adhere to time length, use at least one visual aid, cite at least four sources
verbally and cited on a reference page, use a full sentence outline with a clear thesis
statement and a clearly stated specific action you want your audience to take, use an
extemporaneous speaking style, and wear professional/appropriate attire.
Group Speech
• Time: 3–4 minutes per person (group of 4, 12–16 minutes; group of 5, 15–20 minutes)
• Objective: To give a well-constructed, well-presented speech that prepared by a group.
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• Directions: Students work with three to four of their peers on a presentation. Each student
will speak for 3–4 minutes during the group presentation. The group determines how the
work is split up. The only presentational structure not allowed is the “four mini speeches
tacked together” format. This must be a group presentation.
• Requirements: Adhere to the time limits for each member as well as in total, use at least one
visual aid, cite at least five sources verbally and on a reference page, hand in a complete full
sentence outline before your speech, present a clear thesis statement and speech structure,
use an extemporaneous speaking style, and wear professional/appropriate dress.
Special Instructions for Online Speeches
Online speeches are possible, even wonderful, but there are some things to consider:
• Have students upload an introduction that is credit/no credit. This will ensure that the
students know how to upload a video and that you can view it. If possible (especially if the
class is short), require this within the first day or two of the class.
• Have students gather their own audience. They could start out with a couple of friends and
then have them branch out to a larger audience. Consider offering extra credit if students
give their speech in front of a true “public” such as a parent group at a school or a
Toastmasters meeting.
Require students to create a “one-cut” video. In other words, no editing! Students’ videos
should pan over their audience while they are speaking. (Yes, this means they need a camera
person.) Do not allow cut-ins of the audience. While it’s true that students can “start over” on a
speech and do another take, that’s called practice!
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GRADING RUBRICS
TELLING A STORY
Name: ________________________
Score and
Comments
Speaker followed
the script given to
the instructor
exactly
Speaker followed
the script given to
the instructor but
had to cut slightly
due to time
Speaker did not
follow the script
or did not give a
script to the
instructor
/10
Total Manuscript Points: /10
Speaker was
easily heard
Speaker was easily
heard with some
exceptions
Speaker was not
easily heard
/10
Total Points: /20
The following aspects are NOT FIGURED into the grade
Eye contact
Stance
Vocal variation
Emotion–Vocal
Emotion–Facial
Nonverbals
(gestures, use of
hands, etc.)
39
SELF-INTRODUCTION: “IT REPRESENTS ME”
Name: ________________________
Score and
Comments
Speaker used no
more than two
note cards with no
more than thirty
words on each
card
Speaker used
more than two
note cards and/or
had more than
thirty words on
each card
Speaker wrote
out speech word-
for-word on the
note cards and/or
had more than
100 words on
each card
/8
Speaker turned in
note cards in a
folder
Speaker did not
turn in note cards
in a folder
/2
Total Packet Points: /10
Speaker had a
solid,
recognizable
intro, body, and
conclusion
Speaker had a
recognizable but
weak intro, body,
and conclusion
Speaker did not
have an easily
recognizable
intro, body, and
conclusion
/5
Speaker made
appropriate eye
contact with
everyone in the
room
Speaker made eye
contact with most
people in the
room
Speaker did not
make any eye
contact with
most people in
the room
/5