Course Syllabus

Communication and Social Influence 1111
Public Speaking
3 credit hours
MWF 2:00 - 2:50 pm | Tuttleman 309
Dr. Sandy Kyrish | skyrish@temple.edu
Office: Weiss Hall 223
Office Hours: Monday 1 - 2 pm and by arrangement

These jump links may not work on your mobile device.
Course info | Assignments/Grading | Policies | Schedule

Overview and Objectives

This course prepares you to be an effective presenter in the workplace.

You'll develop, present, and evaluate speeches on topics of public concern. The course emphasizes these three skills:

• Selecting the right content
• Organizing your points
• Delivering this material in an effective style

You'll build these three skills by studying these and other principles:

• Critical thinking
• Discovery and evaluation of arguments and evidence
• Speechwriting
• Persuasion techniques
• Use of visual aids
• Audience analysis and adaptation
• Self and peer evaluation

By the end of this course, you will be able to do the following:

• Construct an organized outline for ceremonial, informative, and persuasive presentations
• Select the most appropriate content for these presentations
• Deliver this content using a professional and engaging style of delivery
• Create and present visual aids that improve your audience's understanding
• Better evaluate professional presentations through self and peer analysis
• Demonstrate enhanced confidence in public speaking situations

---

Required materials and recommended resources

Required:​

Valenzano, et al. (2014) The Speaker's Primer (Customized for Temple University). Southlake, TX: Fountainhead. (ISBN: 978-1-59871-914-7)

 You will also be expected to print out certain pages from this Canvas site.

Strongly recommended:

You will need to research a variety of sources to present effective speeches on your semester term topic. This course has its own research Web site through the Temple library: http://guides.temple.edu/public_speaking

And the University Writing Center provides free tutoring and other services.

---

Office hours

Talking face-to-face is the best way for me to help you. Please visit me during my office hours or schedule an appointment. I am fairly flexible Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays with enough notice.

Otherwise, contact me by e-mail at skyrish@temple.edu. As you will do in the workplace, please use a clear subject line and write more formally than less formally.

I will respond to your email within 24 hours, unless I receive your message after 5 p.m. on Friday or during a university holiday or break.

---

 

 Course info | Assignments/Grading | Policies | Schedule

Assignments

You will deliver five speeches and complete four writing assignments during the semester.

(This table is an image file. To see it as a text file, click here.)

---

Assignment values and grading scale

(This table is an image file. To see it as a text file, click here.)

---

Grading

Each assignment includes detailed criteria and a grading rubric, so you'll know in advance how you'll be evaluated.

Simply completing an assignment will not earn you the maximum points for that assignment, just as you wouldn't receive a bonus or promotion at work just for showing up. Each time you're graded, points will be awarded based on this structure:

(This table is an image file. To see it as a text file, click here.)

Your final grade may not be the same as the final grade posted on Canvas if you miss too many classes (as explained in the course attendance policy). Grade deductions for unexcused absences can only be made outside of the Canvas system.

Final grades will not be curved, and extra credit is not offered.

---

Grade questions

I'm always willing to answer any questions you have about a grade, with these qualifications:

• Grades will not be discussed during class time or via email. We can meet during my office hours or arrange an appointment.
• Do not request a meeting until 24 hours after receiving your grade; also, thoroughly read my comments/evaluation.
• Requests must be made within one week of receiving the grade.

---

Late assignments

  Manage your time wisely. I do not accept late assignments.

---

Course info | Assignments/Grading | Policies | Schedule

Attendance Policy for Mon-Wed-Fri classes

You are expected to attend every class. Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class; if you're not present, you'll be marked absent. If you miss class, you are responsible for all material covered and any announcements.

  Missing classes may seriously affect your grade.

• If you miss a scheduled speech, you drop a letter grade in the course.
• More than five absences results in a failing grade in the course.

Sometimes things happen.  I will grant excused absences for serious illness, a family emergency, jury duty, or other unexpected issues. But be aware that documentation will likely be required for an absence to be excused, and will definitely be required if it's your fourth or fifth absence.

Do not be late. If you're late and someone is presenting, wait until they are done before entering. In any case, if you are late, it's your responsibility to check with me at the end of class to ensure that you're marked as present.

---

Classroom policies

  All Web-enabled electronic devices must be put away and muted.

If you're expecting an important call or message on a class day, just let me know at the beginning and I'll be glad to accommodate you.

Also, I strive to create an open atmosphere in my classroom, and I welcome diverse points of view. But I don't tolerate disruptive or abusive behavior towards your classmates or me.

Reach the University's policy on civility in the classroom. Please also be familiar with the Temple University Student Code of Conduct.

---

Class cancellations

Information on class cancellations due to inclement weather conditions is provided via the Temple Hotline (215-204-1975) and at www.temple.edu.

---

Academic rights and responsibilities

Freedom to teach and freedom to learn are inseparable facets of academic freedom. Read the University's policy on Student and Faculty Academic Rights and Responsibilities here.

---

Disability accommodations

I am strongly committed to working with any student who has a disability. If you need accommodation, please contact me privately to discuss the specific situation before any relevant assignment is due.

If you haven't already done so, contact Disability Resources and Services at 215-204-1280 in 100 Ritter Annex to learn about the resources available to you. Please note that I can only work through DRS to provide reasonable accommodations for you.

---

Plagiarism

  Do not directly copy your work from any other source.

Doing this is plagiarism, and this is cheating. If plagiarism is proved, you will receive an F in the course. This is non-negotiable.

Failure to cite borrowed material constitutes plagiarism. Undocumented use of materials from the Web is plagiarism. Read Temple's policy on Academic Honesty here.

---

Religious Holidays

If you observe a religious holiday that prevents you from attending a class or completing an assignment, I will be glad to work with you to accommodate this. However, because of our class schedule, please inform me of any religious holiday within two weeks of the beginning of the semester, or three days before any holidays which fall within the first two weeks of class.

---

Course info | Assignments/Grading | Policies | Schedule

Weekly Schedule

Please note:  Some in-class topics or assignment due dates may change in case of unexpected circumstances.  Any changes will be communicated to the class via email, Canvas, and notes on the weekly schedule.  Due dates will only be delayed, never moved up.

 

SP refers to The Speaker's Primer. 

Date	In-class	Readings/Assignment
Aug 28	Course Introduction, Speech 1 assigned	SP: "Course Introduction"
Aug 30	Speech 1: Speech of Introduction
Sept 1	Speech 1
Sept 4	Labor Day	No class
Sept 6	Introduction to Public Speaking	SP: Chapters 1 and 15
Sept 8	Term Topics	SP: “Course Introduction”
Sept 11	Communication Apprehension	SP: Chapter 2
Sept 13	Delivery	SP: Chapters 9, 18, 19
Sept 15	Organizing a Speech of Praise Review and discuss term topic questions	SP: Chapter 10 Term topic questions due
Sept 18	Speech 2: Speech of Praise
Sept 20	Speech 2
Sept 22	Speech 2	Group 1 self-evaluation due
Sept 25	Speech 2	Group 2 self-evaluation due
Sept 27	Discuss Speech 3: Informative Discuss bibliography	Group 3 self-evaluation due
Sept 29	Goals of informative speaking Doing research	SP: Chapters 6, 8, 13 Group 4 self-evaluation due
Oct 2	Audience Analysis	SP: Chapters 4 and 7
Oct 4	Audience Analysis, Part 2	Review Annotated Bibliography In-class focus group
Oct 6	Organizing Informative Speeches	SP: Chapter 11
Oct 9	Visual Aids	SP: Chapter 16
Oct 11	Final prep for informative speeches	Annotated bibliography due
Oct 13	Speech 3:  Informative
Oct 16	Speech 3
Oct 18	Speech 3
Oct 20	Speech 3
Oct 23	Speech 3
Oct 25	Goals of persuasive speaking	SP: Chapter 14
Oct 27	Reasoning and Fallacies	SP: Chapter 12
Oct 30	Reasoning and Fallacies Review questions about Speech 4	Issues analysis due
Nov 1	Speech 4: Proposition of Fact
Nov 3	Speech 4
Nov 6	Speech 4
Nov 8	Speech 4
Nov 10	Speech 4
Nov 13	Assign Speech 5: Proposition of Policy
Nov 15	Workgroups for Speech 5
Nov 17	No class
Nov 27	Speech 5 final prep
Nov 29	Speech 5: Proposition of Policy
Dec 1	Speech 5
Dec 4	Speech 5
Dec 6	Speech 5
Dec 8	Speech 5
Dec 11	Closing session

 Course info | Assignments/Grading | Policies | Schedule