Instructor: Dave Dedo
Office: DIV N318 CRC: UCA 308
Office Hours: TR 10:00, and by appointment
Phone: 2310 CRC 2137
e-mail: drdedo@samford.edu
www: http://faculty.samford.edu/~drdedo
Course Description:
One of the
most valuable skills you will develop in college is the ability to communicate
effectively. Such skills will be prized by all your college teachers and by
your eventual employers. Communicating effectively involves four related
activities: speaking, listening, writing, and reading. You will also need to be
able to retrieve information through electronic and print sources. You will use
the computer to prepare documents and to analyze information. When you complete
this course, you should feel more confident of your abilities in all these
areas. Specifically, you should be able
to:
1.
Use
word processing for preparation of essays and outlines
2.
Use a
Web browser and CD-ROM databases
3.
Demonstrate
proper interviewing skills
4.
Communicate
information concisely, directly, and clearly
5.
Demonstrate
confidence in various oral communication settings
6.
Listen
for specific purposes
7.
Read
and analyze sophisticated texts of various kinds
8.
Develop
a clear and interesting thesis, collect supporting materials, organize ideas
effectively, and use vivid, appropriate language
9.
Adapt
a message for a specific audience, occasion, and purpose
10.
Use
appropriate methods of rhetorical invention
11.
Make
appropriate inferences
12.
Select
and evaluate sources carefully
13.
Practice
both global revision and surface editing for clarity and correctness
Texts and Materials:
Grading Distribution:
|
Autobiography 10% |
Autobiographical Speech 10% |
|
Observation 15% |
Observation Speech 10% |
|
Reflection 15% |
Concept Speech 15% |
|
Conceptualization 15% |
Special Occasion Speeches 5% |
|
Quizzes & Activities 5% |
|
|
|
|
Grading Scale:
|
A = 93-100 |
B- = 80-82 |
D+ = 67-69 |
|
A- = 90-92 |
C+ = 77-79 |
D = 63-66 |
|
B+ = 87-89 |
C = 73-76 |
D- = 60-62 |
|
B = 83-86 |
C- = 70-72 |
F = below 60 |
Guidelines for Assignment Submission:
All assignments are due at the beginning of the class period
on the day specified on the syllabus. Late assignments will be penalized 10%
for each business day they are overdue.
You must submit preliminary materials (e.g., drafts, peer reviews,
self-evaluations) if I request them.
All major writing assignments will be submitted electronically. All submissions must be original with
sources clearly marked and correctly documented. Work submitted for other courses is not acceptable. Any student who presents the work of another
and his/her own is guilty of plagiarism and will be subject to the penalties
outlined in the Student Handbook, including expulsion from the course and the
university. All major assignments must
be completed in order to pass the course.
Absences
Since a workshop depends on your active participation, you
should attend every class meeting. Students who miss more than four class
periods will receive an “FA” for the course.
Any anticipated absences must be cleared in advance. Arriving late or leaving early from a class
is disruptive; three tardies/early exits will be considered the equivalent of
an absence. Students who come to class
unprepared may be dismissed, and I will count such a dismissal as an absence.
Inclusive Language
Language—how it is used and what it implies—plays a crucial
role in Samford University’s mission to “nurture persons.” Because verbal
constructions create realities, inclusive language can uphold or affirm those
whom we seek to nurture, while exclusive language can damage or defeat them. We
therefore actively seek a discourse in our university community that supports
the equal dignity and participation of men and women; we seek to avoid verbal
constructions that diminish the equal dignity of all persons. It is an
affirmative—and affirming—part of our mission to educate students, staff and
faculty in the creation of a community of equality and respect through
language.
Passing Grades
Students are required to earn a C- or better in order to
receive credit for UCCA 101 and 102.
Communication Resource Center
The Communication Resource Center is located in the
University Center Annex 308. The Center is a free service that provides help
with all phases of writing and speaking.
Drop in during the posted hours or call 726-2137 to make an appointment.
General Course Policies
A Student’s Guide to Communication
Arts explains all
of the course policies in more detail. You are expected to familiarize yourself
with these policies early in the semester. Both the Guide and the syllabus are official sources for course
requirements.
Schedule:
|
Week |
Activity |
Reading* |
Assignment Due* |
|
Week 1 |
Introduction to Course Using E-Mail Critical Reading Strategies |
RC, Chapter 1** SG, Part One |
Diagnostic Essay Intro Speech |
|
Week 2 |
Oral Communication Basics Invention Activities Reading Autobiography Student Conferences Library Tour |
RC, Chapter 2 MPS, Chapters 1-2 SG, Part Two, Chapters VI and VIII |
|
|
Week 3 |
Telling v. Showing Effective Titles Manuscript Form Word Processing Basics Listening Skills |
MPS, Ch. 3-4; 11; 13 SG, Part Two, Chapter V SG, Part Two, Chapter IV |
Autobiography Essay Speech Outline |
|
Week 4 |
Speeches |
|
Autobiographical
Speech |
|
Week 5 |
Using a Web Browser Audience Analysis Selecting and Focusing |
RC, Chapter 3 MPS, Chapters 5-6; 7 (pp. 145-49) SG, Part Two, Chapter I |
|
|
Week 6 |
Writing Groups |
MPS, Ch. 9-10 |
|
|
Week 7 |
Revising Word Processing Skills Library Skills Electronic Resources |
RC, Chapter 4 |
Observation Essay |
|
Week 8 |
Panel Presentations |
|
Panel Presentation (observation) |
|
Week 9 |
Proofreading Strategies |
MPS, Ch. 15 G (“Grammatical Sentences”) P (“Punctuation”) S (“Spelling and Mechanics”) |
Reflection Essay |
|
Week 10 |
Speeches |
RC, Chapter 5 |
|
|
Week 11 |
More Writing Strategies |
|
|
|
Week 12 |
Visual Communication |
MPS, Ch. 14 |
Concept Essay |
|
Week 13 |
Speeches |
|
Concept Speech |
|
Week 14 |
Speeches |
|
Special Occasion
Speech |
* Readings and assignments should be completed
before the first class of the week unless specified otherwise.
** RC = Reading Critically, Writing Well; MPS = Mastering Public Speaking; SG =
A Student’s Guide to Communication Arts; boldface letters indicate sections
in A Writer’s Reference