SYLLABUS

Fundamentals of Public SpeakingSpring 2015

SPH 107
Instructor Information
Instructor:
Office:
E-mail:
Office hours:

Mr. Shaquille Marsh

HAC 203 Opelika Campus
smarsh@suscc.edu; Students should expect an email within 24hrs Monday Friday.
Mondays/Wednesdays- 3:15 pm-3:30 pm and by appointment

I.

SPH 107 Fundamentals of Public Speaking 3 Semester Hours

II.

Course Description
This course explores the principles of audience and environment analysis as well as the actual
planning, rehearsing, and presenting of formal speeches to specific audiences. Historical foundations,
communication theories, and student performance are emphasized.

III.

Prerequisite
None

IV.

Textbook/Materials
REQUIRED

Ford-Brown, L. (2014). DK Guide to Public Speaking (2nd ed.) Pearson Education, Inc..
3 Green Skinny Scantrons
Stapler
National/State Newspapers and magazines
V.

Student Learning Outcomes/Course Objectives

By the end of the course, the student shall have had the opportunity to:
A To learn the basic organization of a speech.
B To develop improved physical delivery skills.
C To analyze audiences and situations and adaptation to each.
D To distinguish rhetorical devices and skills.
E To understand the speech communication process.
F To demonstrate a knowledge of the historical tradition of rhetoric.
G Characteristics of three types of conflict resolution

VI.

Evaluation and Assessment Course Requirements:

Students will complete the following:

1 Major test: You will be tested on your knowledge of the information in the textbook, as well as the
information discussed in class. You will be given three exams, which will be multiple choice, 50
questions. Each exam will be comprehensive and on the chapters covered in the text. You will need
a SCANTRON for the exams.
2 Speeches: You will be required to present four speeches. Additional requirements for each speech will
be discussed at a later time. (All speeches should be extemporaneous. Reading a speech from a
manuscript will result in a failing grade.) Students are allowed to use one side of a single 3x5 notecard
as a speaking outline.
3 Participation: You will be required to participate in a professional class environment. Participation will
consist of completing in-class, online, and homework assignments and other daily activities by the
assigned due date. Students may submit early work, but late work will not be accepted. Introduction
speeches and Occupation Speech Outlines are considered part of participation. Audience participation
during speeches is also considered part of students participation grade. Students will have 4 assigned
speaker critiques worth 10 points each, totaling 40 points.
4 Ethics Paper: Students will read excerpt from Platos Gorgias and write critical thought paper
regarding ethics and communication.

Evaluation:

Your Grade

Grades will be based on the following:

Exam 1
50 points (10%)

____________

Exam 2

50 points (10%)

____________

Final Exam

50 points (10%)

____________

Occupation Speech/Outline(5 pts) 25 points (5%)

____________

Biography Speech/Outline

50 points (10%)

____________

Policy Speech/Outline

75 points (15%)

____________

Call to Action Speech/Outline

100 points (20%)

____________

Gorgias Paper (Ethics)

50 points (10%)

____________

Participation Critiques
50 points (10%)
Audience Participation (deduction of 5 points per speaking day absent)
Introduction speech (5 points)
Occupation Speech Outline (5 points)
Speech Critiques 4x10pts (40 points)

Grading Scale:
450-500 points = A
400-449 points = B
350-399 points = C
300-349 points = D
000-299 points = F

____________

VIII.

Attendance

Attendance and Make-up Policy:

Students are expected to attend each class session and arrive on time. Students cannot do their best work or
benefit fully from the course if they do not attend class regularly. Faculty will record attendance from the first day
of the students official enrollment. After a student has missed six days of class, he/she may be administratively
withdrawn which could affect financial aid.
When a student is absent from class, the student is responsible for all material covered in class and for any
assignments made in class. It is the students responsibility to check with classmates or the instructor to find out
what he/she missed, request a make- up date if the work was missed due to an excused absence, and to provide
appropriate documentation of the absence.
The instructor is not required to notify a student if a student is in danger of a lowered grade due to any
graded worked missed, nor is the instructor required to review with the student any material missed in the result of
being absent.
Students are expected to attend class and are to remain in class for the duration of the published class time.
Because this class relies heavily upon audience participation, the instructor has the right to deducts points from the
students grade if he/she enters late.
Absences are excused according to the following guidelines. STUDENTS MUST SUBMIT THE
REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION FOR THE ABSENCE WITHIN ONE WEEK OF THEIR RETURN TO
CLASS.
1
If the student is absent due to personal illness, the illness must be confirmed by a note from an
attending physician or nurse, a written prescription dated on the date of the absence, or a written
confirmation from a college official. The documentation must be written on official stationary or
official note pad. No copies will be accepted.
2
If the student has a death in his or her immediate family, the absence is excused. (The instructor
may request further information).
3
If the student has a required court appearance, documentation from the court is required for the
absence to be excused.
4
If the student is participating in a required SUSCC event, the instructor must receive official
documentation for the absence to be excused.
5
If the student has an equivalent reason for his/her absence, the instructor may determine that the
absence is excused.
If a student misses a test or other graded assignment due to absence from the class, the right to make up the
test or graded assignment is determined by the instructor following the guidelines below.
1
If a student misses a test or any graded work due to an unexcused absence, the student will be
assigned a grade of zero.
2
If a student misses a test or any graded work due to an excused absence, the test or graded work
will be rescheduled. It is the students responsibility to request a make-up and to provide the
appropriate documentation for the absence. The date and time to make up a test or other graded
work is set at the instructors discretion. If a student is granted permission to make up work, a; a
penalty of 25 points will be deducted from the make-up assignment.
3
If a student fails to make up the work as scheduled, the student will be assigned a grade of zero.

IX.

Statement of Discrimination/Harassment

The College and the Alabama State Board of Education are committed to providing both employment and
educational environments free of harassment or discrimination related to an individuals race, color, gender, religion,
national origin, age, or disability. Such harassment is a violation of State Board of Education Policy. Any practice or
behavior that constitutes harassment or discrimination will not be tolerated.
X.

Americans with Disabilities

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) and the American with Disabilities Act of 1990 state that qualified
students with disabilities who meet the essential functions and academic requirements are entitled to reasonable
accommodations. It is the students responsibility to provide appropriate disability documentation to the College.
Any student who request special accommodations under the provisions of the American with Disabilities Act should
contact Robin Brown at the Valley Campus, Gary Branch at the Opelika Campus, and Dr. Fred Williams at the
Wadley Campus.

XI.

Student Conduct:

Each student will be expected to conduct himself/herself in a manner which is conducive to an effective learning
situation. Any student who unduly disrupts a class or violates any behavior rule, regulation, or policy of the College
during a class shall be subject to immediate removal from the class and to appropriate disciplinary action. Any
student who is caught cheating on an examination, or graded writing assignment or a speech shall receive a grade of
zero on the respective exam or assignment, or speech. Any student charged by the instructor with misconduct,
whether academic or non-academic, shall be subject to disciplinary action as detailed in the SUSCC General
Catalog/Student Handbook.

XII.

Academic Misconduct:

It is expected that every student will be honorable. Academic misconduct includes all acts of dishonesty in any
academically related matter and any knowing or intentional help or attempt to help, or conspiracy to help, another
student commit an act of academic dishonesty. Suspected cases of academic misconduct will be reported to the
Dean of Academics. Penalty of academic misconduct on a test or other assignment will result in receiving a grade of
zero on that test or assignment and possible suspension of the college.
XIII.
1
2

4
5
6

Notes Regarding Evaluation:

Students are responsible for computing grades independently of the instructor.
Writing skills are of the utmost importance. Grades on speech outlines will reflect quality of writing. ALL
WRITTEN WORK MUST BE TYPED, TIMES NEW ROMAN, 12 FONT, AND STAPLED. WORK
SUBMITTED THAT IS HANDWRITTEN WILL RECEIVE A GRADE OF ZERO. ALSO, WORK
SUBMITTED THAT IS NOT STAPLED WILL HAVE A 5 POINT DEDUCTION FROM THE TOTAL
GRADE ON THE ASSIGNMENT. For your own security, submit your assignments directly to me in class,
on the assignment due date. Electronic submissions of papers are unacceptable and will not be graded.
Students are responsible for keeping up with assignments, knowing the due dates, and completing them in a
timely manner. Please complete assignments on time and submit them in class, on paper, typed.
Electronic submissions of written work are unacceptable and will not be graded. Late work will
receive a 10% reduction in points for every day it is late. After one week, late work will not be
accepted except under the most compelling of circumstances, with instructor approval.
I encourage you to see me during office hours (or make an appointment) if you have any questions or
concerns about the course content or your progress in the course. Concerns or questions about individual
grades or progress will not be discussed in class, only in my office.
Any student who during the course of the semester is receiving grades of F or any other grade
unsatisfactory to him/her may meet with the instructor by appointment.
If you miss class, do not email me nor ask me what did I miss? or did I miss anything important? (the

latter is offensive). Please get all materials and notes from your peers. Once you have done that, I am
happy to further explore and refine your understanding of the course concepts.
7 To succeed in college, read the material BEFORE it is covered in class, come to class on time, pay
attention, take good notes during lectures, review your notes before AND after each lecture, do your
homework in a timely fashion, ask questions in class, get extra help as soon as possible, and avoid crisis
management study habits.
8 The make-up day for speeches will be the day of the final exam. If a student is absent for EXAM I or
EXAM II the final exam grade will count twice. Once for the final exam grade and once for the exam
missed earlier in the semester, I will only do this for excused absences.
9. It is of the utmost importance that students read national newspapers, magazines, and online
sources to have an understanding of current events, as the information will be the topic of class
discussion. Students participation grades will suffer if a student is not knowledgeable of current
events and cannot engage in class discussion at an academic level. There are three levels of class
participation: 1. Active participation, The Outcome Objective is defined as follows: Student is able to
demonstrate through class discussion that he/she has read the assigned material and has drawn
valid conclusions or raised good questions. 2. Passive participation, involves piggyback discussion
limited to the issues raised by others, lack of reading of materials is evident. No participation
obtains when a student is absent, remains silent, or does not contribute to the academic discussion.
10.
There is a ZERO tolerance policy regarding cell/smart phones/ usage in the class. First offense the student
will be asked to leave the class. Second offense the student will need permission from the Dean of Students
AND the instructor to re-enter the class. Students using cell/smart phones/laptop computers or other
electronic devices during test/speeches/or class assignments will receive a grade of Zero/F. Students may
use a laptop computer in class to take notes and access e-text. Students who use laptop computers for other
business will be asked to leave class for first offence. Second offense the student will need permission from
the Dean of Students AND the instructor to re-enter the class.

THE COURSE SYLLABUS, OUTLINE, AND DATES ESTABLISHED ARE TENTATIVE, AND THE
INSTRUCTOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE THEM.

SPH 107
Course Outline and Calendar---Spring 2015
Shaquille Marsh
M/W Class

Date
1/7
1/12
1/14
1/19
1/26
1/28
2/2
2/4
2/9
2/11
2/18
2/23
2/25
3/2
3/4
3/9
3/11
3/16
3/18
3/23
3/25
3/30
4/1
4/6
4/8
4/13
4/15
4/20
4/22
4/27-5/1

Introduction to SPH 107/Syllabus/Course Calendar

Chapter 1 and 2
Introduction Speech/ Watch I Have a Dream Speech
Martin Luther King Jr. Day- NO CLASS
Chapter 3 and 4/ Speech Critique I Due Kings I Have a Dream Speech
Chapter 5 and 6
Exam I
Chapter 7 and 8/Prep for Occupation Speech
Occupation Speech
Occupation Speech
Chapter 9/ Watch to Kill a Mockingbird/A Time to Kill Speeches
Chapter 10/ Ethics Paper Due
Chapter 11 and 12/ Speech Critique II Due Mockingbird/Time to Kill
Exam II
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Prep for Biography Speech
Biography Speech
Biography Speech
SPRING BREAK-NO CLASS
SPRING BREAK-NO CLASS
Chapter 15 and 16/ Speech Critique IV Due (Persuasive)
Prep for Policy Speech
Policy Speech
IACS Conference- NO CLASS
Policy Speech
Chapter 17/ Speech Critique IV Due (Informative)
Call to Action Speech
Call to Action Speech
Final Exam TBA