Comm.

1010 Intro to Communication

Instructor: Jessica Zylks
Email: [email protected]
Class Schedule: MWF 9-9:50 AM
Office Hours: By Appointment
Office: Speech and Presentation Center 106
Classroom: MC 109
Course Description:
Introduces aspects of human communication that develop and implement
presentation of speeches and investigates and executes strategies,
principles, and theories, of interpersonal communication. Students will learn
the steps of building relationships, teamwork, and research skills.
Text:
E-text: Communicate, Connect, and Understand: Readings in
Communication. (2010). Boston: Pearson
Course Objectives:
1. Students will develop an understanding of basic communication
principles and concepts, including knowledge of verbal, nonverbal,
interpersonal, group, and professional communication.
2. Students will be able to understand and explain basic communication
theories and concepts directly related to relationship development and
maintenance in personal and professional contexts.
3. Students will be able to research, organize and present an informative
and persuasive speech. Students will be able to locate and identify
credible sources aiding them in informing or persuading an audience to
a preconceived end.
4. Students will be able to execute the strategies that facilitate effective
group dynamics centered on problem-solving. (Group activities)

Major Assignments:
Group presentation
Group presentation topics will be delivered on chapters of the text discussed
in class. These presentations should be fun. Use games, video clips, etc. to
make your project exciting and informative. This presentation, while a group
effort will be graded on an individual basis. Each presentation will be 20-30

minutes in length and be graded on the content covered, accuracy of

information and creativity.
Informative speech:
Each Student will be required to research, write and deliver a 4-6 minute
informative speech on a topic of your choice which will be pre-approved by
the instructor. It is absolutely required that you stay within the 5 minute time
frame, this means that you will need to practice your speech in order to stay
within the time frame. This informative speech should include at least 1
visual aid and 2 outside sources. Each student will create a main topic
outline for their speech which can be used during the speech. These sources
should be included on our outline and your outline will be handed in after
your speech.
Credit will be given for using the Speech and Presentation Center to help
evaluate your speech prior to presenting it in class. They will provide you
with an extra credit sheet that you will need to return to me for the credit.
Persuasive speech:
Each student will be required to research, write and deliver a 4-6 minute
persuasive speech on a topic of your choice which will be pre-approved by
the instructor. The topic may be the same as the informative speech or
students may choose a new topic. Again, it is absolutely required that you
stay within the 5 minute time frame, this means that you will need to
practice your speech in order to be familiar enough to stay within the time
frame. Each student will create a full sentence outline for their speech that
may be used during the speech. You are required to use at least 2 visual aids
in this speech along with 2 outside sources during your speech. These
sources should be included on your outline and your outline will be handed in
after your speech.
Credit will be given for using the Speech and Presentation Center to help
evaluate your speech prior to presenting it in class. They will provide you
with an extra credit sheet that you will need to return to me for the credit.
Peer-speaker critiques and audience participation:
In order for people to get the experience of public speaking, they need a
public to speak to. Each student will evaluate each in-class speech with an
evaluation form provided in class. You need to be in class to watch speeches
to receive points for this assignment.
Outside speaker critique:
Sometimes the best way to learn public speaking skills is to watch someone
else speak. This assignment requires you to attend a speech outside class

and then write up a 1-2 page paper describing what you learned about public
speaking skills. You may write about both the negative and positive traits and
skills you saw displayed during the speech.
Research participant:
Each student is expected to participate in a research project conducted by a
professor, masters student or upper division student.
Tests and exams:
In order to do well on the exams you will need to be current on reading, take
good notes & be actively engaged in class. The Final exam will be 50 multiple
choice questions worth 2 points each.
Course Policies:
Grading Standards:
A
93-100%
A90-92%
B+
86-89%
B
83-85%
B80-82%

C+
C
CD
F

76-79%
74-78%
70-73%
65-69%
65% or lower

Grading Breakdown:
Assignment
Research Participation
Informative Topic
Persuasive Topic
Assignments and Pop Quizzes
Informative Speech
Informative Speech Outline
Persuasive Speech
Persuasive Speech Outline
Outside Speaker Critique
Class participation
Group Speech
Final Exam
Total Points Offered

Points
available
50
50
50
100
100
100
100
100
100
50
100
100
1000

Assignments
All assignments are to be double spaced, typed in 12pt Times New Roman
font, with one inch margins. Headings should be single spaced and should

include student name, date, and title of the assignment. Assignments are
due in class and are to be turned in on or before the assigned due date.
References should be properly cited in APA formatting.
Attendance and Participation:
Regular attendance and participation is expected in this course. If you
choose to miss class on the day that an assignment is due, you are
responsible for turning it in anyway. If you miss the day you are scheduled to
speak you will be unable to make up the speaking part of the assignment,
but you may receive credit for the outline provided it is turned in on time.
The only exceptions are in the case of legitimate and documented illness,
family emergency or school approved function. Vacations, weddings and
other such events are not considered emergencies. If you know you are
going to be absent for a non-emergency event, you need to contact me in
advance. Excused absences for illness or personal emergency must be
accompanied by appropriate documentation and a direct conversation with
me. I will deal with these situations on a case-by-case basis and I reserve
the right to make the final judgment about excused absences. Late work will
receive a non-negotiable 10% grade reduction for each class period it is late
(weekends count as 2 days) unless your situation falls under the excused
category above. Late assignments must be turned in no later than one week
after they are due or you will receive a zero. All assignments are due by 5
pm. I will not award incompletes in this course except for a serious medical
crisis or other extenuating circumstances that will be judged on a case-bycase basis.
Please make sure you read the chapters before the class hour. I will have pop
quizzes on a regular basis that will affect your grades. I expect you to
respond to questions posed during our discussion of the material. We will be
doing several in (and out of) class assignments that will help you grasp the
material. Further, I have found there is a high correlation between regular
student attendance and success in this course. Do not skip speech days
when you do not speak because you cannot learn to manage speaking
anxiety without an audience present. Thus, your personal efforts impact the
success of everyone else in the course. You will receive points for being
present during speech presentation days.
Cell phones and laptops:
Use your common sense and be courteous. Absolutely no texting! Do not
answer your phone in fact turn it off when you come to class. If you need
to have your cell phone on (i.e. legit
family or work reasons) please put it on vibrate and talk to me in advance.
Laptops are great tools and yes, YouTube is fun but please only use your

laptop to take notes. If cell phones or laptops become problems you will
asked to leave them at the door.
STUDENT SUPPORT:
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, please be familiar
with the following statement. Students with medical, psychological, learning
or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or
auxiliary aids must contact the Disability Support Center, Room 205D,
Sharwan Smith Center, phone (435) 865-8022. The Disability Support Center
determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of these services and
aids.

Academic Misconduct:
Each student is expected to complete his/her own work. Any student caught
cheating in any way on the exams or submitting another persons work as
his/her own (plagiarism) will receive an "F" for the assignment and further
action may be taken if dishonesty becomes habitual. If you are unfamiliar
with what constitutes plagiarism, please ask me in order to avoid any
problems.
Students who misrepresent excuses for missing class or turning in late work
will also receive an "F" on that assignment.
Academic Integrity:
Scholastic dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the
fullest extent. You are expected to have read and understood the current
issue of the student handbook (published by Student Services) regarding
student responsibilities and rights, and the intellectual property policy, for
information about procedures and about what constitutes acceptable oncampus behavior.
Emergency Management Statement:
In case of emergency, the Universitys Emergency Notification System (ENS)
will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact
information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition,
students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency
Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the
Universitys emergency management plan can be found at
http://www.suu.edu/emergency
HEOA Compliance Statement:
The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing,
except as provided
under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law. Detailed information can be
found at http://www.suu.edu/it/p2p-student-notice.html.

Office Hours: You can plan to meet with me during office hours as regularly
posted. I recognize that these hours wont accommodate all schedules so if
they do not work for you please set up an appointment with me. I am always
happy to meet with students individually or in smaller groups to help explain
assignments or clarify anything from class or from the book.
NOTE: Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late
assignments, and attendance policy, may be subject to change with advance
notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.

COURSE SCHEDULE
Date

Topic

Assignment

Jan 7

Course Introduction

Jan 9

Introduction Speeches

Jan 11

Online TutorialJonathan Holiman

Have your textbook by

this day!

Jan 14

Chapter 8 (Your First Speech)

Have Chapter 8 read

Jan 16

Chapter 8 (continued)

Jan 18

Chapter 9 (Topic Selection and Evidence)

Groups

Jan 21

Have Chapter 9 read

MLK- No Class!!

Jan 23

Chapter 9 (continued) Groups

Jan 25

Chapter 10 (Organization)

Jan 28

Chapter 10 (continued)

Jan 30

Chapter 12 (Informative Speaking)

Feb 1

Chapter 12 (continued) Examples of Speakers

Feb 4

Chapter 11 (Delivery)

Feb 6

Outline Help

Feb 8

Outline Help

Feb 11

Informative Speeches

Feb 13

Informative Speeches

Feb 15

Informative Speeches

Feb 18

Presidents Day- No Class!!

Feb 20

Informative Speeches

Feb 22

Informative Speeches

Feb 25

Chapter 2 (The Self and Perception)

Have chapter 2 read

Feb 27

Chapter 3 (Listening)

Have Chapter 3 read

Have Chapter 10 readSpeech Topic Due at

5:00
Have Chapter 12 read

Have Chapter 11 read

Outlines Due at 5:00

Mar 1

Chapter 3 (continued)

Mar 4

Chapter 4 (Verbal Communication)

Have Chapter 4 read

Mar 6

Chapter 4 (continued)

Outside Speaker
Critique Due

Mar 8

Chapter 5 (Nonverbal Communication)

Have Chapter 5 read

Mar 11

Spring Break No Class!!

Mar 13

Spring Break No Class!!

Mar 15

Spring Break No Class!!

Mar 18

Chapter 5 (continued)

Mar 20

Chapter 6 (Interpersonal Communication)

Mar 22

Chapter 6 (continued)

Mar 25

Chapter 7 (Group Communication)

Mar 27

Chapter 7 (continued)

Mar 29

Chapter 13 (Persuasive Speaking and Audience

Choices)

April 1

Chapter 13 (continued)

April 3

Chapter 14 (Persuasive Speaking and

Argument)

Have Chapter 14 read

April 5

Chapter 14 (continued)

Outlines Due at 5:00

April 8

Persuasive Speeches

April
10

Persuasive Speeches

April
12

Persuasive Speeches

April
15

Persuasive Speeches

April
17

Persuasive Speeches

April

Prep for Group Presentations

Have Chapter 6 read

Have Chapter 7 read

Persuasive Topic Due
at 5:00
Have Chapter 13 read

Research Participation

19

Due at 5:00

April
22

Group Presentations

April
24

Group Presentations

April
26

Study Day No Class!!

May 1

Exam #2 *Wednesday* May 1st at 9-10:50

Chapters 2-7

Scantron Required