Course Description
Corporate employers demand strong communication and presentation skills.
As a future professional, you will not only be expected to be a confident
speaker, but also to organize and prepare clear, concise, and interesting
presentations. This course will prepare you for the future by developing
speaking and delivery skills, as well as critical thinking and analytical
skills that focus on how to organize a presentation, solve problems, build
arguments, and use your creativity. This course is designed to help you
become a confident presenter, as well as a savvy presentation writer.
Required Course Materials
Course Objectives
As a result of satisfactory completion of this course, you will be able
to:
Course Web Page
http://www.utexas.edu/courses/spe319/CMS319.htm
COURSE ASSIGNMENTS AND REQUIREMENTS
Overview of Course Assignments and Point Values
Below is a brief description of each assignment. Use the table that
follows to record your grades and track your progress in this course.
Presenting
Yourself
The Presenting Yourself assignment gives you an opportunity to begin
working on delivery and persuasive skills. You will select an organizational
position you desire by either 1) finding an advertisement or 2) writing
a brief job description. You will then plan a 3-5 minute presentation designed
to show how you meet the qualifications necessary to fill the position.
Worth a total of 30 points, this assignment provides you with a low-risk
opportunity to make an initial individual presentation to the class. Upon
completing the presentation, you will be required to watch the videotape
of your presentation and write a self assessment. The assignment will be
graded as follows: 25 points for the presentation (including the job description),
and 5 points for the self-assessment of the presentation.
Facilitating
a Group Problem-Solving Meeting
The Meeting Facilitation begins to address problem-solving skills by
asking you and your group members to critically examine a case study, present
the case to the class, facilitate an 18-23 minute meeting with class members
to identify the major problem in the case, and creatively solve the problem.
Worth a total of 60 points, this assignment is graded in two sections:
the group will receive a single grade for the meeting portion, worth 50
points, and an individual grade based on a written assessment of your group
interaction, worth 10 points.
Convincing
Members to Support an Organizational Change
The Presentation to Convince focuses on constructing strong arguments
in support of a specific organizational change. Using a case study, you
will use a problem-solution organization pattern to convince the audience
to support a proposed organizational change through a 5-7 minute presentation.
Following the presentation, you will be required to watch a videotape of
your presentation and complete a self-assessment of your performance. This
assignment is worth a total of 60 points: 55 points for the presentation
and 5 points for the self-assessment.
Duo Presentation
The Duo Presentation asks you and a partner to use your persuasive
and creative skills to sell an idea or proposal. Through brainstorming
and other creative strategies, you and your partner will develop a marketing
proposal to pitch to the class. The persuasive power and creativity of
your proposal is key. To that end, you will develop a compelling and unique
pitch and convince us in your 9-11 minute presentation that it is the best
choice. You and your partner receive the same grade on this assignment,
worth a total of 60 points.
Quizzes and Final Exam
Three multiple-choice quizzes covering readings in your text will be
given over the course of the semester. Worth a total of 60 points, the
quizzes will cover the following material:
Quiz 1: Chapters 1, 2, 5, 13, 14
Quiz 2: Chapters 10, 11, 6, 12
Quiz 3: Chapters 15, 4, 7
A comprehensive final exam covering required reading assignments and class lectures will be given during the final exam period. This final exam is worth 60 points. No make-up or early exams will be offered.
Peer feedback/Participation/Attendance
You will be asked to complete peer feedback sheets that evaluate the
presentation style of other class members. In addition, you will participate
in a variety of smaller assignments, including impromptu presentations,
written homework assignments, and in-class assignments. The peer feedback
sheets are worth 10 points and participation in other assignments and discussion
is worth 5. In addition, a total of 5 bonus attendance points will be included
in your peer feedback/participation grade (Please see the course attendance
policy below).
EVALUATION
Final grades are assigned based on the following point breakdown:
A = 315-350 (90-100%)
B = 280-314 (80-89%)
C = 245-279 (70-79%)
D = 210-244 (60-69%)
F = < 210 (59% and below)
Pass/Fail Status
Students enrolled in the course on a pass/fail basis must complete
all assignments and earn a final total of 215 points to receive a grade
of "pass."
COURSE POLICIES
Instructional Methods
You should expect this class to be different from other courses you
have taken because there is a large experiential element. Therefore, a
significant amount of the teaching in this course is done by you through
the presentation, observation, and evaluation of in-class exercises and
performances. You will learn communication skills by doing.
Attendance
Attendance is required on presentation days. Your instructor will provide
a daily schedule that indicates these dates. Failure to attend class on
a presentation day will result in a 10 point deduction from your total
points at the end of the semester. For example, if you are absent on two
speech days, you will lose 20 points from the 350 possible. Although attendance
is not required on non-presentation days, you are strongly encouraged to
attend class. NOTE: On five randomly selected class dates, your instructor
will pass around a signup sheet. If you attend class on these days, you
will receive a point that will be added to your participation grade. If
you are not present at the time your instructor passes around the signup
sheet, you will not receive the point. No excuses or make-up points will
be provided for missing these points.
Presentation Videos
You are required to watch a videotape from two of your presentations.
Although the other presentations will be recorded as well, you are not
required to watch them. For the Presenting Yourself assignment and the
Presentation to Convince you will be required to watch your presentation
and provide a written critique based upon your observations. NOTE: If you
do not view the videotape prior to completing the self-assessment, you
will receive ZERO points on that assignment. The day after you have completed
your presentation, the video will be available in the CMA Instructional
Media Center (IMC). This facility is located in CMA 5-114A and is open
Monday-Thursday from 7:45am until 6:30pm, Friday from 7:45am until 5pm,
and Weekends from 12:00 until 5:00pm.
Required Reading Assignments and Class Discussion
Assigned readings and class discussions give you essential information
necessary to both understand conceptually and develop the skills associated
with effective business and professional communication. Effective communication
requires knowledge of all of the factors that affect it, therefore it is
critical that you complete the readings as assigned and participate actively
in class discussions. And, failure to do so will undoubtedly adversely
affect your quiz, presentation, and final exam scores.
Late Work and Missed Quizzes/Presentations
Assignments will turned in at the beginning of class the day they are
due. Assignments turned in after class on the due date are considered late.
Late assignments will be penalized 20% of the total points. No assignments
will be accepted after one week beyond the due date. In addition, the tentative
course schedule does not allow flexibility in rescheduling presentations.
Don't miss class on a day you are scheduled to speak. No make-ups will
be granted for missed presentations. Missed quizzes and presentations will
be assigned a grade of 0.
Grading
Success in this course requires thoughtful self-evaluation of your
performance. Therefore, your instructor will not discuss grades for assignments
on the day you receive them. Instead, these discussions should take place
at least one class day after the assignment has been returned. Be prepared
to make a well thought-out case regarding the evaluation. Your argument
must be related to your assignment or speech as presented, based on how
it compares with the criteria for the assignment—not how you think it compares
with someone else's work. NOTE: Please use the table on page 3 of this
syllabus to keep track of your grades.
Group Grades
For the group meeting facilitation assignment, all group members will
receive the same grade for the presentation (out of 50 points). Because
group members must count upon one another for success, you are expected
to contribute and participate to the highest of your ability in your group
project. While your participation during preparation of this assignment
will not be monitored by your instructor, if allegations are raised and
subsequent investigation reveals, that a member habitually missed meetings,
arrived unprepared, and/or failed to complete work, then a substantial
penalty will be imposed.
Visual Aid Backups
In this course, you will be required to design and deliver presentations
using PowerPoint software and computer projection systems. While every
effort is made to keep the equipment in working condition, on occasion
the equipment may not work properly. For this reason, you are required
to bring backup overhead slides to all of your presentations. In all likelihood,
you will deliver the electronic version of your presentation, but in the
event of problems, these backups will allow you to complete the assignment.
Classroom Civility
In this course, it is important that people and ideas are treated with
respect, and that class time is used productively. Please avoid behaviors
which make it difficult to accomplish our mutual objectives (e.g., side
conversations, showing disrespect to classmates, coming to class late or
leaving early, etc.). In addition, please turn off cell phones, pagers,
or other wireless noise-making devices before entering the classroom. Understand
that your instructor will impose appropriate penalties if such behaviors
are flagrantly or routinely exhibited.
Academic Integrity
If there is evidence of any deliberate violation of academic integrity
(e.g., cheating, plagiarism, or the like), your instructor will pursue
the most punitive response the university allows. Sometimes these standards
are subtle, so feel free to ask if you have questions or concerns.
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