Thompson Syllabus 8 CRS 325.8 : Presentational Speaking SYRACUSE UNIVERSITYFall 2017 SYLLABUS DEP. OF COMMUNICATION & RHETORICAL STUDIES Teaching Assistant: Hunter C. Thompson Office Hours: Tuesdays 1-3 P.M Email:[email protected]Or by Appointment Office Location: Sims Hall, Room 137 Course Description Public speaking is considered the most common fear; however, this fear can be conquered through proper instruction, preparation, and support. This course is designed to explore the conceptual and practical dimensions of public speaking and presenting. Emphasis will be placed upon audience analysis, adaptation, strategic organization and development of ideas, and verbal and nonverbal presentational skills. Speech is an extremely important professional and life skill, it’s how arguments are presented, problems are solved, bodies are motivated/moved, social change occurs, and so on. I believe this course can give you skills to be utilized for numerous exigencies that occur outside the classroom. It is my hope that through this course, you will be given a foundation for you to begin to create your own voice, thus enhancing your engagement and ability to participate in the social, political, and professional endeavors of life. Course Mission & Objectives By the end of the semester, we will build presentational competence grounded in theoretical understanding, which will allow you to: · Conceptualize the dynamics of speaking situations and practices · Organize a message · Structure a Speech · Adapt messages to audience · Speak extemporaneously · Critically analyze and create a cohesive argument · Understand the importance of rhetoric and public speaking in our society Course Policies Attendance Documentation is required in the instance of a university-sanctioned absence (athletic teams, extra circulars ,etc.) or for illness. Attendance means showing up on time and participating in class. Since this class is presentation based its imperative that you show up on time and respect your classmates while presenting. Unexcused absences will negatively impact your grade. Two or more (as this class meets once a week) absences may result in a failing grade. In instances of emergency, contact me as soon as possible to ensure that we can work out the situation. Speech Days On speech days, you need to be a good audience member.Audience members are attentive, considerate, and listen. They DO NOT fall asleep, use their phone, be disruptive, or work on assignments during a speech. If these things occur it will result in a 10% deduction from your own speech grade. The purpose of this course is to not only help build a foundation to make you a better speaker, but also better at listening. Being an excellent communicator is not only being able to speak eloquently, it also entails active listening. If you are late on a speech day, please remain outside the door and wait until you hear applause. I do not tolerate late students disrupting speeches. If yo ...

1. Thompson Syllabus 8
CRS 325.8 : Presentational Speaking SYRACUSE
UNIVERSITYFall 2017 SYLLABUS DEP. OF
COMMUNICATION & RHETORICAL STUDIES
Teaching Assistant: Hunter C. Thompson Office Hours:
Tuesdays 1-3 P.M
Email:[email protected]Or by Appointment
Office Location: Sims Hall, Room 137
Course Description
Public speaking is considered the most common fear; however,
this fear can be conquered through proper instruction,
preparation, and support. This course is designed to explore the
conceptual and practical dimensions of public speaking and
presenting. Emphasis will be placed upon audience analysis,
adaptation, strategic organization and development of ideas, and
verbal and nonverbal presentational skills. Speech is an
extremely important professional and life skill, it’s how
arguments are presented, problems are solved, bodies are
motivated/moved, social change occurs, and so on. I believe this
course can give you skills to be utilized for numerous
exigencies that occur outside the classroom. It is my hope that
through this course, you will be given a foundation for you to
begin to create your own voice, thus enhancing your
engagement and ability to participate in the social, political,
and professional endeavors of life.
Course Mission & Objectives
By the end of the semester, we will build presentational
competence grounded in theoretical understanding, which will
allow you to:
· Conceptualize the dynamics of speaking situations and
practices

2. · Organize a message
· Structure a Speech
· Adapt messages to audience
· Speak extemporaneously
· Critically analyze and create a cohesive argument
· Understand the importance of rhetoric and public speaking in
our society
Course Policies
Attendance
Documentation is required in the instance of a university-
sanctioned absence (athletic teams, extra circulars ,etc.) or for
illness. Attendance means showing up on time and participating
in class. Since this class is presentation based its imperative
that you show up on time and respect your classmates while
presenting. Unexcused absences will negatively impact your
grade. Two or more (as this class meets once a week) absences
may result in a failing grade. In instances of emergency, contact
me as soon as possible to ensure that we can work out the
situation.
Speech Days
On speech days, you need to be a good audience
member.Audience members are attentive, considerate, and
listen. They DO NOT fall asleep, use their phone, be disruptive,
or work on assignments during a speech. If these things occur it
will result in a 10% deduction from your own speech grade. The
purpose of this course is to not only help build a foundation to
make you a better speaker, but also better at listening. Being an
excellent communicator is not only being able to speak
eloquently, it also entails active listening. If you are late on a
speech day, please remain outside the door and wait until you
hear applause. I do not tolerate late students disrupting
speeches.
If you have an unexcused absence on a day you are assigned to
speak, you will receive a zero on that speech.

3. Email
I expect your email communication to be complete, courteous,
and professional. Please identify yourself and the course section
you are in. Don’t expect a response if this request is not
followed. Please allow me at least 48 hours to respond before
emailing again. In compliance with university policy, all email
correspondence must occur through your Syracuse (@syr.edu)
email account. I will not respond to emails sent through non-
university accounts.
I normally will not answer emails concerning how to properly
complete an assignment within 12 hours of an assignment being
due. Consider starting assignments early, not the day they are
due. Therefore, I can properly assist you and direct you to doing
quality work. Please read the instructions uploaded on
Blackboard before emailing with questions about assignments.
Grading
If you have questions about your grade feel free to ask
questions. However, for reasons of privacy, grades will not be
discussed in the presence of other students. Therefore, they can
be discussed during office hours or by appointment. To dispute
a grade, you must provide a written document, stating clearly
why you think your grade is wrong, and why it should be
changed. I recommend citing this syllabus along with
assignment rubrics. Please refrain from generic appeals for
improved grades. Toward the end of the semester, do not seek a
change in your grade to reflect what you think it should be,
unless you believe I have incorrectly added points.
If you become concerned with your grade in the course, please
contact me as soon as possible. As your instructor, I want you
to do well in my course and will help guide you to how you can
improve your grade. Note there is no extra credit in this course.
Blackboard
All assignments will be submitted to Blackboard unless I
specify otherwise. Be mindful of all deadlines, as Blackboard
will automatically lock you out of the system. I do not accept
late work, or work submitted via email.All assignments should

4. be uploaded as .doc or .docx. Anything saved otherwise may not
be graded and may be given a zero (0).
Electronic Devices
To facilitate a productive and respectful environment, students
are not permitted to use cell phones, laptops, tablets, etc. during
class for personal use. However, technology is a helpful tool for
learning. I therefore permit using devices occasionally; we may
complete an in-class activity or host a “workshop day” that
requires the use of computers or cell phones, but I will let you
know before these sessions take place. Its ok to take a picture of
a visual being used to illustrate a concept that I want you to
learn, it’s not ok to take a selfie or send snaps in class. If you
have an emergency that requires you to have access to your
phone, please let me know before class starts. Using audio or
visual recording devices is prohibited without prior consent.
Diversity Statement
Syracuse University and I recognize the importance of both
teaching and advocating for diversity of experiences and ideas.
My policy is intended to be inclusive of all underrepresented
and minority groups whatever their race, religion, national
origin, gender, age, ability, or sexual orientation. I strive to
make the classroom a Safe Space for all students, this means
that hate speech will not be tolerated. However, while I strive
for a Safe Space, I cannot always guarantee this, as various
systemic oppressions often manifest themselves in the
classroom. While it’s not your job to advocate as a
representative of your population, please feel free to speak with
me or schedule an appointment if at any instance you feel
uncomfortable, silenced, invisible, or misrepresented.
University Policies Academic
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Syracuse
University values diversity and inclusion; we are committed to a
climate of mutual respect and full participation. My goal is to
create learning environments that are useable, equitable,
inclusive and welcoming. If you believe that you need
accommodations for a disability, please contact the Office of

5. Disability Services (ODS), visit the ODS website–
http://disabilityservices.syr.edu, located in Room 309 of 804
University Avenue, or call (315) 443-4498 or TDD: (315) 443-
1371 for an appointment to discuss your needs and the process
for requesting accommodations. ODS is responsible for
coordinating disability related accommodations and will issue
students with documented Disabilities Accommodation
Authorization Letters, as appropriate.
Academic Integrity
Syracuse University’s academic integrity policy reflects the
high value that we, as a university community, place on honesty
in academic work. The policy defines our expectations for
academic honesty and holds students accountable for the
integrity of all work they submit. Students should understand
that it is their responsibility to learn about course-specific
expectations, as well as about university-wide academic
integrity expectations. The university policy governs
appropriate citation and use of sources, the integrity of work
submitted in exams and assignments, and the veracity of
signatures on attendance sheets and other verification of
participation in class activities. The policy also prohibits
students from submitting the same written work in more than
one class without receiving written authorization in advance
from both instructors. The presumptive penalty for a first
instance of academic dishonesty by an undergraduate student is
course failure, accompanied by a transcript notation indicating
that the failure resulted from a violation of academic integrity
policy. SU students are required to read an online summary of
the university’s academic integrity expectations and provide an
electronic signature agreeing to abide by them twice a year
during pre-term check-in on MySlice. For more information and
the complete policy, see http://academicintegrity.syr.edu.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
As a student at SU, you should know your rights regarding the
disclosure of your personal information and grades. Under no
circumstances is the instructor to share student grades and other

6. information with outside parties without written permission
from the student. For more information and the complete policy,
see http://registrar.syr.edu/students/ferpa.html
Religious Observance
This policy recognizes the diversity of faiths represented among
the campus community and protects the rights of students,
faculty, and staff to observe religious holy days according to
their tradition. Classes are no longer canceled for religious
holidays. If you foresee missing class for religious observance,
you must notify me during the first two weeks of class. Email is
not sufficient; you must report this absence online through
MySlice. For more information and the complete policy, see
http://supolicies.syr.edu/emp_ben/religious_observance.htm.
Textbook & Course Materials
Required Text
· Hogan, Andrews, Andrews & Williams. Public Speaking and
Civic Engagement 4th ed. EBook. REVEL-- Access Card.
· Recommendation: You need to buy the EBook as we will be
using the REVEL program this semester. This program will be
connected to Blackboard and will track your progress in
readings and includes short quizzes and activities. I will be able
to track how you as an individual and the class collectively is
doing. Using the program is worth 10% of your total grade.
Suggested Materials
· Notecards (4x6 or smaller) and a Notebook for this class
· A way to pull up visuals in class (e.g. Google Drive or a Flash
Drive)
Grading & Assignments
Grading Scale
Letter Grade
Percentage
Performance
A
94-100%

7. Excellent Work
A-
90-93%
Nearly Excellent Work
B+
87-89%
Very Good Work
B
84-86%
Good Work
B-
80-83%
Mostly Good Work
C+
77-79%
Above Average Work
C
74-76%
Average Work
C-
70-73%
Mostly Average Work
D
60-69%
Below Average Work
F
0-59%
Failing Work
Weighted Totals
Informative Speech Annotated Bibliography
……...........………….10%
Informative Speech Outline
………………………....………………5%
Informative Speech

8. ……………………………………………….10%
*No visual aids
Persuasive Speech Outline
………….………………………….......5%
Persuasive Speech
…………….…………………………...…....10%
*Visual Aids required
Impromptu Speech
……………………….………………….….......…10%
Mediated Speech
…………………………………………….......…..10%
In-Class Participation
.…………….………………………...…..….…10%
Peer Review(2) ………………………………………..……...….5%
(2.5 % each)
Self Evaluation (2)
…………….……………………….....….…..5% (2.5 % each)
REVEL*………………………………………………………………
…10%
Final Exam
…………………………………………….……..…..…10%
Assignment Descriptions
Speeches
You are required to deliver the four following speeches to the
class:
1. Informative Speech: 5-7 minutes, no visual aids, 4 sources.
1. Persuasive Speech: 7-9 minutes, 1-2 visual aids required, 5
sources.
1. Impromptu Speech: 1:30-2:30 minutes, no visual aid.
1. Mediated Speech. Details to come.
You will submit topic proposals for the speeches via
Blackboard. I will notify you through email if your topic has
been disapproved and ask you to resubmit. If you do not submit

9. a topic proposal by the deadline, you will not be permitted to
deliver your speech. In addition, you will lose points on the
following assignment.
If you are struggling to pick out a topic or find resources, come
to my office hours, or speak with the CRS librarian.
Patrick Williams - 315-443-9520 - [email protected]
You may use note cards. However, you will be heavily
penalized if the note cards have more than key words/quotations
and if it appears you are reading the note cards word-for-word.
All note cards will be turned in on the students’ speech day.
Speech Outlines: Each outline is worth 5% of that total speech
grade. All speeches require full-sentence outlines. See syllabus
calendar for outline due dates.
Self-Evaluation: Watching yourself speak and reflecting on your
time in front of your audience is one of the most helpful ways to
improve. Write honest, informed evaluations of your speech
performances.
Final Exam: Your final will be a take home exam released 48
hours before it is due. You will submit the final on Blackboard.
No late exams will be accepted.
Peer Reviews: You will be assigned a partner or small group
and complete peer reviews for that partner during their
speeches.
Assignment Preparation and Requirements
1.All assignments are due ON BLACKBOARDby 11:59PM on
the due date, unless otherwise specified. I will not accept them
in hardcopy or through email. I do not accept late work.
2.All papers must be typed, double-spaced, Times New Roman
font (12 pt.), black ink, 1 inch margins. I have eyes and can

10. therefore easily tell when students try to lengthen papers with
various tricks, i.e. altering margins, spacing, font.
3.If the assignment requires research citations, a reference page
and in-text citation is required. In-text citations and the
reference page must follow APA-style or MLA-style guidelines.
4.All papers must be free of grammatical and spelling errors.
5.Assignments must be submitted in .doc or .docx (no .pages)
· All documents must be uploaded to Blackboard in Microsoft
Word format unless otherwise noted.
6. Plagiarism will result in a Zero for an assignment.
In Class Recordings
Video will be taken of all speeches for grading and self-
evaluation purposes. The videos will not be used to any other
reason without written permission.
Course Calendar
Date
Topic(s)
Readings due
Assignments due
Week 1
Thursday,
August 31st
Welcome to CRS 325!
--------------------
----------------
Week 2
Thursday, September 7th
Informative Speech, Topic Selection,
Audience, Listening, and Framing
Chapters 2, 4 and 5

11. ---------------
Week 3
Thursday, September 14th
Supporting the Speech & Citations
Organization & Outlining
Chapters 8 and 9
Informative Topic Selection due by September 13th @ 11:59
P.M.
Week 4
Thursday,
September 21st
Ethics & Audience
Speech Performance
Workshop Day
Bring Laptops to Class
Chapter 1 and 11
Informative Annotated Bib due by Sep20th at 11:59 P.M.
Week 5
Thursday,
September 28th
Informative Speeches
Informative Speech Outline due by Sep 27th @ 11:59pm
Week 6
Thursday,
October 5th
Informative Speeches -Finish
Introduction to Persuasion, Argumentation & Logic
Chapter 14
Self-Evaluations, due October 8th @ 11:59pm
Persuasive Speech Topic Selection due,
October 8th @
11:59pm

12. Week 7
Thursday,
October 12th
Intro to Persuasion (Cont.)
Visual Aids
Outline Workshop
Bring Laptops to Class
Chapters 12 And 15
Informative Speech Peer Reviews due in Class
Week 8
Thursday,
October 19th
Persuasive Speech Workshop
-----------------
Persuasive Speech Outline due by October 19th @ 11:59pm
Week 9
Thursday,
October 26th
Persuasive Speeches
Week 10
Thursday November 2nd
Persuasive Speeches (Finish)
Mediated Speech Introduction
Addressing a Mediated Audience
---------------
Persuasive Speech Self Evaluations Due November 5th
@ 11:59pm
Peer Reviews Due in class
Week 11

13. Thursday,
November 9th
Epideictic Speech Overview + Activity
Discussion of Impromptu Speeches and Impromptu Speech Prep
-----------------
Mediated Speech Proposal Due November 10th @ 11:59 P.M
Week 12
Thursday,
November 16th
Class Canceled
------------------
Week 13
Thursday,
November 23rd
No Class
Thanksgiving Break
------------------
Week 14;
Thursday
November 30th
Impromptu Speeches
------------------
Week 15
Thursday,
December 7th
Mediated Speeches
---------------------
Mediated Speeches Due by December 6th @ 11:59 P.M
*This syllabus, as well as the calendar, is subject to change at

14. any time for any reason. All students will be properly notified
of changes made.
Bellow you will find the final exam questions and
instructions. You will pick ONE of the following speeches to
analyze, which can be found in the link bellow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_8y0WLm78U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j81MkNgnXuY
325 Final Instructions: Answer five of the following questions
with in-depth analysis of one of the two speeches I sent out
(those with * are required). Give specific examples both within
the speech (marked by a time stamp) and with support from
concepts we have learned in class. A reminder: I have what the
readings were for specific topics marked on the syllabus. When
you are finished, upload your response to Blackboard.
*1. Who is the speaker, and what is the topic of the speech?
What is the occasion of the speech? Alternatively, what are the
expectations for its setting? (Think about what is appropriate
for particular situations). How does the speaker adapt to the
occasion/setting you have identified? (You may have to google
to learn more about a particular setting if you need more
information)
*2. Is the speaker effective or ineffective? List the specific
qualities that make them effective or ineffective. How does the
speaker construct ethos? What type of ethos does the speaker
create/project? Is it effective for the purposes of this speech? In
what ways? Examine the appeals they made and who those
appeals were made to. Break down their arguments in to claims
and analyze what the foundation of those claims were. Examine
what was expressed and what was lacking. Was there an appeal
to logic (logos)? Explain. Was there an appeal to emotion
(pathos)? Explain.
3. What are the benefits of the speaker's speech? Who was the

15. speech intended to reach? And who will benefit from hearing
this speech?
4. What speech mannerisms did you find annoying or distracting
from the speaker? What speech mannerisms do you think added
to the speaker's presence or message? Do you notice that you
engage in any of the mannerisms that annoyed you? Do you
notice that you engage in any of the mannerisms that aided in
the speaker's speech?
5. How did the speaker engage their vocal variety and how did
that impact their message (e.g. repetition, pitch variety,
volume)? Did you notice the speaker using passive or active
voice more often and where? How did the speaker convey their
confidence (or lack thereof) in their vocal range?
6. Did you notice anything about their environment that was
distracting? Did anything about their environment add to their
message? If so, how?
7. Comment on their gesturing. How did it look? Did it seem
natural?
8. Were there any points in the clip they were speaking
unethically or abusing their narratives?
9. How did they appeal to different audiences?
10. Who was the assumed audience (based on the factors in the
reading)?
*11. What did you think was the most powerful aspect of their
speech? Describe why you felt that way using the terms we have
learned in class.
Good Luck!