Course Description
Practice in delivery and criticism of speeches, employing models from great speakers and speeches in history.
Athena Title
Perspective on Public Comm Hon
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in COMM 1110
Prerequisite
Permission of Honors
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall, spring and summer
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
The objective of the course is to provide the student with an increased awareness of the principles of Public Speaking. The class focus will be on developing your capability to communicate in situations where you must make choices. Although public speaking may involve presenting information to large audiences, the concentration in this class will be on providing you with skills that are appropriate in smaller groups. Therefore, you will learn: 1. Goal setting. Learn to assess speaking situations so you can set reasonable and appropriate goals. 2. Audience analysis and adaptation. Become audience-centered. Understanding what people are thinking and expecting will help you convey your message for maximum impact. 3. Communicative creativity - Learn techniques for producing ideas and finding supporting materials that add depth, interest, and credibility to what you want to say. By the end of the course, you should have an excellent grasp of the resources available in the UGA Library. 4. Organizational skills - When you arrange what you want to say in a coherent pattern, you help your listeners follow your path through your thoughts. 5. Language sensitivity - As communication technologies shrink the globe, sensitizing yourself to cultural and gender differences in language use has become critical. In addition, you will learn how to add color and interest to your speeches by the ways you use words. 5. Polished delivery - Most students arrive in SPCM 2150H with good speaking skills but much anxiety about speaking to a group. You'll have a chance to fine-tune those few habits that may distract listeners, to add vocal variety and dramatic gestures that reinforce your message, to practice eye contact, posture and movement, and to gain confidence through practice. 7. Critical thinking and listening - As you listen to other speakers, you will learn to ask critical questions about the speaker's intent, biases, language use, organization, support for ideas, and central message. The critical consumption of messages is an important skill for life in the information age. 8. Students will complete research assignments which will involve computer-based research and paper preparation. 9. Students will consider the moral and ethical implications of a variety of communication situations.
Topical Outline
1. Personal Introductions 2. Speaking in Public 3. Listening critically 4. Brainstorming 5. Audience analysis 6. Delivery and presentation skills 7. Interest techniques 8. Speaking to persuade 9. Thinking Critically 10. Visual Aids 11. Ethics 12. Gathering research materials 13. Types of persuasion 14. Supporting materials
General Education Core
CORE IV: Humanities and the ArtsSyllabus