COMM 15000 Introduction to Human Communication

Online Course Syllabus A Kent Core Course Insert Instructor Information from Welcome Email Here
Name: E-Mail: Classroom Location: Classroom Meeting Days/Times: Office Hours: Office Location:

If you have any questions or issues, you should contact your instructor first. For issues that cannot be resolved with your instructor, contact Course Director, Dr. Jennifer McCullough at jmccul11@kent.edu.

University Course Description: Introduction to Human Communication explores

communication theories and practices in a variety of contexts: interpersonal, group, and public. Students are introduced to the transactional nature of communication and the impact of context, culture, and audience on competent communication. Students explore the processes of active listening, message construction, and communicating common ground.

Online Course: The nature of a distance learning course requires you to have reliable and
consistent computer access throughout the term. In addition, you should have access throughout each week. Course assignments require you to be an active member of discussion boards at multiple points during the week. Procrastination and/or potential computer problems are not unavoidable circumstances. Therefore, you should take quizzes on reliable and familiar computer in a quiet location, and you should not procrastinate. You may experience technical difficulties, so you should plan to take the tests with enough time to deal with any unforeseen issues. See the tentative course schedule for quiz dates and due dates of your speeches. You will need a Webcam to film and upload your speeches in order to take this course online.

Required Web Site: This course runs through Learn (http://Learn.kent.edu). Students can
access Learn by logging in through Flashline (http://flashline.kent.edu) or by going directly to the Learn site and clicking on this course.

E-mail: Your Kent State email is your official email address for this class. It is your
responsibility to check this email address regularly. Include COMM 15000 in subject line of all emails. Include your name and section number in all email correspondence.

Kent Core: This course may be used to satisfy a Kent Core requirement. The Kent Core as a
whole is intended to broaden intellectual perspectives, foster ethical and humanitarian values, and prepare students for responsible citizenship and productive careers.

Course Overview
This course is designed to show students how theories of human communication can be applied in a variety of contexts with diverse audiences. Course Learning Outcomes To develop an understanding of selected interpersonal, group, and public communication theories and how they may be applied. To understand the elements of ethical communication. To demonstrate effective and professional-looking presentations.

Graded Assignments
Testing Theory Weekly Quizzes (14 x 10 points) Midterm Exam Final Exam Discussion Board Participation (14 x 6 points) Performing Theory Informative Speech w/Outline & References Self-Critique of Informative Speech Persuasive Speech w/Outline & References Group Presentation w/Outline & References Peer Critiques of Individual Speeches Critique of Group Speech Total 140 pts 70 pts 70 pts 84 pts

150 pts 30 pts 200 pts 200 pts 30 pts 26 pts 1000 pts

*** You must submit every speech (Informative, Persuasive, and Group) on time in order to pass this class. If you fail to deliver a speech, you will receive no points on the assignment and an F in the course. All videos may be used for assessment purposes.*** Weekly Quizzes. Each week, you will be required to complete a quiz over the material presented in the online lectures, readings, and any video clips shown online during that week. Although you have until the Sunday of that week at 11:59 pm EST to complete the quizzes, you should complete the readings and lectures and think about the corresponding discussion questions before you take the quiz. Each quiz will be worth 10 points, and they may include multiple choice, true-false, and/or matching questions. Online Midterm Exam. During Week 8, you must complete the online midterm exam. It will cover all material from Week 1 through Week 8. This exam is worth 70 points, and it may

include multiple choice, true-false, and/or matching questions. Please see the course schedule for exact deadline for completing the midterm exam. Online Final Exam. During Finals week, you must complete the online final exam. It will cover all material from Week 9 to Week 15. This exam is worth 70 points, and it may include multiple choice, true-false, and/or matching questions. Please see the course schedule for exact deadline for completing the final exam. Discussion Board Participation. Most weeks, you will see two discussion board questions posted. You must post an original response to the questions asked by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday. Then, you must post two follow-up responses to other students comments by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday. Your discussion board responses should add value to the course. A response is determined to be of substance by containing information that supplements, contradicts, questions, or furthers discussion on a subject area contained in the course. Comments such as me too and I agree and other comments not related to the course are not considered substantive notes for participation. In order to earn full credit for your responses, you most offer quality, substantive comments to your fellow students postings as well. Please read through the discussion board response rubric for details on how each response will be graded. Each response should be about 100 words. Informative and Persuasive Speeches and Outlines. The grading of the informative speech is broken down into four parts: 1) organization, 2) delivery, 3) time, and 4) preparation. The first three are graded on the speech itself. The preparation grade, however, is based on a typed outline that you must upload by the due date as well. The persuasive speech also adds a grade for the quality of the PowerPoint presentation used for the speech. Reference lists should accompany your outlines to document your sources, and the outlines should be typed in APA format. Additional requirements for the outline will be posted on Learn. Make sure to review the critique sheets to understand how you will be graded. The informative speech is worth 150 points, and the persuasive speech is worth 200 points. Self-Critique of Informative Speech. You will be required to watch your informative speech and write a self-evaluation. This evaluation will help you set goals for you future speeches, better understand instructor and peer feedback, and chart your progress. Guidelines for this paper will be available on Learn. This critique is worth 50 points. Group Presentation and Outline. Your instructor will discuss guidelines for your topic selection. You will be assigned to a group no later than after the persuasive speeches have been completed. A majority of this grade will be a group grade. However, each student will receive an individual grade for the delivery of their portion of the presentation and the quality of their individual contribution to the groups discussion board. In general, the grade it is broken down into seven parts: 1) organization, 2) delivery, 3) time, 4) PowerPoint presentation, 5) group cohesion, 6) preparation, and 7) individual discussion board activity. The first five are graded on the day you present your speech. The preparation grade, however, is based on a typed outline that you must upload by the due date as well. Finally, the individual discussion board activity is

graded based on the quality of individual contributions over the course of the group assignment. Reference lists should accompany your outlines to document your sources, and the outlines should be typed in APA format. Additional requirements for the outline will be posted on Learn. In order to give a group presentation without requiring a group meeting, you will be using various technologies to help coordinate your presentation. You will receive more detailed information on how you will complete this assignment at a later date. Additional details on how to complete this assignment will be posted on Learn. Make sure you review the critique sheet for the presentation and rubric for your individual contribution to the group discussion board to understand how you will be graded. Peer Critiques. For each individual speech, you will be required to critique 4 speeches in your group. For each speech, provide constructive feedback that includes one main strength of the speech and one thing the speaker could work on. You must be specific and use full sentences in your critique. Make sure to explain why you believe the things you mention are important for the speaker to consider. These critiques should be between 50 and 100 words. You must provide unique (i.e., new) feedback. If you do not have anything to add to the feedback already provided to the speaker by another student, you should critique a different speech. Self-Critique of Group Speech. You will be required to watch your groups speech and write a self-evaluation. This evaluation needs to include a one-page reflection and a completed critique sheet. You should pay attention to the organization, content, and delivery of your speech as well as the overall group communication when writing this reflection. Guidelines for this paper will be available on Learn. This critique is worth 26 points. Grading Procedures: There are three grading deductions that could occur which are not listed on the critique sheets. First, there is an automatic 10% deduction on any speech that is submitted in any way other than those described in the tutorials you will find online. Second, there is an automatic 10% deduction on any speech that is read. That is, your speeches should be delivered extemporaneously. They should not be read from any script or outline, and they should not be memorized. Late speeches are not accepted without a valid excuse. The grade on any late speech is automatically reduced 10% for every day it is late. All grades will be posted on the secure Blackboard Learn site. Please make sure to read through any feedback from your instructor. Each assignment will have a rubric, and this allows you to see where you did well on an assignment and where you need to improve. If you have a question about a grade you have received, please allow 24 hours to pass before contacting your instructor to discuss a grade. Course Registration: Students who are not officially registered may not attend classes. If you do not officially register by the deadline, you will not receive credit for this course. Grading Scale B+ = 87%- 89.99% C+ = 77%- 79.99% B = 83%- 86.99% C = 73%- 76.99% B- = 80%- 82. 99% C- = 70%- 72.99%

A = 93%- 100% A- = 90%- 92.99%

D+= 67%- 69.99% D = 60%- 66.99% F = 59.99% & Below

Missed Deadlines or Late Assignments

Missed Test Deadlines. Since you know all test deadlines at the beginning of the semester and have one week to complete quizzes and exams, make-up tests are made available online only if you supply a documented excuse (which would qualify for an excused absence) that prohibited the use of Learn for a significant portion of the week leading up to the test deadline. For this class, these include a documented hospitalization, death in the immediate family, religious observance, or court-ordered appearance. Vacation, work, procrastination, and/or potential computer problems are not unavoidable circumstances. You should take tests on reliable and familiar computer in a quiet location, and you should not procrastinate. You may experience technical difficulties, so you should plan to take the tests with enough time to deal with any unforeseen issues. Other missed deadlines. Speeches and outlines posted later than the established deadlines will only be extended if written proof of unavoidable delays (see above) is provided. For speech assignment deadlines to be extended and to avoid grade penalty, written proof must be submitted within two business days (Monday-Friday) of the missed deadline in the following method: Scanned and sent as email attachment to Instructor. Speeches and outlines posted after the deadlines and without valid excuses will not be accepted. Incomplete Grades. According to university policy, The administrative mark of IN (Incomplete) may be given to students who have completed at least 12 weeks of the semester (if they are currently passing) and are unable to complete the work due to extenuating circumstances. Instructors are not obligated to assign a grade of Incomplete. The only valid reasons for an Incomplete are medical or other serious circumstances that prohibit the students ability to complete the course after the last day to withdraw from the course. Student must have earned a 70% or better in the class at the time of the request

Student Responsibilities
Students are expected to: Become familiar with the course website on Learn. Complete the initial course assessment online during Week 1. Complete all online lectures and participation activities prior to the first day class meets each week. Complete and/or submit graded work according the criteria and deadlines described by the instructor and established in this Syllabus, the Tentative Course Schedule, and assignment sheets. Understand that according to the University Administrative Code (3342-3-07), Cheating and plagiarism constitute fraudulent misrepresentation for which no credit can be given and for which appropriate sanctions are warranted and will be applied. Therefore, the student understands that speeches and other work submitted must be his or her own and created for this course. You are required to complete all quizzes and exams on your own. You are not allowed to use any notes, books, other people, or the internet to help you answer the questions. Doing so is considered cheating. Contact your instructor with any course-related questions you may have.

Foster an atmosphere that is comfortable and respectful. Understand that to ask for special consideration is unfair to your peers, and the granting of special consideration to any student is a violation of the code of ethics. Communicate professionally in all correspondence.

Academic Dishonesty
Your instructor is required to respond to any form of academic dishonesty, including intentional or unintentional plagiarism (see Administrative code 3342-3-07 for more detailed information). If an instructor believes they have a case of plagiarism, they must: Inform the student that they believe he or she has plagiarized. Provide the student with an opportunity to explain why he or she believes that is not the case. If this explanation is deemed inadequate to the instructor, the instructor will notify the student of the sanction imposed based on the seriousness of the infraction (large or small assignments). These sanctions could include failing the assignment or failing the class. The instructor must inform the Basic Course Director and the Director of the School of Communication Studies of the nature of the infraction and the action taken, and If directed: Email memo to Judicial Affairs (j-affairs@kent.edu) of the nature of the infraction and the action taken (include student name and number, course name and number). Judicial Affairs will notify student and instructor of scheduled hearing. Student may appeal and can bring someone to speak on their behalf. Instructor must prove case with evidence (papers, proof of plagiarism, etc.). Instructor recommends sanctions. Student provided time to respond to instructors evidence. Judicial Affairs board decides the merit of the case and approves/overturns sanctions. Hearings are videotaped.

Students with Accessibility Needs

University policy 3342-3-01.3 requires that students with disabilities be provided reasonable accommodations to ensure their equal access to course content. If you have a documented disability and require accommodations, please contact the instructor within the first week of classes to make arrangements for necessary classroom adjustments. Please note, you must first verify your eligibility for these through Student Accessibility Services (visit www.kent.edu/sas for more information on registration procedures).

Tentative Course Schedule for Online Section

Note: All readings and online lectures should be completed before you take the weekly quiz. Weekly quizzes should be completed before 11:59pm each Sunday. Discussion board deadlines are not on this tentative schedule. Please see the syllabus for information on deadlines for posting to the discussion boards. Week Topic Course Orientation; Getting Started in Communication; Ethics Public Speaking Getting Started; Informative Speech Assignment Explained Selecting a Topic; Researching; Citations Readings Weekly Quiz Deadlines Online Weekly Quiz due by Sunday, January 19th at 11:59pm EST. Other Due Dates Submit Proof of Completion of Course Assessment by Sunday, January 19th at 11:59pm EST.

Chapter 1 (p. 3-35)

Chapter 10 (p.261-285)

Online Weekly Quiz due by Sunday, January 26th at 11:59pm EST.

Informative Speaking and Organizing

Chapter 11 (p. 287-313) Online Weekly Quiz due by and Chapter Sunday, February 2nd at 13 (p. 366- 11:59pm EST. 368) Online Weekly Quiz due by Chapter 12 Sunday, February 9th at (p. 315-343) 11:59pm EST. Online Weekly Quiz due by Chapter 13 Sunday, February 16th at (p. 345-373) 11:59pm EST. Informative Speeches must be posted by Sunday, February 16th at 11:59pm EST. Self-Critique of Informative Speech due by Sunday, February 23rd at 11:59pm EST. Peer Critiques of Informative Speeches must be posted by Sunday, March 2nd at 11:59pm EST. Online Midterm Exam due by Sunday, March 9th at 11:59pm EST.

Delivery; PowerPoint Presentations;

Listening

Chapter3 (p. 67-93)

Online Weekly Quiz due by Sunday, February 23rd at 11:59pm EST.

Perception; Persuasive Speech Assignment Explained

Chapter 2 (p. 37-65)

Online Weekly Quiz due by Sunday, March 2nd at 11:59pm EST.

Persuasion

Online Weekly Quiz due by Chapter 14 Sunday, March 9th at (p. 375-405) 11:59pm EST. Chapter 4 (p. 95-117) Online Weekly Quiz due by Sunday, March 16th at 11:59pm EST.

Verbal Communication

Week

Topic Nonverbal Communication

Readings

Weekly Quiz Deadlines

10

Online Weekly Quiz due by Chapter 5 Sunday, March 23rd at (p. 119-149) 11:59pm EST. No Classes Spring Break

Other Due Dates Persuasive Speeches must be posted by Sunday, March 23rd at 11:59pm EST.

11 12 Building Interpersonal Relationships; Group Presentation Explained

Online Weekly Quiz due by Chapter 6 Sunday, April 6th at (p. 151-175) 11:59pm EST. Peer Critiques of Persuasive Speeches must be posted by Sunday, April 13th at 11:59pm EST.

13

Communication in Groups

Online Weekly Quiz due by Chapter 8 Sunday, April 13th at (p. 203-231) 11:59pm EST.

14

Effective Group Members and Leaders

Online Weekly Quiz due by Chapter 9 Sunday, April 20th at (p. 233-259) 11:59pm EST.

15

Managing Conflict

Online Weekly Quiz due by Chapter 7 Sunday, April 27thrd at (p. 177-201) 11:59pm EST. Group Presentation due by Thursday, May 1st at 11:59 pm EST. Critique of Group Speech due by Sunday, May 4th at 11:59 pm EST.

16

Communication and Your Career Overview

No New Readings

Online Weekly Quiz due by Sunday, May 4th at 11:59pm EST.

Final Exam You must complete the online final exam during finals week. The exam will be available from Sunday, May 4th at 9am to Thursday, May 8th at 11:59pm EST. The schedule on these pages is tentative. The instructor reserves the right to make any necessary changes to the schedule deemed necessary and appropriate. You are responsible for any changes announced on Learn or via email.