Course Title: Public Speaking and Debating(S3)
Instructor: Prof. Badre
Course Description
The objective of the Public Speaking and Debatingcourse is to present a framework in which students can develop their oral communication skills on stage. The course provides a thorough foundation in classic approaches and new developments regarding theory, research, and issues of public speaking in a variety of contexts with a view to enabling students to shape their messages to have the intended effects. Students are expected to gain an understanding of effective public speaking strategies through reading, writing, small group discussions, oral presentations, and other experiential learning opportunities. Class work emphasizes critical and strategic thinking, active learning, and teamwork.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Prepare and rehearse a public speech
- Collect supporting materials and presentation aids
- Analyze the audience
- Organize their speech
- Select an appropriate style for their speech
- Deliver informative and persuasive speeches
Course Assessment
Assessment will be completed using the following criteria:
|
Evaluation |
Percentage |
|
|
Attendance & Participation |
25% |
|
|
Project |
25% |
|
|
Oral Test |
50% |
|
Learning Methodologies
Teaching methodology will primarily consist of lectures in conjunction with student participation in in-class activities. Selected material from each unit is explained with the students. The instructor is available for individual attention whenever necessary.
Course Textbook
Steven R. Brydon & Michael D. Scott. Between One and Many The Art and Science of Public Speaking. California State University, Chico. 6thEd.
Classroom Etiquette
- Students should conduct themselves professionally at all times.
- Cell phones must be turned off.
- Class starts promptly at the time indicated on the university schedule.
- No food or drinks are allowed in the classroom.
- It is the student’s responsibility to obtain handouts, notes, and assignments for any classes (s) he missed.
|
Week |
Topic
|
|
1 |
Introducing Public Speaking (Units 1, 2, & 3) |
|
2 |
Preparing and Presenting a Public Speech (Units 6 & 7) |
|
3 |
Collecting Supporting Materials and Presentation Aids (Units 8 & 9) |
|
4 |
Analyzing and Adapting to Your Audience (Units 10 & 11) |
|
5 |
Review |
|
6 |
Organizing Your Speech (Units 12, 13, & 14) |
|
7 |
Wording Your Speech (Units 15 & 16) |
|
8 |
Rehearsing and Presenting Your Speech (Units 17 & 18) |
|
9 |
Review |
|
10 |
Preparing for final presentations |
|
11 |
Final Project/Oral Examination |
|
12 |
Final Project/Oral Examination |
The Final Project
Goals of the Project
The goals of the final project are two-fold: first, to help you produce a public speech which approximates that you will experience in the professional world; second, to enable you to showcase the skills learnt in the public speaking course and integrate them into one cohesive project, with special emphasis on ethical values, audience analysis, and objectivity.
Instructions and Description
Form a group of 3 to 4 members and choose an appropriate topic for your presentation. The presentation can be either informative or persuasive. You need to formulate a thesis and back it up with evidence or support using at least 5 reputable sources (Wikipedia is not a reputable source L).
On the day of your oral presentation, your group will deliver a PowerPoint presentation and submit a file containing a hard copy of your slides and photocopies of 5 sources used in the presentation (1 or 2 pages from each source suffice). Your presentation will be graded based on the criteria listed in the table below*.
Groups or team members who miss their presentation on the assigned day will receive a zero grade. Team members who attend but do not present will receive half the mark earned by the group. Identical presentations will receive a grade of zero. Therefore, you are encouraged not to share your work with other groups since this is your intellectual property.
The performances will be held in the last two weeks of the semester prior to the final examination. After the performance, I will ask each one of you a few questions to assess how well you understood course content.
On the day of the examination, bring a copy of this sheet, write your names in the table below and submit it to me along with your presentation file (see above) before the start of your performance. Good luck!
*The criteria have been adapted from DeVITO, JOSPEH. The Elements of Public Speaking. Addison Wesley Longman.
Grading Sheet
|
Criterion |
|
|
|
1.Followed ethical guidelines (Unit 1 and throughout text) |
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2. Practiced the skills for managing communication apprehension (Unit 3 ) |
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3. Selected a worthwhile and appropriate topic (Unit 6) |
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4. Selected a purpose that is limited to one main issue and is capable of being accomplished (Unit 6) |
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5. Selected a thesis that is specific and limited to one central idea (Unit 6) |
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6. Thoroughly researched your topic and integrated the support into your speech (Unit 7) |
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7. Amplified your ideas with examples, narratives, testimony, statistics, quotations, definitions, analogies, and presentation aids (Units 8 & 9) |
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8. Designed effective PowerPoint slides (Units 8 & 9) |
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9. Analyzed audience and incorporated into your speech appropriate adjustments (Units 9 & 10) |
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10. Composed an effective introduction that gains attention (Unit 13) |
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11. Composed an effective conclusion that summarizes, motivates, and provides closure (Unit 13) |
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12. Selected an appropriate pattern of organization for speech (Unit 14) |
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13. Used language that is appropriate in terms of directness, objectivity, formality, and accuracy (Units 15 & 16) |
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14. Used effective body language and appropriate voice (Unit 18) |
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15. Adhered to time limit - 10 to 15 minutes (Unit 18) |
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TOTAL |
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Names: |
|||||
|
Group Mark |
/10 |
/10 |
/10 |
/10 |
|
|
Individual Mark |
/10 |
/10 |
/10 |
/10 |
|
|
Bonus points for Participation |
/3 |
/3 |
/3 |
/3 |
|