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***** NOTE: This material was correct when I wrote it and should reflect the general spirit of our class for the foreseeable future. To get the latest specific information about the class, however, please ask me face-to-face or send an e-mail message to me at phil.venditti@cptc.edu Thanks! --Phil Venditti *****
GENERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT CMST& 220 -- PUBLIC SPEAKING
1. Why does CPTC offer this class? Because it believes any employee in the modern world will benefit from learning to speak well in public.
2. Why do students take the class? Some reasons given by past students are a) it satisfies a program requirement; b) it looks easier than a composition class; c) they want to get over feeling nervous when they have to speak in front of a group; d) it might be fun to learn to speak better; and e) learning to speak well may be useful in the workplace.
3. How will I be different after the course than before it? If you are like the vast majority of students who have taken the course in the past, you will feel when you complete it that you are more confident and competent as a public speaker. Youll also know the other students in class pretty well, and you may have made some new friends.
4. Do I have any chance of affecting how the course is run? Yes. Your suggestions for making the class better are always welcome. Questions, proposals, and objections from previous students have changed the course into what it is today, and it can always be improved. Please express yourself!
QUESTIONS ABOUT TIME AND EFFORT
1. How much time will I have to spend on this class? The general expectation for any college course is this: If you want to succeed, you should spend two hours outside of class preparing for every hour in class. In other words, you should spend about 110 hours for the quarter outside of class.
2. But I work and have a family. What if I do not have time outside class to spend two hours preparing for every hour in class? College, like raising a family and working for pay, is a significant responsibility. If you do not feel you can afford the time it will take to perform well in this course, you can a) spend as much time as you are able to, even if it is not enough to do well, and receive a low grade; b) attempt to reshuffle your paid-work and family obligations to permit you to satisfy the course expectations; or c) take the course later when you can devote as much time to it as it requires. The best time to make your choice among these options is EARLY IN THE QUARTER--or even before enrolling in the class, if possible.
3. Is the college acting as though this class is a job? Yes, and students who treat it like a job by working hard to follow its policies and meet its requirements generally do well in it.
4. Will the work load be even throughout the quarter? No. Each assignment poses unique challenges, and students vary in background and interests. As a result, you may spend quite a bit of time on some assignments and comparatively little on others.
QUESTIONS ABOUT ASSIGNMENTS
1. I will be giving seven speeches. Why so many? You can learn ABOUT public speaking by reading, watching tapes, hearing an instructor lecture about it, observing others do it, thinking about it, or practicing it yourself and getting reactions from other peoples. In this course, you will do all these things. The best way to learn to DO public speaking is by doing it. Most of the time we spend in this class will be devoted to your actually speaking and receiving oral and written assessments of how well you do. (In fact, a class section with an enrollment of 20 will include 140 speeches which take approximately 21 hours for you to deliver and 10 hours for the instructor and other students to help you debrief).
2. This is a public speaking class. Will I have to do anything besides presenting speeches in class? Yes. You will prepare an outline for each of your speeches. This will help you strengthen your organization and argumentation, both of which are prerequisites of a top-notch speech. You will write critiques of other people's speeches from class and elsewhere. And at the end of the course you will prepare a portfolio in which you write a few paragraphs about what you have learned in the course.
3. How come I have to do so much writing? 1) Writing is part of being a college student. Writing well is part of being a good college student, 2) All college courses require students to do at least some writing, and 3) Most effective public speakers are good writers as well, so practicing and improving your own writing should help you become a more effective speaker.
4. What is the point of writing six critiques of past speeches and live speeches? One good step toward learning any skill is to review examples of other people demonstrating it well. Before they enroll in English 103, most students have heard a few speeches throughout their lives. They have not examined the structure or techniques of those speeches carefully, however, nor have they read or analyzed prominent historic speeches. Students who find speeches to read and observe gain a broader understanding of what makes a speech effective. They can then apply that knowledge to their own speeches in English 103.
5. What is a citation? A short written description of a reputable source you consult in connection with a speech.
6. Why am I expected to include citations with my speech outlines? 1) To confirm that you drew upon more ideas and opinions than just your own as you prepared your speeches, 2) to make it possible for people who read your speech outlines to locate and learn from the sources you used, and 3) to demonstrate that you have mastered an element of scholarship which is understood and accepted within any college environment.
7. Why do I need to write up my citations in APA format? Americans use many different systems for writing citations. All the systems have pros and cons. APA style is the easiest to learn and follow.
8. When should I write up my citations? You are free to choose how you approach the process, but the best sequence is probably this: 1) Decide on a topic and specific purpose for your speech, 2) Choose your main points, 3) Find, read, and carefully note the particulars of non-web resources which provide information and support for your main points, 4) write up the sub-points, conclusion, and introduction of your speech, and 5) write your citations at the bottom of your outline as shown in the models available on line and in class. In other words, you should find and use your citations while you are preparing your speech--NOT afterward.