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COM 101: Intro to Human Communication

Fall 2010 • Section 92272

Instructor: Mark J. Grossman, M.A. (Adjunct)


Office: Orient 112, Eastern Campus
Phone: 631-786-0404 (Cell)
Office Hours: Upon request, before or after class.
Email: grossmma@sunysuffolk.edu
Meeting Days: Mon. and Fri., 8:00am - 9:15am, 208 Riverhead
Building, Ammerman

COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES

This course is designed to improve your skills as a communicator and


to enhance your understanding of the human communication process.
Attention will be given to the significance and complexities of
communication in general and communication as it takes place within
interpersonal, small group, and public contexts. Upon completion of
the course, the student will be able to:

1) Exhibit comprehension of various communication concepts


(such as perception, interpersonal relationships and listening)
through oral and written exercises and performance on exams.

2) Prepare outlines, carry out audience analyses (such as


gender/cultural factors), research and deliver various speeches
(including but not limited to informative and persuasive).

3) Demonstrate an ability to evaluate speeches critically.

4) Demonstrate an ability to function effectively in small


group problem solving and decision making situations.

5) Understand the use of emerging technology where


appropriate to enhance the communication skills taught in class.

Textbook:
The required text for the course is Communicate! 12th edition. Rudolph
F Verderber, Kathleen S. Verderber, and Cynthia Berryman-Fink.
Cengage Learning, ©2007. This text was chosen because it is written
for an undergraduate audience and covers – in a clear, readable
manner – the three basic units that are the focus of this course. While
the text is fairly comprehensive, it does not cover everything that we
will discuss in class. Therefore, do not expect that you can read the
text alone without focusing on, or attending, class and still achieve a
good grade.

Requirements of Course

1. Attendance:
Attendance is mandatory and will be taken at the start of each class.
You are allowed two absences for urgent personal business, such as a
job interview, a significant family event such as a wedding or funeral, a
sudden childcare need, or significant illness. More than two absences
will result in a 10-point deduction per absence (starting with the third
absence) to the student’s final grade, unless excused with valid
documentation, such as a multi-week illness where a doctor’s note will
be required. No matter what the reason, students are required to make
up all reading and class content by the following class. Therefore,
getting notes from a classmate is highly recommended because the
text does not cover everything that we will discuss in class.
Participation in class discussions and activities is mandatory. Students
are expected to arrive in class on time. Every third time a student is
late to class will result in the equivalent of one absence. If a student is
late to class, it is his/her responsibility to inform the instructor at the
end of class; otherwise, the student may be counted absent. During
class meeting times students are expected to participate in
communication assignments and activities as a major mode of
learning. Due to the nature of the course and the emphasis on
participatory work, speeches and presentations missed in class cannot
be made up. It is important to come to class since excessive absences
will impair your progress. Please note: students who must miss a
class, or miss part of a class, due to an officially sanctioned college
activity must notify me via email in advance.

2. Speeches:
Each student will give two presentations in this class: an informative
speech and a group persuasive speech. Details for these speeches will
be given in class during the semester. Speaking presentations must
be given on the date assigned. If a student is absent on a day when
he/she is assigned to speak, he/she will receive 0 points. A student
should not expect to have another opportunity to deliver the speech
unless the absence is excused with valid documentation, and the
instructor finds a time during a class session for the speech to be
presented.

3. Speech Proposals:
Upon receiving the assignment of the informative and persuasive
speeches, students (or group in the case of the group project) will be
required to submit to the instructor a copy of his/her appropriate
speech topic, general purpose statement, specific purpose statement,
and thesis statement. Students will not be permitted to give a speech
presentation without an approved proposal. More detail of the speech
may be submitted to the instructor for feedback but is not required.

4. Group Project:
Students will be assigned to small groups and carry out a group project
and present results to the class. Details of this assignment will be
given out in class.

5. Group Log
Each group will keep one log. The group can decide on the form of this
document but its function is to demonstrate, in an encapsulated
version, the ‘life’ of the group. The log must include a record of the
time and place of each meeting; the names of members in attendance
(including notations of late arrivals or early departures); a short,
general summary of contents in each group meeting; all specific
assignments given to group members; specific assignments brought
(or not brought) to the meeting; and a record of projections for the
next meeting(s). These logs need only contain a few sentences for
each meeting; they are to be summaries rather than step-by-step
accounts of the group's process.

6. Final Paper:
Individual analysis of group process: Each student will prepare a 3-4-
page analysis of the process their group followed in the planning,
designing, and implementation of their group project. This analysis
will be based on one theoretical concept. Specifically, you apply the
theoretical perspective of roles to the actual circumstances that
existed in your group. Papers are individual assignments and should
not be collaborated on with other group members. Further details will
be provided.

7. Exams:
There will be two exams given. These exams will be short answer,
short essay, and/or definition. The exam will be based on the weekly
assignment schedule (readings and lecture and in-class activities). The
final exam is comprehensive of the entire semester.

8. Participation:
The nature of this course encourages students to make a concerted
effort to participate in class discussions of text content, assignments,
activities, etc. Students are expected to contribute questions, personal
insight, observations, or personal/professional experiences.
Participation accounts for 15% of the final grade.

Additional Classroom/Course Protocol:

a. Turn off cell phones and other notification devices before class
begins.
b. Texting during class is strictly prohibited and will impact a
student’s grade.
c. If you arrive late to class on a speech day, please remain outside
the classroom until you hear applause marking the end of a
given speech.
d. Notify the instructor at the beginning of class if you need to
leave class early.
e. All assignments must be typed and turned in on time.
f. Late assignments will not be accepted unless valid
documentation is provided.
g. I may communicate certain information and assignments via
“sunysuffolk” email. Students must check their college-issued
email account regularly to ensure that they receive important
course information in a timely fashion.
h. If something isn’t clear, ask me! It’s likely that others have the
same question, so speak up right away. However, if you prefer,
you can ask me privately before or after class, or via email. If
there is something you do not understand and you do not ask for
help, you risk your work being incomplete or unacceptable and
your grade will suffer.
i. ADA Statement: Any student who, because of a disability,
requires a special arrangement or accommodation must contact
me before the second class.
j. Make-up exams, assignments, and quizzes may be allowed only
with a written, documented college or medical justification and
will be verified for authenticity.
k. Written assignments are expected to meet basic college-level
stylistic and grammatical standards. Failure to meet these
standards will influence your grade. Yes, even though this is not
an English class, spelling counts!
l. Plagiarism and cheating in any form will not be tolerated and
may result in an automatic “F” for the assignment, and possibly
the course.
m.Students making presentations should have the full attention of
the class and not be distracted or interrupted. Inappropriate
“audience” behavior will not be tolerated and will impact a
student’s participation grade.
n. If the opportunity for extra credit is given, it will be offered to all
students. Do not count on it! If you do well the first time, you
will not need it!
o. I sincerely welcome all kinds of communication from students –
questions before or after class, emails, calls, etc. If there is a
way I can help make this class better for you, please let me
know.
p. “Only mediocre people are always at their best.” – William
Somerset Maugham. I welcome your feedback about this class
and my teaching without fear of any consequences; there is
always room for improvement.

Your grade for the course is based on the following standards:

A – Exceptionally well-prepared and executed completion of assigned


work indicating effort, individualized style, and demonstrating a
thorough grasp of the course material.

B – Creative, well-prepared work, demonstrating a significant effort or


grasp of the material that is distinctly superior to an “average” effort.

C – Satisfactory completion of assigned work at a level of effort and


competency normally expected of the majority of students (basic
completion, average performance, and reasonable effort).

D – Unsatisfactory completion of work indicating misperceived


objective or failure to grasp key concepts but with reasonable effort.

F – Failure to complete assigned work and/or responsibilities through


lack of reasonable effort, or failure to attain a passing average on
either exams or assignments.

Grading

Exam 1: (15%) 60 points


Exam 2: (15%) 60 points
Informative Speech: (10%) 40 points
Group Presentation: (15%) 60 points
Group Log: (7.5%): 30 points
Individual Paper: (7.5%) 30 points
Informative proposal: (2.5%) 10 points
Persuasive proposal: (2.5%) 10 points
Class Participation (15%) 60 points
Attendance: (10%) 40 points

Total 100% 400 points

Scale

360 – 400 = A 280 – 299 = C


340 – 359 = B+ 260 – 279 = D+
320 –339 = B 240 – 259 = D
300– 319 = C+ Below 240 = F
Tentative Course Schedule

Week One:
Course Introduction –Review Syllabus/Assignments
Chapter 1 – Communication Perspectives

Week Two:
Ethics
Chapter 2 – Perception of Self and Others
Chapter 3 – Verbal Communication

Week Three:
Chapter 4 – Nonverbal Communication and
Chapter 7 – Listening and Responding

Week Four:
Chapter 5 – Communicating Across Cultures
Chapter 6 – Communicating in Relationships

Week Five:
Chapter 8 – Self-Disclosure, Feedback, and Conflict Resolution
Midterm Exam Review

Week Six:
Exam #1 (Midterm) covering Chapters 1 though 8.
Chapter 10 Group Communication

Week Seven:
Assign Group Project/Assign Groups
Chapter 11 – Group Communication
Lost on the Moon Activity

Week Eight:
Assign Informative Speech
Chapter 12 – Public Speaking—developing Topic and Research
Chapter Informative Speaking

Week Nine:
Chapter – 13 Organization
Informative Speech Proposals Due
Chapter 14 – Adapting Visually and Verbally

Week Ten:
Chapter 15 – Overcoming Speech Apprehension by Practicing Delivery
Informative Speech presentations
Week Eleven:
Informative Speech presentations
Group Speech Proposals Due

Week Twelve:
Chapter 17 – Persuasive Speaking
Final Exam Review
Exam #2 (Final)

Week Thirteen:
Group Presentations

Week Fourteen:
Group Presentations

Week Fifteen:
Group Presentations

Week Sixteen:
Group Presentations
Course wrap-up

NOTE: SCCC is closed and as a result classes will not meet on


the following days:
September 6, 2010
September 10, 2010
November 26, 2010

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