Course Syllabus

Download a PDF copy of the syllabus. 

COMM 1010—INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION

Instructor: Kristi Stevens         Phone: 435-283-7618
Office: LPB 208                      Email: kristi.stevens@snow.edu
Office Hours: TBA or by appointment           Credit hours: 3
       

Course Text: Communication in Everyday Life, (Fourth Ed.), Duck, & McMahan 

Course Description:

COMM 1010 combines communication concepts and skills with dual goals of helping you to understand basic communication principles and improve oral communication skills. This introductory course investigates communication theories and how to use these theories in practical application. Emphasis is placed on individual improvement in communication settings including intrapersonal, interpersonal, computer mediated, small group, public speaking and mass media. This course examines how human communication affects individual perceptions, cultural traditions and human philosophy. 

Course Outcomes:

- Communicate more effectively in interpersonal interactions
- Explore communication theory and ethics
- Deal effectively with conflict and utilize conflict strategies that are productive
- Develop or increase skills in oral presentations
- Listen actively and employ critical thinking skills to create meaningful dialogue
- Decipher verbal and nonverbal cues through which relational messages are often sent
- Explore a variety of philosophical and theoretical questions about human thought and
   experience.
- Gain a greater understanding of how knowledge is created through the study of language     
   systems, literature and/or philosophy.
- Gain a greater understanding of cultural tradition within a historical context, make
   connections with the present and consider the future.
- Write effectively within the Humanities discipline to analyze and form critical judgements.

Content: 

The following topics will be covered in class:

- Characteristics of competent communication
- Intercultural components of communication
- Perception and self concept development
- Presentation skills including: delivery, research, organization, assessment,
  visual aids, audience analysis and communication apprehension
- Intercultural components of communication
- Functions of nonverbal communication
- Importance of effective listening
- Relational Dynamics including communication in close relationships
- Gender Issues
- Engaging in effective conflict resolution
- Research project writing, referencing and study analysis

Instructor Policies:

Plagiarism & Academic Dishonesty:
Plagiarism is considered: (1) Presenting as one’s own work as the ideas, representations or words of another person without customary and proper acknowledgement; (2) Submitting as assignment purporting to be the student’s original work, which had been wholly or partly created by another person. PLAGIARISM, CHEATING or ACADEMIC DISHONESTY IN ANY FORM WILL RESULT IN FAILURE OF THE COURSE. Ignorance of what constitutes dishonesty is no excuse. Any incidents of this act will be reported to the Dean of Fine Arts immediately.

Respect the online classroom environment:
-Be tolerant of other students ideas and experience
-Avoid Academic Dishonesty in all forms (See Plagiarism & Academic Dishonesty)
-All written work must be handed in on the day the assignment is due to receive credit.
-Other late assignments will be accepted until the next scheduled class period for half credit. (We will follow a Monday, Wednesday, Friday class schedule for assignments.)
-No assignments will be accepted after the next scheduled class date.
-All written work must be typed, proofread and well organized in order to receive credit.

Time Policy:

You have a 30 second grace period on each presentation. After that, 5 points will be deducted from the score for each 30 second interval (over or under) that is surpassed. For example, if 95% presentation runs 15 seconds overtime, the score will be reduced to a 90% etc. 

NO PRESENTATIONS WILL BE GIVEN AFTER THE DESIGNATED PRESENTATION DAYS. 

NO EXAMS WILL BE ADMINISTERED AFTER THE DESIGNATED TEST DAYS.

American with Disabilities Act:

Snow College is committed to policies of equal opportunity in employment and educational programs, and to allow all persons access to college programs regardless of sex, age, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, or veteran disability in compliance with Title VII or the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Vocational Amendments of 1976, and other federal and state constitutional and statutory provisions.

Students with medical, psychological, learning and other disabilities desiring accommodations or services under ADA must contact the Accessibility Resource Center (ARC). The ARC determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of these accommodations and services for the college. For assistance, please contact the Accessibility Services Coordinator: Address: Snow College, 241 Greenwood Student Center, 150 East College Avenue, Ephraim, UT 84627. Phone: (435)283-7321 Fax: (435)283-7314 Email: paula.robison@snow.edu. 

Family Educational Rights and Privacy (FERPA):

It is a federal violation for a faculty member to discuss your academic record with anyone except an appropriate college official. If your parents or any other person wishes to discuss your academic performance, you must provide me with written permission.

Grading and Evaluation:

Grades are determined on a point/percentage basis.

No Extra Credit will be provided so prepare your assignments accordingly.

Grading Breakdown:

A   (94-100%) B   (83-86%) C   (73-76%) D  (63-66%)
A-  (90-93%) B-  (80-82%) C-  (70-72%) D- (60-62%)
B+ (87-89%) C+ (77-79%) D+ (67-69%) F   (0-59%)

Prepared Assignments:

Response Papers:

Throughout the semester you will be asked to write two-three page response papers analyzing different aspects of communication concepts we discuss in class. Some will take the form of social experiments and others will challenge you to assess your own communication and personality styles. You will be required to turn in 4 papers by the scheduled due dates. Individual assignments and requirements are available on Canvas.

 

Lab Attendance:

Please attend the speech lab three times during the semester. You may attend for any of your in-class presentations. The lab is located in the Lucy Philips Building room 204. Have a lab tutor assist you in preparing your speeches before your presentation date. Please submit your lab worksheet, with your FIRST and LAST name and the name of your lab tutor, to the instructor before the scheduled due dates. 

Rhetorical Analysis:

We have read, discussed, and researched a variety of communication mediums throughout the semester including literature, videos, music, film, commercial ad campaigns, social media messages, speeches, podcasts and interviews. 

Choose one published communication artifact such as a song, television show, video game, film, ad campaign, podcast, speech, etc. and analyze it's significance. 

Please try to think critically about the nature of your artifact and how it influences and impacts individuals, culture and society as a whole. Please examine ways in which this artifact influences your life and in turn, how your life potentially influences communication. 

Analyze the elements of communication that are used by selecting one of the communication theories we have discussed throughout the semester (ex: Goffman's Impression Management, Kenneth Burke's Pentad, Plato's Allegory of the Cave, etc.) 

So for your paper: you will need to follow the following four steps (1) Select a text (artifact) that you feel has hidden messages (subtext), (2) describe the artifact in detail, (3) examine the text (artifact) through your selected communication theory (ex. Goffman's Impression Management), describe and interpret the hidden messages and answer the questions posed below then(4) evaluate potential implications the text (artifact) has on various audiences. 

Using your selected artifact to answer the following questions: 

Why do we believe certain things are true and other things are not? Does society, as a whole, have an inability to accurately distinguish truths? What role does media and literature play in defining truth? How do we discern reality from entertainment? There are traditions, literary works, art, media productions, and texts that are handed down from generation to generation. Each generation leaves a creative legacy, the sum of its ideas and achievements in that specific media era. What legacy has your chosen media left for generations? Now consider cultural assumptions including moral, ethical, political, and religious views. Has your chosen media influenced these views?

So for example, how does your artifact show truth? Is it distinguished or hidden. What traditions handed down from generation to generation appear in your artifact? What legacy does your artifact leave for future generations (legacies aren't always good)? What cultural assumptions does your artifact make and how does that impact human perspective? Etc. 

You will write a 6 page paper in essay format, using APA as a style guide. You will need a title page, introduction, then each of the 4 steps listed above. You do not need an abstract. It should be double-spaced, with 1-inch margins, and typed preferably in 12-point font.  The 6 pages do not include cover or reference page (which are also required). Include 3 scholarly sources and at least 6 sources total to add creditability to your writing.

-Information on APA can be found at https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01

-This needs to be submitted to Turnitin Submission.  This is an academic plagiarism checker program.  When you are submitting this on canvas and you click on "this is my own work"  you are submitting it in to the program.  Please make sure you are under 12 percent similarity.

 

Informative Speech Presentation:

For this presentation you will create an informative speech on the topic of your choice. Your speech can demonstrate and/or explain a process, inform the audience about a person, place or event or discuss a significant moment in history. A critical factor in this speech is whether or not the information is identified and presented systematically by the speaker and delivered in an interesting and informative manner. Your presentation should remain well organized and easy to follow and should be clear and easy for the listener to understand. 

Do not waste time with the obvious in this speech, with topics like “How to tie your shoe” or “How to write a speech”. Be alert as to what your audience already knows about your subject and discuss an aspect of you topic that is not common knowledge. Be imaginative and creative in developing your speech and feel free to show us your personality!

Professional dress is required. You will be allowed to use 3x5 note cards and available technology if you wish to create a slide presentation. 

Please review the rubric for further information. 

Time Limit: 4-5 minutes    Bibliography: required  Outline:  required

Personal Evaluation: required
Notes: three (3) 3x5 note cards
Presentation Aid: required