Course 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           
       

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.

Credit hours: 3

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.

Attendance:
Because communication involves listening, evaluating, writing, and speaking, you are expected to attend ALL Class meetings. Part of your grade will be calculated by class participation points. These will only be awarded to students in attendance. Attendance will be calculated by in class discussion or when face to face attendance is NOT possible, discussions can be viewed synchronously via live video feed. When Absences do occur they are divided in two categories: excused and unexcused.

Excused absences are those taken for school related activities or circumstances, such as a medical emergency, that are beyond the student’s control. AN EXCUSED ABSENCES MUST BE JUSTIFIED TO THE INSTRUCTOR. Students must make up any homework, discussions. exams or speeches missed during the absence within ONE class period of your return. It is your responsibility to contact the instructor to arrange to make up missed work.

Unexcused absences are never reported to the instructor. They are taken when the student simply chooses not to be in class. STUDENTS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO MAKE UP ANY WORK RESULTING FROM AN UNEXCUSED ABSENCE. If you have any doubt as to what is or is not excused, please check with me before skipping. Using technology in class (such as texting, surfing the web or social media without permission) will be considered an unexcused absence and will be reflected in your attendance.

Regular class attendance is expected of every student.  A failing grade
of "UW" (Unofficial Withdrawal) may be submitted by the instructor if a
student ceases to attend or complete assigned coursework.  To avoid the
punitive impact of a "UW," it is the student's responsibility to officially withdraw from a course by submitting a "Change of Program" form no later than the tenth week of the semester. See the current catalog for more details.

Late Arrivals and Early Departures:
Class begins promptly, please be on time. In the event of an emergency and you must arrive late on an assigned presentation day, please do not enter the room until you hear applause so as to not interrupt your classmates giving their presentation. Please be prompt on the day of your own presentation. STUDENTS ARRIVING LATE WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO DELIVER THEIR SPEECH PRESENTATIONS.

Respect the classroom environment:

-Be tolerant of other students ideas and experience
-Turn off cell phones
-Avoid Academic Dishonesty in all forms (See Plagiarism & Academic Dishonesty)
-Any student who may need to miss class for school sponsored activities, including athletes,   must     provide me a schedule by the second week of school.
-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.
-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.

Restrictions:

You MUST GIVE THE PRESENTATION ON THE DAY ASSIGNED. If you choose to give it late, the following policy applies:

1. You may give the presentation or provide a video version of your presentation by the next class period.

2. You will lose 10 points for each class period that you are late!

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 .

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. 1040 points are possible in the course.

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 3 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.

Peer evaluation:
Preliminary group work will be graded by group members in the form of a confidential peer evaluation. This enables the group to determine how evenly work was distributed among members. You will grade individual members on a 40 point scale. For all members you will distribute points as you choose. Please be fair in grading. If one member did more work than another, grade accordingly. Peer evaluation grading is confidential.

Time Limit: 10-12 minutes   Outline for presentation: required

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