Final Grades

Please log onto Blackboard and see the final column. Add 20 points to your grade, and then check to see where you fall in the grade scale.

A 950-1000
A- 900-949
B+ 870-899
B 840-869
B- 800-839
C+ 770-799
C 740-769
C- 700-739
D+ 670-699
D 640-669
D- 600-639
F 600 and below

Calculating your grade

Hello Class!

You can calculate your percentage in the class by adding up all of your points, and dividing by the the total points possible in the class. This will give you your percentage so you know what your grade is in the class.

I will send one final email this weekend once I have finalized grades.

Until then.....

Final Exam Procedures

Hello Class! The final exam is finally upon us. Here is a summary of final exam procedures:

1). Download the final exam review sheet from the Handouts Page on Blackboard. This form has been available all semester.

2). Study Study Study

3). Print out the Proctor Form from the Handouts Page

4). Find someone 21 and over who is NOT associated with the class in any way. Ask them to observe you take the final. The proctor MUST watch you take the entire exam.

5). Take the final exam on Blackboard anytime during May 18th, May 19th or May 20th. The final exam will open at 12:01am on May 18th, and will close on May 20th at 11:59pm. PLEASE NOTE that you have 45 minutes ONLY to complete the final exam.

6). Have the proctor sign the Proctor Form AFTER OBSERVING YOU take the final exam in its entirety and send it to me by *scanning in the form in emailing (preferred method), *faxing the form (see form for fax number), or *sending the hard copy through snail mail.

7). Once you have sent your proctor form to me, please email me and let me know how you have sent your form so I can look out for it.

8). I will not post your grade until I have the proctor form. Again, it is preferred that you scan the form into the computer and email it to me.

Good luck on your final exam!!! I will be available all weekend, and during finals week through email. I will also be on Yahoo Messenger from time to time, so if you see me online, go ahead and message me.

Last Week of Discussion

I must admit, the last week of discussion in this class is my favorite. I really enjoy reading about your favorite speech, what was most useful and what you will be able to use in the future.

I'm sure you noticed that I did not write an 'early bird' post this week. Since it's a short week, I assume that people will post early on in the week. Most everyone has posted at least once.

Note: Your speech grades will be returned today (Wednesday). I will also update Blackboard with the rest of the grades. Of course I will not be able to post your last week of discussion today, nor your final exam grade. But everything else should be updated so you can calculate your grade on your own. I will try to tabulate the columns for you, but that might take until the end of the week.

As you know from the email I sent yesterday, I will not be holding office hours on Thursday. I extended my office hours on Tuesday, which some of you took advantage of (it was nice chatting with those of you that contacted me during extended office hours). I will also be online on and off all day today while grading papers, blogs, calculating grades, etc..... If you see me on Yahoo Messenger, feel free to pop in if you see that I'm online.

I hope you have a fabulous day!

Week of May 10-13

Hello Class! Good job on your speeches on Friday. Overall, the class did very well. I will email back the results at the start of the week.

Here is what's on the Participation Page for our very last discussion week:

***Post Self-Evaluation on blog by the end of the discussion week, Wednesday, May 13th at midnight (see Self-Evaluation #3 assignment on blackboard) as well as participate in class discussion:

Class Discussion: Answer one in each of your three posts, at least 12 hours apart:
1). What concept or concepts from the class that you thought was the most helpful in preparing your speeches?

2). Which speech was your favorite and why?

3). What are you going are you going to take from this class that you think will be helpful in future endeavors?

***Remember to post 3 responses to your colleagues blogs.***

Note: You can comment on any of the three posts AND/OR the self-evaluation. Just make sure you have posted 3 comments on other blogs.

Please complete an online SOTE evaluation for Comm 20

Once again it is the time of year that students must complete SOTE ratings. Please have yours completed and submitted by Sunday, May 10th @ 11:59pm.

Please log into your "MySJSU" account and complete a SOTE evaluation for this course. Here are the instructions:

1). Log into "MySJSU"
2). Go to "Self-Service"
3). Click on "Online SOTE Ratings"
4). Complete the evaluation
5). Submit

Please be aware that once you submit the form, you will not be able to change what you have entered into the form.

Once you have completed the online SOTE evaluation, please send me a confirmation email that you have submitted the form. No need to enter text into the body of your confirmation email. Simply start an email and write "SOTE submitted" in the subject line.

Please email me if you have any questions about this. As always, I'm available by email, Yahoo Messenger and phone conversations.

I greatly appreciate your participation!

Eye Contact

Eye contact during your speech, and any speech in the future, is highly important. Your eyes should be meeting the eyes of your audience about 90%-95% of the time. This means that you should know your speech well enough to simply glance at your notecards for your next point, then focus on your audience.

Of course if you have statistics, facts, quotes, source citations, etc... you can look down at your cards, but as mentioned, the majority of the time you are focusing on your audience.

Eye contact, and interaction with your visual aid, along with your physical presentation (body positioning, fidgeting, etc...) will be weighted a bit more heavily during this final presentation. This is why practicing for the coming speech is SO INCREDIBLY important.

Please practice WITH your visual aid at least 7 times in order to get more comfortable with your visual aid, and get to know your speech more so you can make eye contact with your audience about 90%-95% of your total speaking time.

A good way to measure this is to practice your speech in front of someone and get their opinion about your eye contact and interaction with your visual aid.

Clear Course of Action

As you may already know, the last stage of Monroe's Motivated Sequence is the ACTION step. This is generally presented towards the end of your speech. As we mentioned in class during our last meeting, you should probably put this in your conclusion somewhere. The action step advocates a specific course of action.

For example, if your speech is about nutrition, in your conclusion you should mention eating 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day according to the new food pyramid. This statement advocated a specific course of action. You are actually telling the audience WHAT you want them to do. So decide what action you want the audience to take, then tell them in your conclusion.

Comment on this blog if you have questions about this.

Using your Visual Aid

Here is another tip for the coming speech. This one is about your visual aid.

Please practice with your VISUAL AID. You might want to put a reminder on your notecards about SLIDE CHANGES. This will cue you when you should push the button to go to your next slide and help you to focus more on your audience without looking at the projection screen (which you should try to avoid completely if possible).

If you need to present something on the slide to your audience, try to explain it in words while focusing on your audience (making eye contact) without focusing too much on the projection screen.

Your visual aid should enhance your speech, not hinder it. As beginning public speakers, sometimes we have a tendency to focus on the computer or projection screen because it's safe and comfortable. You should be focusing on your audience. Make MORE eye contact than you think is necessary. This will help to connect you with your audience. Along the same lines, you should know your speech well enough to focus on your audience without relying too much on your notecards.

More tips to come......

Preview and Review of Main Points

Hello Class! Here is a tip for the coming speech....

As we have been doing all semester, please make sure you are PREVIEWING and REVIEWING your main points. This means that you should PREVIEW your three main points in your introduction, and you should subsequently REVIEW your main points in your conclusion.

Previewing informs you audience of where you are going in your speech. When you review your main points, it summarizes what have just covered. As I have mentioned before, this may seem redundant or even unnecessary. However, redundancy helps your audience to remember/retain the information you have presented.

Look for more speech tips throughout the day tomorrow at various times.

Speech Critique

As a reminder, the Speech Critique Essay is due on Friday in class. You should choose ONE of the two videos and write the paper on that. You do not have to watch both videos.

Actuative Outlines Returned

I will be sending back your outlines late tonight. Make sure to look over the feedback and make appropriate changes for your speech on Friday.

Week of May 3-9

Hello Class! The semester is quickly winding down, and I'm sure we are all feeling the pressure of final projects, papers, and of course speeches. Please keep an eye out this week for more speech tips that I will put under the label (lower right hand side of my blog) called "Actuative Speech Tips". If you click on that label, you will be able to see each tip that I have included, in date order.

Here is what's on the Schedule and Participation Pages for this week:

1). Your Speech Critique Paper is due this Friday during our meeting. Please do not email me your paper, rather, bring it to class with your for our final meeting on Friday, May 8th.

2). You MUST practice your speech at least 7 times WITH YOUR VISUAL AID prior to our meeting on Friday. This is the culminating project in this course, and should be your best speech presentation. (There should be NO looking at the projection screen when presenting, you should NOT be relying on your notecards much, there should be LOTS of eye contact etc.... I will post more tips this week).

3). Your visual aid is due to me NO LATER than Wednesday, May 6th at 8pm. I will check each presentation to make sure it will work on my computer, and email you back if I cannot open the presentation.

4). You are REQUIRED to attend Friday's meeting. I will not be available to meet with students in person after Friday, May 8th, once our class meeting has adjourned (I will be available online and over the phone though). If you do not attend the meeting on Friday, you are fore fitting your opportunity to present a speech. This speech is approximately 30% of your grade.

I look forward to seeing you all on Friday. Remember to check my blog everyday this week for more speech tips.

Impressed

I just checked my email, and I must admit, I'm impressed. It's almost midnight, the night BEFORE the outline is due, and already more than half of the class has submitted outlines.

You guys are great!!!

More Actuative Outline Tips

Some reminders for the Actuative Speech Outline that is due NO LATER than 10am on Friday, May 1st.

Please be sure to include everything that is listed on the Assignment Sheet AND the blog I posted earlier this week. Make sure you have included:

2 instances of Valid Reasoning (Include at the end of the outline as stated in class. Please include WHICH TYPE of reasoning you have used).

2 different methods to establish Credibility (Include at the end of the outline as stated in class. Please include WHICH TYPE of Credibility you have used).

3 different types of Supporting Materials (Include at the end of the outline as stated in class. Please include WHICH TYPE of Supporting Material you have used).

Actuative Outline Tips

Hello Class! In case there is any confusion about the Acutative Speech Outline, I wanted to give you some pointers.

*The outline should follow the same format as the previous outlines. You should have a full paragraph introduction (label the following in the intro: Attention Getter, Purpose and Thesis, Establish Credibility and Preview your Main Points). Then, you should have three main points following Monroe's Motivated Sequence (I. Need, II. Satisfaction, III. Visualization). Make sure that you review Monroe's so that you understand each step and apply it appropriately to your outline. Finally, include a full paragraph conclusion (label the following in the conclusion: Review Main Points, Reinforce Purpose and Provide closure for the speech). Make sure to include transition sentences BETWEEN your main points please.

*Monroe's Motivated Sequence is as follow:
Attention Step (This step IS your introduction paragraph)

I. Need Step (you are creating a Need or stating the Problem of your topic)

(Transition Sentence)

II. Satisfaction Step (you are solving the problem or offering a Solution to the problem you just created).

(Transition Sentence)

III. Visualization (you are explaining what the world would be like with OR without your solution). Please note that this a full main point in your speech, so try not to cut this one short. It is also NOT simply a slide on your powerpoint presentation.

Action Step (This IS your conclusion paragraph.) You MUST make an OVERT call to action within your conclusion. You need to clearly state what steps the audience must take next.

Reminders: Our MANDATORY meeting is on May 8th at 12:00pm in HGH225. As I have mentioned over and over again, I will not be on campus after this date, so make every effort to be at the meeting).

Outlines are due NO LATER than May 1st @ 10am. Please submit them prior to this time. Submitting your paper at 10:01am will be considered a late paper, so get your submission in early!

Early Bird Posts

Hello All! Here is a list of folks who have blogged already this week. Go ahead and stop by their blog to get a start on your comments for the week.

beautiful
Colie
Genurr
Haightetak
Kai
KiwiMango
Marie
Niko
Piper
Roxy
vDNA

Let's congratulate these folks for getting an early start! Good job!!!!!

Grades Posted for April 19-25

I have just posted grades for the Discussion Week 4/19-4/25. Please log onto Blackboard to check your grades. If there is an issue with the blogging grade, please email me the following:

1). Dates/Times/Word Count of Posts to your blog
2). Dates/Times/Word Count/Locations of comments you made

Please check your grade on an ongoing basis and ask questions along the way. It will be difficult for both you and I if you do not check your grade, then have questions about past grades, especially as it pertains to discussion weeks.

As I have stated since the start of the semester, it is recommended that you keep track of your blogs and comments including dates/times/word counts, in case any issues arise.

All grades are on Blackboard, and are updated often, so there is little excuse for not keeping track of your grades on a continual basis. You are also able to calculate your grade at any point to figure out your standing in the class.

Please email me with any questions you may have. As always, I'm available to schedule a phone conversation. :)

Actuative Outline Grading

Hello Class! Listed below is how I will be evaluating your outlines (which are due this Friday by 10am!). Please email me if you have any questions. :)

Actuative Outline Grading Form

Content (intro, body, conclusion) /20
Full Sentences /2
Incl. Topic, Purpose, Org. Pattern, Thesis /2
Used Appropriate Org. Pattern /5
Used 2 instances of Valid Reasoning /2
Used 2 different methods to establish credibility /2
Used 3 different types of supporting materials /3
INcluded 4 in-text citations in APA format /2
Included 2 citations on reference page in APA format /2
Total /40

Week of April 26 - May 2

Hello Class! I hope today finds you well. Here is what's listed on the Schedule and Participation Pages for this week:

*Read Chapter 15 - Understanding Argument in Persuasion
*Read Chapter 16 - Media Appearances and Other Occasions
*Participate in Week 15 Discussion
*Reminder - - - Actuative Speech Outlines are due NO LATER than this Friday, May 1st by 10am

Class Discussion: Answer one in each of your three posts, at least 12 hours apart:

1). Speech Buddy: Review the following Interactive Videos, 15.1, "Schooling: Pro" and "Schooling: Con" on the Interactive Video Website. Respond to the ideas in the videos. What did you learn that could be helpful in your speech? What types of appeals were used? How did the speaker connect with the audience?

2). Reflect on a recent discussion you've had in which you tried to persuade others to accept your point of view. What type or types of reasoning did you use? How well did your reasoning work?

3). Pick one concept from the assigned reading that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.

Remember to post 3 responses to your colleagues blogs during this discussion week.

Reminder: There is a MANDATORY MEETING on May 8th at 12:0opm in HGH225. This meeting has been scheduled since before the semester began, and there is no excuse for missing the meeting. I WILL NOT be on campus after May 8th, so if you miss the meeting, you are fore fitting your opportunity to present the final speech in this course. The final speech in this course is approximately 30% of your grade. In other words, you WILL NOT be able to pass this course without presenting your final speech. Make necessary arrangements to attend the class meeting.

I suspect the meeting will be shorter than it has been in the past since the only task we have on May 8th is presenting speeches.

***If you will notice on the Schedule Page on Blackboard, you need to write a paper called the Speech Critique Paper. This essay is due on May 8th in class. DO NOT EMAIL ME THIS ASSIGNMENT. Please write the essay, print it out and bring it to our class meeting on May 8th. This is the ONLY assignment in the course that IS NOT submitted through email. I will email out the assignment this week (it is already on Blackboard).

Early Bird Posts

Hello All! Here is a list of folks who have blogged already this week. Go ahead and stop by their blog to get a start on your comments for the week.

Fish
Haightetak
Kai
Niko
Piper

Let's congratulate these folks for getting an early start! Good job!!!!!

Grades Posted

Hello Class! I just updated Blackboard with your grades from the week of 4/12-4/18. Please look over your grade and email me with any questions. If you do have questions about your grade for the discussion week, please include the following in your email:

1). Post dates/times and word count (on your blog).

2). Comment location/date/time and word count (on others blogs).

Once you send me this information, I will be happy to discuss your grade with you.

As the semester winds down, it is common for some folks to miss a blog or comment here and there. Please be aware of your grade, which you can calculate directly from Blackboard so you know where you stand in the class. As always, blog and comments are worth points which can ultimately effect your grade.

Let me know if you have any questions. I am always here to chat with you. :)

Week of April 19-April 25

Hello Class! Here is what's on the Schedule and Participation Pages for this week:

*Read Chapter 14 - Speaking to Persuade

Class Discussion: Answer one in each of your three posts, at least 12 hours apart:

1). What are the main points for your next speech? How do you plan on beginning and ending your speech? How are you going to persuade your audience towards your point of view (hint: use the assigned reading to help you answer this part of the question). It is not enough to answer this question with “I haven’t had time to start”. This question is one that inquires about your speech and the plan for your speech. You must answer this question in its entirety.

2). How are you immersed in a sea of persuasion? Give some examples of persuasive messages you’ve received in interpersonal, public speaking, and mass media contexts. What can you do to become a more critical consumer or persuasive messages?

3). Pick one concept from the assigned reading that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.

***Remember to post 3 responses to your colleagues blogs.

***Reminder Dates:
Actuative Speech Outline is due NO LATER than 10am on Friday May 1st.

MANDATORY MEETING on Friday May 8th. YOU MUST COME TO THIS MEETING IF YOU WANT TO PRESENT THE ACTUATIVE SPEECH. I will NOT be on campus after this date, so please make EVERY effort to come to the class meeting to present your speech. Since the Actuative Speech is close to 30% of your total grade in this course, this is a meeting you DO NOT want to miss.

Out of Town

Hello Class!

I will be out of town this weekend, but will be checking my email periodically. If you need to contact me, please do so through email. I will do my best to answer your emails, but may need until the end of the weekend to address your questions more thoroughly. I hope you all are having a great week so far. :)

Early Bird Posts

Hello All! It is that time in the semester where we are tired, and start to lose motivation to work on our classes, trust me, instructors feel it too. :)

Even though there seems to be a mid-semester lull, these folks have jumped into the week full on and have posted already. Go ahead and stop by their blog to get a start on your comments for the week.

Colie
Haightetak
Kai

Let's congratulate these folks for getting an early start and for fighting the mid-semester lull! Good job!!!!!

Week of April 12-18

Hello Class! Since we have finished our Informative Speeches, we should now be diligently working on our Actuative Speeches. Remember, the Actuative Speech is worth almost 30% of your total grade in this course, so it should be the BEST speech so far. Since you have already observed quite a few speeches in this course, you should know by now the things you need to do to make the coming speech successful. I will be posting "Actuative Speech Tips" as time goes on, so please take a look at those posts. I will start a new label on the lower right hand side of my blog called "Actuative Speech Tips". Be sure to check those on a continual basis.

Here is what's on the Schedule and Participation Pages for this week:

*Read Chapter 10 - Using Language Effectively
*Read Chapter 12 - Delivering Your Speech
*Reminder - - - THERE IS A QUIZ THIS WEEK on Chapters 7, 8, 9, 11 & 13

Discussion: Answer one in each of your three posts, at least 12 hours apart:
1). Speech Buddy: Review the following Interactive Videos 10.1, 10.2, 12.1, 12.2 and 12.3 on the Interactive Video Website. Respond to the ideas in the videos. What did you learn that could be helpful in your speech?

2). Read the discussion on Flickr regarding sexist language HERE! How do you respond to their comments in light of what your textbook says?

3). Pick one concept from the assigned reading that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.

***Remember to post 3 responses to your colleagues blogs.

Early Bird Posts

Hello Class! As a reminder, you are able to post a comment on ANY of the posts this week. As you can see (below), the three posts are the self-evaluation, Speech Revision and as always, Pick a Concept from Chapter 11. You are more than welcome to comment on any of the posts as long as you make 3 comments on 3 different blogs. Listed below are the people who have already posted:

Boed
Colie
Haightetak
Kai
Nike
Piper

Let's send a BIG congratulations for those folks who started off early this week! Y'all ROCK!!!!

Week of April 5-11

Hello Class! I really enjoyed your speeches on Friday. I can really see an improvement from the first speeches we presented in the course.

Here is what's on the Schedule and Participation Pages for this week:

1). Post your self-evaluation to your blog in essay format as we talked about in class. Make sure that your post is a minimum of 500 words. (10 points)

2). This is a minimum 200 word blog!!! Please take the suggestions provided to your by your instructor and your colleagues. Gather a group of at least 5 other people and present your speech. Have a conversation with your new audience about the strengths and weaknesses noted from your your speech either before or after your speech. Answer the following questions in your blog: Who did you present your speech to? What were their names? What did you do differently this time around than in the speech your presented to the class? Did you improve from the presentation on Friday? If so, in what ways? If you had to do the speech again, what would you do differently? After receiving feedback, were you able to improve your speech? Was this exercise useful? (Worth 10 points).

3). Pick one concept from Chapter 11 that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.

***Remember to post at least 3 responses to your colleagues blogs.

PLEASE NOTE: The three objectives noted above should be posted to your blog at least 12 hours apart like our normal discussion week.

Let me know if you have any questions! :)

Meeting on April 3rd

As you already know, we have a meeting scheduled for Friday, April 3rd at 12pm. Please make sure you arrive to room HGH225 before the 12pm mark, so we can try to start on time. Here's a list of what you should bring, along with some reminders at the bottom of this post:

1). Print out the form titled "Info Evaluation Form" on the Handouts Page on Blackboard. Bring an extra in case a colleague has forgotten theirs.

2). Print out the "Acutative Speech Assignment" located on the Speeches Page on Blackboard.

3). Print out the "Self-Evaluation #2" assignment on the Writing Page on Blackboard.

4). Bring your visual aid to class on Friday.

5). Remember your videotape for class. We will be taping the speeches again so you can compare your first speech to the current speech.

6). Look through the past "Speech Tips" I have posted. Remember, your time frame is different for this speech (see the assignment sheet for details).

7). Remember to bring your notecards with you on Friday.

8). BRING ALL RESEARCH for the Actuative Speech. I will be meeting with each of you one on one again, so be prepared for that.

9). Again, this is going to be a lengthy meeting, so bring snacks, bottled water, etc.....

Reminder#1: I will be holding office hours in person this Thursday from 11:00am to 12:00pm in HGH248.

Reminder#2: I will have limited access to the internet starting at midnight, Wednesday night. Please have your powerpoint slides emailed to me by midnight on Wednesday. If you need to contact me, I will be checking email on and off, but will not be able to retrieve documents or powerpoint presentations.

I look forward to the coming speeches! :)

Informative Outline Returned

By now each of you should have received a graded outline. If you have any questions about the grade, or about the coming speech, please email me. I am always available to chat online, through email or over the phone.

Look for some speech tips coming this week.

Week of March 29 - April 4

Welcome back from Spring Break! I hope you had a wonderful week off.

Here is what's on the Schedule and Participation Pages for this week, along with some reminders. Please read the post in its entirety:

1). Our meeting is on Friday, April 3rd at 12pm in HGH225. Again, please try to make it to campus early so we can get started right away.

2). There is NO discussion this week. However, during this week you should practice your speech at least 7 times. One or two of those practice sessions should be in front of someone who could give you feedback about your speech.

3). Please bring ALL research to class for your Actuative Speech. We will have individual meetings once again after all of the speeches are complete. Be sure to bring at least 4 sources with you. We will be talking about the Actuative Speech, and of course I will be asking for your main points. The next speech requires a certain Organizational Pattern, so please review the assignment sheet.

4). It may be helpful to bring your books to class on Friday so you can work directly with your text on the Actuative Speech in class.

5). VISUAL AIDS for the Informative Speech are due by Wednesday at midnight. I will be away from my computer starting early Thursday morning and will not be able to download any powerpoint presentations after Wednesday night. (It is HIGHLY suggested that you put together a powerpoint presentation for this speech).

6). My office hours on Thursday of this week will be held in person in my office on the SJSU campus. I will give more details a bit later this week about office hours, but in case you need some last minute help with your speeches, I will be on campus this week.

Week of March 22-28 SPRING BREAK

There is no class this week since it's Spring Break. Please practice your speech and perfect it for next Friday's meeting.

Have a great week!

Outlines Received

I have received your outlines. Each person should have received a confirmation email. I will be grading the outlines over Spring Break next week, and will return them as soon as I have them graded with comments. Once you receive the outline back, please make the appropriate changes to improve your plan for the coming speech. Remember to practice practice practice over Spring Break and into the following week. You will have an opportunity to revise your speech yet again after you receive my comments and your classmates comments, and present it to an audience of your choice. You will then blog about your speech revision.

As a reminder, our class meeting is on April 3rd @ 12:00pm. We will present our speeches during the class meeting and will discuss our coming Actuative Speech. Please bring the research for your next speech to class with you on April 3rd.

Outlines Due

I have just sent out an email about a deadline extension for the outlines. The outlines would normally be due at 10am on Friday. I will be extending the deadline until 11:59pm on Friday, March 20th (the same day).

Please make sure that you submit your outlines on time. Even 1 minute late will result in a grade deduction (see the syllabus for more information). If you need information about the late policy, please see the syllabus.

I will grade your outlines over Spring Break next week and return them to you for revisions. Our next meeting is on April 3rd, please mark your calendars.

I look forward to receiving your outlines for the coming speech. Make sure you review the grading criteria, in a blog below.

Early Bird Posts

Hello All! Here is a list of folks who have blogged already this week. Go ahead and stop by their blog to get a start on your comments for the week.

Colie
Haightetak
Kai
KiwiMango
Ms. Jeter
Niko
Piper
Vivian

Let's congratulate these folks for getting an early start! Good job!!!!!

Week of March 15-21

Here is what's on the Schedule and Participation Pages for this week:

*Read Chapter 9 Beginning and Ending Your Speech
*Read Chapter 13 Speaking to Inform
***Reminder: Informative Outlines are due on Friday, March 20th***

Discussion
Answer one in each of your three posts, at least 12 hours apart:

1). Speech Buddy: Review the following Interactive Videos: 9.1, 9.2, 13.1A, 13.1B and "Use It" 13.1 on the Interactive Video website. Respond to the ideas in the videos/ What did you learn that could be helpful in your speech?

2). What components, according to your book, go into an introduction and conclusion? How are you going to use these ideas in your Informative Speech? Please give specific examples! Write out part of your introduction and conclusion if necessary.

3). Pick on concepts from either Chapter 9 or Chapter 13 that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.

Remember to post 3 responses to your colleagues blogs during THIS discussion week.

Informative Outline Grading Form

Here is how I will be evaluating your Informative Outlines:

Overall Content.....5 points
Full sentences (no fragments or partial sentences).....2 points
Included Topic, Purpose, Org Patter, Thesis (at top).....2 points
Used Appropriate Organizational Pattern.....1 point
Intro includes (attention getter, credibility, preview of main points).....2 points
Used Exclusive Main Points.....2 points
Conclusion includes (review of main points, provides closure).....2 points
Included 4 in-text citations in APA format.....2 points
Included 4 citation on Reference Page in APA format.....2 points
Total.....20 points

Reminder Email

I just sent this email to your inbox:

As a reminder, outlines for the Informative Speech are due on FRIDAY, MARCH 20th, next Friday. The Schedule Page on Blackboard reflects Monday, March 20th, but as you will notice on the calendar, March 20th is a Friday. The due date is prior to Spring Break. I will grade the outlines during Spring Break week and return them to you for revisions.

You should already have the following completed:
1). Topics - give during the first or second week of class.
2). Research (you brought this into class during our last meeting)
3). Main Points (you told me your main points during our last meeting when we met individually)

Please use the outline worksheet to start the outline process if you haven't already. As a reminder, there are some different reminders for the Informative Speech. Please see the assignment sheet for those additional items that need to be included on your outline. I will post a grading rubric (grading criteria) to the blog tomorrow for your outlines as I did with the last outline, so look out for that blog post. Use the assignment sheet in conjunction with the outline worksheet to complete the outline. There are also outline examples on Blackboard that you can check out!

Self-Evaluation Grade

I have just finished posting the grades for the first Self-Evaluation Assignment. Log into Blackboard to review your grade.

I found each Self-Evaluation to be quite interesting. It seemed as though each person was able to put into words exactly what they are going to try and improve upon for the next speech. Using your videotape, feedback from your classmates, and of course the grading sheet I have already emailed back, you all have a specific course of action you will be taking for the next speech. This is exciting because now that we have gotten our feet wet with the first speech, we know what to expect for the following speeches in this course.

I look forward to reading your blogs this week!

Early Bird Posts

Hello All! Here is a list of folks who have blogged already this week. Go ahead and stop by their blog to get a start on your comments for the week.

Colie
Haightetak
Kai

Let's congratulate these folks for getting an early start! Good job!!!!!

Grade Update

I have posted grades for the following:

Culture Artifact Speech Class Meeting (out of 10 points)
Culture Artifact Speech Presentation (out of 100 points)
Culture Artifact Speech Outline (out of 10 points)

Please review the point values on Blackboard and let me know if you have any questions.

I will post the outline grade updates tomorrow, so for some of you the grade will change in that area. Also, your self-evaluation grades will be posted tomorrow as well.

Happy blogging!

Week of March 8-14

Here's what is listed on the Participation and Schedule Pages for this week:

*Read Chapter 7, Supporting Your Ideas
*Read Chapter 8, Organizing and Outlining

Discussion: Answer one in each of your three posts, at least 12 hours apart:

1). Speech Buddy: Review the following Interactive Videos" 7.1, 7.2, 8.1 and 8.2 on the Interactive Video website. Respond to the ideas in the videos. What did you learn that could be helpful in preparing a speech?

2). When do you find facts and statistics most effective in a speech? When are facts and statistics not as effective?

3). Pick one concept from the reading, that has not already been discussed, that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.

Remember to post 3 responses to your colleagues blogs.

Note: I will be staring another series of Speech Tips for the coming speech, so look out for those posts to help you along in the preparation process for the Informative Speech.

Cultural Artifact Speech Returned

I have just finished returning all grades for the Cultural Artifact Speech. Please check your email for the grading sheet. There are notes on each grading sheet, with a grade down at the bottom. I will post the grades to Blackboard, as promised, but Sunday night.

If there are any questions or concerns, please email me and we can chat either through email or over the phone. Please look out for the next set of "Speech Tips" for the coming speech. Pay close attention to the grading sheet and the notes I have made on your grading sheet and make the necessary changes for the Informative Speech.

Reminders

I have enjoyed reading your self-evaluations over the last few days. I look forward to reading more of them as they are posted.

As a reminder, you need to have your midterm exam completed by Saturday at 11:59pm. This means you need to start prior to that time so you have enough time to complete it by 11:59pm. Remember, you have 45 minutes to complete the exam. If you go over that time limit, any questions answered outside of that time period will be excluded from your midterm exam grade. Pay close attention to the time clock as you are taking the test.

Please DO NOT share answers with one another. This is part of the Universities Academic Integrity Policy (please see the "Quiz" page on Blackboard for more information). You ARE however, able to use any notes you have personally taken so far, and of course it is an open book test.

Informative Speech Reminder:
You should be working on your Informative Speech Outlines. I will not be offering a revision opportunity for the coming speech, so make sure when you submit your outline, it is your best work and you are doing all that is required for the outline and speech. See the Informative Assignment Sheet for more details about what is required.

I will be returning your speech grades by the end of the weekend. I will be updating grades on Blackboard by Sunday night, so please check that when you can and email me with any questions you might have.

Look for a post on Sunday. Until then.....

Grades for Discussion Week 2/15-2/21

Please check Blackboard for grades for the discussion week 2/15-2/21. If you have questions about your grade for this grading period, please email me with:

Posts to your blog - Dates, Time

Comments to other blogs - Dates, Times and Word Counts

Reminder

As I posted at the start of the week, your self-evaluations are due. Please post them to your blog. Please remember that this is an essay assignment, so please post it as an essay, not an informal blog post. There should be paragraphs, a clear introduction and conclusion, etc....

Also, remember to take the midterm on Blackboard this week. You have 45 minutes to complete it. You can use your notes and the book of course, but you are required to work alone and not share answers or the questions on the test. If a technical difficulty occurs, please copy and paste the error message and email me immediately. Blackboard has a checks and balances system where I can see exactly how long each question took you and the time you looked at each question, etc....

Let me know if you have any questions! Again, I am always available through email, Yahoo Messenger during office hours and quite a bit during the day/night, and of course through phone conversations. :)

Chapter Outlines

Reminder: Chapter outline for chapters 1-6 are available on Blackboard. Go to the Handouts Page to download them.

Week of March 1-7

Hello Class! It was a pleasure meeting you in class on Friday. Good job on your speeches, they were interesting and informative. :)

Here's the schedule for this week:

1). Your midterm exam is this week. Please log onto Blackboard to complete the exam (the midterm review is also on Blackboard). As a reminder, you have 45 minutes to complete the midterm. Any questions submitted after the 45 minute mark will not be counted towards your grade, so keep a close eye on the clock.

2). Please post your self-evaluation to your blog by the end of the week. As I mentioned in class, your self-evaluation is an essay, so make sure you are writing it and posting it in essay format. If you need to, click "View Blog" after posting the self-evaluation to confirm the paper looks the way you want it to, with paragraphs, etc...

3). There are no discussion questions this week, just the midterm and the self-evaluation.

4). If you want to get a jump start on the reading for next week, the assignment is Chapter 7 & 8.

Speech Tip#7

Here are some final tips for the presentation:

1). Make sure you fall within the 4-5 minute time period.
2). Practice practice practice!
3). Begin your speech with your attention getter. Please do not predispose your audience to any insecurities you might have.
4). Make sure you preview your main points.
5). Transition from idea to idea.
6). Review your main points.
7). Eye contact is key while presenting.
8). Have a relaxed but alert posture when you are presenting.
9). Try to be 'professional' while presenting.
10). Bring all required materials (see your email)

I am looking forward to meeting each of you during our meeting, and can't wait to see your speeches.

Until Friday.......

Week of February 22-28

This week will be busy for you in a bit of a different way - there are no blogs due. Please make sure you complete everything I have listed here before our meeting on Friday:

1). Reminder: Our meeting is on Friday, February 27th from 12:00pm to 5:00pm in HGH225. Please plan on being in class the entire time. We will take a few breaks, but plan on being in class for the full 5 hours.

2). Practice your speech AT LEAST 7 times OUT LOUD (and get feedback from at least one other person at some point during your practice sessions). Practicing in your head while you are driving or resting is not sufficient. You should practice WITH YOUR VISUAL AIDS at least 7 times this week. Make sure to time yourself so you can fall within the 4-5 minute time frame. Points will be deducted if go over or under time.

3). A visual aid is required for your speech. Create your visual aid this week if you have not done so already. It is RECOMMENDED that you put together a powerpoint presentation. If you put together a powerpoint presentation, you need to EMAIL ME WITH YOUR PRESENTATION BY THURSDAY AT 5pm. I will not accept any presentations after that time, and you MUST email me with the presentation so I can save it to my computer and have it ready by the time we start our speeches on Friday.

4). Print out the grading sheet for the Cultural Artifact Speech located on the Handouts Page on Blackboard (titled "Cultural Artifact Evaluation Form"). Review it. Get to know it well. Make sure you are aware of how I will be grading your speeches. BRING A COPY TO CLASS AND PUT YOUR NAME AT THE TOP. I WILL COLLECT THE GRADING FORMS AT THE START OF OUR CLASS MEETING.

5). Obtain a VHS videotape. We will be taping your speeches for a Self-Evaluation assignment due next week.

6). Start reviewing for your midterm next week. The midterm review sheet is located on the handouts page.

7). You should receive your outlines back tonight - Sunday. Take that outline and make the appropriate changes. You will not turn in your outline again, rather the changes that are made will be for your verbal speech. Your outline is simply a plan for your speech.

8). Transfer your outline to notecards. Please ONLY USE 4x6 notecards (a maximum of 4 cards). Do not write out your entire speech on your notecards, nor your entire outline on your notecards. Since this speech is an extemporaneous speech (look that up in your book and refer to the assignment sheet), you will only use keywords and transfer facts/statistics/quotes, etc... onto your notecards. If you write out the majority of your speech, you might be compelled to rely heavily on your notecards. You should have eye contact with your audience the MAJORITY of the time while you are speaking (approximately 90% of your speaking time). This means that you will need to practice your speech quite a bit (see item #2 on this list).

9). Practice your speech enough so you can make eye contact with your audience for the majority of your speaking time. Since you will not be writing out your entire speech on your cards.

10). Please check my blog everyday this week for further "Speech Tips" which will be about the actual presentation.

Outlines Turned In

Hello Class. I have received your outlines. I will be grading them over the weekend, and should have them back to you by Sunday night. This will give you at least 5 full days to revise your outline (which is of course the 'plan' for your speech) and in turn revise your speech if it is necessary. I am excited to see this first round of speeches on Friday. Your topics and research, from what I can tell, are going to prove to be quite interesting to hear.

Speech Tip#6

Here is the email I just sent out:

Your first outline is due tomorrow morning by 10am. Before you submit your outline, check the "Speech Tips" posts on my blog to make sure you are well informed.

Please follow the instructions below for submitting your outlines:

1). Save your outline in .rtf format. When you click "save as", look at the bottom where it says "save as type" and select (Rich Text Format *.rtf).

2). Title your outline like this: Perez_Outline1 (if you have saved it correctly, the .rtf should automatically appear).

3). Send me an email and attach the file to your email.

4). Make sure you submit the outline by tomorrow at 10am - NO LATER!!! You must submit an outline if you would like to present a speech next Friday.

5). Take note, our class meeting will be held on Friday, February 27th at 12:00pm in HGH225.

6). During our meeting we will introduce ourselves briefly and get down to business. We will present our speeches, then we will work on our Informative Speeches. You will work in groups with each other while I meet with each of you individually. Once we are done with the individual meetings, our class meeting will adjourn. You must stay the entire time in class to earn credit for the class meeting.

7). This may seem a bit premature, but you will need to bring research for your second speech to class with you on February 27th. In other words, start researching your Informative Speech, and bring at least 3 resources with you on Friday, February 27th.

Please plan ahead when submitting your outlines. Remember, your outline must be submitted by the deadline, or it will be considered late.

Look out for more speech tips over the weekend and throughout next week. I will be shifting the subject of the "Speech Tips" posts to the actual presentation, so pay close attention to those posts.

Let me know if you have any questions.

:)
Carol

Early Bird Posts

Hello All! Here is a list of folks who have blogged already this week. Go ahead and stop by their blog to get a start on your comments for the week.

Genurr
Haightetak
Kai
mz.jeter
Niko
Piper
Vivian

Let's congratulate these folks for getting an early start! Good job!!!!!

Stop by a little later for more Speech Tips.

Week of February 15-21

Reminder: Our weeks run from Sunday at 12:01am to Saturday at 11:59pm.

Here is what is on the Schedule and Participation Pages for this week:

*Read Chapter 5
*Participation in the Discussion
*Outlines are due THIS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20th by 10am
*MANDATORY CLASS MEETING on Friday, February 27th at 12:00pm in room HGH 225. Plan to be there 15 minutes ahead of time so we can get set up for our speeches.

Discussion:
Answer one in each of your three posts, at least 12 hour apart:

1). Speech Buddy: Review Drinking and Light Pollution videos on the Interactive Video website in accordance with Chapter 5. Respond to each video. What did the speaker do well? What can you learn from watching these videos?

2). Discuss the importance of audience analysis and audience adaptation in the speech development process. Also discuss how YOU plan on using audience analysis in your speech.

3). Pick one concept from the assigned reading that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.

Remember: Post 3 responses to your colleagues blogs within the time period of Sunday 12:01am to Saturday 11:59pm. Please make sure that you are commenting on THIS WEEKS discussion, and NOT a previous weeks post.

Speech Tip#5

This post will be invaluable to you while you are preparing your speech. Please look over Chapter 3, which is on Informative Speeches. The first speech, Cultural Artifact Speech, is indeed an Informative Speech.

Please watch the Speech Buddy Videos 13.1A, 13.1B and Headhunters as well as the videos I have listed throughout this post.

I will use the Headhunters Video (under Chapter 13) to show an example of what should go into your speech.

Introduction of the Speech (Watch Video 9.1)
1). At the start of the speech, the first thing that Curt said was his Attention Getting Material (Watch Video 9.1)
2). He then gives Credibility - he mentions his research, a class he took related to his topic, his interest in this topic and why he is talking about the topic (purpose).
3). He Previewed the Main Points of the speech, which were: (Review video 8.1)
*Headhunting Rituals
*Restrictions of the Ritual
*Why they decided to end the practice


Body of the Speech
1). Curt transitioned into the body of his speech by starting again by mentioning his first main point.
2). He transitioned clearly from idea to idea. Watch video 8.2 for an example.
3). He mentioned his research (or source citations) in his speech. Watch video 6.1
4). Notice his integration of visual aids throughout his speech.
5). Notice his body language and eye contact. He focuses directly on his audience and not his notes. He DOES refer to his notes, but he knows his speech well enough to speak directly to his audience.
6). He included quite a few facts throughout his speech and cited his sources.

Conclusion of the Speech (Watch video 9.2)
1). Curt clearly reviewed the main points of the speech.
2). He reinforced the purpose of his speech.
3). Curt provided closure at the end of the speech.

All of these things should be included in your speech. You have a unique advantage over most other public speaking classes. Please review all of the videos I have mentioned here, as they are clear examples and explanations of what your speech should include and ultimately look like. They shouldn't take too long to review, and will help your grade quite a bit for the coming speech.

If you need with your outline, as I mentioned in a previous post, please use the Outline Worksheet as a starting point. Fill it out, then use the Coffee Speech as an example of what the outline should look like in its final format.

Additionally, you should transfer your speech to 4x6 notecards (no 3x5 notecards or 8x11 pages will be accepted for your speech presentation). DO NOT write out your full outline on your notecards. If you will notice Curt's delivery, he was NOT looking at his notecards during his speech, rather referring to them from time to time, but focusing on his audeince quite a bit. Your eye contact with the audeince should be about 90% of your total speaking time. If you write out your speech on your notecards, you will be tempted to read them.

Use Curt's speech as a decent, but not perfect, example of what your speech should look like.

More speech topcs to come this week!

Speech Tip#4

Just so you are aware, this is how I will be evaluating your first outlines:

*Content (Full Paragraph Introduction, Outlined Body, Full Paragraph Conclusion) 4 pts.

*Used Full Sentences (no fragment or partial sentences) 1pt.

*Included Topic, Purpose, Org Pattern, Thesis (at top) 1pt.

*Used Appropriate Organizational Pattern 1pt.

*Exclusive Main Points (see past Speech Tips blog) 1pt.

*Included 4 In-text Citations 1pt.

*Included 4 Citation on Reference Page 1pt.

Total 10pts.


BEFORE submitting your outline, please look over this post to make sure you are not missing anything.

Grade Updates

Hello Class! I have posted grade updates. Please log onto Blackboard and review your grades. If you have questions about your grades during a particular discussion week, please gather the following information before emailing me:

1). The dates and times of your posts during the week in question.
2). Word counts for each post.
3). Location and date of your comments.

It is highly recommended that you keep a log of all posts and comments for a given discussion week in case you have questions about posts or comments.

Here are some things I noticed while grading posts for the week of 2/1-2/7:

*Only one or two posts were made during a week. (3 posts per week are required)

*Fewer than 100 words were included in some comments to other people's blogs. (100 words minimum for both posts and comments)

*Comments/posts were made outside of the discussion week. (You must comment within a discussion week. Make sure you look at the dates of the posts you are commenting on and of course the content to determine if you are commenting with a given week.)

*Content of comments/posts were not about the course. (Please keep all posts and comments related to the course content.)

Each of these items have resulted in a deduction of points.

If there is every any question about posts or comments, please feel free to email me, pop in on Yahoo Messenger during office hours or any other time you see me online, and of course I am always available for a phone appointment.

Speech Tip#3

In addition to full sentences throughout the outline, please make sure your introduction and conclusion are fully developed. This means that the introduction and conclusion should be full paragraphs with the specific items requested labeled in bold and in parenthesis. See the Coffee Speech for an example. Please note though, that the Coffee Speech is missing some things. Make sure to follow what is required on the Outline Worksheet.

As always, please email me if you have any questions. :)

Early Bird Posts

Hello All! Here is a list of folks who have blogged already this week. Go ahead and stop by their blog to get a start on your comments for the week.

crambosho
Genurr
Haightetak
Kai
KiwiMango
KKhong
Niko
Piper
Vivian

Let's congratulate these folks for getting an early start! Good job!!!!!

Stop by a little later for more Speech Tips.

Speech Tip#2

Now that you all have chosen your speech topics, it's time to get down to business. Here's what you should do next:

1). Research your topic. Make sure to vary your sources. You must have at least 4 sources and they must be varied. This means that you may not use 4 internet sources. You may use two at the most, but must have books, magazine articles, peer reviewed journal articles, etc....

2). After researching, choose your main points. You should have about 3 main ideas you want to cover. Make sure your main points all relate to the topic itself, but are separate from one another so they do not blur together. You can read about main points in Chapter 8.

3). Go to the Handouts Page and look at the Outline Worksheet. You must include everything on that outline worksheet in your outline. But take note, the Outline Worksheet is merely a tool. You can look at an outline example, also listed on the Handouts Page, to make sure your outline looks appropriate.

4). Make sure that your finished outline has only full sentences. No fragment sentences, no bullet points, no partial sentence. You must also have proper punctuation.

I am always here to answer questions for you in case you need help. I am more than willing to look over an outline ahead of time and give you advice. Start preparing early!!! You must turn in an outline in order to present a speech.

Week #4 February 8-14

Here is what's on the Participation and Schedule Pages for this week:

***Read Chapter 6, Researching Your Speech
***Take the Plagiarism Tutorial and email me your results by 2/14 11:59pm for credit. Click HERE to take the tutorial.
***There is a quiz this week on Chapters 1-4. Please go to Blackboard to take the quiz.

Discussion: Answer one question in each of your three posts, at least 12 hour apart:

1). What experiences do you have with conducting research interviews? What went well? What needed improvement? Share your advice with your classmates.

2). Watch all Speech Buddy Videos that are related to Chapter 6. Respond to the videos. What did you learn that was helpful? What information from these videos will you use in the preparation process for your speeches in this course?

3). Pick one concept from the assigned reading for this week (Ch.6) that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.

***Remember to post 3 comments to your colleagues this week. As a reminder, the comments must be about the discussion this week. Posting on a past discussion will not count for credit.

Blogging Questions

Some of you have emailed me with questions and I thought it would be helpful if the entire class saw the answers. Here you go:

1). Q- Do I have to post on 3 different blogs? Or can I post two or three times on the same blog as long as they are different posts?
A- You should comment on 3 different blogs.

2). Q- How do you keep track of our posts and comments?
A- I keep track of every post and comment on a spreadsheet every week we have a discussion. Each post you make on your blog will have a date and time stamp and I keep track of them to make sure they are at least 12 hours apart. Then, I check all comments made for that week. I will record the location of your comments.

3). Q- If I comment on someones post from last week, will I get credit?
A- No, I only check the blog posts for that week. Make sure you are checking the dates of the posts you are commenting on and of course, the content of the question to make sure it is an appropriate post.

4). Q- Do comments have to be at least 100 words like the posts do?
A- Yes, comments also need to be at least 100 words. I do word counts on all posts and comments to make sure you are reaching the 100 word minimum. Of course you can post more than 100 words, but 100 words is minimum.

5). Q- Should I keep track of the location of my comments?
A- Yes. Please keep track of comments and locations in case there is a discrepancy in recording or grading.

6). Q- What do I post as a comment?
A- Whatever you'd like as long as it has to do with the content of the post and related to the question I have asked. You can agree, disagree, add to the comment, ask thoughtful questions to the poster,give feedback, etc.... The comment content is up to you as long as it relates to course material, and of course the post itself.

7). Q- If I comment back to someone on my blog, do I get credit for it?
A- In short, no. You will only get credit for your three posts and three comments on other people's blogs. However, when someone asks you a question face to face, do you ignore them or give them the courtesy of an answer?

8). Q- How do you grade posts?
A- Content, answering the question in full, expressed thoughtfulness of course content and of course word count.

Chapter 1 Outline Posted

I have posted an outline for Chapter One. You can access the outline by logging onto Blackboard and clicking on the "Handouts" page. Remember, the chapter outlines are not a replacement for reading the chapters. There is a plethora of information in the chapters themselves that is not on the outline. Please use the outline for review purposes.

Speech Topics

As you have probably noticed from reading my blog at the start of the week, and from what is listed on the "Schedule Page" on Blackboard, you need to email me your speech topics for ALL THREE speeches by tomorrow Feb. 6th @ 10am.

Read each speech assignment PRIOR to choosing your speech topics:

1). Cultural Artifact Speech
2). Informative Speech
3). Actuative Speech (also known as a Persuasive Speech)

If you are having trouble picking a speech topic for your informative speech, google "Informative Speech Topics" to see what you find. REMEMBER: Your topics must be of social significance. If you need help choosing a speech topic of social significance, you can look at these web pages:

http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/romans/pubpol.html
http://www.serconline.org/issues.html
http://www.ncpa.org/iss/

Most of the topics listed on these webpages are geared more towards the Actuative or Persuasive Speech.

I hope this helps.! :)

Contacting Your Instructor

Here is a little reminder about how you can go about contacting me. There are 3 ways:

1). Email. I check my email during the week, M-F numerous times a day. I also check my email periodically on the weekends, but response time may take a little longer than during the week.

2). Yahoo Messenger. Download Yahoo Messenger if you haven't already and add me as a friend: carolperezcommclass As it states on the "Getting Started" page, I do not use Yahoo Messenger for personal use, so anytime day or night you see me online, feel free to message me. My 'official' office hours are on Tuesday's and Thursday's from 10:00am to 11:00am, but I am online quite a bit more than that.

3). Phone conversations. I am always available to schedule a phone conversation whenever you'd like. If you have a question you don't think can be solved over email or yahoo messenger, we can certainly chat over the phone. It's just like on campus office hours, but quite a bit more convenient for you since you don't have to come down to campus.

Speech Tip#1

I have been enjoying your first round of posts - keep it up. You will notice a bit later on this week that I will start commenting on your posts. You can comment back on your blog if you'd like by also leaving a "comment", but you are still responsible for 3 posts to your personal blog answering questions, and 3 comments on different blogs during any given discussion week (1 comment on 3 different blogs).

I have been received a few questions about the Interactive Video Website/Speech Buddy Website. This is a tool that comes with your book. Connected to your shrink wrapped book, there should have been a card or a piece of paper that has a code. You will follow the directions of that piece of paper to sign up for the Speech Buddy Website (also called Interactive Videos). Once you do that you can log in and watch the videos required for the discussion weeks.

Speech Tip #1
Now is the time you should be reading over all of the assignments in the course. By Friday, February 6th @ 10am, you should email me your topics for all of your speeches. I will respond with a confirmation email.

Of course as you know, the first step of writing a speech, or an essay for that matter, is to pick a topic. You should then start researching your topic immediately. Most students taking Public Speaking, online or otherwise, tend to think that speech writing is something they can do in a few hours. What most will find is that it takes quite a bit longer than that. I will set intermediate deadlines - the first being THIS FRIDAY with your speech topic. Next week will be completing research and sending me your three main points for your speech.

For each speech I will write a series of "Speech Tips" and post them. Please make sure you pay close attention to these speech tips, as they will help you quite a bit.

Chapter Notes
In the middle of every week that we have a reading assignment, I will post Chapter notes to the "Handouts Page". Please go to that page and download the notes. Of course these notes are not a replacement for reading the chapters, they should be used in conjunction with each chapter you are reading. If you rely on the notes alone, there will be quite a bit of pertinent information you will miss in the chapters. The information you read in the chapters will help in your success in this course.

Week of February 1 - 7

Welcome to your first week of completing assignments. Here is what's on the schedule for this week. Please be sure to pay close attention to deadlines (specifically dates AND times):

Our week started this morning at 12:01am and will end on Saturday at 11:59pm. Please have everything completed for this week by 11:59pm on Saturday.

1). Read Chapter 2: Building You Confidence

2). Read Chapter 4: Developing Your Purpose and Topic

3). Read over EVERY speech assignment in this course. Assignments are located on the Speech Page on Blackboard.

4). Pick topics for ALL speeches and email them to me BY FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6th AT 10am! (We will discuss topics a bit more during our first class meeting on February 27th). Remember, topics MUST BE OF SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE.

5). Please take note that we will have 3 in-person meetings to present our speeches. These meeting dates and times are noted on the Schedule Page and Syllabus. There is NO rescheduling speeches, so clear you calendar on those dates and plan to arrive to campus EARLY.

6). Discussion

Answer one of the questions in each of your three separate posts, at least 12 hours apart. Please make sure you are creating a NEW POST for each question on your blog. You MUST WAIT 12 hours from the first post in order to create a second post. The same is true for the second and third post. I will record dates and times of your posts, so make sure they are at least 12 hours apart. EACH POST MUST BE 100 WORDS OR MORE.

*1). What makes you apprehensive about public speaking? (Read the chapter first, and make sure to include chapter material in your answer).

*2). Speech Buddy Videos: Watch in the Interactive Videos (Speech Buddy Videos) and respond. Watch videos 2.1, 2.2 and "Intro Jessica". What did you learn? What was useful in the videos that you can apply to your speeches or speech preparation process?

*3). Pick one concept from the reading assignment this week (Ch.2 or Ch.4) that you found interesting or useful and and discuss it.

7). Comments
Remember to post ONE comment ON THREE DIFFERENT BLOGS between 12:01am on Sunday and 11:59pm on Saturday. This means that you will log onto MY BLOG at: http://comm20spring2009.blogspot.com/ and look at the lower right and corner to see a list of your colleagues blogs. Click on those blogs, read what was posted for this week, and respond. You need to make sure that you are responding to only what was discussed THIS WEEK. Comments posted to blogs that were NOT within this week will not be counted for points. Each comment must also be a minimum of 100 words.

Note: When you leave a comment, make sure you are logged into your blogspot account. In other words, you will need to make sure your "Display Name/Alias Name" shows up on the blog you are commenting on. I record the locations, dates and times of your comments as well.

Let me know if you have ANY questions about how blogging/discussions work.

Reminder: Check my blog everyday for updates, and check your email everyday in case there are emails you need to respond to pertaining to this course.

Happy Blogging!!!!

What should have been completed

Hello class! Here is what should have been completed from the start of class to today. (This information is listed on the Participation Page and Schedule Page on Blackboard. Please make sure to check these pages every week for what is due for the following week. Please make sure to pay close attention to due dates.

By now you should have already:
1). Read Chapter 1
2). Read Chapter 3
3). Read over the Cultural Artifact Speech (Speech#1 located on the Speeches Page)
4). Set up a blogspot webpage
5). Written a introductory post to your classmates (posted on your blog of course)
6). Read the Participation Page on Blackboard
7). Read the Schedule Page on Blackboard
8). Read the Syllabus Page on Blackboard
9). Read the everything on the Writing Page on Blackboard
10). Read everything on the Handouts Page on Blackboard
11). Read everything on the Speeches Page on Blackboard
12). Take note of where everything is located on Blackboard so you know where to look to find things as they come due.
13). Signed up for the Interactive Video Website (also called the Speech Buddy Website). You should have a card in your book that has a code and instructions about how to sign up for the website associated with the book.

If you have not completed this list of items, please do so today. As of 12:01am, our first official blogging week will begin. I will post what is due for the coming week either tonight or tomorrow, so look out for that post.

MAKE SURE to read everything on the Participation Page AND Schedule Page to make sure you know how discussion weeks work.

As always, email me if you have any questions! :)

Until later....

Blogging and Videos

I have been receiving some repetitive emails about how a few things in the course work. Please read the blog in its entirety:

Blogging:
Since we will be blogging starting this Sunday, I thought I would explain how blogging works. There is quite a bit of information located on the "Participation" page about how blogging works. Here is an abbreviated version.

We have all created a blogspot webpage. This is where we will be having discussions rather than on Blackboard. Each week that there is a discussion, you will write 1 new post for each question, every week typically has 3 questions. You should post your first blog, wait AT LEAST 12 hours, then you are able to post another blog. Blogging must be done at least 12 hours apart. For example, you can post on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. As long as the date/time stamp on your blog is 12 hours apart, you should receive at least some credit for your blogs. I record dates and times, and it is your responsibility to make sure they are at least 12 hours apart.

In addition to blogging, you will need to comment on 3 other people's blogs in the course during a discussion week. Log onto my blog and visit some other blogs. There is a list on my blog in the lower right hand corner that contains every one's blog in the class (yours should be there too). Click on any of the icons and read the blog then comment on it by clicking on "comment" at the bottom of the post. You need to make sure that when you leave a comment, you see your alias name so I can record that you have actually left a comment. It is your responsibility to make sure your name appears on the other person's blog. It may take a few tries to get it right, but you will soon catch on and become an expert at blogging. You are more than welcome to practice by leaving a comment or two on any of my posts to make sure you are commenting correctly.

As I have noted on the "Participation" page located on Blackboard, each post is worth 4 points (which needs to be done on your blog as a "New Post"), and each comment is worth 4 points (which is where you comment on other people's blogs). There is NO TIME restriction for commenting on other people's blogs. You can comment anytime during the week, and it does not need to be 12 hours apart.

So to summarize, you will post 3 times in a given discussion week. You will create a new post for each question and make sure your posts are at least 12 hours apart. You will also comment on 3 other blogs during a discussion week. Each post and each comment should be a minimum of 100 words, otherwise there will be a point deduction.

Interactive Video Website:
Each book should have come with a card attached to the inside of the book that gives you directions on how to sign up for the Interactive Video Website or "Speech Buddy" website. This coming week, starting February 1, you will have to answer a question about a couple of the Speech Buddy videos. You need to sign up for the Interactive Video Website as soon as possible so you can start viewing videos this coming week. Remember, weeks run from Sunday to Saturday, so you will have until next Saturday to sign up for the Interactive Video Website.

If there are any other questions about blogging, or the Interactive Video website, just leave a comment on this post, and I will answer the question so everyone can see the answer.

Until tomorrow.....

Blog Links

Hello Class!

I have added links to your blogs on the right hand side of my blog. As more students contact me, I will update the list. Just click on the links located on the right to go directly to your colleagues blogs.

Until tomorrow.....

Office Hours

As a reminder, I hold office hours on Yahoo Messenger from 10:00am to 11:00am on Tuesday's and Thursday's. I am logged on and available to chat. I do not use Yahoo Messenger for personal use, so anytime you see me logged into that account at anytime day or night, it means I am available to chat.

I also check my email consistently throughout my office hours, and throughout the day on most days. So, if you have questions, either send me an email or pop in on Yahoo Messenger so we can chat.

Of course we can always schedule a phone conversation whenever needed. If you would like to schedule a time to talk over the phone, email me and we can set up an appointment.

I hope you all are having a wonderful Tuesday!

Week #2 January 25-31

Hello Everyone! It has been a pleasure getting emails from a good percentage of you already. As most of you have figured out, the requirements for this week are minimal. In fact, a good majority of you have completed what needs to be done. For those of you that have not, please complete the following:

1). Set up a blogspot account and start blogging by posting an introduction blog about yourself.

2). Email me with the blogspot address, phone number, name and alias. (See the "Getting Started" Page on Blackboard for more details.

3). Introduce yourself on your blog as your first blog post. You should introduce yourself, providing a brief biography, and welcome others. Also tell us your "public speaking" story. What experiences in communication studies have you had? What are your goals for this class? What do you hope to get out of this class?

4). As a reminder, all of this is due (and everything else on the "Getting Started" page) by Friday, 1/30 @ 10am. If I do not hear from you before this date and time, your first assignment will officially be late.

5). You should have already read Chapter 1 in the text. This week you should read Chapter 3.

Look for another post tomorrow. Until then........

Week #1 Jannuary 22-January 24

Please read my past blogs to get caught up with what I posted before the semester officially began.

First things first: Log onto Blackboard and read the "Getting Started" page. This page will take you through the steps you need to take in order to get started in this course. Please do everything that page suggests. Make sure to read it in detail.

I will post updates a few times a week to my blog, the first being what is due every week. Most of the time I will post this blog on either Saturday night or Sunday. I will also comment on most of your blogs every week, depending on when you posts your answers to discussion questions, so look out for those comments.

Every week I will post a Chapter Summary on Blackboard, so look out for those. I will post those to the 'Handouts' Page. Please do not use the Chapter Summaries in leu of reading the chapters. it is imperative that you read each and every chapter in detail. It is not sufficient to simply read over the Chapter Summaries. You are responsible for all detail included in the chapters of the book.

For Week#1, here is what is on the Schedule and Participation Pages on Blackboard:
1). Read my blog (past posts)
2). Get to know ALL pages on Blackboard. Read over everything available to you.
3). Read over the Syllabus from start to finish.
4). Read over the Cultural Artifact Assignment, as this is the first major project in this course.
5). Thumb through your book to preview what will be covered throughout the semester.
6). Read Chapter 1
7). Both the Schedule and Participation Pages note that you should watch a video posted by me. Don't worry about that now, I will post the video soon, with a link to it on my blog.
8). Sign up for the Interactive Video website. A card should have been included in your book with direction and a registration code to sign up for this website. We will be using the Interactive Video website all semester, so please sign up for it ASAP.

Please make sure to email me with the information requested. It may seem strange that I requested a phone number, but in addition to office hours online and corresponding through email, I am always available for a phone conversation. If you would like to schedule a time for a phone conversation, send me an email and we can schedule a time to talk.

As always, please email me if you ever have any questions about the course.

Comm 20 Day 1

Check back on the first day of class. I will post a blog at around 11:00am. See you then!!! :)

Presidential Inauguration

I truly hope that you all are watching the Presidential Inauguration. In case you missed it, I highly suggest you watch it on the internet.

Pre-Semester Information

Allow me to extend an official Welcome to Comm 20!!!

To get started in this course, please take the following steps:
1). Review the Blackboard website. You should have received a letter from SJSU instructing you on how to long into Blackboard. Review all pages on Blackboard and get to know the class well.

2). Read over the "Getting Started" page straightaway. This page will direct you on what things you need to do to get started in the course.

3). Create a blogspot webpage @ www.blogger.com. When you do this, please create a new blog immediately by introducing yourself to me and your classmates. If you create a blogspot webpage but do not immediately blog, blogspot may flag your page and you may be locked out. So create the blog and post a blog ASAP.

4). When creating a blog, make sure to choose an alias that is different than your name. You also need to follow these steps to make sure your Display Name is the same as the Alias Name you send me. *Create your blog. *Once your blog is created, go into your Dashboard. *Once in your Dashboard, click on "Edit Profile". *Look halfway down the page and make sure your Display Name is the same as the Alias Name you have chosen.

The Alias you choose is the name your colleagues will use for you. So, if you choose a name like "Pookie" as your alias, you will be known in this class as "Pookie".

5). Email me at comm20spring2009@gmail.com with your Name, Email Address that you check often, your Alias Name, and a contact phone number - preferably a cell#.

6). Download Yahoo Messenger and add me as a friend: carolperezcommclass I will be holding most, if not all of my office hours online. You can chat with me at any time during my office hours, or anytime you see me online. I do not use Yahoo Messenger for personal use, so anytime I am logged on (which might be quite often), feel free to message me with any questions you might have.

7). Technical Support for Students having trouble logging into Blackboard:
For students have problems using Blackboard CE8 (eg. unable to log in, need password re-set, etc.), please contact San Jose State University's Informational Technology Support Services (ITSS) at 408-924-2377, or email at helpdesk@sjsu.edu ITSS is located on the first floor of the Academic Success Center in Clark Hall, so students can speak with someone in-person if they so desire. This not was sent to me directly from SJSU.

From what I recall last semester, if you are having problems logging in to CE8/Blackboard, please call the help desk during normal hours, as sending them an email may take a day or two to respond.

I will update my blog again soon. Until then, have a fabulous day!

Welcome to Comm 20

Hello Class! I know this is a bit early to start blogging, but I am currently working on the final touches of the class. I hope you all will find this class helpful.