COMM 481

Introduction to Public Speaking – Honors

This course prepares students to speak in a variety of rhetorical situations: academic, professional, social, and political. Students develop skills in ethical research, analytical thinking and listening, organization and outlining, and effective verbal and nonverbal delivery of messages for diverse audiences. Each student will complete a minimum of 22 minutes of evaluated speaking time. This course is designed for students who already have college-level writing skills. Students conduct primary and secondary research to create informative and persuasive oral presentations and incorporate this research into formal outlines using APA or MLA style citations. Recording equipment may be used as an aid to the student’s self-analysis and improvement. Access to a computer with online capabilities may be required and is available on campus. Students may also be required to record speeches for instructor and peer feedback. As an Honors Course, this course requires students to (1) compose and present professional conference paper presentations, (2) learn about and demonstrate competence in Q & A sessions following presentations, and (3) analyze and apply critical evaluation skills through academic papers. This course is not open to students who have completed COMM 301.

Units: 3.0

Hours: 54 hours LEC