Speech Communication
COMS-101

Study and practice in communicating ideas competently in public speaking. Students are also given a foundation for development of communication skills in other human communication contexts, including dyadic and small group communication.

Communication skills are vital in nearly every career field, including education, business, politics, human services, Christian ministry, and the health professions. Learning these skills will also allow students to use their words to become even more effective agents for change and godly influence among their peers and others in our society. Students will understand and apply healthy and effective communication principles and practices to speaking before audiences, in small groups, and in conversations with others.

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon successful completion of the course, the student should be able to more effectively:

1. Use foundational communication concepts and worldview principles to evaluate various communication texts.
2. Present verbal messages that display creative, critical and logical thinking.
3. Organize oral and written messages.
4. Use oral and written language that is clear, accurate, vivid, and appropriate to the rhetorical situation.
5. Utilize effective nonverbal communication.
6. Demonstrate critical listening skills.

GENERAL EDUCATION FOUNDATIONAL SKILL LEARNING OUTCOMES

PRIMARY

Upon successful completion of the course, the student should be able to more effectively:

1. CIL 1: Discover and evaluate information to accomplish a specific purpose.
2. CIL 2: Communicate information effectively in the English language, orally and/or through writing, for a variety of purposes, using technology when appropriate.
3. CIL 3: Analyze and assess various forms of information and expression to determine their meaning, employing technology when relevant.
4. CIL 4: Demonstrate a basic understanding of the role of research and scholarship in order to apply it in various contexts.
5. CIL 5: Relate communication and information literacy to participation in God’s redemptive work.

SECONDARY

1. CT 1: Determine the validity and logical consistency of claims and/or positions, using reading comprehension strategies when relevant.
2. CT 2: Structure an argument or position using credible evidence and valid reasoning.
3. CT 4: Plan evidence-based courses of action to resolve problems.
4. CGE 5: Relate the human experience within various civic and global structures to participation in the redemptive work of God.
5. CC 3: Apply the biblical text and its principles to life in a manner that bridges various contexts and considers the implications for personal growth.
6. CC 4: Articulate how faith in Christ and the theological worldview of Scripture shape one’s purpose for pursuing education, employment, relationships, and socio-cultural engagement, relating these pursuits to the redemptive work of God.

Click on the following link to view the required resource(s) for the term in which you are registered: Liberty University Online Bookstore.

Additional Materials for Learning

1. Computer with basic audio/video output equipment
2. Internet access (broadband recommended)
3. Canvas recommended browsers
4. Please note, technical skills for this course include:
   • Creating and submitting files in Microsoft Word
   • Basic Canvas navigation skills
5. Media player software
6. Digital video recorder or similar device.

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student will demonstrate his/her understanding of covered communication concepts by creating and posting a critical, thoughtful thread in response to each of 3 Discussion prompts. For each new thread, the student must provide a substantive response to the prompt required by the specific Discussion instructions. Properly formatted replies of at least 75 words must be posted in response to 3 or more other students’ threads.

This assignment aligns with the following FSLOs: CIL 1, 2, and 3.

The student will demonstrate his/her understanding of covered communication concepts by using the provided outline templates to compose a properly formatted outline for the informative speech presentation and the persuasive speech presentation that he/she will submit for credit in this course. The Speech Outline may be submitted, initially, as an optional rough draft and will then be submitted, by its designated due date, as a required final outline. Each speech outline must be composed in Microsoft Word. The Informative Speech Outline Assignment must cite at least 3 expert sources, and the Persuasive Speech Outline Assignment must cite at least 4 expert sources.

This assignment aligns with the following FSLOs: CIL 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5; CT 2 and 4.

This assignment aligns with the following FSLOs: CIL 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5; CGE 5; CC 3 and 4.

The student will demonstrate his/her understanding of covered public communication concepts by presenting an informative speech and a persuasive speech, respectively, before a visually documented live audience of 3 or more adults. The Informative Speech Outline Assignment must cite at least 3 expert sources, and the Persuasive Speech Outline Assignment must cite at least 4 expert sources. Each speech must be 4-6 minutes and satisfy the other criteria set forth in the assignment instructions. Once the speech is recorded, the student will upload the recording to YouTube as an unlisted video, and then post the video’s link to the instructor.

This assignment aligns with the following FSLOs: CIL 1, 3, and 5; and CT 1.

Each quiz will cover a chapter of textbook readings for the assigned Module: Week. Each quiz will be open-book/open-notes, contain true/false and multiple-choice questions, and have a time limit of 30 minutes.

Responses to student emails will be provided within 48 hours and assignment feedback will be given within 1 week from the assignment due date.

Course Assignments, including discussions, exams, and other graded assignments, should be submitted on time.

If the student is unable to complete an assignment on time, then he or she must contact the instructor immediately by email.

Assignments that are submitted after the due date without prior approval from the instructor will receive the following deductions:

1. Late assignments submitted within one week after the due date will receive up to a 10% deduction.
2. Assignments submitted more than one week and less than 2 weeks late will receive up to a 20% deduction.
3. Assignments submitted two weeks late or after the final date of the course will not be accepted outside of special circumstances (e.g. death in the family, significant personal health issues), which will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the instructor.
4. Group projects, including group discussion threads and/or replies, and assignments will not be accepted after the due date outside of special circumstances (e.g. death in the family, significant personal health issues), which will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the instructor.

Students with a disability and those with medical conditions associated with pregnancy may contact Liberty University’s Online Office of Disability Accommodation Support (ODAS) at [email protected] for accommodations.  Such accommodations require appropriate documentation of your condition.   For more information about ODAS and the accommodations process, including how to request an accommodation, please visit https://www.liberty.edu/online/online-disability-accommodation-support/. Requests for accommodations not related to disabilities or pregnancy must be directed to the Registrar’s Office, which generally handles medical needs support.

If you have a complaint related to disability discrimination or an accommodation that was not provided, you may contact ODAS or the Office of Equity and Compliance by phone at (434) 592-4999 or by email at [email protected].  Click to see a full copy of Liberty’s Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct Policy or the Student Disability Grievance Policy and Procedures.

In an effort to comply with U.S. Department of Education policies, attendance is measured by physical class attendance or any submission of a required assignment within the enrollment dates of the course (such as examinations, written papers or projects, any discussion posts, etc.) or initiating any communication with one’s professor regarding an academic subject. More information regarding the attendance policy can be found in the Academic Course Catalogs. Regular attendance in online courses is expected throughout the length of the term. Students who do not attend within the first week of a sub-term by submitting a required academic assignment (such as the Course Requirements Checklist, an examination, written paper or project, discussion post, or other academic activity) will be dropped from the course. Students who wish to re-engage in the course are encouraged to contact Academic Advising to discuss their enrollment options. Students who begin an online course, but at some point in the semester cease attending, and do not provide official notification to withdraw, will be assigned a grade of “FN” (Failure for Non-Attendance). Students wishing to withdraw from courses after the official start date should familiarize themselves with the withdrawal policy.

For courses with a Pass/NP final grade, please refer to the Course Grading section of this syllabus for the assignment requirements and/or point value required to earn a Passing final grade.

The full policy statement and procedures are published in the Policy Directory.

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While we acknowledge that some may disagree with various elements of the Code of Honor, we maintain the expectation that our students will commit to respect and uphold the Code while enrolled at Liberty University.

Adherence to the principles and concepts established within facilitates the success of our students and strengthens the Liberty community.

The Code of Honor can be viewed in its entirety at http://www.liberty.edu/index.cfm?PID=19155.