Instructor:
 
 

Dr. John Haas
105 McClung Tower
974-2090 (w) 769-0095 (h)
Office Hours: 9-10 MWF or by appointment
jhaas1@utk.edu

Course Objectives:
 

1. To offer an intensive integrative experience that will substantially broaden the student's comprehension of the major;

2. To increase the student's understanding of the ways in which the ideas, methods, and achievements in Speech Communication have affected modern society;

3. To examine Speech Communication from differing perspectives; and

4. To help students develop effective oral and written communication skills.
 

Course Materials:

Course materials will be provided in class. You will need to purchase a three ring binder to store the course materials.
 
 

Grading:
 

Your grade in this course will be based on the following assignments:
 
 

Abstracts 5% of total grade
Annotated Bibliography 5% of total grade
Final Paper 30% of total grade
Mid-Term Exam 20% of total grade
Final Exam 20% of total grade
Program Series 15% of total grade
Participation 5% of total grade

Assignments:
 

Abstract: For this assignment, each student will select an article and prepare an abstract (or summary) of the article. Articles selected for this assignment must be approved in advance. Abstracts will be evaluated for their form and accuracy of content. Additional information about this assignment will be covered in class.
 

Annotated Bibliography: Each student will submit an annotated bibliography with at least twenty (20) sources in preparation for the final paper. Additional information about this assignment will be covered in class.
 

Research Paper: A well documented research paper will be submitted near the end of the term. This final document should demonstrate the student's ability to conduct research and to organize it clearly and effectively. Papers are due Wednesday, December 6. Additional information about this assignment will be covered in class.
 

Exams: There will be two (2) essay exams during the course; a mid-term exam (20% of total grade) will be administered on or about October 2 and a final exam (20% of the total grade) will be administered during Finals Week (Monday, Dec 11 from 8:00 to 10:00).
 

Program Series: The program series is designed to provide students with the opportunity to report the results of their scholarly activities, and to evaluate the scholarship of others. Additional information about this assignment will be provided during class meetings.
 

Class Participation: Since this course is a seminar, expression of reasoned and logical ideas, incorporation of knowledge from numerous classes, and intelligent questioning of others' positions are expected to be displayed by all participants. Thus, points will be awarded on the basis of active class participation, NOT on the basis of attendance. Class attendance is expected.
 

** A NOTE ABOUT WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS **
 

Your grade in this course is made up, in part, of several written assignments. While the content of these papers is critical, it cannot be separated from their form. Thus, one goal of this course is the further development of writing skills. In preparing written assignments, students should give careful attention to language usage and to writing mechanics. In addition, papers should be proofread carefully in order to avoid misspellings and inaccuracies due to typing errors. Writing errors will result in a lower grade on the assignment.
 

Assignment Penalties
 

1. Late papers will be accepted but will be penalized at the rate of one (1) letter grade per day.

2. The class participation grade will be lowered if there are more than three (3) class absences.

3. Plagiarism will result in failure of the course.
 

DATEACTIVITY
 
 
 

August 23 Introduction to the Course
 

August 25-30 Overview of Speech Communication
 

In this section of the course, students must demonstrate knowledge of the

multidimensional nature of the field of speech communication.

Students should be prepared to demonstrate an understanding of how study

in speech communication has evolved. Issues central to the study of speech

communication will be traced and the inter-relationships between various

communication perspectives will be examined.
 

Sept 1 Library Orientation
 

Sept 4 Labor Day Holiday
 

Sept 6 Research Projects / Preparing, Writing and Delivering Research Manuscripts

By this date, each student must select a topic for the final paper assignment.
 
 

Sept 8- Rhetorical Perspectives

Sept 15 In this section of the course, students must demonstrate a knowledge of the

history of rhetorical study.
 

*** ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY DUE FRIDAY, SEPT 15 ***
 

Sept 18- Social/Behavioral Science Perspectives

Sept 27 In this section of the course, students must demonstrate a knowledge of

social science perspectives on speech communication.
 

Sept 29 Review for Exam I
 

October 2 Exam I
 

Oct 4-11 Interpersonal Communication
 

Oct 13 Fall Break
 

Oct 16-20 Group Communication
 

*** ABSTRACTS DUE WEDS, OCTOBER 18 ***
 

Oct 23- Organizational Communication

Nov 1
 

Nov 3- Mass Communication

Nov 6
 

Nov 8- Topics in Speech Communication

Nov 10
 

Nov 13-22 Program Series Preparation
 

Nov 27- Programs

Dec 4
 

Dec 6 Future Directions / Course Summary
 

** RESEARCH PAPER DUE WEDS DEC 6**
 
 
 

FINAL EXAM: MONDAY, DECEMBER 11 FROM 8:00 TO 10:00