COMM 201 CRN 33335 SPRING 2025

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Welcome to Communication 201

Department of Languages and Communication
Email: jlyman@cuesta.edu
Online Office Hours: TBA
Contact Number: Phone: 805-546-3100 ex.2856

Instructor: Joshua J. Lyman

Meeting Day: Tuesday

Meeting Time: 1pm-3:50pm

Meeting Place: RM 4405

Online through Canvas

Spring Session

Joshua J. Lyman

Department of Languages and Communication
Email: jlyman@cuesta.edu
Online Office Hours: NA
Contact Number: Phone: 805-546-3100 ex.2856

Hi All,

Welcome to Comm 201, Late Start Session.  Please read through this course overview and make sure it fits with your schedule, needs, and life.  Late start classes move very fast, so be ready to tighten your seatbelt, hold onto your hat, and get ready for a quick paced approach to learning and performing public address.

Important Note: This class will be taught Live and through a DE online format.  This means there are mandatory Live class meetings to accommodate course content and speech presentations, in addition, there will be course content, tests, discussions and activities done online.

Description and Objectives: This is an introductory course in public speaking designed to provide the opportunity for improvement in both theoretical understanding and practical performance of oral communication. This class satisfies the general education requirement in oral communication and is acceptable for UC and CSU transfer credit.

 Course Objectives:

  1. To learn the basic principles of human communication.
  2. To become a more effective communicator. This involves an analysis of your communication situation, audience, occasion, and purpose; selection of subject matter; research, analysis, and organization of material; presentation of the message, and evaluation of the effectiveness of your communication.
  3. To become a more careful and critical thinker and communicator, both as a speaker and a listener.
  4. To understand your relationship and ethical responsibilities to others involved in the communication transaction.
  5. To understand the impact of recent technology on oral communication.

Major Speech Activities:

Informative Speech--in a five-minute speech, you will teach your classmates about some process or subject that will be useful and meaningful to them. Significance of topic will be important in assigning a grade. Outside research (at least three sources) and a formal outline will be required.

Persuasive Speech--in a six-minute speech, you will attempt to persuade your audience to agree with your position on a significant, controversial issue. In addition, you will answer questions from the audience about your speech topic and position. Outside research (at least three sources) and a formal outline are required.

Critiques and Discussions: Both the instructor and members of the class will provide written critiques and oral critiques to all speakers. Online discussions will be a regular part of this course. They will be a part of your class participation grade and are essential in helping your classmates improve.

Examinations: There will be three (3) exams based on readings and material from the textbook.

Outlines and Self-Evaluation:  There will be two Formal Outlines and a Self-Evaluation paper.

Course Materials

Textbook:  Brydon, S. R., & Scott, M. D. (2011). Between one and many: The art and science of public speaking (7th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill.  ISBN 9780073406831

For this course, you may need some of the following software to be able to participate and present:

  1. Digital presentation software for your presentations. These can include any of the following:
    • PowerPoint  (PPT)
      • You will need to be able to view PPT presentations online to help your peers.
    • Prezi
      • This is a free online service. Use your Cuesta email address to get more free storage if, or when, you sign up.
    • Google Slides
      • I highly recommend this.  You already have a Google/Gmail account with the college.  It is free and easy to use and just as powerful as PPT.
  1. 2)  PDF Reader
  1. Video Conferencing software/application

Course Expectations

  • I expect you to be prepared.  
  • All work is to be submitted online.  Please upload your materials for each assignment through Canvas.
  • Do not miss your deadlines.   Speeches must be given on assigned, mandatory class meeting date.

Student Expectations

As a student taking an online class, the following expectations will apply and be useful for your success in this class.

Course Work

  • You will be expected to participate in all discussion forums and peer critique forums.
  • Make sure you have read all the chapters and viewed all the course materials each week.  The course/weeks are set up so you build each week on new skills.  Missing any of the material will inhibit your ability to perform the skills necessary to pass the class.
  • Please email me with any questions or other issues you may be having during the course in advance of assignments or posts. 

Submitting Assignments and Peer Critique work

  • All assignment and peer critiques are to be submitted online through Canvas.
  • Submit all work as a Word Doc or RTF.  In some cases a PDF will be accepted.
  • When you submit files, please make sure the upload/file name has the following information: Your full name_the assignment name_CRN#.  Ex: Jack Black_Informative Speech_32513

Netiquette and Discussion Forum Participation

  • Use respectful and appropriate language in your forum discussions.  Please do not use texting language, lol. 
  • Emoticons are acceptable ways to show emotion.
  • Avoid CAPS as they come across like YOU'RE SCREAMING.
  • You are expected to read all forum posts.
  • You are to respond to the appropriate number of posts for each forum.
  • All messages are public, so be careful and courteous when you post.
  • Make your posts thorough and your replies as well. 
  • Complete sentences an thoughts are mandatory for forum posts. 
  • Use a person's name when you reply to their post.
  • Use my.cuesta email for private communication.

Technical Considerations

For Help and Technical Support

  • For issues related to accessing Cuesta's Moodle Site or other technical issues, email: support@my.cuesta.edu
  • If the Cuesta server goes down or the power is out, you are still responsible for accessing the course.  When this happens, you can access the class through: https://cuesta.instructure.com
  • For all other issues related to the course or course content, please email me.

Disabled Student Services and Programs

  • The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that reasonable accommodations be provided for students with physical, sensory, cognitive, systemic, learning, and psychiatric disabilities.  Please contact me at the beginning of the course to discuss any such accommodations. 
  • Contact DSPS at 546-3148
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