Communications Studies (COMS) 361 - Lecture 06
Spoken and Written Discourse
Fall 2008
Saturday: 8:00 A.M. (combined lecture and tutorial)

Science A 129

September 13, 20, 27; October 4, 18, 25; November 1, 15, 22, 29

Instructor:                Lisa Bryce 

Office Location:      Second floor, Social Science Building, shared office

Office Phone:           cell 403-708-9201 (please use with discretion)

E-Mail:                        bryce@ucalgary.ca

Office Hours:           by appointment

 

Important Information

Please take careful note of the following information:

 

• Cell phones must be turned OFF at the start of class: vibrate or silent is not sufficient.

 

• Overt acts of rudeness are not tolerated. Please see the University's policy on non-academic misconduct in the University Calendar; this is conduct that "seriously disrupts the lawful educational and related activities of other students and/or University staff." Please respect your colleagues' right to hear the instructor speaking.

 

• Laptop computers may be used to take notes during class. However, inappropriate use of laptops (e.g. to view non-class related content or do work not for this class) will not be tolerated. Those who do not adhere to this rule will have to leave the class.

 

• Abusive emails are considered non-academic misconduct and will not be tolerated.

 

• Please do not send email attachments unless you have my explicit permission to do so.

 

• Because you are responsible for all material covered in class, attending all classes is strongly recommended. If lectures or readings are missed, you must make your own arrangements to catch up.

 

• I am always happy to answer questions, so do not hesitate to ask me during or after class, by email, or by phone.

 

• I will be happy to look at drafts of your assignments, but I cannot edit them for you. I will go through any problems with you, but it is up to you to make the corrections. Also, showing me a draft of your assignment does not guarantee an A on the assignment.

 

 

Course Description

In this course, you will learn the tools of rhetoric, principally contemporary, to speak and write more effectively. Classes will combine lectures, discussions, individual presentations, and group tutorials. You will learn how to organize and develop your own work, both spoken and written, from the initial idea to the final presentation, and how to evaluate rhetorical strategies used by other speakers and writers. Throughout this semester, classes will focus on helping you to think clearly and logically, and to present your ideas persuasively.

Course Objectives

This course has four main objectives:

 

• 1. To give you a basic understanding of the principles and techniques of effective communication.

 

• 2. To give you the opportunity to assess the spoken and written discourse of others.

 

• 3. To give you a strong comprehension of the principles of writing.

 

• 4. To help you improve your performance and level of comfort in academic writing and public speaking by putting into practice the principles you learn.

 

 

Textbook and Readings

Our textbook is available in the University of Calgary Bookstore: it is essential that you possess a copy of this textbook so you can comprehend the course material:

 

C.E. Channell and T.W. Crusius. The Aims of Argument: A Brief Rhetoric. 5th edition. Toronto, Ontario: Mayfield Publishing, 2006.

Assignments and Evaluation
It is your responsibility to keep a copy of each submitted assignment. Please do not throw away returned assignments until you have received your final grade for the course.

 

The three essays, two speeches, and grammar and punctuation presentation must be completed to receive a passing grade in this course. Please note the policy for late assignments. If you cannot do your speech or presentation on the date your instructor has assigned, you will lose a grade unless you provide justifying documentation.

* Class participation is graded on the quality of the assignments completed. In addition, intellectual participation is required: physical presence in the classroom is not enough to receive a "C" for class participation.

 

Table 1, following, lists the assignments, percents worth, and due dates.

 

Table 1: Assignments and Evaluation

Assignment Name	% final grade	Due Date
Draft for peer review of inquiry process essay	No grade	September 20
Inquiry process essay	15	September 27
Rhetorical Analysis Speech	10	October 4, 18
Rhetorical Analysis essay draft for peer review	No grade	October 18
Rhetorical Analysis essay	15	October 25
Convincing/Persuasive essay draft for peer review	No grade	November 22
Convincing/Persuasive speech	20	November 22, 29
Convincing/Persuasive essay	25	November 29
In-class assignments and class participation* Tutorial assignments (written and oral, included in  participation grade). Please note that in-class assignments cannot be "made up" at a later date.	15	On-going (no set dates)

Please hand in your essays directly to your tutor or instructor if possible. If it is not possible to do so, a daytime drop box is available in SS110; a date stamp is provided for your use. A night drop box is also available for after-hours submission. Assignments will be removed the following morning, stamped with the previous day's date, and placed in the instructor's mailbox.

Policy for Late Assignments

Assignments submitted after the deadline will be penalized with the loss of a grade (e.g.: A- to B+) for each day late.

Late assignments will be graded but not marked. Assignments more than five working days late will not be accepted. In the case of illness, you must submit a doctor's note with your late assignment. For any other circumstance that prevents you from submitting an assignment on time, you must provide appropriate documentation to your instructor. Otherwise, the late penalty will apply.

Please note that because all three essays must be handed in to receive a passing grade in this course, it is essential that you hand assignments in no later than five working days after the due date.

Assignments submitted after the deadline will be penalized with the loss of a grade (e.g.: A- to B+) for each day late.

Registrar-scheduled Final Examination:  No

Writing Skills Statement

Faculty policy directs that all written assignments (including, although to a lesser extent, written exam responses) will be assessed at least partly on writing skills. For details see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/info. Writing skills include not only surface correctness (grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, etc) but also general clarity and organization. Research papers must be properly documented.

If you need help with your writing, you may use the Writing Centre.  Visit the website for more details: www.efwr.ucalgary.ca

Grading System

Table 2 gives the following grading system that is used in the Faculty of Communication and Culture:

(Revised, effective September 2008)

Table 2: Grading System

	Grading Scale
A+	96-100
A	90-95.99
A -	85-89.99
B+	80-84.99
B	75-79.99
B-	70-74.99
C+	65-69.99
C	60-64.99
C-	55-59.99
D+	53-54.99
D	50-52.99
F	0-49

 

Where a grade on a particular assignment is expressed as a letter grade, it will normally be converted to a number using the midpoint of the scale.  That is, A- would be converted to 87.5 for calculation purposes.  F will be converted to zero.

 

 

Plagiarism

Using any source whatsoever without clearly documenting it is a serious academic offense. Consequences include failure on the assignment, failure in the course and possibly suspension or expulsion from the university.

You must document not only direct quotations but also paraphrases and ideas where they appear in your text. A reference list at the end is insufficient by itself. Readers must be able to tell exactly where your words and ideas end and other people's words and ideas begin. This includes assignments submitted in non-traditional formats such as Web pages or visual media, and material taken from such sources.

Please consult your instructor or the Writing Centre (SS 106, efwr.ucalgary.ca) if you have any questions regarding how to document sources.

 

Students with Disabilities

If you are a student with a disability who may require academic accommodation, it is your responsibility to register with the Disability Resource Centre (220-8237) and discuss your needs with your instructor no later than fourteen (14) days after the start of the course.

 

Students' Union

For details about the current Students' Union contacts for the Faculty of Communication and Culture.  See www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/su

"SAFEWALK" Program -- 220-5333

 

Campus Security will escort individuals day or night -- call 220-5333 for assistance. Use any campus phone, emergency phone or the yellow phone located at most parking lot booths.

Ethics

Whenever you perform research with human participants (i.e. surveys, interviews, observation) as part of your university studies, you are responsible for following university research ethics guidelines.  Your instructor must review and approve of your research plans and supervise your research.  For more information about your research ethics responsibilities, see

The Faculty of Communication and Culture Research Ethics site: http://www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/ethics

or the University of Calgary Research Ethics site:

http://www.ucalgary.ca/research/compliance/ethics/info/undergrad/

 

Schedule of Lectures and Readings

This information will be given out in class. Each assignment requires specific readings; this information will be included on each specific assignment handout.