Business and Professional Speaking Syllabus for 2024-2025
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Instructor Information

Course Information

AI Statement

Collusion is defined as “the unauthorized collaboration with another person or by any other means, including artificial intelligence (AI) and computer translators, in preparing work for fulfillment of course requirements.” Using AI like (ChatGPT or Google Gemini) to create a document is considered colluding. <strong>The use of Generative Artificial Intelligence on specific assignments is at the discretion of the instructor. </strong>

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Recording Policy

Disability Statement

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Disability Services facilitates access to all programs and services according to the ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as well as other federal and state laws.

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As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc

Amarillo College Tutoring for Success Policy:

Tutoring for Success applies to any student whose overall performance in the course falls below 75%. The instructor will create the task in the Student Engagement Portal (Watermark) to direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty- or SI-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. The tutoring service assigned, the due date for when the tutoring must be completed, and the amount of tutoring required are at the discretion of the instructor. Additionally, the task will alert the student’s success team. Students who do not fulfill the assigned tutoring task may be subject to program- and course-specific penalties that could result in a grade reduction and/or in not being allowed to progress in the course until the tutoring requirement has been satisfied.

Administrative Drop Policy

Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

Student Withdrawal Procedures

Students who wish to withdraw from a course must complete all steps indicated on the Academic Withdrawal Request form by the course withdrawal deadline.

NOTE: Students who are attending Texas institutions of higher education, for the first time fall 2007 and later, may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career. This withdrawal limitation does not include dual credit or developmental classes (Senate Bill 1231 Rule 4.10.) For more information on Drop and Withdrawal Policies, please visit the Registrar's Office Web site.

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Course

SPCH-1321-010 Business and Professional Speaking

Prerequisites

Course Description

Study and application of communication within the business and professional context. Special emphasis will be given to communication competencies in presentations, dyads, teams and technologically mediated formats.

Student ResourcesStudent Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact:

Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me

You can also contact the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Hours

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec)

Class Type

Online Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

The Art of Public Speaking, 13th Edition, by Stephen E. Lucas and Paul Stop. You will need the Connect version of the textbook from McGraw Hill. You will use Connect to complete assignments that add up to 40 percent of your final grade in the course, so you need Connect to pass the course..

We are using the Connect version of this textbook, which is a digital version from McGraw Hill that will be used for assignments in Blackboad Ultra. It is crucial that you gain access to the textbook at the beginning of the course.

How to Register for Connect through Blackboard Ultra:

Video link: https://www.mheducation.com/highered/support/connect/first-day-of-class/blackboard-ultra.html

Step 1:  Login into your campus Blackboard Ultra account using your personal login and password.

Step 2:  Then select SPCH-1321.

Step 3:  Select the folder that contains your course assignments.

Step 4:  Select any McGraw-Hill Connect assignment link to start the registration process.

Step 5:  Enter your email address and click Begin. If you receive the message, you have a Connect Account but have forgotten your password, click Forgot Password. *Depending on your school, you might skip this step. That’s ok! Just continue the process from that step to the end. 

Step 6:  Create your McGraw-Hill Education account. It is recommended to use your school email address when creating an account. To receive text alerts, enter your mobile number. Agree to the Terms and Conditions and then click Continue.

Step 7:  You’ll see 3 registration options. Choose what works best for you.

• Enter your access code from the bookstore and click Redeem.

• Buy Online to purchase access

• Get 14-day Courtesy Access

Step 8:  Click Confirm. You are now registered.

Supplies

Course Requirements:

• Textbook
• Microsoft Word or Google Docs (Google Docs are free to access with your Amarillo College email account)
• Access to presentation software: Prezi (you may create a free account online), PowerPoint, OR Google Slides (Google Slides are free to access with your Amarillo College email account)
• You must have regular access to a computer and reliable internet access for this course, as well as some means for recording your speeches (webcam, smart phone with camera access, etc.)

Student Performance

                                       

After completing the required course activities, students will

1. Recognize and explain basic communication terms and principles.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of theory and competence in preparing and presenting informative and persuasive speeches.
3. Be able to analyze various communication contexts.
4. Apply communication principles and theory in diverse circumstances and demonstrate effective communication, distinguishing effective from less effective responses.
5. Be able to find, identify, and effectively use supporting materials in speech and written assignments.
6. Understand and discuss how best to avoid plagiarism.
7. Participate in class and group processes.
8. Demonstrate courtesy and respect for classmates.

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

Behavioral Expectations

1. No administrative withdrawals will be initiated by the instructor
2. Students are expected to act respectfully to one another, meaning you need to give positive feedback to one another rather than critiques, in both commenting on speech performances as well as in your reflection papers.
3. Our weeks will begin on Monday at 12:00am and end on Sunday at 11:59pm, with the exception of Week Eight, which ends on Wednesday, May 7. You must follow the course schedule and complete all weekly assignments by each Sunday at 11:59 pm for credit. No late work will be accepted.

No substance or equipment in violation of the AC Student Code of Life will be permitted in communications courses.

· Turn off cell phones or put them on silent ring during class. No text messaging during class.

· Plagiarism is considered serious academic misconduct.  All written assignments presented in this class must be original work by the student.  Any student caught plagiarizing or cheating will receive a failing grade.  No form of scholastic dishonesty will be tolerated.  Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but not be limited to, cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion.

“Cheating on a test” shall include:

* Copying from another student’s test paper.

* Using test materials not authorized by the person administering the test. -------Collaborating with or seeking aid from another student during a test without permission from the test administrator.

* Knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, or soliciting, in whole or in part, the contents of an un-administered test.

* The unauthorized transporting or removal, in whole or in part, of the contents of the un-administered test.

* Substituting for another student, or permitting another student to substitute for one’s self, to take a test.

* Bribing another person to obtain an un-administered test or information about an un-administered test.

“Plagiarism” shall be defined as the appropriating, buying, receiving as a gift, or obtaining by any means another’s work and the unacknowledged submission or incorporation of it in one’s own written work. The use of Artificial Intelligence-generated knowledge is permissible as long as the AI source is cited along with any other sources used by the student in an assignment.

"Collusion" is defined as “the unauthorized collaboration with another person or by any other means, including artificial intelligence (AI) and computer translators, in preparing work for fulfillment of course requirements.” Using AI like (ChatGPT or Google Gemini) to create a document is considered colluding. The use of Artificial Intelligence on specific assignments is at the discretion of the instructor. 

Additional Information

A complete statement regarding scholastic dishonesty can be found in the Student Code of Conduct in the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook.

·  Any student who, because of a disabling condition, may require some special arrangements in order to meet course requirements should contact disAbility Services (SSC 119, 371-5436) as soon as possible.

·  No administrative withdrawals will be initiated by the instructor.  It is each student’s responsibility to drop a class or withdraw from school in the event he/she decides to quit attending class.

· Every student is required to comply with the policies published in the “Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook.”

Grading Criteria

Presentations		Total of 400 points, or 40%
	Speech of Introduction 100 points Informative Speech w/ Visual Aid 150 points Interview 150 points Special Occasion Speech  100 points
Written Assignments		Total of 100 points, or 10%
	Reflection Papers (2) 100 points (50 pts each)
Smart Book Exercises		Total of 200 points, or 20%
1 exercise per chapter, 20 Chapters 200 points (10 pts each) Examinations		Total of 200 points, or 20%
	Midterm Exam 100 points Final Exam 100 points
Participation Multiple log-ins per week, in-class discussion/critique of peers form. 100 points		Total of 100 points, or 10%

Letter Grades:
For Speeches, Tests, and Major Assignments For the Final Grade
A = 90 – 100 A = 900- 1000
B = 80 – 89 B = 800– 899
C = 70 – 79 C = 700– 799
D = 60 – 69 D = 600– 699
F = Below 60 F = Below 600

NO LATE WORK IS ACCEPTED. This is for your benefit in a fast-paced, 8-week course. Please reach out if you have extenuating circumstances.

Attendance

See the calendar below for assignment due dates and class meetings that have been canceled. You will need to log in to the course 3-4 times weekly to gain access to SmartBook exercises and engage with peers. This is how the Participation grade will be determined. Announcements about class meetings, including when additional times we're not meeting will be communicated through Blackboard.

Calendar

Additional Information