COMS 361 L05 F08

 

Communications Studies (COMS) 361 - Lecture 05

Spoken and Written Discourse

Fall 2008

          MW 11:00- 11:50 SA 129 Tutorial: MW 12:00- 12:50 SA 129

Instructor:	Lynne Perras
Office Location:	SS 230
Office Phone:	220-3241
E-Mail:	perras@ucalgary.ca
Office Hours:	TBA

Course Description

This course will focus on the principles of spoken and written discourse.  Through practice in essay writing and speaking, students will study effective ways of communication.  The course will seek to give students both a theoretical understanding of and practical skill in oral and written communication.  The first hour will normally consist of a lecture or a discussion, while the second hour will be devoted to additional lectures, films, and/or tutorial work.

Objectives of the Course

The course will introduce the basic concepts of classical rhetoric; will aid students in using rhetorical principles to enhance their speaking and writing skills; will help students more thoroughly evaluate the spoken and written discourse of others.

Textbooks and Readings

Sharon Crowley, Debra Hawhee, eds.  Ancient Rhetorics for Contemporary Students, latest edition. 

Assignments and Evaluation

In-class essay (ethos and pathos)   September 24, 2008                              15%

Speech to Inform                            October 6, 8, 20, 22, 2008                    10%

(Logos) essay                                  November 3, 2008                               15%

In-class examination                         November 19, 2008                             15%

Speech to Persuade                         November 24, 26,

                                                        December 1, 3                                       10%

Rhetorical Analysis                         December  3, 2008                     30%

Attendance at Speeches                                                                                 5%                                                                                                      

It is the student's responsibility to keep a copy of each submitted assignment.
Note: 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.

Registrar-scheduled Final Examination:  NO

Please note: If your class is held in the evening, the Registrar's Office will make every attempt to schedule the final exam during the evening; however, there is NO guarantee that the exam will NOT be scheduled during the day.

Policy for Late Assignments

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

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

The following grading system is used in the Faculty of Communication and Culture:

(Revised, effective September 2008)

 

	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

To be handed out in class