Each student will conduct or participate in a minimum of three oral communication assignments or a comparable amount of oral communication activity during the class. In addition, at least 40% of the final grade for a 3-credit course will be a function of the student’s oral communication activities (30% for a 4-credit course; 60% for a 2-credit course; 100% for a 1-credit course)

• Students must complete a minimum of three oral communication assignments with one from each category:
  • Interpersonal communication. Examples of acceptable interpersonal communication assignments include but are not limited to: conducting an interview, practicing interpersonal relationship management strategies, and completing a project in a pair.
  • Group communication. Examples of acceptable group communication assignments include but are not limited to: delivering an informative group presentation, delivering a persuasive group presentation, engaging in team debates, conducting group problem-based learning activities, participating in learning groups, and completing a team project.
  • Public communication. Examples of acceptable public communication assignments include but are not limited to: delivering an informative presentation, delivering a persuasive presentation, delivering a motivational speech, delivering a special occasion speech, engaging in a debate, presenting at a community event, and presenting at a neighborhood board meeting.
• All oral communication assignments must be students’ original work rather than the recitation of another’s work.

Each student will receive explicit training, in the context of the class, in oral communication concerns relevant to the assignment or activity.

• Students must receive explicit training in communication theories, principles, and concepts.
• Students must receive explicit training in creating verbal and nonverbal messages appropriate to the audience, purpose, and context.
• Students must receive explicit training on how to critically analyze messages.
• Students must receive explicit training in modern technologies to accomplish communicative goals.
• Students must receive explicit training in managing communication apprehension, a fear or anxiety associated with communicating.

Each student will receive specific feedback, critiquing, and grading of the oral communication assignments or activities from the instructor. 

• Students must receive written feedback, critiquing, and grading in verbal and nonverbal communication effectiveness and appropriateness in the context of the assignment.
• Definition of key terms:
  • Verbal communication: Verbal communication is the process of sharing meaning linguistically (Rothwell, 2016). Verbal communication includes spoken and written language (McCormack, 2013).
  • Nonverbal communication: Nonverbal communication is the process of sharing meaning non-linguistically (Rothwell, 2016). Nonverbal communication includes body language, paralanguage, spatial usage, and self-presentation cues (Verderber & Verderber, 2016).
  • Effectiveness: Effectiveness is the degree to which the speaker achieved their desired communication goals (Rothwell, 2016).
  • Appropriateness: Appropriateness is the degree to which the speaker adhered to the rules and norms of the communication context (Rothwell, 2016).

If instructor feedback primarily involves individual or paired students, enrollment will be limited to 20 students. If instructor feedback primarily involves groups of students, enrollment will be limited to 30 students.