COMMUNICATION STUDIES 308, Section 01 - Persuasion 

 

Spring Semester 2007

Tuesday and Thursday  12:30-1:45 p.m.

Room 228, Moreau Center for the Arts

 

Dr. Michael Kramer

Office Address:   103 Moreau Center for the Arts

Office Hours:   Tuesday and Thursday, 9:30 a.m.-noon, and by appointment    

Phone:  284-4042 (office), 251-0262 (home)       

Email:  mkramer@saintmarys.edu

Home Page:  http://www.saintmarys.edu/~mkramer/

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

 

                  This course aims to help students develop a more sophisticated understanding of spoken and written public persuasion.   We will combine the study of persuasion theory with the public performance of speeches, so that students can learn about persuasion both as a consumer and producer of persuasive acts.  This approach also should strengthen each student's writing, speaking, and critical thinking abilities and raise important questions about how humans use language in the pursuit of persuasion.

                  As suggested above, the course is related to the following goals: 

                  1.  Students should be able to demonstrate an understanding of communication theory and history, and of critical thinking skills.

                  2.  Students should be able to produce written and oral messages appropriate to a variety of communication contexts.

                  3.  Students should understand the contexts (political, social, legal, ethical and cultural) in which messages are produced, disseminated, and interpreted.

  

REQUIRED TEXTS

 

                  1.  Timothy A. Borchers, Persuasion in the Media Age, Second Ed.  (Boston: McGraw Hill, 2005).

                  2.  Numerous readings will be provided in class for assigned reading or for classroom reading and discussion.

 

ATTENDANCE

 

                  Attendance and participation are an important part of this course.  However, in recognition of the demands of everyday life, there is some flexibility here.  First, I will excuse absences that are verified with official written documentation from the college.  Second, students are permitted 3 unexcused absences during the semester.  Each unexcused absence after that will result in a 10-point deduction from your final point total for the course.

                  Students are held responsible for all material assigned in the syllabus or discussed during the class sessions.  For any absence, you are responsible for obtaining lecture notes and assignments from a classmate.  You cannot make up missed exams or speeches unless you provide the documentation discussed above.   

 

PAPER REQUIREMENTS

 

                  All written work must be stapled, typed, double-spaced, with 1 inch margins and a standard 10 or 12 point font.  Research sources should be cited on a works cited page, using  MLA format.  Proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation is expected.  Failure to follow any of these instructions will result in point deductions.

 

ASSIGNMENTS

 

                  Detailed directions will be provided as we get closer to a particular assignment, but a general description follows:

 

1.  PARTICIPATION - Each student is expected to contribute regularly to classroom discussions.

Also, conduct that contributes to a productive classroom conversation, such as listening, attentiveness, and not coming to class late, is important and will be taken into account here.  This course requires an environment that promotes open discussion of persuasion issues, so disrespect for others' opinions will not be tolerated.   Finally, please turn off pagers, cell phones, and IM devices before entering the classroom.

 

2.  SPEECH PREPARATION AND PRESENTATION

 

Professional Persuasive Speech - (7-10 minutes)  You have an idea for a specific project, product, or policy in a professional setting.  This speech's goal is to convince a committee of decision-makers to adopt your idea.  In addition to a strategy report, you must also turn in a verbatim manuscript of this speech.  This speech also requires that you be prepared to field questions from the audience regarding the feasibility of your idea.

 

Social Transformation Speech - (6-8 minutes)  You are a social activist advocating a perspective that is not shared by everyone regarding a controversial issue.  The assignment requires that you craft a message that articulates a social problem caused by  a specific belief held by a specific group of people.  You should attempt to modify those beliefs and create an opportunity for the audience to better understand or even accept your beliefs and values.  In addition to a strategy report, you must also turn in a verbatim manuscript of this speech.

 

Strategy Reports associated with each assigned speech - These reports will be discussed more in class.  While it is not lengthy, the strategy report is a crucial part of each speech assignment.  It helps you prepare the entire speech in a strategic and more successful manner.  The strategy report is due the class period in which you are scheduled to speak.  However, I strongly  encourage you to finish a draft sooner and come and talk to me about it.  Also, I cannot give feedback on a speech draft until after you have turned in a draft strategy report.

  

The speeches may be videotaped so that I can provide additional evaluation outside the classroom when needed.  Also, you may come in and review the speech if you wish to discuss issues related to the physical presentation of the speech.  Finally, many speeches given in professional and public life are videotaped and speakers need to be comfortable performing in such circumstances.

 

3.  PAPERS

 

Persuasion Reaction -  You are to complete a 2-page paper identifying and critically thinking about a brief effort made to persuade you in the mass media (advertisement, newspaper editorial, letter to the editor, PSA, etc.)  This assignment will be evaluated based on the specificity, thoughtfulness, and overall strength of your critical insights, not on a lengthy description of the messageÕs content.  Be prepared to discuss your reaction in class on the day that it is due.

 

Apologia Strategy Analysis -  In this 4-5 page paper, you will analyze and evaluate a real-life example of apologia persuasion, a type of verbal self-defense used by someone accused of misconduct.

 

 

 

 

4.  EXAMS

 

Midterm Exam - The exam will cover the textbook readings, additional readings provided in class, and classroom lectures and discussions.  The format will be essay questions.

 

Final Exam - The final exam will be similar in format to the midterm but will be cumulative.

 

POINTS AND GRADE DISTRIBUTION

 

Participation                                             50 points

Persuasion Reaction                          25 points

Apologia Analysis                                 75 points

Professional Persuasive                  100 points

Social Transformation                        75 points

Midterm Exam                                         75 points

Final Exam                                                100 points

TOTAL                                                        500 points

 

Final Grades will be based upon the following scale:

 

Percentage                            Points                                               Grade

93-100                                      465-500                                                     A

90-93                                         450-464                                                     A-

87-90                                         435-449                                                     B+

83-87                                         415-434                                                     B

80-83                                         400-414                                                     B-

77-80                                         385-399                                                     C+

73-77                                         365-384                                                     C

70-73                                         350-364                                                     C-

67-70                                         335-349                                                     D+

60-67                                         300-334                                                     D

  0-60                                          0-299                                                           F

 

GRADE DISPUTES AND INCOMPLETES

 

                  Students who disagree with a grade on an assignment or exam must submit a written appeal to me within one week of the assignment being returned.  That appeal should make an argument as to why the grade should be changed.    

 

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

 

                  Consult the Saint Mary's Academic Honesty Code, which states:  ÒWhen students submit any work for academic credit, they make an implicit claim that the work is wholly their own, done without the assistance of any person or source not explicitly noted, and that the work has not been previously submitted for academic credit in another area.  Students are free to study and work together on homework assignments unless the instructor stipulates otherwise.  In the case of examination (tests, quizzes, etc.) students also implicitly claim they have obtained no prior unauthorized information about the examination, and neither give nor obtain any assistance during the examination.  Moreover, students shall not prevent others from completing their work.Ó 

 

                  Also, according to the policies of the Department of Communication Studies, Òa student who violates the policy will be given an ÒFÓ (0) on the assignment at issue.  A student who violates the policy twice in the same course will receive an ÒFÓ in the course.  A student who violates the policy in two or more courses will be dropped from the major.Ó  

 

                     I interpret the above policies to apply to giving speeches that you have already used in a different class, using another student's speech, or copying a speech from the Internet.  With current computer search engines and discussion within the department, it is not difficult for me to ascertain the authenticity of a speech.  If there are doubts, I may ask you to produce your research and research notes to prove that the work is original.

 

                   

COURSE CALENDAR - schedule may be modified if needed

 

T               1/16                          Syllabus and Overview

TH            1/18                          Attempting to Define Persuasion   READ Chapter 1 (for 1/18 class)

                                   

T               1/23                          ***Persuasion Reaction Due***;  Discussion

TH            1/25                          Advertising      READ Chapter 13

                                                     

T               1/30                          Apologia:  Self-Defense Persuasion    

TH            2/1                             Apologia     READ and analyze Edward Kennedy speech

                                                     

T               2/6                             Fear and Persuasion     READ Chapter 11,  pp. 308-311                     

TH            2/8                             Persuasion and Health Communication    READ Rogers, et al. article 

 

T               2/13                          Social Learning Theory and Cognitive Dissonance Theory

TH            2/15                          Ethics and Persuasion   ***Apologia Strategy Analysis Due***

 

T               2/20                          Field Theory  & Elaboration Likelihood Theory   READ Chap 2, pp. 48-51  

TH            2/22                          Credibility and Evidence      READ Wells speech handout                  

 

T               2/27                          Argument and Refutation     READ Chapter 10

TH            3/1                             MonroeÕs Motivated Sequence; Speaking in Professional Environments  

                                                     

T               3/6                             ***MIDTERM EXAM***

 TH           3/8                             First Half Wrap-Up

 

MID-SEMESTER BREAK – MARCH 10-18    

 

T               3/20                          Interpersonal Persuasion;   READ Chapter 14,  pp. 383-401

TH            3/22                          Deliver Professional Persuasive Speeches

                                                                                         

T               3/27                          Deliver Professional Persuasive Speeches                        

TH            3/29                          Deliver Professional Persuasive Speeches

 

T               4/3                             Deliver Professional Persuasive Speeches

TH            4/5                             Social Movements and Persuasion     READ Chapter 12, pp. 325-335 & 347-356

 

EASTER HOLIDAY -  APRIL 6-9

 

T               4/10                          Combining Burke & Perelman:  Identification and Values in Persuasion                        

TH            4/12                          Style, Language, and Delivery; Sorensen video    READ Chapter 7, pp.                                                                              208-212 and Chapter 15, pp. 430-442                      

 

 

T               4/17                          Discussion - Language Strategies in Social  Activism Speeches of                                                                                     Frederick Douglass and Stokely Carmichael

TH            4/19                          Visual Persuasion and Enthymeme   READ Chapter 6                         

 

T               4/24                          Persuasion in ÒReal LifeÓ:  Case Studies;  READ handout articles 

TH            4/26                          Deliver Social Transformation Speeches

 

T               5/1                             Deliver Social Transformation Speeches

TH            5/3                             Deliver Social Transformation Speeches;  Course Wrap-Up

 

                                                                                                                                                                   

FINAL EXAM (CUMULATIVE) -   Friday, May 11, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.  (Moreau 228)