Introductory Speech

KEY CONCEPTS AND SKILLS:

With appropriate effort and practice, at the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Understand and appreciate the role of public communication in public affairs and personal development.
2. Analyze an audience and choose topics appropriate to the audience, occasion, and purpose.
3. Exercise ethical decision-making in speech research and preparation.
4. Access information using a variety of search strategies and relevant sources.
5. Distinguish between common knowledge and ideas requiring attribution. Correctly choose between paraphrasing, summarizing, or quoting when incorporating citations.
6. Employ supporting materials (e.g., explanations, examples, illustrations, statistics, analogies, and quotations from relevant authorities) in a manner that establishes the speaker’s credibility/authority on the topic.
7. Organize, synthesize, and communicate information from sources so the intended purpose is achieved.
8. Demonstrate clearly and consistently an organizational pattern (specific introduction and conclusion, sequenced material within the body, and transitions) within the presentation.
9. Create and evaluate arguments in speeches and other forms of public discourse.
10. Employ interesting and effective delivery techniques (e.g., posture, gesture, eye contact, and vocal expressiveness).

These specific course outcomes are in support of two of the Missouri State University General Goals for General Education, and the specific Student Learning Outcomes for each of those General Goals:

• MSU General Goal 4: Students will be able to listen critically and speak thoughtfully, clearly, and appropriately to a variety of social, academic, and professional audiences.
• SLO4.2 – Demonstrate clearly and consistently an organizational pattern (specific introduction and conclusion, sequenced material within the body, and transitions) within the presentation.
• SLO4.4 – Employ interesting and effective delivery techniques (e.g., posture, gesture, eye contact, and vocal expressiveness).
• SLO4.5 – Employ supporting materials (e.g., explanations, examples, illustrations, statistics, analogies, and quotations from relevant authorities) in a manner that establishes the speaker’s credibility/authority on the topic.
• MSU General Goal 6: Students will be able to know when there is a need for information and then be able to identify, locate, evaluate, and effectively and responsibly use and share that information for a particular problem.
• SLO6.2 – Access information using a variety of search strategies and relevant sources.
• SLO6.4 – Organize, synthesize, and communicate information from sources so the intended purpose is achieved.
• SLO6.5 – Distinguish between common knowledge and ideas requiring attribution. Correctly choose between paraphrasing, summarizing, or quoting when incorporating citations.

This course is offered as dual credit through Missouri State University.^*

* Course offerings are dependent on enrollment and instructor availability.

Download the Introductory Speech - Dual Credit Information Sheet | Download the Introductory Speech - Dual Credit Syllabus

Find out more information about dual credit or email [email protected] if you have questions.