Course Syllabus

 

O’Neill-V 326 Communication for Government & Nonprofit Organizations

PHYSICAL OFFICE SPACE: O’Neill SPEA 323

Welcome to Communication for Government & Nonprofit Organizations. This course will provide you with an opportunity to explore contemporary public policy issues while learning and practicing the skills needed to become a robust, ethical, and powerful advocate. As the Indiana University Director of Debate, I am particularly motivated to build your capabilities in logical reasoning as well as your confidence in communicating so you can avidly participate in meaningful discussions of public/government and non-profit concern. We will work on building the basics of your capabilities, while also diving deeper into the strategic planning associated with effective communication. As such we will tangle with the basic problems that have plagued humans since they gathered together into societies while exchanging ideas.

Kenneth Burke’s Definition of “Man”:

Man is the symbol-using (symbol-making, symbol-misusing) animal, inventor of the negative (or moralized by the negative), separated from his natural condition by instruments of his own making, goaded by the spirit of hierarchy (or moved by the sense of order), and rotten with perfection.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

By the end of the course students will be able to:

• Evaluate diverse audience types and their communication needs
• Learn and apply public affairs communication vocabulary and tools
• Evaluate individual ethos and organizational credibility and its impacts on messaging
• Organize and write cogent communication documents for public affairs
• Develop substantive strategic messaging plans
• Orally deliver extemporaneous and logically sound and substantiated presentation(s).

COURSE TEXTs

SP = The Speaker's Primer, 3e National Edition. Authors: Valenzano et al. Publisher: Top Hat. ISBN: 9781644853740.

G = Garnet, James L. (1992) Communicating for Results in Government: Strategic Approach for Public Managers. (Posted in readings on Canvas)

O = Selected Canvas Readings organized in folders

**Course readings and Lectures, a word to the wise**

This class requires extensive student performance – reducing the number of available lecture days. Course readings are expected to be completed before the class period the day they are due. Not all reading concepts will be contained in lectures, lectures are to elucidate further understanding of key topics in the course.

DATE	Lecture/Class Topic	Readings	Assignments Due
Week 1 8/25 Tuesday	Syllabus Importance of Public Speaking in Public Affairs/Nonprofit	TH: “Welcome to the Speakers Primer” TH: Ch. 1 “Understanding Public Speaking” G: Ch. 1
8/27 Thursday	Communication, Ethics, Career	TH: Ch. 3 Ethics TH: Ch. 5 Speaking in your career G: Ch. 9
Week 2 9/1 Tuesday	Delivery/Critical listening	TH: Ch 7 Topic Selection TH: Ch 20 Delivery
9/3 Thursday	Audience Analysis/Topic Selection	TH: Ch. 2 Anxiety TH: Ch. 4 Civility TH: Ch. 6 Culture & Diversity G: Ch. 2, Ch. 7	Select topic for Inform Public Assignment (Quiz)
Week 3 9/8 Tuesday	Informative Speech cont.	TH: Ch. 15 Informative Speech TH: Ch 21 Practice
9/10 Thursday	Bunker Warmup Presentation
Week 4 9/15 Tuesday	Outlining/Audience	TH: Ch. 12 Outlining TH: Ch. 13 Intro/Conclusion/ Connections Ch. 9 Audience Analysis

 

9/17 Thursday	Style, Occassion	TH: Ch. 19 Language TH: Ch. 11 Context and Speech Situation	Rough Draft Outline due
Week 5 9/22 Tuesday	Research/Evidence	Ch 8 Research and Preparation CH. 10 Supporting Materials Ch. 14 Reasoning	Peer Review of Rough Draft
9/24 Thursday	Informing Public		Personal outline due, Speech peer evaluations due in class
Week 6 9/29 Tuesday	Informing Public		Personal outline due, Speech peer evaluations due in class
10/1 Thursday	Informing Public		Personal outline due, Speech peer evaluations due in class
Week 7 10/6 Tuesday	Informing Public		Personal outline due, Speech peer evaluations due in class
10/8 Thursday	Panel Assignment discussion/Persuasion/ Defense	TH: Ch 16 Persuasive Speeches O: Persuasion Case Studies	Research assignment due by Monday Night
Week 8 10/13 Tuesday	Panel lecture continued…		Self Evaluation Paper Due
10/15 Thursday	Panel groups meet	Panel Groups Meet
Week 9 10/20 Tuesday	Panel Discussion
10/22 Thursday	Panel Discussion
Week 10 10/27 Tuesday	Panel Discussion
10/29 Thursday	Panel Discussion
Week 11 11/3 Tuesday	Strat Comm, Situation Analysis/ Assign Final Project Groups	O: Bonk Ch 1-2 Strategic Comm Plans TH: Ch. 22 Group Presentations	Pitch ideas for project
11/5 Thursday	Strat Comm Campaign Cont	O2: Austin Ch 1-3 Framework O2: Bonk Ch. 3 Audiences	Vote on project Begin audience analysis/SWOT analysis
Week 12 11/10 Tuesday	Big Board Advertisement Assignment Covered	O3: Tip sheet for media interviews O3: Dealing with media O3: Tips for Talking Heads TH: Ch 18 Speaking with Presentation Aids	Review SWOT/Audience Analysis Construct “key messages”
11/12 Thursday	Groups meet	O4: Strat Comm	Submit outline of group objectives for group presentation and strat.comm plan
Week 13 11/17 Tuesday	Groups meet	O5: Strat Comm	Submit power point/visual aid template Submit internal communication memo
11/19 Thursday	Groups meet, Individual peer speech evaluation in class		Submit media package write up
Thanksgiving Break 11/23-11/27	Vacation	Vacation	Vacation
Week 14 12/1 Tuesday	Groups meet
12/3 Thursday	Group Presentations		Peer Review
Week 15 12/8 Tuesday	Group Presentations		Peer Review
12/10 Thursday	Group Presentations		Peer Review Strat Comm. Plan turned in by Friday
Week 16 Finals Week	No Final	No Final	No Final

 

 

Assignment   Presentations   Practice Speech                                        Informing the Public   Panel Discussion                                   Big Screen Advert Presentation to Board   Papers/Assignments   Self-evaluation Peer-evaluations Group Strat Communication Plan     Other Participation/Quizzes	Points       ____ /25 ____ /100 ____ /125 ____ /50 ____ /175       ____ /50 ____ /100 ____ /100     ____/275
Total Possible Points	­­­____  1,000

Assignments

Practice Speech (25 points: 10 Outline, 15 Delivery)

Students will be provided with an ethos, a “character” (Doctor, Chemist, Politician etc.), and then asked to defend their place in a fictitious bomb shelter prior to a nuclear apocalypse. Students will need to present brief arguments as to why they, and not others, should be allowed into the bunker. The class will vote on the top five candidates. Audience decisions will be scanned and posted online for participant review.

Informing the Public (100 points: 25 Outline, 75 speech)

Each student will be asked to select a contemporary issue of public concern. Students will write an outline and deliver a 4-6 minute presentation that seeks to improve the audience’s knowledge of the student selected topic. Students should present an organized, balanced, well-researched, and informative speech using appropriate information strategies described in the textbook and discussed in class.

Panel Discussion: Defending a Status Quo Policy (125 points: 25 Outline, 25 Research, 75 Speech).

Students will be assigned to panels on a contested U.S. government policy. During the panel discussion, each student will have to defend the policy against their opponent’s critiques but also offer a means of improving the policy.  In addition to discussing the policy amongst themselves, panelists will also answer questions from the audience. Panelists will then conclude with a final rebuttal speech.

On Camera Interview (75 points: Interviewer 25 pts, Interviewee + Talking Points 50 pts).

Access to public audiences has broadened drastically with electronic media. Talking to an audience through a camera requires different techniques of body- and message-control than presentations made in-person. This assignment seeks to test the students’ camera presence, their development of talking points, social media strategy and their ability to respond succinctly to questions. Students will be paired and asked to interview one another using video technology outside of the classroom. Typical laptop webcams and propped-up smart phone cameras will suffice in producing videos that will meet the needs of this course. HB Wells Media Services or the instructor can provide camera resources as well.

Strategic Communication Plan (100 points).

Students will create a strategic communication plan in relation to the “presentation to the board” assignment. The plan will test the student’s ability to identify targeted audience needs, build organization branding, and create social media strategy and communication themes.

Presentation to Board (175 points: 20 theme/slogan development, 25 outline, 30 visual aid, 100 speech)

This assignment requires students to produce a message that is consistent with and coordinated among the other members of a group. Students will be placed into groups of four or five. Each group will be provided with a worksheet that provides a broad overview of both (1) a grant-making organization and (2) a project for which the group hopes to obtain funding from the organization’s Board of Trustees. Each group member will give a unique 5-8 minute speech that makes a compelling case as to why the Board should fund the project in question. Each group member will be asked to make a compelling case while avoiding unnecessary repetition of what fellow group members have already said. The assignment will test a student’s and group’s ability to craft a diverse but consistent message that moves an audience towards an identified goal. Seamless integration of visual aids will be required for this speech.

PAPERS

Self-evaluation (50 points, 3 pages)

After watching a video of your own “Informing the Public” speech, students will assess how their use of ethos/pathos/logos, voice projection, eye contract, and body language contributed to the persuasiveness of their argument.

Peer-Evaluations (100 peer evaluation points, 1-2 pages each).

Students will evaluate colleague speeches before their delivery as well as their actual delivery in the classroom. This assignment will be graded based on quality of responses. These evaluations will be used for attendance as well as measuring student engagement (participation) with speeches. Your evaluations will be posted on canvas as critical feedback for the speaker pre/post speeches.

Participation/Quizzes/Questions (275 points)

Top Hat quiz questions are integrated into your reading assignments. Questions will be added to lecture material and during class periods throughout the semester. In-class and announced “reading” quizzes and weighted along with participation.

 

AI Policy

Artificial intelligence, like any database for research, is an imperfect tool for educational outcomes and should not replace student work. Students are expected to complete their own research, write their own speeches, and integrate themselves into their communications in this class. The human, in human communication, your creativity, your unique ideas, idiosyncrasies, and critical thinking skills, are necessary for you to genuinely distinguish yourself and for you to ethically and persuasively connect content with other human audiences. No computer will be able to orally deliver the content for you. As a presenter, you should want to avoid a fissure between your content and the self. The professor will integrate strategies and requirements in assignments to help the human speaker shine in impromptu and extemporaneous speaking environments; these strategies will likely have countervailing impacts on the quality of non-student generated work. AI generated speaking outlines, lacking student driven content, without adequate citation, passed off as your own work, will be considered plagiarism and considered conduct that is academically dishonesty. This will negatively impact the grade received with possible referral to the campus for student misconduct. When in doubt, cite. Students should investigate AI generated sources for accuracy – assume error or bias until proven otherwise.

 

O’Neill School expectations of civility and professional conduct[1]

The O’Neill School takes matters of honesty and integrity seriously because O’Neill is the training ground for future leaders in government, civic organizations, health organizations, and other institutions charged with providing resources for the public, and for members of society who are vulnerable and who are lacking in power and status. Precisely because O’Neill graduates tend to rise to positions of power and responsibility, it is critical that the lessons of honesty and integrity are learned early.

O’Neill requires that all members of its community – students, faculty, and staff – treat others with an attitude of mutual respect both in the classroom and during all academic and nonacademic activities outside the classroom. A student is expected to show respect through behavior that promotes conditions in which all students can learn without interruption or distraction. These behaviors foster an appropriate atmosphere inside and outside the classroom:

• Students are expected to attend class regularly and to be prepared for class.
• Students must be punctual in their arrival to class and be present and attentive for the duration of the class. Eating, sleeping, reading the newspaper, doing work for another class, wandering in and out of the classroom, and packing up or leaving class early are not civil or professional behaviors.
• Students must abide by the course policy regarding use of electronic devices in the classroom.
• Students must responsibly participate in class activities and during team meetings.
• Students must address faculty members, other students, and others appropriately and with respect, whether in person, in writing, or in electronic communications.
• Students must show tolerance and respect for diverse nationalities, religions, races, sexual orientations, and physical abilities.
• Students must not destroy or deface classroom property nor leave litter in the classroom.
• Note Selling:Several commercial services have approached students regarding selling class notes/study guides to their classmates. Selling the instructor’s notes/study guides in this course is not permitted. Violations of this policy will be reported to the Dean of Students as academic misconduct (violation of course rules). Sanctions for academic misconduct may include a failing grade on the assignment for which the notes/study guides are being sold, a reduction in your final course grade, or a failing grade in the course, among other possibilities. Additionally, you should know that selling a faculty member’s notes/study guides individually or on behalf of one of these services using IU email, or via Canvas may also constitute a violation of IU information technology and IU intellectual property policies; additional consequences may result.
• Online Course Materials:The faculty member teaching this course holds the exclusive right to distribute, modify, post, and reproduce course materials, including all written materials, study guides, lectures, assignments, exercises, and exams. While you are permitted to take notes on the online materials and lectures posted for this course for your personal use, you are not permitted to re-post in another forum, distribute, or reproduce content from this course without the express written permission of the faculty member. Any violation of this course rule will be reported to the appropriate university offices and officials, including to the Dean of Students as academic misconduct.

 Student Rights

Any student who believes another person in a class is threatening the safety of the class by not wearing a mask or observing physical distancing requirements may leave the class without consequence. 

Course Policies & Assignments

Academic Integrity: It is expected that all students are familiar with IU’s policies on academic misconduct and maintaining the integrity of the university. You should be familiar with what constitutes plagiarism, fabrication, and legitimate use of materials. In this class you will deliver speeches that rely heavily, at times, on the expertise of other researchers in the field for a given topic. While you have been well informed that full citations are required for any work/speeches/research that you do; it is also important that your oral arguments are cited by giving credit when it is due.

Academic Responsibility: A speaking and listening course requires that students are both active participants and engaged ethical audience members. Failure to meet these roles will result in an environment that is less open to positive educational experiences for all participants in the course. Students should treat one another with respect and dignity throughout the semester, especially during oral presentations.

Technology: It is assumed that each student enrolled in this course owns or has regular access to a computer, printer, and high-speed internet.  Certainly all of us have experiences with computers crashing, printers jamming or running out of ink, and long lines in the computer lab.  When machines fail when we need them to work, it does not constitute an “excuse” or “emergency.”  You should work with the habit of preparing your assignments with enough time in advance so that when your computer malfunctions you can respond to the problem and turn in the assignment on time.   

Communication: I make myself available to meet outside of class to discuss readings, concepts, and any concerns that you might have.  If you are unable to meet during my scheduled office hours, please speak to me about making an appointment.  Please use my email for any correspondence, and please plan for a 24-hour turn around on all emails.  Finally, ask questions sooner rather than later!

Disability Needs: If you have a documented disability that requires instructor accommodation, please see Disability Support Services to obtain a certified memo.

Attendance and Audience Participation: Your participation and attendance, virtual or otherwise, for this class is criticalfor your success. Participating as a speech day audience is critical to the course. Notice that peer reviews are worth 10% of your overall grade. Missing more than one speech day will cost you peer evaluation points. 

Text messaging or other forms of emailing, web-surfing, etc. during class will negatively impact your participation grade.

Late Assignments: Late assignments are not accepted.  All assignments must be submitted to Canvas by the beginning of class on the day they are due. There are no “make-ups.” If you anticipate special circumstances that affect your ability to complete an assignment by its deadline, it is your responsibility to contact me to make alternative arrangements.  I respond to these on a case-by-case basis.

Grade Disputes: Communication with your professor about your grades is a good practice. My policy for grade disputes is that the student must wait 24 hours after receiving the grade before discussing the matter. Learn to be a good advocate for yourself. Come prepared to my office hours or by appointment with a “good” argument as to why your grade should be changed. All discussions should take place no sooner than 24 hours after the assignment is returned, and no later than one week after the assignment is returned. 

Videotaping: Every presentation will be videotaped. The videos will be posted to Canvas or a non-listed YouTube link for student learning opportunities as well as instructor grading support. If you have any issues with videos being posted, please let your instructor know so we can find an alternative means of delivery.