Course Syllabus

 Course Description

SPEA-V 326 Communication for Government and Nonprofit Organizations (3 cr.) This course will develop an appreciation regarding the critical nature of communication by managers in the public and nonprofit sector. It will introduce students to the skills critical to effective communication as professionals.

Learning Outcomes 

Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

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

 Course Requirements 

Required Text and Materials

You will NOT need to purchase books or other study materials on your own. The charge for the required textbook will soon be posted as a Course Fee of $37.00 to your Bursar account and then added into your first bill for the term. These Digital Course Materials will be waiting for you before the first day of class to be accessed through Top Hat in Canvas:

• The Speaker's Primer, 3e National Edition. Authors: Valenzano et al. Publisher: Top Hat. ISBN: 9781644853740. Fee via Bursar: $37.00 (34% discount off the direct order price)

If you have any other questions, please refer to The Student Guide to IU eTexts or contact your instructor. Additional resources will be in the Readings folder on Canvas.

Note on reviewing readings and lecture content: This course requires extensive student performance during class sessions, reducing the number of available lecture days. Complete readings before class. Readings correlate strongly with midterms, quizzes, and improvement in class performance. Lectures will elucidate further understanding of key topics in the course and are not a substitute for doing assigned reading.

Teaching Philosophy:

Your assignments in this course will simulate the kind of problem analysis, preparation, and delivery of oral presentations and written products that you will use in the workplace. As a former communications consultant for government agencies and NGOs on controversial or complex wildlife conservation issues, I am particularly motivated to help you build your capabilities so you can avidly participate in meaningful policies and partnerships on public/government and non-profit concerns.

Everyone in this class will be learning new skills or polishing their capabilities. That means we will all be making lots of mistakes. That's how you learn. Better to do it here in class than on the job later! Your compassionate and productive interactions throughout your written peer reviews and during group work will set the tone for how you would like to be treated. We are a community working together to develop confidence in our communications skills, including listening, speaking, writing, and analytical thinking.

This is an experiential class in which you will be practicing communications skills. Think of it like a lab class, athletic practice, or theater rehearsal. Most class sessions will involve either in-person training or small group exercises that are difficult to replicate later and would be less satisfying online. You will be scheduled to give presentations and evaluate your peers during their presentations.

However, life happens. Notify your instructor in advance if you must miss a session. On a case-by-case basis, you may either attend via Zoom or view the class recording to obtain the content. Then, email a document to your professor with your responses to class exercises and any questions you have as if you had been present in the live classroom session.

Course Requirements

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 such we will tangle with the basic problems that have plagued humans as they formed societies together.

Assignments during this semester build on each other. Begin work on individual and team projects as soon as you receive guidance so that you do not fall behind. If you have any questions after receiving review comments, do not hesitate to ask for additional feedback.

SPEECH PRODUCTS (55% of overall grade)

Practice Speech (25 points: 5 pts for outline; 10 oral delivery; 10 self-evaluation)

Upon entering class, students will be provided with an ethos, a “character” (Doctor, Chemist, Politician, etc.) and then will defend their place in a fictitious spaceship to establish the first extraplanetary civilization on a Mission to Mars. Students will present brief arguments as to why they, and not others, should be allowed into the spaceship. The class will vote on the top 10 candidates. A self-evaluation will give you the opportunity to prepare for your next speech.

Speech #1: Informing the Public (140 points: 10 pts concepts; 10 topic; 20 draft preparation outline for peer review; 100 preparation & presentation outlines with oral delivery)

Each student will be asked to select a contemporary issue of public concern. Students will write an outline and deliver a 5-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.

Speech #2: Panel - Defending a Policy (125 points: 25 pts outlines; 25 research; 75 speech)

Students will be assigned to panels on a controversial public policy issue. During the panel discussion, each student will have 2 minutes 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 answer questions from the audience and conclude with a rebuttal. One member of each panel will serve as a Moderator.

Speech #3: Crisis Interview (50 points: 10 pts interviewer; 20 respondent; 20 video)

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

Speech #4: Strategic Communication Plan (100 points) – Group Project

Students will create a strategic communication plan related to the presentation to the board assignment (see below). The plan will test the group’s ability to develop communication themes, identify targeted audiences and key messages, build organization branding, and create an outreach approach with goals, actions, timeline, and a budget to deliver a socially useful project or event concept.

Speech #4: Presentation to Grant Funding Board (175 points) – Group Project

This assignment requires students to produce a message that is consistent with and coordinated among members of a group of 4-6 students. Each team will develop a socially useful project or event concept for which they seek funding from an organization’s Grant Review Board (an audience of classmates and the instructor). Each team member will give a unique 5-minute speech as part of the group presentation that makes a compelling case as to why the Board should fund the project or event. The assignment will test a student’s and group’s ability to craft a consistent and persuasive message that moves the audience towards an identified goal. Seamless integration of visual aids will be required for this speech.

EVALUATIONS (15% of overall grade)

Speech #1 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 (10 evaluations, totaling 100 points, 1-2 pages each)

Students will evaluate each other’s speeches in practice sessions as well as their formal 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) during class. Your evaluations will be posted on Canvas as critical feedback to help the speaker improve their skills.

Cross-Team Evaluation - Speech #4 (10 points)

Students will reflect on quality of individual work contribution and team participation, including timeliness, communications with others, and meeting engagement for each team member.

PARTICIPATION & QUIZZES (30% of overall grade; points vary for each session)

Chapter reading quizzes will be completed through the electronic textbook in the Top Hat online system, as well as polling questions during class lectures. Attendance and participation in class and during team meetings will count towards your grade. There is no final exam in this course.

Grading (calculated by percentage for each assignment group):

See also rubric scoring and comments posted in Canvas for detailed grading on assignments.

Grading Scale:

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.

Academic Integrity: No form of academic dishonesty will be tolerated. This course requires individual integrity and professionalism from all students. If academic dishonesty is proven, you will receive a grade of zero for the work; repeat offense is grounds for failure in the course. You are responsible for understanding the concept of plagiarism and always avoid it. When in doubt, ask your instructor or a university librarian for assistance.

Some work for this course will be done in groups. Distinguish carefully between group work and individual work to ensure that you contribute adequately, and that the intellectual property of others receives proper credit. Guidance on plagiarism and appropriate citation is available from the library and other university sources.

Use of Generative AI (such as Microsoft Copilot) is permitted for certain tasks in this class. 

Speeches and written products developed for this class must incorporate primary sources from the internet, personal experience, observations, or other sources to support your arguments and strategic communications approach. We will provide detailed templates for each assignment that include specific guidance on using GAI where appropriate.

You will get the full benefit of professional development in this course if you only use generative AI (GAI) to brainstorm ideas or to evaluate your products. Note that all large language models (basis of GAI) still have a large tendency to make up incorrect facts or fake citations, produce inaccurate outputs, or generate highly offensive products.

Therefore, do not use it to create, support, or finalize your speech assignments. By doing so, you will be cheating yourself out of your own independent skill development, your work will lose your own “voice” in the delivery of compelling stories and focused arguments, products may lack the formats required in this course, and your evidence may be plagiarized, false, or disconnected.

With the understanding of these limitations and necessary acknowledgments, we encourage you to explore working with GAI to develop higher quality assignments in less time. Learning how to use Gen AI is an emerging and desirable skill. GAI can be a valuable tool for augmenting human decision, but it is not a replacement for creativity, personal experience, and critical thinking.

Therefore, using a university-approved GAI (such as Copilot) to assist in completing assignments in this class depends on the assignment. You will receive specific guidance.  Any use of such tools must be appropriately acknowledged and cited with a description of how the tool was used.  APA Citation Example: OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat.

If you use GAI for a final product, you will be committing plagiarism* and will be subject to penalties in this class and sanctions by Indiana University. 

*Plagiarism is defined as presenting someone else’s work, including the work of other students, as one’s own. Any ideas or materials taken from another source for either written or oral use must be fully acknowledged, unless the information is common knowledge. What is considered “common knowledge” may differ from course to course.  https://studentcode.iu.edu/responsibilities/academic-misconduct.html. (emphasis added)

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.

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.

Please review your responsibilities as a student at http://www.iu.edu/~code/.

Course Policies

Attendance and Audience Participation: Being present and active in the classroom is critical for your success as you build skills for your community and workplace. Most class sessions will involve lectures, presentations, and small group exercises that are difficult to replicate later.

Presentations must be given on the day when you are scheduled. Timely work will keep your group on track. Instructor observations and cross-evaluation of team participation can affect your group grade. Lack of adequate contribution to team projects may result in a zero for those assignments.

Your reviews of peer performances are worth 10% of your overall score (a final difference of a letter grade). Be a good audience member and develop your feedback skills by being present, attentive, and engaged on all speech days, even if you are not the one giving a speech. Please attend unless you are ill or have an absence that meets university policies.

Late Assignments: Late assignments are not accepted. All assignments must be submitted to Canvas at the time they are due. There is no extra credit. If you anticipate special circumstances that affect your ability to complete an assignment by its deadline, it is your responsibility to contact your instructor to make alternative arrangements on a case-by-case basis.

Late Withdrawal: After the auto-W deadline, withdrawal will be significantly limited, and you will need permission to withdraw and must meet requirements established by O’Neill.

Academic Integrity: See above guidelines on what constitutes plagiarism, fabrication, and legitimate use of materials. As noted, use of AI (such as ChatGPT) is prohibited for the assignments in this course for reasons stated above.

You will deliver speeches that rely heavily, at times, on the expertise of other researchers in the field for a given topic. While you may recognize that full citations are required for any written papers that you produce, it is also important that your oral arguments incorporate proper citations that give credit appropriately during your oral presentation delivery.

*Plagiarism is defined as presenting someone else’s work, including the work of other students, as one’s own. Any ideas or materials taken from another source for either written or oral use must be fully acknowledged unless the information is common knowledge. What is considered “common knowledge” may differ from course to course. (emphasis added) https://studentcode.iu.edu/responsibilities/academic-misconduct.html.

Classroom Engagement Philosophy: This course addresses controversial topics that affect human lives and the natural environment that sustains us. Examples include: social, economic, and cultural values; environmental justice resulting from historical treatment by race, ethnicity, and gender; climate change; and policy implications of scientific knowledge. This course is rooted in civic friendship—a shared commitment to respectful dialogue, honesty, and intellectual humility in a collaborative learning community. We each bring a variety of life experiences, values, and beliefs to this classroom.

Together, we will encourage each other to speak with curiosity, conviction, and care. Disagreement is not only expected but valued—when expressed with dignity and mutual respect, it deepens our understanding and challenges us to think in new ways.  Cultivating habits of focused listening, clear expression, and openness to difference is essential for leadership, collaboration, and personal growth. 

If you ever have concerns about classroom interactions involving students or the instructor, please note what happened (with the date) and contact me promptly so we can address the situation constructively in a supportive environment.

Technology: Each student enrolled in this course should own or have regular access to a functioning 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, 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. Always SAVE YOUR WORK in a second or third locatio

Accessible Educational Services (formerly Disability Services for Students): Securing accommodations for a student with disabilities is a responsibility shared by the student, the instructor, and the AES Office. For information about support services or accommodations available to students with disabilities, and for the procedures to be followed by students and instructors: https://studentlife.indiana.edu/student-support/iub-aes/index.html

Communication with Your Instructor: As soon as you have questions or concerns, contact me to make an appointment to meet outside of class to discuss readings, concepts, missing class, or any topics that you would like to discuss.  Please use email for any correspondence (note the course number V326 COMM in the Subject line) and plan for a 24-hour turnaround on all emails. Text can be used in an emergency.

It is easier to help if we know something is going on. Please try to be in touch as soon as you can. It makes it easier for all of us in the long run, even if it feels difficult or awkward at the time. You do not owe your professor any details. A message that life has become difficult or complex and some idea of the timeframe you think might be involved will help us to help you best.

Grade Disputes: Communication with your professor about your grades is 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. Use the rubrics to develop a substantive argument as to why your grade should be changed. All discussions should take place no sooner than 24 hours and no later than one week after the assignment is returned. 

Videotaping: Every class and 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 concerns with videos being posted, please let your instructor know so we can find an alternative means of delivery.

Late Withdrawal: NOTE that the auto-W deadline is NO LONGER THE LAST DAY OF CLASS (as it was during and post-Covid).  After the auto-W deadline, withdrawal will be significantly limited, and you will need permission to withdraw and must meet requirements established by O’Neill.

Course Schedule

The schedule below is subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances and with advanced notice. Key deadlines, meetings, and products are in bold. Readings are on Canvas or in your textbook (TH = Top Hat, Speaker’s Primer; O = other materials on Canvas).

For your own sake, save copies of your presentations and papers after the class has concluded. Some employers and academic programs want to see proof of oral and writing skills. Enclosing a sample of a well-constructed product may make a difference to your future employer.

Dates below correspond to V326 Lecture # file names for the presentation slides and class recordings stored for your review in Canvas Modules called Week # | Lecture & Class Recordings or on Top Hat.

[1] These expectations are excerpted from the O’Neill School Honor Code which can be found at:

https://oneill.indiana.edu/doc/undergraduate/ugrd_student_honorcode.pdf