COMM 1553 Introductory Speech Syllabus H03 Spring 2026

Credit Hours 3.00 Lecture Hours 3 Clinical/Lab Hours 0
Type of Credit
CIP Code
23.1304
Course Meeting Time

M/W 9:30-10:45am

Course Description

The student will be introduced to basic principles of effective speaking and listening. Emphasis is on both understanding basic communication theory and on improving oral communication skills. The student will learn to prepare, organize, and deliver effective research-based informative and persuasive speeches. AAS: Business elective. IAI: C2 900.

Prerequisites

Appropriate assessment score or ENGL 1422 with a grade of C or better - Must be taken either prior to or at the same time as this course.

Course Alignment

IAI Number
C2-900
SPCH1553
IAI Title
Oral Communications
Introductory Speech
General Education Outcomes

General Education Outcomes are the knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes, and behaviors that students are expected to develop as a result of their overall experiences with any aspect of the college, including courses, programs, and student services, both inside and outside of the classroom. The General Education Outcomes specifically learned in this course are:

  1. Communication

Faculty Contact Information

Faculty Name
Linsey Cuti
Faculty Email
Faculty Phone
802-8715
Faculty Office Number
L332
Faculty Student Support Hours

M/W 2:30-4:30pm, Tues 1-2pm

Faculty Information

Linsey Cuti

Office: L332 (815) 802-8715

e-mail: Email me in Canvas rather than leave a voicemail

Course Information

Course Outcomes

At the end of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Develop awareness of the communication process and understand the relationships among self, message, and others in effective message design.
  2. Listen to, evaluate, and critique verbal communication.
  3. Analyze the audience and situation and use language that is appropriate to enhance understanding and affect the desired result.
  4. Craft informative and persuasive speeches using appropriate organization methods and content, including research.
  5. Identify and employ effective delivery techniques.
  6. Prepare and use presentational aids that promote clarity and interest.
  7. Demonstrate acceptable ethical standards in research and presentation of materials.
Topical Outline
  1. Foundations of Human Communication
    1. Develop awareness of the communication process and understand the relationships among self, message, and others in effective message design
  2. Ethics
    1. Listen to, evaluate, and critique verbal communication
    2. Demonstrate acceptable ethical standards in research and presentation of materials
  3. Topic Selection
    1. Discuss factors that characterize good demonstrative, informative, and persuasive speech topics
  4. Audience Analysis
    1. Analyze the audience and situation and use language that is appropriate to enhance understanding and affect the desired result
  5. Speech Delivery
    1. Identify and employ effective delivery techniques              
  6. Reasoning and Support
    1. Learn proper research and citation methods
  7. Organization and Outlining
    1. Utilize a clear and effective organizational pattern which helps the audience follow along with the presentation
  8. Introductions and Conclusions
    1. Write an introduction which gains the audience's attention, reveals the topic, creates topic significance, and establishes your credibility
  9. Persuasion
    1. Utilize strategies and means of persuasion to craft a persuasive argument
  10. Presentational Aids
    1. Prepare and use presentational aids that promote clarity and interest
Textbook/s and Course Materials

No textbook

Methods of Evaluation

Discussion Post/Replies 10

Topic Proposals 15 (5 pts poss per speech)

Peer Feedback 60 (20 pts poss per speech)

Informative 100

Advocacy 100

Interest 100

Total: 385

Scale: 90-100 A, 80-89 B, 70-79 C, 60-69 D.

 

NOTE:

*In compliance with IAI requirements, a student who does not complete a minimum of 3 major speeches (Informative and Persuasive) of at least 5 minutes in length will automatically fail the course.

Academic Division

Liberal Arts & Sciences

Dean, Jennifer Huggins; 815-802-8484; R310; jhuggins@kcc.edu; Division Office- W102; 815-802-8700

Course Policies

Attendance: You must be in class on your speech day and in class on the other days to provide feedback.

Please note that in accordance with the college’s Code of Campus Affairs and Regulations, the instructor has the right to record the grade of “F” for the course, reduce a student's grade, or submit an institutional withdrawal request to Admissions and Registration if a student has excessive absences as defined in the course syllabus. I will consider 2 or more absences excessive. I will be taking attendance at the start of class; in order to be counted “here,” you need to be on-time and stay the length of the class.

Plagiarism and Academic Honesty:All instances of plagiarism/cheating, deemed intentional by the instructor, may lead to immediate failure of the course with no opportunity to withdraw and will be reported to the Director of Student Success. Plagiarism/cheating includes but is not limited to:

1. giving someone else’s speech.

2. reading your speech from published material without citing the source in your presentation.

Note: material found on the Internet is considered published.

3. paraphrasing or quoting someone without verbally citing the quote in your speech.

4. working with someone to construct your speech and presenting it as your own.

5. turning in someone else’s outline.

6. using the words of published materials on your outline without attributing the source.

**In this course, use of AI is considered cheating and can also lead to failure.

Course Calendar

Week 1

Mon. Jan. 12: Course Overview. Review Syllabus. Introductions. Canvas. Public Speaking.

Informative Speech.

Homework:

  1. Post a paragraph in the Canvas Introductions discussion board by 11:59pm on Mon. Jan. 12th. Share a little about yourself.
  2. Read through the posts and respond to a few, perhaps commenting on similar interests or anything else. Because we only see each other once a week, this will help us get to know each other. Complete your replies by 11:59pm on Tues. Jan. 13th.
  3. Submit your Informative Speech topic idea to the dropbox by 11:59pm on Weds. Jan. 14th

Weds. Jan. 14: Outlining Your Speeches. Researching and Citing Sources. Delivering Your

Speeches. Intros and Conclusions. Selecting Groups.

Homework: Remember to submit your Informative Speech topic idea to the dropbox by 11:59pm on Weds. Jan. 14th. After receiving my approval, begin researching and outlining your Informative Speech.

 

Week 2

Mon. Jan. 19: No School: MLK

 

Weds. Jan. 21: Using Presentation Aids. Listening and Providing Feedback.

Homework:

  1. Work on your outline, slides, and practice delivering your Informative Speech. Also, practice in front of an audience and get their feedback.
  2. Group 1, who are presenting next week, submit your outline and slides to the dropbox BEFORE class on the 26th.

 

Week 3

Mon. Jan. 26: Group 1 delivers Informative Speeches. Groups 2 and 3 provide feedback.

Homework: Group 2, who are presenting Weds, submit your outline and slides to the dropbox BEFORE class on the 28th.

 

Weds. Jan. 28: Group 2 delivers Informative Speeches. Groups 1 and 3 provide feedback.

Advocacy Speech.

Homework:

  1. By 11:59pm on Fri. Jan. 30th, submit your Advocacy Speech topic idea to the dropbox. After receiving my approval, you can begin researching and outlining.
  2. Group 3, who are presenting next week, submit your outline and slides to the dropbox BEFORE class on the 2nd.

 

 

Week 4

Mon. Feb. 2: Group 3 delivers Informative Speeches. Groups 1 and 2 provide feedback. Advocacy

Speech Reminders.

Homework: Group 1, who are presenting your Advocacy Speeches next week, submit your outline and slides to the dropbox BEFORE class on the 9th.

Weds. Feb. 4: Flex Day

Week 5

Mon. Feb. 9: Group 1 delivers Advocacy Speeches. Groups 2 and 3 provide feedback.

Homework: Group 2 who are presenting on Weds, submit your outline and slides to the dropbox BEFORE class on the 11th.

 

Weds. Feb. 11: Group 2 delivers Advocacy Speeches. Groups 1 and 3 provide feedback. Personal

Interest Speech.

Homework:

  1. By 11:59pm on Fri. Feb. 13th, submit your Personal Interest topic idea to the dropbox. After receiving my approval, you can begin researching and outlining.
  2. Group 3, who are presenting your Advocacy Speeches next week, submit your outline and slides to the dropbox BEFORE class on the 16th.

 

Week 6

Mon. Feb. 16: Group 3 delivers Advocacy Speeches. Groups 1 and 2 provide feedback. Personal

Interest Speech Reminders.

Homework: Group 1, who are presenting your Personal Interest Speeches next week, submit your outline and slides to the dropbox BEFORE class on the 23rd.

Weds. Feb. 18: Flex Day

Week 7

Mon. Feb. 23: Group 1 delivers Personal Interest Speeches. Groups 2 and 3 provide feedback.

Homework: Group 2 who are presenting on Weds, submit your outline and slides to the dropbox BEFORE class on the 25th.

 

Weds. Feb. 25: Group 2 delivers Personal Interest Speeches. Groups 1 and 3 provide feedback.

Homework: Group 3 who are presenting next week, submit your outline and slides to the dropbox BEFORE class on the 2nd.

 

Week 8

Mon. Mar. 2: Group 3 delivers Personal Interest Speeches. Groups 1 and 2 provide feedback.

 

Weds. Mar. 4: Flex Day

College Policies, Resources and Supports

College Policies

For information related to the Student Code of Conduct Policy, Withdrawal Policy, Email Policy, and Non- Attendance/Non-Participation Policy, please review the college’s Code of Campus Affairs and Regulations webpage, which can be found at catalog.kcc.edu under the Academic Regulations & Conduct Guide. 

Resources

KCC offers various academic and personal resources for all students. Many services are offered virtually, as well as in person. Please visit Student Resources - Kankakee Community College to access student resources services such as:

  • Clubs and organizations
  • Counseling and referral services
  • Office of disability services
  • Student complaint policy
  • Transfer services
  • Tutoring services, etc.