University Studies Program

INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC SPEAKING

According to the course description, COMM 111 provides an “Introduction to theory and practice of communicating in public speaking settings.”

The resources provided below are designed to aid COMM 111 instructors in crafting their courses, assignments, assessments, and syllabi. Please contact us at usp@uwosh.edu if you have questions.

Comm 111 Course Design Resources

• Follow this link for the Speaking & Writing Syllabus Checklist.

Sample Syllabi

The following are actual syllabi used by instructors for their Comm 111 courses. They have kindly shared their work for our use with their permission.

• Meghan Dirth’s 96-111 Syllabus (Signature Question: Sustainability)
• Paula Lovell’s 96-111 Syllabus (Signature Question: Civic Engagement)
• Lisa Slawter Volkening’s 96-111 Syllabus (Signature Question: Sustainability)
• Stephanie Rolain-Jacobs’s 96-111 Syllabus (Signature Question: Intercultural Knowledge)
• Angela Westphal’s 96-111 Syllabus (Signature Question: Sustainability)

Information Literacy Resources

COMM 111 courses address two categories of the UW Oshkosh Essential Learning Outcomes: Oral and Written Communication and Information Literacy.

Instruction librarians at Polk Library are actively involved in assisting instructors and students with concepts related to information literacy. The library representative for Communication Studies is Marisa Finkey, 920-424-3436, finkey@uwosh.edu.

• Library Instruction Request Page

Research Support for Students

Students may also meet with a librarian directly for assistance, through Polk Library’s Research Advisory Program. Through this program, students meet one-on-one with a librarian, where they will receive individualized and in-depth assistance with their research.  Follow this link to schedule research help with a librarian.

Information Literacy Toolkit

The Information Literacy modules break down the research process into five distinct, student-centered sections. The final module contains more advanced research tools and concepts.

Library Instructional Support in the USP

Librarians also play an important role on campus in the development of skills associated with information literacy, via face-to-face meetings.

Research Support for Students

Students may also meet with a librarian directly for assistance, through Polk Library’s Research Advisory Program. Through this program, students meet one-on-one with a librarian, where they will receive individualized and in-depth assistance with their research.  Follow this link to schedule research help with a librarian.

Rubrics

Speech instructors may find the American Association of Colleges and Universities’ “Written Communication,” “Oral Communication” and “Information Literacy” rubrics useful in their course development and on-going dialogues.

• AAC&U Written Communication VALUE Rubric
• AAC&U Oral Communication VALUE Rubric
• AAC&U Information Literacy VALUE Rubric