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2026 Spring

Public Speaking - COM110/1 Spring 2026


Course
Mary Angiolillo
For information about registration please contact our admissions.

Course Contents:
The communication process, listening, impromptu speeches; freeing the voice and body, listening, outlining; personal experience speech; organizational patterns, beginning and ending speeches; delivering another person’s speech from an outline; informative speech; persuasive speaking, appeals, Maslow‘s hierarchy of needs; audience analysis, reasoning with evidence and argument, Monroe pattern for persuasion; effective communication in groups.

Here is the course outline:

1. Session 1 - Introduction

Feb 3

We will go through course expectations and briefly introduce ourselves. We will do some exercises in "immediacy" and vocal projection.

2. Session 2

Feb 10

We will explore the communication process in an interactive way. Class members will give speeches introducing each other, prepared in class. Personal experience speeches are assigned for next week.

3. Session 3 - Personal Experience

Feb 17

We will share and respond to personal experience speeches.

4. Session 4

Feb 24

We will explore organizational patterns that work for giving informative speeches. Impromptu speeches will be made in small groups to illustrate these.

5. Session 5

Mar 3

We will explore techniques for making introductions and conclusions. The first test will be given in class.

6. Session 6

Mar 10

We will present informative speeches to each other, teaching each other about something that we didn't already know.

7. Session 7

Mar 17

We will prepare for demonstration speeches in class, examining how to use presentational aids.

8. Session 8

Mar 31

Ted talks are presented and analysed in class.

9. Session 9

Apr 7

We will present demonstration speeches in class, teaching how to do or make something; or showing how something works using presentational aids

10. Session 10 - Persuasion

Apr 14

We will explore persuasion, examining how it works and looking closely at the Monroe Motivated sequence organization pattern for persuasive speeches.

11. Persuasion continued (logic)

Apr 21

Persuasion continued. Role-playing on roles one can play in group discussion. Test on chapters 10, 11, 13, 14, 15 (chapters on presentational aids, delivery, and the two chapters on persuasion)

12. Persuasive speeches presented

Apr 28

At least half of the class will present their persuasive speech.

13. Persuasive speeches presented.

May 5

Persuasive speeches presented by second half of class

14. Session 14

May 12

Session is reserved for possible makeup speeches, if needed.

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