SPCH E-122: Oral Communication in the Workplace

Spring 2014

Wednesday, 5:30 PM7:30 PM, Live Web Conference
(On-Campus Residency: March 8th & 9th, 9 AM5 PM, 1 Story Street, Room 306)


Instructor: Steven D. Cohen, Ph.D.
E-Mail: sdcohen@fas.harvard.edu
Office Hours: Wednesday (on Class Days), By Appointment

Teaching Assistant: Alex D. Pratt
E-Mail: apratt@fas.harvard.edu
Office Hours: By Appointment


About Your Instructor

Steven D. Cohen is an instructor at the Harvard Division of Continuing Education. He earned a
Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Maryland, a Master in Public Policy from
Harvard Kennedy School, and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University
of Florida. An expert on public speaking, Professor Cohen specializes in helping students
become powerful communicators. To learn more about Professor Cohen, please visit
www.stevendcohen.net


Course Description

This course is designed to help students address the communication challenges that they face in
their professional lives. Through experiential activities and assignments, students explore the
fundamentals of interviewing, interpersonal dynamics, group problem solving, and informative
briefings.


Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

Discuss the role of communication in professional settings;
Examine the use of verbal and nonverbal messages in business situations;
Practice the techniques that contribute to effective listening;
Assess ones own communication choices and style;
Evaluate approaches for building and maintaining workplace relationships;
Prepare for an informational interview and an employment interview;
Develop a collaborative presentation with a team of peers; and
Design a workplace briefing
1

Course Website

I encourage you to visit (and bookmark) the course website.

I will be posting lecture slides and course documents on the website throughout the semester.


Course Materials

Adler, R. B., & Elmhorst, J . M. (2010). Communicating at work: Principles and practices for
business and the professions. (10th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill.
Cohen, S. D. (2011). Public speaking: The path to success. San Diego: Cognella.
Pack of fifty 3x5 ruled index cards


Classroom Policies

Given the topic and interactive nature of this course, on-time attendance at all class meetings
is especially important.
Please notify me before class (via e-mail) if you need to leave early for any reason.
There are no makeups for in-class activities or exams unless you are absent due to an illness
or religious holiday. You must notify me of potential conflicts prior to the beginning of class
on Wednesday, February 19th.
Please wear professional attire to class on the day of your workplace briefing.
I occasionally send course announcements via e-mail. As such, please make sure to check
your e-mail account on a regular basis.
If you miss class for any reason, ask a classmate to e-mail you his/her class notes. Please do
not e-mail me to ask what you missed.
In the event the university closes due to inclement weather, I will announce changes to the
course and/or assignment schedule via e-mail.
Feel free to make an appointment with me if you have questions or need advice. I am happy
to chat with you via phone or Skype.


Assignment Guidelines

You must upload written assignments to the Dropbox before the start time of the class on the
day they are due. E-mailed assignments will not be accepted. Assignments will be penalized
10% if they are submitted late and an additional 10% each calendar day that they are missing.
Please type your assignments, number each page, set the margins to one inch, and use Times
New Roman 12 point font.
You must submit a bibliography for the workplace briefing and the group presentation. Be
sure to cite your sources using APA format.
Remember to proofread your assignments before submitting them!
2

Please contact me as soon as possible if you are struggling to meet an assignment deadline
due to illness or unforeseen circumstances.


Academic Integrity

Forms of dishonesty in this course include, but are not limited to: (1) cheating or helping
someone else cheat on an assignment or exam; (2) delivering part or all of a presentation that you
did not author; (3) plagiarizing part or all of someone elses oral or written work; (4) failing to
cite your sources properly; and (5) falsifying information about any topic, such as why you were
absent from class.

You should review the Harvard Plagiarism Policy carefully:
http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k70847&pageid=icb.page355322

Note that all honor code violations will be referred to the Administrative Board.


University Classroom Climate

Harvard University strives to foster classroom environments in which students feel comfortable
and valued. In this course, we may touch on stereotypes of culture, gender, and race. Please be
prepared to discuss these subjects in a manner that does not devalue or discourage your
classmates.


Evaluation

Each course component will be weighted as follows:

Class Exercises 10 points

Informational Interview Assignment
Interview Outline 20 points
Oral Report 16 points

Workplace Briefing
Briefing 40 points
J ournal Entry 12 points

Group Presentation Assignment
Topic Proposal 8 points
Presentation 35 points
Peer Reviews 14 points


3

Final Exam 45 points
_____________________________________________

Total 200 points


I will compute your final course grade using the following scale:

A 200.0 184.5
A- 184.0 180.0
B+ 179.5 175.5
B 175.0 164.5
B- 164.0 160.0
C+ 159.5 155.5
C 155.0 144.5
C- 144.0 140.0
D+ 139.5 135.5
D 135.0 124.5
D- 124.0 120.0
F 119.5 0.0
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SPCH E-122 Spring 2014
This schedule is subject to minor revisions.

1/29 Course Overview &
Communicating at Work
Cohen Part 1;
Adler & Elmhorst Chapter 1
(p. 523, 2830 only) &
Chapter 2
(p. 3545, 5362 only)
2/5 Interviewing Adler & Elmhorst Chapter 6
(p. 161180 only) &
Chapter 7
(p. 187216 only)
2/12 Types of Messages &
Listening
Adler & Elmhorst Chapter 3
(p. 6975, 7886 only) &
Chapter 4
(p. 9299, 103117 only)
Interview Outline Due
2/19 Designing the Message

Adler & Elmhorst Chapter 10
(p. 305341 only),
Chapter 11
(p. 349359, 366372 only),
Appendix I
(p. 444450 only) &
Chapter 13
(p. 402405 only)
2/26 Oral Reports Oral Report Due
3/8 Presenting the Message &
Workplace Briefing Workshop (Part I)
Cohen Parts 2, 3 & 4;
Adler & Elmhorst Chapter 12
(p. 377395 only)
3/9 Workplace Briefing Workshop (Part II)
& Workplace Briefings
Workplace Briefing, Outline &
Bibliography Due
3/16 No Class Journal Entry Due (by 5:30 PM)
3/26 Group Communication Adler & Elmhorst Chapter 8
(p. 237267 only),
Chapter 9
(p. 277285, 289295 only) &
Chapter 13
(p. 432435 only)
4/2 Interpersonal Skills Adler & Elmhorst Chapter 5
(p. 125146 only)
Topic Proposal Due
4/16 Group Presentations Group Presentation, Outline &
Bibliography Due
4/23 Course Wrap-Up &
Final Exam
Article on Moral Imagination
Peer Reviews Due

5

Class Exercises

Excellent Average

Poor
Engagement


The student consistently
is involved in class
exercises. (5 points)

The student usually is
involved in class
exercises. (2.5 points)

The student rarely is
involved in class
exercises. (0 points)

Contribution
Quality
The student consistently
makes insightful
contributions during
class exercises. (5
points)
The student usually
makes insightful
contributions during class
exercises. (2.5 points)
The student rarely
makes insightful
contributions during
class exercises. (0
points)


6

Informational Interview Assignment

This assignment challenges you to conduct an informational interview and then deliver an oral
report about your experience.

Complete the following tasks:

o Schedule aface-to-face or Skype interview with a professional who can help you
learn more about a career field that interests you. You may not interview a member
of your immediate family. Think about how you intend to set up the interview, and
whom you plan to contact if your preferred interviewee is not available.

o Create an interview outline (no more than a page-and-a-half in length) that focuses on
the interviewees career field and the role of communication in that field. (You
will need to research the career field to determine what questions to ask.) The outline
should include your name, the name of the interviewee, his/her contact information,
the purpose of the interview, and the questions that you plan to ask. Be sure to
organize the questions by topic, and include clear transitions between topics. (You
should review the sample outlines on the course website before creating your outline.)

o Conduct the interview. (You may want to watch this video to learn more about
conducting informational interviews.) During the interview, take notes about what
the interviewee is saying, but try to remain fully attentive.

o After the interview, prepare to deliver a three-minute oral report on your interview
experience. You should highlight a few key takeaways from the interview, and
explain how this experience has influenced your career interests.

I will use the following rubrics to evaluate your performance:

Interview Outline

Excellent

Average Poor
Research


The questions reflect
comprehensive
knowledge of the
interviewees career
field and the role of
communication in that
field. (5 points)

The questions reflect
knowledge of the
interviewees career field
and the role of
communication in that
field. (2.5 points)
The questions reflect
limited knowledge of the
interviewees career field
and the role of
communication in that
field. (0 points)
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Organization The outline is well
organized. The topics
are strongly connected
to one another. (5
points)

The outline is organized.
The topics are connected
to one another. (2.5
points)
The outline is not
organized. The topics
are not connected to one
another. (0 points)

Content The questions are
engaging and insightful.
The questions are
strongly related to the
purpose. (5 points)

The questions are
somewhat engaging and
insightful. The questions
are related to the
purpose. (2.5 points)

The questions are not
engaging and insightful.
The questions are not
related to the purpose. (0
points)

Proofreading The outline contains no
spelling, grammatical,
or formatting errors. (5
points)
The outline contains few
spelling, grammatical, or
formatting errors. (2.5
points)

The outline contains
numerous spelling,
grammatical, or
formatting errors. (0
points)


Oral Report

Topic &
Purpose


The report fully adheres
to the assignment
guidelines. The purpose
of the report is clear. (4
points)

The report adheres to the
assignment guidelines.
The purpose of the report
is somewhat clear. (2
points)

The report does not adhere
to the assignment
guidelines. The purpose
of the report is unclear. (0
points)
Organization The report is well
organized. It includes a
powerful introduction,
an effective body, and a
memorable conclusion.
(4 points)

The report is organized.
It includes an
introduction, a body, and
a conclusion. (2 points)

The report is poorly
organized. It is missing
an introduction, a body, or
a conclusion. (0 points)

Content The speaker makes
frequent use of
examples, quotations,
and observations. (4
points)

The speaker makes use of
examples, quotations,
and observations. (2
points)
The speaker makes
limited use of examples,
quotations, and
observations. (0 points)

8


Delivery The speaker consistently
articulates ideas clearly
and powerfully. He/she
avoids using filler
words. (4 points)

The speaker usually
articulates ideas clearly
and powerfully. He/she
uses few filler words. (2
points)

The speaker rarely
articulates ideas clearly
and powerfully. He/she
uses many filler words. (0
points)
9

Workplace Briefing Assignment

This assignment challenges you to design and deliver a five-minute briefing on a career,
professional, or workplace-related topic.

The purpose of your briefing is to educate the audience about a relevant topic. In other words,
you should teach your listeners about something that affects them (e.g., what something is, how
to do something, or how something works).

You must submit an outline and a bibliography on the day of your briefing. Make sure to use at
least three credible sources, and prepare your bibliography in APA format. The briefing
also must feature a PowerPoint presentation or another type of digital presentation (e.g., Prezi).

You also are required to provide feedback on each of your peers briefings. During each
briefing, list three of the presenters strengths on the front of an index card and three of the
presenters improvement opportunities on the back of the card.

After the briefing, post a 400-word journal entry about your overall briefing experience. (Be
sure to watch your presentation on the course website before starting the journal entry.) The
entry should discuss what you did well, what you would have changed, and how you plan to
approach future briefings.

I will use the following rubrics to evaluate your performance:

Briefing

Excellent Average Poor

Topic &
Purpose
The topic is appropriate
for the intended
audience. The purpose
of the briefing is clear.
(5 points)

The topic is somewhat
appropriate for the
intended audience. The
purpose of the briefing
is somewhat clear. (2.5
points)

The topic is not
appropriate for the
intended audience. The
purpose of the briefing
is unclear. (0 points)

Organization The briefing is well
organized. It includes a
powerful introduction,
an effective body, and a
memorable conclusion.
(5 points)

The briefing is
organized. It includes
an introduction, a body,
and a conclusion. (2.5
points)

The briefing is poorly
organized. It is missing
an introduction, a body,
or a conclusion. (0
points)

10


Content The ideas and examples
are compelling. The
content strongly
supports the central
idea. The briefing lasts
at least four minutes. (5
points)

The ideas and examples
are somewhat
compelling. The
content supports the
central idea. The
briefing lasts between
three-and-a-half and
four minutes. (2.5
points)

The ideas and examples
are not compelling.
The content does not
support the central
idea. The briefing lasts
fewer than three-and-a-
half minutes. (0 points)

Credibility


The speaker
demonstrates strong
knowledge of the topic.
He/she frequently
supports claims with
oral citations. (5 points)

The speaker
demonstrates
knowledge of the topic.
He/she usually supports
claims with oral
citations. (2.5 points)

The speaker does not
demonstrate knowledge
of the topic. He/she
rarely supports claims
with oral citations. (0
points)
Visual Aids The visual aids are
appropriate and
attractive. They
strongly support the
briefing. (5 points)

The visual aids are
somewhat appropriate
and attractive. They
support the briefing.
(2.5 points)

The visual aids are
neither appropriate nor
attractive. They do not
support the briefing. (0
points)
Verbal
Delivery
The speaker
consistently articulates
ideas clearly and
powerfully. He/she
avoids using filler
words. (5 points)

The speaker usually
articulates ideas clearly
and powerfully.
He/she uses few filler
words. (2.5 points)

The speaker rarely
articulates ideas clearly
and powerfully.
He/she uses many filler
words. (0 points)
Nonverbal
Delivery
The speaker
consistently uses body
language, eye contact,
and movement to
engage the audience. (5
points)

The speaker usually
uses body language,
eye contact, and
movement to engage
the audience. (2.5
points)

The speaker rarely uses
body language, eye
contact, and movement
to engage the audience.
(0 points)

Outline &
Bibliography
The submissions fully
adhere to the
requirements. The
submissions contain no
citation or formatting
errors. (5 points)

The submissions
somewhat adhere to the
requirements. The
submissions contain
some citation or
formatting errors. (2.5
points)

The submissions do not
adhere to the
requirements. The
submissions contain
numerous citation or
formatting errors. (0
points)

11

J ournal Entry

Excellent Average Poor

Organization The entry is well
organized. It includes a
powerful introduction,
an effective body, and a
memorable conclusion.
(3 points)

The entry is organized.
It includes an
introduction, a body,
and a conclusion. (1.5
points)

The entry is poorly
organized. It is missing
an introduction, a body,
or a conclusion. (0
points)

Content The entry makes
frequent use of
examples, quotations,
and observations. (3
points)
The entry makes use of
examples, quotations,
and observations. (1.5
points)
The entry makes
limited use of
examples, quotations,
and observations. (0
points)

Style The entry is clear and
engaging. (3 points)
The entry is somewhat
clear and engaging.
(1.5 points)

The entry is neither
clear nor engaging. (0
points)
Proofreading The entry contains no
spelling, grammatical,
or formatting errors. (3
points)
The entry contains few
spelling, grammatical,
or formatting errors.
(1.5 points)

The entry contains
numerous spelling,
grammatical, or
formatting errors. (0
points)

12

Group Presentation Assignment

This assignment challenges you to design and deliver a group presentation on a career,
professional, or workplace-related problem.

You will work with a group of four students to choose a problem that is current, specific, and
relevant to the class. You then will work together to write a 250-word proposal that summarizes
the problem and the reasons it should be addressed.

After your proposal is approved, you will collaborate on a 15-minute presentation that (1)
explores (1) the nature of the problem, (2) the causes of the problem, and (3) potential solutions
to the problem. You should not simply report your findings. Instead, you should create a
dynamic presentation that engages the audience.

Keep the following requirements in mind:

o Be creative as you design your presentation. Consider using photos, screen shots,
simulations, and YouTube videos.

o You must submit an outline and a bibliography on the day of your presentation.
Make sure to use at least five credible sources, and prepare your bibliography in
APA format.

o After the presentation, use the peer review form to evaluate the performance of your
group members. You will need to submit a separate form for each group member.

I will use the following rubrics to evaluate your performance:

Topic Proposal
(Note: These scores will be the same for all group members.)

Excellent Average Poor

Content The proposal is clear
and comprehensive. (4
points)

The proposal is
somewhat clear and
comprehensive. (2
points)

The proposal is neither
clear nor comprehensive.
(0 points)
Proofreading The proposal contains
no spelling,
grammatical, or
formatting errors. (4
points)
The proposal contains
few spelling,
grammatical, or
formatting errors. (2
points)

The proposal contains
numerous spelling,
grammatical, or
formatting errors. (0
points)

13

Presentation
(Note: These scores will be the same for all group members.)

Organization The presentation is well
organized. It includes a
powerful introduction,
an effective body, and a
memorable conclusion.
(5 points)

The presentation is
organized. It includes an
introduction, a body, and
a conclusion. (2.5 points)

The presentation is poorly
organized. It is missing
an introduction, a body, or
a conclusion. (0 points)

Content The ideas and examples
are compelling. The
content strongly
supports the central
idea. The presentation
lasts at least 13.5
minutes. (5 points)

The ideas and examples
are somewhat
compelling. The content
supports the central idea.
The presentation lasts
between 11.5 and 13.5
minutes. (2.5 points)

The ideas and examples
are not compelling. The
content does not support
the central idea. The
presentation lasts fewer
than 11.5 minutes. (0
points)

Credibility

Group members
demonstrate strong
knowledge of the topic.
Group members
frequently support
claims with oral
citations. (5 points)

Group members
demonstrate knowledge
of the topic. Group
members usually support
claims with oral citations.
(2.5 points)

Group members do not
demonstrate knowledge of
the topic. Group members
rarely support claims with
oral citations. (0 points)

Facilitation Group members are well
prepared for the
presentation. Group
members consistently
share the facilitation
responsibilities. (5
points)

Group members are
prepared for the
presentation. Group
members usually share
the facilitation
responsibilities. (2.5
points)
Group members are
unprepared for the
presentation. Group
members rarely share the
facilitation
responsibilities. (0 points)


Visual Aids The visual aids are
appropriate and
attractive. They
strongly engage the
audience. (5 points)

The visual aids are
somewhat appropriate
and attractive. They
engage the audience. (2.5
points)

The visual aids are neither
appropriate nor attractive.
They do not engage the
audience. (0 points)
14


Delivery Group members
consistently articulate
ideas clearly and
powerfully. (5 points)

Group members usually
articulate ideas clearly
and powerfully. (2.5
points)

Group members rarely
articulate ideas clearly and
powerfully. (0 points)
Outline &
Bibliography
The submissions fully
adhere to the
requirements. The
submissions contain no
citation or formatting
errors. (5 points)

The submissions
somewhat adhere to the
requirements. The
submissions contain
some citation or
formatting errors. (2.5
points)

The submissions do not
adhere to the
requirements. The
submissions contain
numerous citation or
formatting errors. (0
points)



Peer Reviews

Excellent Average

Poor
Review
Quality
The student submits
comprehensive reviews
for all group members.
(4 points)

The student submits
reviews for all group
members. (2 points)
The student does not
submit reviews for all
group members. (0 points)
Review
Scores
The average of the group members review scores (rounded up to the nearest half
point)


15

Peer Review Form

Your Name: __________________________________________
Group Members Name: _________________________________

Excellent

Average Poor
Preparation


The group member is
well prepared for
group meetings and
tasks. (2 points)
The group member
is somewhat or
inconsistently
prepared for group
meetings and tasks.
(1 point)

The group member is
unprepared for group
meetings and tasks.
(0 points)

Communication The group member
consistently
communicates with
other group members.
(2 points)


The group member
sometimes or
inconsistently
communicates with
other group
members. (1 point)

The group member
rarely communicates
with other group
members. (0 points)


Participation The group member
consistently
participates in group
activities. (2 points)


The group member
sometimes or
inconsistently
participates in group
activities. (1 point)

The group member
rarely participates in
group activities. (0
points)



Cooperation The group member
consistently listens to
and supports other
group members.
He/she is a strong
team player. (2
points)
The group member
sometimes or
inconsistently listens
to and supports other
group members.
He/she is usually a
team player. (1
point)

The group member
rarely listens to and
supports other group
members. He/she is
not a team player. (0
points)

Leadership The group member
consistently
participates in setting
group goals and
making group
decisions. (2 points)
The group member
sometimes or
inconsistently
participates in
setting group goals
and making group
decisions. (1 point)

The group member
rarely participates in
setting group goals
and making group
decisions. (0 points)




Total Score: __________
16

Group Members Strengths






















Group Members Improvement Opportunities


















17