Thammasat University

Course Syllabus
Public Speaking
Second Semester 2020

Course Number/Sections: BS 200, Sections 1, 2 and 3

Course Time/Place: Section 1: Mon. 9:30-11, LA 502

Section 2: Mon. 11-12:30, LA 502
Section 3: Wed. 2-3:30, LA 502

Instructor: Assistant Professor Dr. Chanon Adsanatham

E-mail: chanon.a@arts.tu.ac.th (email preferred)
PLEASE DO NOT SEND LINE MESSAGES.

Course Website: http://bs2002020.school.blog

Office Location: LA Building, fourth floor (last office on the left side)



WHAT’S THE COURSE ABOUT?
At some point in your life, you will be required to speak in public. You might need to give a
wedding toast, present an idea to your boss, convince customers to accept your product, or more
immediately, give a talk in class. Being able to speak with confidence, credibility, and
effectiveness is thus necessary to be successful at TU and beyond. Technology such as YouTube,
Skype, and Facebook Live has also made public speaking more prevalent and interactive than
before. Recognizing that the art of public speaking is no longer limited to traditional platform, this
class helps you become a more competent and confident public speaker—as well as a careful
listener and note taker—in offline and digital environment. We will ground our practice of public
speaking in the art of rhetoric: the strategic use of communication to achieve a purpose. You will
learn various principles of rhetoric for public speaking such as how to find ideas, analyze audience,
arrange your speech, prepare your talk, use presentation aids, manage your voice and body
language, and provide good feedback to speakers so that by the end of the semester, you will be
able to use speaking as a practice of self and public empowerment in online and offline contexts.

HOW WILL CLASS BE ORGANIZED?

As a speaking workshop, class will be organized in the following manner:
 Learning principles of public speaking: You will learn concepts of speechmaking
rooted in rhetoric through homework readings, instructor presentations, exercises,
and a lot of quizzes.
 Analysis of sample speakers: You will analyze professional speakers and their
rhetoric to help you understand how concepts you learned are used in real-life.
 Informal application practice: You will do informal exercises to deepen your
understanding of concepts taught and then prepare your speech.
 Showcasing your ability: You will integrate principles you learned to create and
deliver professional quality speeches.

1
WHAT MAJOR TOPICS WILL THE COURSE COVER?
1. Techniques for finding speaking ideas
2. Presentation strategies: voice, appearance, body language
3. Creating and using presentation aids
4. How to speak in online context
5. How to arrange speech
6. Stasis theory
7. How to develop style and eloquence
8. Proper pronunciation
9. Active listening
10. Persuasion techniques
11. The art of giving good feedback
12. Managing group presentations

GOALS
1. Use rhetorical principles to invent, arrange, revise, and deliver speeches.
2. Learn techniques for analyzing audience and creating audience-centered
presentations for a variety of contexts and purposes.
3. Apply basic principles of visual design to create professional presentation aids.
4. Develop constructive and confidence-boosting feedback for speakers.
5. Deepen listening and note taking skills.
6. Improve pronunciation and English fluency through public speaking.
7. Build competence for speaking in digital environments.

CLASS MATERIALS
Text (
1. Public Speaking: The Virtual Text
http://publicspeakingproject.org/psvirtualtext.html
2. Speech evaluation form (available at copy shop on the first floor of Liberal Arts
Building)
Hardware/Software
1. TU Google account
2. Facebook account
3. Reliable access to the internet and YouTube
Other
1. Professional attire

EVALUATION
A 100-93% B+ 92-85% B 84-77% C+ 76-69%
C 68-61% D+ 60-53% D 52-45% F 44% and below

ASSIGNMENTS
 Career/employment research speech on Facebook Live 30 points
 TED Talk-style informative/educational speech 60 points
 Persuasive recommendations speech in a group 50 points
 Impromptu speech 20 points

2
  Weekly in-class reading quizzes variable points
 Various homework exercises variable points
 Ethos: Attendance, attentiveness, punctuality, conduct 20 points

MAINTAINING A SATISFACTORY QUIZ SCORE

Reading quizzes will be given unannounced to motivate reading. If you are not in your seat
when a quiz is given out, you may not take it. Moreover, if you fail to maintain at least 61%
or C on more than 3 quizzes, you will be required to give an additional Facebook Live speech.

REQUIRED TECHNICAL PROFICIENCY

This class utilizes computers extensively. Assignment descriptions and course calendar will
be released online, and you will be required to use social media. Ensure that you are
proficient in operating email with attachment, downloading/uploading files/software, and
using Google Drive, PowerPoint, and social media.

POLICIES
Punctuality Expectation
Please arrive to class on time; this includes break time. If you are late, you will lose 5
ethos points for each incident. If you are late on the day you are presenting, or if you
are late to class when a speech is in progress, your final grade will be reduced by 10%
every time you are tardy. Moreover, you must be in your seat when a quiz is distributed
in order to take it. Exceptions are made for extenuating circumstance.

Side Conversations and Technological Distractions

Talking in class while your friend is presenting or discussing a point is rude. Refrain. If you
are rude or disruptive in any way, 10% will be deducted from your final grade.

No Mobile Technology Requirement

On the day your classmates are presenting, all mobile phones must be put in a box or
tray provided by the instructor until class is over.

Engaged and Active Participation

Since this is a speaking class, you are expected to speak during class discussion. Your
engagement, active contributions, and participation are valued and expected. There
are a number of ways that you can participate and/or collaborate: asking for
clarifications on concepts, offering thoughtful remarks, posing questions for the class to
consider, and commenting on your classmates’ replies.

Attendance
Attendance will be taken. If you enter class after attendance is taken, you will be
marked absent, even if you show up later. If you have more than 3 absences without an
acceptable document and reason allowable by BAS policy, your final participation grade will
be a zero. When absent, you are responsible for obtaining all missed information and
adhering to assignment due dates. Moreover, if you leave class for more than 15 minutes, you
will be marked absent.

Please note that if you fail to attend 70% of the course, you will fail.

3
Absence and Due-In-Class Assignments
If you are absent the day a quiz or assignment is given in class, at your initiation, you can
make up one quiz with my TA during his office hour. The quiz must be taken within one
week of absence. On assigned presentation day, you must show up to give your speech on
time; otherwise, you will get a zero. Exception is made if you have legitimate reason and
formal documentation.

Late Work and Deadline Extension

Assignments are due on the date specified on the course calendar. Late work is not
accepted. If you will be absent, you are still responsible for turning things in on time. If you
are not able to complete a project because of an emergency, please inform me at least
48 hours in advance. The sooner you let me know, the more options I might be able to
suggest to ease your stress.

Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty

Academic dishonesty includes cheating and plagiarism. Cheating is the unauthorized use of
assistance with the intent to deceive the instructor or any other individual responsible for
evaluating your work. A few examples of cheating and plagiarism:
 Using other people’s ideas or words without proper citation
 Using or possessing unauthorized materials such as notes, books, or soliciting
unauthorized assistance from another student during quizzes or exams
 Reusing a previous assignment or project and re-presenting it as a new, original
work without my permission
 Copy another person’s answer or ideas without citation
 Recycling the assignment in this class to gain credits for another class
 Redistributing examination or quiz materials and/or answer keys
If you are suspected of academic dishonesty, BAS and university procedures will be
followed and appropriate sanction will be applied. You will automatically get a zero on
your assignment and ethos grade.