COMM 209 Public Speaking

The connection between the concepts of ethics, justice, truth and rhetoric date back to the ancient Greeks. Scholars such as Socrates, Plato and Aristotle explored how rhetoric could be used to promote justice as well as to manipulate truth. One of the leading Roman rhetoricians of his day, Cicero, promoted the idea that to be a good citizen and a true person of wisdom, one had to learn the ability to present oneself in an articulate manner and practice public speaking in an ethical and moral manner. Societal good and the future of the community depended upon "the good person speaking well." This course, in addition to fulfilling ACE 2 requirements, provides the foundation for approaching public speaking situations by taking a rhetorical approach to preparing and practicing oratory. Students will learn to analyze rhetorical situations and develop strategic approaches to those situations that address and overcome barriers to communication and persuasion. Students will prepare and develop speeches on topics of social and public concern, and advocate for policies that remedy significant social harms. Additionally, this course provides a basic framework for analyzing discourses and their attendant effects. Students will learn how to critically analyze a speech and provide a cogent analysis and evaluation of the speaker’s approach in a given situation.