Course Syllabus
Welcome to CAS 475: Studies in Public Address
Overview
| CATEGORY | INFORMATION |
|---|---|
| Credits | 3 |
| Prerequisites | CAS 100 |
| Delivery | Web (Canvas, https://psu.instructure.com) |
| Dates | See the Calendar. |
| Instructor | See the Orientation module under the Modules tab. |
Description
CAS 475, Studies in Public Address, is a survey of great speeches and debates from the early twentieth century to the present day. In this class, you will closely examine some of the most famous (and infamous) speeches in U.S. history, and you will read and write critical analyses of those speeches. As we examine and reflect upon some of the most important speeches of the past century, we will:
- Investigate their historical context, the problems, controversies, and events that inspired them, and how they were received at the time.
- Assess their broader political or cultural significance.
- Evaluate their rhetorical artistry.
- Illuminate their legacy and their relevance to ongoing political and social controversies.
By examining some of the most important speeches of the past century, you will gain a better understanding of American history and politics and the persistent issues and controversies that have shaped our nation’s history. You also will learn more about the rhetorical principles that distinguish the great speech from the ordinary speech and ethical speech from demagoguery and propaganda. Finally, you will come to better appreciate America’s unique tradition of free speech and the relevance of historical debates to today’s political, economic, and social controversies. As you study the history of American public address, you will become a more informed citizen and a more critical consumer of speeches in the “marketplace of ideas.” You might even find inspiration to “speak out” yourself!
This course is divided into two parts: Historical Studies in Persuasion and Demagoguery, and Genres and Issues in Rhetoric and Public Address. In the first part, which includes Lessons 2-8, we will examine some of the most celebrated speeches of the twentieth century, but also some of the most notorious, infamous, even “demagogic” speeches in U.S. history. These include speeches by presidents like Theodore Roosevelt and John Kennedy, but also speeches by rabble rousers like Huey Long and Joseph McCarthy. Some, like Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous "I Have a Dream" speech, literally changed the course of history. Our study of these important speeches will proceed chronologically, from the turn of the twentieth century up through the early 1970s, when the Watergate scandal rocked the nation.
In the second half of the course we will focus mostly on speeches delivered in the past fifty years-speeches that are historically significant, but that also represent some particular genre (or type) of speeches or illustrate some principle or theoretical issue in rhetorical studies. In this part of the course, we will reflect on how campaign speeches have changed over the years, the role of religion in American politics, and the rhetoric of war, to mention just a few of our topics. By the end of the course, you will have a better understanding of what rhetorical critics call the "canon" of great speeches in American and the principles that distinguish the great speaker-the speaker who uses the art of rhetoric to inspire, motivate, or educate-from the demagogue who deceives and manipulates audiences.
Objectives
At the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Appreciate the role of speech and debate in the American democratic tradition.
- Develop a more sophisticated understanding of the rhetorical principles underlying the art of public speaking.
- Distinguish between responsible persuasion in a free society and propaganda or demagoguery.
- Become familiar with those speeches that experts consider part of the canon of “great speeches” in American history.
- Increase your knowledge of American history and politics and the role of speech in shaping our history, politics, and cultural traditions.
Organization
This course is made up of fifteen lessons divided into 2 units.
For a typical lesson, you will complete the following activities and assignments:
- Explore online course content.
- Read a few assigned readings.
- Complete the lesson activities
- Complete the quizzes
- Participate in discussions.
In addition, you will complete the following major assignments: complete 2 Papers.
Online Learning and Attendance
This course has been developed to promote asynchronous learning. The instructor and students do NOT meet on a designated day and time each week. For each lesson, there is a timeframe to complete all activities and assignments, and you may work at your own pace within that timeframe. However, you must adhere to the due dates outlined on the Calendar. (Due dates can also be viewed under the Syllabus tab.) You should log into the course daily to check for updates, review lessons, and participate in activities.
Materials
Texts
The following texts are required:
- J. Medhurst (2008) Words of a Century: The Top 100 American Speeches, 1900-1999. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN: 9780195168051. Indicated by L&M on the course overview pages.
Library Services
Penn State Libraries provides a wide variety of services and resources. To learn how to take advantage, refer to the Online Student Library Guide at http://guides.libraries.psu.edu/onlinestudentlibraryguide. This guide serves as your starting point for access to all that Penn State Libraries can offer you as an online student. Use this guide if you have questions on library services offered to you, how the library can help you, how to use the library, or what resources you can access via the library! The guide will connect you to important pages and resources within Penn State Libraries and save time from you searching for the information you need.
Course Reserves
There are electronic resources on reserve for this course that can be accessed through the Penn State Libraries. To access your Course Reserves, select Library Resources in the course menu.
For any questions you may have about searching, viewing, or printing your Course Reserves, refer to the Viewing/Printing Electronic Reserves page (Links to an external site.) at https://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/reserves/usingreserves.html.
Grading
Final letter grades will be assigned based on the scale below.
Scale
| LETTER GRADE |
MINIMUM PERCENT |
MINIMUM POINTS |
|---|---|---|
| A | 95 | 404 |
| A- | 90 | 383 |
| B+ | 87 | 370 |
| B | 83 | 353 |
| B- | 80 | 340 |
| C+ | 75 | 319 |
| C | 70 | 298 |
| D | 60 | 255 |
| F | 0 | 0 |
Due Dates
All assignments are due by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the date indicated on the Calendar. (Due dates can be also be viewed under the Syllabus tab.) Please be aware that Canvas follows the Eastern Time (ET) time zone. Assignment due dates adhere to this time zone, and it is your responsibility to submit assignments accordingly. If you are outside of the ET time zone, you can set your Canvas account to sync to it. Refer to the Set a Time Zone article in the Canvas Guide at https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-2891.
As a general rule, you will NOT be able to go back and make up missed assignments. It is your responsibility to keep up with your assignments. Students with an excused absence (e.g. hospitalization, jury duty, family emergency, or military service) may be asked to produce proper documentation in order to make up graded work. All make-up work is at the discretion of the instructor.
Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or spouses with unique circumstances (e.g. upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, disabilities, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.
Notes
- To Do List: Some assignments may not appear in the To Do list under the Home tab. Use the Calendar or Syllabus to ensure that you are fully aware of assignment due dates.
- Late Assignments: Late assignments will lose the point equivalent of 10% per calendar day.
Assignments
Basic information about each assignment group is provided below. For detailed directions about an individual assignment, see the assignment information under the Modules tab.
| ASSIGNMENT GROUP |
POINTS |
|---|---|
| Discussions | 120 |
| Quizzes | 105 |
| Paper 1 | 100 |
| Paper 2 | 100 |
| Total | 425 |
Discussions
Value: 8 x 15 PTS, 120 PTS total
Your activity in eight of our fifteen weeks this semester will be to respond to one of two questions posted in the Discussions to develop a “discussion thread” that stimulates critical thinking and in depth dialogue. You will also be required to respond to at least two of your classmates’ threads. Professionalism and common courtesy are expected during the discussion dialogues. Please review the Discussion Guidlines on the Resources page within the Course Support module.
Quizzes
Value: 7 x 15 PTS, 105 PTS total
Your activity in each of the remaining seven lessons of the course will be to complete a brief quiz on the speeches and critical essays assigned for that week. These quizzes will combine multiple choice and true/false with short answer questions, and they will test your command of both the historical information and the rhetorical principles and concepts discussed in the readings.
Papers
Value: 2 x 100 PTS, 200 PTS total
Paper 1: Historical Case Study
You will choose a speech or a set of speeches in the required textbook that have not been assigned as part of the regular readings for the class. Your goal will be to shed light on that speech—following the example of the critical essays we will read for class —by investigating its historical context, the biography of the speaker, the substantive and stylistic qualities of the speech itself, the response of its immediate and removed audiences, and its impact and legacy.
Since every speech in our textbook is considered one of the 100 “top speeches” of the twentieth century, you might develop your essay as a response to these sorts of questions: Why do you think this speech was voted one of the “top 100” speeches of the century? What is it about the speech that made it so historically significant? Is the speech itself noteworthy for its artistry or style? Do you think it deserves its reputation as one of the “top 100” speeches of the twentieth century?
This paper should be about five pages (1250 words) in length, and it should include a minimum of five bibliographic sources. Sources should be cited in accordance with either the APA or MLA style manual, and the paper should include a list of References or Works Cited (not counted as part of the five pages). More information on these style manuals can be found at the Purdue Online Writing Lab.
More details about this assignment will be provided at the end of the commentary for Lesson 1.
Paper 2: Rhetorical Genre Analysis
Your second paper for this class will be a genre analysis. Again, you will select a speech or set of speeches from the textbook that have not been assigned as part of the regular reading for the class. This time, however, you will analyze that speech or those speeches as instances of a particular type or genre of speech, drawing upon the existing rhetorical literature about that genre as well as other case studies in genre analysis.
In genre analysis, the questions guiding your analysis will be somewhat different. Instead of asking “why was this speech chosen as one of the top 100 speeches of the last century,” you now will ask: Is this speech typical of other speeches of its type? If so, what makes it a good example of its type? If not, what makes it different or even unique? Again, since every speech in our text has been judged one of the “top 100” of the last century, we might presume that they all have some qualities that make them worthy of analysis. Yet among those speeches are many different types of speeches, ranging from campaign speeches, to inaugural addresses, to war addresses, to keynote addresses at political conventions or protest rallies. The fact that all of the speeches are deemed historically significant says little about whether they are typical or unique examples of their generic types.
The requirements for this paper are the same as those for Paper 1: Five pages (1250) in length, with five sources and citations in conformance with either APA or MLA. Again, you should include a list of References or Works Cited.
University Policies
Academic Integrity
Penn State defines academic integrity as “the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest and responsible manner.” (Senate Policy 49-20 (Links to an external site.)). Dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated in this course. Dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarizing, fabricating information or citations, facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others, having unauthorized possession of examinations, submitting work of another person or work previously used without permission from the instructor or tampering with the academic work of other students. Students facing allegations of academic misconduct who drop the course will be returned and will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines until the allegations are dismissed and the drop is permitted. Students responsible for academic misconduct often receive academic sanctions, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for disciplinary sanctions assigned by the University's Office of Student Conduct (see Senate Policy G-9 (Links to an external site.)).
Unless your instructor tells you otherwise:
- Always include an in-text citation that includes the author(s) last name(s) and the year the source was published at the end of any sentence or below any image that includes words, images, or ideas you found in a source, always included quoted text within quotation marks, and always include a reference for any source at the end of your paper (ask your instructor about the format you should use).
- All of your graded coursework must be created by you without help from anyone in the course or otherwise. If you have questions about this, you should ask your instructor before submitting work for evaluation.
- All course materials you receive or access are protected by copyright laws. You may use course materials and make copies for your own use, but unauthorized distribution and/or uploading of materials without the instructor’s express permission is strictly prohibited. Students who engage in the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials may be held in violation of the University’s Code of Conduct and/or liable under Federal and State laws.
Disability Access
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources website provides contact information for every Penn State campus (Links to an external site.) at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources/disability-coordinator. For further information, please visit the Student Disability Resources website (Links to an external site.) at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources.
In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation (Links to an external site.) described at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources/applying-for-services. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus’s disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Counseling and Psychological Services
Penn State's Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) office offers residential and distance-based Penn State students non-emergency mental health services in the form of case management, community resource referrals, supportive listening, care giver support, and much more.
Students may request assistance from CAPS regarding a variety of common mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, and stress. CAPS services are designed to enhance students' ability to fully benefit from the University environment and academic experience. Call CAPS at 814-863-0395 (8 am-5 pm, Monday-Friday EST) or submit an inquiry online (Links to an external site.) at https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/form/caps-contact-form to schedule an appointment with a mental health advocate, who can help you address mental health concerns that may interfere with your academic progress or social development. This appointment will include a one-on-one session that can be conducted via telephone, teleconference (Skype, FaceTime, etc.), or locally at Penn State University Park. For more information on services provided through CAPS, please visit the Penn State CAPS website (Links to an external site.) at http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/counseling/. Students enrolled at the World Campus are also encouraged to visit its Mental Health Services page (Links to an external site.) at http://student.worldcampus.psu.edu/student-services/mental-health-services.
Reminder: These services are for non-emergencies only. If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis situation, please call your local crisis center or 911.
Nondiscrimination
Penn State is committed to equal access to programs, facilities, admission and employment for all persons. It is the policy of the University to maintain an environment free of harassment and free of discrimination against any person because of age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, marital or family status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, physical or mental disability, gender, perceived gender, gender identity, genetic information or political ideas. Discriminatory conduct and harassment, as well as sexual misconduct and relationship violence, violates the dignity of individuals, impedes the realization of the University's educational mission, and will not be tolerated. For further information, please visit the Affirmative Action Office website (Links to an external site.) at https://affirmativeaction.psu.edu/.
Reporting a Bias Incident
Penn State takes great pride to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity via the Report Bias webpage (Links to an external site.) at http://equity.psu.edu/reportbias/.
TEACH Act
The materials on the course website are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course and may not be retained or further disseminated.
University Emergency Procedure
In the event of a University-wide emergency, the course may be subject to changes. Exigent circumstances may require alternative delivery methods, class materials, and interactions with the instructor and/or classmates. In addition, there may be revisions to grading policies and the Calendar, including assignments and their due dates.
In the event of a University-wide emergency, please refer to the Canvas website at https://psu.instructure.com for specific information related to the course. For more general information about the emergency situation, please refer to the Penn State website (Links to an external site.) at https://www.psu.edu or Penn State News website (Links to an external site.) at https://news.psu.edu.
To register with PSUAlert, a service designed to alert the Penn State community when situations arise that affect the ability of a campus to function normally, please go to the PSU Alert website (Links to an external site.) at https://psualert.psu.edu/. Subscribers can receive alerts by text message to cell phones, and also can elect to have alerts sent to an email address.
Syllabus Subject to Change
The class will likely adhere to the information outlined in this Syllabus and the Calendar, but adjustments may be made based on what actually transpires during the semester. Remaining in the course after reading this Syllabus will signal that you accept the possibility of changes and responsibility for being aware of them.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|