This course trains students to participate in Rio Hondo College’s Forensic Speech and Debate Team. Emphasis is placed on preparation, including research and writing; practice; and participation in intercollegiate speech and debate tournaments and/or community events. Students learn debate, oral interpretation, limited preparation, and platform speaking. The course is appropriate for students specializing in areas involving public speaking such as law, political science, drama, and instruction. Students who sign up for the lab hours are required to compete. This course may be taken once and repeated three times for credit.
I. Cover
Lecture: 18.000 - 18.000 Hours
Lab: 54.000 - 162.000 Hours
Discussion Hours: 0.000
Outside-of-Class Hours: 36.000 - 36.000 Hours
Total Contact Hours: 72.000 - 180.000 Hours
Total Student Learning Hours: 0.000
II. Need/Justification/Goals
This course allows students to develop their public speaking and critical thinking skills. Students who are specializing in areas of public discourse (law, teaching, political science and any field requiring a high amount of public speaking) need this course. Students achieve the goal of applying theory in the context of a public speech/performance. This course allows students to have the intercollegiate forensics course identified on their transcript allowing for more transfer and occupational opportunities. This course is part of the AA-T in Communication Studies.
III. Title 5 Requirements
- Standard Letter
IV. Course Content
- Content in the course will cover the following areas
- Overview of forensics (debate formats; platform; limited preparation; oral interpretation; readers’ theater) and/or community events
- The application of theory and principles of communication to forensics and/or community events
- Information Competency as it pertains to the research, analysis and writing for at least one event
- Practicing advocacy and presentational skills for at least one event
- Participation in at least one competitive forensics and/or community even
- Ethics and etiquette for event participation
- Materials and Research
- Selecting and narrowing a subject
- Determining the purpose
- Analyzing the audience and occasion
- Gathering materials
- Writing an outline
- Wording the components of the speech
- Preparing a thematic program
- Practicing aloud
- Managing performance anxiety
- Skill development
- Develop a speech, a debate or an interpretation program or any approved event listed for collegiate competition or community event
- Develop the prepared speech to an audience
- Critique development
- Know the rules and criteria of the events
- Gain an understanding of general judging criteria for speeches
- Develop skills to give thorough and effective critical feedback
- Critique other student speakers
- Rules and Procedure adherence
- Conform to the special rules of each tournament or occasion
- Develop their speech, debate or program to conform with the established rules for their event
- Recognize adherence to event rules when listening or evaluating other speakers or performers
- Designing, performing, and or analyzing “limited preparation” speeches
- Researching an preparing to construct Limited Preparation events
- Confirm to tournament specific rules
- Prepare speeches within the allotted limited time
- Designing and performing an Extemporaneous (Extemp) speech
- Research a thesis under a time limit (such as 2 or 30 minutes preparation as noted in the Pacific Southern California Forensic Association guidelines)
- Designing, performing, and or analyzing a Dramatic Interpretation (DI), Prose Interpretation (Prose), Programmed Oral Interpretation (POI), DUO (Duo interpretation), Poetry interpretation (Poetry)
- Choosing and evaluating short story, novel, play script, screen play script, or poetry literature
- Editing and filtering the literature to be within the 8-10 minute time limit through the practice of “cutting” selective material
- Integrating “blocking” and nonverbal nuances into the interpretation
- Script analysis and creating a thematic narrative
- Memorization tools for the interpretation
- Design, perform, and or analyze a “Platform” speech
- Designs an Informative Speech, Persuasive Speech, Communication Analysis or After Dinner Speech (ADS) or Speech to Entertain (STE)
- Develop humorous and non-humorous speech content centered around a central theme
- Design each speech through audience analysis
- Memorization of the speeches
- Delivered in 8-10 minutes
- For Communication Analysis, speaker explains or evaluates a communication event [speech, speaker, movement, poem, poster, campaign] through a communication theory
- Utilize argumentation skills in the context of a school debate where an opposing side argues counter the position and a judge adjudicates the debate
A. Prepare, practice, and compete in one competitive forensics and/or community event (54)
1. The application of Information Competency as it pertains to preparing for event participation including reviewing event rules and conforming to specific tournament rules
2. Practicing under the guidance of coaches and with peers in preparation for competitive forensics and/or community events
3. Post-event participation evaluation and self-reflection under the guidance of coaches and peers
B. Prepare, practice, and compete in two competitive forensics and/or community events (108)
1. The application of Information Competency as it pertains to preparing for event participation including reviewing event rules and conforming to specific tournament rules
2. Practicing under the guidance of coaches and with peers in preparation for competitive forensics and/or community events
3. Post-event participation evaluation and self-reflection under the guidance of coaches and peers
C. Prepare, practice and compete in three competitive forensics and/or community events (162)
1. The application of Information Competency as it pertains to preparing for event participation including reviewing event rules and conforming to specific tournament rules
2. Practicing under the guidance of coaches and with peers in preparation for competitive forensics and/or community events
3. Post-event participation evaluation and self-reflection under the guidance of coaches and peers
V. Course Objectives
VI. Methods of Instruction:
- Instructor lectures based on speech content, rules, and trends
- Facilitation of student speeches and debates
- Student observation and analysis of Speeches
- Various forms of speech demonstration
- Reading text and other assigned materials
- Video analysis and live speech analysis
- Examine written assessments (post competition/community event evaluations) provided at the conclusion of college speech and debate tournaments and/community events, and provide guiding feedback for improvement and polish
VII. Assignments:
- Read scripts, cases, and or interpretation material
- Prepare and memorize speeches and interpretation programs
- Research for speeches and debate cases using library online databases, magazines, newspapers and other research sources
- Rehearse speeches and interpretation programs
- Participate in live debates and or speech performances
- Critically evaluate peers, as well as other competitor’s, speeches, debates, and or interpretation programs
- Adhere to school field trip policy guidelines
- Display positive team oriented behaviors such as provide social support, student coaching and mentoring
- Participate in intercollegiate speech and debate competition(s) and/or community events. (students who sign up for lab hours)
VIII. Methods of Evaluation:
1. Assess student’s research, reading of relevant material, preparation and rehearsal by participation in Forensics tournaments and/or community events as judged by assessments provided at the conclusion of speech tournaments and/or community events
2. Observe to evaluate student’s verbal and nonverbal skills as applied to written assignments, speeches, debates, and interpretation programs
3. Measure the students positive team oriented behaviors such as team social support, adherence to field trip rules, and student coaching and mentoring
4. Observe and record student attendance in preparation for and at intercollegiate speech and debate competition(s)and/or community events. (students who sign up for lab hours)
IX. Student Learning Outcome
- In an out-of-class environment, such as a public event and or speech tournament, students will apply forensics speech and debate knowledge.
- In a debate, speech, and or oral interpretive event, students will research and speak on current events (i.e., political, economic, legal and social issues).
- In a debate, speech, and or oral interpretive event, students will adapt public discourse to a variety of situational considerations.
- In a debate, speech, and or oral interpretive event, students will integrate feedback from critics into their event.
- In a debate, speech, and or oral interpretive event students will provide constructive peer feedback.