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CORE 102

CORE 102: Advanced Written and Oral Communication

Prerequisites: CORE 101

Credit Hours: (3)

Further development of students’ writing and speaking skills with attention to applied critical thinking and information literacy. The course will reinforce and develop elements of students’ reasoning and critical thinking and the use of these skills in persuasive communication. Students will develop competency in information literacy and will learn the basic mechanics of public speaking by making oral presentations. This course has been approved for Core Curriculum credit in University Core A. This course replaces ENGL 102, and Students cannot receive credit for both CORE 102 and ENGL 102.

Note(s): This course has been approved for Core Curriculum credit in University Core A.

Detailed Description of Content of Course

This course continues the emphasis of the Core sequence on the composing process, and the relationship between reading, critical thinking, writing, and speaking, but also:
• The rhetorical principles that inform successful oral and written communication;
• Key concepts in argumentation including informal fallacies;
• Research as inquiry, using both print and digital sources to gather information on a topic;
• Evaluation of the quality of information;
• Use of information as evidence to support arguments.

Students will also develop their reading skills by analyzing texts. Students will learn to set aside their own feelings about these texts or the ideas therein, focusing instead on producing an objective, critical analysis of the texts.

Detailed Description of Conduct of Course

The University Core A Handbook is a required text. Instructors may choose additional readings in order to develop the course.

Required projects for course completion:

    Approaches to Oral Argument
Students will compose an essay analyzing the persuasive appeals used in a speech or speeches given by an authority on a topic. They will do so by conducting the types of rhetorical analysis employed in Core 101's Approaches to Written Argument essay, while also studying elements of arrangement, style, and delivery particular to oral communication.
    1) Identify the overall theme or message of a speech.
    2) Demonstrate and evaluate how a speaker tailors rhetorical appeals to an audience and speaking context.
    3) Integrate quotations and paraphrases.
    4) Cite sources correctly, in text and in a list of sources.
    5) Use tone, mechanics, and style appropriate to a college-educated audience.

    Researched Argument
Students will use a variety of sources to write a paper answering a research question on a complex topic.
Objectives:
    1) Incorporate a variety of appropriate sources into an essay that contributes to a complex conversation.
    2) Write a thesis statement that attempts to distinguish the student’s ideas from a number of perspectives.
    3) Find examples and other types of evidence to support a claim.
    4) Identify one’s own and others’ biases with regard to the topic
    5) Locate appropriate sources
    6) Create references correctly

    Informative Speech
Students will present orally on their research topic to inform their audience. They will learn the basics of oral presentation and be evaluated on content, presentation, and organization.
Objectives:
    1) Organize a speech using a manageable number of clearly-stated key ideas.
    2) Arrange key ideas in a logical order.
    3) Use organizational cues to help the audience follow a speech’s key ideas.

    Reflective Project
Students will evaluate their process as writers by reflecting upon foundational concepts in rhetoric and composition, with special focus on researched writing and composing for oral communication.
Objectives:
    1) Assess efforts to compose for different audiences and purposes, e.g. researched argument, speech analysis, oral communication.
    2) Demonstrate critical reasoning in evaluating sources, as well as claims made by experts, media or other cources of information.
    3) Describe the search strategy or research process used in the researched argument.
    4) Propose goals for writing progress

This course combines the goals and objectives of the four Core A areas, which are to be fulfilled by the entire Core A sequence. Developmental outcomes for each course have been constructed according to these goals:

Goals and Objectives of the Course

This course combines the goals and objectives of the four Core A areas, which are to be fulfilled by the entire Core A sequence. Developmental outcomes for each course have been constructed according to these goals:

Upon completion of University Core A, Radford University students will have achieved competency in four key concept areas: written communications, oral communication, critical thinking, and information literacy.

Goal 1: Radford University students will be able to prepare coherent and well-written essays that effectively integrate material from a variety of sources. By the completion of Core 102, Radford University students will be able to:
• Incorporate a variety of appropriate sources into an essay that contributes to a complex conversation.
• Write a thesis statement that attempts to distinguish the student’s ideas from a number of perspectives.
• Use tone, mechanics, and style appropriate to a college educated audience.

Goal 2: Radford University students will be able to deliver an effective and organized oral presentation and appropriately communicate in interpersonal and small group settings. By the completion of Core 102, Radford University students will be able to:
• Organize a speech using a manageable number of clearly-stated key ideas.
• Arrange key ideas in a logical order.
• Use organizational cues to help the audience follow a speech’s key ideas.
• Identify the overall theme or message of a speech.
• Recognize how a speaker tailors a speech to his or her audience and speaking context.

Goal 3: Radford University students will learn to distinguish knowledge from opinion, challenge ideas, and develop reasonable strategies for belief formation. By the completion of Core 102, Radford University students will be able to:
• Apply critical reasoning in critiquing claims made by experts, media, or other sources of information.
• Find examples and sources and other types of evidence to support a claim
• Identify one’s own and others’ biases with regard to the topic.

Goal 4: Radford University students will be able to locate, evaluate, and cite information. By the completion of Core 102, Radford University students will be able to:
• Create references correctly.
• Create a research question.
• Identify keywords, synonyms and related terms.
• Create a search strategy.
• Locate appropriate sources.
• Use non-subject-specific databases appropriately matched to the target assignment (ex., Academic Search Complete).

Assessment Measures

Assessment of Students. Students will produce a number of informal and formal texts which will be graded according to criteria designed with the outcomes in mind.

Assessment of Curriculum. For program assessment, a designated set of assignments of the students’ work will be gathered in consultation with the Core Curriculum coordinators.

Other Course Information

None

Review and Approval

April 21, 2017
March 2013 - Chuck Vehorn and Laurie Cubbison