Seminars
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Seminar #1 Readings & Questions
Each group member will select one of the databases listed below.  Go to that data base and learn all about it.  You will be teaching the others in your group how to use it.  What kinds of information will you find there?  Create one "working example".  That is, choose a speech topic and actually do a search that provides results.  Take us through the steps you used. List three more speech topics that you could find information on at this site. Once you find the source, evaluate it.  Is is it credible? Is it objective? Does it provide facts, data?  Opinions?   We want to know if this is a strong, credible site for us to use for our speech research.

Academic: LexisNexis,  CQResearcher,  Opposing View Points,  Elibrary,  J-Stor,  Alt-Press Watch,  Ethnic NewsWatch;  http://www.Factcheck.org

These may be found online at---- Highline Community College Library---e-Collection----Complete list of 50 Databases--  http://flightline.highline.edu/reference/databases/index.htm

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Seminar #2 Readings & Questions

Instructions: To prepare for Seminar #2 read the speech in our textbook (Understanding Human Communication) on pages 371-374 entitled, “Banksy--The Man and His Art”.  Then respond to the following questions. 

1.  What is your overall impression of the speech?  What did you find most striking or memorable?

2.  Evaluate the introduction.  Remember the purpose of an introduction is to: gain attention, introduce the topic, build speaker credibility, and provide an overview/preview of the body.  Which paragraphs in the speech text related to these four dimensions?      Would you be interested in listening to this speech? Would you have a different perception if you could see the speaker deliver this speech, rather than simply read the text?  Explain your response.

3.  Outline the main points in this speech.

4.  What types of supporting material/ evidence are used? Give the paragraph #s where they are located. (Refer to pages 369-372 in the text for the different types of supporting material.)

5.  The speaker uses 3 visual aids.  How effective were they in adding to his message?  Explain your point of view.

6.  Explain what you would do in delivering this speech to make it have power.  Choose an important section you want to emphasize. What would you do in delivering it?  How would you use pauses, volume, repetition, duration, etc.
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Seminar #3 Questionnaire construction--
Bring your 10-item questionnaire to class for discussion in your groups.  Be sure to follow the instructions given in class about scaled items, gender and age categories, rank order questions, subjective questions, etc.  Your questionnaire needs to be typed. Have a specific topic and thesis in mind before you create your q-aire.

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Seminar #4 Readings & Questions
You will be given a speech to read entitled, Speeches That Satisfy, by Jane W. Tully, a speech writer and president of Tully Communications in New York City.  Read the speech carefully and respond to the following questions.  You will notice numbers along side the paragraphs.  Please use the numbers to refer to the parts of the speech as you prepare.

1.  Does Tully use opening acknowledgements before she begins her speech?  Which paragraph(s)?
2.  What attention getting device(s) does the speaker use?  Was it engaging?  Why?  Why not?  Which paragraphs make up the introduction?
3.  What is the extended metaphor Ms. Tully uses throughout the speech?
4.  Make a list of 5-7 examples Tully uses in the speech. What are they  (e.g.,. illustrations, definitions, testimony --personal/other,etc.)  Does she use statistics?         Does it matter?  Defend your response.
5.  What was the most interesting party of the speech?  Why?
6.  You will notice that Tully does not cite sources the way we have been practicing in class.  Is this OK?  Why?  Why not/  (Remember to consider her audience.)
7.  Overall, how would you rate this speech?  Excellent,  Very Good,  Good,  Fair,  Poor?  Defend your response.
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Seminar #5 Readings & Questions
Study pp. 434-437 in Understanding Human Communication.   Do you think you can go too far in adapting to an audience?  Think about this.  What would be too far? Is there harm in it?  In class we will see a video entitled, " Undercover Marketing",  after viewing the video we will discuss the ethical aspects of this particular marketing/persuasive strategy.