Know these things:
The goals of this course are to:
■ diminish the pretension, mediocrity, and insufferable boredom in legal speaking;
■ improve student performance in all communication from conversation to oratory; and
■ gain an appreciation of eloquence as art and a tool for human progress.
People communicate on a scale ranging from babble to eloquence. We will strive towards eloquence.
Eloquence (a brief definition): “meaning conveyed by crafted words, images and presence”.
Class meets each Wednesday from 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. in Room 3226. Attendance is required. Missing more than three (3) classes for any reason results in no credit for the course.
Feel free to stop by my office (Room 5226), call (262-7881) or e-mail (rmcagle@wisc.edu) to discuss any matter.
Required texts for this course are.
1. Any one of the following (or any other) contemporary public speaking handbook:
* Ailes, You Are the Message (Currency Publishing)
* Koegel, The Exceptional Presenter (Green Leaf Book Group Press)
* Morgan, Give Your Speech, Change the World (Harvard Business School Press)
* Wisklup, Presentation S.O.S. (Warner Business Books)
To choose among them, see descriptions and reviews on Amazon or elsewhere online.
2. Torricelli and Carroll, In Our Own Words (an anthology of exceptionally well- crafted speeches)
3. Any general anthology of poetry (you choose)
4. (fill in own name here), Your Own Life’s Experience
I chose not to order these through the Bookmart. All but # 4 are available and cheaper online (or can be found in bookstores). Most online sources have free shipping for orders over $25. Additional handouts and recommended sources for specific uses will be distributed in class.
This course centers on student performance with instructor and/or peer feedback and self-reflection. Some performances are recorded and posted for review, evaluation, and/or class instruction. Students complete assigned speeches, but choose options from within categories. Excellent (maybe your best) opportunities to develop your craft during the semester will occur outside of class.
Grading is based on class participation (including attendance), performance in speaking exercises, quizzes, and written assignments.
Six words that begin with the letter “C” are:
Clear – Concise – Confident – Credible – Convincing – Connected.
Prof. Ralph Cagle
