CQUniversity Unit Profile
COMM12033 Speech and Script
Speech and Script
All details in this unit profile for COMM12033 have been officially approved by CQUniversity and represent a learning partnership between the University and you (our student).
The information will not be changed unless absolutely necessary and any change will be clearly indicated by an approved correction included in the profile.
General Information

Overview

This unit considers aspects of speech as it is applied in corporate and media settings. Topics covered include historical and rhetorical perspectives on speech, speech as ‘institutional talk’, broadcast talk, corporate speech, and writing for speech, including script-writing. Students will complete theory-based practical assessment and speech-writing tasks as part of this unit.

Details

Career Level: Undergraduate
Unit Level: Level 2
Credit Points: 6
Student Contribution Band: 10
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load: 0.125

Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

Prerequisite: Minimum of 36 Units of Credit

Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).

Offerings For Term 1 - 2018

Distance

Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).

Class and Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.

Class Timetable

Bundaberg, Cairns, Emerald, Gladstone, Mackay, Rockhampton, Townsville
Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Assessment Overview

1. Portfolio
Weighting: 50%
2. Practical and Written Assessment
Weighting: 50%

Assessment Grading

This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.

Previous Student Feedback

Feedback, Recommendations and Responses

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Feedback from Students. Considered at the 2012 Professional Communication Annual Course and Program Review.

Feedback

Doing assessment as a blog was technically challenging but enjoyable.

Recommendation

Assessment Item 1 will remain submitted as a blog.

Feedback from Students. Considered at the 2012 Professional Communication Annual Course and Program Review.

Feedback

Weekly upload of material was problematic for some students.

Recommendation

Course will be rolled out in larger chunks, so students can work a few weeks ahead. However, there are sound pedagogical reasons for not rolling all content out at the beginning of term.

Feedback from Students. Students. Considered at the 2012 Professional Communication Annual Course and Program Review.

Feedback

Assessment Item 1 was enjoyable, challenging, but very time consuming.

Recommendation

Retain as is. The course is designed to require 8 - 10 hours per week, and complaints by students that they have to spend more than a couple of hours per week on study are considered unreasonable. The assessment comprises all the course study requirement for the first half of the course.

Feedback from Students. Considered at the 2012 Professional Communication Annual Course and Program Review.

Feedback

Incorporating Assessment Item 2 into the blog was helpful.

Recommendation

Maintain approach to breaking down assessment so students will receive feedback formally prior to submission of Assessment Item 2.

Unit Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  1. Discuss effective speech making from a range of historical and cultural perspectives;
  2. Explain social practices behind institutional talk;
  3. Explain differences between genres of speech; and
  4. Write and deliver speech effectively over a range of genres.
Alignment of Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Graduate Attributes
N/A Level
Introductory Level
Intermediate Level
Graduate Level
Professional Level
Advanced Level

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes

Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4
1 - Portfolio - 50%
2 - Practical and Written Assessment - 50%

Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes

Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4
1 - Communication
2 - Problem Solving
3 - Critical Thinking
4 - Information Literacy
5 - Team Work
6 - Information Technology Competence
7 - Cross Cultural Competence
8 - Ethical practice
9 - Social Innovation
10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes

Assessment Tasks Graduate Attributes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1 - Portfolio - 50%
2 - Practical and Written Assessment - 50%
Textbooks and Resources

Textbooks

There are no required textbooks.

IT Resources

You will need access to the following IT resources:
  • CQUniversity Student Email
  • Internet
  • Unit Website (Moodle)
Referencing Style

All submissions for this unit must use the referencing styles below:

For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.

Teaching Contacts
Kate Ames Unit Coordinator
k.ames@cqu.edu.au
Schedule
Week 1 - Introduction to Speech and Script Begin Date: 05 Mar 2018

Module/Topic

Introduction to Speech and Script

Chapter

There is no set textbook for this course. The Study Guide Lesson for the week will guide you to appropriate readings.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 2 - Perspectives on Speech Begin Date: 12 Mar 2018

Module/Topic

Perspectives on Speech

Chapter

There is no set textbook for this course. The Study Guide Lesson for the week will guide you to appropriate readings.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 3 - Institutional Talk Begin Date: 19 Mar 2018

Module/Topic

Institutional Talk

Chapter

There is no set textbook for this course. The Study Guide Lesson for the week will guide you to appropriate readings.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 4 - Performance Begin Date: 26 Mar 2018

Module/Topic

Performance

Chapter

There is no set textbook for this course. The Study Guide Lesson for the week will guide you to appropriate readings.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 5 - Rhetoric Begin Date: 02 Apr 2018

Module/Topic

Rhetoric

Chapter

There is no set textbook for this course. The Study Guide Lesson for the week will guide you to appropriate readings.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Vacation Week Begin Date: 09 Apr 2018

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 6 - Genres of Speech - Corporate Begin Date: 16 Apr 2018

Module/Topic

Genres of Speech - Corporate

Chapter

There is no set textbook for this course. The Study Guide Lesson for the week will guide you to appropriate readings.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 7 - Genres of Speech - Media Begin Date: 23 Apr 2018

Module/Topic

Genres of Speech - Media

Chapter

There is no set textbook for this course. The Study Guide Lesson for the week will guide you to appropriate readings.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 8 - Writing Speech - Speech Writing Begin Date: 30 Apr 2018

Module/Topic

Writing Speech - Speech Writing

Chapter

There is no set textbook for this course. The Study Guide Lesson for the week will guide you to appropriate readings.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 9 - Writing Speech - Script Writing Begin Date: 07 May 2018

Module/Topic

Writing Speech - Script Writing

Chapter

There is no set textbook for this course. The Study Guide Lesson for the week will guide you to appropriate readings.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Workbook (Portfolio) Due: Week 9 Friday (11 May 2018) 6:00 pm AEST
Week 10 - Delivering Speech Begin Date: 14 May 2018

Module/Topic

Delivering Speech

Chapter

There is no set textbook for this course. The Study Guide Lesson for the week will guide you to appropriate readings.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 11 - Ethics Begin Date: 21 May 2018

Module/Topic

Ethics

Chapter

There is no set textbook for this course. The Study Guide Lesson for the week will guide you to appropriate readings.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 12 - Review Begin Date: 28 May 2018

Module/Topic

Review week

Chapter

There is no set textbook for this course. The Study Guide Lesson for the week will guide you to appropriate readings.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Review/Exam Week Begin Date: 04 Jun 2018

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Practical and Written Assessment - Speech and Audio-Visual Script Due: Review/Exam Week Monday (4 June 2018) 9:00 am AEST
Exam Week Begin Date: 11 Jun 2018

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Assessment Tasks

1 Portfolio

Assessment Title
Workbook (Portfolio)

Task Description

You are required to complete activities and exercises as directed within Workbooks 1 - 9. Each week, there will be a 'Workbook Activity Sheet' that will direct you as to the specific requirement for that week. These activities may include submitting posts to the Unit Discussion Forum, online quizzes, recording practical exercises, and writing critiques. You may also include responses and reflections based on activities in your Study Guide Lessons.

You will be required to collate and present your work as a blog, and this will be due at the end of Week 9. Some activities might be due earlier than this, so you are required to check at the beginning of each week as to the due dates of individual items.

You will submit one file with a Cover Sheet, a blog URL address, and a self-assessed marking criteria (ie. you have marked yourself against the marking criteria) to reflect that you have engaged with the requirements and attempted to critically evaluate your own work. 

More specific information about task details will be available on Moodle > Assessment Item 1 - Workbook (Portfolio).


Assessment Due Date

Week 9 Friday (11 May 2018) 6:00 pm AEST


Return Date to Students

Week 11 Friday (25 May 2018)

Assignments will be returned two weeks after the due date.


Weighting
50%

Assessment Criteria

A detailed marking rubric will be available on the course website, and will be based on:

Content:

  • Attention to completion of required tasks
  • Engagement with concepts
  • Critical reflection on practice

Presentation:

  • Research support (Use of sources)
  • Writing standard
  • Referencing standard and style


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Submission Instructions
You will submit a file with a Cover Sheet, a blog URL address, and an 800 word reflective piece on if/how the activities helped your learning.

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Discuss effective speech making from a range of historical and cultural perspectives;
  • Explain social practices behind institutional talk;
  • Explain differences between genres of speech; and
  • Write and deliver speech effectively over a range of genres.


Graduate Attributes
  • Communication
  • Critical Thinking
  • Information Literacy
  • Cross Cultural Competence
  • Ethical practice

2 Practical and Written Assessment

Assessment Title
Practical and Written Assessment - Speech and Audio-Visual Script

Task Description

You are a newly appointed media adviser to a local State politician, and your task is to write your Member's parliamentary maiden speech. You can assume your Member's passions are your own, and the local electorate will be your own.

Parliamentary maiden speeches are often reported by media, who identify key newsworthy points. They are also promoted by the Members' offices, because these speeches reinforce key electoral issues.

All of you will write a maiden speech. You may then choose to write the script to a video news release, OR an audio-visual news story.

All students will therefore be required to write two scripts - one speech, and one audio-visual script - and record voiceovers to these scripts. Students will also be required to write a short justification to their scripts.

The assessment requirement, therefore, is:

  • ONE Speech - Write one script for a maiden parliamentary speech (max length 4000 words).
  • ONE Audio-visual script - Students can elect to write a video news release (PR) OR a television news story (journalism) associated with the speech.
  • TWO voice-overs - All students will 'voice' their stories [read them aloud to professional standard as per the genre requirements]. These recordings should be uploaded to SoundCloud, YourListen, YouTube, or similar, and the link to the recording included in your speech scripts.
  • ONE justification - All students will write a 500 word justification outlining their approach to each piece, so that you can demonstrate your practice is informed by theory.

If you have a real speech you need to make, or topic you wish to explore, you can discuss the possibility of an alternate topic with the Unit Coordinator.

Submission requirements: You will submit one word-based file that includes:
* two scripts (one speech, one audio-visual) and one justification (report format)
* links to your two audio files (delivery of speech, voiceover of audio-visual)
* a self-assessed marking criteria (ie. you have marked yourself against the marking criteria) to reflect that you have engaged with the  requirements and attempted to critically evaluate yourself

Notes:

1) Do not be tempted to plagiarise. All maiden speeches in Australia are recorded in Hansard, and plagiarism will be easily identified via Turnitin review.

2) You will need to do some research. What electorate are you in? What are the key issues that locals in that electorate care about? What are you going to do about these issues? What message do you want to clearly impart about your electorate to the wider parliamentary community?

3) Your justification should incorporate theoretical perspectives. For example: What rhetorical devices did you use?; What role were you intending to 'play'?; Did you consider sound bites and why/how?; and so on.


Assessment Due Date

Review/Exam Week Monday (4 June 2018) 9:00 am AEST


Return Date to Students

Assignments will be returned approximately two weeks after submission.


Weighting
50%

Minimum mark or grade
Pass Grade

Assessment Criteria

A detailed marking rubric will be provided on the course website, but students will be assessed on:

  1. Attention to the requirements of the task
  2. Delivery (voiceover)
  3. Script (format)
  4. Script (story/speech structure)
  5. Justification
  6. Writing standard (script and justification)
  7. Referencing (justification)


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Submission Instructions
Your submission should be one file, including speech/script etc. You may include links to voice-overs.

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Explain differences between genres of speech; and
  • Write and deliver speech effectively over a range of genres.


Graduate Attributes
  • Communication
  • Critical Thinking
  • Information Literacy
  • Cross Cultural Competence
  • Ethical practice

Academic Integrity Statement

As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.

Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.

When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.

Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.

As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.

What is a breach of academic integrity?

A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.

Why is academic integrity important?

A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.

Where can I get assistance?

For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.

What can you do to act with integrity?