testout procedures, updated 2004

Successful completion of this Test-Out provides an alternate method for meeting the SpCm 212 requirement. It is offered twice a year. The test-out option is not simply a pass/fail exercise. Only students who have college level proficiency in the fundamentals of public speaking can successfully meet the requirements for the test-out. The test-out option is open to students currently enrolled at Iowa State University. Participation does not guarantee that the course requirement will be met. Students who attempt the Test-Out during their last semester before graduation may not pass and, as a result, may have their graduation delayed. It is wise to register for the course to guarantee a spot in case test-out credit is not earned.

To meet the requirement through the test-out, a student must demonstrate high proficiency in three distinct tasks:

The exam is an objective test of the material covered in the Speech Communication Textbook: Lucas, Stephen E. (2004). The Art of Public Speaking (9th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. The exam consists of 50 multiple choice questions. To pass this stage, the student must answer 80% of the questions correctly. Note that understanding the course concepts is closely related to your ability to develop a speech that meets our evaluation criteria since those are based on the textbook. For example, one evaluation criteria will be: "Did the speech introduction have all of the necessary parts?" One way to make sure that your speech does is to know the material in chapter 9 about Introductions!

To guide you as you study, here is a breakdown of how many questions come out of each book chapter: Ch. 1--4 questions; Ch. 4--5 questions; Ch. 5--4 questions; Ch. 7--4 questions; Ch. 8--8 questions; Ch. 9--5 questions; Ch. 10--4 questions; Ch. 11--3 questions; Ch. 12--3 questions; Ch. 15--6 questions; Ch. 16--4 questions;

* The communication model (7 parts) and frame of reference. (Definitions or application)

* Specific purpose statements, central ideas. (Be able to recognize them and to recognize their flaws according to the textbook criteria.)

* Audience centeredness, demographic vs. situational audience analysis [we are more interested in applying this. For example, what would be the most important thing to know about your audience if your speech was on the topic of say tax policy?], target audience

* Transitions, signposts, internal summary and internal preview (recognize an example of each)

* Types of evidence: statistics, examples, testimony (peer, expert) [recognize each type and know the tips the book offers for using them in a speech; what makes something a strong example of supporting materials use? What are examples especially useful for?]

* Parts of a good introduction [5 parts: Attention, Reveal Topic, Relate to Audience, Credibility, and Preview] and parts of a good conclusion [signal the end and reinforce the central idea] and what are the strategies for gaining attention or for reinforcing the central idea?

* Language use: connotation/denotation and figures of speech (be able to recognize examples of: metaphor, simile, alliteration, antithesis, parallelism, repetition etc.)

* Persuasive speeches of fact, value, policy [recognize specific purpose statements that are examples of each]

* Reasoning: recognize instances of arguments from principle, specific instances, analogy and causal and the major fallacies

* Need/Plan/Practicality: apply these to a policy issue. Can you recognize claims that deal with each of these issues? Why are they important to prove?

* Different types of delivery: impromptu, manuscript, extemporaneous etc. (chapter 13) Delivery terms such as: pauses, rate, inflection, pitch. What do studies tell us about eye contact in the US?

* Patterns of organization from chapter 8 and from the persuasion chapter [recognize examples of each, Central Ideas suggesting certain patterns and know why would you use one pattern or another pattern in order to deal with a particular issue.]

* Guidelines for visual aid use [given a scenario can you recognize a violation of the rules?]

Trying the sample questions on the website and using the study questions on the CD-ROM that comes with the Lucas textbook will help you to prepare for the written portion of the testout.

Each student must prepare a full preparation outline for the speech. The outline should account for all of the material used in your speech and will run 2-4 pages. It must follow one of the patterns of organization for informative speeches presented in the textbook in chapter 8. The general requirements for the outline are as follows:

The following is a map to use as you develop your preparation outline. Your outline will not be identical since your material and your choice of a pattern of organization will determine how many main points, sub-points, and sub-sub-points you need, but the general format should be followed.

Name:
--Specific Purpose Statement: To inform my audience . . . .
--Central Idea: [one complete sentence to indicate the main points]
--Pattern of Organization: [identify which you are trying to use]

INTRODUCTION: Here you should write out the introduction in paragraph form. Label the required parts of the introduction as you compose it: Gain Attention, Reveal topic, Credibility and Goodwill, and Preview. [This instruction differs slightly from the example in the textbook.]

BODY
[connective: Make sure the audience knows you are moving from the introduction into the first main point.]

I. One complete sentence expressing the main point of this section of the speech.

II. Another complete sentence expressing the main point of this section of the speech.

CONCLUSION: Here you write out the conclusion in complete sentences. Label them to make sure that you have thought about ways to fulfill each function of a conclusion--signal the end of the speech and reinforce the central idea.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Here you list complete citations for the research materials you have used in your speech. [For bibliography format you can use the examples on the CD-ROM that comes with the Lucas textbook or check the information about citing sources on the ISU Library's Instruction Commons web materials that support SpCm 212 at: http://www.lib.iastate.edu/commons/spcm212/research.html

Nothing to Sneeze At

Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about the most interesting issues surrounding sneezing.
Central Idea: Sneezing has long been the subject of superstition, has a number of different causes, and can be done safely and politely.
Pattern of Organization: Topical

Introduction [with labels]:
(Attention & relating to audience w/ "you") You feel it welling up inside you, this delicate tingling, as if your every nerve were firing at once. You want to grope for the newspaper, your homework--anything--but you no longer control your body. These seconds of helpless anticipation seem like an eternity, but then the spell is broken. You crash forward, your muscles contracting like a fist, and you can't even see that people are running away from you because something has forced your eyes shut. And then it's over. You relax. Your head is clear, your body under control.

(Reveal Topic) I'm talking, of course, about sneezing. (Credibility/goodwill) I come from a long line of sneezers. My father sneezed, and his father and his father's father before him were all men for whom a blast from the nose was every bit as bracing as a plunge into the snow following a sauna.

This involuntary reflex known as the sneeze is not one of the burning mysteries of our time, but (Credibility) now that I have spent many hours investigating the surprising amount of literature available on this topic in the reference room and on-line, I'd like to tell you what I've learned. (Preview) So let's look at some superstitions that have sprung up around sneezing and also let you know what's actually happening when you sneeze. Finally, in the interest of social harmony, I'll tell you how to sneeze safely and politely.

Body:
I. Sneezing can be understood in terms of the superstitions surrounding it throughout history.

A. Ancient sources refer to the sneeze.
1. Aristotle believed the sneeze to be a favorable omen.
2. The tale of Xenophon from The Concise Dictionary of Ancient History underscores the important role a sneeze played in Greek history.

(Transition: Sneezing is seldom this dramatic, but many cultures echo the Greeks in their praise of the nose's most conspicuous function.)

B. According to the Encyclopedia of Superstitions, Folklore and the Occult Sciences of the World, many cultures echo the Greek praise of the sneeze.
1. Among the Zulu a person who has just sneezed proclaims "I am now blessed; the ancestral spirit is with me. It has come to me. Let me salute it, for it is he who causes me to sneeze."
2. In India the sneeze is very important.
a. After you sneeze the people around you will say "Live," and you must respond, "Live with you!."
b. Indians consider the sneeze to be a sign of health.
c. According to Psychology Today the inability to sneeze is considered a disease and scientists are looking for ways to induce the healthy sneeze.

C. In western cultures the sneeze is often viewed with suspicion.
1. We say bless you not because the heart skips a beat or because your soul has exited your body (as some south Pacific Natives believe).
2. We say "bless you" because of the Black Death of 590 A.D.
a. The bubonic plague killed off half of Europe.
b. The plague was recognized by rashes, swelling, and fits of sneezing.
c. Since death often followed sneezing, people began to say "bless you" as a final blessing.

(Transition: However differently a sneeze is reacted to throughout the world, its cause is generally the same: nasal irritation.)

II. Sneezing can be understood as the body's complex reaction to physical or psychological stimuli as the body seeks to banish intruders or re-establish nasal equilibrium.

A. Some sneezes result from physical stimuli.
1. Pollen from grass, trees, house dust and other sources can irritate your nose.
a. Your nose considers such substances as invaders and ejects them with a sneeze.
b. Their expulsion can be at speeds of up to 104 miles per hour.

(Signpost: Pollen is not the only culprit though.)

2. Strong odors, sudden chills and even bright lights can also be mistaken as parasites and the nose will defend itself with a sneeze.

(Transition: In addition to its physical causes, the New York Times reports a sneeze can also be brought on by psychological and emotional factors. )

B. Some sneezes result from psychological stimuli.
1. A variety of emotions can cause you to sneeze.
a. Fear such as what you might experience if someone mugged you can make you sneeze.
b. Anguish at losing your valuables to a mugger can make you sneeze.
c. Excitement experienced as you chase the mugger can make you sneeze as well.
2. The sneezing response to psychological stimuli results from the nose's effort to reestablish equilibrium.
a. Strong emotions can make you nasal membranes shrink or expand and a sneeze returns you to normal.
b. Some people have overly active equilibriating responses.
i. June Clark had a sneezing fit in 1966 that lasted for 174 days.
ii. Doctors tried tranquilizers, narcotics, e-rays, muscle relaxants, shock treatment and even hypnosis to try to cure her.

(Transition: Sneezing will probably never give you the trouble it gave June Clark, but the odds are that sooner or later you'll have to sneeze in a social setting.)

III. Sneezing can be understood as something that should be done safely and politely.

A. In order to be safe, be sure that you never stifle a sneeze.
1. Remember you don't want to stop a force going over 100 miles per hour.
2. People who have stifled sneezes have given themselves nosebleeds, popped blood vessels, and even gone blind.
B. In order to be polite follow expert advice.
1. Jane Brody writes in the New York Times that "An unimpeded sneeze sends two to five thousand bacteria-filled droplets into the air."
2. Etiquette books from Lord Chesterfield and Amy Vanderbilt to Eleanor Roosevelt and Miss Manners all advocate quick use of a handkerchief.

Conclusion:
(Pause to Signal end) (reinforce CI with summary) Whatever the cause and whichever country you're sneezing in, with practice and luck you'll be able to cover your sneeze quickly and effectively. Then you can sit back and relax, waiting for someone to bless you, wish you gesundheit, or, (clear closing line by referring back to near the introduction) if you're in the right place at the right time, appoint you to high military command.

Bibliography

Brody, Jane E. "Gesundheit! Sneezing Gets a Big Reaction." New York Times June 22, 1983, p. C1.
Daniels, C. L. and C. M. Stevans, ed. Encyclopedia of Superstitions, Folklore, and the Occult Sciences of the World. New York: Gale Group Publishers, 1971.
Goldberg, Carey. "And to All, a Universal 'God Bless You.'" New York Times Dec. 24, 1995, p.E2.
Miller, Laurence. "A Blow from the East." Psychology Today April 1986, p. 19.
Schmeck, Harold. "Clues to Allergy Emerge From New Cell Studies." New York Times (Science Page) Jan. 31, 1989, p. B5.
Woodcock, Percival George. The Concise Dictionary of Ancient History. New York: Philosophic Library, 1955.

[**Remember to consistently follow a citation system for your bibliographic citations. Use the examples on your CD-ROM or follow the format suggested on the library's Instruction commons site.]

You are asked to develop an Informative speech for the purposes of the testout. This is a speech that aims to inform the audience about some object, process, concept or event. You will turn in a complete preparation outline, but will deliver the speech extemporaneously from a brief speaking outline. The speech should be adapted to this (a college age) audience. See chapter 14 for more information on the informative speech and possible topics. Remember, the informative speaker is especially concerned with appropriateness, clarity, and making the information comprehensible, lively and engaging for the audience. Your job is to be sure the audience walks away with the new information.

To pass the performance aspect of the test-out you must deliver the speech extemporaneously. It cannot be read, it should not be impromptu, nor memorized. It should be free of distracting errors in grammar, pronunciation, and word usage. Think of yourself as really talking to this audience. Look at them, gesture toward them, make your vocal delivery varied and interesting. Aim to make us believe that you are enjoying the opportunity to share what you have learned with others. Consult chapter 12 for more information about skillful delivery.

Adapt your material--including examples and wording--to your audience. It is your job as speaker to interest the audience in your material. Thorough preparation and numerous practice sessions will help you do this.