Overview
Speech writing and writing for the ear are critical skills in the professional writer's toolkit. 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. You will complete theory-based practical assessment and speech-writing tasks as part of this unit.
Details
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 - 2024
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).
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
Assessment Overview
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.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
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 Student Evaluation Survey
Students suggested re-ordering of learning materials (order of topics) to better accommodate timing of assessments.
Shift content from latter weeks of the term earlier, as students have identified this content interesting and valuable, but have less time to engage with these topics at the end of the term.
Feedback from Student Evaluation Survey
Teaching staff were highly engaged and provided safe environments for students to be collaborative and critically explore learning material.
Continue to support learning environments in which students feel well supported and strive for excellence according to their personal goals.
- Reflect on the manner and use of speech and verbal communication in the modern media environment
- Discuss effective speech making from a range of historical and cultural perspectives
- Explain social practices behind institutional talk
- Demonstrate differences in writing styles between genres of speech
- Write and deliver speech effectively over a range of genres.
N/A
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Self assessment - 10% | |||||
| 2 - Portfolio - 45% | |||||
| 3 - Practical and Written Assessment - 45% | |||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 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 - Self assessment - 10% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Portfolio - 45% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Practical and Written Assessment - 45% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
k.beresford@cqu.edu.au
a.johnson2@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction to Speech and Script
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Perspectives on Speech
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Rhetoric
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Performance
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Institutional Talk
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Genres of Speech- Corporate
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Genres of Speech- Media
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Speech Writing
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Script Writing
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Delivering Speech
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Ethics in Speech
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Review
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Self assessment
COMM12033 Speech and Script is a unit which considers aspects of speech as it is applied in corporate and media settings. This first assessment encourages you to practice your professional voice by recording a delivery of a news script.
Task Description
In this assessment you are required to create a recording of you delivering a news script.
Firstly, you are required to download a news script from Moodle. You need to record your reading of the news script and upload it to SoundCloud, YouTube, or a similar medium. Along with the video recording you will also need to provide a short (250-500 word) reflection of the activity and critique of your voice. What can you improve? What are your strengths?
You will then need to submit the written reflection, and a link to your news script recording, to Moodle.
Other Information
- As this is a reflective and planning document, references are not strictly required, however can be used to enhance your response. Generally, High Distinction quality work will incorporate references.
- The news script provided for this assessment activity is that of a real news broadcast. The news script may contain real-life events which you have personal experience with, or which cause you discomfort. If this is the case, you are invited to speak to the unit coordinator and will be provided with an alternative news script to complete the assessment. You will not be asked to explain or justify the reason for the request.
- For many students this may be the first time you have recorded your professional voice. We usually find students are nervous about completing this activity, but experience has told us once you’ve completed the activity your confidence starts to increase. We are not assessing you for a completely polished, ‘professional’ news voice in the first assessment. We want to see where your skills are now- you will have another opportunity to record your news voice and reflect on your improvements over the term.
- Research tells us that early assessment help students engage with the unit at the start of the term and gives an opportunity for students to build confidence, receive feedback and prepare for future assessments (Thomas et.al 2018; Gonzalez & Linden 2020). Extensions will be considered for students who enrol in the unit after the first day of term to ensure all students have a reasonable amount of time to review the materials and submit the task.
Submission Instructions
This assessment will be submitted directly to Moodle. Additional instructions about submitting your assessment is available on the Moodle Support for Students site, or by asking the unit coordinator.
Marking Criteria
A full marking criteria will be provided on Moodle, however you will be assessed based on your attention to completion of requirements of task, news script recording and quality of reflection.
Week 2 Friday (15 Mar 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Submission via Moodle
Week 4 Friday (29 Mar 2024)
Feedback and Grades returned via Moodle
A full marking criteria will be provided on Moodle, however you will be assessed based on your attention to completion of requirements of task, news script recording and quality of reflection.
- Reflect on the manner and use of speech and verbal communication in the modern media environment
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Information Technology Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Portfolio
COMM12033 Speech and Script is a unit which considers aspects of speech as it is applied in corporate and media settings. The second assessment is a series of activities, created as a portfolio, which allow you to practically demonstrate the skills you’ve learnt this term. Engagement with the portfolio will also lead to the creation of a draft for your third and final assessment item. The assessment will also provide you with the opportunity to engage in a peer review activity.
Task Description
In this assessment you are required to prepare a portfolio of items. There are eight activities you will need to complete. Information will be provided on Moodle regarding the specific activities you will need to complete. Some activities involve you watching or reading material and writing a reflection, others are more practical and you will have to create audio or video recordings of yourself. This assessment composes of two components:
| Component | Due Date | Marks Available |
| Component A (Activities 2, 3, 4 and 5) | Friday Wk 5 | 20% |
| Component B (Activities 6, 7, 8 and 9) | Friday Wk 9 | 25% |
Submission Instructions
Students will submit this assessment via Moodle.
Marking Criteria
A full marking criteria will be provided on Moodle, however you will be assessed based on your attention to completion of requirements of task, critical reflection on practice, engagement with concepts, use of sources, general presentation and referencing.
Week 9 Friday (10 May 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Submission via Moodle
Week 11 Friday (24 May 2024)
Feedback and grades will be delivered via Moodle
A full marking criteria will be provided on Moodle, however you will be assessed based on your attention to completion of requirements of task, critical reflection on practice, engagement with concepts, use of sources, general presentation and referencing.
- Discuss effective speech making from a range of historical and cultural perspectives
- Explain social practices behind institutional talk
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
- Social Innovation
3 Practical and Written Assessment
COMM12033 Speech and Script is a unit which considers aspects of speech as it is applied in corporate and media settings. The third and final assessment is a culmination of the work you’ve completed so far this term. You will consolidate the skills you’ve learnt so far to write and deliver your own professional speech.
Task Description
In this assessment you are required to write and deliver your own speech. You will imagine you are a newly appointed media advisor to a local State politician. Your first task is to write your Member’s parliamentary maiden speech. You can assume your Member’s passions and interests align with your own, and the local electorate will be your own.
Parliamentary maiden speeches are often reported by the media who identify key newsworthy points. They are also promoted by the Members’ offices, because these speeches reinforce key electoral issues.
Everyone 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. You will also be required to write a short justification to your scripts.
The assessment requirement, therefore, is:
- ONE Speech - Write one script for a maiden parliamentary speech (max length 4000 words).
- ONE audio-visual script – You can can elect to write a video news release (PR) OR a television news story (journalism) associated with the speech.
- TWO voice-overs – you will 'voice' these 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 – You will write a 500 word justification outlining your approach to each piece, so that you can demonstrate your practice is informed by theory.
You will also be required to submit 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.
Other Information
- If you are currently living away from home for work or university, you might consider writing your speech for the state electorate you are most familiar with- this could be where you grew up, or have spent considerable time.
- 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.
- Do not be tempted to plagiarise. All maiden speeches in Australia are recorded in Hansard, and plagiarism will be easily identified via Turnitin review.
- 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? You may also need to conduct research to develop a basic understanding of the Australian political system, including state government responsibilities.
Submission Instructions
This assessment will be submitted directly to Moodle. Additional instructions about submitting your assessment is available on the Moodle Support for Students site, or by asking the unit coordinator.
Marking Criteria
A full marking criteria will be provided on Moodle, however you will be assessed based on your attention to completion of requirements of task, delivery (voiceover), script (format and structure), justification, writing standard and referencing.
Review/Exam Week Friday (7 June 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Submission via Moodle
Exam Week Friday (14 June 2024)
Feedback and grades via Moodle
A full marking criteria will be provided on Moodle, however you will be assessed based on your attention to completion of requirements of task, delivery (voiceover), script (format and structure), justification, writing standard and referencing.
- Demonstrate differences in writing styles between genres of speech
- Write and deliver speech effectively over a range of genres.
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
- Social Innovation
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?
