Outcome Statement: Upon receipt of an associate degree from Johnson County Community College, a student should be able to make a clear, well-organized verbal presentation.

Rubrics:

Very good/excellent (5-6) = The communicator presents a message that is exceptionally appropriate for the purpose, occasion, and audience with a purpose that is exceptionally clear and identifiable. The message is supported using material that is exceptional in quality and variety. The communicator uses an exceptionally clear and coherent organizational structure, provides a logical progression within and between ideas, and uses language that is exceptionally clear, vivid, and appropriate. The communicator makes exceptional use of vocal variety in a conversational mode; has exceptional articulation, pronunciation, and grammar; and demonstrates physical behaviors that provide exceptional support for the verbal message.
Satisfactory (3-4) = The communicator presents a message that is appropriate for the purpose, occasion, and audience with a purpose that is adequately clear and identifiable. The message is supported using material that is appropriate in quality and variety. The communicator uses a reasonably clear and coherent organizational structure, provides a logical progression within and between ideas, and uses language that is reasonably clear, vivid, and appropriate. The communicator makes acceptable use of vocal variety in a conversational mode; has acceptable articulation, pronunciation, and grammar; and demonstrates physical behaviors that provide adequate support for the verbal message.
Unsatisfactory (1-2) = The communicator presents a message that is not appropriate for either the purpose, occasion, or audience or is without a clear and identifiable purpose for the message. The message is supported with material that is inappropriate in quality and variety. The communicator fails to use a clear and coherent organizational structure, does not provide a logical progression within and between ideas, and uses unclear or inappropriate language. The communicator fails to use vocal variety; fails to speak in a conversational mode; fails to use acceptable articulation, pronunciation, and grammar; or fails to use physical behaviors that provide adequate support for the verbal message.

Standards: Ten percent of students who have met the requirements for an associate degree at JCCC will earn 6 (excellent) on each of the communication rubrics. Thirty percent of students earning an associate degree will score 5 (very good) or 6 (excellent). Eighty percent will earn scores of 4 (satisfactory) or higher and the top 98 percent will earn scores of 3 (minimal accomplishment of educational goals) or higher. The remaining 2 percent of the associate degree recipients are expected to earn the score of 2 (unsatisfactory) on the communication rubrics The score of 1 represents a skill level beneath the expectation of all associate degree recipients at JCCC. Hence, no associate degree recipients are expected to score at the level of 1 on the communications rubrics.

Suggested Assignment Guidelines

An appropriate assignment (e.g., videotaped speech, presentation, oral report) would allow students to demonstrate oral presentation skills by asking them to:

• develop a clear central idea appropriate for purpose, occasion, and audience;
• develop main points with appropriate and convincing supporting materials;
• utilize appropriate and effective organization of content; and
• demonstrate a clear, coherent, and conversational speaking style using effective verbal and nonverbal skills.

Student work best suited for evaluation would require students to make an oral presentation on an assigned topic or a topic of their choice. This could be an informative or a persuasive presentation, but it would not be an impromptu speech. It could be an oral report based on a written assignment for the course. It needs to be presented by one speaker to an audience. In other words, it could be a panel presentation (a series of different speeches on a common topic), but not a group discussion. It could be the response to an interview question, but not the interviewer’s questions. The oral presentation needs to have a central point, with the opportunity to be organized and well developed with supporting material.

Revised April 2005