The course's purpose is to provide a human communication overview. It uses independent study, textbook readings and exercises, group work, class discussions, library research, oral presentations and lectures to prepare students for successful lives by improving their oral and written communication skills. It stresses personal responsibility, ethics and the ability to understand and follow written and oral directions. Throughout the term:

• You will learn to enlarge upon your critical thinking skills and to write your thoughts in an organized manner.
• You will write and deliver presentations in each of the three general purposes for speaking; persuasive, informative and entertainment.
• You will learn to analyze an audience, to narrow a presentation topic and to tailor a presentation to meet your needs and the needs of your audience.
• You will write and deliver presentations in each of the four delivery styles; extemporaneous, manuscript, impromptu and memorized.
• You will learn to use your voice and body effectively to become a successful presenter.
• You will learn strategies for effectively using evidence in presentations.
• You will learn strategies for creating and using visual aids to enhance your message.
• You will learn strategies for creating powerful, thought-provoking introductions and conclusions.
• You will study, and participate in, all three forms of human communication; mass, interpersonal and intrapersonal.
• You will learn about the human communication process, how it works, why it sometimes doesn't work, and how to become a more effective communicator.
• You will learn to communicate effectively in small groups, teams and committees because you will learn to recognize the roles people play in group discussion and understand the roles that need to be played to lead a group to a consensus.
• You will learn problem-solving group techniques providing an organized, time-tested approach for reaching successful solutions.