Intro to Human Communication

[Al B. Sure!]

In my public speaking class, my main topic (that I gave a few speeches on during the semester) was an argument to maintain NASA funding. This was way back when Bush was discussing a manned mission to Mars and people began to question the purpose of funding NASA.

[Lorizael]

I'm giving a persuasive speech next week. I'm going to argue that Pluto shouldn't be a planet. Important stuff.

[DaShi]

Cool, you can just appeal to authority and call it a day.

[Uncle Sparky]

I'm giving a persuasive speech next week. I'm going to argue that Pluto shouldn't be a planet. Important stuff.

I think you should show a Disney cartoon to prove your point.

[Sava]

Is it possible for everyone to fail? Or is it on a curve?

[Lorizael]

Is it possible for everyone to fail? Or is it on a curve?

My professor had something very interesting to say about that, actually. At the beginning of the course, he explained that "the average person doesn't go to college," therefore everyone in the class is above average, therefore we shouldn't get "average" grades like Cs (or lower).

[Sava]

No. It just means that if you fail, you would be on par with average people.

[Lorizael]

There are a number of things wrong with his assertion, and if this were a Logic course, I might have pointed them out. As it is, I have something like a 98% in the class and never have to see the professor again after Thursday.

[Jon Miller]

My perspective wasn't that Cs were average. Due to grade inflation/etc, you can't consider them that.

A = Mastery of Material and High performance
B = Well developed understanding of material or Strong performance
C = Basic understanding of material or Acceptable performance
D = Real attempt
F = No attempt

With good students I would expect mostly Bs or As depending on the difficulty of the course.

JM

[Lorizael]

As I said, his statement is stupid on a number of levels. However, the class is ridiculously easy and everyone should get an A in it, but many won't due to poor reading comprehension (which is in part due to English not being the native language of many of the students).

[MikeH]

I'm giving a persuasive speech next week. I'm going to argue that Pluto shouldn't be a planet. Important stuff.

But it's easy to argue that it shouldn't be a planet, you should try and persuade them of something difficult?

[Lorizael]

I've found that people have been very resistant to the idea that Pluto shouldn't be a planet.

[loinburger]

Argue that Pluto the dog should have been named Hades instead

[Ben Kenobi]

I've found that people have been very resistant to the idea that Pluto shouldn't be a planet.

Do a slideshow.

Mercury (hands up for planet/not planet)
Venus
Earth
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn

Stop here. Talk about how you can see all of these and they are planets because they don't stay fixed vs the stars but move around.

Uranus
Vesta
Ceres
Pallas
Juno

Stop again.

Flash:

Neptune
Adrastea,
Hebe
Iris
Flora
Metis
Hygeia
Parthenope
Victoria
Egeria
Irene
Eunomia
Psyche
Thetis
Melpomene
Fortuna
Proserpina
Bellona
Amphitrite
Leukothea
Fides

Stop again.

Flash Pluto.

Stop again.

Flash:

Haumaea
Makemake
Eris
Sedna
Quaoar
Orcus

Ask folks, what does this remind you of?

[Lorizael]

****, now I have to change my presentation.