COMMUNICATION 120

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
Fall 2015

Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.

~Oscar Wilde
Professor:
Victoria L Curran
Student Drop-In Hours: TWTh 8:45-9:15, MW 12:30-1:30, T 2-3 AND by
appointment
Office:
Room 24-265
Phone:
(619) 644-7771
Email:
[email protected]

Table of Contents
Whats this class about?
Grossmont Catalog Description
Course Objectives
Summary Overview of the Semester

Page 3

What do I need to succeed?

Page 4

What will I be doing in this class?

Assignments
Exams
Class Activities/Participation

Page 5

What are the Course Policies?

Attendance Policy
General Class Norms
Assignment Guidelines
Accommodations
Grade Appeals Procedure
Tips for Success

Pages 6, 7 & 8

How do I earn the grade I want?

Grade Worksheet
Grade Profiles

Pages 9 & 10

Whats this class about?

According to the Grossmont Catalog Description
This course provides the student an opportunity to learn and apply, in daily life,
principles of interpersonal communication. Students participate in structured oral and
written exercises and simulations designed to enhance communicative awareness and
skills in interpersonal contexts. The emphasis is placed on personal, situational and
cultural influences on interaction. It is designed to assist students in improving their own
interpersonal communication skills. Attention is given to human perception,
interpersonal dynamics, listening, conflict management, verbal and nonverbal symbol
systems (p. 161, Grossmont College Catalog, 2014-2015).
According to Student Learning Outcomes
The primary objectives of this course are to help you improve relationships with the
important people in your life and to help you understand the process of interpersonal
communication in your daily interactions. In attaining this goal, COMM 120 will focus on
increasing your understanding of basic interpersonal communication principles and on
providing a safe, interactive environment for the practice of your newly acquired skills.
As a result of this course, you will be able to:
1. Identify, explain and analyze the various factors that affect interpersonal
communication.
2. Demonstrate interpersonal communication skills (listening, empathy, conflict)
3. Describe and utilize specific interpersonal communication skills such as perception,
verbal & nonverbal communication, listening and conflict management.
4. Analyze conflict in an interpersonal relationship and apply methods of conflict
resolution
According to the Instructor:
As a result of this course, you will be able to recognize the role you play in your
relationships, analyze your actions and use effective behaviors to strengthen and
improve those relationships. We will begin by learning about our selves and our patterns
of interaction. By the middle of the semester, we will begin to explore the fundamental
skills we can put into action to strengthen our relationships with others. Finally, toward
the end of the semester, we will focus on relational dynamics. Throughout the semester,
the main focus will be on our closest relationships (e.g., family, close friends and
romantic/life partners) but much of what we learn will have relevance to all types of
relationships (e.g., acquaintances, neighbors, classmates and co-workers).
In learning about interpersonal communication, you naturally will begin to learn more
about your personality, your sense of self, and how your actions influence your personal
relationships. Because of this, you may find yourself needing to reveal a lot yourself and
your personal life in this class. Many students find this to be one of the experiences that
make this class fun and interesting, but others can find it challenging and uncomfortable.
We need to respect and support one another to make this classroom a comfortable
environment for people to open up in. I try to design assignments, discussions and
activities so that students are able to share what they are comfortable sharing and free
to withhold things that they wish to keep private. You are never obligated to share
anything you are uncomfortable sharing.

What Do I Need to Succeed?

Text: Adler, R., Rosenfeld, L., and Proctor, R. (2015) Interplay (14th ed.). New York:
Oxford. (Please speak to the professor if you choose to use an older edition).
Materials and Supplies:
o One thin folder in which to store your Skillbuilders and other assignments.
o Three Datalink forms #26760, GradeMaster forms will NOT work.
Time: Each week, on average, you will enjoy 5 to 6 hours per week outside of class
for reading of assignments, researching, writing and practicing speeches, studying
for quizzes, writing analysis papers, etc.
Other Necessities:
o Bring every day a prepared, alert and inquisitive mind.
o Every day bring this syllabus and the course calendar to class; keep a close
eye on the calendar to prevent missed deadlines and be sure to thoroughly read
assignment descriptions before completing and submitting them to me.
o Access to a dependable computer that runs a word processing program and
is connected to a working printer. All course assignments must be typed and
printed unless otherwise noted. Please do not ask me to print your assignments.
Computers with printers are available for student use in the Tech Mall, but you must
bring your own removable storage device (e.g., USB, zip disc, etc.)
o Working email address. You should have already received an email from me;
make sure I have your most current email address that you check regularly as I may
send important email reminders and updates.

Contacting the Instructor:

A valuable resource for success in any of your classes is your instructor. If ever you have
a question or concern, I am reachable during student drop-in hours, through voicemail
and email, and will meet you outside of drop-in hours when necessary and possible. You
are always welcome to stop by my office to visit. Please do not discuss personal matters
or grade concerns with me in the classroom; come to my office so we may speak
privately and I can give you 100% of my attention.
Office: Room 24-265
Phone: (619) 644-7771
Student Drop-In Hours: TWTh 8:45-9:15, MW 12:30-1:30, T 2-3 AND by
appointment AND by appointment
Email: [email protected]

What will I be doing in this class?

Assignments: 45% of overall grade
Goal-Setting Paper/Self-Evaluation Summary Paper: At the beginning of the
semester you will write a paper establishing personal goals you have for this semester in
regard to interpersonal communication in your life and at the end of the semester you
will write a paper wherein you evaluate your progress and summarize what youve
learned.
Homework: The preparation of written exercises and Self-Reflection questions from the
text designed to improve your skills in a variety of relevant interpersonal communication
concepts will be assigned periodically. Some homework will be checked in class, and
these assignments will only be credited during the class period. (Instructions will be
distributed in class)
Presentations:
Self-Concept Investigation Paper/Collage: You will complete a two-part investigation
of your self-concept that involves both the creation of both a collage and a written paper.
(Instructions distributed in class)
Outline and Oral Presentation: In this assignment, you will create and deliver a
presentation in which you will apply and analyze course concepts as they relate to a
relevant, interpersonal scene from a film of your choice. (Instructions distributed in class)

Tests: 45% of overall grade

Quizzes: There will a total of five quizzes based on information that is presented in that
weeks reading though your lowest score will be dropped. The purpose of these quizzes
is to help promote your keeping caught up with the reading as well as help you prepare
for the exams as you will learn the way I write questions. There will be no make-ups on
quizzes unless 1) it is discussed and agreed upon at least 24-hours in advance or 2) you
have a documented excuse that indicates why you could not be in class, on time, to take
the quiz.
Exams: There will be a total of three exams. Each of these exams will be multiplechoice, matching and short answer. The purpose of these exams is not only to assess
your comprehension of the material, but also to reinforce it. There will be no make-ups
on any of the exams unless 1) it is discussed and agreed upon at least 24-hours in
advance or 2) you have a documented excuse that indicates why you could not be in
class, on time, to take the exam.

Class Activities and Participation: 10% of overall grade. Active and highquality student participation is vital for the success and flow of this class. Come to class
prepared to discuss all reading material in depth and make significant contributions in
class. The first part of this grade will be based on your involvement in a variety of class
activities (listed on the How do I earn the grade I want? sheet). The second part of this
grade is general class time participation which includes involvement, verbal contribution,
a high level of preparedness and consistent attendance. Finally, any electronic device
must be turned OFF during the entire class meeting time. This part of your grade will be
based upon the following criteria:
1. Do you attend regularly, arrive on time and stay to the end of class?
2. Are you prepared for class (read the entire chapter before class discussion;
exhibit familiarity with assigned reading; provide relevant, insightful responses to
discussion questions) and is assigned work completed and turned in on schedule?
5

3. Do you make attempts to relate and discuss with the class your insights,
experiences, and observations in connection to class concepts and reading
materials?
4. Is your behavior helpful to your success and the success of your classmates (keep
your cell phone turned off and stowed away; respond to others statement in an
appropriate manner; move discussions along, not derail them?) during class time?
Engaging in behavior that fulfills these four criteria will result in strong participation.
Please take full responsibility for your learning experience!

Extra Credit Opportunity: There are two extra credit opportunities worth 25
points; you may choose to complete one of them. You must let me know of your interest
and commitment to taking advantage of this opportunity by no later than October 5th
and the assignment must be completed by no later than November 16th.

What are the course policies?

ATTENDANCE: Because this class focuses on interpersonal communication, attendance

is vital to your success in this course. Attendance is defined as being in class within 5
minutes of the start of class through the completion of the class session. If you cannot
attend class regularly, you should withdraw and re-enroll when conditions for learning
are more favorable. Students involved in college activities or in need to observe a
religious holiday are required to inform the instructor and provide documentation of such
activities within the first 2 class meetings.
The following attendance policy will be adhered to in this class:
1. There are no excused absences. Unfortunately, even serious illness or a major
crisis doesnt make up for the fact that missing this class means missing important
participation. If you miss more than one class or more than a combined total of 4 hours
by leaving early or arriving late, you may be dropped from class (April 24th deadline).
Should you decide to stop attending class, it is your responsibility to officially withdraw
from the class. If you do not officially drop the class and your name appears on my final
grade roster, you will receive an F in the course, a grade that cannot be changed.
2. If a student misses classI would appreciate notification of any absences prior to
class start; a phone call or an email are the best media for this purpose. The decision to
attend class or not is yours; you do not need to ask permission. If you know you will be
absent, arriving late or leaving early, simply inform me by stating the facts of your
situation, I will be leaving at (give time) today or I will be absent on (give date of
absence). **If you know you will miss class on an assignment due date, you may email
the assignment as an attachment prior to the beginning of class. When you return to
class, bring hard copy of the assignment with you that has a note indicating the date and
time at which you emailed it.**
3. Course materialEach student, whether present or not, is responsible for all class
material presented in every class session. Students who miss class should obtain the
material presented from another classmate. (The instructor will not repeat lecture
material that was missed. Handouts are available in instructors office).
4. Scheduling Presentations Speaking order for presentations will be determined
randomly by drawing from a deck of cards. Any student who is not present when
speaking schedules are made is responsible for finding out when s/he has been
scheduled to speak. If you have an emergency on the date of your presentation, you
must phone me directly and show documentation of your emergency (e.g., lifethreatening accident or illness) upon return to class. Due to the time limitations of this
6

class, there will be no makeup assignment unless you experience a serious, documented
emergency.
5. PromptnessBeing on time shows youre interested and engaged in the class, which
is always a good impression to make! If the unexpected occurs and youre late, please
enter quietly and wait until the end of class to change your absence to a tardy.
Please note that no changes will be made to the attendance record after the day on
which you arrived late. If you are late on a presentation day, please wait outside the
door until you hear applause. If you arrive late (even one minute) on your own
presentation date, you will be deducted 15% of the speech grade, no exceptions.
6. Contacting the instructorWhen sending an email, please do the following: in the
subject line, indicate your full name, the subject of the email, and the class number, date
and time. For example: Juan Alvarez, question about first exam, COMM 120 MW 9:30am.
If we continue correspondence on this same thread, be sure to update the subject line.
And, please, always include a message in the body of the email.

GENERAL CLASS NORMS:

1. Principle of Awareness, Care of Self & Others and Responsibility: Practice
awareness and self-care by knowing, meeting, and being responsible to your needs,
your decisions, your behaviors and their outcomes. Take good care of yourself all of
the time so that taking care of yourself in the classroom is easy. If you need to move,
go to the restroom, or leave early, consider how you can meet your needs while also
being mindful of your classmates, your instructor, grade/institutional requirements,
and your course goals. Please do not eat during class time and try to attend to your
personal needs (e.g., going to the restroom) before class begins so you dont need to
leave during class time.
2. Respect: All people will be treated fairly and with respect. Please give every
speaker (classmate and instructor alike) your full and undivided attention.
Discourteous/disruptive behavior and verbal and/or physical violence are not
appreciated, allowed or tolerated. If these expectations are violated, the violator will
be appropriately disciplined. Dont be cell-fish; please turn your cell phone off
(including text messaging capability) and put it completely away (not on your desk, in
your bag which has been placed on your desk, or in your lap). If there are
extenuating circumstances that require you to be contacted during class time, please
let me know at least 5 minutes before class begins.
3. Use of social media: Please refrain from accessing the Internet during class time
unless you receive direct permission or instruction from the professor. Additionally,
filming, taping or otherwise recording the class is allowed only in special
circumstances that must be discussed and approved by the professor.
4. Say hello and goodbye: Commitment to showing up for yourself and for your
classmates is part of your participation grade. Be prepared to begin class promptly.
Arrive at least 5 minutes early and spend a couple of minutes prior to class greeting
your community and cultivating an attitude of open inquiry, concentration and
readiness. When leaving, say goodbye to your community members to enhance the
climate. Learn and use the names of everyone in class.
5. Maintain Academic Integrity: Cheating and plagiarism (using as ones own ideas,
writings or materials of someone else without acknowledgement or permission) can
result in any one of a variety of sanctions. Such penalties may range from an
adjusted grade on the particular exam, paper, project, or assignment to a failing
7

grade in the course. The instructor may also summarily suspend the student for the
class meeting in which the infraction occurs, as well as the following class meeting.
For further clarification and information on these issues, please consult with your
instructor or contact the office of the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs.
ASSIGNMENT GUIDELINES: The following simple guidelines ensure that I am able to
grade your assignment accurately and fairly: 1) All papers must be typewritten or I will
not accept them, 2) type in a 12-point font, double-space, AND staple papers or you will
lose points on that assignment, and 3) submit assignments on time. There are computer
labs available, free, here on campus if you wish to work on your assignments on campus.
Late Assignment Policy: Assignments turned in after the due date have a
negative impact on my ability to accurately and fairly assess the quality of your work
and keep me from being able to focus on student work that is submitted in a timely
manner as I get backlogged with old work. If you come to class more than 5 minutes
late on a day an assignment is due, you will receive a 15% penalty. Any written work
that is turned in after the class has ended or fails to meet the preceding requirements
will be considered late, will not be evaluated, and will only be eligible for a maximum of
50% of the assigned points. No work will be accepted after one week of the due date, no
exceptions.
Make-Up Policy: Missed presentations and exams can be made up only at the
discretion of the instructor. The instructors make-up policy is dependent upon (1)
whether the students absence is due to a verifiable emergency or hardship with
documentation; (2) past student attendance behavior; and, (3) in the case of a missed
presentation, whether there is sufficient course time to accommodate a missed
presentation. In-class exercises cannot be made up under any circumstances. You may
be able to arrange to take an exam early if you speak directly with me at least 24-hours
in advance.
ACCOMMODATIONS: Students with disabilities who may need accommodations in this
class are encouraged to notify the instructor and contact Disabled Students Programs
and Services (DSP&S) early in the semester so that reasonable accommodations may
be implemented as soon as possible. Students may contact DSP&S in person in room
110 or by phone at (619) 644-7112 (voice) or (619) 644-7119 (TTY for deaf).
GRADE APPEALS PROCEDURE If you ever have questions or concerns about
anything, please set an appointment to talk with me about them. I will not discuss a
grade with you for any reason until 24 hours have passed since you received the grade
AND you have reviewed the requirements of the assignment. Submit your appeal in
writing (typed) detailing your concerns and reasons for the appeal based on any of the
relevant resources: the syllabus, college catalog, class handouts, text and class
discussion notes. All procedures must be complete within ONE WEEK of receiving the
graded work. You will receive a written response from the instructor within one week
after your submission.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS: Through my years of teaching, some tips I have for your success
are:
1. Read the chapters before we discuss them in class; it really will help you
understand what is going on in class, increase your participation in class, and help
you when it comes time to perform on exams and written assignments.
8

2. Attend and participate in class regularly. Research on student success shows that
class attendance, participation in discussions, forming relationships with other
students and getting acquainted with instructors support successful completion of
college courses.
3. Plan on spending 5-6 hours a week outside of class on this class; it is very labor
intensive and requires a lot of research and preparation.
4. Start working on assignments once they are officially assigned to allow yourself
time to do your best work. There are few more defeating feelings than handing in
a paper (or getting it back) knowing you could have done better if you had only
had more time.
5. Always talk to me if you need help. I strive to support your success in this class
but I dont always know what you need unless you tell me.

How do I earn the grade I want?

I encourage you to keep track of all the grades you earn in this class. In order to assist
you in that goal, I have included here a grade record sheet upon which you might record
all of your scores as graded assignments are returned to you.

Work Submitted
Assignments (220 total pts
possible)
Goal Setting Paper
Homework 1
Homework 2
Homework 3
Homework 4
Self Concept Investigation &
Collage
Outline and Oral Presentation
Self-Evaluation Summary
Paper
Quizzes (50 total points
possible)
Quiz 1
Quiz 2
Quiz 3
Quiz 4
Quiz 5
Exams (185 total points
possible)
Exam #1
Exam #2
Exam #3
Class Activities (25 points
possible)
Take Away Activity
Emotions Activity
Pillow Method
DESC-Perception Check Role
Play
Nonverbal Activity
Listening Activity
Gibb Activity
Conflict Activity x2
Participation (25 points

Total Points
Possible

Points
Earned

20
20
20
20
20
50
50
20

10
10
10
10
10
60
45
80
2
2
3
5
2
3
4
4
25
10

possible)
An important note about grades: I do not GIVE you a grade; you earn your grade, I
just add up the points at the end. Seek to empower yourself by remembering to focus
on what is in your power to change (rather than blame forces out of your control) and
seek to change it. I am here to support your success; if you ever want to talk about your
grade or determine ways to improve it, dont hesitate to ask. I encourage you to do this
early and often; dont wait until the last part of the semester!

11

Grade Profiles
Below is a list of the behaviors of students who tend to earn various grades. These
explanations are simply guidelines and by no means are a guarantee of the described
grade, but are a good model to follow.
A Students (Superior): Typically attend class and make meaningful contributions to
course content regularly, come to office hours and email me with questions, complete all
assignments properly and on time, use homework to gain personal insights, take on
leadership roles in group activities without dominating others, come to class prepared to
participate, study all relevant reading materials and lecture notes for exams, and submit
work that stands out above the class as a whole, especially in terms of organization and
development of content.
B Students (Above Average): Typically attend class and make meaningful
contributions to course content regularly, come to office hours and email me with
questions, complete all assignments on time, use homework to gain personal insights,
take an active role in group activities without dominating others, study all relevant
reading materials and lecture notes for exams, and submit work that has excellent
organization and content.
C Students (Average): Typically have a few absences, complete most assignments
on time, might email me to explain why an assignment was late, dont come to office
hours, demonstrate an adequate understanding of homework, make some effort to get
involved in group activities, read relevant materials and lecture notes but dont
necessarily study them, and submit work that just meets the minimum requirements for
the assignment.
D Students (Below Average): Typically have frequent absences, dont come to
office hours or communicate with me in any interpersonal manner, are late in getting
their homework ready, demonstrate a weak understanding of concepts through
homework, are disengaged in group activities, skim reading materials, dont take notes,
have irrelevant side conversations in class, and submit work that falls short of meeting
the minimum requirements of the assignment.
F Students (Failing): Typically have frequent absences, are late in getting their
homework ready, demonstrate a weak understanding of concepts through homework,
are disengaged in group activities, skim reading materials, dont take notes, have
irrelevant side conversations in class, submit work that falls short of meeting the
minimum requirements of the assignment, and fail to take advantage of office hours
even after they start to realize theyre in trouble.

12

13