What You Need to Know:
This resource provides a process to designing presentation assignments rather than dictate a particular type of assignment all disciplines should follow. You know best the communication competencies that are most important in your course and discipline, and the presentation genres, or types, that will orient students to the expectations and conventions in your field. This process guides in designing assignments that make those expectations clear.
Presentation Assignment Design Process:
- Articulate the assignment rationale
- Identify the specific learning outcomes for the assignment
- Describe the features of the speech genre
- Describe the communicator’s purpose
- Define the audience for the assignment (real or imagined)
- Identify the necessary skills; use scaffolding and sequencing
- Describe the criteria for success
Examples In Action
Resources for Success
- What is Scaffolding and Sequencing?
- Prompting Questions for Assignment Design
- Assignment Checklist
Interested in Digging Deeper?
- See the linked article written by Marlene Preston and Brandi Quesenberry on maintaining rigor and providing relevant content for non-communication majors in a public speaking course.
Preston, M. & Quesenberry, B. (2014 Nov.). Virtual public speaking case study: Maintaining rigor, meeting outcomes, and enhancing relevance for digital natives. Quarterly Review of Business Disciplines, 1. 274-285.