COMN 103

interpersonal communication
SUNY Geneseo, Fall 2018
19629 meets TR 8:30-9:45 am in Welles 121

instructor: Dr. Lee M Pierce co-instructor: Troy Hallahan (he/his)

call me: Lee or Dr. Pierce email: tmh11@geneseo.edu
pronouns: she/hers or they/theirs
email: piercel@geneseo.edu co-instructor: Grace Sellers (she/hers)
email: gms7@geneseo.edu
office hours: M 1-2p & T 2-3p in Blake B 117
appointments: schedule via Google Calendar
course description
This course introduces students to fundamental theories of interpersonal communication in a variety of
contexts (friendship, family, etc.) Students will learn and apply foundational communicative models and best
practices to become increase competence. Topics include using verbal and nonverbal communication to
improve relationships and derive maximum social rewards, introvert-extrovert communication, boundary
setting, parental-acceptance-rejection theory, and intrapersonal communication. 3(3-0). Offered each
semester. This course fulfills a social science general education requirement.
The guidelines for social science core courses stress the development of the following characteristics of a
responsible member of society:
1. An acquaintance with major empirical, analytical, or theoretical approaches to human behavior,
institutions or culture;
2. An acquaintance with social, economic, political, or moral alternatives;
3. An acquaintance with major problems, issues, institutions, practices or trends in the social world;
4. A capacity to express ideas clearly, coherently and grammatically in written form as one component
of the evaluation process. This written work must total at least 1500 words at least half of which must
be prepared outside of class.
learning outcomes
1. understand the need to reflect upon interpersonal communication practices
2. gain knowledge of concepts, theories, and research findings in interpersonal communication
3. develop and practice communication skills in a supportive environment
4. acquire a vocabulary for interpersonal communication theory and practice
5. compare and contrast various contexts (friendship, family, etc.) in which interpersonal communication
occurs
6. demonstrate competence in standard written English, APA 6 style, and basic research methods
7. become competent communicators that are ethical, appropriate, and effective
Further learning outcomes for the social science core can be viewed here.
required materials
Introduction to Interpersonal Communication Custom Workbook from DKW Publishers (includes the
textbook, Communication in the Real World)
team-based learning (TBL)
This course a team-based learning (TBL) format. TBL facilitates cooperative learning, team management,
and small group communication as well as project-based learning in large classes. Each team has 6
students and stay the same throughout the semester. TBL learning has two major components: individual
out-of-class preparation and in-class teamwork focusing on applying the materials prepared out-of-class on
exercises.
course assignments
Team representatives will set the assignment weights early in the semester. Each area should weigh 30-70%
and weights should be somewhat proportional.
INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE (30-70%)
interpersonal communication competence essay: Students will analyze their knowledge of interpersonal
communication competence and their strengths and weaknesses as a communicator using the Spitzberg
and Cupach scale. 2-3 double-spaced, typed, pages. APA 6th
conflict style essay: Students will analyze their primary conflict style in various settings using data collected
from 2 other people using the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode scale, an interview, and independent
research. 4-6 double-spaced, typed, pages. APA 6th
individual readiness assurance tests (iRATs): 10-15-question, multiple-choice tests taken in-class via
Canvas Quizzes at the start of each unit. 6 iRATs are offered. See additional policies about the iRAT in the
“assessment and grading” section.
TEAM PERFORMANCE (30-70%)
team project: with instructor input, each team will produce a project over the semester that showcases
group members’ ability to apply a particular set of interpersonal communication theories, models, principles,
etc., (e.g. workshop at the local high school, video tutorial, campus workshop, etc.) More information
pending class discussion.
team readiness assurance tests (tRATs): completed in teams immediately following the conclusion of the
iRATs. 6 tRATs are offered; all team members share one grade regardless of performance or attendance. All 6
tRATs count toward the final grade.
OTHER
team maintenance score: overall evaluation from team members of an individual member’s performance,
applied as a multiplier to the team performance score. Practice scores provided.
cumulative re-test: Held during the final exam period as mandated by the University, the cumulative re-test
contains 48-60 multiple-choice questions randomly selected from across the RATs. Your grade on the re-test
will be averaged against your iRAT grades. See additional policies about the re-test in the “assessment and
grading” section.
required research credit: 3 credits of department research or equivalent; see below.

For due dates please consult the Live Google Doc Course Schedule. The schedule is updated often and
subject to change; please consult regularly.

assessment & grading

Prior to submitting assignments, you will receive complete assignment descriptions and grading
criteria. If you disagree with grading criteria it should be discussed prior to submitting assignments. To be
eligible for full credit, submissions should meet all of the requirements outlined in the assignment
description and, in the cases of electronic submissions, must be in non-corrupt, readable .doc, .docx, or .pdf

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format. Corrupted files will be treated as if the assignment was not submitted at all. Grades are returned
within two weeks of submission when work is submitted on time.
Occasionally, students are dissatisfied with their grade. In cases where you are dissatisfied but do not
wish to appeal, please email me or visit my office hours to discuss the grade and action steps for the next
assignment. In cases where you wish to appeal the grade, please submit a typed argument of approximately
1-page describing your specific appeal and the grade you believe you deserved. Submit the appeal to me at
piercel@geneseo.edu within 10 days but no less than (48) hours of receiving the grade. Per College policy,
the grounds for appealing a grade are 1) calculation error, 2) misapplication of established grading criteria,
or 3) a student’s belief that a grade has been assigned on an arbitrary basis (for example, using criteria not
specified in the assignment description). I respond to appeals within one week at which time I will instruct
you on next steps, including directing your appeal to the department chair if you are unsatisfied with my
decision. Additional policies, including information on appealing overall semester grade in the course, are
available here.
As this is a required course in the Department of Communication, majors must receive a minimum C-
final grade to successfully meet department guidelines for required courses. Additionally, all communication
majors and minors must complete the departmental writing requirement by successfully earning at least a
C- on the designated writing assignments. Essays that do not earn at least a C- may be revised and
resubmitted once to try and achieve the minimal C- grade, which will replace the original grade in the
grade book. Note the following grading scale and also that I do not round grades as a general rule:
grading scale
A 93-100 (4.0) B+ 87-89.99 (3.3) C+ 77-79.99 (2.3) D 60-69.99 (1.0)
A- 90-92.99 (3.7) B 83-86.99 (3.0) C 73-76.99 (2.0) F 0-59.99 (0.0)
B- 80-82.99 (2.7) C- 70-72.99 (1.7)
Satisfactory completion of this course requires you to complete 3 research credits. Participation in
Communication Department research studies via the SONA Portal is the best way to satisfy this
requirement. You will gain an understanding of how research is conducted within the communication
discipline. Each 30 minutes of participation is worth 1 credit and completing an in-person (rather than
online) study earns an additional 1 credit. Most studies range from 1 to 3 credits, depending on length and
format (i.e., in-person vs. online). You may complete any combination of studies that enables you to reach
the 3 required credits. Students who complete the research requirement may have their lowest iRAT
grade dropped.
Visit http://geneseo-comm.sona-systems.com to browse and sign up for studies. Be sure you to log on to the
Communication Studies portal (the link in blue above) NOT the Psychology portal. Your Geneseo credentials
won’t log you in; you need to create an account.
New studies are added throughout the semester, so check the site regularly for opportunities. If you would
prefer not to participate in research, or if enough research studies are not available during the course of the
semester, you may complete an alternative assignment to earn the same credit. Please refer this list of
alternative assignments, updated throughout the semester. Participation in a study may only be applied to
one course. When you complete a study within the SONA system, you will be asked to choose for which
course you want credit. Also, for those under 18 years of age, you will need consent from a parent or
guardian to participate in research studies. You must obtain a copy of the consent form from your instructor,
have it signed by a parent or guardian, and return it to your instructor before signing up to participate in
research.
weekly writing feedback
At the start of the semester, you will be invited to join a Google Drive folder that you can use to submit 1-
page, double spaced, of writing each week for feedback, excluding the week that a major essay is due.
You will also be given a day of the week when your writing needs to be submitted for feedback. If more than
one page of writing is submitted, then only the first page will be evaluated. If feedback from the previous
evaluation is still there, no evaluation will be offered. There is no grade assigned for this nor is there any

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requirement that you submit each week. However, this is the primary opportunity to receive qualitative
feedback on your work. Final projects in Canvas will be graded using a quantitative rubric but no feedback
is provided. You may start submitting work at any time. Please do not schedule one-on-one appointments in
order to review your writing if you have not first participated in the weekly writing feedback. Students are
also encouraged to make use of the campus writing center and to visit Sherry Larson-Rhodes, the reference
librarian, for additional assistance. After the due date for an essay has passed, no further writing feedback is
available on that assignment.
attendance policy & “dead“-lines
Individual Readiness Assurance Tests (iRATs) are administered in class via Canvas. You may begin
iRATs on the day they are scheduled between 8:35 a.m. and 8:40 a.m.; they automatically close 10 minutes
later, between 8:45 a.m. and 8:50 a.m. RATs must be taken at the start of the class period for which they are
scheduled. If you attempt to take the quiz outside class, you will receive a 0 on that quiz that cannot be
dropped. If there is a second attempt to take the quiz outside of class, an F will be assigned for the class
pending discussion of academic dishonesty with the College. Quizzes do have a time limit; students who
arrive late may begin the quiz but without additional time. Missing the quiz window is the same as missing
the quiz.
For the essays: due dates are assigned and strongly recommended to ensure you
stay on top of your work. However, there is no penalty for submitting essays late, provided
that the first essay is submitted before the second essay is due and the second essay is
submitted before the final exam date. Once the due date passes, however, the rest of the class is
moving on; no meetings or feedback will be available for essays that are past due. Students who
submit all work by the deadline have the option of being exempted from the final exam.
There is no explicit penalty for not attending class but your performance in the course,
individually and as part of a team, depend on your regular attendance and participation. Attendance is taken
at every class meeting and students who miss 2 or fewer classes (0-2) have their second lowest quiz
grade dropped. Student attendance in classes on religious holidays is governed by New York State
Education Law, and students who do not attend classes on certain days because of religious beliefs should
refer here. I support diversity of religious beliefs and ask that you contact me at least 3 weeks in advance
of the expected absence to create a plan for completing work. FYI: I do not respond to emails regarding
routine absences where a graded assignment is not at stake or inquiries about missed material; you don’t
need to send them. Use the course schedule and classmates to catch up on missed material.
No make-up quizzes or final exam available because there are several opportunities to earn dropped
grades. In well-documented, dire emergencies, we will discuss further. For tRATs, everyone receives the
same score, whether or not they participate. However, absences or poor participation will likely negatively
affect an individual’s team maintenance score.
office hours & appointments
I am happy to meet by appointment or during office hours to chat for any reason. Office hours are walk-
in only and, in the event I must cancel, I will notify the class via REMIND. If you are not able to make office
hours, please book an appointment on my Google Calendar Page. If you need to cancel, please go into your
OWN calendar page to delete the appointment, which will also delete it on my end and re-open the
appointment for another student. If you cancel within 48 hours, please do not make another appointment
within one week. If you cancel within 24 hours, message me on REMIND to let me know.
communication and e-learning
This course runs primarily through the daily course schedule, an interactive Google Doc with all preparatory
and graded work laid out and linked; consult the schedule regularly. I recommend downloading the Google
Drive app to your mobile device; use your Geneseo email to log in; and add the course schedule to your
STARRED folder for quick access. Graded events are also current in the Canvas calendar but daily events are
not. We use Canvas for graded assignments (never email assignments). We use Google Drive for everything
else.

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On testing days, please bring a laptop or tablet (no phones) with sufficient battery as well as Chrome and
Respondus LockDown Browser installed and updated. Please read complete instructions here. In the event of
a tech emergency, paper copies are available; if the tech issue was preventable—dead battery, current
update not installed, etc.—paper copies mean a 5% reduction for your quiz grade.
I use REMIND to send quick, important updates. Please sign-up to receive REMIND notifications (sign-up
instructions are on the last page of this syllabus). Notifications may include changes to office hours, class
cancellations/delays, and deadline reminders. Essential updates are posted as Announcements on Canvas;
please check them several times per week.
special accommodations
SUNY Geneseo will make reasonable accommodations for persons with documented physical, emotional, or
learning disabilities. Students should consult with the Director in the Office of Disability Services (Tabitha
Buggie-Hunt, 106D Erwin, tbuggieh@geneseo.edu) and their individual faculty regarding any needed
accommodations as early as possible in the semester. To receive any accommodation that requires an
exception to course policy, students must have documentation from the Office of Disability Services. If you
have a disability or chronic condition that is not documentable, please speak with me as you are able
regarding any accommodations that might be made within the confines of course policy.
academic dishonesty and plagiarism
You are expected to abide by the standards of academic honesty including truthfulness regarding course
participation, submitting original work with appropriate references, and completing all work without
unauthorized assistance. If I suspect academic dishonesty, then I will contact you to discuss the situation and
endeavor to have it resolved as quickly and fairly as possible. I recommend that you inform yourself of
academic honesty standards by attending a workshop at the Milne library and by reviewing Geneseo’s
policy.
inclusive language
In our work and interpersonal interactions, we use inclusive language including person-centered
language and non-gendered pronouns (they/ their/theirs) unless you know otherwise. We also avoid
discriminatory language such as (“you guys,” “waitress,” “cripple.”) Please inform yourself about the
strategies for inclusive language. I endeavor to always use inclusive language but I do make mistakes. I
appreciate when students bring mistakes to my attention as they feel comfortable. Likewise, if you
encounter a peer who is using non-inclusive language, please address it to your level of comfort or bring it
to my attention. I use chosen and lived names regardless of the name on the official roster, however,
you are able to officially change your name here.
non-discrimination
In addition to Title IX, which bans sex discrimination throughout our college and campus community,” our
classroom will protect the rights of all minorities and historically oppressed persons. While open
discussion and dissenting opinions are encouraged, no one should feel endangered, ever. Learn more about
Geneseo’s non-discrimination policy.
interpersonal violence
All students have the right to a learning environment free of harassment and intimidation in which your
physical and emotional boundaries are respected. If you are uncomfortable at any time please speak with
me or the Title IX coordinator Tamara Kenney, (Sturges Hall, Room 205, (585) 245-5023 (office), (585) 502-
4581 (emergency), titleix@geneseo.edu.) You might also consider contacting Geneseo’s office of Counseling
Services at 585-245-5716. Please communicate with other students through confidential means (Geneseo
email, GroupMe, REMIND, etc.) and always meet in public places during daylight.

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