EE399: Professional Communication
Coordinator: Prof. Adel Ali
Instructors:
· Prof. A. A. Ali: Room 2C98, phone:4676739, (adelali@ksu.edu.sa)
· Prof. S. H. Bakry: Room 2C21, phone:4676808, (shb@ksu.edu.sa)
· Prof. M. A. El-Kady: Room 2C14, phone:476-8592, (melkady@ksu.edu.sa)
· Dr. A. A. Abdennour: Room 2C16, phone:476-8594, (adnnour@ksu.edu.sa)
Textbook: A. Abdennour, B. Al-Mashary, and M. El-Kady, Professional Communication and
Presentation Skills for Scientists and Engineers, King Faisal Cultural House, Riyadh, 2005
Support References: Many good references are available off-the-shelf from the communication skills mini-library inside the lecture room (2C 102) in the EE Dept. All students are encouraged to benefit from them during this course.
Pre-requisite: none
Co-requisite: none
Course objectives: The course main objective is to enhance and sharpen students’ communication skills. This includes, but not limited to, the following skills:
- Thinking skills
- Searching skills
- Writing skills
- Presentation skills
- Teaming skills
- Evaluation skills
- Keeping up-to-date with contemporary issues
- Awareness of Engineering ethics
The course is designed to cover the above skills through, Lectures, Assignments, Activities, and the Final Paper
Topics Covered: The specific topics that will be covered in this course are listed in the Weekly Plan Sheet. There will be a lecture in each week and some activities related to the lecture. The new and the due assignments are specified in a weekly basis.
Course Policies:
General Policies:
· Attending the class from the 1st minute is essential to benefit from the course. Therefore, five points dedicated for students who show up at least 10 lectures from the 1st minute.
· If you are late more than 10 minutes, you will be considered absent.
· According to the university policy, any student fails to attend 75% of the course hours will fail in the course, regardless of his grade!
· English language is used throughout this course. Therefore, reports, presentation, and activities have to be in English.
· All reports and assignments have to be written using MS Word using 1.5 spacing, New Times Roman font of size 12, and margins of 1 in.
· All presentations have to be in Power Point.
Choosing Final Paper topic Policy:
· Every student has to choose a topic according to the guidelines given in assignment no. 1.
· No identical topic-specifics are allowed among all sections; therefore, it is the responsibility of each student to have an independent topic.
· If two or more students choose similar topic-specifics, they will be asked to change theirs.
· The topic should have clear importance to the country in general, and the student in particular.
Referencing Policy:
· The topic References has to be published recently during the latest 12 months in English in a monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly periodical.
· References, listed in all assignments or final paper, have to be used directly.
· A hard copy of any reference used in any assignment should be submitted with any assignment
Plagiarism Policy:
· Taking any information from other sources without referring to them is considered an act of plagiarism.
· Even with including the reference, the student must use his own words. Copying word for word is not allowed.
· Copying (completely or partially) from other students is considered an act of plagiarism.
· Any act of plagiarism is prohibited in this course and may result in getting zero in the submitted work or failing in the course.
· Every student has to sign a pledge which states clearly this policy.
Coordination Policy:
· If a student in any section has a complain, or a request that needs a special treatment or arrangement; such as: being absent, missing a quiz for a legitimate excuse, objecting a decision made by his instructor, etc., then he has to describe his problem in English and submit a written request by e-mail to: ee399ksu@gmail.com. An official reply will be sent back to the student within a week from his submission with clear answer or direction.
Evaluation Policy:
- This policy designed mainly to ensure fair and consistent evaluation of students regardless of their sections. Although it assumes four instructors, it can be adapted to other situations.
- The 100 points are distributed as follows:
- Seven Assignments (5x7): 35 points
- Two Quizzes (10x2): 20 points
- Punctuality: 5 points
- In class activities (cards with two colors): 10 points
- Final Paper Report: 15 points
- Final Paper Presentation: 15 points
- The TA will be responsible for taking and recording the attendance of all students in all sections, and the 25% will be calculated based on his records.
- Each quiz will consist of 4 questions (one/instructor), and each instructor will grade his question. All questions carry the same weight and any revision should be directed to the owner of the question (not the section instructor).
- Assignments:1, 4, and 7 will be graded or evaluated by the section’s instructor, however assignments: 2, 3, 5, and 6 will be graded for all students in all sections by ONLY one instructor per assignment (grader), as follows:
|
Assignment # |
Grader |
|
2 |
Instructor (1) |
|
3 |
Instructor (2) |
|
5 |
Instructor (3) |
|
6 |
Instructor (4) |
- If any student from any section wants to revise his grade, he should go directly to the grader within one week of the distribution. No re-evaluation should be made by another instructor.
- The final paper presentation and report are graded according to the following table:
|
All Sections
Taught
By |
Oral Pres. of F.P.
(15 %) |
F.P. Report
(10 %) |
Reviewer of F.P.
Report (5 %) |
|
Instructor (1) |
Instructor (4)
Instructor (3) |
Instructor (1) |
Instructor (2) |
|
Instructor (2) |
Instructor (1)
Instructor (4) |
Instructor (2) |
Instructor (3) |
|
Instructor (3) |
Instructor (2)
Instructor (1) |
Instructor (3) |
Instructor (4) |
|
Instructor (4) |
Instructor (3)
Instructor (2) |
Instructor (4) |
Instructor (1) |
The final paper report and the graded Assignments # 5, and 6 have to be submitted by each student before starting the final paper oral presentation exam. The two examiners will sign the report, and pass it to the section instructor for grading. No submission should be made directly to the instructor.
Class/Tutorial: The class meets for two hours a week. The first hour is dedicated to the lecture and the second hour is for in-class activities (practicing the specific skills covered during the lecture)
Evaluation:
5 Punctuality in attendance
10 Participation
35 Seven assignments
20 Two quizzes
15 Final report: written
15 Final report: oral presentation
A student final grade sheet is provided, which show how the final grade is calculated.
Relationship to Program Outcomes:
|
|
Program Outcome
|
|
|
D |
(d) Ability to function on multi- disciplinary teams
|
The course contributes to this through enhancing the skills needed for working in groups. |
|
F |
(f) An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility
|
this is done by introducing, discussing and applying (whenever possible) the code of conduct |
|
G |
(g) An ability to communicate effectively
|
the main task of the course is to get students to write reports and making public presentations |
|
K |
(k) An ability to use the techniques, skills, and engineering practice.
|
students are trained to search the web, review journal articles, and seek information and knowledge and to use report editing and presentation software tools |
Weekly Plan:
|
Week |
Topic (40 – 50 minutes) |
Activity (40 – 50 minutes) |
|
1 |
Introduction and Guidelines (Part I): Course Overview and Structure |
|
2 |
Introduction and Guidelines (Part II): Course Policies and Procedures |
|
3 |
Types of Documents, and Report Structure and Components with sample Report |
Ice breaking |
|
4 |
Searching, Compiling, Referencing, and Writing Ethics |
Practicing Searching, Compiling, and Referencing |
|
5 |
Guidelines for Good Writing:
Punctuation and Grammar |
Correcting paragraphs with errors |
|
6 |
Guidelines for Good Presentation (I):
Guidelines to prepare slides |
Practicing converting report into attractive slides |
|
7 |
Guidelines for Good Presentation (II):
Delivering successful speech |
Practicing giving presentation for the first time. |
|
8 |
Writing CV’s and Letters |
Practicing writing Letters |
|
9 |
Introduction to Academic and Business Proposals |
Practicing generating new ideas |
|
10 |
Oral Presentation:
Presentation (I) |
Peer to peer evaluation of the oral presentation |
|
11 |
Guidelines for Successful Interviews and Eng. Ethics |
Practicing Interviews |
|
12 |
Group Dynamics and management Skills |
Practicing running meetings with agenda, and minutes |
|
13 |
Oral Presentation:
Presentation (II) |
Peer to peer evaluation of the oral presentation |
|
14 |
Open Topic |
Open Activity |
|
15 |
Final Exam: Oral Presentation and Final Paper Report with CV |
|
|
|
|
Actions Taken to Improve the Course:
Feedback on the improvement of the course is obtained from students and faculty members through direct discussions and periodically distributed questioners.