COM 285 Speech Communication explores the techniques, exercises, and speeches that enable student to master public speaking as effective communication. This course emphasizes creating effective thesis sentences, motivational appeals, introductions and conclusions, outlines, and supporting information. Topics covered in this course include speech anxiety, delivery, subject selection and audience analysis, thesis sentences, motivational appeals, organizing and outlining, introduction and conclusion methods, supporting information, presentational aids, effective listening, Standard American English sounds, and creating various informative, persuasive, and special occasion speeches.