Week 6 — Assignment (Adaptive Learning) · Preparation Outline Task

Course: Public Speaking — Fundamentals of Oral Communication (COMM 1) · Silver Oak University (fictional sample) · Prof. Marchetti
Objective assessed: Objective 4 (outlining: coordination, subordination, division, parallelism; connectives; oral citations) · SLO A (compose a well-structured speech document)
Worth 100 points · Speeches (Assignments) group = 25% of the grade
Format: adaptive learning — an AI outline coach walks you through building a correct preparation outline, checking each rule as you go, then scores your outline against the rubric and shows you how to raise it. You submit the coach's self-scored report (plus your chat link) and your outline.

Assignment 6 of the term — a building-block task. You'll build (or diagnose and fix) a preparation outline that you can also use in Speech Workshop 6 for the Convert Drill. Doing the assignment before the Workshop makes the Workshop faster and better.

Part 1 — Student Instructions (read this first)

What this is. An AI coach walks you through building a correct three-main-point preparation outline for a topic of your choice (or one provided by your instructor). At each step, the coach checks your outline against the four rules (coordination, subordination, division, parallelism), helps you write connectives, and shows you where oral citations go. Then it helps you score the outline yourself.

How to run it (about 30–45 minutes):
1. Open any approved AI chatbot — Gemini, Claude, or ChatGPT (free versions are fine).
2. Copy everything in the box below and paste it as one single message.
3. Work through it with the coach: pick your topic, build the outline section by section, check each rule, and self-assess.

What to submit (three things):
1. The coach's report — its first line is STUDENT'S SCORE: X/100.
2. Your conversation's share link.
3. Your completed preparation outline (copy it from the chat or paste it as a document). The outline is part of the grade — the self-score is your honest estimate, and Prof. Marchetti checks the outline against the rubric.

Integrity note. Do your own thinking; the coach helps you check the rules and structure. Submitting a report without having actually built the outline is an integrity violation. (This is an adaptive-learning activity per the course AI policy.)

Part 2 — The Coach Prompt (copy everything in the box)

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You are my outline coach for Week 6 of Public Speaking (COMM 1) at Silver Oak University. You will coach me through building a correct preparation outline for a speech, checking every outlining rule as we go, then help me score my own outline against the rubric below. You grade ONLY against the rubric below — never invent criteria or inflate scores. Total possible: 100 points.

ABOUT THE TASK
- I will build a preparation outline for a 4–6-minute informative speech with THREE main points.
- The outline must follow the four outlining rules: coordination, subordination, division, and parallelism.
- The outline must include at least two connective devices (transitions, signposts, internal previews, or internal summaries), labeled in the outline (e.g., [Transition], [Signpost], [Internal Preview]).
- The outline must include at least one oral citation in the correct format (source/author + qualification + date + key finding) at the point where the evidence is cited.
- Be warm and encouraging; this is a building-block week — the outline is the foundation for future speeches.

THE RUBRIC (100 points) — grade against THIS. Do not show me the whole rubric as a block up front; reveal each criterion as we reach it.
- Coordination (20): all three main points are of equal importance and directly related to the thesis; sub-points at the same level are equal in weight.
- Subordination (20): every sub-point clearly supports, explains, or proves the point directly above it.
- Division (20): every level that has sub-points has AT LEAST two (no lone A without a B; no lone 1 without a 2).
- Connectives (20): at least two connective devices are included and labeled correctly (transition, signpost, internal preview, or internal summary); each is placed appropriately in the outline.
- Oral citation (20): at least one oral citation is included in the outline, in the correct format (source + author/qualification + date + finding), placed at the exact point where the evidence is used.

HOW TO RUN IT — go in STAGES, one at a time:
1. Greet + name + topic. Greet me warmly in 1–2 sentences, ask my FIRST NAME and the topic I want to outline (or offer a short list of options: budget meal prep, campus recycling, first aid basics, benefits of sleep, community gardens — non-partisan, everyday topics).
2. Stage A — Thesis and main points. Help me write a specific purpose statement and a thesis, then name THREE main points. Check them for coordination: are they all equal and related to the thesis? Don't move on until they're right.
3. Stage B — Sub-points for each main point. Walk through each main point one at a time. For each, help me add at least two sub-points (division rule) that genuinely support the main point (subordination). Check parallelism within each level.
4. Stage C — Connectives. At least two connective devices (transitions, signposts, internal previews, or internal summaries) must appear in the outline. Help me write and label them in the correct places.
5. Stage D — Oral citation. Help me place at least one oral citation in the outline. Remind me: the citation must be real and verified at the source — I should NOT paste a statistic from this chatbot as if it were a real source. The format: "According to [author/org], [their qualification], in [year], [finding]." Coach me to note where I actually got the information.
6. Stage E — Self-assess the finished outline. Go criterion by criterion. For each, show me the relevant section of my outline, ask me to assess it (e.g., "Does every level with sub-points have at least two? Find any that don't."), then help me assign honest points and give one specific fix if needed.
7. Offer a revision. Ask if I want to fix anything to raise my score; if yes, coach the fix and re-assess. My BEST version counts.

• If I ask about the material, answer briefly, then return to the stage. Off-topic: one sentence, then return in the same message.
• Until the final report, every message ends with a question or a clear next step.
• Score HONESTLY against the rubric — don't hand out points for vague, incomplete outlines.

IMPORTANT — NO FABRICATION: do not invent statistics, quotations, or source citations for my outline. If I ask for a statistic, remind me to find a real source and note it in the outline — and that chatbot-generated statistics must be verified at the original source before using them. The division rule, subordination rule, and oral citation standard are non-negotiable.

COMPLETION + REPORT. After I've assessed my best outline, produce the report in EXACTLY this format — the FIRST LINE is my score:
STUDENT'S SCORE: X/100
WEEK 6 ASSIGNMENT — Preparation Outline Task
Student: [name] | Date: ___
Coordination (a/20): [one line]
Subordination (b/20): [one line]
Division (c/20): [one line]
Connectives (d/20): [one line]
Oral citation (e/20): [one line]
Strongest section of the outline: ___
One thing to carry into your next outline (or speech): ___
(The five scores must add up to the number on line 1.) Then say, verbatim: "Copy this entire report AND your share link to this chat, and submit both in Canvas for this assignment — and don't forget to paste or attach your outline." End with one genuine sentence of encouragement.

GETTING STARTED
Begin now: greet me, ask my first name and topic, and start Stage A.

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The Outline Rubric — 100 points (what the coach grades, and what Prof. Marchetti confirms)

Instructor grading note (Prof. Marchetti)

• Record the STUDENT'S SCORE: X/100 into the Speeches (Assignments) group.
• Check the submitted outline against the rubric — the self-score is the starting point; the outline is the ground truth.
• Watch for: a division violation in the outline that the student missed in self-assessment; an oral citation that says "according to a study…" with no real source noted (chatbot fabrication risk — any citation that can't be verified at a real source should be flagged); a connective device that's labeled "transition" but doesn't actually bridge main points.
• Note: the oral citation criterion requires the student to have verified the source themselves. A citation format with a chatbot-invented statistic is an integrity concern; check any suspicious-looking numbers.

Canvas placement block

canvas_object    = Assignment
title            = "Week 6 Assignment — Preparation Outline Task (adaptive)"
assignment_group = "Speeches (Assignments)"
points_possible  = 100
grading_type     = points
assignment_type  = adaptive
submission_types = [online_text_entry, online_upload, online_url]   # report (score on line 1) + chat link + outline
due_offset_days  = 6
published        = true
provenance       = "~ Prof. Marchetti's edition · Fall 2026 · built with thecoursemaker.com"

Traditional variant — for comparison. This sample course is configured adaptive learning, so its actual Week-6 assignment is the AI-coached, self-scored version in I-assignment-and-rubric-week-06.md. This file shows the same Week-6 task built the traditional way — the student builds and submits the outline and the instructor grades against the rubric. (Choosing assignment_type = traditional at course setup generates this style instead.)

REMOVE BEFORE PUBLISHING TO STUDENTS.

Course: Public Speaking — Fundamentals of Oral Communication (COMM 1) · Silver Oak University (fictional sample) · Prof. Marchetti
Objective assessed: Objective 4 (outlining: coordination, subordination, division, parallelism; connectives; oral citations) · SLO A (compose a well-structured speech document)
Worth 100 points · Speeches (Assignments) group = 25% of the grade

The Assignment

Build a preparation outline for a 4–6-minute informative speech on a topic of your choice (check with Prof. Marchetti if you want approval first). Your outline must follow the four outlining rules, include at least two connective devices, and include at least one properly formatted oral citation.

What to build (checklist before submitting):

1. Topic, general purpose, specific purpose, and thesis — written at the top of the outline. The specific purpose is a single infinitive phrase ("To inform my audience about…"); the thesis is a single declarative sentence.
2. Introduction — a labeled attention-getter, the thesis, and a preview of your three main points. These are written as complete sentences in a preparation outline.
3. Body — three main points (labeled I, II, III) — each in a complete sentence. Under each main point, at least two sub-points (A, B — and more if needed), also in complete sentences.
4. At least two connective devices — labeled in the outline (e.g., "[Transition]," "[Signpost]," "[Internal Preview]," "[Internal Summary]"). Each must be placed in the correct structural location.
5. At least one oral citation — written in full format (author/source + their qualification + date + key finding), placed at the exact point in the outline where the evidence is cited. This must be a real, verified source you actually found — not a chatbot's suggestion.
6. Conclusion — a labeled summary of the three main points and a clincher.

The four rules — check your outline against each before you submit:
- Coordination: all three main points are equal in importance and directly related to the thesis.
- Subordination: every sub-point supports, explains, or proves the point directly above it.
- Division: every level that has sub-points has at least two (no lone A without a B).
- Parallelism: items at the same level are phrased in grammatically similar form.

On the oral citation: find a real source (library database, government website, reputable news or research organization). Write the full oral citation in the outline: "According to [Author/Organization], [their qualification], in [year], [finding]." Do not use a statistic or attribution that came only from a chatbot — chatbots fabricate citations.

Integrity & AI note. This is your own outline, built on your own research. You may use an approved chatbot (Gemini, Claude, or ChatGPT) to help check your outline structure or brainstorm sub-points, but the final outline must be your own work — and any citations must be real, verified sources. If AI helped, add a one-line note. (Note: this is the traditional format. In this course's actual adaptive assignment, you work through the outline with a chatbot coach and submit its self-scored report — see I-assignment-and-rubric-week-06.md.)

Rubric — 100 points

Instructor answer key & model — REMOVE BEFORE PUBLISHING TO STUDENTS

Students choose their own topics, so there is no single correct outline. This model demonstrates what full-credit work looks like in structure and detail. Grade student outlines against the rubric, not against this exact content.

Model preparation outline (illustrative — topic: campus recycling)

Topic: Campus Recycling Improvement
General Purpose: To inform
Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about three steps the campus community 
  can take to improve campus recycling rates.
Thesis: Campus recycling can improve significantly through better bin placement, 
  clearer labeling, and student awareness campaigns.

Introduction
  Attention-getter: "A 2023 campus facilities report found that nearly 40 percent 
    of materials placed in campus recycling bins were actually contaminated — 
    meaning they ended up in the landfill anyway."
    [ORAL CITATION NOTE: "A 2023 campus facilities report..." — replace this 
    illustrative example with a real, verified statistic before using in a speech.]
  Thesis: Campus recycling can improve significantly through better bin placement, 
    clearer labeling, and student awareness campaigns.
  Preview: First, I'll explain why bin placement matters. Second, I'll describe 
    how clearer labeling reduces contamination. Third, I'll outline a student 
    awareness approach that works.

[Transition: Let's begin with the issue of bin placement.]

Body

I.  Strategic bin placement significantly increases recycling participation.
    A.  Recycling bins placed next to trash cans — rather than across the room — 
        reduce "default to trash" behavior.
    B.  High-traffic locations (entrances, dining areas, study spaces) 
        capture the most recyclable material.

[Transition: Once the bins are in the right places, the second key is making 
    sure students know what goes in them.]

II. Clearer bin labeling reduces contamination and increases correct sorting.
    A.  Bins that show pictures of acceptable items (bottles, cans, paper) 
        alongside written labels reduce contamination.
    B.  Color-coding bins consistently across campus (blue = recycling, 
        black = trash, green = compost) creates a visual system that becomes habit.

[Transition: Better placement and labeling help, but student engagement is what 
    sustains long-term improvement.]

III. Student-led awareness campaigns create lasting recycling habits.
    A.  Peer-to-peer education has been shown to be more effective than 
        top-down administration messaging in campus behavior-change studies.
        [SIGNPOST: A note on the evidence — the instructor should insert a real 
        verified oral citation here before using this in a speech.]
    B.  Short-term challenges (a "recycling week" competition between residence 
        halls) build momentum that carries over into everyday habits.

[Transition: Let's bring these three strategies together.]

Conclusion
  Summary: Today I covered three evidence-based steps to improve campus recycling: 
    strategic bin placement, clearer labeling, and student-led awareness campaigns.
  Clincher: "The next time you hesitate for a second at a bin — that pause is 
    the moment these three strategies are designed to catch."

Why this earns full marks: three main points equal and directly related to the thesis (coordination); every sub-point supports its main point (subordination); all main points and sub-point levels have at least two items (division — I has A and B; II has A and B; III has A and B); main points are all parallel noun-phrase + verb constructions (parallelism); two transitions and one signpost are labeled (connectives — 2 = minimum); one oral citation with full format is placed at the point of use (though this model uses a placeholder — real submissions must use a verified source).

Common ways students lose points (watch for these):
- A lone "A" at any level with no matching "B" — division violation.
- Sub-points that add related information rather than proving the main point — subordination violation.
- Connective devices present in the spoken introduction ("Today I will cover…") but unlabeled and not placed in the outline body — connectives criterion miss.
- Oral citation only at the end in a references list, not placed at the evidence point in the body — oral citation criterion miss.

Canvas placement block

canvas_object    = Assignment
title            = "Week 6 Assignment — Preparation Outline Task (traditional)"
assignment_group = "Speeches (Assignments)"
points_possible  = 100
grading_type     = points
assignment_type  = traditional
submission_types = [online_text_entry, online_upload]
due_offset_days  = 6
published        = true
rubric_ref       = "week-06-outline-rubric"
provenance       = "~ Prof. Marchetti's edition · Fall 2026 · built with thecoursemaker.com"