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Title Page

Basic Communication Course Annual

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Editorial Board

Basic Communication Course Annual

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Editor's Page, Lawrence W. Hugenberg

Basic Communication Course Annual

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Contents

Basic Communication Course Annual

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Basic Public Speaking Principles: An Examination Of Twelve Popular Texts, Jon A. Hess, Judy C. Pearson

Basic Communication Course Annual

The importance of the basic course is reflected in the number of published articles focused on it. Aside from having an annually published journal (The Basic Communication Course Annual) devoted to it, articles concerning the basic course are sprinkled throughout many of the discipline's journals. However, Schneider (1991) pointed out that few studies have focused on the textbooks used. Since the textbook is generally the foundation upon which the course is built, it is an important object of study.

Although the term basic course may be used to identify a variety of courses (such as public speaking, interpersonal communication, hybrid …

Video-Modeling And Pre-Performance Apprehension: Is Ignorance Bliss?, Craig Newburger, Michael Hemphill

Basic Communication Course Annual

This research examined the impact of video-modeling on basic communication course students' public speaking apprehension. Students were confronted with successful and unsuccessful video model presentations of their first public speaking assignment. The viewing of the video models preceded in-class live performances. Results indicate that students who were confronted with both of the video models experienced increased public speaking apprehension, while students who viewed neither video model did not.

Be Relevant, Careful, And Appropriate: Scary Advice On The Use Of Humor To The Novice Public Speaker, Judythe A. Isserlis

Basic Communication Course Annual

Most contemporary public speaking texts contain some reference to the effective use of humor by public speakers. This advice tends to reflect common assumptions on the role of humor in public speaking and the ability of the novice speaker to incorporate humor in a speech. A review of 27 contemporary texts explores the trend in humor instruction and offers 11 categories which summarize the treatment of humor: (1) theories of humor, (2) rationale for the use of humor, (3) guidelines for the use of humor, (4) sources of humor, (5) humor as a factor of attention, (6) specific humorous techniques …

The Introduction Of A Speech: Do Good Introductions Predict A Good Speech?, Valerie A. Whitecap

Basic Communication Course Annual

Can the introduction predict the success or failure of the speech? Does anything predict a successful speech? First, textbooks were examined to see what is being taught about introductions. Then the results of the first speeches given by freshmen and sophomores in a hybrid communication course were studied to see if successful introductions predicted successful speeches. Finally, some other predictors to speech success are discussed, including public speaking experience and the verbality of the student's chosen major.

This comparison of the introduction of the speech and the subsequent grade on the speech was done as a preliminary "think piece," so …

Author Identification

Basic Communication Course Annual

Biographical information about the authors who contributed to this issue

Call For Papers

Basic Communication Course Annual

Call for papers for next issue of Basic Communication Course Annual.

Teaching Public Speaking As Composition, Michael Leff

Basic Communication Course Annual

The public speaking course has changed little during the past two decades, despite the rapid and profound changes that have occurred in rhetorical scholarship. By contrast, the basic composition course in English Departments has undergone transformations that more closely reflect the development of the scholarship. One reason for this difference may rest in our failure to regard the public speaking course as a serious part of our mission as teachers and scholars. By concentrating on the rhetoric of composition. we might not only generate innovative and theoretically interesting approaches to pedagogy, but we might improve our rhetorical scholarship by connecting …

Evaluation Of A Basic Communication Course, Wendy S. Zabava Ford, Andrew D. Wolvin

Basic Communication Course Annual

This study addressed the effects of a basic communication course on students' perceptions of their communication skills. Students enrolled in a basic course were asked via a pre- and post- course questionnaire to assess changes in their perceptions of their communication skills. An analysis of the questionnaire results revealed that the basic course did have a positive effect on students' perceptions of their communication skills, particularly in presentation and interviewing skills, and on their comfort in communicating. The results also illustrate that the effects on communication skills were stronger in those areas (especially public speaking) where students perceived the greatest …

Directing The Basic Communication Course: Eighteen Years Later, Richard L. Weaver Ii, Howard W. Cotrell

Basic Communication Course Annual

We focused on three problems that evolve over time for veteran basic course directors. After briefly commenting on the state of basic course literature, we discuss dealing with tradition, motivating students for the long term, and maintaining our own motivation for the course — three areas quite distinct from those addressed in an earlier article. The ideas and issues discussed here have arisen as a result of eighteen years of directing a basic communication course.

To Say Or Not; To Do Or Not — Those Are The Questions: Sexual Harassment And The Basic Course Instructor, Mary M. Gill, William J. Wardrope

Basic Communication Course Annual

Although men and women may be the victims of sexual harassment, the majority of women will experience harassment in the classroom and/or on the job. Harassment in the classroom occurs often out of ignorance of knowing what constitutes harassing behaviors. Those feeling harassed often are not the only victims in these situations. Many "victims" of harassment are the inexperienced instructor or graduate assistant who realize too late that their well-intended actions have been received differently. The specific parameters of what constitutes harassing behaviors and its prevalence are examined. A training module is offered which presents guidelines for the basic course …

Basic Communication Course Annual Vol. 4

Basic Communication Course Annual

Full issue (180 pages; 7.5 MB)

Critical Thinking Is/As Communication, Warren Sandmann

Basic Communication Course Annual

This essay argues for the place of critical thinking in the basic communication course. Included in the argument is a discussion and critique of traditional modes of critical thinking, an analysis of an alternative approach to critical thinking, the grounding of this alternative approach in a classical communication model, a discussion of why the basic course in communication is the most appropriate home for the teaching of critical thinking, and a sample approach to teaching critical thinking in the basic course.

Academic Success In The Basic Course: The Influence Of Apprehension And Demographics, Charles A. Lubbers, Diane Atkinson Gorcyca

Basic Communication Course Annual

This investigation sought to empirically test the existence of a causal relationship between communication apprehension and academic success in the basic communication course. Will prior experience in communication courses and prior experience in extracurricular communication activities such as debate, forensics and theater, affect the level of communication apprehension as reported by students enrolled in a basic communication course? Additionally, this research sought to determine the impact of several demographic variables on both communication apprehension and final grade in the basic communication course.

The Use Of Role Models In Teaching Public Speaking, Lauren A. Vicker

Basic Communication Course Annual

This study investigated the use of role models as an instructional strategy in public speaking classes. The subjects in this study were 24 college students in two communication classes. One group viewed a videotape of seven informative speeches given by upper-division speech students and representing a range of ability. The other group did not view the video. Both groups were videotaped presenting their own speeches, and these speeches were rated by a group of senior speech majors at another college. Means of the ratings for each speaker were analyzed using a two-sample t-test. Results did not support the hypothesis that …