Interpersonal and Small Group Communication Commons^™

The Introductory Communication Course: The Public Speaking Approach, Rudolph F. Verderber

Basic Communication Course Annual

Although a communication department has several choices for the focus of its introductory course, the public speaking approach continues to be the most prevalent largely because of its perceived value. People need public speaking skills because of their importance in achieving success in so many walks of life. In fact, in such professions as teaching, politics, law, sales, marketing, and the like, public speaking skills are fundamental to the job description. In addition, public speaking skills are useful to people in their daily impromptu speaking efforts as well. For instance, effectiveness in giving directions to a place, in giving instructions …

The Introductory Communication Course: The Hybrid Approach, Judy C. Pearson, Richard West

Basic Communication Course Annual

The introductory communication course is one of the most important courses in a general education program at the college or university level. Gibson, Hanna, and Huddleston (1985) observed that the course “remains a vital component of American higher education” (290). Seiler and McGukin (1989) agreed that the course is critical to a speech communication curriculum. Professors adopt a variety of approaches in teaching the introductory course. The purpose of this essay is to examine one approach to the introductory course: the hybrid course. The authors will (l) describe the hybrid approach; (2) consider the course structure including general teaching strategies. …

Small Group Communication As An Introductory Course, John L. Brilhart

Basic Communication Course Annual

It took considerable temerity for me to write a paper about an introductory course in small group communication. Although I have taught basic small group courses throughout my career as a college teacher, I have never had the opportunity to teach where a small group course was an option among introductory communication courses from which most or all graduates were required to choose. So I projected from my experience in teaching and coordinating multiple-section hybrid, interpersonal and public-speaking courses. Mostly I have drawn on my experiences in teaching small group courses at the sophomore and upper-class levels, my experience in …

Introductory Communication Theory: Not Another Skills Course, William C. Donaghy

Basic Communication Course Annual

Speech communication departments in every institution of higher education face unique circumstances when deciding their type and number of introductory courses. Different demands are placed on communication departments operating in community colleges, four year liberal arts colleges, land-grant institutions and major research universities. Some of these situational demands are: how the department is perceived by the administration (i.e., service or major oriented); whether skills courses are accepted as part of the college- or university-wide general education curriculum; whether the college or campus has a communication skills requirement; the college division in which the department is located (i.e., humanities, fine arts …

The Interpersonal Communication Course, Joseph A. Devito

Basic Communication Course Annual

The interpersonal communication course is one of the really great courses in the entire communication curriculum and, in fact, in the entire academic curriculum. It is relevant to just about everything you do — to your satisfaction with yourself, to your effectiveness on the job, to your success as a friend or lover. And students know this and quickly become involved and motivated. Even the research is exciting — it addresses significant issues in truly imaginative ways and is always advancing our knowledge and understanding of interpersonal communication and interpersonal relationships in important ways. It’s a great course to teach …

The Business And Professional Speaking Course, Lawrence W. Hugenberg, Alfred W. Owens Ii, David J. Robinson

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.

The Introductory Communication Course: Results Of A National Survey, Douglas M. Trank, Pat Lewis

Basic Communication Course Annual

Data for this survey were gathered from a national sample of institutions of higher education by means of a questionnaire mailed in November of 1987.

The questionnaire and a cover letter signed by the president of the Association for Communication Administration were sent to all 2-year colleges and all 4-year and graduate institutions which have an affiliation with the Speech Communication Association or the Association for Communication Administration. In each case they were addressed to the executive officer of the relevant communication department and requested data relevant to the 1987-88 academic year.

The instrument used in this survey is a …

Logic And Emotion, Persuasion And Argumentation: 'Good Reasons' As An Educational Synthesis, Warren Sandmann

Basic Communication Course Annual

The purpose of this essay is three-fold. First, I will summarize the history and development of persuasion and rhetoric in the classical and renaissance world, demonstrating the manner in which argumentation, or conviction by means of logical proof, and persuasion, or conviction by means of a unified appeal to emotions and reasons became separated. Second, I will look at the manner in which persuasion and argumentation are presented educationally today by analyzing four of the most popular public speaking texts. Finally, I will argue that there is a more effective method for teaching the combined principles of argumentation and persuasion, …

Instructional Communication Strategies For Adapting To A Multicultural Introductory Course, Charles A. Braithwaite, Dawn O. Braithwaite

Basic Communication Course Annual

No educator is surprised to hear that college enrollment for members of racial and ethnic groups is continuing to rise (The Chronicle of Higher Education, 1990). However, this increase was particularly striking for us after we began teaching in the southwestern United States. We had moved from Minnesota, where the proportion of college students who are minority-group members is only 4%, to New Mexico where the proportion of college students who are minority-group members is 35%, the highest for any state in the continental United States (The Chronicle of Higher Education, 1990). We now look out into multicultural classrooms that …

The R3a3 Processing System For Experiential Learning In The Classroom, Pamela L. Gray

Basic Communication Course Annual

In education today, much emphasis is placed on “experiential learning,” or learning by doing. An experiential approach to teaching allows students to participate in activities that provide concrete examples of concepts and skills being taught in class. Experiential activities seem especially appropriate in a communication class in which a focus is on developing communication competence, because becoming a better communicator involves active practice and evaluation. However, experiential learning is not totally without problems. (For more information about problems associated with experiential learning activities and tips for increasing their effectiveness, see Eisenberg, 1980; Gray & Buerkel-Rothfuss, 1985).

One area that can …

Reading Our Own Speech Critiques As Texts That Reveal Educational Goals, Instructional Roles And Communicative Functions, Jo Sprague

Basic Communication Course Annual

About twenty years ago I reviewed the prescriptive literature related to classroom criticism of students’ oral performances. Basically, it consisted of a set of questions about format, timing and wording of critiques that were answered in terms of each author’s preference: “Here’s how I always do it and it works for me.” Recently I had occasion to review the current literature in preparing the instructor’s manual for a basic public speaking text. I found that not much has changed. The advice that our field has is still largely anecdotal and consists of recommending techniques for universal application. The scant research …

Classroom Interventions For Reducing Public Speaking Anxiety, Michael A. Neer, W. Faye Kirchner

Basic Communication Course Annual

Findings of many studies demonstrate that instructors are able to offer instructional interventions that mediate state anxiety. The present study therefore examined several additional interventions designed to moderate situational factors contributing to state anxiety. The interventions were tested by creating cover stories similar to the Booth-Butterfield (1988a) study that described various instructional formats through which the first required speech in the introductory public speaking course would be processed.

Respondents did not participate in actual in-class manipulations but were instructed to rate their perceived state anxiety if their first speech was structured in the manner described within each cover story.

The …

Measurement Of Communication Motivation In Public Speaking: An Exploratory Study And Scale Development Based On Expectancy Theory, Edwin J. Dawson, Donald D. Yoder

Basic Communication Course Annual

Since the motivational construct has been previously investigated using need gratification theory, it is important to explore the conceptual differences and similarities between Communication Motivation in Public Speaking based on expectancy theory and current measures of communication motives.

Therefore, this study asks the following research questions: l) What are the factor structure and reliability of a “communication motivation in public speaking” (CMPS) instrument which is based on expectancy theory? 2) What is the relationship between Communication Motivation in Public Speaking (CMPS) and the PRCA, WTC, and ICM?

Models For Graduate Teaching Assistant (Gta) Training: The 'Real,' The 'Necessary,' And The 'Ideal', Nancy L. Buerkel-Rothfuss, Pamela L. Gray

Basic Communication Course Annual

The purpose of this paper is to assemble what our research says about graduate teaching assistant (GTA) training in general and specifically in departments of speech communication. Our hope is that, by compiling the four data sets into a comprehensive description of what is presently happening and what is needed in the area of GTA training, we will provide the empirical evidence campus and departmental administrators need to argue for increased activity at their own institutions. In particular, we will use data from the four samples to develop three models of GTA training: 1) the current state-of-the-art (the “real” model), …

Summary Of Issues Discussed During The Seminar On The Introductory Course In Speech Communication, November 1990, Lawrence W. Hugenberg, Donald D. Yoder

Basic Communication Course Annual

The introductory course in communication has received considerable attention by scholars and practitioners in the past several years. Conventions, workshops and scholarly journals reflect the concerns of course directors, teachers and administrators in defining, operating and evaluating this course. Fourteen faculty convened at the SCA Annual Convention in San Francisco in November 1990 to identify and discuss the major issues relevant to directing and teaching the introductory course in communication. Five major issues were identified during the seminar. Discussion of the issues ranged from theoretical perspectives to specific action steps. This report is a summary of some of the major …

Author Identification

Basic Communication Course Annual

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Basic Communication Course Annual

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Call For Papers And Order Form

Basic Communication Course Annual

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Back Cover

Basic Communication Course Annual

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The Basic Course At U.S. Colleges And Universities: V, James W. Gibson, Michael S. Hanna, Greg Leichty

Basic Communication Course Annual

This paper reports the results of a survey undertaken to determine the nature of the basic course in speech as it is now taught at United States colleges and universities, and to identify important trends in instruction of the basic communication course.

It appears that enrollment in the basic course is increasing. Findings are also reported concerning the orientation taken in the basic course, along with information on instructional methods used and administrative concerns connected with the basic course. The various implications of the findings are discussed.

Editorial Board

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.

The Required Course And The Advanced Student: A Placement Perspective, Michael R. Schliessmann, Laurie B. Haleta

Basic Communication Course Annual

Advanced placement describes a system in which incoming freshman students are invited to elect an advanced speech course, in lieu of taking the university required Speech course. The system is not an exemption system, like practiced in other colleges and universities. It allows the speech faculty to choose qualified students who have competence beyond the basic course. The paper describes the system, analyzes its advantages and discusses perceived disadvantages.

Author Identification

Basic Communication Course Annual

Biographical information about the authors and editors who contributed to this issue

Title Page

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.

Dedication, Michael R. Schliessman

Basic Communication Course Annual

A tribute to Norman H. Watson, to whose memory we dedicate this issue of the Basic Communication Course Annual.

Editor's Page, Lawrence W. Hugenberg

Basic Communication Course Annual

This volume is the result of tremendous dedication and the ongoing belief in the need to provide a publication outlet for research and information dedicated solely to the basic communication course. Many people have contributed their time, energy and talents to this volume. I first want to recognize the excellent work provided by the Editorial Board who worked to meet my deadlines and provide useful feedback to the authors to help them revise and/or resubmit their research. Without excellent cooperation from each of the reviewers, the annual would not be complete.

Contents

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.

The Future Of The Basic Course, Judy C. Pearson, Paul E. Nelson

Basic Communication Course Annual

This article recommends some changes that should occur in the basic course. The prescriptions are based on four notions: the course must include accurate information; it should be inclusive in nature; it must be responsive to our contemporary world and to our students' current and future communicative needs; and it must provide a unique contribution to our students' education. The authors suggest that the course has not been sufficiently attentive to accuracy, inclusiveness, responsiveness and uniqueness; furthermore, contemporary changes require increased vigilance in these areas.

Communication Apprehension In The Basic Course: Learning Styles And Preferred Instructional Strategies Of High And Low Apprehensive Students, John Bourhis, Charlene Berquist

Basic Communication Course Annual

Students who experience high levels of communication apprehension are at a distinct disadvantage in school when compared to those who do not. This is particularly true in basic courses in public speaking and interpersonal communication which students may be required to take to satisfy general education requirements. This study examines the relationship between communication apprehension, learning style, and preferred instructional strategies for students enrolled in a basic course in interpersonal communication. The results indicate that communication-apprehensive students are more passive than active in their learning styles. Both low and high communication-apprehensive students prefer instructional strategies which are consistent with their …

An Investigation Into The Communication Needs And Concerns Of Asian Students In Speech Communication Performance Classes, Ester Yook, William J. Seiler

Basic Communication Course Annual

The University of Nebraska is one of the many institutions of higher education in the United States with a growing foreign student enrollment. Consequently, the numbers of foreign students enrolled in speech communication classes has been increasing. There, however, is currently a lack of systematic investigation into the needs and concerns of foreign students in speech performance classes. This study investigates the needs and concerns of Asian students in speech performance classes.

The study uses three methods to determine the needs of Asian students: (1) participant observation, (2) survey and (3) focus group interviews. The findings show that Asian students …