Argues that a speech communication course should be a required course because speaking and listening are important basic skills which require refinement during a student's college/university years under the guidance of communication professionals. Advises departments to consider the resources (people and material) necessary to develop and…

Continues to advocate the development of public relations programs in speech communication rather than journalism departments. Discusses advantages and benefits for speech communication students and departments. Suggests that public relations programs include courses in research methodologies, computer technology, and statistics to meet the…

Offers the results of a survey taken at the College of Charleston in South Carolina indicating that faculty members, recent graduates, and employers all feel that college education in communication should stress training in oral communication skills. (JL)

Contends that inconsistent judging often leaves contestants more confused than educated. Analyzes the effects of training and experience on judges' agreement in oral interpretation contests. (PD)

Subjects (N=48) attempted 24 trials of a psychomotor task to avoid aversive stimulus. Subject-experimenters, with solution expectancies instilled, offered information to subjects. Found that subject-experimenter expectancies were communicated to subjects via periodic comments. Expectancies affected subjects' task performance. Previous similar task…

The clinical records of 31 severely hearing impaired children (6 to 13 years old) who had attended a preschool nursery program were examined to determine which factors would predict aural/oral success. (Author)

Recent rhetorical scholarship suggests a new focus on qualitative theories of human communication. Explores the implications of three general emphases for future inquiry: (1) rules research, (2) constructivism, and (3) constructionism. (PD)

Identifies the additions, deletions, and changes in the reprinted versions of King's classic speech. (Serves both as a warning that published speeches cannot be depended upon to preserve the original text and as a source of reference for teachers using Dr. King.s speech in classroom study.) (PD)

Discusses University of Iowa's efforts to prepare graduate students in rhetorical and communication studies for employment in academia. (PD)

Points out that textual authenticity of speeches has been a constant concern of speech communication scholars. Examines the procedure, personnel, and philosophy employed to record the proceedings and debate in today's British House of Commons. Concludes with a comparison of "Hansard's Official Report" and the "Congressional…

Studied the use of three levels of evaluativeness (offering no opinion, description; offering one's own opinion; and offering an opinion of the other's opinion) in developing, stable, and deteriorating relationships. Expectations were confirmed in the developing and stable conditions but were not confirmed in the deteriorating condition. (PD)

Suggests that social studies teachers review how they ask their students to speak publicly in class (question-responses, oral reports, group discussion, and/or role playing). They should also assess how alert their students are to language clues such as certain vocabulary words, intonation, facial expression, and gestures. (DB)

Extends the study of communication apprehension (CA) impact in the instructional environment through examination of high, low, and moderate CA levels relative to various performance situations in a basic communication course. Results indicate significant differences in achievement indices between the three CA groups. (JMF)

Reports on the development and measurement of a course to improve the communicative performance of tax enforcement officers. Includes an account of a unique content-analytic system for measuring communicative performance in situations considered flexibly formulaic transactions with objectives and prescribed strategies. (JMF)

Discusses "language-in-use" as an index of rhetorical efficacy, suggesting that the substance and form of verbal reactions to discourse may reflect the degree of audience internalization. Concludes that language-in-use assists the critic in determining whether changes in thinking and behavior are occasioned by words or actions, or both. (JMF)