The individual writing conference is one of the key settings in which adults are taught to write. Success in the conference can be connected both to its structure (who can talk when and how much, and what types of talk are sequenced in what ways) and to the content within that structure (what topics are discussed, the amount of collaboration…

An individual may be sex typed (masculine male or feminine female), cross typed (masculine female or feminine male), or not sex typed (androgynous or undifferentiated). The use of psychological sex typing, in place of or in addition to gender, as an independent or mediating variable should, given reliable measurement, enhance the validity of…

This report describes a six-year study that was based on 333 questionnaire responses and 16 interviews with randomly selected, sexually active adults. Sections of the report discuss the methods used to select the sample, define the terms used in the questionnaire, and describe the actual questionnaire design. Among the findings presented are that…

Communication experts and researchers have done little to help prepare themselves or others to cope with values in the communication revolution that is taking place. The problem goes beyond the influence the media has in the United States; it has implications of international issues of survival. What is needed is an emphasis on research and…

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the television production components and to suggest the research hypotheses and designs that will yield a more systematic exploration of the importance of the use of facial closeups in television interviews. The first part of the paper discusses three potential factors that may influence a viewer's judgment…

This compilation includes the following essays: (1) "Conversational Inference and Classroom Learning" (John J. Gumperz); (2) "Persuasive Talk--The Social Organization of Children's Talk" (Jenny Cook-Gumperz); (3) "Ethnography--The Holistic Approach to Understanding Schooling" (Frank W. Lutz); (4) "Triangulated Inquiry--A Methodology for the…

A study was conducted to investigate the practical management of interactions sustaining close friendships. Ten pairs of close friends were interviewed individually on two occasions and together on a third occasion. An interpretive analysis of subjects' remarks identified a dialectical principle governing the communicative organization of…

This report presents the highlights of research activities conducted in 1980 by the Office of Communication Research (OCR), whose job it is to serve the information needs of five distinct entities: the United States Congress, national public broadcasting agencies, local public radio and television stations across the country, decision-making…

This report traces the successful evolution of Canada's experiments in satellite-based distance education, which provided the framework for Canada's most recent investment in 19 new exploratory projects in satellite communications, as well as a commitment to the accessibility of satellite-delivered television for any Canadian who wants it. The…

Because of dramatic changes in the technology of written communication, college graduates are now producing letters, memos, and reports by dictating for word processing systems. Case studies from structured interviews with 28 people in business, industry, government, and the professions show that the composing process of writers who use the new…

When a major national news magazine decided to advertise on television to increase circulation, market researchers had to design research procedures that would assess the effectiveness of various advertising options. The system was designed around the toll-free telephone number given in the advertisement, with the receiving operator recording the…

Elderly residents of a large southern city were surveyed in a study designed to examine the effects of media advertising on the elderly's perceptions. The 91 subjects completed a questionnaire on social factors such as the subjects' self-image, their perceptions of the elderly as portrayed by the mass media, product brand preferences, sex role…

Although Kent State University was regarded as a symbol of radical protest after four students were killed by Ohio National Guardsmen in 1970, a survey of student opinion toward demonstrations and other kinds of free speech activity taken in 1969, shortly before the shootings, showed that the student body was in fact conservative. Other…

Noting that interaction between patients and health care providers is a critical factor in the delivery of medical care, this paper argues that an interpersonal perspective can and should provide the paradigm for the study of medical communication. It suggests that the relationship between the sociocultural context in health care and communication…

As part of a research project studying ways in which police "culture" is socially constructed and displayed in police talk, six members of a research team rode on patrol with officers of a small community police department, during all three shifts, for a period of four months. Conversations during the rides were recorded. Analysis of the…