Although a relatively new area of scientific study, theory and research on nonverbal communication in the courtroom has produced important findings for students and practitioners in five key areas: voire dire and jury analysis; opening and closing statements; client demeanor and direct examination; cross-examination; and judge demeanor and…

This paper describes the methodology employed to study videotapes of presentations made by President George Bush during the crisis in the Persian Gulf. Analysis of President Bush's language in relation to the events of the Gulf War was undertaken. Videotapes were used because they allowed for analysis of nonverbal communication as well as verbal…

A study investigated why nonstandard "like" is used, how nonstandard "like" is used, and whether the users and hearers of nonstandard "like" view it as standard English. Subjects were 65 students taken from speech classes at Tulsa (Oklahoma) Junior College, Southeast Campus--53 of the students were users of…

In today's world, broad societal trends tend to originate in the center and migrate to the periphery. Europe and North America are in the center, and Australia is on the periphery. Of specific interest to communication scholars is the growth or ebbing of communication theories or techniques. One trend, the use of computers in communication…

One of a series of semiannual reports, this publication contains 18 articles which report the status and progress of studies on the nature of speech, instrumentation for its investigation, and practical applications. Articles and their authors are as follows: "Phonology and Beginning Reading Revisited (Isabelle Y. Liberman); "The Role of…

Based on a model of human symbolic activity, a study examined the influence of congruity of communicator style expectations of and experiences with a supervisor as it affects subordinates' satisfaction with supervision. Nine supervisors and 87 subordinates employed at the Hose Production Center of a national tire and rubber corporation were…

A study investigated the relationships between a university standardized student evaluation of faculty teaching and students' perceptions of the communication skills used by the instructor. Subjects, 397 students taught by 12 instructors from the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Dayton (Ohio), completed the regular teacher…

A study examined whether commissioned public affairs officers show more instances of job burnout than Department of the Army civilians serving in the Army public affairs positions. Surveys were sent to all public affairs officers working in offices in the continental United States. Of the 399 survey packets mailed to the 56 public affairs offices,…

A study explored some of the ways that the members of a medical educational institution make sense out of the radical pedagogical innovation taking place in their school. Interviews and focus groups were conducted with members at "MWCOM" (a pseudonym), then data were analyzed according to three primary themes which revolve around how…

A large state agency had been experiencing a variety of changes. The new head of the agency approached communication researchers about doing analyses of the effectiveness of communication in the agency. The researchers conducted two studies: a qualitative one to identify organizational and organizational communication themes, and a quantitative…

To see what students think the title Ms. means, and also to see what implications and impressions they attach to Ms., a study questioned 68 college students (36 female, 32 male) on their best approximations of "dictionary definitions" for the titles Ms., Mr., Mrs., and Miss. Respondents also provided personal connotations for the titles…

A study explored the definition of the concept of faculty/advisor communicaton apprehension (CA), and tested an instrument to identify CA in incoming college freshmen, with a view toward retention of students. An existing interpersonal CA measure, the Interpersonal Communication Apprehension subscale of the PRCA-24 (24-item version of the Personal…

An ethnographic study of a linguistics classroom produced insights into student perceptions of in-class speech that can contribute to the ongoing debate about the place of student participation in academic classrooms. The study was conducted in an elective undergraduate linguistics course at Michigan Technological University. Fifteen classroom…

A study investigated how people make indirect refusals ("You don't need to move the bookcase" meaning "No, I won't help you move it"), and the types of information used to do so. Two experiments were conducted. The first asked 130 students (third, fifth, and eighth graders as well as college undergraduates) to write refusals to…

This paper provides an overview for a communication curriculum that has begun to include cultural diversity as part of its overall assessment process. First, the paper introduces the topic of assessment as it relates to cultural diversity and the student at-risk. Then the paper reviews the literature related to students at-risk and…