Suggests that communication contributed to commitment to remain in a neighborhood or metropolitan community via a process of belief and attitude formation, but that attitudes were a better predictor of intention to stay in a neighborhood than they were of intention to remain in the metro area. (SD)

Indicates that (1) the prevalence of four selected cognitive strategies among voters shifted during the 1984 presidential campaign and (2) communication behavior differed between persons using the same strategies at different stages of the campaign. Supports research suggesting that campaign communication is not just a simple function of…

Argues in defense of Rubin's CCAI, that Powell and Avila's study did not use adequate controls to assess the instrument's reliability. Asserts that their study simply discovered differences in communication competence among ethnic groups. (MS)

The Association for Business Communication Graduate Studies Committee presents a curriculum based on a survey of recent Masters of Business Administration recipients. A general bibliography and sample syllabus are included. (SRT)

Investigated the effects of immediate instructor feedback, via a video display system (ComET system), on the performance of group discussion participants. Found that receivers of immediate feedback were more satisfied with their performances, participated in discussions of higher quality, and were no more anxious than individuals not receiving…

Studied one aspect of communication competency: how people express emotions through verbal behavior. Found, among other conclusions, that references to unpleasant emotions outnumber references to pleasant emotions almost two to one. (PD)

Findings suggest that the Personalized System of Instruction in the introductory speech communication course tends to equal or be more effective than the lecture-recitation format in (1) attitudes toward and satisfaction with the course; (2) academic achievement; (3) alleviating communication apprehension; and (4) growth in communication skills.…

Investigates teacher classroom management communication using Scheflen's context analysis as a descriptive framework. Focuses on the movements or positions that teachers use in managing classroom interaction in an alternative high school class. Suggests hypotheses for future research. (PD)

This paper presents and analyzes two examples of classroom discourse which belong to the genre of "talk about texts." Both are extracts from discussions between a small group of primary school students and their teacher (in England) on the topic of short texts of narrative fiction which they have just read together during the…

A study examined the relationship among instructor socio-communicative style, argumentativeness, and verbal aggressiveness in the college classroom. Participants were 139 undergraduate students enrolled at a small southern university who completed the Assertiveness-Responsiveness Measure (Richmond and McCroskey, 1995), as well as modified versions…

This volume of an annual collection presents seven essays relating to instruction in the basic communication course. The essays are: "The Effects of Praise on Student Motivation in the Basic Communication Course" (B. Scott Titsworth); "The Relationship between a Required Self-Disclosure Speech and Public Speaking Anxiety: Considering Gender…

Tested whether a relationship existed between the method of presentation of statistical data and (1) reader retention, (2) reader reaction, and (3) reading time. Found that reader retention was highest for reports with tables; reader reaction was most favorable for reports with graphs; and reading time was shortest for reports with tables. (PD)

A study was made of the "cognitive demands" made of children during spontaneous conversations with their teachers at nursery school and their mothers at home. Teachers' talk contained a higher proportion of cognitive demands and "testing" demands than did mothers' talk; however, the hourly rate of these demands was higher in…

Analyzes the proposal-writing environment, the characteristics of proposals, and the practices of seven engineers at a Silicon Valley engineering firm that does government defense work. Finds that engineers write proposals collaboratively and have a highly structured composing process. Describes how the firm's Proposal Writing Center dramatically…

Describes public communication as either priestly (didactic, bringing institutionally authorized meanings to an initiate audience) or bardic (giving voice to a body of meanings already at work in the consciousness of the auditors). Suggests that the public discourse of contemporary scientists is an important example of the priestly voice. (SR)