Participation Prompt Paper 1

Running Head: PARTICIPATION PROMPT PAPER #1
Participation Prompt Paper #1

Drew Y. Kennedy
Bryant University
PARTICIPATION PROMPT PAPER #1
Participation Prompt Paper #1

Summary
The opening chapter of this particular communication textbook is somewhat
refreshing in regard to the very basic explanation of the term communication. I have
been taking communication courses for a few years and now and have been asked
by my non-communication-major peers on many occasions What is
communication? Most of the time, I embarrassingly have a difficult time supplying
a substantial and articulate answer. This book quickly confirmed my difficulty in
being able to give an appropriate answer.
First off, the concept of communication can differ widely based upon the
context. For example, communication in the typical business world can be
undervalued and thought of as something that managers and subordinates just do.
On the other hand, communication scholars have realized that the process is much
more complex than what most make it out to be. To demonstrate this, the book
references Dance and Larson (1976) where they listed 126 definitions of
communication.
Although these definitions differed in terms of context, they also differed in
three major ways. These ways being level of observation, intentionality, and
normative judgment. These three differences gives me (a communication scholar) a
way of understanding the complexity of communication among its different
applications. Is it a narrow view? Was the communication on purpose? Was the
communication successful?
I have been using the word context somewhat informally and ambiguously,
however, the textbook conveniently elaborates upon the context of communication
by giving 9 different and specific contexts. Ranging from cognitive communication

which happens internally within a person, all the way to mass communication,
where billions of people can be involved.
I quickly understood that not a single definition of communication is sufficient
enough to fully explain the massive scope of the discipline.
Furthermore, the book explains theories in a very basic and ground level
fashion. The book compares theories to glass lenses. Different lenses allow us to
view the world and its phenomenon in different ways. Theories allow us to view
communication phenomenon in different ways that may be more appropriate based
upon the three differences of communication and the context.
To further demonstrate the wide array of very specific ways of thinking about
communication and its affiliated theories, the book explains three types of theories.
I enjoy the inclusion of commonsense theory, which is essentially used by everyone
every day. It gives a title for common observations and subsequent predictions used
by many in personal or social situations. A working theory is something developed
by professionals that may actually be effective, however not necessarily
systemically and empirically proven. Finally, there is scholarly theory, which is what
I plan to be working to develop in my Communication Research Methods class.
To even further narrow down the idea communication and communication
theory, the book discusses criteria for evaluating the three types of theories that
may have three differences among 9 different contexts. These criteria allow for us
to critically think about and discuss theories and their potentiality to be useful.
Application
While working with my group in my Communication Research Methods class

to come up with a theory to test, it will be incredibly helpful to have guidelines by
which to evaluate and understand the potential theories. We will be working within
the mediated/mass communication context, which I am excited about because it is
what I am most interested to learn about. I would like to work for a company and be
in charge of their digital content management, which explains my eagerness.
Having first-hand experience coming up with specific problems within mass
communication, researching relevant theories, formulating predictions, performing
observations/experimentation, and generating generalizations will surely teach me
the importance of and how to systematically and critically think about problems and
phenomena I may encounter while in my field of work.
Having new knowledge about communication theories from this book will
allow me to understand theories far better than I would have previously been able
to do. I can now apply contexts to communication theories, understand the
differences between theories, and critically think about the usefulness of theories by
applying the five areas of theory evaluation.
Discussion Provoking Questions
1. Do journal articles typically use the five areas of evaluation in the discussion
and conclusion section?
2. Do people in digital content/marketing departments of large companies
actively and knowingly use
communication theories to increase
the
effectiveness of their messages to their audiences?

3. What kind of experiments/surveys/observation methods can be used to test
theories/predictions within the mass communication context?

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Running Head: PARTICIPATION PROMPT PAPER #1

Participation Prompt Paper #1

PARTICIPATION PROMPT PAPER #1

Participation Prompt Paper #1

PARTICIPATION PROMPT PAPER #1

by giving 9 different and specific contexts. Ranging from cognitive communication

PARTICIPATION PROMPT PAPER #1

While working with my group in my Communication Research Methods class

communication theories to increase

effectiveness of their messages to their audiences?

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