Updated in this 2nd edition, The Basics of Communication Studies, introduces students to human communication in a clear, concise, and engaging way. It presents the "nuts and bolts" of human communication without excessive detail, delivering the necessary material on communication without being overwhelming or cost-prohibitive.

Combining the time tested classical work of Earl Babbie with the insights of one of the most recognized and respected names in speech communication research, THE BASICS OF COMMUNICATION RESEARCH is THE book for the Communication research methods course. With the authors' collective experience teaching research methods and as active researchers themselves you will find this text to be the authoritative text for your course. The authors frame research as a way of knowing, and provide balanced treatment to both quantitative and qualitative research traditions in communication research and present it in a student friendly and engaging format. It provides in-depth treatment of the role of reasoning in the research enterprise and how this reasoning process plays itself out in planning and writing a research proposal and report.

Can an understanding of communication concepts improve relationships with others? Conversely, how do our connections with others influence how converse with them? Written in a warm and lively style and packed with teaching tools, The Basics of Communication: A Relational Perspective offers a unique look at the inseparable connection between relationships and communication and highlights the roles that those interpersonal connections play in public speaking as well as in casual discussions. This groundbreaking text offers a hybrid approach of theory and application by introducing students to fundamental communication concepts and providing practical instruction on making effective formal presentations. The authors encourage students to employ critical thinking on key topics, to link communication theory to their own experiences, and to improve their communication skills in the process. Key Featuresáá Stresses the vital intersection of communication and relational contexts and how they interact and influence one another Offers a refreshing and original approach that engages students with lively, topical examples to challenge them and to enliven classroom discussion Provides up-to-date communication topics in a way that easily fits within a traditional course outline Integrates effective pedagogical tools throughout, addressing ethics, media links, and questions for students to discuss with friends, among others Devotes two chapters to the use of media and relational technology such as cell phones, iPods, Blackberries, MySpace, and Facebook in daily communicationsááAncillariesáá Includes an InstructorÆs Resource on CD-ROM that features PowerPoint slides, a test bank, suggestions for course projects and activities, Internet resources, and more. (Contact Customer Care at 1-800-818-7243 to request a copy.) The robust online Student Study Site (www.sagepub.com/bocstudy) includes e-flashcards, video and audio clips, SAGE journal articles, links to a Facebook page for the text, and other interactive resources. Intended Audienceáá Designed as a core textbook for undergraduate students of communication studies, this book is also an excellent resource for business studentsùor others who are interested in learning more about the pervasive role of communication concepts in everyday life.

In this introductory textbook, the author contextualises approaches and theories on cornmunication studies by making use of local examples from the mass media, as well as relevant political and social experiences. The book is divided into two parts. The first provides students with a strong foundation in communication while the second focuses on the areas of specialisation within communication studies. Each chapter starts with the learning Outcomes and a short overview of the chapter. Students can monitor their learning by using the summaries and 'test yourself' questions at the end of every chapter. Scenarios provide examples of how the theory can be applied in practice. This makes for a learner-friendly and accessible book which will prove invaluable to Students and professionals alike. Beginner students majoring in Communication Studies, as well as those studying towards various degrees or qualifications where communication is a prerequisite will find this book useful.

In the second edition of this widely-used introductory text John Fiske draws upon the main authorities in the field, from Shannon and Weaver'sCommunication Theoryto Saussure's structural linguistics and Peirce'sSemiotics. He examines the two main schools: seeing communication as the encoding, transmission, and decoding of messages; and viewing communication as the generation of meanings.

Communication in Everyday Life: A Survey of Communication offers an engaging introduction to communication based on the belief that communication and relationships are always interconnected. Best-selling authors Steve Duck and David T. McMahan incorporate this theme of a relational perspective and a focus on everyday communication to show the connections between concepts and how they can be understood through a shared perspective. Students will learn how topics in communication come together as part of a greater whole, as well as gain practical communication skills, from listening to critical thinking and using technology to communicate. The Fourth Edition includes enhancements to its proven pedagogical features that reflect updates in research, cultural and societal changes, and emerging issues.

The understanding of communication refers to canonical schemes from technologies to decisions on where, how, and why the semic act gains or is at risk; to hypotheses and limits; and to normal and unconventional exchanges of senses, despite the confrontations between codes, coding, and decoding. In this book, communication is defined as concept, skill, potential, behavior, mechanism, category of exchange, phenomenon, tool, and variable. This sophisticated view differs from previous studies and assumes the multiple systems of systems and meanings generated by various fieldworks that require/reclaim their primacy over communication. Basic Communication and Assessment Prerequisites for the New Normal of Education discusses the rivalry paradigms, ambiguities, new meanings, and mechanisms of the crossroad between communication and assessment. This book makes an inventory of developments in the area as well as analyzes new edumetrics and psychometrics and inserts new best practices. This involves creating new conversational networks of global best practices and metaparadigms in order to solve current disparities and unsolved problems from the fieldwork. Covering topics such as chronic conditions, online educational environments, and self-assessment competencies, this text is ideal for teachers, parents, students, trainers, decision makers, researchers, and academicians.

Communication research is evolving and changing in a world of online journals, open-access, and new ways of obtaining data and conducting experiments via the Internet. Although there are generic encyclopedias describing basic social science research methodologies in general, until now there has been no comprehensive A-to-Z reference work exploring methods specific to communication and media studies. Our entries, authored by key figures in the field, focus on special considerations when applied specifically to communication research, accompanied by engaging examples from the literature of communication, journalism, and media studies. Entries cover every step of the research process, from the creative development of research topics and questions to literature reviews, selection of best methods (whether quantitative, qualitative, or mixed) for analyzing research results and publishing research findings, whether in traditional media or via new media outlets. In addition to expected entries covering the basics of theories and methods traditionally used in communication research, other entries discuss important trends influencing the future of that research, including contemporary practical issues students will face in communication professions, the influences of globalization on research, use of new recording technologies in fieldwork, and the challenges and opportunities related to studying online multi-media environments. Email, texting, cellphone video, and blogging are shown not only as topics of research but also as means of collecting and analyzing data. Still other entries delve into considerations of accountability, copyright, confidentiality, data ownership and security, privacy, and other aspects of conducting an ethical research program. Features: 652 signed entries are contained in an authoritative work spanning four volumes available in choice of electronic or print formats. Although organized A-to-Z, front matter includes a Reader’s Guide grouping entries thematically to help students interested in a specific aspect of communication research to more easily locate directly related entries. Back matter includes a Chronology of the development of the field of communication research; a Resource Guide to classic books, journals, and associations; a Glossary introducing the terminology of the field; and a detailed Index. Entries conclude with References/Further Readings and Cross-References to related entries to guide students further in their research journeys. The Index, Reader’s Guide themes, and Cross-References combine to provide robust search-and-browse in the e-version.

Human Communication: The Basic Course surveys the broad field of human communication, giving attention to theory, research, and skill development. This Twelfth Edition provides an in-depth look at the concepts and principles of human communication, emphasizing public speaking, interpersonal communication, and small group communication. Designed to allow flexibility in teaching approaches, Human Communication: The Basic Course offers instructors a wide range of topics to discuss and apply to real-world experiences.

Focusing on skills students can use to effect positive change in their lives, this textbook for a first communication course describes different listening styles and the principles of verbal and nonverbal communication, identifies the characteristics of healthy personal relationships and intercultural communication, and demonstrates the five stages of conversation and the three stages of interpersonal conflict. Annotation : 2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com).