FINAL ESSAY (40% OF THE GRADE)--to be presented (posted to our DISCUSSION BOARD) online

With reference to a critical incident (to be assigned), offer your analysis (4-6 double spaced, typed pages) in light of one (or more) of the communication theories we've studied. There are a number of goals you may pursue in this final paper. One, you may wish to focus upon how the theory helps to shed light on the incident, how it helps us to see what is going on and how one might respond to the situation; two, you may wish to focus upon how looking at this incident with the theory helps to suggest ways in which the theory works well and ways in which it may be modified. You might even wish to suggest how you might go on to test the ideas that grow out of your discussion. That is, could you establish as true particular principles of communication behavior by designing a research study to test specific ideas?

In short, by analyzing a critical incident with communication theory you are in a position to discuss the incident with greater understanding, you are in a position to discuss the theory (or theory generally), or both.