Communication Exchange

Getting Writing Advice from a Manual Filled with Errors

2009-11-10T09:38:00.005-06:00

Throughout my doctoral program and all during the years that I taught at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, there was one book always by my side: the APA (American Psychological Association) Publication Manual. I remember the fourth volume when I first started out in my graduate program—a thick (too thick I often thought) brown book of rules and regulations on exactly how to write and format a paper for the social sciences (that included Communication). Sometime during the 14 years I spent at UL-Lafayette, the fifth volume of the Publication Manual came out. It had a cover with a snappy grey, black and red design (see example), and my copy quickly became dog-eared as I used it constantly to check formatting and stylistic questions for my many research articles, and also in teaching my students how to write a proper research paper.

Now--drum roll--the brand new APA Publication Manual is out. It has a beautiful blue cover as you can see. I, however, will not be buying this sixth volume, not because I no longer need it to write papers or teach classes (which I don't--hurray for retirement!). No, I won’t be buying it because the new volume is evidently so rife with stylistic and formatting ERRORS that the APA has had to recall it. In their defense, the APA is promising to replace the faulty manual for any purchasers who contact them between November 2 and December 15.

If you think this is all a tempest in a teapot, imagine a newly released dictionary with a massive number of misspelled words. Imagine a popular cookbook with incorrect ingredients or amounts listed in many of the recipes. We wonder why students can’t write. Well, maybe part of it has to do with the fact that the people who write the writing manuals can’t write themselves.

If you’re interested in reading about the flap over the new APA Publication Manual, check out Jennifer Howard’s article in The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Any thoughts, readers, about the APA's new Publication Manual?

Your Personal Space Bubble

2009-11-08T09:32:00.010-06:00

It goes with you everywhere--your own personal space bubble. Of course, it's imaginary, and yet very real. In my last post, I discussed the concept of territoriality and how you all have various places that you consider yours even if they are not. Today, I'd like to discuss the related concept of personal space. Unlike territoriality which remains in one location and doesn't move when you do, your personal space bubble travels with you. You can think of personal space as an imaginary bubble that totally surrounds you and moves with you. How large the bubble is depends upon you and how comfortable you feel in close proximity to others. If you are not bothered being very close to others, your personal bubble is very small; if being close to others bothers you in any way, your personal space bubble is much larger. Only you know how big your bubble is.

Although there are individual differences in bubble size from one person to another, the greatest differences are probably cultural. That is, in some cultures (such as Latin American or Middle Eastern) people tend to feel comfortable in crowds and thus, their personal space bubbles are generally small. However, in other cultures (such as Asian or Scandinavian), where crowding behavior is less tolerated, the personal space bubble of individuals is typically much larger. In the United States, most of us have personal space bubbles of moderate size.

How do you know the size of your own personal space bubble? Just think about how you feel when you find yourself in the middle of a tightly packed group of people. If such a situation makes you feel warm and cozy, your bubble is probably quite small. If such a situation creeps you out and you can't wait to get some privacy, then your bubble is probably quite large. Most of us are somewhere in the middle.

What is the size of your personal space bubble?

(photos from http://home.xtra.co.nz and www.bob-baker.com)

That's My Territory!

2009-11-06T10:10:00.007-06:00

Hey! That's my space! And I don't mean the Internet site. We often consider a certain chair or table or even a room "ours" just because we use it a lot or because we used it before anyone else does. It's human nature to stake out territory for ourselves where we can feel comfortable and somewhat at home. I often discussed this common behavior when I taught Nonverbal Communication at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. I even saw it demonstrated in my classes each semester. Within a day or two of the beginning of the semester each student had seemingly settled into a particular desk. If one of them were to sit in a different desk, it would have caused confusion and possibly resentment from their classmates. Such behavior is a common manifestation of what researchers call territoriality. In fact, my students' territoriality about their desks made it easier for me to remember who they were: John was in the first desk in the row by the window, Mary was in the last seat by the wall, etc.

Territoriality refers to the common practice where we tend to assume the right to space just because we occupy it on a regular basis. (Territoriality differs from the concept of personal space, which is an imaginary bubble that follows a person around and determines how close or how far that individual will stand when interacting with others). People may take territorial rights over tables, chairs, or even parts of a room. One common territory for many individuals is their car. Groups may claim territoriality over larger spaces. For example, group territoriality can be seen when gangs take over entire neighborhoods. It can also be seen in the behavior of ethnic groups that settle in certain parts of a city.

How do you show your territoriality? Do you have a territory that you feel is yours--but really isn't?

(photo from http://www.mcsun.org/?p=937 and http://marieceleste.wordpress.com)

Let's Communicate and Coexist

2009-11-04T09:56:00.010-06:00

As a long time Communication teacher I believe in the power of the spoken word. Although I don't think that communication alone will solve all problems--I do believe it is a key ingredient. I saw this emblem at Lola's Diner the other day and followed it over to Good Mourning Glory where I discovered that Diane is promoting the concept of coexistence with guest posts by bloggers from diverse religious backgrounds who will be sharing stories of their faith's various traditions starting on November 16.

What a wonderful idea, Diane! With so much strife in the world (religious, political, and otherwise), any opportunity for people to learn about each other's perspectives, for people to practice tolerance, courtesy, and respect for each others' viewpoints is one of the best ways of putting our communication skills into practice. This Communication teacher supports your efforts and hopes COEXIST (note how symbols for different religious perspectives are interwoven into the word "coexist"), a celebration of peace, is a huge success. Please drop by Diane's blog starting on November 16 and join me in learning about fellow bloggers' different traditions.

October Top Droppers

2009-11-02T09:24:00.021-06:00

Here is a list of my Top Entrecard Droppers for the month of October. I really appreciate all those of you who visit Communication Exchange every day.

How Do You Communicate With Trick or Treaters?

2009-10-31T08:48:00.008-05:00

What will you say to all the little ghosts and goblins who will be ringing your doorbell tonight? Do you talk up a storm or do you just thrust candy in their bags and shut the door?

How we interact with trick or treaters says a lot about us. Here are some ways that people communicate when answering their doors on Halloween night:

1. The strong, silent types--they just distribute the goods, with no words

2. The describers--they tell you what they're doing while they're doing it: "One for you and one for you!"

3. The reporters--they want to know everything: "What are you supposed to be? Where'd you get such a cute hat? Is that a witch I see?"

4. The adults--they only talk to the parents who are accompanying the kids: "That costume must have taken you a long time to make! Wow! Mary, great job! Hi, Sue! Haven't seen you in ages!"

5. The emoters--they really feel Halloween: "Oh, my! You look so frightening! I'm trembling! You really scared me!"

I'm sure you can think of even more ways that people communicate when they answer the door to trick or treaters. Tell me about them!

(photo from http://www.more4kids.info/category/holidays/halloween/)

Home-Made Help Videos Need Better Speaking

2009-10-29T10:12:00.009-05:00

One of my readers, Hrafnkell Haraldsson, made this comment the other day in response to my post about the importance of repetition in public speaking (particularly in video tutorials):

I've tried to watch some of these home-made "help" videos online and the inability of some of these people to enunciate clearly and their disturbing habit of speaking too rapidly or not making eye contact with the camera is off-putting and definitely reduces the effectiveness of their presentation. I'm not sure I'd want some of them to "repeat! repeat! repeat!"

I'm in total agreement with Hrafnkell about the flaws of many online video tutorials. It's not as important that the speaker be understood if the video is just for fun, but when the purpose of the video is to help the listener learn a skill or technique, then speakers on video tutorials owe it to their audience to make sure their oral presentation is the best it can be. Certainly, repetition of important points and ideas is key--but so are the other concerns Hrafnkell mentions. For example, articulation (sometimes called enunciation) that is garbled, and a rapid speaking rate combined together can kill an otherwise well organized presentation. Poor eye contact not only makes the speaker seem unconcerned about the subject and the audience, but if speakers are looking down at the floor, their jaws are in their chests and that just adds to the poor articulation problem.

When I was reviewing home-made video tutorials, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that some were very well made and easy to follow. The vast majority, however, were so poorly done from an oral speaking standpoint (let alone a video production standpoint) that I can't imagine any viewer could ever learn the technique demonstrated even after hundreds of viewings.

What do you think? Have you seen any good video tutorials? What makes a good video tutorial? Have you ever made a video tutorial?

(photo from http://photoshoptutorials.ws/photography-tutorials/buying-guides/choosing-a-digital-camera.html)

It Bears Repeating

2009-10-27T09:47:00.005-05:00

Repetition, repetition, repetition. An old bromide among public speaking teachers. Something I always drilled into my students' heads when I was teaching. The importance of repetition in public speaking came to my attention recently when I was perusing video tutorials for Paint Shop Pro--trying to find some that I could actually use and understand. On so many, the presenter whips through the lesson so quickly that the only thing the viewer learns is that the presenter really understands the function well.

What these video tutorial makers don't seem to understand is that listening and reading are vastly different. When you read a lesson, you can go back and re-read sections you don't understand. When you listen to a lesson, you can't do that. It's up to the speaker to repeat the difficult parts (and some of these digital programs are quite difficult).

In the effective video tutorials I found, the speakers would say things such as, "Let's look at that again," or "Did you see how that works? Watch again." Then they would show you again--they would repeat. In a speech, repetition is absolutely necessary, particularly in informative speeches or demonstrations. It helps the listener understand and retain the information.

As a former speech teacher of mine often said (and I often said to my students), "First, you tell them what you're going to tell them. Then you tell them. Then you tell them what you told them."

What have you listened to that would be improved with repetition? Do you use repetition effectively when you're trying to teach or demonstrate something?

(photo at http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=A9E599A8EDF55A2E)

Communicating in Crowds

2009-10-25T09:15:00.009-05:00

I hate crowds. How about you? Even though I have no real fear of giving a speech (because I can prepare a speech and practice it), having to mingle in a large group of strangers (such as at a cocktail party or a family reunion or a business function) is the most daunting of communication challenges for me (and many people). Give me a nice face-to-face chat with a friend or two (or even a stranger) and I'm in heaven. It's all those unknown faces milling around in large groups that scare me.

This thought hit me yesterday as I participated in the Poisoned Pen Web Convention (see my post on my other blog Subjective Soup). Even though it was a virtual conference and I was safely stationed at home in front of my computer, it reminded me of all those many conventions or parties or meetings I've attended in the past where I was surrounded by strangers.

Typically when I went to large get-togethers, I would seek out another person who looked as lost as I felt and maybe try to strike up a conversation about the venue or the refreshments or something we might both have in common. I always kept reminding myself that most people at these types of events probably felt as uncomfortable as I did. They'd rather be somewhere else, with people they knew, in a more comfortable situation too.

But we can't always avoid crowds, and every once in a while it's good to get out of our comfort zone. When you have to attend a large function where there are lots of people, here's a suggestion: try thinking about it in a new way. Instead of dreading it--think of it as an opportunity to meet a new friend. Just strive to make one new friend. Go into the meeting determined to find the one person there with whom you will have the most in common and with whom you will feel the most comfortable. Treat each interaction with a stranger as a job interview--and the job is that of being your friend. Ask questions. Dig. Focus on each interviewee. Make it your purpose to find the best friend. If you concentrate totally on this goal, you will quickly realize that you don't have time to be nervous about what other people are thinking of you. Of course, you may never make a final selection (and, I wouldn't recommend informing your candidates what you're doing), but you should have a more successful and pleasant experience communicating in a crowd.

Does communicating in crowds bother you? How do you handle interacting with large groups of people?

(photo from http://www.ehow.com/how_5169918_socialize-party.html)

The 50% Conversation Rules

2009-10-23T10:29:00.014-05:00

As a Communication teacher, I have developed some of my own rules (or advice) about communication over the years.

Here are my 50% Conversation Rules:

1. Make at least 50% of the conversation about the other person (not you).

2. Make at least 50% of the conversation questions (not statements).

3. Make at least 50% of the conversation positive (not negative).

4. Make at least 50% of the conversation about a topic different from the other 50%.

5. Make at least 50% of the conversation time you spend listening (not talking).

These are just some simple rules that I try to follow (not always successfully, I'll admit) when I talk with people. I know. I know. Rules are made to be broken and there are valid reasons to break each of these rules--but I think they're a good place to start. What do you think?

(photo from http://www.girls-without-borders.org/home/you-know-it-all/40)

Learning From Lectures

2009-10-21T10:05:00.007-05:00

A lecture is really just a long informative speech. We've all had to endure (enjoy?) lectures in high school and many of us in college. Of course, some instructors give great lectures, but the vast majority don't. Students try to pay attention to boring lectures but find their minds wandering. When this happens, both parties suffer. The teacher is unsuccessful and students don't learn.

Who's at fault? I say both the teacher and the student. The teacher should give a well organized, well prepared, interesting speech that will maintain the audience's attention. However, it is not the teacher's job alone. The student bears some responsibility. A conscientious student attends class prepared to take notes, listens attentively, and observes the main ideas of the lecture.

A good teacher is a good speaker, preparing the lecture well and practicing. A good teacher is responsive to the audience, noting their reactions. Are they following the ideas of the speech? Are they maintaining interest? Is there anything in the speech that appears to confuse them? Annoy them? Excite them? If so, a good teacher adjusts the lecture to fit the students. A good teacher connects with students even when giving a prepared lecture. In Communication, we call this extemporaneous speaking.

I was lucky to have many excellent teachers who gave wonderful lectures. My favorites went above and beyond mere lecturing. They took the ideas off the page of the textbook and brought them to life right in the classroom.

What about you? Have you had a teacher who gave wonderful lectures?

(photo from http://www.how-to-study.com/study-skills/en/notetaking/90/identifying-lecture-styles/)

How Do Childhood Memories Smell?

2009-10-19T10:21:00.009-05:00

Communication teachers are keen on the subject of memory. We know that it figures prominently in how communicators function--how they see themselves. When I taught communication courses I often had units on how memory functions, how to improve memory, and how memory influences our daily communication.

An interesting research finding about memory is the amazing influence that smell has on our memory. One study, for example, found that smell takes us back to earlier parts of our childhood than do other types of sensory stimuli. I have posted about smell and memory on this blog. You may have experienced the smell-memory phenomenon yourself. All of a sudden you smell something that brings forth images of your childhood. Maybe it's a recipe that your mother made. Maybe it's a perfume that was worn by a favorite grandmother. Maybe it's the woodsy odor of a forest that was near your home. Whatever it is, a smell can conjure up memories of a long gone time quicker and more potently than any visual or auditory image.

My brother demonstrated this for me recently when he visited from Davenport (and has written about the same phenomenon from his point of view on his blog). He arrived with a tiny container that held a small piece of doughy substance. When he removed the lid of the container, the odor of the little roll whisked me back to third grade.

I was with my Grandma Harriette and we were going to Miller and Paine Department Store's Tea Room in Lincoln, Nebraska, for lunch. On our way in, we always passed the Miller and Paine Bakery which was known for the most incredible cinnamon rolls I have ever tasted in my life. Each roll was a little gem and was totally encrusted in a layer of buttery, cinnamony goodness.

"Do you know what this is?" asked Ken, as he waved the little box under my nose.

Just from the smell, I immediately answered, "Miller and Paine cinnamon rolls!" Right I was. My sister Chris got it right too. No amount of description could match the smell of these rolls

What smell instantly takes you back to a specific moment in your childhood?

How Suspicious Are You?

2009-10-17T09:13:00.006-05:00

Are you suspicious? Do you doubt the sincerity of every comment a person makes? Do you know people who do? Do you suspect others' motives? Their truthfulness?

During the time I was working on my doctorate at the University of Arizona, I served on a research team investigating deception for the Department of Defense. Some of our experimental studies involved inducing not only lying, but also suspicion about the lying. That is, we not only had our participants lie, we made it so that the recipients of those lies would suspect the lies even before the lies were told. It was actually easy to do.

This is how we did it. Our participants came to our lab in pairs (sometimes as friends, sometimes as strangers). When they arrived, we separated each duo and took each participant to a different room where we prepared (induced) each one for the upcoming experiment. One member of the pair was induced (told) to lie. The other was induced to be suspicious.

How did we make the participant suspicious? We told the participant something like this: "research shows that people do not always tell the truth when interacting with others." We asked the participant to be vigilant during the upcoming interaction and attempt to determine if their partner was lying. Then we brought the two participants back together and had them participate in a conversation which we videotaped. Afterwards, we again separated them in different rooms and debriefed them.

It was always interesting to see how participants who had been induced to be suspicious differed from those who had not received the suspicion induction. The suspicious participants' demeanor changed. They watched their partners more carefully. They questioned their partners more thoroughly. They were simply more guarded. Keep in mind, we never told our participants that their partners would be lying, we only suggested that people sometimes lie. In other words, it doesn't take much to make people suspicious.

Of course, a healthy dose of suspicion is probably advisable in all relationships, but a little goes a long way. When every comment, every action a person makes becomes grounds for suspicion, no relationship can survive for long. We need to ask ourselves, are we suspicious? Is our suspicion justified? How can and should we handle our suspicion?

Are you unjustifiably suspicious? How do you handle/respond to suspicion?

(photo from http://www.cpcc.edu/career/studentsgrads/interviewing)

Signs and Symbols

2009-10-15T10:07:00.007-05:00

No, not like road signs or signs on a storefront. I'm talking in general about signs--or something that stands for something else. There's a special branch of Communication (or linguistics) called semiotics that is devoted to the study of signs. There are actually departments of semiotics at some universities.

A fever might be a sign that a person is ill. A puff of smoke rising over a forest might be a sign that there is a fire below. A group of geese flying overhead might be a sign of changing seasons. There are many signs, but the primary feature of a sign is that it points to something else. It refers to something else. Many signs (such as the three I just listed) are natural signs. Some signs, however, are created signs or--as semioticians say--arbitrary. That is, somebody makes up a particular sign to stand for something else. We call these arbitrary signs--symbols.

The most common symbols involve language. That is, a letter is a symbol (and, thus, a sign). Both its sound and its written form are symbolic. A word is a sign. Think about it. For example, the letters--D-O-G--have no actual meaning in themselves--nor do their sounds when you pronounce them. It's only because other language users recognize these letters (and sounds) grouped together as meaning that furry little creature with four legs that barks that the letters D-O-G have any meaning.

It's people--language users--who give meaning to the symbols of language. We language users could just as well have chosen different letters and sounds for dog (maybe flum or chotz) but we settled on dog. If we want to communicate a message regarding a dog we'd better use the collection of symbols that other language users (at least English language users) recognize--or we'll be out of luck in getting our message across.

People have taken this understanding about the symbolic nature of language and used it to argue a variety of educational theories. One common argument is that since language is arbitrary, it is not important to teach students how to use language "correctly" because there is no correct language. My response to this foolhardy notion is this: Yes, language is arbitrary, and language changes, such that what is incorrect one day becomes acceptable the next, and vice versa. However, to throw students to the wolves and force them to decide what is and isn't correct on their own places far too much responsibility on them. I say teach students the correct use of language; inform them that there are other ways of using language, and show them that the true test is the ability to determine which form of language to use in which situation.

What do you say? How does our understanding of the arbitrary symbolic nature of language influence educational policy? Should students be forced to learn correct language?

(photo at http://visual.merriam-webster.com/transport-machinery/road-transport/road-signs/major-international-road-signs_1.php)

Beautiful Blogger Book

2009-10-13T10:23:00.012-05:00

Some time back I wrote an article about communication for Jena Isle at GewGaw Writings which she has graciously decided to include in her recently published anthology entitled Inspirational Thoughts and Stories of Bloggers From All Over the World. The various articles are all authored by many of my and your favorite bloggers and authors. Jena has worked tirelessly to see this endeavor come to fruition. The finished product as you can see is quite beautiful. I am honored to be a part of the project.

I hope you will stop by Jena's site and purchase a copy of this book and suggest to your friends and readers (if you too are a blogger) that they also purchase a copy. This is just one small way that we bloggers can stick together. I think Jena is really on to something big here. She's showing the world how bloggers are a force to be reckoned with when we work together.

Do You Know This Baptism Quote?

2009-10-11T14:00:00.006-05:00

I attended a family baptism today. It got me thinking. Wasn't there a movie where one of the female characters spilled liquid on herself and exclaimed, "Ooops! I baptized myself!"? I've racked my brains and searched all the famous quote sites on the Internet as well as the famous movie quote sites and I can't find it. Do any of you know the movie (or book or play) I'm thinking about? If you do, please let me know.

(By the way, while I was searching for quotes on baptism, I found some that were rather interesting at Brainy Quotes :

Religion needs a baptism of horse sense. Billy Sunday

When my children were born, I didn't have them baptized because I felt baptism was about erasing Original Sin - something the Church said children got from their mother - and I absolutely refused to believe women carry Original Sin. Olympia Dukakis

However, ironically, I was baptized Presbyterian, and went to a Quaker school for twelve years. Brian De Palma

I was baptized alongside my mother when I was 8 years old. Since then I have tried to walk a Christian life. And now that I'm getting older I realize that I'm walking even closer with my God. Andy Griffith

It's not like Massachusetts, where they're baptized Democrats. Robert Torricelli

When soldiers have been baptized in the fire of a battle-field, they all have one rank in my eyes. Napoleon Bonaparte )

(photo from www.bede.org)

Candid or Impromptu?

2009-10-09T10:43:00.007-05:00

My blogging colleague Wenbin at Better Interpersonal Communication has a new post up about public speaking (obviously one of my favorite topics). He provides four good suggestions for people who find themselves having to give a speech.

All of his four tips relate to the delivery of the speech (as opposed to the research or preparation of the speech). The first three tips are nonverbal in nature. Of those three, the first two are vocal (1. Speak in a loud and clear voice, and 2. Speak at a reasonable pace and use appropriate pauses. Actually that's four tips not two!). The third tip is: Use hand gestures.

All of these tips are great and I will probably discuss them someday on this blog at length. Today, however, I want to hone in on Tip #4: Talk candidly (if possible). Wenbin says: "The truly great speakers do not speak from a memorized script. They just speak from the top of their head. Speak just as if you were talking to a friend."

I'm with Wenbin on this fourth tip--with some reservations. First, what do we mean by the word "candid"? To me, candid refers more to honesty. There are times when a speaker should be candid and times when a bit more discretion is required.

I agree in general with Wenbin about the dangers of speaking from memorized scripts--for the vast majority of speeches memorization or reading is DEATH. However, there are certain situations when a speech must be read. For example, a speech that must be presented accurately for posterity (such as the State of the Union Speech or diplomatic speeches to the United Nations) or speeches that must, of necessity, be extremely long, will probably need to be read. There really is no good reason, I think, to memorize a speech (the speaker's fear is not a good reason).

I don't agree with Wenbin when he says that good speakers should just speak "from the top of their head." We public speaking teachers call this type of speaking, impromptu. Yes, there are times when speakers are forced to give impromptu speeches. They have no time to prepare and they must "wing it." Some times it can't be helped and speakers have to do the best they can. However, when speakers have time to prepare--they should. They should research their topic, find good support, and organize their ideas. They should practice, practice, practice--many times until they can present their speech comfortably from just a few notes. We public speaking teachers call this type of speaking--extemporaneous. Most speakers will be far more successful if they give an extemporaneous speech rather than an impromptu speech.

I do agree strongly with Wenbin's final sentence: "Speak just as if you were talking to a friend." That is, talk to the audience as if you were having a conversation with them--don't lecture them. Look at them. Notice how they respond. Care about their reactions. Treat the audience as you would treat a friend with whom you were talking.

That's my candid opinion about giving a candid speech. What's yours?

(graphic from http://www.ctbizblogs.com/category/blogging-issues/)

The Spiral of Silence: What Do You Think?

2009-10-07T10:33:00.008-05:00

German Political Scientist Elizabeth Noelle-Neumann developed the Spiral of Silence theory back in 1972. She suggested that when our opinions do not match those of the majority we become silent and refrain from voicing those opinions out of fear of social isolation. Researchers have found fairly strong support for this theory—particularly when those opinions concern moral or ethical issues. However, the world has changed dramatically since 1972—particularly the way we communicate publicly. Have new communication technologies influenced the Spiral of Silence theory?

In 1972, we received most of our news from television, radio, and newspapers. Today, new communication media abound and old media are dying. In 1972, news was disseminated fairly uniformly from three fairly similar television networks. Individuals who expressed a minority view that differed from that presented on the nightly news might be sanctioned with derision, silence, or nonverbal cues of disapproval (sneering, eye rolling, etc.) from others Of course, the primary place one could express a minority view back in 1972 was in conversation. Not many people could present their views publicly (exceptions might be writing a letter to the editor or participating in a public protest).

Today, the opportunity for individuals to speak out publicly about issues that concern them has increased dramatically. Indeed, people can make their views know publicly all without ever engaging in conversation with close friends or acquaintances. The Internet has opened doors for people to express their minority opinions publicly and still retain anonymity. The proliferation of media outlets (multiple television channels, Internet, etc.) allows virtually all minority viewpoints a hearing. So, what do these changes in technology mean for the Spiral of Silence theory?

Do we feel more or less threatened in a conversation to express an unpopular opinion? Are we more or less likely to stand up for our viewpoint in a group of people who do not agree with us?

What do you think? Does the Spiral of Silence still hold? Are you more or less willing to say what you think about controversial issues in face-to-face conversations than you were 10, 20, 30, or 40 years ago?

(photo from http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~hb409197/spiral.htm)

Write Your Story

2009-10-05T09:58:00.008-05:00

If you've ever thought about writing a story, now is the time to quit thinking and start doing. Maybe you've thought about writing your own story--the story of your life and all your experiences, possibly the lives of your family members--immediate and/or distant. Maybe you have an idea for a great science fiction yarn or romance tale. Maybe, like me, it's mysteries that tickle your fancy. If you need motivation or a kick in the pants, you can get it by joining the National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo as it's known for short.

NaNoWriMo is an organization of people who band together each November to help each other write whatever it is they are longing to write and haven't been able to start, continue, or complete. Whether you want to write a novel or a family history, NaNoWriMo is a great group to join. Believe me, I know. I participated in NaNoWriMo last year and found it to be tremendously helpful in getting me to produce my cozy mystery The Sound of Murder. I intend to participate again this year and write the second novel in my series.

The slogan of NaNoWriMo is "quantity not quality." That may not sound like a very good slogan, but, believe me, when you are competing against other writers who are all trying to produce a certain number of words per day, it's very exciting. NaNoWriMo keeps a running tally of your daily output so there is a real sense of competition. No participant expects that they will finish on November 30 with a perfectly polished work of art--but, they know that if they finish they will have a novel-length book. Yes, it will still need massive amounts of editing, but it's better than the blank piece of paper they have now.

The NaNo folks are very welcoming and they have great forums that support all types of writing. You will meet many kindred souls and get lots of moral support if you join (and joining is free, by the way). I found my NaNoWriMo experience last November one of the most exciting times I've ever had sitting at my computer. And, just for the record, I spent approximately an hour, maybe two, a day producing my necessary word count.

So, if you've ever felt the urge to write the great American (or any nationality) novel, don't delay. Join NaNoWriMo today. Will you join?

October Ovation

2009-10-03T09:07:00.013-05:00

Hurray! Hurray! For all of the wonderful folks who visited Communication Exchange during the month of September. Here is a list of the Top Ten Droppers (visitors) according to the Entrecard dropper statistics (not my sidebar widget which counts droppers on a continuing basis). I appreciate you all so much.

Top Droppers for September

Yummy-as-can-be

Business & Life Success

Mommy's Little Corner

A Simple Life

Life's sweets and spices

The Modern Mom

Also, I want to give a standing ovation (you can't see me but I'm standing) to all the wonderful readers who stop to write comments about the posts on Communication Exchange. You are the ones who truly make Communication Exchange what it is meant to be--an exchange of communication. Your thoughtful ideas and provoking questions help to extend each post beyond its initial intent. Please keep contributing those comments--that's what this blog is all about!

Happy First of 8ber

2009-10-01T09:47:00.008-05:00

Here it is the first day of October and what is this Communication teacher thinking about? Pumpkins? Halloween? Witches? No! Word derivation. It hit me suddenly that that the last four months of the year all end in the letters "ber." September, October, November, December. Why, I wondered. So, I did a little Internet research for those of you equally mystified by this linguistic suffix.

Here's what I found. A site entitled Origin of the Names of the Months makes it quite clear that the first eight months are named for various Roman emperors (e.g., July for Julius Caesar) or gods (e.g., January for the god Janus). The last four months are just named (in Latin) "seventh month," "eight month," "ninth month," and "tenth month." That is September, October, November, and December. Don't ask me why it isn't ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth month. I guess the Romans counted things differently than we do.

According to RootsWeb, earlier in our own century, when many folks still knew Latin, people would abbreviate the months September, October, November, and December, as 7ber, 8ber, 9ber, and 10ber. So, happy first of 8ber, everyone!

Is there anything about the names of months that mystifies you?

(photo from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween)

"Oh, Waiter!" Around the World

2009-09-29T10:22:00.007-05:00

How do you beckon a waiter or waitress? If you live in the United States you probably raise your hand about head height or a bit higher, and extend your index finger. Alternatively, you may raise your hand with your palm open and wave it back and forth. A third possibility is to curl the index finger in and out as if to say, "Come here." However, according to Roger E. Axtell in "Initiating Interaction: Greetings and Beckonings across the World" in The Nonverbal Communication Reader, these gestures are unique to our country. In other locations, diners call for the attention of the wait staff with a variety of other movements.

For instance, in Europe and much of Latin America, customers extend their arms with their palms down and make scratching movements with their fingers. In France, even this might be too obvious, and sophisticated diners are expected to get their waiters' attention with eye contact or head nodding only. In Columbia, one can obtain the staff's attention by clapping. In Hispanic countries such as Spain or Mexico, sometimes diners make hissing noises or snap their fingers to alert their waitresses to their needs. A whole host of other techniques abound, depending on country, culture, and quality of the restaurant. The important thing to remember is that the method for contacting your waiter or waitress may vary dramatically depending on your location.

How do you get a waiter's attention? Have you seen any unusual methods for getting a waitress's attention in another country?

(photo from http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/sep/24/france.globalrecession)

"Ad Hominem" Attacks Are the Lowest

2009-09-27T09:59:00.007-05:00

When I taught parliamentary debate, I instructed my debaters that ad hominem attacks--that is, attacking one's opponents rather than their arguments--were strictly forbidden. Indeed, in inter-collegiate, competitive debate, contestants can lose points if they verbally attack a member of the opposition with name-calling or any other means. At first, it's difficult for students to learn not to attack their opponents personally. When faced with an argument that they don't understand or can't refute, student debaters often feel the only thing they can do is go after the person who presents the argument. However, most all students learn to control this urge and attack the content of the message--not the messenger--during their first semester.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the rest of the world could learn this simple measure of civility too? We should be able to engage in debates and discussions without calling each other names. Lawmakers and politicians should be able to argue the merits of various proposals without them devolving into clashes of character assassination. Journalists and television pundits ought to be able to present the details of various controversial issues without leveling direct or indirect attacks at proponents or opponents of proposed solutions.

In other words, we ought to be able to have civilized public discourse. We ought to be able to discuss controversial issues and still remain cordial. We ought to be able to work together to solve--rather than just bemoan--problems that affect our country. If beginning college debaters can do it--surely wiser, more experienced adults can too.

Let's avoid ad hominem attacks. Let's bring courtesy back to public debate. What do you say?

( graphic from http://www.foolquest.com/fooltrek_faq/ad_hominem.htm)

The Long and the Short of It

2009-09-25T10:09:00.013-05:00

When I taught public speaking, I always told my students that shorter was better than longer. You could say just as much in three minutes as you could in thirty. Joel of Stuff and Nonsense makes a similar argument when he suggests that bloggers alternate the length of their posts--some long and some short. After all, variety is the spice of life. As my posts tend to be long, I'm going to follow his advice. Thanks for the suggestion, Joel.

p.s. Just realized I stole the title of this post from Stephanie at Rocket Scientist.

Nick and I and Technology--Take Two

2009-09-23T11:07:00.008-05:00

My nephew Nick and I have a running feud (a very civilized one, of course) regarding the effect of technology on education. He sends me research findings that support the positive effects of technology on learning and I refute those findings in this blog. I should probably add, in the interest of full disclosure, that Nick works for a MAJOR computer marketing company, so he has a vested interest in technology. I, as a retired educator, have only the interests of students at heart.

So, here is the latest salvo in Nick's argument. This article reports on a study published in Reading and Writing (not a very top-drawer academic journal according to my English teacher husband Milt). The study surveyed 40 students and found that those who were good spellers were not adversely affected by text-messaging. Read the article for yourself and see what you think.

Problems that I see with the study? The obvious--small sample size--only 40 students! They just might happen to be 40 truly unique students in their abilities and/or texting behavior. Who knows?

Another problem? The study is conducted as a survey--not an experiment. That means there is no control. The researchers just had to take who they found. They didn't choose 40 students who started out with similar academic (e.g., spelling) ability and then have 20 of them text message for a year and the other 20 not text message for the same period of time. An experimental study with such a protocol would have provided more reliable and valid results.

Finally, note that the researchers only argue that text messaging didn't HURT the students' spelling ability. They don't claim that text messaging improved students' spelling skills--because it didn't. The assumption is that the students in this survey began the study with tolerable spelling which wasn't damaged by text messaging. It doesn't address the more likely situation of poor spellers engaging in texting. That is, as more and more students engage in more and more text messaging before or while they are learning how to spell, text messaging behavior will override regular spelling behavior and students may never learn to spell at a level that most adults today would consider necessary.

Nick has excellent spelling (and grammar and punctuation), but I venture a guess that his writing skills were all well developed long before he began texting in earnest. Today's young students probably cannot make the same claim. Do we really want to take the chance that all that texting will not affect them?

What do you think? Does texting help or hinder writing skills? Do you vote with me or Nick?

(photo from http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2009/09/researchers-describe-txt-sp3ak-as-brain-workout)