last updated: 1/29/22; topic added 3/31/22

ECC  Discussion Leaders [Essential Communication Concepts] [ 2 X 2 X 2 + 2]

  This semester,everyone will have one opportunity to be the designated "lead" (primary) discussion moderator for a specified Communication concept as well as one opportunity to serve as an "assistant" discussion leader on another concept. Hopefully you already have encountered your assigned concept(s) in one of your major classes in the course of your college career. Even so, you will be expected to research the concept through the lens of a person who has majored in Communication Studies -- with its unique blend of sociology, psychology, anthropology, media,  etc. etc.  "Leads" & "Assistants" should confer & coordinate in order to ensure the 2 x 2 x 2 approach in selecting relevant material to highlight is presented in a way that is interesting and relevant for the people in this class.  The emphasis should be on the given concept's application to communication in the "real world."

Please note: This is not meant to be an standard, informative oral presentation, per se. The primary responsibility will be to initiate & moderate  a full class  discussion according to the three areas framework  prescribed below... PLUS asking some follow-up questions directed to your listeners. In other words, each presentation should follow a 2 x 2 x 2  +  2 structure.

presentation components:

The class time devoted to each topic is flexible,  but you can expect a 15-20 minute slot per topic- slightly more if you have a dual item.  (Remember,  this is not a 15 minute individual speech but rather an opportunity to conduct a seminar-type exploration via highlighting  enough key points & questions to stimulate full group  discussion for that amount of time. Be aware that your Professor may also be part of the discussion & has s habit of asking questions. SOME of the chapters will have accompanying class activities to which the discussion leaders can refer. )

REMEMBER: [ 2 X 2 X 2 + 2]

Assignment Summary:  S'22

sample Presentation Plan for a Chapter Discussion Leader

CHAPTER 10 [4th ed] / CHAPTER 8 [3rd ed] : Conversation & Discourse Analysis

(a sample 2 X 2 X 2 +2}

Introductory statement:  "This methodology  bridges more than one paradigm. It manifests as a variation on content analysis research. therefore, in practice, it aligns primarily with the Discovery paradigm.  In other words, the ostensible goal is to unearth the communicative structures of linguistic features that are present in the interactants' utterances-- such as semantic and syntactic patterns.  However, because it  derives from the field known as ethnomethdodology    (which includes the examination of communication in natural occurrence)   Conversation Analysis research also includes a presumption that these language-based dynamics are subject to Interpretation. This additional alignment to the Interpretation paradigm is due to the ways that context  influences how the communicants co-construct meaning as they interpret & react to the communicative codes. There often is a cultural dimension to these variances in interpretation."

>TWO of the most important items mentioned in the chapter (in my educated  opinion)     TURN TAKING rules  --conversational involvement is  co-constructed via discrete units that are rules-driven  ADJACENCY PAIRS-- linguistic riles often mandate who does what in social interactions- as based on the building block of paired actions ( e.g. If one party says "Hi" [which is known as a "First Pair Part" ] the other party knows that there is a specific appropriate response [which is known as a "Second Pair Part"] -- such as "Hi". )   A presenter would  accompany these clarifying explanations with illustrations &/or visual - audio aids.

>TWO of the items most subject to misunderstanding/misinterpretation by readers (in my educated opinion)  CONVERSATION ANALYSIS vs DISCOURSE ANALYSIS  [beginning with their different transcription formats] -- Primary differences also include focus on different units of study (e.g. topic vs word vs phoneme)   / INDUCTIVE REASONING-based argument model to support the interpretation of what the communication acts means in the givwn contest (ala Toulmin).    The level of detail in the transcriptions of the recorded discourse = the "data". The "warrant"  is accomplished via  pointing out what actually happens in the social interactions /conversations.

>TWO of the items that are most relevant to MY project  this section = an abbreviated hypothetical  I am working on a research project involving the analysis of empathy & perspective taking.   [ RQ = In what ways do explicit manifestations of interpersonal empathy affect the collaborative process in labor conflict negotiations? ]  (1) Can effective communication ever be achieved if there is no empathy? ] {What are the implications of non-empathic behaviors. Is it enough to merely understand/sympathize with the other?}   Many concepts fron the chapter could be helpful to my study: p. 148 {2nd ed = p217}: SOCIAL PRACTICE  / p. 158 {2nd ed = p227}WARRANT: triangulation; extra fine (rich) transcription format & sociolinguistic studies showing the sociological/cultural dynamics of language and social interaction. Reinforce validity  & reliability ....etc.

>TWO specific questions to ask your classmates [either about something in the chapter OR about one of the accompanying activities/examples given by your Professor ] (1) With its emphasis on audio/video recording, does the CA methodology present a significant ethical dilemmas for the researcher. Based on principles mentioned in Chapter 10 (3rd ed. = Ch3)?  (2) More so than discourse analysis research, Conversation Analysis uses extra-fine transcription formats to illuminate rhythms and coordinating  dynamics of social interaction --which clearly are present but  are often so subtle that the communicants are not always conscious aware ( i.e. many of the communication dynamics are occurring out-of-awareness . Therefore, is there any purpose to doing such detailed study into communication patterns?