Communication: Making Connections

Updated in a new 8th edition, Communication: Making Communications is a popular, comprehensive introduction to speech communication that skillfully blends theory, current research and skills, while emphasizing the connections between communication and our daily lives.

 

Unique in its integrated “connections” theme and streamlined pedagogy, this book introduces the basic principles of public speaking, interpersonal communication and group communication. The constant application of a solid theoretical foundation to everyday communication through relevant examples, thought-provoking questions and boxed features stress Communication Competence.

 

Communication has new and strengthened pedagogy highlights and reinforces the “connections” theme throughout the book, demonstrating how communication connects us to each other in a variety of contexts:  the workplace, family, friends, community, school, public communication settings, the Internet and across cultures.

 

Why You Need This New Edition

6 good reasons why you should buy this new edition of Communication

Our work in the communication field has spanned several decades and over the years, we have learned that

this discipline is forever new and exciting, continually renewing and reinventing itself. Communication scholars

constantly explore and challenge the diverse findings about our everyday communication and our interactions

and relationships with others. For each new edition of Communication: Making Connections, we have set out

to capture this freshness and to share the latest ideas and scholarship in the field. This eighth edition is no

exception! Here are six good reasons to buy this new edition.

1. Streamlined Coverage: Recognizing the need to continually refresh and revive the book to keep pace with a changing world and discipline, we have evaluated every line, streamlining and editing discussions where necessary to create a book that is actually shorter and more concise than previous edition.
2. Increased emphasis on technology: The prevalence of new communication technologies has made our world and our communication increasingly complex. We have become a "wired" society and use technology in its many forms constantly. In this edition, we have focused on exploring new communication technologies, from texting to online social networking, from blogging to video conferencing. We have a greater emphasis on electronic-mediated communication (EMC) throughout, beginning with an expanded discussion in Chapter 1 and extending to numerous new text discussions and boxed features.
3.  Focus on the implications of new technologies: Our approach in this new edition is to explore the implications of new communication technologies on the messages we send and receive, such as the use of "textspeak," what to disclose and not disclose on Facebook, discussion of how mediated communication influences our perceptions, the importance of evaluating internet resources when researching a speech topic, and how emotions get communicated online.
4.  Numerous new examples: We have updated and added new examples throughout. You will find a discussion of the impact of globalism on the use of language, new chapter-opening vignettes that discuss technology issues, a new example of group conflict and how the conflict was resolved, as well as updated suggestions for web research and potential speech topics.
5.  New research findings: We have made every effort to add the latest research findings to the text, including new research on gender expectations and communication, new references on deception and nonverbal communication, and a new discussion of social information processing theory.
6.  New pedagogical aids: This edition retains our commitment to the "making connections" theme- to helping readers understand the connection between communication and their daily lives. We highlight this through our boxed features, many of which have been updated. In addition, we have updated and added new sample speeches and excerpts, including a completely new sample Informative speech with annotations in Chapter 11, as well as new thought-provoking questions and guidelines throughout to help students review, apply and explore key concepts.