Comm 3210 - Human Communication Theory - Spring 1999

Review for Final Examination

The exam will be given Monday, May 10, 7:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. in Duane G125. Please bring a new blue book (i.e. not used for previous exams). The format will be short answer and essay questions. The exam will cover Unit IV and a selective review of earlier material. Use the Unit IV study questions as your guide for that unit. You should also review the main concepts from Unit I (General Themes) especially the scientific and humanistic perspectives on theory, Carey's transmission and ritual models of communication, the concept of reflexivity, and Kramarae's muted group theory. You will not be asked any specific questions about theories covered in Units II and III. The essay questions will be in two groups. One group will come from the Unit IV study questions. There will be three of these on the exam, of which you must answer two. The other group will come from this final exam review sheet. There will be two such questions on the exam, of which you must answer one. In answering this general review question, you may choose to write about any theory we have studied this semester.

Review: The lecture on Monday, May 3 will be a general review, focusing on Unit IV and the General Review Essay Questions (below). For individual help, extra office hours will be posted or you can contact either Bob or Elenie for an individual appointment. You can also phone or email your questions.

General Review Essay Questions:

  1. Which of the theories we have studied this semester do you think best illustrates the advantages of a scientific approach to communication theory? Explain in detail. (Hint: Review the main points of the theory you have selected and show how it meets the standards for a good scientific theory.)
  2. Which of the theories we have studied this semester do you think best illustrates the advantages of a humanistic approach to communication theory? Explain in detail. (Hint: Review the main points of the theory you have selected and show how it meets the standards for a good humanistic theory.)
  3. Of the theories we have studied this semester, which one do you think conforms most closely to Carey's transmission model of communication? (Summarize the transmission model and the theory you have selected and show how the theory fits the model.)
  4. Of the theories we have studied this semester, which one do you think conforms most closely to Carey's ritual model of communication? (Summarize the ritual model and the theory you have selected and show how the theory fits the model.)
  5. Carey writes that theories of human communication are "reflexive" -- that models "OF" communication are also models "FOR" communication. Of the theories we have studied this semester, which one do you feel best illustrates this principle? Explain in detail.
  6. Earlier in the course we noted that Kramarae's muted group theory might lead us to expect that many of the theories covered in this course (because academic theory has traditionally been dominated by white/Anglo males) would fail to reflect the experiences and viewpoints of "muted groups" such as women. Looking back over the course, does any theory we have studied clearly either support or contradict this expectation? Discuss in detail.

Comm 3210: Human Communication Theory

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