SYLLA‘BUS FOR BASIC
COMa‘u‘lUNECATQGN AT
GiOSHéN COLLEGE

“basis far We Degree M M. A.

Ndfil'iifimki START? {2:351 EC:

Ifl um; mjufluu L”! E m ujn Mi! 1qu II" j_

This is to certify that the
thesis entitled

I'Syllabus for Basic Communi-
cation at Goshen College"

presented by

Elaine H. Sommers

has been accepted towards fulfillment

of the requirements for

_M.A._ degree in Speech—

 

O~169

 

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'SYLLABUS FOR BASIC COFKUNICATICH AT GOSHBN COLLEGE

By

Elaine Horner Sommers

A THESIS

Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies of Michigan
State College of Agriculture and Applied Science
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of

MASTER OF ARTS
Department of Speech and Dramatice

1950

THESIS

TABLE OF CONTESTS

CHAPTER
I. Introduction and Background of the Study . . . . . . . . . 1
II. Description of a Representative Freshman Class . . . . . . 7'
III. Objectives for a Communication Course at Goshen College . 20
IV. Implementation of Objectives . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
V. Evaluation of Achievement of Objectives . . . . . . . . . 49
VI. Summary. . . . .-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

BIBLIOC‘IRAPhY O O O O 0 O O O O 0 O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O 58

APPENDIX...........................61

f"\ F'" fi‘ ('3
c7: ; 1:. fit :3?“ a r»

I

The writer is deeply grateful to Mr. Paul Bagwell,
Head of the Department of Written and Spoken English at
Michigan State College, for his kind supervision of the
writing of this thesis. She also wishes to thank Lucia
horgan, Clyde Dow, Wilson Paul, Mary Helen Kahn, Milosh

Muntyan, Roy Umble, and Carl Kreider for their suggestions

and help.

II.

III.

VII.
VIII.
IX.

l< .

LIST OF TABLJS

Geographical distribution 0"

Vocations of parents of freshmen. . . .
Education of parents of freshmen. . . .

Financial status of freshmen. . . . . .

Purposes checked by f eslmen for coming to college.

Intended vocations of freshmen. . . . .
Goshen and national median test scores.
Cooperative English Test results. . . .

Ways of implementing objectives . . . .

Years Students expect to spend in college

0

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PAGE

10

11

12

12

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

OF THE STUDY

Goshen College is located in northern Indiana in Elkhart County
on the main line of the New York Central Railroad one hundred miles
east of Chicago. In 1949 its enrollment was 590. It is fully accredited
as a standard four-year college by the Indiana State Board of Education,
the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools and the

Regents of the University of the State of New York.

 

 

The Educational Philosophy pf Goshen College

Goshen is a denominational college. Since it serves primarily
young people from the Mennonite church, it may be helpful to eXplain
briefly the basic beliefs of the Mennonites. Harold S. Bender, church
historian, in The Anabaptist Vision discusses Anabaptism, the so—called
"left wing of the Reformation." He identifies the beliefs which remain
central in the Ubnnonite, or Anabaptist, position today.

These beliefs can be expressed in the form of three major emphases:
first, that the essence of Christianity is discipleship, that the entire
way of life of the individual believer and of society should be fashioned
after the teachings and example of Christ; second, that the church is a
brotherhood; and third, that the ethic of love and nonresistance should

be applied to all human relationships.1 Eennonites have developed

 

1 Harold S. Bender, "The Anabaptist Vision," Church Hist0§y(Karch, 1944)

Vol. XIII, 5-24.

 

closely-knit rural communities in which their religious beliefs are
related to their community life and practice.
Religion is also an integra part of the program of Goshen

College. "The ideal of service in the Christian spirit is upheld as

«2

the goal of the educated man and woman. The Goshen College faculty

has develOped the following statement called "A Concept of Christian
Education."

Goshen College seeks to provide educational experiences
which will enable students to live harmonious, purposeful,
and socially responsible lives in the spirit of Christ.

The guiding principle in determining the values which the
faculty considers most worth striving for in personal and
group living is the concept that the essence of Christianity,
as set forth in the Scriptures, is discipleship, the trans-
forming of the whole life after Christ. This Christian
discipleship is to be eXpressed in human relations, in the
use of time, energy, material resources, and in devotion

to the church and its mission. The spirit of brotherhood
is to be practiced in all personal and group relationships.
Life is to be lived with friend or foe according to the
ethic of the love of Christ who cane not to be ministe~ed
unto, but to minister.

Life thus committed to the way of Christ cannot be seg-
mented into secular and non-secular compartments. The
whole of life is to be lived in the context of commitment
to the will of God; and therefore, every activity, whether
work, recreation, social fellowship, prayer, or meditation,
has spiritual significance. The highest expression of faith
in Christ who is the way, the truth, and the life, will be
found in loving, sacrificial service to one's fellownen.
A belief in the inseparability of faith and life means that
in Christian education, living and learning, and content

 

2 Goshen College Catalogue, 1949-50, p. 21.

and method, cannot be separated. The entire program.of
Soshen College is planned to help students know Christ as
Savior and Lord and to become effective witnesses for Him
in a world of economic greed, hate, warfare.

_2 22223233 in Communication gt Goshen Colleg

1
p).
U)
C+
C
W

 

 

In addition to understanding the philosophy upon which Goshen
College is built, it is helpful to understand what has led to its
present interest in introducing a communication course.

In September, 1959, Goshen College began what is now called its
general education program. The first two years of the curriculum
were designed to provide all students with a broad, genera education.
At that time no courses in speech, composition, or communication
were included in the required general program, although speech and
composition courses could be taken as electives.

Since the faculty considered effective writing to be important
for all courses, the English Clinic was set up to meet the writing
needs of the students. It functioned in the following way. Freshmen
and sophomores wrote at least three papers a semester in their
general education courses. The student had personal conferences
on his writing with a counsellor on the English staff. He attended
a lecture on English composition once a week. The student was given

three semester hours of credit for this work.

 

5 Adopted by the Faculty of Goshen College on May 5, 1949.

In addition to the English Clinic a course called Enrlish 101 was
required of all students who scored below the national norm on the
COOperative English Test, a test given during the first week of the
semester as a part of the Freshman Testing Program. This course was a
study of granmar, Spelling, sentence structure, and college reading
procedures.

In 194fi-46 a faculty committee called the Genera Education study
Committee began a critical examination of the courses being taught.

In 1947-48 they studied English requirements at Goshen Colleg and
concluded that the Clinic was not adequately nesting the needs of
freshmen. Among their recommendations were the following:

1. That all entering freshmen making a score of 60 or

less on the Cooperative English Test should take

Eiglish 101.

-1

2. That all freshmen should be required to take anglish
102 during the second semester.

5. That for the academic year 1948—49 one or more
sections should be conducted on an experimental
basis as classes in communication (reading, writing,

speaking, and listening).

4. That the goal of using English effectively be con-
sidered a college and not a departmental objective.

The eXperiment mentioned in point three will be described in
detail in Chapter II, pp. lj-lY. This eXperiment indicated that
students in the communication section scored just as high on writing
skills as those in the traditional type course. Students in the tra-

ditional course eXpressed regret that they had not been given work

in speech.

Statement 2: Problem
Out of this experiment has grown the problem of this thesis.

Goshen College, a small liberal arts college’wishes to inaugurate a

course in the communication skills as a part of its general education

'I

program. The writer has been asaed to set up such a course.
The'efore it is the purpose of this study (I) to discover the

communication needs of Goshen College students, (2) to deduce from

‘

these needs Objectives for a communication course at Goshen College,

(5) to ’etermine how the Objectives can be implemented, and (4) to

{3

..

suggest how the performance of students is to be evaluated in terms of
achievement of objectives.

Definition of Terms

 

There are three main terms in the title of this study. They are
"syllabus," "basic communication," and e. It is first
of all necessary to understand how these terms are used in this work.

"Syllabus" refers to a general course of study, not to a detailed

textbook or day by day assignments.

Basic communication has to do with the skills of reading,
writing, speaking, and listening. It will be eXplained in detail in
Chapter III.

Organization of Thesis

 

J
l

Chapter I has presented introductory and background material;
Chapter II will describe a epresentative freshman class at Goshen

College in an attenpt to discover their communication needs; Chapter III

will be devoted to setting up objectives for a communication course at

Goshen College; Chapter IV will explain how the objectives may be imple-
mented; and Chapter V will suggest wave of evaluating student performance

in terms of objectives.

CHAPTER II
DESCRIPTION OF A REPRESENTATIVE

FRESHMAN CLASS

In order to devise a course of study one must understand the
students for whom the course is to operate and the society in which
those students live. In addition one must have a philosophy of
education which explains the relationship of the two. This philo—
sOphy of education will help answer the question, #19 a course to be
built upon the 'felt needs' of the student, of the 'predicated needs'
of society, or both?"

The first statement of the “Concept of Christian Education“
quoted in Chapter I says, "Goshen College seeks to provide educational
eXperiences which will enable students to live harmonious, purposeful,
and socially responsible lives in the spirit of Christ.“ This state-
ment implies that Goshen College educates students. But it further
implies that students are not individuals in a vacuum, but individuals
in a society. This chapter will attempt to describe the students for
whom this communication course is being set up. Who are they? Where
do they come from? What kinds of home and community backgrounds have
they had? What do they want to do? What do test results indicate
about the communication skills they possess when they enter college?

In order to answer these questions the writer has chosen to
describe the freshman class of 1948-49 at Goshen College. This class

is chosen as representative for the following reasons: By 1948-49 the

8
post-war influx of returning CPS1 men and veterans had tapered off. The
1948-49 enrollment had increased only 6% over 1947—48 (compared with a
73% increase of 1947-48 over 1946-47). The ratio of men to women again
approached l to 1.2

The description of this representative class will be divided
into four sections: (1) an examination of data concerning the freshmen
in the 1948-49 class; (2) an examination of data obtained from the 1948-
49 Freshman Testing program; (3) a report of an experiment in which

members of this class participated; and (4) a summary of the findings.

(1) Data Concerning_l948-49 Freshmen

The factual information to be presented in this section was
received through a survey conducted by the Goshen College faculty. One
hundred eighty-eight students were included.

(a) £252

The median age of the freshmen was 19. The mean age was 19.9.

 

I Civilian Public Service, camps operated by Brethren, Quakers
and Kennonites during World War II for conscientious objectors to war.

2 Goshen College Bulletin, Vol. XLIII, No. 12, October, 1949,
p. 15.

 

(b) Home and Community Backgrounds
Tables I, II, and III present information concerning the home

and community backgrounds of the studerts.

. . ~._., ., , I“. ,_ .‘ .u v
TABLE. I. seem—apnea DIonIBLTICh or 138 1948.49
soszmzz COLLEGE FRJSR-IEK

State or Country of Pre-Colloge Residence

California 1 Ohio 51
Colorado 5 Oklahoma 1
Illinois 24 Oregon 4
Indiana 51 Pennsylvania 27
Iowa 15 Virginia 1
Kansas 5 West Virginia 1
l-C i oh i gen 5

Kinnesota 5 Canada 5
Kissouri 2 Switzerland 1
Kontana 5 Austria 1
New York 2 Ethiopia 2
North Dakota 1 France I

TABLE II. VOCATIOES OF PAdENTS* O? FRESHIJH

Agriculture 93 Factory and mechanical 21
Public Service 39 Professions 8
Business 15 Education 8
1
Construction 19 Miscellaneous 7

*Cnly 12 reported out of the home occupations for their mothers.

lO

TAB E III. EDUCATION or Pana"~'«“'\:Is or FEidSi—E-ZEN

Elementary School 220 University 18
High School 72 Unknown 15
College 46 Other (e.g. Nurses 7

training, music)

Table I indicates that most of them come from Indiana, Ohio,
Illinois, Pennsylvania and Iowa. Tables II and III present information
concerning he vocations and education of the parents of 1948-49 fresh-
men at Goshen College. Table II indicates that agriculture is the
predominant occupation of freshmen parents. Table III shows the formal
educational background of the homes from which freshmen come.

As noted in Table II, 12 students reported out of the home
occupations for their mothers. Only one student came from a home in
which the parents were separated. The average number of children in
the families from which freshmen came was 4.&2. Eleven freshmen were
married when they entered college.

One hundred fifty-six of these students were Mennonites; 52

belonged to other religious groups.

(0) Previous Experience of Students

The average interval between high school graduation and college
entrance was 1.69 years. One hundred fifty-five indicated that they
had held summer or fulltime jobs before coming to college. Table IV
suggests the financial status of the freshmen. Most of them would pay

at least part of their college eXpenses through their own earnings during

college years.

11

TABLE IV. FINANCIAL STATUS OF FRESHEEN

Must earn all 41 Scholarship 55

‘ Must earn part 76 GI Bill 15
Parents provide 50 CPS Grant 9
Other 4

Fourteen of the men had been in OPS camps during the war;
thirteen had been in the Army; five had been in the Navy.

Ninety-eight of these students reported having taught Sunday
school classes in their home congregations, or having served as an
officer in a youth group, or having participated in programs for youth
or church groups. Fifty-eight reported having participated in dramatic
activities in high school; 60 in student publications; 22 in debate and
forensics; 16 in student government. One-third of the students ranked

in the upper third of their high school graduating classes.

(d) Purposes and Intents Listed by Students

 

Tables V, VI, and VII present certain purposes and intentions
which freshmen had when they entered college. Table V lists the number
of years the students expected to attend college. What percentage of
them will carry out their intentions is, of course, not known, although
Lloyd Conrad, assistant registrar, esthnates that 52% of the entering
students will finish college. Table VI lists the purposes checked by
freshmen for having come to college. Table VII lists their intended

occupations. The largest group is the teaching group. Forty-six students

12

checked this profession as their intended occupation. The next largest

group is undecided about a vocation.

TABLE V.

I‘ll-BER or YEARS swam-ITS EXPECT

TO SPEED IN COLLEGfi

Undecided 29 Three 9
One 25 Four 65
Two 55 Five 7
TABLE VI. PURPOSES CHECKSD BY FRESHKSN FOR
COMING TO COLLEGE
Purpose Ho. Times Only
Checked Choice
To get a liberal education 46 ll
To prepare for a vocation 108 52
For prestige of a college degree 6
To make friends and helpful
connections 61
For social enjoyment - "College
Life" 59
To get a job 11 1
To prepare for Christian service 51 9
Foregone conclusion, I never
questioned why 0
Will enable me to make more money 10 1
To take advantage of GI Bill 2

TABLE VII. IRTEKDBD VOCATIOKS OF FRESHMEN

Teaching
Undecided
Business
Medicine
Nursing

#6
51
27
15
16

Religious work 14

Scientific professions

Engineering 14
Farming 5
Homemaking -
Miscellaneous 9

15
(2) Data Obtained from l948-49 Freshman Testing Program

All entering freshman classes participate in the Freshman Testing
Program at Goshen College. The tests taken are the following: Cooperative
English Test, Cooperative General Achievement Test (I. Social Studies,
II. Natural Science, III. Mathematics), Cooperative Contemporary Affairs
Test for College Students, American Council on Education Psychological
Examination for College Freshmen, Ohio State University Psychological
Test, Gates-Strang Health Knowledge Test, and the Goshen College Bible
Test.

National norms for these tests, excepting the Ohio State Psycho-
logical, Gates-Strang Health Knowledge and Goshen College Bible, have
been established by the administration of the tests to 50,000 students
in 90 colleges.5

On the Cooperative English Test the "average"

Goshen College
freshman scored 55. The national median score was 57. On the A.C.E.
Psychological he scored 108. The national median score was 104.5. He
scored above national norms on the Cooperative General Achievement
Tests in social studies, natural science, public affairs, and medicine.

On these same tests he scored below national norms in mathematics and

fine arts. See Table VIII.

 

5 Leaflet concerning "College Norms for All Forms" published by COOperative
Test Division, Educational Testing Service. Further information con-
cerning this may be obtained from the Cooperative Test Division,
Educational Testing Service, 20 Nassau St., Princeton, New Jersey.

14

TABLE VIII. GOSHEN AKD NATIONAL MEDIAN TEST SCORES

Gay‘cl’ I/htfwvmt/
Cooperative English - Total 55 57
Mechanics of Expression 52 55.7
Effectiveness of EXpression 55 55.6
Vocabulary 52 57.1
Speed of comprehension 55 59.1
Level of Comprehension 55 57.5
Cooperative Contemporary
Affairs — Total 44.5 46.5
SOLifl'r' 5‘ {U 3.”??? '0 3‘ ‘3‘ :,
Public Affairs 50 27
., Science and Medicine 11 9.7
Fine Arts 5 4.7
A.C.E. Psychological - Total 108 104.5

(5) Report 2: 194e—a9 Experiment

As mentioned in Chapter I, in 1947—48 the General Education Study
Committee at Goshen College made the following recommendation: "That for
the academic year 1948-49 one or more sections of Engiish I should be con-
ducted on an experimental basis as classes in communication (reading,
writing, speaking, and listening)." The writer was in charge of this
experiment.
(a) Purpose

The purpose of the eXperiment was to compare the performance in
reading and writing skills of students in a traditional freshman English

course with those in a communication course.

15.
(b) Subjects
Section A was the "traditional English" section. There were 19
students in this section in September (1948).‘ Their average score on the
Cooperative English test given during the Freshman Testing Program was 52.0.

"communication" section. There were 18 students

Section D was the
in this section in September. Their average score on the Cooperative
English Test was 51.6. The same instructor (the writer) taught both sections.
Thirteen students of the 19 in Section A and fourteen students of the 18 in
Section D remained in these sections through the first and second semesters
until the completion of the eXperiment in.May.
(c) Procedure

In Section A the emphasis was on reading, writing, and formal
grammar. Texts used were Perrin, Writers Guide and Index £9 English,4
Triggs, Improve Your Reading,5 Hupp, Mechanics g: the Sentence,6 Harpers
the first semester, the Atlantic Monthly the second. Students did work-
book exercises on punctuation, spelling, and capitalization. They diagrammed
sentences. They learned the terminology of formal grammar. They studied

\

the topic sentence and the paragraph. They wrote many themes and precis.

In Section D the emphasis was on the process of communication and
on reading, writing, speaking, and listening as facets of the process.

Texts used were Perrin, Writers Guide and Index to English, Triggs,

 

4 Scott, Foresman Co., 1942I
5 University of Minnesota Press, 1947.

6 Alice Hyde Hupp, American Book Company, Cincinnati, 1958,

16'

Improve Your Reading, Srigance, Speech Communication,7 Harpers the first

 

‘l

semester, and the Atlantic monthly the second. Students Spent at least

 

half the time in Speech, discussion, and listening activities. A constant
effort was made to get them to think of writing, or reading, or speaking,
or listening not as an isolated activity but as one phase of the whole
process of communication. Such items as usage, punctuation, and pronuncia-
tion were not taught in separate units, but only as the need for them
grew out of activities in which the students were engaged.

At the end of two semesters both groups were again given the
Cooperative English Test, and the Cooperative Course Appraisal developed
by the University of Minnesota.

(d) Conclusions

 

Table IX sunmarizes the average total increases of both sections

*3

on the five parts of the Cooperative English est: vocabulary, speed of
eading, level of reading comprehension, mechanics of expression, and

effectiveness of eXpression.

TABLE IX. CCOPZRATIVT ZTGLISH TEST RAJULTD
Section A1 D2
Average Total Increase 5.85 6.15 5
Vocabulary 8.21 4.84
Speed of Reading 6.50 6.55
Level of Comprehension 5.42 4.54
Kechanics of Expression 8.50 4.61
Effectiveness of Exp ession 5.42 6.54

1 Traditional English
2 Communication
5 The chi-square test reveals that this

is not a significant difference.
rofts and Co., 1947,

 

N
'1]
a
U-
o
C.)

I

The averare total increase in Section A was 5.85; in D it was 6.15. The
chi -square test reveals that t1;is is not a si gni; icant difference. On
the vocabulary and as hanics sections of the test students in section A
increased more than students in sect ion 3. On reading speed, level of
conprehension and effectiveness of expression students in Section D
increased more than those in A.

hany factors in a college environment might influence a student's
reading speed or vocabulary growth. Whether the increases shown in
Table IX resulted from the courses A and D or from some other factor in the
college environment or in the student is not known. The one item that seems
to have significance is that students in the communication section D did as
well on the Cooperative English test as those students who had been taught
only readin , writing and grinmar. No test was made of speaking and
list- ening.

Tr 18 tabulation of the answers to questions on the Cooperative
Course Appraisal is included in the Apps endix. There is little signiiicant
difference in the answers of the two sections on Many of the questions.

Every student in section A felt that the course should have included more

em.hasis on 3p eaking Kore peOple in Section D than in So on A felt

that much thou ght was de handed of them in the course.

’\ a
(41mm
In every freshman class there is a wide range of student ability
and need. Any curricular prOgram must be flexible enough to adapt to such

“es 47—8) lie'er uieless it is helpful to

5..
ho

differences. (See Chapter 4, pa
have in mind the average" student for whom a course is planned. From

the data in this chaeter we draw t e followinr picture.
i (a i

The "averase" Goshen Colle e ireshaan in 19 8 was 19 years old. He

L)

g as
-

our or more children in a family from a closely—knit middlewes-
tern.Kennonite farming community. He ranILed in the upper third of his
high school graduating class. His parents had completed only elementary
school. He had spent a year betw een hi gh school graduation and cells
entrance working on a farm, in a factory or off ice. He checked these
reasons for having come to college:

To prepare for a vocation

To make friends and helpful connections

To prepare for Chris ian service

*3

0 get a libe a1 education.

V

He listed as his intended occupation, teachi1 g, business, or was undecided.

\

He had to earn part of his way, expected to atter d college either two or
four years.

On the Cooperative English Test this student scored 55. The national
nedian score was 57. On the A.3.£. Psychological he scored 108. The

national median score was 104.5. He scored above national norms on the

Cooperative General Achi e ezent Tests in social studies, natural mience,

‘ ‘

airs, and medicine. On these same tests he scored selow national

'19
-

public a;-

norms in mathenatics and fine art

3.
In 1948-49 students in an eXpernnental coamunication section did

as well on the A.C.o. Cooperative 2n est as hose in a traditional

:glis 1 section.

:J

.1
.,
H

One of the most important needs of the "averi a"

O

stu' e'.1t is to become articulate to be able to comrun1c te his ideas and

19

V

experiences to others effectively, to understan the communications of

LL

others. This is particularly necessary since he likely wishes to teach
or to enter business. lne data tend to indicate that his vocabulary is
inadequate and that his ability to organize written and spoken discourse,
his reading speed, and his comprehension of what he reads can be

haproved.

CHAPTER III
OBJECTIVES FOR A COMIUHIOATICN COURSE
AT GOSHEN COLLEGE

Importance 2: Communication Skills for Goshen College Students

 

The foregoing chapter describes the students for whom this
course is planned. If it were not for the process of communication,
these students (or any others) would be unable to participate intelli-
gently in the life and thought of our time. Understanding the cultural
heritage is dependent on the process of communication. Solving local,
national, and international problems through communication is the
alternative to solving them through fist or bomb. It is not surprising
to find in the Report of the President's Commission on Higher Education
such a statement as the following: "Developing the skills of communi-
cation is perhaps the least debatable of the objectives of general
education."1

Developing the skills of communication is closely related to th
educational purposes of Goshen College. Included in the "Concept of
Christian Education" quoted in Chapter I (page 2) are these statements:
"This Christian discipleship is to be expressed in human relations, in
the use of time, energy, material resources, and in devotion to the
church and its mission. The spirit of brotherhood is to be practiced

in all personal and group relationships." To carry out these intents

\

 

1 Higher Education for American Democracy, A Report of the President's
Commission on Higher Education, (flew York: Harpers, 1947) p. 52.

21
without proficiency in the communicative skills would appear difficult.
Both of the foregoing statements of Christian Education imply that it
is necessary to develop, for example, the ability to participate in
group problem solving (discussion), skill in persuasion, and the ability
to listen with discrimination and understanding. A basic communication
course at Goshen College should attempt to develop these skills and

abilities.

Definition 0 "Basic C mmunication"

 

\

The term "basic“ in the title of a communication course simply
means that the course is considered fundamental.

The term "communication" has been used often in this discussion.
It merits further eXplanation. The following four statements about

"communication" have been selected for the purpose of defining the term

‘

in the sense in w1ich it is used throughout this thesis:
(1) Borchers and wise2 define it in this way:

Communication is any process by which one living organism
is able to stir up meaning in another. Such communication
is of two types, symbolic and non—symbolic. . . Words may be
thought of as one of the symbolic methods of communication,
a method employing audible symbols produced by the speech
mechanism, or visible symbols, such as the print on this page
representing the sounds as produced.

'n ‘ a 1" 7 I
(2) fillour Samuel Howell) writes:

Dy

Communication is a term used to desivnate intercourse
words, letters, and messages. . . Before the process of

 

2 Gladys L. Borchers, Claude H. Wise, Modern Speech (Harcourt, Brace
and Co., 1947), p. 254.

5 Wilbur Samuel Howell, Problems and Styles _: Communication (New York:
F. s. Crofts and 00., 1945), p. 2.

22

communication can begin, there must be a human being with
something to say and a language to say it in. Before the
process can get beyond its initial phases, that human
being, whether a speaker or writer, must select and arr age
words from that language, this selection and arrangement
being controlled and dictated by the conventions of the
language and by the meaning of the things to which the
words refer. Before the process can reach its completion,
he s must be at least one other human being who receives
the arrangement of words and comes thereby to understand
the meaning seen by the author in the things designated by
his words.

(5) F. Earl Ward4 also explains communication:

It implies social activity. It is always between people,
a Speaker and his listeners, a writer and his readers. It
depends for its success or failure on who the peeple are,
where they are, and why they are engaging in communication
at a particular time and place and for a particular purpose.
It is not complete until a listener or reader has responded
by considering what has een said. He must have understood
it, reflected upon it, evaluated it in the light of what he
knows about people and the world, and finally accepted or

ejected it in whole or in part.

(4) The Department of Written and Spoken English at Michigan State
College5 has developed the following description of good communication
and has stated the criteria by which its effectiveness nay be judged.

Good communication is that which is clear, socially accept-
able, effective, and socially responsible. Communication is
clear when it results from an awareness, conscious or uncon-
scious, of the signs of structural meaning: it is clear when
it is unambiguous, structurally and lexically, and when it is
organized in terms of purp se and intention. Ceamunication
is socially acceptable when it is acceptable to the community

 

4 F. Earl Ward, English for Communication (New York: Macmillan 30., 1949)
p. v (preface),

5 PhilOSOphy Committee, Department of Written and Spoken dnglish,
o ‘ o '
Michigan State College, 1949.

in which the user lives and works. Communication is
effective when it is forthright, simple, specific, and
adaptable to the audience, in intention, tone, meaning,
construction, etc. (responsibilities to the reader and
listener). Communication is socially responsible when it
is grounded in observable fact, in honestly contrived
opinion, in an awareness of personal and social bias,
when it contributes to understanding and harmony among
the greatest number in a democratic society.

Implications 3: These Definitions

 

J.

The foregoin statements about "communication" eXpress a point of

g
view which differs from that upon which traditional speech and composi-
tion courses have been built.

The authors of these statements look upon communication as a
highly complex symbolic process through which people are able to stir
up meanings and feelings in one another. efore this process of stirring
up meanings and feelings can take place, the following conditions must
exist. There must be a person who wishes to communicate something to
another person or other persons. They must desire to receive his communi-
cation. There must be a common set of symbols. (We are here concerned
with verbal symbols, or language.) And there must be agreement among
the people concerning the meaning of the symbols used. Communication
has not taken place until the receiver (reader or listener) understands

clearly the meaning

0 of the message oein transmitted by the writer or

Speaker.
The OthSthldil'l" COHCG‘Ot WhiCh BLECF?GS iron; tilt-"33:3 observations is
Q 4. L4

that the process of communication must be considere~ as a whole. I

P.

U)

 

not me sly a sum f separate part . I is a "Gestalt", a whole pattern

 

 

 

in which all parts are interacting.

 

24
In educational practice, however, the process has been split into
pieces. Traditional courses in composition and Speech have emphasized
the techniques of transmission with little or no regard for the concomi-
tant techniques of reception. They have disregarded the fact that there
can be no coxnunication unless the messages conveyed through speaking

and writing have been understood through listening and reading. Only

.1
I

recently have college teachers of speech atten ted consciously to make

’7

the teachirg of listening a pa t of their traditional speech courses.

n lish teachers attempted to add trainin’r in

H O

[is

also only recently have

reading for meaning' to the traditional freshman composition course.
Writing and seeking nave been taught in separate courses as

though they had nothing in common and no relationship to one another.

Writing has been further sub-divided into such segnents as punctuation,

rules of grammar, and organization. Forxer teachers of Speech now in

the field of communication point out hat Speaking has been sub-divided

‘ani-

h
L'.
U

into such segments as gesture, pronunciation and enunciation, and or
zation. It has further been assumed, in many cases, that by asstering
rules concerning these separate parts, students learn to Speak and
write well.

"1

evidence that such atomization has existed can b obtained by (l)

(D

examining stated objectives of college composition and Speech courses,
(2) reading descriptions of such courses in college catalogues, and

(5) examining the textbooks used in such courses.

Not only has a process which must be regarded as a whole been split
into parts, but the function of these parts in real life Sic

('1 ’\

seen ignored. ihis is evident fron the facts of a study done in l929
' Paul T. Rankin, Wu visin; Director of Research and Adjustnent,

Detroit Public Schools.6 In this compr fl1ensive Study of adult communi-

cation habits covering a period of 60 days Hr. Rankin found that 74% of

~—

the adult's communication time as spent in o1al langw — eactivity. Of

g)

this anount‘#33 was spent in listening and 52$ in talking. In addition
he found that the average adult spent 15; of this time reading, and 113
1e then rirected his attention to the educational program of

the Detroit Public Schools for the pu'pose of finding tz1e percenta e of

‘38.

l..-

time devoted to training students for these communicative activit
He concluded that for the grades one through eight, 10$ of the total
school tnne devoted to tra ining in coamunication was usad for tralnln

in ora expression; 533 for written expression; 8p for listening, and 925
for reading. In other words, he discovered that his educational e: bp11asis
was inversely preportional to the amount of time Spent in these communi-

caeive skills in actual life situations.

Articles in the professional journals (e.g. Colleie inglish, 1ne

uarte1lv Jou1;1al of Speech) have eflected dissatisfaction with the
total picture just presented, ard out 01 this dissatisfaction with the

 

e, Heasureaent, and
'eveIOpment," Speech to dducation and mental t Section, Kinth
Annual Session, Ohio State Education Conference, 3h iCa oSehosl
Journal,'Vol. XII, Ho. 5, Jan. 1950, pp. 177-179 and Ho. 10, June, 1950,
pp . 417—420.

6 Paul T. Rankin, "Listening As1li ty, Its Importanc
es

status quo has :rouz the interest in do v lopinr the 00:1 guni cs tion

J

N

course.
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From the fore oing discussion it can be seen that the co ”unice—

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S'u;:arized as follows.

1. In order to live 3 fectively in our society,

students must be able to comaunicate the'r experiences

and ideas to Others and to understand communications

:1 . 1‘1 .
irOfL Ob;.3I'E>.

{\3
o

Conmunication is a complex 8; mbolic process by which

people stir up meanin s and feelings within one

1.

're be two

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one “no has a desire to receive the
communiCation, a COMKOH language, and a‘reeient
among the people as to the meaning of the word
the act of communication is caplet e tne
receiver (listener or reader) comes to undo retind
definitely and precisely the meaning and emotional
content of the message being transuitte d by writer

or Speaker.

 

'10 .11!

7 See Eary Helen G01* The Pres nt Status 0: Basic Communication Courses
on the College Level." Unpublished Eéaster's The sis, Illinois State
Kordal University, 1943.

27
3. oucc3 es in comwunicacion depends ugon the asiliu‘

to think clearlv and vigor ousl y us in: worl synbols,

U \J

g-..

to reai an liste;'1 with discr'wination anl sympathy,

and to Speak and write so that others may under tand
and sympathize.
From this point of view the write has derived the following
objectives ior a course in 3 sic comiuiicu ion for Goshen Co 13 Se

freshmer. The objectives are divided into three sections: (1) Know-

3 and Understanding, (2) Skills and Abilities, (3) Attitudes.

Objectives for a Communication Course at Goshen College

 

 

Major objective: To enab
the society in which he l
Speak, and write.

13 th- stuicnt to contri;3u.te positr
ives 'hrough improved ability to Ii

77";—

anouLEDSS A33 UNDSRSTAXJIRG

l. 95 the coamunication process
a. That it is two-way, adapted to the auditors.
b. That it is purposi'

t it employs SfmbOlS which are not always interpreted
alike by all peeple.

2. Of the differences and si3ilarities in written and spoken discourse.
a“ fi'

5. Of the levels 01 aneiish usage.

0

:-

Of patterns of or Oanizetion, 3.5., time order, cause-3;? ect, problem-
solution.

rs

Of acceptable usag o 5r333ar, punctuation, Spelling, capitalization,

articulation, and p,ronunciati on.

\_)I
o

O\
0

Of the use of the voice and ‘ooiily action in ora l co'“unicati on.

7. Of a vocabulary large enough to excress and understani a wile range
of exper'en es.

'-

g

u. Of pro73 anda devices and how th- 3y are used to influence human
behavior .

A .1 l I _ _ ‘ N‘ 1 / O Q

7. C1 library TJSBaTCu net} 033 \a) where to find refer mice and source

0 . \

materials, (a; how to use th '3“, (3) how to 3va luat3 such material,
(d) conventions of docunezmt tion in writt3n r33or

SKILLS A33 A3ILIPIJS

To develop in the student:

1. Ability to r33 more rapidly and co;:-7r ‘ 3nd more accurately written
coz“unication.

2. Ability to listen critically with sympathy and understanding to

oral communication.

Ability to present ideas clearly and effec
of reade rs or listeners in L1ny communic ati
introducing a 333 or, writing a business 1
oral or written re:ort, writing su113r13
sation.

y to an audience

1tuations, 3.5.
r, ores enti;ig an

A

Ability to p13 3, lead, and :articipate respo nsiblr in group
discussion.

Ability to find, select, and organize material worth conwunicating

Ability to do sound reasoning, deductive and inductive, and to
recognize fallacies of reasoning.

Ability to be poised an1 con1ident in oral communicative actiV1ty,
and to participate in such activity with increasing pleasure.

8. Ability to write with clarity 31d confidence and to do so with
increasing ple :1sure
ATTITCDSS

To develop in the student:

1.

’1

Concern for the consequences 0; coumunication and a commitment to
honesty and sincerity in what he says and the purpose for which he
says it.

The conviction that (3) every man may eXpress his ideas, and (b)
every man's ideas must be evaluated critically.

'P‘
fi

ne conviction tb at his own ideas xust be supported with evidence.

4. Recognition of personal bias.
. A realization that language is dynamic.
gnition of the significance of lanvuame in human affairs.
con inuing interest in developing the ability to steak and write
a
8. A ealization that although he learns to speak fluently and write
with ease, unless he has love for God and his brother, it is of

little worth.“

u:mar*

[J

This chapter has attempted to (1) show why developing the comuuni-
cation skills is important for Goshen College students, (2) exolain the
process of communication, (5) identify the a umptions upon which a

communication course 18 built and 4 set us ob’ectives for a basic
9 i J

communication course at Goshen College.

 

8 See Appendix for list of statements on speech from the Bible.

ChAPTdR IV

IMPLEEflNTATION CF OBJECTIVES

This chapter will attempt to do three things: (I) explain the
limitations under which this syllabus is set up, (2) present the sylla-
bus, (5) suggest briefly how the course can be adapted to individual
differences.

Limitations 2; Syllabus

Goshen College is on the semester system. Three hours per week
and thirty weeks of class time are available for the communication
course. This framework must be halt in mind as the course is planned.

For several reasons it seems unwise to work out detailed day by
day assignments for the course. In the first place, in order to keep
abreast of current issues, it seems advisable to have students read
live literature in current periodicals, e.g. Harners and Atlantic,
rather than to choose an anthology as a text for reading. This precludes
listing specific reading assignhents in the syllabus, although it does
not mean to suggest that students must read only current literature.

A second reason why the inclusion of daily assignments seeds unwise
is that even though one has a general understanding of a student body

(See 3h. II), one cannot predict particular needs of all groups. A

course of study must be flexible enough to be adapted to particular needs.

J.

Neither can one predict all the activities which may occur in the
college or larger community that can be used in a communication course.
At the time this thesis is being written (spring, 1950) citizens of the

United States are interested in Senator Joseph.KcCarthy's statement that

51

Owen Lattimore, State Department Consultant and Far eastern authority,
is a Communist. One can visualize students in a communication course
comparing accounts of this in diffe ent newspapers and periodicals,
listening to radio commentators, attempting to discover whether or not
propaganda devices are being used, identifying the devices used,
attempting to identify sound and faulty reasoning, trying to recognize
personal bias, and so on. Students could speak, write, cad, discuss,
on phases of this subject. Similarly, one cannot predict what may
happen in the local college community which would be of interest to
communication students. It may be more important for them to hear a
campus visitor than to carry out scheduled class activities. Since
more than one instructor will teach the course, a too detailed plan
would limit the instructor's freedom.

For these reasons the units developed here will be flexible and
general rather than rigid and srecific. It is hoped that the syllabus
will be modified as it is used. It is hoped that each person who teaches
the course will add his contribution and that students who take the

course will add theirs. This can be only a beeinni w

Explanation'gf Procedure

In evolving the course of study itself the writer has used the
following procedure:

The objectives developed in the previous chapte have been placed
in column one of Table X.

Opposite each objective, in column two which is labeled implementa—

tion, are listed ways of iap eaenting the objecti*e. Column two is not

52;
meant to be exhaustive. Neither is it assumed that one two-semester
course, meeting only three hours a week, could utilize all the activities
mentioned there. Also in column two is a space for checking whether the
suggested activity would be carried on in or out of class and a space
for indicating approximately how much time would be utilized in it.

The time is only approximate. Unless otherwise specified, it is listed
in class hours. In cases where it may vary for different instructors
and students it is marked with the symbol V. As the course is taught
this column csn.be filled in more accurately.

Column three is labeled evaluation. Chapter V'will discuss some
of the problems faced in evaluating student performance in terms of
achievement of objectives. It is hoped that column.throe can be
filled in as the course is taught.

It should be noted that most of the activities suggested in column
two can serve many of the objectives listed. For instance, a single
paper by a student should teach that student something about the communi-
cation process itself, something about how to organize materials for
presentation to readers, about levels of English usage, about acceptable
grammar and punctuation. It should help him.to develop the attitudes
listed in the previous chapter.

From.Table X the writer, keeping in mind the limitations

mentioned, will select activities and organize them into units.

33

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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44
From Table X the writer, keeping in mind the limitations mentioned
earlier, has selected certain activities and organized them into units.

These units follow.

Unit I Orientation 23-weeks

In this unit (1) we take inventory, (2) we set up our goals.

—\
u.

uach student gives a three to five minute speech in class on his

0
\r“

.- ,_ ‘. _,.
Pcanllib

J

I

own previous

(0

xperience. He may talk, for example, about the

C

first speech he ever gave. He may describe a speech course he took in
high school. If he has never given a Speech, he may wish to talk about
a Speaker he enjoys hearing. The instructor should create a classroom
situation which mares this first sharing a genuine communicative
eXperience for the students.

Each student writes a paper on his previous writing experience.
He may eXplain how he wrote a research paper in high school. He may
say that he has written only four papers in his life and that his high
school English courses covered grammar and literature. He may say he
has always hated writing. He may write about having had a poem accepted

for publication. This should give the instructor some idea of the

(D
U)
s
,3
c+
|...I
(0."
<
(.2
.._:
O
“3

previous writing experience of the group and of their pr
writing.

Students listen to a lecture on listening skills. They may be
quizzed on their understanding of the content.

Students read about reading. Frances lri as Inprove Your Reading

 

is suggested. (See Bibliography.) They get some idea of the inportance

of the different purposes of reading, of the possibility of

45

Students are handed mimeographed copies of Table X. They discuss

the objectives. Each student 8: ts up his own goals. Together they set

Unit II The Comxuiication Process 5 Weeks

 

3

Students listen to lecture on process of abstracting, re ad about it,
discuss it.

By sharing de finitio one (written or spoken) of familiar words, they
discover that symbols are LO interpreted alike by all people.

They discover that there are different levels of usage. (See 5
under Knowledgea ;id Unders tm .dings in Table X.)

They see that language is basic in all facets of the communication
process. They work out a plan for increasing their own vocabularies.
They learn about the use of the dictionary. (See 7 under Knowledge and
Unders ts.-di%1 s in Tails X. )

They speak 1d write on the same subject and attempt to discover
the similarities and differences in the two modes of communication.

Through listening and reading, they attempt to discover purposes

of communication, to inform, to persuade, to entertain.

Unit III Exposition 7 Weeks

 

In this unit students attempt to discover what makes expository
communication effective. The emphasis must be on helping the students

to do effective expository conmunication.

46

They study patterns of organization and outlining. (See 4 under
Knowledge and Understandings, Table X.)
iney listen to an exnository lecture, following which they are.
quizzed on their comprehension of the lecture.

They try to improve their ability to read expository material.
Harpers and Atlantic may be used as sources. (See 1 under Skills and
Abilities, Table x.)

They give demonstration speeches.
ney write a paper to inform (approximately 500 to 1,060 words).

‘hey write a news article for the college newspaper.

They learn that voice and bodily action are important in expository
speaking. (See 6 under Knowledge and Understandings, Table K.)

They study the nature of proof. (See 6 under Skills and Abilities,

Table x.)

UHit IV ‘ Persuasion ‘ 4

 

Students study propaganda devices and how they are used to influence
behavior. (See 8 under Knowledge and Understeidings, Table K.)

They write a persuasive article.

Through a speech they attempt to sell an object or an idea.

They read persuasive conmunication.

They listen to persuasive communication (e.g. their classmates'
speeches.).

They attempt to relate what was learned in the previous unit about

organization, reasoning, effective spee h, to this unit also.

Unit V The Long Written and @poken Report 6 weeks

In this unit students carry out two major activities. They write
a library research paper. (See 9, Knowledge and Understandings, Table X.)
This should teach them the procedure they can follow in writing such
reports through their college experience. They also present a long
spoken report to the class on the same subject. In both of these activi-
ties they will be eXpected to practice what has been learned up to this

point in the course.

Unit VI Group Discussion 4é-Weeks
Students discover the nature of discussion, the role of the leader,
the role of the participator. (See 4 under Skills and Abilities,
Table X.)
Students carry out one or two discussions.
In this unit particularly there is Opportunity to observe evidence
of the attitudes listed in Section III‘ Attitudes) of the course

objectives.

Adaptation to Individual Differences

 

It may be helpful to list briefly several ways in which this
material may be adapted to individual diiferences.
The usual classroom methods apply here as well as in other courses.
It is expected thot the instructor should be able to guide abler students
into challenging supplementary work and that he should be able to modify
enands on less able students. The instructor may use extra-class con-

ferences with individual students.

48

In addition to these methods, it would seem desirable to section
students on the basis of (l) a theme written during Freshman Test
Period, (2) a short speech given during Freshman Test Period, and (5)
total score on the American Council of Education Cooperative English
Test. t is recognized that this suggestion presents certain problems
which will have to be resolved in practice.

A third method of adapting the program to individual differences
is to provide supplementary laboratory meetings, perhaps once a week,
for those students who have particular difficulty with writing and

reading.

uwpa

U)
H

This chapter has attempted to do three things: (I) explain the
limitations under thich this syllabus is set up, (2) present the sylla-
bus in two parts, Table X, and organization of activities present in
Table X into units, and (5) suggest briefly how the course can be adapted

to individual differences.

CHAPTER V
EVALUATIEG STUDEIT PERFCRKAKCE

IN TERKS OF OBJECTIVES

Evaluating student performance in terms of objectives presents
difficult educational problems which the writer does not presume to

n W e

solve. Franklin H. Knower1 says of evaluation in communication,
have need for much work in the construction and analysis of tests. But
until that work is done and we have discovered the necessary formula,

we will n23 do well to operate as if we knew the answers. . . .It is

far better educational policy to develop progrmnS'which are not too
heavily dependent upon tests in the meantimeq This chapter will attempt

(l) to review briefly methods of evaluation which have been used in the

past and (2) to mention research now being done on the problem.

Review of Objective hethods of Evaluation

 

Of the facets of the process of communication, reading has been
the object of the most research. There are available a number of tests
which measure reading rate and comprehension. Among these are the
following:2

‘1. Iowa Silent Reading Tests, Green, Jorgensen, Kelley, World Book
Company. Level: Grades 9-15. Four fonns.

 

1 Franklin H. Knower, "Practical Principles and Procedures in Testing
the Communication Skills," Papers Given.at a Conference 2a College
Courses in Communication, Chicago, 1947, p. 61.

2 For a list of additional reading tests see Ivadell Brause, "A Remedial
Reading Program," Korth Central Association Study on Liberal Education
Workshop in Higher Education, University of Chicago, Summer 1949
(mimeographed).

50
2. Lil esota Speed of Readinv Test for Colleqe Students. Alvin C.
Jurich, Linneapolis: University of‘L innesota Press. Level:
Grades 12—16. Two forms.

/. Linnesota Rea ding‘Examination for College Students. Eurich and
ha 55erty, Minneapolis: University of Linnesota Press.
Level: Grades 9-16. Two: ferns.

4. nelson-Jenny Readin5 est. Nelson and Denny, Boston: Hou5hton
Lifilin. Level: Grade nine-colle5 Two forms.

5. Re ai';}g Comprehension. C operative Ensl'
" s

‘ Form C9
.54. 5.
he wYo r1: Cooperative Te

Grades 11-16.

m ‘

ihe criticism which is someti_es level

‘

d against such tests is tna

(U

‘

they provide an artificial readin5 situation for t.w student because of

the time pressure to which he is subjected and because of the brevity of

the readin5 passa5es. It is smasthnes ar5ued also that they do not gea-
y.

sure the student's ability to assimilate what he has re- ad into his own

pattern of eXperience. Alt hou5h they m ay not be entirely satisfactory,
such readin5 tests are conceded to be the best instruments for measuring
reading skills that have yet been developed.

The Cooperative English Test, as mentioned in Chapters I and II, is

used for diagnostic purposes at Goshen Colle5e. In addition to the

section on readin5, the Cooperative 3n lish

-5 est has sections on grammar
and syntax, punctuati01 1 and capitalization, spelling, sentence structure

vs

and style, active vocabulary, and or5anization. Of this tect Robert C.
Pooley5 says, "It is one of the best tests available in the field of

w!

an lish skills. Its principal defect is shared by all other osg ective

- -" . a are 3nts Yearbook, Oscar Krisen Euros, editor,
Universitv Press, 194§L p.

tests in 335lish: it does test ability in English, if ability is defined

ower to correct er ro ore, to proofread, to or5anize or reorganize

{D
(D
E 1
.._ I
(D
"Ci

material composed ‘0‘7 others. It does not test the power to compose
En5lish and should therefore be used cautiously in the placin5 of students

in ability 5'1oups or in one sectionin5 and exemption of colle5e1reshnen.

 

'ther objective tests of the "345lish skills" are these:

1. Diagnostic Test of Comuosi tion Shill. Deve lo13d by Be1ijamin 3.
Hickok, Departnent of ”a ‘ itten and Spoken 13115lis‘11, .«lic‘11i5a11 State
Colle5e is co ooperati on with the Board of Exaiiners.

2. Iowa Placenent uuqmluauiOfl : En5lish Aptitude Series sEAl, Revised.
Grades 12-15. Bureau of Sduca tio nal Research, Stg’ te Univers sity of
10.173.

5. Correctness an dfzeCUive1 of Expre s'on: Tests of General Educa-

 

 

l
l , 1944-)”ED o Prlepal~3d by £11.18

33
tional Develepment: Colle5e Level
b by th American Council on

U. S. Armedr For es Institute, pu
Education.

Lr. Pooley‘ s comment would probably apply to these also. Since such
tests are not directly re late d to the major 5oals of the co1nmun1 cation

course, they can have only lhaited value as instruments of eVa ldation in

a communication pr05rw1.

 

Subjective
L n5 ago Aristotle pointed out that rhetoric is evaluated by the
judges, or listeners. Perhaps the best test of a 5iven siec011 or composi-

tion is still what discriminating listeners or readers think of it.

Examination of pupil work products, use of student-teacher opi11ion, obser—

vation of student behavior, and use of rating scales ran in important

methods of evaluation.

52
The rating scale is an attempt to objectify subjective judgements.
Criteria on which communication may be judged are set up. Students and

1
l

1es criteria. Student

(L

staff members reach cooperative definitions of t
themes and speeches are then rated on the scale. Occasionally, students
may rate their classmates. An excellent training activit*r for members

of a communication staff is to have all staff members rate the sage
speeches and themes and compare and discuss their ratings.

Examples of rating scales are given in the Appendix. One caution
in the use of the rating scale is that raters should regard the performance
to be evaluated as a whole and not as a sum of isolated parts.

The Cooperative Course Appraisal listed in the Appendix is an example
of the student opinion type of evaluation. Evaluation of listening ability
is an area in which there is much interest at the present. A listening
test can consist of oral directions on how to listen, a short lecture,

J.

andp estions on the lecture. Perhaps the most extensive work to date on

the testing of listening has been done by Dr. Ralph Nichols at the

Uni'ersity of Minnesota. Clyde Dow and other members of the Departue t
‘O

of Written and Spoken Errlish at Michigan State College are now working

on methods of evaluating listening skills.

 

 

 

Present Research n.Lethods f Evaluation
Also at the time this thesis is being written (Spring, 1950) a pro—
ject is underway, under the sponsorship of the American Council of Educa-

tion, called the Cooperative Study of Evaluation in General Education.

(D

The Inter-College Committe on Evaluation in Communication Objectives is

using a method called the "critical incident" technique, developed by

0

Dr. John C. Flanagan, Professor of Psychology at the University of

55

Pittsburgh, This technique consists of collecting reports of behaviors
that make the difference between success and failure in a given communi-
cation situation. When the committee has gathered a large number of such
incidents from many different colleges and universities, it is hoped that
there will be a clearer basis for defining effective and ineffective
conmunication in terms of behavior.

Evaluating achieveaent of attitudes also presents difficult prob em
to the teacher of communication. How does one go about measuring whether
or not a student has developed a "concern for the consequences of communi-
cation"? How does one evaluate whether he has deve10ped a conviction
that in a democratic society every man should be allowed to eXpress his
Opinions? Perh-ps the group discussion, more than any other activity,
lends itself to the observation of evidences of such attitudes. We look
increasingly to students of group dynamics for help on techniques for
evaluating attitudes.

7

Evaluating in the communication area is a field for pioneers. Until

we develop methods which are more nearly satisfactory, our only alternative

V

is to use warily those which we now have.

CHAPTER VI

"Y r '1' ' "
DUI 'LLVH'XI‘LY

Goshen College, a small, liberal arts, Kennonite college in northern
Indiana, wishes to inaugurate a ceurse in the communication skills as a
part of its general education program. It has been the purpose of this
thesis to develop such a course.

The first step was to discover the communication needs of Goshen
College students. The freshman class of 1948—49 was chosen as representa-
tive for studying these needs. It was discovered that most of the students
in this class came from Middle-western rural communities. hany of them
listed teaching as their intended occupation. They scored above national
norms on the A.C.E. Psychological Test and on the COOperative General
Achievement Tests in social studies, natural science, public affairs and

m.

medicine. iney scored below national norms on the Cooperative English
test and on the COQperative General Achieveaent Tests in mathematics and
the fine arts.

In 1948-49 stu ents, after two semesters in an exper'uental communi-
cation section at Goshen Collere, did as well on the A.C.E. Cooperative
English Test as students who had been in a traditional English section.

The data indicates that one of the most important needs of these
students is to become articulate, to be able to communicate their ideas
and eXperiences to others effective y, to understand the communications of

others. If it were not for the process of communication these students

would be unable to participate intelligently in the life and thoughtof

55

our time. They would be unable to carry out the piilosophy of Goshen
College which states that "Christian discipleship is to be expressed in
human relations, in the use of thee, energy and material resources, and
in devotion to the church and its mission. The Spirit of brotherhood
is to be practiced in all personal and group relationships."

The next step in evolving a communication course for Goshen College
was to clarify the point of view concerning communication. Communication
was defined as a complex symbolic process by which people stir up mean-
ings and feelings within one another. This point of view assumes that
the process must be considered as a whole. It is not merely a sum of
separate parts. It is a "Gestalt," a whole pattern in which all parts
are interacting. Students, in order to live effectively in our society,
must be able to communicate their eXperiences and ideas to others and to
understand the communications of others.

The next step in developing the syllabus was, from all foregoing
information, to derive objectives for a course in basic communication at
Goshen College. These objectives are divided into three sections: (1)
Knowledge and understandings, (2) Skills and abilities, and (5) Attitudes.

The implementation of these objectives must fit into a given frame-
work. Goshen College is on the semester system; three hours per week
and thirty weeks of class time are available for the course; more than
one instructor will each it. Because one cannot predict particular
needs of all groups or the activities which may occur in the college or
larger community that could be used in a communication course, it seemed

wise to make the units flexible and general rather than rigid and

specific.

56

Table X lists the course objectives, ways of implementing the
objectives, approximate time required for the suggested activities, and
a column for listing ways of evaluating student performance of activities
in terms of objectives.

From Table X certain activities were selected and organized into
six units: Orientation, The Communication Process, Exposition, Persua-
sion, The Long written and Spoken Report, and Group Discussion. Several
ways are suggested for adapting material in these units to individual
differences. They are usual classroom methods, sectioning, and supple-
mentary laboratory meetings.

Finally, the present methods, objective and subjective, of evaluating
in the communication area are reviewed briefly. Present research on
listening, the use of critical incidents, and group dynamics are mentioned.
Until better techniques for evaluation in communication are discovered,
instructors in communication programs must utilize present methods.

This "Syllabus for Basic Communication at Goshen College" is only

a beginning. The next step is to subject it to the revision that will

come through its use.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

58

A. Bibliographical Guides

Goff, Mary Helen, 'ThssPresent Status of Basic Commnication Courses
on the College Level.‘ Unpublished Master's Thesis, Illinois
State Normal University, 1948. This contains a thorough
annotated bibliography of periodical articles concerning
commnication and communication courses.

BibliOgraphy for Basic Communication Norkshcm, Compiled by a Work-
shop Committee, Publications 93 Fifth Workshcm _i_._r_1_ Basic
Communication. University of Denver Press, 1947.

 

 

E. Books (General)

Barzun, Jacques, Teacher _i_n_ America. Boston: Little, Brown and
Co., 1946

Buros, Oscar Krisen (Editor), Third Mental Measurements Yearbook.
Rutgers University Press, 1949.

Dewey, John, _I;_Iq_w_ _W_e_ Think. Boston: D.C. Heath and 00., 1910.
Dow, Clyde L, (Editor), Papers Given _a_t g Conferencg 93 College

Courses i3 Cgmnication. East Lansing, Michigan: Department
of Written and Spoken English, Michigan State College, 1947.

 

Flesch, Rudolph, _‘1‘_}_1_9_ Lat 23’ Plain Talk. New York; Harpers, 1944.

Hayakawa, S. I., Langggge _i_._n_ Action. New York: Harcourt, Brace,
and 000, 1947.

Howells, Wilbur Samuel, Problems _a_n_d Styles 21; Communication.
New York, 80?. Crofts, 1945.

Kenyon, John A., and Thomas A. Knott, 9'. Pronouncigg Dictionagy
93 American Eglish. Springfield, mean 6.0. Merriam 00.,
19

Lee, Irving J., _Iianguagg figbits _ig Human Affairs. New York:
Harper, 1941.

 

Levy, Edwin L.,(Editory Projects 93 33; Fourth Workshop 1.3 Basic
Commnications. Denver: University of Denver Press, 1943.

McGrath, Earl James, Comnunication _ign_ General Education. Dubuq‘e,
Iowa: Wm. C. Browfi‘Co., 1949.

 

59
Report g§_the Conference ppDCollegg Freshman Course: 39
Composition and Communication. Chicago: National Council
of Teachers of English, 1949.

 

Report of the President's Commission on Higher Education,
'figgher Education for American Democragp, New York: Harpers, 1947:

Sherman, Thelma R., (Editor), Publications‘gg the Fifth Workshop
ip’Basic Communication. Denver, Colo.: University of Denver
Press, 1947.

Syllabus/ Written and Sppken English. East Lansing: Michigan State
College Press, 1949.

Ward, F. Earl, English for Communication. New York: Macmillan, 1949.

0. Books (Speaking and Writing)

Brigance, William.Norwood, Speech Communication. New York: S.F. Crofts,
1947.

Borchers, Gladys L., and Claude M. Wise, Modern Spegc . New York:
Harcourt, Brace and Co., 1947.

Ewbank, H.L. and J.J. Auer, Discussion and Debate. New York: S.F.
Crofts, 1941.

Fries, 0.0., American Egglish Grammar. New York: D. Appleton
Century, 19 .

. Egg Teachigg‘gg the English Language. New York: Nelson,
1927.

Jespersen, Otto, Growth and Structure g§.ppg English Languagg.
New York: D. Appleton Century Co., 1925.

NbBurney,iames and Kenneth Hance, Principles and Methggg‘gi
Discussion. New York: Harpers, 1959.

Mbnroe, A.H., Principles Egg gppes 2; Speech. Chicago: Scott,
Foresman and Co., 1959.

Perrin, Porter 0., Writer's Guide and Indg§_pg_English. New
York: Scott, Foresman and Co., 1942.

60
D. Books (Reading)

Adler, Mortimer J., HOw §g_Read 5 Book. New York: Simon and Schuster,
1940.

Strang, Ruth, Problems in the Imppovement of Reading_ in High School
and College. Lancaster, Pa.: science Press 00., 1958.

 

Triggs, Frances 0.,‘Improve Your Reading. Nfinneapolis: University
of Nfinnesota Dress, 1945.

, Remedial Readipg. bflnneapolis: University of
RUnnesota Press, 1945.

Witty, Paul and David Kopel, Readi:g and the Educative Process.
Boston: Ginn and Co., 1959.

Wrenn Charles, £35.32 Read RapidL[_and Well, Stanford Univsnsity
Press, 1955.

E. Periodicals and Pamphlets (General)

Bender, Harold s. "The Anabaptist Vision,‘ Church Histo
XIII (Larch, 1944 , 5-24.

Brause, Ivade11,'A Remedial Reading Program“, North Central
Association Study on Liberal Education Workshop in Higher
Eflucation, University of Chicago, Summer 1949, (mimeographed).

Goshen Collegg Catalogue, Vbl. XLIII (March, 1949).
Yeager, W. Hayes and William.E. Utterback, Communication and

Social Action. Annals of the American Academy of Political
and Social Science. Philadelphia. 1947.

62
CCOPS“1TIVE COURSE APPRAISAL‘I

Directions

How to usegthe answer sheet. Your answer for each question is to

 

‘

be indicated by making a heavy black pencil mark in one of the five spaces
after the number corresponding to the number of the question. In Part I,
the same five answer choices are used for all questions. You will choose
gag to indicate your response to each question. The answers, and their
numbers, are:

1. Egg. Your answer to the question is strongly affirmative.

2. Probably_yes. You think your answer should be in the affirma-

 

tive but ou are not sure enough to mark the snace under 1
’ O A
for Yes.
5. Undecided. You have no appreciable feeling either way.

4. Probably no. You think your answer should be in the negative,

 

but you are not sure enough to mark the space under 5 for No.
5.'§g. Your answer to the question is strongly negative.
If your answer to the first question of the appraisal, for example,
is a strong "Yes", you will blacken the first Space after the large number 1
on your answer sheet. Sheilarly, if you are undecided about your response
to the second question, you will blacken the third space after the number 2.

Be sure that your answer is uarked in the row of spaces numbered the

same as the question you are answering.

I"Developed by a staff committee at the University of Minnesota representing
jointly Freshman English and Communication with the aid of the director of

the Bureau of Educational Research.

65

PART I

ANSWER CODE: 1-Yes 2-Probably yes 5-Undecided 4-Probably no 5-No

Has this course--- Sections - .5:

1.

2.

5.

7.

Given you a body of rules that enables you to know whether 10

a language form.is correct or incorrect? 4
O
O
0
Improved your understanding of the reading required in any 7
other college course? 4
2
O
1
Added to your understanding of the lectures in other 2
college courses? 4
2
4
2
Increased your understanding of talks, lectures, or sermons 5
heard outside of college courses! 5
5
1
1
Stimulated your interest in listening to lectures, sermons, 5
talks, or other public addresses! 2
5
2
2
Helped you to develop better standards of judgment in 5
listening to news analysis and comment on the radio? 5
2
2
2
Improved your note—taking for any other college course? 5
5
O
5
5

* Section A was the 'Traditional English“ section;
Section B was the 'Oommunication' section. See Chapter III,

p. 17.

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64

 

Has this course--- Sections - g:
8. Helped you to know whether a language form is appropriate 10
or not? 4
O
O
O
9. Increased your awareness of the relationship between a word 7
and the idea or concept for which it stands? 7
O
O
O
10. Aided you in developing your ideas effectively in written paperqm
5
1
O
O
11. Required more time for preparation than the usual course with O
the same number of credits? 4
O
O
10
12. Offered enough work to make you feel reasonably competent in 6-
using English to transmit or receive ideas? 7
1
O
O
15. Developed your ability to determine the soundness of reasoning O
in an argument? 4
5
2
5
14. Increased your ability to analyze written and spoken matter 2
designed to persuade? 7
2
O
5
15. Helped you to evaluate a newspaper as a source of information? g
2
2
2

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Has this course-—- Sections -

16. Heightened your interest in reading news stories, editorials,
and "columns"?

17. Strengthened your feeling of ease in Speaking before a group?

18. hade you feel more at ease in talking informally as a member
of a group?

19. Increased your effectiveness in leading a group discussion?

20. Improved your ability to organize material for presentation
to others?

21. Increased your use of the dictionary? 1

22. Made it easier for you to use a dictionary?

25. Katerially enlarged your vocabulary?

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Has this course--— Sections - A.
24. Taught you how to continue enlarging your vocabulary? lO
1

O

O

25. DevelOped in you the idea that "good English" depends 12
on changing practices of writers and speakers?_ 1

O

O

1

26. Increased your desire to write well? 15
O

1

O

O

27. Stimulated your interest in happenings outsi“e your 1
school and family life? 5

2

1

28. Hel ed iou in vour relationshias with other eonle? O

J l P -

l

O

29. Generally provided classroom activities that held your inte-4
rest? 4

l
0*

50. In general requi ed assignments for outside preparation 4
that held your interest? 5

l

l

9

51. Led you to consider taking further work in English 4
composition? 5

l

1

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Has this course—-- Sections — A.
52. Led you to consider taking further work in speech? 6
O
1
55. Helped you to organize and to test your reasoning in 2
preparing an argument for presentation? 4
2
2
54. Suggested methods for improving your spelling? 10
O
O
0

_ar‘ ‘— s I I 1 '
55. motivated you to road literature (poetry, snort stories, 5
plays, novels, etc.) in your free time? 2
2
2
56. Increased your understanding of literature? 2
2
57. Developed your standard of judgment to be applied to 0
documentary fihns? 1

Led you to consider taking course work in literature?

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68

 

59

40.

2+1.

42.

45.

44.

Z'r5.

. As a

result of taking this course, you listen more

frequently to news analysis and comment on the radio?

This

course will be helpful in taking advanced courses

in college?

This

course has been too much a repetition of high

school work?

Your
your

Your

with

This

This

course is of "college caliber"?

experience in this course will be useful to you in
occupation after graduation?

work in this course has been aided by conferences
your instructor?

course has improved your ability to punctuate well?

course should provide more work in speech?

Sections -

ps-
.

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69

 

[quyou think that--- Sections - ._; .2;
47. Generally the assignments have been clear? 12 15
2 l

O O

O 1

O O

45. The topics for papers have been stimulating and worth 6 9
\flaile? 6 2

2 4

O O

O O

49. This course has provided enough Opportunity for you to 8 10
think independently and to express yourself freely? 5 5

2 2

1 O

O O

50. Your experience in this course will be useful to you as 9 6
a citizen? 4 5

l 4

O O

O 0

PART II

In this part of the appraisal you are asked to answer questions that

are much like those in Part I. Five possible answers are given for each
estion, but in this case each question has its own set of answer choices.

Read carefully the first question an the five responses that follow it.
Choose the 222 response that most nearly expresses your own answer and blac-
ken the space under its number in the proper row on the answer sheet.
Remember that the number of the row of spaces must correspond with the
number of the question you are answering. Ask for additional directions
if you do not understand exactly what you are to do in Part II.

Sections - _JL. _Q;

51. How well do the class discussions meet your needs? 5 O
10 12

1. Nearly every session deals with questions of real 0 5
importance to me. 1 O

2. The discussions very often contribute significantly 0 O

to my development in this field.
5. About half the sessions are worthwhi s, but the others
have little bearing on my needs.

Sections " b

4. Only occasionally do the class discussions interest and
help me.

5. Nearly all the sessions seem pointless and unrelated
to my needs.

52. How fresh and new is the material discussed?

1. Nearly every class suggests some new ideas.

2. Most of the sessions are fresh, though there is a
little duplication.

5. About half he material introduced is new but the rest
is a repetition of things I already know.

4. host of the ideas are well known, though occasionally

5

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new concepts are presented.
. hearly the whole course seems repetitious and a waste
Of tilne o

55. How important are the topics chosen for papers?

1. The topics have nearly always been challenging and
interesting to me.

. Most of the topics have been stimulating.

Some of the topics are interesting to me, but about

half of them.seem trivial and unimportant.

. Most of the topics are unimportant, with only an

occasional one that is interesting.

Nearly all the topics seem insignificant and a waste

of time.

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54. How heavy is the work-load required by this course?

This course requires less work than any other I am.taking.
The assignments require less time than most other courses.
The work required is about the same as in other courses.
The assignments are heavy but not unreasonable.

The work-load is heavier than in any other course of

the same credit.

0
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55. Does this course offer sufficient work in speaking to O
satisfy your present needs? 0

l. The proportion of work in speaking is almost exactly 2
suited to my needs. 2
2. The amount of Speaking required is generally satisfactory
to me, though a little more of it might be helpful.

70

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Sections - .

5. This course probably should contain more speaking work

.0
J. 01‘ file 0

4. I feel a definite need for more emphasis on speaking
and less on writing in this course.
5. This course is almost wholly lacking in useful speaking

work for me. There is far too much emphasis on writing.

How well does the proportion of work in writing satisfy

your needs?

1. The proportionate time spent in writing is almost per-
fectly suited to my needs.

2. The amount of writing required is generally satisfactory

0 me, although a slightly greater em hasis might be
helpful.

5. For my needs, the course probably should emphasize
writing more.

4. The course would have considerably more value for me
with a greater emphasis on writing.

5. This course is almost wholly lacking in useful writing
work for me. There is far too much emphasis on speaking.

oonnCD

d'

How would you recommend this course to a younger brother or 4
sister with approximately the same needs as yours? lO
, O
l I would use every method to influence him to take it. 0
2 I would rec mmend it. 0
5. I would not influence him one way or the other.

4 I would discourage his taking it.

5 I would strongly advise against his taking it.

How clearly are assignments made in this course? 1

me and how I should

O

1. I always know what is expected 0
proceed to do it.

2. The assignments are clear, but I am occasionally in

doubt as to proceedure.

. Generally the assignments are clear, though quite

frequently I am in doubt.

The teacher tries to clarify the assignments but often

leaves me confused.

5. The assignments usually are vague; I seldom know what
the teacher expects.

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72

Sections - A;
59. How well are difficult points eXplained?

1. All exp anations are easily understood; even the most
difficult things are made clear.

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2. Nearly all eXplanations are easily understood.

5. The explanations and comments are generally understood.

4. Some of the ex; ml “nation as and co.*ents ar ehard to
understand.

5. host explanations are obscure; I seldom know what the
teacher is trying to sat.

60. To what extent do you rece cive personal help in this course? 0

14
l. I often seek help on special problems and the instruc— C
tor gives it cheerfully and well. 0
2. The instructor seems ready to help me personally, but 0
I seldom seek such assistance.
5. The instructor has litt e thus for personal attention,
but will oblige when special help is sought.
4. The instructor might help me but I don't fee ezcoura ged
to ask for special attention.
5. I am just one of the mass; if I can't do the work well,
it's my own b d luck.
61. How much inde wndence do you feel in this course? 5
9
1. We are always encouraged to make our own decisions and 2
to state our opinions frankly. O
2. The instructor is fairly flexi 01- in reco nizing and O

ouraging in ndividual ideas.

instructor Choctzrages student expression out never-
less tends to dominate.

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1e1istruccor usually makes the decisions.
. he ir1structor dominate the class completely and students
hesita ate to express their own opinions.

62. How much thinking does this course require of you?

1. It demands a great deal of original thought.

2. It requires quite a lot of thought, though not much
creativity.

5. It requires some thought, though much of the work is
routine practice and memorization.

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Little thinkin‘ is necessary; menorization and practice

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Original thinking is discouraged.

5. How interesting to the students is the work of this course?

Both the instructor and the s+ udents are enthusiastic
about t11e work and stir Jul te one another.

The instructor Lakes a real effort to interest the
students and 5e1cr lly succeeds.

This course is about as interesting as most others.
This course is oft n unint; re sth 1: and the instructor

quite irequent y s ens indifferent.
The s cud ents in this course are bored most 01 the thre.

*One did not answer

75
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74

Selected Statements

 

 

On Speech from the Bible

DJ.

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, 1st every man be swift to hear, slow
to speak, slow to wrath. James 2:19.

Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you
may know how you ought to answer every man. Col. 4:6.

Speak every man the truth to his neighbor. Zech. 9:16.

Speak not evil one of another, brethren. James 4:11.

A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

The tongue of the wise uses knowledge aright; but the mouth of fools
pours out foolishness.

A wholesome tongue is a tree of life. Proverbs 19:1, 2, 4

Death and life are in the power of the tongue. Prov. 18:21

Of the virtuous woman:
She opens her mouth with wisdom: and in her tongue is the law
of kindness. Prov. 51:26

Of the young man:
In all things show yourself a pattern of . . . sound ereech, that

cannot be condemned. Titus 2:8.

75

EXAMPLE OF A THEME RATING SCALE*

 

 

 

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IContent -11 _ _ _ L

EConventions of Grammar

ESentence Structure :
n,, _ I

 

 

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\Diction
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«Organization
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mafia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Content

Content refers to the quality and adequacy of the substan-
tiating material (examples, statistics, arguments) emplqyed in
support of ideas expressed in the paper. A theme of college
caliber should concern itself with matter worthy of adult
consideration and express a reasonably mature point of view.

Conventions‘gf Grammar

Conventions of grammar refers to such matters as reasonable
spelling, correct punctuation at major junctures, the usual
grammatical agreements (subject-verb, pronoun-antecedent), and the
correct use of possessives. It refers also to the avoidance of
sentence fragments, comma faults, period faults, and dangling
modifiers.

Sentence Structure

Effective sentence construction means the strafiegie use of
such things as the periodic sentence, subordination, and paral-
lelism. It means that by a variety in sentence length, in
sentence structure, and in sentence order, monotony and child-
ishness of expression may be avoided and variety and maturity of
expression achieved. It means sentences which are free from
awkwardness and obscurity. It means this successful attention
has been given to the requirements of sentence euphcny and

rhythm.

I"In use in Department of Written and Spoken English,
Michigan State College, 1949-50.

75

2223.15.22

Good diction means the use of words well chosen to express
the writer’s meaning. It means the avoidance of expressions which
are crude or trite, of wordiness, of pompousness. It means the use
of accepted idioms, of expressions which are vigorous and alive, of
the specific and concrete in preference to the general and abstract.

Organization_

The size of the topic should fit the length of the paper. The
theme as a.whole should have a single, controlling idea or purpose,
expressed as clearly implied, to which each part of the theme
contributes. Each paragraph should be recognizable as a.unit (i.e.
developing a single topic or sub-topic) in the development of the
theme. The ideas presented should be smoothky and logically linked
together. Such linking is achieved by a recognizable pattern of
development and by the use of such transitional devices as the
connective, parallelism, pronoun reference, and repetition. By
the use of such things as position, proportion, and repetition, that
which is of most importance in the theme should be made to seem so
to the reader.

77

EXAMPLE OF A SPEECH RATEIG SCALE“

Su erior Unsatisfactory

 

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 5 2 l

 

Fluency

 

Physical & Vocal Control

 

 

 

 

r “-._ T __

Organization i

 

 

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_l --_
Content 1 I
1

 

Sense of Communication

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fluency

A fluent speaker will use appropriate words and observe
exactness in the meanings of the words used. He will use sound
sentence structure, conventional grammar, and conventional
pronunciation.

A fluent speaker will be free from.silent hesitations
(I saw. . . the bird), vocalized hesitations (I'm . . uh . .
going . . ), word or phrase repetitions (He . . . he . . . walkbd
home5,,and reconstructions of thought (She thought . . . I mean. .
Bhe knew e e e)e

Physicg; and Vecal Control

Physical control refers to posture, gestures, movement, and
facial expression that contribute to communication.

Vocal control refers to articulation, volume, rate and pitch.
The articulation should permit the speech to be understood; the
volume should permit the speech to be heard; the rate should permit
the listener to follow the thought easily; the pitch should lend
meaning to the thought expressed.

Organization

The speech should have a central idea clearly implied or
specially stated; the supporting material should adhere to this
idea and be coherently and effectively organized.

'"Used in the Department of Written and Spoken English,
Michigan State College, 1949750.

78

Centent

The speaker should use adequate evidence in the development
of the central idea (facts, statistics, quotations, testimony).
Such supporting material should be accurate, significant, and
interesting.

If the speech is persuasive, the speaker should use persuasive
techniques (appeals to reason and feeling).

Sense 2; Communication

The speaker's composite performance is considered in this
category. It refers to his awareness of the audience, subject, and
occasion.

A sense of communication exists when the speaker gives a lively
meaning to the words as he utters them, when he implements his
communication by meaningful eye contact, direct questions, rhetorical
questions, andfipoiarizing words, such as 'I,‘ fiyou,‘ and “we.' He
should show evidence of enthusiasm and mental alertness. He should
speak 'to' rather than.'at' the audience.

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