• COM 581 Syllabus

• COM 581 Forum
• Forum Information

• Quotes about Relational Communication

• Relationship Project
• Final Paper

• Relational Communication Links

• Service Learning Links

•  COM 581 Electronic Forum

• Answers to questions about how to use an electronic forum

Each week during the semester you will need to access the COM 581 home page. You should bookmark this page for easy access in the future.  The COM 581 page will include a variety of things for your edification.  Each student will be responsible for accessing the page weekly.  On-line articles, self-assessments, and various links will be added periodically.

From the course home page you can access the COM 581 Forum.  Forums provide a structured way to conduct electronic discussions.  Each discussion topic is called a thread.  A new thread will be posted on the forum each week.  You will need to

• provide a substantive response to/comment on/analysis of each new thread and
• post two related (and appropriately educational) links that you discover as you explore the subject of relational communication on-line.

Multiple responses to any thread are acceptable, but points (7 maximum) will be assigned to the first response.  The two links you post will be worth 4 points each.

For the sake of privacy and confidentiality, you may use a pseudonym on-line provided that you inform me first and utilize the same name throughout the semester.
 
 

PROCEDURE:  Each student will complete a semester-long project analyzing the evolution and development of a new interpersonal relationship.  Students will select two or three theories that were examined during the semester as frameworks for their written analysis.  Logs must be kept of regular meetings with the relational partner and included in an addendum to the final paper.

You are required to meet a new person beginning this week.  You must meet this individual at least once a week for a total of 15 hours (completed prior to the last class meeting). It is important that this relationship partner not be a student in class, a relative or family member of someone you know.  You have to develop a NEW relationship.  This person may be:
* An elderly citizen in a nursing or retirement home
* A foreign student from campus
* A child enrolled in a Big Brother/Big Sister program
* Other (with instructor approval)

PRODUCT:  Evaluation of the final project is based upon
* a culminating paper and
* an in-class presentation.

PAPER REQUIREMENTS:
The purpose of this paper is to thoroughly analyze the evolution of a new, interpersonal relationship via two (undergraduate) or three (graduate) theories utilized in the textbook.  The paper must adhere to the APA Style Manual (4th ed.).  It must be typed, double-spaced, and include a cover page, reference list, and meeting log addendum (brief description of each meeting held).

For undergraduate students, the paper must
* be 7-9 pages in length
* include 2 theories
* incorporate 10 different citations.

For graduate students, the paper must
* be 10-12 pages in length
* include 3 theories
* incorporate 15 different citations.

The text may be cited more than once, but will only count as one of the required sources.  The meeting log addendum does not count toward the page length requirement.

PRESENTATION REQUIREMENTS:
To be determined by the class.
 
 

Some suggestions to help you analyze your relationship:

1. How did the relationship develop?
 a. What specific interaction sequences exemplify the processes of each stage you went   through?
 b. What specific communication events signaled to you and your partner that the    relationship was developing?

2. After the first meeting, what were your impressions of your partner?
 a. What characteristics about the setting/individual/conversation helped form these    impressions?
 b. How did these impressions influence the next few meetings?
 c. How did these impressions change through the semester?  Why?

3. What specific interaction sequences provided evidence that you and your partner  developed a larger and more diverse repertoire of communication behaviors as the  relationship progressed?

4. What communication norms developed in your relationship?  Did a cultural identity   develop?  Explain.

5. Were there any difficulties encountered with your friend during the semester?
 a. What specific communication strategies did you use in trying to solve these     problems?
 b. Which of the strategies mentioned above were successful/unsuccessful?  Why?

6. What expectations did you have at the beginning of the semester regarding this project?   Were those expectations met, not met, exceeded, changed?  Explain.

7. To what extent were choice, commitment, and change evident in this relationship?

8. Given the “contrived” nature of the partnering, do you really consider it a relationship?   Why or why not?

9. What have you learned about relationships that you didn’t realize prior to this activity?   How will this experience influence the way you construct future relationships?

10. What could have been done/said to have made the relationship better/more intimate?
 

• The Love Test

• Love and Relationships

• Service Learning Home Page
• Institute for Service Learning
• Service Learning Journals
• National Service Learning Clearinghouse