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Running head: SHANNON & WEAVER COMMUNICATION THEORY
Shannon & Weaver Communication Theory
Susan Carrillo
Oklahoma State University
October 1, 2010
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Shannon & Weaver Communication Theory
Theory: Shannon & Weaver's Communication Theory and Model
Theorist: Claude E. Shannon & Warren Weaver
Biographies:
Warren Weaver studied applied mathematics and mathematical physics at the University
of Wisconsin earning his doctorate in 1921. Weaver is considered one of the first pioneers to
propose the idea of using electronic computers for the translation of natural language.
(Britannica, 2010)
Claude E. Shannon studied electrical engineering and mathematics at Massachusetts
Institute of Technology receiving his Master’s and Doctorate degree in 1940. It was in 1942
while working at Bell Laboratories Shannon formulated his theory of communication to help
identify a way to more effectively transmit communication, IE: information. (New York
University)
Description of Theory:
Shannon &Weaver communication theory was introduced to the world in 1949 as a tool
to help with removing language static during transmission. Both Shannon and Weaver were
mathematicians and therefore their theory has a strong mathematical influence. Although the
research which fleshed out the Shannon & Weaver communication theory started out as simple
as trying to improve the efficiency of transmitting information for Bell's phone system, it ended
up exploding into one of the most well known communication theories still around.
It is important to note the Shannon & Weaver theory is based on language transmission,
not meaning transmission. According to Weaver (1949), concerning his theory "….at the end
that this analysis has so penetratingly cleared the air that one is now, perhaps for the first time,
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ready for a real theory of meaning." (p. 15). According to the study at New York University,
(ND), one of the key elements in the Shannon & Weaver theory is Shannon's theory of Entropy.
The definition of Entropy in its simplistic form is "..the degree of disorder or uncertainty in a
system" (Marriam-Webster, 2010).
In laymen's terms, this theory is based on a sender transmitting communication, the
means of how the transmission is sent, and the receiver receiving the communication as intended.
Communication can be in the form of electronic, verbal, written, pictures, etc.
Shannon (1948) list communication theory is comprised as below:
1.)
An information source which produces a message or sequence of messages to be
communicated to the receiving terminal.
2.)
A transmitter which operates on the message in some way to produce a signal
suitable for transmission over the channel.
3.)
The channel is merely the medium used to transmit the signal from transmitter to
receiver.
4.)
The receiver ordinarily performs the inverse operation of that done by the
transmitter, reconstructing the message from the signal.
5.)
The destination is the person (or thing) for whom the message is intended.
Weaver (1949) goes on to state the following as it relates to Shannon's work:
In the process of being transmitted, it is unfortunately characteristic that certain
things are added to the signal which were not intended by the information
source. These unwanted additions may be distortions of sound (in telephony, for
example) or static (in radio), or distortions in shape or shading of picture
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(television), or errors in transmission (telegraphy or facsimile), etc. All of these
changes in the transmitted signal are called noise.
Another important element of the Shannon & Weaver communication theory is feedback, did the
receiver interpret the intention of the message conveyed without noise interference.
Theory Measurement/Instrumentation: See theory model as shown in Figure 1. Measurement
of this theory comes in the form of the sender / receiver feedback. Was the message the sender
intended to be conveyed received in the manner the sender desired. If the answer is no, then there
was some form of noise which distorted the original intent. The sender would need to determine
where the noise occurred and try transmitting again after correcting the noise issue. Thus the
process of feedback would begin its cycle once again to achieve if there was success.
Report Prepared by: Susan Carrillo
Britannica. (2010). Warren Weaver. Retrieved September 29, 2010, from Encyclopædia
Britannica: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/638436/Warren-Weaver
Marriam-Webster. (2010). Entropy. Retrieved October 1, 2010, from Marriam-Webster:
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/entropy
New York University. (n.d.). Retrieved September 29, 2010, from Claude Shannon:
http://www.nyu.edu/pages/linguistics/courses/v610003/shan.html
Shannon, C. (1948). A Mathematical Theory of Communication. Retrieved October 1,
2010, from Enabling Computing Technologies, Bell Labs: http://cm.belllabs.com/cm/ms/what/shannonday/shannon1948.pdf
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Weaver, W. (1949). Warren Weaver. Retrieved September 29, 2010, from Evergreen
State College: http://grace.evergreen.edu/~arunc/texts/cybernetics/weaver.pdf
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Figure 1