COMM 3243: Interpersonal Communication
1
COMM 3243: Interpersonal Communication
Fall Semester, 2012
Kara Heinrichs, Ph.D.
Office Location: Fee 20
Office Phone: (425) 889-5759
Email: kara.heinrichs@northwestu.edu
Teaching Asst.: Alyssa Stinnette
Alyssa.stinnette10@northwestu.edu
Class Location: Williams 2
Meeting Times: MWF 1:40-2:30PM
Office Hours: MWF 10-11A,
T 10:30-12:30P & By Appointment
This course will survey theory and research relevant to communication in
interpersonal and personal relationships from a Christian perspective. Emphasis
will be placed on exploring communication processes within your own
interpersonal and personal relationships in order for you to have more enriching
and positive relationships. We will discuss issues such as the development of
love and intimacy; communication in friendships and families; conflict in
personal relationships; gender differences in communication and relationships;
and how the development of our identities impacts our communication with
others.
Course Objectives:

To enhance understanding of the interpersonal and personal
communication processes we all experience;

To develop critical thinking, listening and writing skills regarding issues
pertinent to the study of interpersonal and personal relationships;

To increase students’ awareness of their own interpersonal and personal
communication behaviors;

To better understand the impact of intimate communication processes;

To learn how to read and interpret scholarly research in the field of
interpersonal communication, including the work of excellent Christian
scholars;

To gain in-depth knowledge of interpersonal communication concepts in
order to lead constructive class interaction.
COMM 3243: Interpersonal Communication
2
Text:
Wood, Julia T. (2013). Interpersonal Communication: Everyday Encounters, 7ed.
Boston: Cengage.
Teaching Philosophy:
This course is aimed at making you more aware of the role of communication in
personal relationships and to help you develop stronger bonds as Christians.
You can apply the practical skills and concepts we will discuss in class to a
myriad of contexts. I believe the best way for you to learn these important ideas
and their application to your life is to provide the opportunity for you to
articulate your views and demonstrate your learning in a variety of formats. I
value your personal contribution to the class and look forward to hearing your
views in daily discussions as well as structured presentations. I want you to end
this class with a richer understanding of the importance of communication in our
daily lives and relationships with others by hearing from experts as well as other
classmates. I hope that you will share your experiences and opinions on a
regular basis in class.
Attendance:
Part of the Communication Department’s mission is to help you become a strong
communicator through an ongoing conversation in this intellectual environment.
In order to be part of that conversation, your attendance is essential. Because
the quarter goes by quickly, missing more than four class periods will
negatively impact your final grade. You should arrive on time and be prepared
to stay for the entire session in order to gain participation points, which is a
substantial portion of your grade. If you come late or leave early, it may count as
an absence or negatively impact your participation grade.
On the other hand, if you make this course a priority in your academic career, I
want acknowledge your efforts by rewarding you. If you have perfect
attendance, you will receive a bonus at the end of the quarter of 20 extra points
toward your final grade. If your grade is “on the bubble,” this extra credit may
be your best opportunity to make a higher grade. You need to be sure to sign the
attendance sheet each day in order to ensure the correct participation score will
be recorded.
COMM 3243: Interpersonal Communication
3
Deadlines:
Because there is only a limited amount of time in this course, deadlines must be
taken seriously. When you have signed up to give a presentation, you must
show up on time fully prepared. If you miss any classes it is your responsibility
to get the material from a classmate and be prepared to lose points off your final
grade for missed activities. If you have questions or concerns, I am happy to
meet with you outside of class. For each class period that a paper is late, you will
receive a 15% reduction on your grade for that assignment. You may not have an
extra opportunity to make up missed chapter reviews, so it is essential that you
take the reviews when they are given.
Academic Honesty: The student handbook states:
“Academic dishonesty is a serious violation of Christian standards and may
result in the students’ receiving an “F” in the course, being dismissed from the
course, or possibly being dismissed from the University. Faculty will report
instances of academic dishonesty to the Office of the Provost.
Academic dishonesty includes cheating on assignments or examinations,
submitting the same (or essentially the same) paper in more than one course
without prior consent of the current assigning professor(s), sabotaging another
student’s work, and plagiarizing. Plagiarism is “using someone else’s ideas or
phrasing and representing those ideas or phrasing as our own, either on purpose
or through carelessness” (MLA). “
Class Discussions:
I am looking forward to lively and interesting discussions and will do my best to
encourage them. For your part, I request that you keep up on the readings and
that you come to class every day prepared to engage in our discussions. Come to
class with opinions about the readings and be prepared to take positions in class
discussions and debates. I expect you to reflect and be able to knowledgeably
discuss the readings.
Grading Scale*:
A
AB+
B
BC+
940 – 1000
900 - 939
870 – 899
840 – 879
800 – 839
780 – 799
C
CD+
D
DF
730 - 779
700 - 729
680 - 699
630 - 679
600 - 629:
599 or below
COMM 3243: Interpersonal Communication
4
Course Schedule*
Date
Monday, Aug. 27
Discussions and Learning
Course Introduction
Syllabus Review
Assignments & Readings
Wednesday, Aug. 29
Interpersonal Interaction
Review Chapter 1
Friday, Sept. 31
Introduction to Interpersonal
Theories
Monday, Sept. 3
Observance of Labor Day
Wednesday, Sept. 5
Uncertainty Reduction
Friday, Sept. 7
Monday, Sept. 10
Wednesday, Sept. 12
Friday, Sept. 14
Monday, Sept. 17
Identity and Interpersonal
Relating
Identity and Attachment
Perception and Interpersonal
Communication
Perceiving Self and Others
Wednesday, Sept. 26
Friday, Sept. 28
Interpersonal Ties with a Friend
Monday, Oct. 1
Nonverbal Interaction in
Relationships
Researching Interpersonal
Dynamics
Researching Interpersonal
Dynamics
Reading Day
Friday, Sept. 21
Monday, Sept. 24
Wednesday, Oct. 3
Friday, Oct. 5
Monday, Oct. 8
Wednesday, Oct. 10
Culture, Context & Nonverbal
Interaction
Friday, Oct. 12
Interpersonal Ties with an
Acquaintance
Listening in Relationships
Monday, Oct. 15
Review Chapter 2
Identity and Communication
Verbal Interaction and
Relationships
Conversational Ritual in
Interpersonal Communication
Men and Women in
Conversation
Nonverbal Communication
Wednesday, Sept. 19
No Class Meeting
Review Chapter 3
Review Chapter 4
Review Chapter 5
Meet in Library
Due: Summary of Relevant
Research
No Class Meeting
Review Chapter 6
COMM 3243: Interpersonal Communication
5
Wednesday, Oct. 17
Styles of Listening
Friday, Oct. 19
Monday, Oct. 22
Interpersonal Interaction In
Separate Contexts
Emotional Intelligence
Wednesday, Oct. 24
Emotions and Relating
Friday, Oct. 26
Friendships and
Communication
Men and Women in
Friendships
Supportive Communication in
Relationships
Communication Climate
Review Chapter 10
Review Chapter 11
Friday, Nov. 9
Intimate Communication and
Relationships
Love Styles & Relational
Communication
Conflict and Communication
Monday, Nov. 12
Observance of Veteran’s Day
No Class Meeting
Wednesday, Nov. 14
Conflict in Close Relationships
Friday, Nov. 16
Family Communication
Review Chapter 12
Monday, Nov. 19
Friday, Nov. 23
Birth Order Dynamics in
Family Interaction
Family History and
Communication
Thanksgiving Holiday
Birth Order Dynamics in Family
Interaction
Family History and
Communication
No Class Meeting
Monday, Nov. 26
Final Presentation Preparation
Due: Research Project Paper
Wednesday, Nov. 28
Research Project Presentations
8-10 Minutes
Friday, Nov. 30
Research Project Presentations
8-10 Minutes
Monday, Dec. 3
Research Project Presentations
8-10 Minutes
Wednesday, Dec. 5
Research Project Presentations
8-10 Minutes
Friday, Dec. 7
Research Project Presentations
8-10 Minutes
Monday, Oct. 29
Wednesday, Oct. 31
Friday, Nov. 2
Monday, Nov. 5
Wednesday, Nov. 7
Wednesday, Nov. 21
Due: Interpersonal Ties Paper
Review Chapter 7
Review Chapter 8
Review Chapter 9
Reviewing Interpersonal
Communication
The final for this course is scheduled for Friday, December 14 from 1:00-3:00PM.
Monday, Dec. 10
COMM 3243: Interpersonal Communication
6
Assignments
Class Participation and Assignments:
25%
Your contribution to the class is highly valued and a significant portion of your
grade will be based on how you tie your own personal experiences to the reading
and discussions. Additionally, there will be several assignments that are designed to
help you learn more about the concepts we will be focusing on throughout the
semester. You will be asked to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of
the concepts through various activities either individually or in a group. Points will
be given based on how thoroughly and thoughtfully your participation and
assignments are completed. The assignments will need to be completed outside of
class and presented to your peers.
Interpersonal Ties Exercise and Analysis: (4-5 pages)
15%
For this assignment you will be closely connected with two different people this
semester; one will be a person that is very close to you and the other will be someone
you have just met or only know as an acquaintance. You will do this project with
each person at different times in order to better understand your patterns of
interaction in the interpersonal context. You will reflect on your experiences of
being tied together and the interpersonal dynamics that you encountered using the
communication concepts we have discussed in class.
Research Project and Presentation: (5-6 pages/8-10 minutes)
30%
This assignment is designed to help you learn about one concept we will address in
class, in a more in-depth manner. To better understand the concept you will explore
scholarly research on the subject and present your research and analysis of the
concept to the class. You will write literature review and discuss the implications of
the research in practice. You will present your research to the class in an engaging
and educational manner.
Exams:
30%
You will be asked to demonstrate your comprehension of the ideas and issues
addressed in class through a series of exams given in class or on Discovery. Each
exam will draw on the lectures, readings, class activities, artifacts, and in-class
discussions. The exams may evaluate your knowledge through both objective and
subjective measures. Each exam is cumulative and you may be asked to explain
your own informed perspective about interpersonal communication by drawing
on the views of the scholars and experts we review.