Communication 1103:78 Introduction to Interpersonal Communication
Course Syllabus SPSU 2016
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION:
Name: Dawn White
Email: dawn_white@cbu.ca
Office: CC267-C
Office Hours: TBA
Phone: 1 (902) 563-1627
COURSE INFORMATION:
Course Title: Introduction to Interpersonal Communication (Distance)
Course Number: COMM1103:78
Course Date: 04-29 JULY 2016
Course Description: Communication 1103 is an entry-level three credit course and can be used to
fulfill half of Group 4 in the BA core. Students enrolled in the BA, BBA, BHTM, BET, BSc and
BACS often take this course as a core requirement or elective. Interpersonal communication is the
activity that knits society together, creates all of our relationships and profoundly influences our
self-concepts. It is closely connected to the quality of our lives, our health and our happiness. The
way we communicate has significant impact on those around us. Because of the very personal
nature of the way we communicate, there are many ethical implications to our communication. We
influence and affect others, and we in turn are influenced and affected by others in mutually binding
and reinforcing relationships.
The impact and significance of interpersonal communication in our lives and the lives of those we
know well means that there are better ways of communicating or ways that we each can improve
our communication. For example, we will consider briefly communication within families; we will
look at the role of media in our lives and how they shape our identities; we will consider intimate
relationships and how communication structures them and may at times reinforce inequalities or
power differences; we will consider the factors involved in ethical and constructive interpersonal
conflict; and we will look at the role of culture in communication and relationships.
COURSE GOALS:
Course goals: Students should come away from this course with a better understanding of the
complexity of interpersonal communication. Each part of the text focuses on one particular aspect
of interpersonal communication. Through the assignments and quizzes, students should also be
able to put into practice many of the theories discussed in the text.
COURSE EVALUATION:
i. Quizzes: 45% Each student will complete 10 quizzes (consisting of one short-essay and five
multiple choice questions). Preparing for the quizzes will be done by simply reading the material,
learning the theories and concepts and knowing the vocabulary. The quizzes are timed at 30
minutes. When you complete a quiz, Moodle automatically grades the multiple-choice portion and
posts this mark. Your actual grade will be posted when I manually grade your short-essay
responses. Students are responsible for reading provided feedback and applying the comments to
future quizzes. The amount of depth, effort, disclosure and application of the vocabulary will be
used to grade the short-essay answers in the quizzes. If the time limit is exceeded you will receive
an automatic 0% for the quiz. Please contact me if you experience technical difficulties. As well,
there is zero tolerance for plagiarism. Answers must be in your own words and NOT copied from
the text or other sources. Such responses are considered violations of the plagiarism policy and
will the reported to the Dean. Please review the plagiarism policy located on the main page.
ii. Assignments: 45% Each student will complete 10 assignments (consisting of two activities) to
complete and report on. The activities will vary in what is expected. Some will require interacting
with friends or family members and then recording what you observed in the interactions; others
will ask you to reflect on situations you have been in; still others may ask you to view a video clip
and discuss the interaction. You will select the two activities you want to complete, and then you
will respond in writing. I will mark each of your responses out of five possible points (weighted at
4.5%). Assignments MUST be sent through Moodle and NOT to my email address. The
upload box is at the bottom of each assignment page. The only acceptable formats for
assignments are: ".doc" ".docx" and ".rtf" PDF files are acceptable if you cannot submit in any of
the aforementioned formats. Do NOT submit your assignments in any other format or they will
not be graded. Students are responsible for reading provided feedback and applying the
comments to future assignments. The amount of depth, effort, disclosure and application of the
vocabulary will be used to grade the assignments. As well, there is zero tolerance for plagiarism.
Answers must be in your own words and NOT copied from the text or other sources or completed
by another student. Such responses are considered violations of the plagiarism policy and will the
reported to the Dean. Please review the plagiarism policy located on the main page.
To review, the course will require you to complete 10 quizzes (45%) and 10 assignments (45%).
Each section of the course will have specific requirements about the quizzes and activities.
iii. Participation: 10% A number of participation activities will be assigned randomly throughout the
term and will vary with what is expected. Participation activities will be completed through the
Course Forum. Participation activities must be completed in a timely manner. Responses posted
after the course end date will not be graded. Keep in mind that the clarity and content of your
responses is important.
iii. Grade Breakdown:
Quizzes
Assignments
Participation
Total
45%
45%
10%
100%
iv. Deadlines: Be mindful of the FOUR due dates:
Part 1 & 2 Quizzes + Assignments DUE by SUN 11 JULY @ 23:55 AST
Part 3, 4 & 5 Quizzes + Assignments DUE by SUN 18 JULY @ 23:55 AST
Part 6, 7 & 8 Quizzes + Assignments DUE by SUN 25 JULY @ 23:55 AST
Part 9 & 10 Quizzes + Assignments DUE by FRI 29 JULY @ 23:55 AST
v. Pace: The course is held over a FOUR-week period and is quite intensive. The expected pace of
the course is completion of TWO-THREE parts every week, being mindful of the set deadlines.
This includes the assignment (consisting of two of the five activities) and the quiz for each part.
However, some students may wish to work faster than that, which is fine, but be sure to manage
your time effectively. All deadlines are outlined above.
vi. Study Guide: Read the course text, take notes as you go along, and complete the required
number of quizzes and assignments as you would a mid-term or exams. Keep time limits in mind
and always save your answers to the questions. I suggest allowing a day or two for the activities.
Do not try to rush these, as they are the most valuable part of your course experience. Be sure
those who participate with you have the necessary time. Post on the forum to discuss the activities
with other students, they may provide you with valuable insights and tips.
vii. Plagiarism: There is a ZERO TOLERANCE policy in place regarding plagiarism offenses.
Multiple offenses result in a 0% final grade and possible discontinuance from Cape Breton
University. For further information and tips to avoid plagiarism in this course please read the
document located on the main page and refer to the Academic Calendar for information on forms
of academic dishonesty.
viii. Accessibility: Your success in this course is important and because there are multiple ways to
learn this multiplicity should be acknowledged in the structure of university courses and the
evaluation of their participants. Please feel free to discuss your learning styles and comprehension
requirements with me during my office hours, via email, or at another arranged time, if necessary.
Every student is entitled to a meaningful and stimulating learning experience. Students with
diagnosed disabilities are also strongly encouraged to avail themselves of the services provided by
the Jennifer Keeping AccessAbility office -- including the provision of note-takers, transcribers,
alternate text formats, sign-language interpreters, and accommodations for examinations. You can
contact the Jennifer Keeping Centre at 1 (902) 563-1208 or jkac_user@cbu.ca.
COURSE TEXT:
Interpersonal Communication: A Cultural Approach by Carol Corbin and Dawn White. The online
text is located under "Resources," but new and used hard copies are available at the CBU
Bookstore if preferred. The following ten chapters provide students an overview of the major
concepts of interpersonal communication. Please note the online version is the most up-to-date
and the preferred option for students. After reading a chapter, work on completing the
corresponding quiz and assignment.
PART 1: Overview of Interpersonal Communication
1-1: Why study communication?
1-2: Defining interpersonal communication
1-3: Principles of interpersonal communication
1-4: Guidelines for improving our interpersonal communication
PART 2: Communicating in Relationships
2-1: Relationships exist in communication and close relationships exist in interpersonal
communication
2-2: Individuals bring their unique backgrounds, experiences and values to their relationships
2-3: Relationships exist within the context of a culture that has impact on how people communicate
2-4: Every close relationship will have some conflict
2-5: Reciprocity is a human response in relationships
2-6: Power exists in relationships and is conveyed verbally and nonverbally
2-7: Gender communication is a factor in interpersonal relationships
2-8: We have ethical responsibilities to those we are close to
PART 3: Relationship Climate and Conflict
3-1: Climate is created through communication
3-2: Elements of satisfying relationships
3-3: Every relationship will have stresses and strains
3-4: There are better ways to communicate during conflict
3-5: Patterns and cycles may develop within relationships
3-6: Cultural and gender factors influence conflict management
3-7: Context affects conflict
PART 4: Expressing Emotions
4-1: Emotions include both natural reactions and socially-frames responses
4-2: Emotions have been characterized as irrational
4-3: We can improve our expression of negative emotions
4-4: Our culture and gender affect our feelings and our expression of them
4-5: Communicating our negative emotions
4-6: The importance of happiness
PART 5: Relational Listening
5-1: Why listening is so important
5-2: Ineffective styles of listening
5-3: Listening to support in an interpersonal relationship
5-4: Culture, power and gender affect how we listen
5-5: What to do when we don't want to listen
PART 6: Verbal Communication
6-1: Language is powerful
6-2: Language and culture are interdependent
6-3: Language-use is rule-guided
6-4: Meanings are subjective and relational
6-5: Language-use constructs our world and our identity
PART 7: Nonverbal Communication
7-1: Nonverbal communication includes all communication other than words themselves
7-2: Nonverbal communication is an important way we construct relational meaning
7-3: Nonverbal communication is tied to culture
7-4: Nonverbal communication regulates and guides communication
7-5: Reading nonverbal communication well leads to better social intelligence
PART 8: Perception and Meaning
8-1: Perception is influenced by our individual qualities
8-2: Perception is the process by which we make meaning
8-3: Locus of control affects our sense of self and our interpretations of the world
8-4: All perceptions are partial and subjective
8-5: Strive for pluralism
PART 9: Who You Are: Communicative Construction of the Self
9-1: Self-concept is shaped through interaction with those close to us
9-2: Self-esteem is a combination of internal and external factors
9-3: Self-concept is shaped by culture and society
9-4: The media affect our self-concept
9-5: Our self-concept affects our communication
9-6: Self-concept includes identity management
9-7: Self-concept affects how we enact values in our relationship
9-8: Self-concept and self-esteem can be changed
PART 10: Mediated Interpersonal Communication
10-1: Interpersonal communication at a distance
10-2: Broadcast media messages affect our interpersonal relationships
10-3: The cell phone
10-4: The internet
10-5: Blogs, vlogs, and social media
10-6: The real and the virtual
10-7: Gender, culture and mediated communication
10-8: Social effects of mediated interpersonal communication
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Dawn White
Chair, Communication Department
Laura Baker
Manager, Online Learning
Help Desk
CBU Help Desk/Tech Support
Sherry Spracklin
Secretary, SASS
Mary Keating
Associate Dean, SASS
Arja Vainio-Mattila
Dean, SASS
dawn_white@cbu.ca
laura_baker@cbu.ca
helpdesk@cbu.ca
sherry_spracklin@cbu.ca
mary_keating@cbu.ca
arja_vainio-mattila@cbu.ca