Semiotics is the scientific study of signs and sign functions. While semiotics has most often focused on human phenomena, it has been suggested that the field should be broadened to include elements of the system of signs from the entire continuum of living reality. Such an approach is to make explanatory in a relatively "universal" way…

A study tested the prediction that men's and women's relative responses to the Argumentativeness Scale will change if the items are worded consistently so as to make more or less salient the content and process dimensions of arguing. Respondents, 564 students enrolled in basic public speaking courses at Ball State University, were each provided…

Considers maternal verbal aggression and its effects on the adult-children's romantic relationships later in life. Introduces solidarity, emotional support, and relationship quality as rational outcomes and uses them to evaluate the effects of maternal verbal aggression on relationships. Indicates undergraduate students who report receiving high…

Discusses research evidence concerning the persuasive effects of three variations in the articulation of an advocate's supporting argumentation. Finds that greater explicitness in identification of the sources of information and in the completeness of an argument significantly enhance persuasive effectiveness and perceived credibility; greater…

Explores the use of information-seeking strategies (i.e., overt, indirect, third party, testing, observing) among students in the college classroom. Notes that researchers did not find a significant relationship between student use of the observing information-seeking strategy and perceived instructor clarity, verbal immediacy, and verbal…

This paper presents a review of the literature on impression formation in face-to-face (FtF) and computer-mediated communication (CMC) and provides impression management recommendations for CMC users in a variety of environments. The first section provides an introduction to impression formation. Factors affecting impression formation in FtF and…

Discusses the problems of communications models. Presents a channel-ratio model that focuses on problems arising from intercultural interactions and addresses some practical needs of business communicators. Describes assumptions of the model, its elements, and its dynamic operation. Gives examples of the model's application to verbal and nonverbal…

Examines interpersonal communication in physician-patient interaction and physician-patient research models; suggests application of these models to librarian-patron interaction. Discusses human characteristics that affect interaction, the need for patient and patron satisfaction and compliance with instructions from interactions, and assumptions…

Clear verbal communication is a key skill for the modern scientist. In this article we describe two model science courses, one given to a small class and the other to a large class, in which verbal communication is emphasized as a key learning objective. Both courses use a form of problem-based learning (PBL) with an end point that involves…

A study sought to better understand the construct of teacher verbal effectiveness. Teacher verbal effectiveness was theoretically conceptualized using certain variables: verbal immediacy, language intensity, self-disclosure, communication and accommodation, and humor. A scale was developed and factor analysis yielded a unidimensional teacher…

The aim of the study was to gain insight into the occurrence of different types of peer interaction and particularly the types of interaction beneficial for learning in different collaborative learning environments. Based on theoretical notions related to collaborative learning and peer interaction, a coding scheme was developed to analyze the…

When students are learning to write, one-to-one teacher-student conversations taking place around the students' writing and writing processes are especially important. Two examples illustrate the multiple and connected processes of reading and writing that are associated with composing in a high school English class. The first conversation, in a…

Analysis of the problems of French-speaking Ontarian minority students suggests that they are able to build on the different communicative resources they bring to the task to jointly or variably address multiple embedded discourse and task and social functions, thereby extending their use and awareness of language. (Author/BJV)