A review of current literature regarding the state of the art in the conduct of internal communication and public relations audits by public relations practitioners reveals that these two related measurement activities are of considerable importance to the practice of public relations. Public relations audits are concerned with exploratory…

Reviews 15 studies that have investigated the use of the Preferred Representational System (PRS) in Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP). Aspects of design, methodology, population and dependent measures are evaluated, with comments on the outcomes obtained. Results suggested that there is little supportive evidence for the use of PRS in the NLP.…

Compares the persuasiveness of using statistical versus narrative evidence (case studies or examples) across 15 investigations. Indicates that when comparing messages, statistical evidence is more persuasive than narrative evidence. (PA)

Attempts to show how each of three influential critical theories--deconstructionism, reader response criticism, and authorial intention--implies a particular view of how literary discourse is or should be processed and indicates that each view is in part justified, but not to the extent claimed by the critics themselves. (CRH)

Defining schemas as specific representations of world knowledge, this paper contends that schema theory offers a promising approach toward the development of a comprehensive theory of communication. The paper traces the development of schema theory, reviews current literature on the subject, and points out its potential for use in future…

Although a large body of research exists regarding the construct of "socialization," scholars have no universally accepted definition of this construct. Additionally, scholars have used the term to describe several different components of both structural and communication dynamics without agreeing upon a metaphor or general acceptance of…

Analysis reveals that the four labels do not denote four discrete problems; rather, the constructs overlap to a great extent. Author recommends systematic interviews with individuals to identify their problems and then a treatment dependent on the exact nature of the problem. (PD)

The work of Paul Hersey and Kenneth Blanchard on life-cycle leadership was compared and contrasted to three studies on group phase theories. The studies on group phases were conducted by Robert Bales and Fred Strodtbeck in 1951, Thomas Scheidel and Laura Crowell in 1964, and B. Aubrey Fisher in 1970. The two theoretical approaches were found to…

Intended as an aid to researchers who must decide which measurement techniques to use in the study of organizational communication, this paper describes and analyzes three of the most widely used data collection instruments: the Communication Audit Survey Questionnaire (CAS), the Communication Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ), and the…

Examines two trends in research on literacy--formal and functional literacy--by analyzing some assumptions held by researchers representative of each. Indicates that formalists view literacy as mastery of linguistic and textual forms, while functionalists see it as the ability to use appropriate discourse forms to accomplish desired ends. (SKC)

The current legal standing of homosexual parents seeking custody of their children remains precarious. Courts determine custody and visitation on the basis of the "best interests of the child." Current judicial rulings reflect a bias against awarding custody or granting visitation rights to homosexual parents, favoring the heterosexual…

Focusing upon the interactive work-group communication patterns of employees classified as "managers," this paper compares such communication observed in Japanese and United States business and industrial organizations. The paper first describes several models of decision making within American and Japanese organizations, highlighting…

Notes that early studies in the rhetoric of science and technology emphasized how it differs from classical rhetoric, while more recent studies emphasize the similarities and thus the political/ethical and probabilistic character of contemporary science and technology and of the contemporary discipline of technical communication. (SKC)

Shows that the Scottish Vowel Length Rule supports Kiparsky's (1988) association of diffusing sound changes with lexical, and neogrammarian changes with postlexical rules, and to some extent, is a clearer illustration of Harris' (1989a: 55) notion of a phonological "life cycle" of changes and rules. (50 references) (GLR)

An examination of the rhetoric of two social movements in the United States--the proslavery movement of the pre-Civil War Period and the anti-feminist movement of the 1970s--reveals that both contain a common theme, paternalism, and that both use similar rhetorical strategies to explicate the theme through a familial metaphor, Father. Examples of…