Kirk Rose took two inquiry (I) communication studies courses that were among their favorite classes. The 155I quantitative inquiry class taught how to conduct quantitative research studies, including developing questionnaires and inputting data into Excel. This helped develop important job skills for the business world. The 145I rhetorical criticism class taught how to critically analyze movies, TV shows, and readings using rhetorical techniques differently than a persuasion class. Assignments included critiquing an episode of Modern Family and identifying ideologies in a self-selected film, helping to break films down using rhetorical analysis skills.

1. Kirk Rose
I paper reflection
Taking the I courses in the Communication studies department were some of my favorite
classes. These classes taught me some important theories within the field and how to apply them
within the field. I took two I classes during my time here, they were 145I (rhetorical criticism)
and 155I (quantitative inquiry). The 155I class was one of my favorites because I learned how to
perform a quantitative study, which I found out had number based results. This was something
interesting because usually numbers and communication don’t go together, but I was excited
because I love numbers. In this class we had to develop our own questionnaire to give to an
organization. We then had to learn how to input all the data we collected into excel. These are
two important things to learn because there are a lot of companies that use programs like excel to
organize information. Being able to use excel properly will help you in the business world.
Learning how to perform a quantitative study was an important thing to learn in my development
because now I have the skills to go out and perform studies for an organization and I can develop
a survey or questionnaire that will help them find out what it is they are seeking to know.
My other inquiry class 145I taught me some valuable tools as well. In this class we spent
time criticizing movies, T.V. shows, or readings using the rhetorical skills we were learning in
class. This form of rhetoric was different from what I learned in my 149F class. In 149F we
learned to use our rhetorical skills to persuade people into agreeing or seeing things from our
side and trying to convince them that our way is right. For 145I we were to use our rhetorical
skills to breakdown and evaluate piece of work in a critical manner. For example, we had to
watch an episode of modern family and criticize how the show was trying to portray the
American family. We also had to analyze the show for the types of values being shown. One
assignment I really liked from that class was we had to watch a film of our choosing, and we
were to discuss three dominant ideologies that we found within the film. This assignment really
got me to analyze and use the rhetorical skills I learned in class to break this film down.