This document discusses key concepts in communication theory, including models of communication, theories of how people receive and process information, and factors that influence persuasive writing and arguments. It covers the basic elements of any communication - the sender, message, channel, and receiver. Theories addressed include media uses and gratifications, cognitive dissonance, framing, and diffusion of innovations. The document also outlines factors that impact persuasive writing such as audience analysis, source credibility, self-interest appeals, clarity, timing, symbols, semantics, and calls to action. Content and structural aspects of arguments are reviewed as well as techniques for persuasive speaking and getting people to act. The document concludes with a discussion of propaganda and ethical issues to consider or avoid in

1. JOURNALISM
370
SEPTEMBER 14, 2011

2. COMMUNICATION
THEORY: BASICS

3. THE BASICS OF
COMMUNICATION
a. Sender/Organization
b. Message
i. Contributes to organizational objective
ii. Convincing to recipients
c. Channel
i. Which medium is best
d. Receiver
Publics,
Stakeholders

4. THEORIES OF
COMMUNICATION
a. Media uses and gratifications
i. Choose messages based on their needs
b. Cognitive dissonance
i. Reject messages that conflict with
predispositions
c. Framing
i. Focusing on attributes to generate
maximum interest

5. THEORIES OF
COMMUNICATION
d. Diffusion and adoption
i. Awareness, interest, trial, evaluation,
adoption
e. Hierarchy of needs
i. Physiological, safety, social, ego,

6. COMMUNICATION
THEORY: PERSUASION

7. FACTORS IN
PERSUASIVE WRITING
a. Audience analysis
i. Channeling
ii. Passive, inactive and active audiences
b. Source credibility
i. Expertise, sincerity, charisma
ii. Celebrity “transfer”
c. Appeal to self-interest
i. What does the audience want to know?

8. FACTORS IN
PERSUASIVE WRITING
d. Clarity
e. Timing and context
f. Symbols, slogans, acronyms
i. Nike swoosh, “priceless,” NOW

9. FACTORS IN
PERSUASIVE WRITING
g. Semantics
i. Word choice and framing
h. Suggestion for action
i. Tell them how to feasibly do something

10. COMMUNICATION
THEORY: ARGUMENTS

11. CONTENT AND
STRUCTURE
a. Drama (Humanizing the issue)
b. Statistics
c. Surveys and polls (Hop on the “bandwagon”)
d. Examples to clarify and reinforce
e. Testimonials to create source credibility
f. Endorsements
g. Emotional appeals
i. Guilt, fear
ii. Combine with logical arguments

12. COMMUNICATION THEORY:
GETTING PEOPLE TO DO
WHAT YOU WANT

13. PERSUASIVE
SPEAKING
a. Develop a pattern of “yes” answers
b. Offer choice between this or that
c. Get a commitment to action
d. Ask for more; be prepared to settle for less

14. ETHICAL STUFF ABOUT
WHICH TO THINK
a. Propaganda:
“…the deliberate and systematic attempt to shape
perceptions, manipulate cognitions, shape perceptions,
manipulate cognitions, and direct behavior to achieve a
response and direct behavior to achieve a response that
furthers the desired intent of the that furthers the desired
intent of the propagandist.”

15. ETHICAL TOPICS TO
AVOID
a. Falsehoods
b. Specious reasoning
c. Misrepresentation
d. Diverting scrutiny
e. Unlinked emotional appeals

16. ETHICAL TOPICS TO
AVOID
f. Concealing their purpose
g. Misrepresenting consequences
h. Unsupported emotional appeals
i. Oversimplification
j. Unjustified certainty
k. Advocating something they don’t
believe in

17. LET’S TALK ABOUT A
BANK ROBBERY

18. GENERAL THOUGHTS
• Circles are passive voice or jargon.
• Everyone had passive voice errors.
• These are easy to correct.
• Watch the word “by.”
• Watch any form of “to be.”
• Remember subject verb object.

19. QUESTIONS TO
CONSIDER: DID WE NEED
THE TELLER’S NAME?

20. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER:
DID WE NEED CLOTHING
DESCRIPTION?

21. QUESTIONS TO
CONSIDER: DID WE NEED
THE TELLER’S NAME?

22. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER:
DID WE NEED TO SAY
NOBODY GOT HURT?

23. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER: WHAT
IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART
OF THE STORY?

24. THINGS TO THINK
ABOUT
• Avoid being cute with your writing, at least when talking
about a serious subject matter.
• Commas are your friend.
• Space out your paragraphs.
• Remember the notes I talked about in class. I mentioned
them for a reason.