This document provides instructions for three writing assignments on communication theories for a Gordon Rule Writing course. Students will write three papers on selected communication theories from their textbook. For the first paper, students must analyze theories related to "The Self and Messages." They will research and write a 3-4 page paper on a selected theory and how it applies to an aspect of everyday communication. The paper must include a problem statement, literature review of at least two peer-reviewed sources, and address questions provided to demonstrate understanding of the theory and communication contexts. Papers must follow APA style and will be graded based on the criteria outlined.

1. OVERVIEW OF THE PAPER
In this
Gordon Rule Writing
course, you will complete
three writing assignments
that build on each other to facilitate your progress.
The goal of these writing assignments is for you to sharpen your
research skills, apply communication theory to everyday life,
and demonstrate college-level writing skills
.
SELECTION OF THE TOPIC
1. Select Section
From the sections of our course textbook on communication
theories, you will choose
three sections
to base your three Theoretical Review papers on. For the
Theoretical Review Paper_1, you will work with the first
section of the course textbook --
The Self and Messages
. This section is assigned to you to get us started with the
writing assignments, however, going forward in the course you
will be able to choose the section you want to focus on for each
Theoretical Review Paper. The sections you can choose from
are below and they align with the sections of the course
textbook.
The sections on communication theories are:
The Self and Messages (Chapters 4, 5, 6, 7)

2. Relationship Development (Chapters 8, 9, 10, 11)
Groups and Organizations (Chapters 14, 17)
Culture and Diversity (Chapters 27, 28)
Public and Media (Chapters 18, 21, 25, 26)
2. Select a Theory from each section
From each section, you will select a theory you will research
and write about in your Theoretical Reveiw Paper. For the first
Theoretical Review Paper you will select theory/theories from
(1) The Self and Messages (Chapters 4, 5, 6, 7); choose
one
theory to research.
With that theory, you should research how the theory applies to
some aspect of communication of interest to you.
For example, here are some topics
(sections of the text, theories, communication aspect)
that other students have previously chosen:
The Self and Messages
Symbolic Interactionism (theory), intrapersonal communication
(communication context), and self-esteem among college
students (situation or issue from everyday life).
Symbolic Interactionism (theory), intrapersonal communication
(communication context), and its relationship to body-shaming
(situation or issue from everyday life).

3. Coordinated Management of Meaning theory, intrapersonal
communication (communication context), and its effects on the
business environment (situation or issue from everyday life).
Cognitive Dissonance Theory, intrapersonal communication
(communication context), and the effects on romantic
relationships (situation or issue from everyday life)
Expectancy Violations Theory, intrapersonal communication,
and employer/employee relationships (situation or issue from
everyday life)
Relationship Development
Uncertainty Reduction Theory, interpersonal communication (or
intrapersonal communication), and dating
Social Exchange Theory, interpersonal communication, and
effects on sales and entrepreneurship
Groups and Organizations
Groupthink, group/organizational communication, and what
happens when generating ideas in work groups
Organizational Information Theory, and how group projects may
evolve
Culture and Diversity

4. Face-Negotiation Theory, interpersonal communication, and
effects on sales or negotiations at work
Communication Accommodation Theory, interpersonal
communication, and in-group/out-group dynamics at the
University or work
Public and Media
Rhetorical theory, visual communication and its relationship to
performance (theater, spoken word poetry, rap)
Agenda Setting Theory, mass communication, and the music
industry
Agenda Setting Theory, mass communication, and how the news
station you watch shapes political beliefs
Cultural Studies, mass communication, and how neighbors
influence one another's public health beliefs
RESEARCH OF THE TOPIC
3. Research the theory in the FIU Library data base
"
Communication and Mass Media Complete.
"
Find
peer-reviewed sources
having to do with the theory you chose and the aspect of
communication you chose. You may have to play with the key

5. terms and you may also have to adjust the communication
aspect. For example, search "symbolic interactionism" and
intrapersonal communication, or just search "symbolic
interactionism" and from the results, search for the topic that is
interesting to you.
It takes time to find articles about the theory and
communication aspect; be patient and persistent.
ORGANIZATION OF THE THEORETICAL REVIEW PAPER
4. The two main sections of the paper are the Problem Statement
and the Review of Literature:
Problem Statement
(approximately 500 words or 1/2 page) with a research
question. Form a research question specific to the
communication discipline (e.g., What is the relationship
between culture, communication style, and preventative health
practices? What are effects of the media on sports culture?
What is the relationship between intrapersonal communication
and motivation?).
Example of the Problem Statement
Here is an example of a problem statement, prepared by one of
my students in a previous section of the Communication Theory
course here at FIU
:
Sample Problem Statement and Annotated
Bibliography_SPC3210-1.pdf
You don't need to do the annotated bibliography shown in the
example.

6. Review of Literature
(approximately 3 pages). In the Review of Literature section of
your paper, you will write about your secondary sources about
your selected theory (
minimum of two articles)
. The articles must be peer reviewed articles, published in an
academic journal which you find in the FIU Library data base.
You may also use textbooks, not including the course textbook.
You'll write a thorough review and
synthesis (not description)
of the sources, with some discussion of how it connects with
your problem statement. Altogether you paper should be
between 3-4 pages long. Within the Review of Literature
section, you will have many sub-sections with sub-headings.
Examples of the Review of Literature
Here are examples of the Review of Literature:
https://libguides.uwf.edu/c.php?g=215199&p=1420828
WRITING THE THEORETICAL REVIEW PAPER
5. Required Content
In your paper, you will need to address the following questions:
What research questions were the authors attempting to answer?
What methods did they use?
What did they find?

7. What unique information is set forth?
What consistent information is set forth?
What arguments/reading portions connect with the theory you
are researching and writing about?
6. Important Content to Include with the Required Content
In addition to those questions, be sure to think about and
include some thoughtful discussion on:
Theoretical approaches
Applicable traditions
Appropriate communication contexts
Implications of the theory/theories in understanding
communication everyday life
Also, think about:
Communication context/level
(e.g. intrapersonal, interpersonal, group, organizational, public,
mass or cultural communication)
The models of communication
(linear, interactional, transactional)
The value of your topic
(What significance does it have? Why do you care about it?

8. Why should anyone care about it?)
Which of the seven traditions would be best to study your topic?
(socio-cultural, socio-psychological, critical, semiotic,
cybernetic, rhetorical, phenomenology)
Which research approaches to knowing are important for your
topic?
(positivistic/empirical, interpretive, critical)?
What types of questions are important to ask about your topic?
(think about epistemology, ontology, axiology)
Which approach to theory building would be important to
understanding your topic?
(think theory building: deduction, induction)
Respond to each of the above questions in relation to your
preferred topic, and then
write a research question.
Here are some examples of research questions from previous
Communication Theory students here at FIU:
How are college students affected by the nonverbal
communication of their romantic partners?
What is the relationship between negative intrapersonal
communication and the performance of a college athlete while
playing soccer (or any sport)?
What types of intrapersonal communication have the most
influence on self-esteem?

9. How does communication in social media promote safer health
practices in college students?
What effects of rhetoric promote the highest rates of voter
registration among young adults in South Florida?
FORMATTING THE THEORETICAL REVIEW PAPER
7. Here is more information on writing a review of literature:
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/conducting_re
search/writing_a_literature_review.html (Links to an external
site.)
Look at this link and you will find samples:
https://libguides.uwf.edu/c.php?g=215199&p=1420828 (Links
to an external site.)
8. APA Style Paper
Each paper must be written and cited in APA style. A good
source for learning APA style is:
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa
_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html (Links to an
external site.)
Use a cover page, abstract, and references page; cover, abstract,
and references pages
do not
count toward the total page requirement
(Links to an external site.)

10. (Links to an external site.)
9. REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING OF THIS ASSIGNMENT
Your paper will be graded on the basis of the following:
All instructions and criteria have been followed
Content
and how well you understand the
communication theory course material
,
reasoning
and
how well you synthesize theoretical source material
Quality and quantity of your sources
(authoritative, peer-reviewed, and a minimum of
2 sources
per paper)
Writing:
thesis statement, organization of entire paper and organization
of each paragraph, syntax, mechanics, and grammar.
Writing Rubric.pdf
The problem statement should be approximately 1/2 page. The
rest of the paper should be approximately 3 pages. Altogether
(problem statement with the entire paper) you should have
between
3-4 pages of writing.
Turnitin score must be lower than 15%

11. On-time submission
All writing assignments must be submitted to Canvas
submission boxes by the posted deadline. Assignments
submitted by any other means will not be accepted. Once your
paper is uploaded to the appropriate Canvas submission box, it
will be reviewed by Turnitin; you must have a Turnitin
percentage no higher than
15%
to receive credit for the assignment. Late work is only accepted
due to extenuating circumstances for which medical
documentation must be provided within one week. Late work is
accepted only with the instructor’s express approval, based on
medical documentation for the need to submit late work. Late
work is subject to a
10%
deduction for each calendar day that it is late.