Communication Analysis Assignment (CAA)

Spring, 04

ASSIGNMENT SPECIFICATIONS

The first of three parts of the CAA will cover the DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS of an assigned communication episode within a scene of the video Chasing Amy. Part I will provide communication issues/concepts to describe aspects relevant to examining communication.

The requirements for the first CAA installment are below. Read them carefully, start work early, seek clarification, and share views on your answers with other students, course assistants, and instructor. DO NOT PLAGARIZE OR SHARE YOUR ASSIGNMENT WITH OTHERS—YOU MUST WRITE YOUR OWN ASSIGNMENTS (see Academic Integrity Policy, p. 237 of College Catalogue)

PROCEDURAL GUIDELINES (failure to fulfill guidelines will result in loss of credit)

· Free of typographical and grammatical errors

· Label all sections and parts of the assignment—make it easy to follow.

· Assignment must be typed using 12 point font and double spaced (Installment I: single space episode interaction section for each characters dialogue – double space between communicator’s turns at dialogue)

· Staple or paper clip pages

EPISODE DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS: Messages & Context

Part I (Due 2/17)

1. EPISODE INTERACTION (15 pts) Now that we know who started and ended the episode we are ready to begin describing the episode messages for analysis. Provide all the verbal and nonverbal message behaviors of the characters during course of the episode (exclude messages that might have preceded, occurred during, or after the assigned episode). Identify the person and statement/message in the assigned episode that begins it and the last statement or action that ends the episode. Indicate who is presenting the message during the episode dialogue (verbal and NV’s). Place NV’s that accompany the verbal or that stand alone as responses in brackets e.g., [slight smile looking away quickly]. Be specific in describing all types of NV behaviors.

2. SITUATION (5 pts): Provide relevant background to the episode by:

· Identifying the main background (events, incidents, situations, past history, etc.) that sets up the episode--what lead up to it?

[WARNING: only provide information that is essential to understanding the episode. Do not retell the whole story—keep it brief and to the point]

3. NOISE (5 pts): Noise in the channel may have influenced episode communication.

Identify ONE case of noise that interfered with clear and accurate decoding by the episode participant(s).

Define the type of noise you identified (see lecture on Models of Comm. or article on reserve-Descriptive Models of Comm.)

Explain why/how the type of noise you identified hindered clear and accurate decoding by the episode participant(s).

(see web page example for format)