ABSTRACT
When confronted with the requirement of taking a communication course, students sometimes ask, “Why do I need that? I know how to talk.” Communication, though, is more than talking. When you answer a question in class, receive a compliment, challenge another person’s ideas, interact with a family member, touch someone, participate in a job interview, take part in a group meeting, listen to a classroom lecture, do a victorious high-five, select clothing to wear, or go through the process of buying a car, you are involved in acts of communicating! Significant friendships, successful family relationships, academic and occupational success, and understanding others from various cultures depend on communication abilities. Communication encompasses not only face-to-face and public communication, but also the ability to navigate Twitter, MySpace, and Facebook.1
