final 2

COM 315 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric

Overview This course addresses foundational interpersonal theories and concepts in the context of computer-mediated, contemporary relationships and the practical application of these theories and concepts in relational strategies. Understanding how communication technologies are used to initiate, develop, maintain, and sometimes dissolve various social relationships is key in developing effective communication practices in the digital age. Such understanding will enable you to be more mindful in the design, development, and dissemination of communication messages in your professional life and become a more informed and effective communicator in your personal life.

In this assessment, you will analyze an interpersonal relationship of your choice in which you use communication technology. You will assess the role of communication technology in your life, evaluate relevant communication theories and concepts, and identify key strategies in applying apply these theories and concepts in a real-world setting. For example, if you are in a long-distance relationship, what theories or concepts might you apply in your relationship strategies?

This assessment addresses the following course outcomes:

 Appraise personal attitudes, beliefs, and values for their implications to personal technology behaviors and practices  Apply foundational theories and concepts of interpersonal relationships and computer-mediated communication to inform decisions on the appropriate

use of communication technologies  Analyze the complexity of information exchange in the digital age for opportunities to improve communication within interpersonal relationships  Evaluate the use of communication technologies in interpersonal relationships for their implications to effective communication habits

Prompt Throughout the course you have engaged in activities and milestones with opportunities for feedback from your instructor prior to crafting and completing the final analysis and reflection paper. Use the following framing question in guiding your analysis and reflection as you complete this assessment: How can I use communication technology effectively and judiciously in relationships?

You may organize your paper as you see fit, but specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:

I. Introduction: To set the stage for your analysis and proposals, begin with a self-assessment focused on your communication practices prior to taking this course.

 Appraise your initial attitudes, beliefs, and values with regard to your own communication technology behaviors and practices for their impact on one or more of your personal relationships. Support your evaluation with examples that illustrate each of the following. Is there one area in which you may have experienced the greatest impact? The least?

 Relationship initiation

 Relationship development  Relationship maintenance  Relationship dissolution

B. Explain the impacts of communication technology on your relationships. Have they made you more or less effective in your communication? Specifically, have they enhanced or hindered your relationships? Support your response with examples.

II. Analysis of a Key Relationship: Select one key relationship in your life to examine. A. Discuss the keyrelationship you selected and present your reasoning for this choice. Specifically, how is this case ripe for applying

communication theories, concepts, and strategies to make more informed decisions? For example, a particular concept may have prompted you to select the relationship you have with your mother-in-law who lives across the country. In that case, a better understanding of that relationship is important to you for more informed family decision making.

B. What relevant concepts or theories from the course inform your understanding of this relationship? Consider at least two major concepts. Compare and contrast these concepts or theories in addressing what they have taught you about effective and ineffective communication practices in this relationship. Support your response with course readings and appropriate research.

C. Evaluate your use of communication technology in this relationship. What makes the usage of this technology successful or unsuccessful? Support your response with examples. This is where you might discuss instances of positive interactions and miscommunications and the results and consequences of those interactions.

D. To what extent does the use of communication technologies in this relationship make information exchange complex? Justify your response with examples and draw connections to appropriate concepts or theories from the course.

III. Proposed Applications and Strategies: In this area you will address practical applications and strategies for improving your communications within your key relationship and for developing effective communication habits moving forward.

A. Based on your assessment of your key relationship, discuss specific examples where you could apply new or different communication technologies effectively in this relationship. Also, provide specific examples of situations in which it would be harmful or ineffective to use communication technologies. For each, support your claims with relevant theories and concepts from the course and your research.

B. Propose specific strategies you might employ to improve communication within your key interpersonal relationship. For each proposed strategy, provide an explanation founded in relevant theories and concepts from the course and your research.

C. To what extent could these strategies improve your communication in your other interpersonal relationships? Support your response with appropriate concepts or theories from the course and your research.

IV. Conclusion: To close the loop opened at the beginning of this paper, discuss if, how, and why your attitudes, beliefs, and values with regard to communication technology use and interpersonal relationships have or have not shifted since the beginning of this course. If they have not changed, discuss how and why.

Final ProjectRubric

Guidelines for Submission: Your paper should include a cover page, references, and APA formatting/citations. The total paper length should be 6–10 pages, not including cover page or references. The paper should be double-spaced and use standard 12-point font.

You should support your analyses, evaluations, and claims in this assessment with a mix of course readings and outside sources (a minimum of six sources total). These outside sources should come from primary scholarly sources and should complement our course readings by building upon concepts and theories that you feel are the most relevant to your own relationship being discussed. Primary scholarly sources include peer-reviewed journals and publications. See Brightspace for a list of acceptable journals from which to find and cite articles. Popular press sources, for example E! News, Wikipedia, Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus, and any other magazines, television shows, and movies are not acceptable sources. Ask your instructor if you are unsure about the appropriateness of your source(s).

Critical Elements Exemplary (100%) Proficient (85%) Needs Improvement (55%) Not Evident (0%) Value Introduction:

Attitudes, Beliefs, and Values

Meets “Proficient” criteria and qualifies in which areas communication technology use has the greatest and least impact on personal relationships

Appraises attitudes, beliefs, and values regarding communication technology behaviors and practices for their impacts to relationship initiation, development, maintenance, and dissolution

Discusses attitudes, beliefs, and values regarding communication technology, but there are gaps in addressing the impacts to relationship initiation, development, maintenance, and dissolution

Does not discuss personal attitudes, beliefs, and values regarding communication technology behaviors and practices

9.5

Introduction: Impact of Communication

Technologies

Meets “Proficient” criteria and explanation demonstrates in- depth or insightful reflection

Explains ways in which communication technology has enhanced or hindered relationships, supporting claims with examples

Explains ways in which communication technology has enhanced or hindered personal relationships, but has gaps in supporting claims with examples

Does not explain ways in which communication technology has enhanced or hindered personal relationships

9.5

Analysis: Key Relationship

Meets “Proficient” criteria and draws insightful connections between the relationship and the communication theories and concepts

Discusses the key relationship and explains how this case is well-suited for applying communication theories and concepts

Discusses the key relationship, but does not explain the connections to relevant communication theories and concepts

Does not discuss the key relationship

9.5

Analysis: Relevant Concepts and

Theories

Meets “Proficient” criteria and selects supporting materials that demonstrate a nuanced understanding of communication principles

Accurately differentiates between at least two concepts and theories relevant to the key relationship; claims are supported by course readings and appropriate research

Discusses concepts and theories, but claims are either inaccurate or not supported by course readings and appropriate research

Does not differentiate between at least two relevant concepts and theories from the course to the relationship described

9.5

Analysis: Use of Communication

Technology

Meets “Proficient” criteria and defense demonstrates in-depth or insightful reflection

Evaluates the use of communication technology in the key relationship for its effectiveness using specific examples

Evaluates the use of communication technology in the key relationship, but there are gaps in the logic or claims are not supported with specific examples

Does not evaluate the use of communication technology in the key relationship

9.5

Analysis: Information Exchange

Meets “Proficient” criteria and claims demonstrate a nuanced appreciation of the complexity of information exchange in the digital age

Makes appropriate claims about the complexity of information exchange in the key relationship, justifying the response with examples and relevant concepts or theories from the course

Makes appropriate claims about the complexity of information exchange in the key relationship, but does not justify with examples or relevant concepts or theories from the course

Does not make appropriate claims about the complexity of information exchange in the key relationship

9.5

Proposals: Applying Communication

Technologies

Meets “Proficient” criteria and selects supporting materials that demonstrate a nuanced understanding of communication principles

Proposes new or different applications of communication technologies that could make communication more effective in the key relationship; supports all claims with relevant theories and concepts and appropriate research

Proposes new or different applications of communication technologies, but there are gaps in the logic or claims are not supported with relevant theories and concepts from the course

Does notpropose new or different applications of communication technologies

9.5

Proposals: Improving Communication

Meets “Proficient” criteria and selects supporting materials that demonstrate a nuanced understanding of communication principles

Proposes specific strategies to improve interpersonal communication and justifies claims with relevant theories and concepts from the course and appropriate research

Proposes strategies to improve interpersonal communication, but they lack specificity or claims are not supported by relevant theories and concepts from the course or appropriate research

Does not discuss strategies to improve interpersonal communication

9.5

Proposals: Other Interpersonal Relationships

Meets “Proficient” criteria and selects supporting materials that demonstrate a nuanced understanding of communication principles

Makes appropriate claims about the applicability of the proposed strategies to other interpersonal relationships and justifies claims with appropriate concepts or theories from the course and appropriate research

Makes claims about the applicability of the proposed strategies to other interpersonal relationships, but there are gaps in the logic or they are not justified with appropriate concepts or theories from the course or appropriate research

Does not make claims about the applicability of the proposed strategies to other interpersonal relationships

9.5

Conclusion Meets “Proficient” criteria and connects discussion to initial reflection on attitudes, beliefs, and values with regard to personal communication technology behaviors and practices

Discusses if, how, and why personal attitudes, beliefs, and values with regard to communication technology use have or have not shifted since the beginning of the course using specific examples

Discusses if, how, and why personal attitudes, beliefs, and values with regard to communication technology use have or have not shifted since the beginning of the course, but does not support with specific examples

Does notdiscuss if, how, or why personal attitudes, beliefs, and values with regard to communication technology use have or have not shifted since the beginning of the course

9.5

Articulation of Response

Submission is free of errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, and organization and is presented in a professional and easy-to- read format

Submission has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization

Submission has major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that negatively impact readability and articulation of main ideas

Submission has critical errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that prevent understanding of ideas

5

Earned Total 100%

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