Communication helps readers see the relationships among the concepts, skills, theories, and contexts of communication by anchoring the content around five fundamental communication principles. Written by experienced and highly regarded authors and teachers, Communication: Principles for a Lifetime provides readers with theory and skills in a manner that helps them apply what they've learned throughout their lives. Understanding that the challenge in communication is learning the myriad of skills, principles, and theories without being overwhelmed, Beebe, Beebe, and Ivy emphasize five key principles of communication throughout their book: * Be aware of your communication with yourself and others. * Effectively use and interpret verbal messages. * Effectively use and interpret nonverbal messages. * Listen and respond thoughtfully to others. * Appropriately adapt messages to others. Providing both comprehensive and cutting-edge content about communication organized around these five themes, Beebe, Beebe, and Ivy cover all of the topics expected in a manner that will help readers organize the range of material.
Some highlighted features with this edition include:
- Pentagon model and icon–introduced in Chapter 1 and appearing on the inside cover and in the margins throughout the book–visually illustrate and help readers see how text material relates to the five communication principles. The visual design and usefulness of the model and icon have been refined and improved in the fourth edition, better integrating these fundamental principles and their relationship to all communication contexts.
- “Ethics and Communication” box in every chapter emphasizes ethical principles and encourages readers to explore ethical issues.
- “Technology and Communication” box in every chapter presents cutting-edge information about the increasingly important role of computer-mediated communication in society.
- “Diversity and Communication” box in every chapter enriches the readers understanding about the critical role that diversity plays in communication.
- “Developing Your Speech Step by Step” boxes in the presentational unit illustrate a path toward creating and delivering an effective speech.
- “On the Web” boxes at the end of every chapter point to websites where readers can find further online information to enrich their study of communication.
- “Principles for a Lifetime: Enhancing Your Skills” summaries highlight the connection between chapter topics and the five communication principles.