Take a moment and imagine yourself as a social scientist.
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TEACH as you write: Apply theoretical constructs in order to analyze verbal & nonverbal communication behavior that illustrates and confirms (or contradicts) the course material.
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REQUIRED FORMAT for the analysis essay:
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Within EACH paragraph/start of section: (1) define or clarify the constructs (and cite the source) you are using as the basis for your analysis, (2) describe the situation and communication behavior in detail while applying and analyzing the construct(s) as you have seen or experienced them in your examples, then (3) give your interpretation of the meaning, importance and/or implications regarding what you have just analyzed OR evaluate the behaviors analyzed: what was done well or might have been done differently to improve communication?
Lastly, format-wise, (4) make sure to clearly identify ALL constructs - use bold font to emphasize the theoretical construct terms, use a two-line single-spaced header but use double-spacing in the body of the essay (filling up each of the pages) and have YOUR clever title, not my assignment description at the top.
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Use good writing skills: a clear thesis, thoughtful main points, and detailed support. Your intro can be short and your conclusion should wrap it up nicely (or focus on the future?), but don’t bother summarizing what you already said again in the conclusion. You don’t want to waste that space – use it for a better ending!
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Analysis/Application Essay #2 - With YOUR own clever title!
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Relational Dialectics & Maintenance Behaviors:
How have you seen how maintenance behaviors (Canary, et. al) are used in each of the three relational dialectics (Baxter, et. al.) to improve/continue the relationship? Look at a real-life relationship that you are in currently, have had in the past, or are particularly familiar with. (Not media depictions or textbook examples.) You can analyze a friendship, family, or love relationship - but pick only ONE relationship to analyze deeply.
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“Set the scene” in your intro paragraph by giving at least a little background on the relationship or situation. In the body, be specific when describing behaviors! Did/do you two choose similar behaviors and attitudes for each of these dialectics, or were/are there distinctly different expectations? How are these communicated in the relationship? What did/do the relational partners (lovers, friends, family members, coworkers) have as influences? Is your (or their) cultural background a factor? For your conclusion, wrap it up with your "takeaways" from this analysis. Reminder: Don't use these questions as prompts to be answered in a list - use them to brainstorm your thoughtful, detailed analysis of communication choices in action!
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You'll have THREE major sections that will integrate the relational dialectics with some relational maintenance behaviors.
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The paper's "body" will consist of three big sections on relational dialectics: I. Autonomy vs. Connection; II. Expressiveness vs. Privacy; and III. Change vs.Predictability. Use in whatever order works best for your analysis. At or near the start of each section, you'll need to identify which "end" of the dialectic continuum each relational partner is on: "My communication indicates (lots of/some/not much of) the _________________ (one end of a dialectic). Partner/friend prefers (lots of/some/not much of) __________________ (same or opposite end dialectic). Given that, I'd say that our relationship would be __________ on the continuum (on one end, the other end, or in the middle - but remember that the relational dialectic is usually determined by the partner who is more habitual, more independent, and less communicative).
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You'll need to explain each analysis point by establishing which relational maintenance strategies each person uses to manage any dialectical tensions or unmet needs. (See below.) You're analyzing the balance you two are working out...or not!
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Within each section, you must support your analysis with one or two of the relationship maintenance behaviors detailed in the textbook (make sure to support with a description + cite). Use the table in the Close Relationships chapter to choose the behaviors that help or hurt the dialectics of the relationship you're analyzing.
INSTRUCTIONS
Format
- I'm asking you to follow regarding content - it's not an MLA or APA sort of thing.
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Also, please don't forget: Make sure to be caught up on the readings as well as the e-Resources in the modules leading up to this assignment before attempting it.
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The essay descriptions have “thought questions” to get you brainstorming, but that's not how you set up the analysis points. However, you are choosing a set of 3 or 4 ideas/constructs from the textbook, lecture, or other course e-Resources which you will use as the basis of your analysis. Start by after naming them in your thesis, defining/briefly explaining them at the start of each paragraph, proving them by applying to comm behavior, and discussing meaning or outcomes. Please DO NOT treat the descriptions like a list of questions to answer one by one as though you are a middle school student - use them to craft a thoughtful analysis of the constructs covered in this section!
Use good writing skills: a clear thesis, thoughtful main points, and detailed support. Your intro can be short ("set the scene" or give a bit of background) and your conclusion should wrap it up nicely (focus on the future?), but don’t bother simplistically summarizing in the conclusion. You don’t want to waste that space – use it for a better ending!
*See the samples or excerpts from student work, which will give you an idea of how it's done. It helps to see how others have done these analyses well, but do NOT copy from their (or anyone else's) work - plagiarism is not allowed in my classes!
Rubric
Comm Analysis Rubric (updated Jan 2021) (3)
Comm Analysis Rubric (updated Jan 2021) (3)