1. How often is writing used in communication?

1. Writing is used often with communication. It is a major form of communication.

Whether you are texting, emailing, writing a letter or even just writing a note to
someone, you are writing and therefore using a form of communication.

2. What level of writing do you believe students need to excel in communications?

2. Well, my first instinct is to say a college level is best to prepare students to excel in
communication. But, it really depends on whom you are trying to communicate with.
The best level is the level that gets your message across to the other party.

3. What can I do to best prepare myself for writing in communications?

3. Practice, practice, practice. I say Anything you practice, you get good at. If you
want to write well, then practice. I also think that reading will also help with writing.

4. What classes do you teach/have you taught?

4. I have taught Public Speaking, Group Discussion, Small Group, Communication and
the American Culture, Intercultural Communication, Interpersonal Communication,
Gender and Communication, The Communication Experience.

5. What was your writing experience in college?

5. My writing experience, well, one of my first classes on the Sac State campus was a
government class with Professor Joe Serna. I had to write an essay for part of my
midterm for his class. I earned a C on that essay with a note from him which read,
Come see me in my office hour. I was scared to death! But, I went. He told me
that being a woman, being Latina, I could not be writing at a C level, I had to do
better. I had to work harder on my writing. After that, I practiced, re-read everything
I wrote. On my final for his class, which also included an essay, I earned an A.

6. Is being a good writer important in communications?

6. Being a good writer is very important in communication. In order to get your
thoughts across to someone else you need to be able to write well.

7. Is there a preferred writing style in Communications?

7. I dont think there is a preferred writing style, it really depends on who you are
communicating with.

8. What are the biggest challenges in Communications?

8. The biggest challenges in communication is believing that just because one can
speak and hear, one can communicate well. This is not always the case. There are
people who think they can just wing-it through communication classes. They soon
find out that that is not the case.

9. What fieldwork or internships do you recommend?

9. I recommend internships in whatever aspects of communication studies you would
like to have as a career. If you are interested in journalism, then intern at a
newspaper or TV station. If you are interested in PR, then intern at a PR company. I
strongly suggest to students that they do an internship as it helps them get in the
door so when they graduate they might have an opportunity to get hired.

10. Which Coms classes focus more on writing?

10. ComS 100B, Critical Analysis of Messages, focus on writing. Students take
messages and analyze them which leads to writing their own paper. Most classes has
some sort of writing involved, whether it is one paper or a number of things, there is
writing involved in most ComS classes.

11. How many years of education did it take you to get your coms degree?
11. I earned my BA in ComS in 5 years of undergrad. I earned my MA in ComS in
three years. So that is eight years total.

12. How long have you been a teacher here at Sac State?
12. I started teaching here at Sac State back when I was in Grad School. That was
1994. I first started as a Teaching Associate, teaching my own classes of Public
Speaking. I stayed on after I graduated. Except for taking a few years off when I had
my youngest child, Ive been here. Since I am only Part-time here, I am also teaching
at American River College and have been there many years as well.