Joshua Chen Recitation Leader: Bingjuan Xiong Recitation 122, 12-12:50 PM 8/23/11 Reading Questions Week 1 1.

The four-part working definition intrigued me, in part because it specifically targeted areas of communication that are not often considered. Therefore, it was helpful for me personally, as I had always believed that while communication happens in many different ways, its basic essence remains the same. My initial belief was simple: information is either relayed between the parties involved, or not. Failure to relay ones thoughts, ideas, etc was simply known as miscommunication and results from one or more groups shortcomings. After reading the article that Professor Simonson sent us, I began to realize that communication is truly not as one-sided as it seems; rather it is a multifaceted affair involving many unique combinations of four parts (modes, media, actions and the phenomena affected). In particular, the definition left me with a curiosity of how it is possible that since there are so many ways in which people communicate, are there certain methods of communication that are more effective than others? How does one become a more effective communicator? Part B piqued my curiosity in that I wondered why it is easier for some people to communicate online, but difficult to engage in a face-to-face conversation, and vice versa for others. Out of all four parts, the one most important to me is A (the modes of communication), because I feel that it is crucial to communicate as effectively a possible the first time so that what is being corresponded is not misconstrued and/or misunderstood. 2. Using SHAPE, I picked two of the five ways to approach communication, specifically event and process. According to the SHAPE, in order to call something an event, one must draw boundaries around it order that it has a set beginning and end. The set period that I chose to explore for my first day of classes, were from the time I first woke up to the time I went to bed. This year, I have chosen to live in the dorms again, which means that I am continually meeting new people, making friends but also continuing the friendships that I have already established. All of these are mini events in and of themselves. One event that I chose to isolate from my first day was playing guitar with my friend John for about one hour. Since an event has a set beginning and ending, the boundaries of the event can be clearly seen at the start time of 8 in the evening, and subsequently ending at 9:15. While it initially began as just the two of us, soon we had other people that joined us to listen to the music that we were playing. Therefore, it was an event that involved me, John and several other people (Who?) in which music was shared (Says what? To whom?) and was a clear example of a face to face interaction (What channels or media?). The process of the event is equally important because it allows us to see how things in the past have affected the present and how they in turn affect the future. If

we look before my first day of school, we note that I had already established friendships with my current friend group, and by continuing to hang out with them, I am maintaining the status quo between them and I. This thereby retains the ordinary state of affairs. Last night, I ate dinner with my friends, because it was not only a familiar thing to do, but also because we each understood our place as people that had known each other already. Most people by now have understood one anothers personalities, how we are supposed to behave, and what is acceptable or taboo as far as topics of conversation. However, what was different about this year was that I had met some new people, and as a result, it was important for me to effectively communicate (face-to-face) in order that I could see if they were truly people that I wanted to be around. The dinner represented a process in that it either allowed me to get closer to my friends (which it did) or draw certain boundaries around the new people I had met and whether or not I wanted to continue a friendsup with them in the future. 3. At 11:00 A.M. yesterday, I was studying in the library. The moment was an event, because I can say that I was in the library for a set period of time, and because it had a beginning and end, the boundaries of which are easily determined. The library was quiet, and therefore I was able to think about what I was working on without getting distracted by outside noise, friends trying to talk to me, etc. While the short term consequences of working hard mean that I will be able to finish my work in a timely and efficient manner, long term results that I aim for may include getting good grades at the end of the semester, graduating, or finding a job. These were simply processes. Habits included being quiet and not talking loudly as well as attempting to work as hard as possible without getting distracted. Traditionally, a library usually fosters a quiet and positive work environment. Most people go to a college library to find somewhere quiet to study, and/or work on their homework. Loudly socializing, on the other hand, is not. Because of this, society has dictated that this is acceptable behavior and thereby is an unspoken structure that has become a social norm. There may be art in this moment, seen by my desire and drive to excel and do my assignments well, but also in that I was able to remain quiet for others, thereby keeping the status quo of the library relatively similar to before I arrived. While interactions with others certainly can provide more opportunity for art to be seen, being by myself and working is certainly an art in itself. 4. Recently, as part of my COMM 1210 course, I was assigned a communication diary assignment. Before completing it, I had always viewed communication as more talking to people or others in a variety of ways, but not necessarily just thinking to oneself. After filling out the diary yesterday, I was confronted by the fact that much of my day is spent just quietly thinking to myself. In addition to this, I also noticed the ways in which the technology has changed communication a great deal, as well as how for many people communication is less and less face-to-face and more and more phone-to-phone. This is not to say that technology is a bad thing, however I think that if not used in the right way, it could easily become more of a hindrance rather than a help. Most of my interactions yesterday were face-to-face, and I realized that because of that, it is easier to know how to respond, as you can not only gauge

the other persons emotions, but also their tone, etc. As a result, it made me happy that I do not text, and because of that, I am able to enrich my interactions with different people through personal actions. I am glad that the communication diary offered me an opportunity to examine my own lifestyle and how I relate to others and the world around me. 5. For me personally, music has played a huge role in my life, as not only is it a form of creative expression, but also as a form of art that engages the both the listener and the performer at the same time. Music engages almost all audiences, as it is one type of communication that almost always elicits some sort of response from its audience. It is my way of easing stress, and I always make an effort to play some sort of music everyday, whether it is my own personal instruments or the music of other people. Music is one aspect of my life that I enjoy talking about, think about and one that pervades all of who I am personally. How does music relate to my education, despite the fact I am not majoring in it? I am in college to broaden my worldview, to learn from the experiences of others and to acquire skills that I can use for the betterment the lives of those that I meet, as well as myself. So while there may be something special in all of us, what drives me the most is my desire to succeed, meet others with new and fresh perspectives and to be open to considering what everyone has to say, even if I dont agree with them. By taking the time to talk to others and see the way that they think, it is often possible to engage both your senses and your brain. And for me, music has been the first and foremost jumping off point that helps me to connect with everyone in some way or another.