CST 110 Individual Paper 2
Interpersonal communications Paper
Purpose:
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate your understanding of the ideas surrounding interpersonal communication. The paper will require you to analyze an interpersonal relationship using communication concepts/theories and principles from the text and lectures.
You are to analyze interpersonal communication principles and concepts in the development, maintenance and possibly the deterioration of a long term significant relationship. The relationship you choose to write about can be one that you are currently engaged in, or one that has already ended. It should, however, be a fairly recent one, not a relationship you had in grade school. It can be a friendship relationship or a romantic relationship. You don’t need to disclose any information you are not comfortable with disclosing.
- 50 points
- 4-6 pages, double-spaced, 12-point non-decorative font
- Minimum of 3 sources required (citations in works cited or bibliography)
Content:
This paper involves more than just simply summarizing the development of a relationship. While you will want to offer some description of the relationship; the MAIN emphasis should be on how it has developed in communication between two people. You should organize your paper into the following three parts:
1.0 Introduction:
Describe the relationship. Who are the participants? What is the history of the relationship? What is the current status of the relationship? This information should be relatively brief. Next, preview the body of the paper by indicating which terms/concepts/ theories you will use to analyze which part of the relationship. (i.e,, Attraction theory to describe how the relationship began and developed or Knapp’s stage model to analyze the entirety of the relationship from start to finish).
2.0 Body:
In this section of the paper you will analyze the relationship using interpersonal communication concepts, terms, topics, etc. This is by far the longest section of the paper.
- Select at least two concepts that we have discussed in class or that were in your reading and apply it to your relationship. You may discuss these concepts and how they affected the communication in your relationship as you take us through the stages or you may want to discuss them apart from the stages in terms of how they have played out in your relationship. Use evidence to support your claims and use it in each stage—using direct quotes from the text and specific examples from your relationship. Failing to give evidence will significantly affect your grade.
- Some concepts you might consider discussing include: nonverbal communication, verbal communication, relational messages, conflicting perceptions, listening, culture, self-disclosure, attraction, trust, schemas, investments, stages, conflict, and dialectics.
3.0 Conclusion:
This section includes a brief summary of the body of the paper. End the paper with some reflections on your relationship, and what you learned as a result of this analysis.
Evaluation:
Papers will be based on 3 criteria. First, papers must demonstrate an understanding of the interpersonal communication concept. Second, papers must analyze how these interpersonal communication topics apply to your particular relationship both accurately and in some depth. Third, papers must be well organized and demonstrate effective writing mechanics and style. Cite your sources/quotes in the text and include a reference page. All CST 110 Individual Paper 2 should be submitted before the deadline.