Introduction to Interpersonal Communication
Department of Communication Studies
Eastern Illinois University
Course Information:
Course: CMN 2630-001
Semester: Fall 2016
Credit: 3 credit hours
Meeting Times: TR 11:00-12:15 pm
Location: 1721 Coleman Hall
Contact Information:
Professor: Elizabeth Gill, PhD
Office: 2060 Coleman Hall
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: MTWR 1-2pm, or by appt.
Teaching Assistant: Kelli Halfman
Office: 1420 Coleman Hall
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: by appointment
Course Description:
Language and behavior analysis serve as a vehicle for exploring interpersonal communication
through lecture and discussion. Students are exposed to principles of human communication
with special emphasis placed on critical thinking as a tool for improving everyday
communication skills and avoiding misunderstandings.
Course Materials:
 Trenholm, S., & Jensen, A. (2013). Interpersonal Communication. New York: Oxford
University Press.
 Additional assigned readings (accessible via D2L).
Course Objectives:
After taking this course, students will be able to…
1. Identify and evaluate components of interpersonal communication.
2. Demonstrate interpersonal communication competence and assess interpersonal
communication competence in others.
3. Produce and analyze interpersonal messages and interactions in various contexts.
4. Illustrate the developmental and terminating processes of relationships.
5. Understand the development and maintenance of familial, friend, romantic, and
workplace relationships.
6. Illustrate strong listening skills in conversation with others.
7. Examine nonverbal communication during various interactions.
8. Identify cultural influences in everyday language and communicative behaviors.
9. Manage interpersonal conflict episodes in a variety of contexts.
Course Policies:
Attendance
You will be expected to attend each class period. However, attendance will not be taken. Your
participation in class will prove beneficial to your overall learning experience. While prior
notifications of anticipated absences are not required, please note absences may result in a loss
of points because you will be missing in-class assignments that cannot be made up.
If you miss class, you are responsible for obtaining class notes and assignment information
from another student. It is not the instructor’s responsibility to remind you that you were
absent or to re-present material to you. You are expected to stay informed and to keep up with
the class assignments. Remember, you may not make-up missed in-class assignments.
Class preparation
Read assigned materials prior to class in order to be prepared to discuss the readings among
your classmates. The assumption that you have completed the assigned readings forms the
basis of the class. Students are held accountable for ideas expressed in the reading materials
that are not discussed in class. Please ask questions about material you have read that you do
not understand. Students are also responsible for instructional materials including readings,
discussion content, lecture material, handouts, and video content, etc.
Assignments & late work
It is expected that you complete all assignments and exams by the assigned due dates. Course
assignments, with the exception of in-class activities, are due at the beginning of class. Student
work that is submitted at the end of class is considered late. A late paper will receive a letter
grade reduction for each day (not class session) it is late.
*If you plan to be absent on a day an assignment is due, you must hand in the assignment early in
order to avoid any grade deductions.
Incompletes
Granting a grade of incomplete occurs only under very stringent conditions (e.g., serious illness
or accident). Students who experience an extended absence should inquire about withdrawal
from the university.
In-class writing prompts/activities
In-class writing prompts and activities cannot be made-up. In order to receive a grade, the
student must be present for the entire class period. In-class work is typically unannounced and
covers the material from that class session. These assignments aim to measure your level of
comprehension of the course material.
Make-up exams
Exams can only be made-up if you have documented proof of a university excused absence.
Make-up exams occur at the instructor’s discretion and may take a form different from the
missed exam distributed in class.
Email communication
The Department of Communication Studies requires each student to use his/her university
email address for any class, department, college, or university email correspondence. Students
must acknowledge that certain communication correspondence may be time critical. “I did not
check my email” is not an acceptable excuse for missing department/course communication
sent via email. Course communication is typically also posted on d2l.
Technology use
Do not use cell phones during class time and do not place them on your desk. Please inform the
instructor of an emergency requires the use of such devices and take precautions to minimize
disruptions. Additionally, students wishing to audio or video record class sessions must inform
the instructor. You will receive a final grade deduction of 10 percent for each infraction of this
policy.
Academic integrity
Students are expected to maintain principles of academic integrity and conduct as defined in
EIU’s Code of Conduct (hhtp://eiu.edu/judicial/studentconductcode.php).
*Violations will be reported to the Office of Student Standards.
Plagiarism and cheating
Plagiarism and/or cheating are specific instances of academic misconduct. In addition to being
reported to the Office of Student Standards, they will result in a “0” for the assignment and
probably failure of the course.
Plagiarism includes activities such as the following:
 Copying word for word
 Paraphrasing without citing its author
 Failing to attribute information to its original source (including to cite ideas,
organizational arrangement, quotes, etc.)
Submitted assignments should be your original work and not presented in another class.
Cheating includes activities such as using unauthorized materials or assistance, using other
students’ ideas and words within your own paper, copying work from other students,
misrepresenting and/or falsifying data, and not completing your own work.
Campus Resources:
Office of Student Disabilities Services
If you are a student with a documented disability in need of accommodations to fully
participate in this class, please contact the Office of Student Disability Services (OSDS). All
accommodations must be approved through OSDS.
Please stop by Ninth Street Hall, Room 2006, or call 217-581-6583.
Student Success Center
Students experiencing difficulty achieving their academic goals are encouraged to contact the
Student Success Center (www.eiu.edu/~success) for assistance with time management, testing
taking, note taking, avoiding procrastination, setting goals, and other skills to support
academic achievement.
The Student Success Center provides individualized consultations. To make an appointment,
call 217-581-6696, or go to Ninth Street Hall, Room 1302.
Writing Center
This free service provides one-to-one conferences with writing center consultants who can help
you with brainstorming, organizing, developing support, documenting your papers, and
working with sentence-level concerns. The writing center is open to help any student from any
major at any stage of his or her writing process, and its system of one-on-one conferences
demonstrates value and respect for individual writers, all of whom can benefit from feedback
about their works in progress.
EIU's Writing Center is located in Coleman Hall, Room 3110. To schedule an appointment, you
can drop by the center or call 217-581-5929. The Writing Center is open Monday through
Thursday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. On Friday hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 1
p.m.
Course Grading Scale:
Grade
A
B
C
D
F
Percentage
100-90%
89-80%
79-70%
69-60%
≤ 59%
Points Breakdown:
Theory/concept facilitation
Relationship journal entries (10 points each)
Expectancy Violations Theory project
In-class writing prompts (20 points each)
Exams (100 points each)
Final project & presentation
Total:
25 points
50 points
75 points
100 points
300 points
200 points
750 points
Student Responsibilities:
Theory/concept facilitation
Students will be put into pairs and work together to uncover a thought-provoking and/or
intriguing application of either an interpersonal communication theory or concept that relates
to the chapter you are assigned. As a dyad, you will present your discoveries for the beginning
10-15 minutes of the first class period we discuss the chapter. These applications should
generate some discussion that you will need to facilitate.
Relationship journal entries
Throughout the semester, you will be asked to write five journal entries. Each entry will be
written in connection to one specific relationship in your life. This relationship can be between a
family member, a romantic partner, a friend, a roommate, a co-worker, etc. It is highly
recommended that you choose a relationship where the two of you communicate at least
once a week. I also suggest you choose to journal about a relationship you are hoping to
strengthen throughout the semester.
Each journal entry will focus on interpersonal communication competencies (i.e. message
competence, interpretive competence, role competence, self competence, and goal
competence). There are no length requirements for these entries. They will be graded on
quality rather than quantity.
Expectancy Violations Theory project
For this project, you will be selecting a social norm (or social expectation) that you will violate,
with the approval of your instructor. Once you have gained approval, you are expected to
violate the social norm in a public space. It is then your responsibility to document your
experience on video. You will be provided with a handout that explains the expectations for this
project as well as what you should be discussing in your video.
In-class writing prompts
In addition to in-class lectures and activities, you will be responsible for five in-class writing
prompts. These writing prompts will assess your ability to make connections from course
content to the readings posted on D2L. Please note: these in-class assignments cannot be
made up for ANY reason.
Exams
There will be three exams administered during the semester. Each exam is worth 100 points.
The questions asked may include both objective and open-ending questions. These exams
cannot be made up, unless the instructor has been notified prior to the exam date.
Final project & presentation
For the final course assignment, students will take part in a “looking-glass self” creative project
and presentation. The looking-glass self is defined as “the self that comes to us from others”
(Trenholm & Jensen, 2013, p. 164).
This assignment will require you to create a scrapbook, documentary, poem, song, board game,
etc. that reflects your sense of self through interactions with others. Knowledge you have
acquired in class throughout the semester will need to be incorporated in your project.
*More details on this project will be provided.
Course Calendar:
*In the event that the professor or the university cancels class, students should assume the
assignments due on that day will be due at the start of the following class period. Students are
expected to check their d2l and Panthermail account for messages concerning the cancellation. If
necessary, the course schedule will be adjusted accordingly.
Date
8/23
8/25
8/30
9/1
9/6
9/8
9/13
Chapter/ Topic
Introduction to Interpersonal Communication
Chapter 1: Communication & Competence
Chapter 2: Building Interpersonal Relationships
Chapter 2: Building Interpersonal Relationships
Chapter 3: Nonverbal Communication
Chapter 3: Nonverbal Communication
Chapter 4: Language and IPC
9/15
9/20
9/22
9/27
9/29
10/4
10/6
10/11
10/13
10/18
10/20
10/25
10/27
11/1
11/3
11/8
11/10
11/15
11/17
11/22
11/24
11/29
12/1
Chapter 4: Language and IPC
EXAM (Chapters 1-4)
Chapter 5: Listening
D2L reading: Covey
Chapter 6: Perceiving/Interpreting Social Worlds
Chapter 6: Perceiving/Interpreting Social Worlds
Chapter 7: Meeting Social Expectations
Chapter 7 & D2L reading: Brown
Chapter 8: Establishing Individual Identities
D2L reading: Jay (part I)
EXAM (Chapters 5-8)
Chapter 9: Achieving Personal & Relational Goals
Chapter 9: Achieving Personal & Relational Goals
Chapter 10: Understanding Family Relationships
Chapter 10: Understanding Family Relationships
Chapter 11: Creating Intimate Relationships
D2L reading: Jay (part II)
Chapter 12: Managing Professional Relationships
Chapter 13: IPC, Culture, & Change
Thanksgiving Break – No class
Thanksgiving Break – No class
D2L reading: Carnegie
Final project presentations
Assignment(s) Due
EVT project idea
Relationship journal #1
Relationship journal #2
Relationship journal #3
EVT project
Relationship journal #4
Relationship journal #5
Final project
12/6
12/8
12/12
Final project presentations
Final project presentations
Monday, December 12th 10:15-12:15 pm
FINAL EXAM (Chapters 9-13)