This course will focus on communication with the context of marriage and families by examining theoretical approaches and related research. Students will develop research papers focusing on a particular question related to family and marital communication. Senior Seminar courses represent the highest level coursework an undergraduate student takes. Your performance in this course draws upon and reflects the accumlated knowledge and skill you have acquired as an undergraduate. Each student is expected to display a high level of competence in being able to read and comprehend challenging material, participate effectively in intellectual discussions, analyze and critique information, and identify and investigate unique communication questions. In this seminar those competencies will be displayed within the context of the course topic: family and marital communication.

• To understand the fundamental theories related to marital and family communication.
• To understand and appreciate the complexity of researching marital and family communication.
• To understand how interpersonal communication concepts and theories apply to marriage and families.
• To successfully develop a unique theoretical question related to communication in marriage or the family and design a manner to investigate it.

This is a seminar course which means the class will rely primarily on a discussion format. Each student is expected to come prepared to participate in discussion about the given reading or assignment. The class will be successful only if you and the other students are adequately prepared for each day’s discussion.

Noller, P. & Fiztpatrick, M. A. (1993). Communication in family relationships. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

A reading packet is available at the University Bookstore.

Readings: You are to complete the reading for the day assigned. The reading will serve as the focus for discussion. Please see that you are adequately prepared for detailed discussion of the readings.

Daily Article Papers : (10 pts each) For each day’s reading you will be assigned a question on which you are to write a one page response (1 inch margins, double spaced, 12 pt font). THESE WILL BE COLLECTED PERIODICALLY without advance notice (that is, on some days your responses will not be collected). No late papers will be accepted. Permission can be obtained to submit your paper early (You are limited to a maximum of two such opportunities). Your lowest score will be dropped for one paper.

Synthesis Papers/Exams: (50 pts each) There will be three synthesis papers/examinations which require you to answer specific questions based upon that class segment’s readings and class discussion/lecture. Points will be deducted for late papers proportionate to their lateness.

Research Paper: (100 pts). You are to develop a final research paper that focuses on some particular issue related to communication in marriage or families. This paper can be an expanded and in-depth examination of some topic covered during the term, or be another issue that you have an interest in studying. This paper can draw upon any of the materials covered in class; in addition, you are to incorporate material from FIVE additional research or theory articles that you have found (three can be internet accessed, but two must be directly from library bound journals). These need to be legitimate, refereed research or theory articles (they CANNOT be personal testimonies or articles from trade publications. If in doubt, check with me). Copies of your articles are to be submitted along with the final paper. You are to use appropriate APA format.

YOU CAN PAIR WITH ONE OTHER STUDENT TO DO THIS AS A TEAM PROJECT (if you do, you can unilaterally abandon your partner at any time and do this as an individual project if you don’t feel your partner is contributing equally). Both partners are expected to contribute equally and will be graded accordingly.

Research Paper Presentation: Each student will present an overview of his or her research paper to the rest of the class. Each student will have eight minutes to present important findings and a description of their planned study. The use of overheads is encouraged. Each presentation will be followed by questions and discussion.

Article Review Examination: A multiple choice/short answer exam will be given during the final exam period over the student research article presentations. It behooves you to pay careful attention to the student presentations, to ask questions to insure understanding, and to take notes to assist your memory.

Grading:

1. Daily Article Papers: ~ 9 collected; 8 grades count at 10 pts each 80 pts.

2. Synthesis Papers 3 at 50 pts each 150 pts.

3. Research Paper 100 pts.

4. Research Paper Presentation 20 pts.

4. Article Review Exam 20 pts.

Total 370 pts

Final course grades are based on your total average for the above assignments; however, YOU MUST GET AT LEAST A "D" AVERAGE IN EACH OF THE FIVE COMPONENTS TO PASS THE COURSE. (In other words, if you had a total of 277 pts (75%) from the first four components, but skipped the article review exam--you would receive an "F" for the course).

Determine your grade at any time by dividing the number of points possible by your accumulated total. The following scale will be used:

100-93 = A 92-90 = A 89-87 = B+ 86-83 = B 80-82 = B- 79-77 = C+ 76-73 = C 72-70 = C- 69-67 = D+ 66-63 = D 62-60 = D- 59- 0 = F

Oct 21 Defining Family, Marriage, and Communication. Chapt. 1

Oct 23 Models of Family Communication Chapt. 2

Oct 25 Theories of Family Communication Chapt. 3

Oct 28 Continued theoretical perspective of family & marriage Readings 1

Oct 30 Theory and Model of Marriage and Communication Chapt. 10, Reading 2

Nov 1 Methods of researching marriage and family comm. Chapt. 4

Nov 4 Affection and intimacy in families Chapt 5 Synth Paper #1 Due

Nov 6 Conflict in family and marriage Chapt 6

Nov 8 Conflict in marriage continued Reading 3

Nov 11 Power and Control in families Chapt. 7

Nov 13 Decision-making in families Chapt. 8

Nov 15 Communication and marital satisfaction Chapt. 9

Nov 18 Communication strategies for maintaining a marriage. Reading 4 Synth Paper #2 Due

Nov 20 Communication in parent-child relationships Chapt. 11

Nov 22 NO CLASS. Individual work/research time for research paper.

Dec 2 Communication in sibling relationships. Chapt. 12

Dec 4 Communication in nontraditional family forms Chapt. 13

Dec 6 Communication in blended families Reading 5.

Dec 9 Student Presentations

Dec 11 Student Presentations Synth Paper #3 Due

Dec 13 Student Presentations

Dec. 16 (Monday of Finals Week) 4:00 PM Research Paper Due

Dec. 17 (Tuesday of Finals Week) 8:30-9:30AM-- Exam over student presentations.

PROBLEMS OR DIFFICULTIES CAN USUALLY BE RESOLVED SATISFACTORILY IF THEY ARE ADDRESSED EARLY. PROBLEMS AFTER THE FACT OR IGNORED TILL THE LAST MINUTE WILL BE TREATED UNSYMPATHETICALLY.