Category: Nursing

Discussion – Nature of Man

Jun 16 – Jun 22

Discussion Activity 1 – Founding Fathers and Mothers

Jun 16 – Jun 22

Discussion Activity 2 – Federalism

Jun 16 – Jun 22

Discussion Activity 3 – Interest Group

Jun 16 – Jun 29

Discussion Activity 4 – Political Parties

Jun 16 – Jul 6

Discussion Activity 5 – Electoral College

Jun 16 – Jul 13

Discussion Activity 6 – Role Play as a House or Senate Party Officer

Jun 16 – Jul 20

Discussion Activity 7 – Federal Legislation

Jun 16 – Jul 20

Discussion Activity 8 – Evaluation of current President in Roles played by a Modern President

Jun 16 – Jul 27

Discussion Activity 9 – Role-play as a current U.S. Supreme Court Justice

Contains unread posts

Jun 16 – Aug 3

Must post first.

 

 

Graded discussion – 20 points

Discussion Activity 9 – Role-play as a current U.S. Supreme Court Justice

Role Play as a current U.S. Supreme Court Justice. Share information on your justice (background, experiences, cases participated in etc.). Also, please share what you found most interesting about the justice you selected. This should be no more than two short paragraphs! Please note the reference(s) you used in preparing your posting at the end of your posting .

Detailed directions are found in the Discussion Forum, “Monocle Restaurant” section located under Course Overview.

Make sure to check out the grading information as well.

 

 

You must start a thread before you can read and reply to other threads

Discussion Activity 10 – Bill of Rights

Contains unread posts

Jun 16 – Aug 3

Must post first.

 

 

Graded discussion – 20 points

Discussion Activity 10 – Bill of Rights

In this Discussion Activity, you will research and write a short essay on how the federal government is addressing the problem of human trafficking (modern slavery). Please note your reference(s) you used in preparing your posting at the end of your posting.

Detailed directions are found in the Discussion Forum, “Monocle Restaurant” section located under Course Overview.

Make sure to check out the grading information as well.

 

 

You must start a thread before you can read and reply to other threads

Influence of Special Interests in America

What is the best way to minimize the influence of factions in a free society? 
Since the founding of our nation, Americans have been concerned about the conflict factions can cause in our society and that a particular group or coalition of groups could try to dominate our government to promote their own interest at the expense of other smaller groups or individual liberty.

You may remember that James Madison in 
Federalist
 
#10
 
analyzed the question of how can we have a democratic society where people are the source of power and yet minimize the influence of factions on our leaders? Madison’s solution was not to destroy liberty which permitted factions to exist, but to “control” them by establishing a 
federal Republic
, a representative democracy.

The idea was that our elected representatives, unlike ourselves, would be able to listen more objectively to lobbyists and constituents alike. Interest groups would have to compete with one another for the attention of the Congressperson, President, or Mayor. Madison argued that the more factions the better. It would be less likely that a majority could find a common interest and try to promote it.

Today those factions are known as 
interest groups
 or “
special interests
.” In a later lesson, you will also learn that factions are also 
political parties
.

There are certainly more interest groups than our founding fathers could have possibly foreseen and today our representatives in government meet everyday with lobbyists representing businessmen, farmers, doctors, nurses, teachers, lawyers, paralegals, laborers, senior citizens, and gun owners to name just a few.

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Yet not one interest group dominates our federal government. There are days when Congress passes laws that favor business over labor and yet on other days Congress passes laws that provide greater protections for laborers.

For example, big business for all its corporate PAC contributions or highly paid lobbyists does not always win the day. I am not saying that money and a good team of lobbyists don’t help, of course they do. However, political contributions 
“buy
 
access”
 
– a lobbyist will get to meet and talk with a Congressman but it doesn’t guarantee that the representative will vote for a bill that supports the interest group’s position. There are many other influences on a member of Congress’ vote.

You may remember Enron Corporation, the energy giant, made campaign contributions to both Republican and Democratic parties/candidates during the 1990’s and turn of this century, and one of its Corporate officers made a phone call to the Commerce Department to get the government to bail the company out of bankruptcy. The Bush Administration did not help the company out of financial difficulties, but began a fraud investigation. So money doesn’t always buy influence Influence of Special Interests in America.

However, it appears that it did in the case of Rep. Randy Cunningham’s (R-CA), a member of the House Armed Services Committee. In December 2005, he was indicted for accepting bribes from defense contractors. Unfortunately, this case reinforces the idea that everyone on government “has his price and is on the take.” Questions were raised regarding how closely some Members of Congress worked with super lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Congressman Bob Ney pled guilty and was sentence to 30 days in jail and required to pay a $6,000 fine for conspiracy and making false statements and he admitted he used his Congressional office to assist Abramoff for gifts, trips, campaign contributions, etc. (Siedman, Joseph. “
Ex-Rep. Ney gets 30-months in jail, $6,000 fine
,” NBC News, January 20, 2007).  We will discuss Congress’ efforts to tighten up its gift and travel rules and strengthen lobbying disclosure requirements in our next lesson.

Here is an interview with Jack Abramoff, notorious lobbyist, on the influence of special interests.

Jack Abramoff: The lobbyist’s playbook

How can Interest Groups Benefit Americans?

Interest groups play an 
educative and representational role
 that benefits all of us. If you join an organization like the Sierra Club, an environmental group, it will notify you about legislation being considered by Congress, for example, on drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Reserve.

While you are busy going to school, working, or raising a family or just “having a life” lobbyists will advocate on your behalf to pass or defeat bills that either benefit or harm the environment. We don’t just have our Congressman to represent us in Washington, but private organizations that promote our concerns.

Is Every Group an Interest Group? — No
.

An interest group is defined as:

“{a} collection of people who share a common interest or attitude and seek to influence government for specific ends,”
 
e.g. promote issue(s) like education and the environment (Magleby, 
Government by the People 2018 Elections
, 26 edition, 565).

Interest groups can be corporations, labor unions, trade associations, agriculture, business or professional organizations, single interest groups (gun or abortion), bankers, religious groups, public interest ( Ralph Nader – pro consumer) or ideological groups like the ACLU. Members of these organizations want their group to influence the decisions of our leaders.

They are not the Society for the Daughters of the American Revolution, Knights of Columbus, or the Better Business Bureau. These groups do not make campaign contributions, go to court, or lobby lawmakers. People in these groups do not get together to influence governmental policy.

Also, 
social movements
 are not interest groups because they seek to “
 
change attitudes and institutions”
 
like the women suffragettes and civil rights leaders tried to do in the last century (Magleby). Women and African-Americans were closed out of the political process; they could not vote or run for public office to change existing laws. As a result, they applied pressure from the 
“outside”
 
to bring change.

Today some individuals join movements because they disagree with our leaders’ decisions and are frustrated and disillusioned with the political process.

Movements generally use 
nonmilitant tactics
 
like protesting against the Iraq War by holding up signs on a street corner or by participating in “sit ins” at the local dinners like supporters of the Civil Rights Movement did in the 1960’s. These people feel strongly about an issue, enough to get off the couch and demand change!

These groups sometimes use 
militant
 
or violent activities to bring change. For example, Alice Paul, president of the National Women’s Party, advocated picketing in front of the White House and participating in hunger strikes to get President Wilson and the Democrats to support a federal amendment granting women the right to vote.

Not all groups fall neatly in each category. Some groups are “hybrids” and have characteristics of both interest groups and movements. For example, the abortion groups like Committee on Right to Life are interest groups and work within the political process to influence our leaders. However, there are some people on the fringe who use militant tactics like bombing abortion clinics.

Generally, when movements accomplish their goals, they will become interest groups. Today the National Association of Colored Persons (NAACP) and the National Organization for Women (NOW) advance the cause of African-Americans and women by working 
within
 
the political process.

“
Right to Associate”

The 
First Amendment
 
protects interest groups and movements. These groups can urge our leaders to change or repeal laws because of our 
“right to petition our government for redress of
 
grievances
 
(individuals can criticize our political leaders and their policies and not be thrown in jail).

Since individuals generally join a group to criticize or demand change from our government, the U.S. Supreme Court has held that we also have a 
“right to associate”
 
with one another 
(Magleby) Influence of Special Interests in America.

Listening Styles

We talk about different styles of listening for two important reasons. The first reason is that recognizing the different styles that exist allows us to hone our skills in different directions, to practice adaptability. The second reason is that understanding the different styles of listening will help us recognize when these styles are required. Therefore, we are able to recognize what style of listening is demanded and which skills to use in a particular situation. We are working on becoming more effective listeners

Listening

Over many years of scholarship, many listening scholars have contributed to our understanding of various “styles” or “types” and, while the exact names change, we have been pretty consistent in determining a set of skills that make us better listeners.

Beyond the mindful nature of listening, and the awareness that listening is an active process, we can examine the styles currently used in the LSP-R to see that certain skills are necessary. One is focus, that we can collect and remember information. Another is observation, noticing inconsistencies and errors. We also need to have patience, to hear all that the speaker has to say and give it due consideration before forming judgments. Finally, and some would say most importantly in interpersonal communication, we need to have compassion and a deep understanding of the other.

Those skills show up as four styles, Task-Oriented listening, Critical listening, Analytical listening, and Relational listening. All of these skills are critical if we want to be better listeners. The LSP-R is not about determining what style is best, it is about critically assessing which skills you already have, and which ones you are developing.

Task Oriented Listening

The skills you use here are all about getting something done, which means you are working on the process of listening with a focus on remembering what you heard. See the textbook and LSP-R activity to learn more about this style.

 

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Critical Listening

The goal of critical listening is to evaluate what the speaker is saying. Critical listening is more active since it involves some sort of problem-solving or decision-making. A large part of task-oriented listening deals with getting information – critical listening is about attending to that information and making a judgment. When the word ‘critical’ is used to describe listening, it does not necessarily mean that you believe that the information you are listening to is somehow incorrect or flawed. Critical listening means you are listening and asking yourself questions such as, ‘What is the speaker trying to say?’ or ‘What is the main argument being presented?’ See the textbook and LSP-R activity to learn more about this style.

Analytical Listening

Easily one of the more difficult styles, analytical listening focuses on gathering all of what the speaker has to say, considering it from multiple perspectives, and considering the entire message. Here, we are focused on withholding judgment. For most people, this is the skill that is most difficult to achieve. We have been trained to make quick decisions, and this style demands that we do not decide anything, just that we listen to all of the facts and gather the entire meaning of the message. See the textbook and LSP-R activity to learn more about this style.

Relational Listening

The primary skill in Relational listening is empathy. Empathic listening involves attempting to understand the feelings and emotions of the speaker – to put yourself into the speaker’s shoes and share their thoughts. Empathy is a way of deeply connecting with another person. Empathy is not the same as sympathy, empathy requires that a listener understand another person’s point of view. We will learn more about empathy as a skill in the third module of the course. To learn more about relational listening, see the textbook and LSP-R activity.

 

In this short video, Simon Sinek helps us understand how listening interpersonally works from a relational perspective. [5:12]

Sinek, S. [Simon Sinek]. (2021, Oct 27). 
The Art of Listening 
[Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/qpnNsSyDw-g?si=IIW-pvfTstcuEcYb

Communication Model example

The Model of Communication

There are a number of descriptions and explanations of the transactional model, usually, they are drawing a comparison of the transactional model to earlier models, such as the linear model of communication.  What everyone agrees on is that the transactional model emphasizes that communication is an ongoing, transactional process where two people are
simultaneously
 sending and receiving messages.  This means that we will define each of the elements, such as sender, receiver, and messages.  However, by breaking down the model into elements, it is a bit misleading!  We must constantly remember that this process is dynamic, unique, and messy!  The model makes everything simpler to understand but it cannot fully capture the chaos that exists every time we communicate with someone else.

ModelofCommunication

Senders and Receivers

In any face-to-face conversation, the people talking to each other are simultaneously sending and receiving messages.  The 
sender (transmitter) 
is the person who originates the message and the 
receiver (receptor)
 is the listener.  However, at any time the receiver (person B) might make a face in response to the sender(person A)’s message.  This means that now, person B has sent a nonverbal message to person A, effectively making person B the new sender and person A the new receiver.  For the purposes of simplicity, we usually just decide to refer to the two communicators, who are both sending and receiving messages.

Message

The 
message
 is the verbal or nonverbal information or behavior that is being sent and received.  The message, however, does not contain meaning.  It is just a set of words, gestures, images or behaviors.  The meaning actually lives in the people who either send or receive messages and each person may perceive the message as having different meanings.

Encoding and Decoding

Messages are 
encoded 
by the sender, that means that the sender takes their thoughts or feelings and turns them into words, facial expressions, or other types of messages to send the message to the receiver.  The original meaning is encoded and turned into a message that can travel through a channel to the receiver.  The receiver then 
decodes 
the message, translating it into what they think it means.  Note that there is plenty of room for error in encoding and decoding a message because meaning is also effected by the context, channel, and noise in the situation Communication Model example.

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Feedforward and Feedback

The message is sent using 
feedforward
, this just means that the original message is sometimes also called feedforward.  The real key here is understanding 
feedback
, the response sent by the receiver back to the sender.  If you say hi to someone and they smile, they have sent you feedback to acknowledge your message.  The smile is the feedback.  In the later chapters of the book, we will examine responses much more closely and in greater detail.

Channel

Any time we send an encoded message to someone else, we are using a 
channel
, or a vehicle, to send that message.  Channels occur in many types and they are often ranked on a scale of richness.  A rich channel actually contains many possible channels while a lean channel has relatively few possible channels.  When a message is sent face-to-face, you can hear the person’s paralanguage, see their facial expressions, posture and body movements and you can also touch that person, gauge their distance from you and watch many other nonverbal channels.  All of that information means that the channel is rich, and you have many ways to evaluate what you think the sender meant when they sent their message.  A text message is an excellent example of a very lean message.  It consists of verbal characters and emojis.  You have stripped out most nonverbal and verbal channels, or ways to get additional information.  This makes it much more likely that the message the sender encoded and the one you decoded won’t match up as well.

Perceptual Filters

Channels aren’t the only thing that can influence accuracy in messages, our own minds also play a role.  Our 
perceptual filters 
consist of our own experiences, thoughts, beliefs, values, and predispositions that influence how we decode messages.  For example, people who love cats hear “cat” and think warm and fuzzy, but not everyone shares that perceptual filter.  People who hate cats are not thinking good thoughts when they hear “cat.”

Noise

As you communicate with someone else, you experience 
noise 
or anything that may interfere with the message, on many different levels.  
Physical 
noise is anything in the physical environment, like a loud bus driving by behind you as you talk to someone on campus. 
Psychological 
noise is noise created in our own minds by our emotions or psychological state.  For example, when you feel anxious, you probably have a hard time focusing on your friend’s story about something that happened to them today. 
Physiological 
noise is the noise created by our bodies or our physical state at the time.  Feeling tired or hungry definitely influences our ability to pay attention and understand someone’s message or to successfully encode our own messages.

Context

Every interaction we have with someone else occurs in a 
context
 or an environment, and many elements of that environment shape our messages and their meanings.  Some elements of the context are 
physical
, and have to do with your actual location; having a conversation on the street is different from having a conversation in a quiet library.  Some elements are historical, the 
historical 
context is created by any of our previous interactions with the person.  I know that my son is very excited about his new chapter book, 
The Haunted Library
 because we have talked about it several times.  When he says something about “my chapter book” I know what he means because of our historical context, I can refer to past conversations.  The 
cultural and societal 
elements of the context in the model involve our culture, or our sets of norms, values, language and symbols, as well as the way that we socially interact according to our cultural beliefs.  This means that we encode and decode messages based on the cultural rules we know.  If you encode a message based on your American culture, and the receiver is decoding the message based on her Indian culture, you two may arrive at very different understandings of the same message Communication Model example.

Assignment 1 | Love in a Pod

Instructions

Assignment 1 Chapters 3 & 4

You’re feeling adventurous and curious about the idea of meeting new people, even though you’re content with your current situation, whether you’re single, in a relationship, or married. While watching your favorite reality show, Love in a Pod, you come across a casting call for the new season. Just for fun, you decide to submit an audition video. Then, on a random day, to your surprise, you get a call from the casting director … and you’ve made it to the second round of interviews! (If you’re in a relationship or married, don’t worry—this is purely an exercise in imagination, focusing on how you would present yourself based on your self-concept. Consider how you might feel if you ever had to start dating again, or even imagine going through this fun process with just you and your significant other before you got into the relationship. Remember, it’s all hypothetical!

The casting team asked you to prepare another video to highlight more of who you are. More specifically, they want you to describe yourself based on what they call “pods.” These four pods include your culture, gender, reflected appraisals, and social comparisons.

In addition, the producers have requested you to include a profile essay for them to review in collaboration with your video. For this essay, you will need to define, explain, and apply the term for each of the four pods – culture, gender, reflected appraisals, and social comparisons. Remember to include an introduction and conclusion paragraph. With your adrenaline flowing about the possibilities of love becoming your reality, you excitedly get started on the assignment.

NOTE
: For this assignment, you will 
ONLY submit the essay
, not your casting video.

Step One
: First, describe in one paragraph why you want to be/would be a great contestant on 
Love in a Pod.
 Provide enough detail so the casting team knows what your motivation is and can get a genuine perspective on your emotions if you were to find a love match on the show. In this same paragraph, make sure to provide the textbook definition for self-concept. Thirdly, list at least ten (10) items you would consider as part of your “self-concept characteristics.”

Step Two
: Categorize the contents into the 
four pods
 in which our self-concept develops: culture, gender, reflected appraisal, and social comparison. In paragraph format, explain how those 
four 
of those items from your list came to be part of your self-concept. For example, if 
outgoing 
is a characteristic you select, then you may begin: “As compared to many, I have a very outgoing personality and believe I would be an easy person to share with and get to know.” You would also want to be sure to discuss that this falls into the category of social comparison. From your list, be sure to include at least one self-concept characteristic that fits into each of the four pods, thereby representing all four categories of development. In addition, provide a textbook definition for each of the four pods: culture, gender, reflected appraisal, and social comparison. Each characteristic description and explanation will encompass a healthy paragraph or two. Defend each of your four explanations with detailed and specific examples as to how the characteristic is part of your self-concept and how it is relevant to you as a contestant on 
Love in a Pod
.

You are also asked to include a picture/image to represent each pod. (Note: These pictures may come from your social media accounts or google images that are representative of each pod.) Please include the images in either the body of the paper, the end of the paper, or as attachment to the Assignment dropbox.

Your paper should be typed, 3-4 pages long, and double spaced.

The paper should also be proofread, and mistakes in grammar, spelling, sentence structure, formatting and other areas of paper mechanics should be kept to a minimum.

Include a complete introduction to the paper that includes a thesis statement introducing the main ideas of the paper. Organize the body of the paper into main ideas that fit with your thesis statement. Include a conclusion to the paper that reviews and summarizes the paper.

Include proper in-text citations in either APA or MLA format; be certain that you include the textbook definitions of the concepts you use and that you cite these definitions correctly. Sources that you Google or other external sources will not be accepted, we expect you to use your required course textbook, Interplay, 16th Edition. A works cited or reference page should be included at the end of your paper.

This assignment is worth 
100 points
. Please refer to the Grading Rubric to understand what your instructor expects.

 

Criteria

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

Level 5

Criterion Score

Self-Concept and Explanation with 10 Characteristics

0.00 points

Characteristics and/or definition were not included in the assignment.

0.01–3.25 points

Most of the characteristics are not present in the list. Definition may be missing or incomplete.

3.26–3.75 points

Some of the characteristics are listed. The definition is provided but may be incomplete. Minimal explanation about the self-concept is included.

3.76–4.25 points

All 10 characteristics are listed in the assignment. Explanation is provided for each characteristic. The definition is provided. There is some explanation for why the characteristics would be beneficial as a contestant.

4.26–5.00 points

All 10 characteristics are listed. The student defines self-concept in a way that is clear and complete. The student explains how the characteristics will help them be a successful contestant.

Score of Self-Concept and Explanation with 10 Characteristics,

/ 5

Pod # 1 Gender

0 points

The pod is not addressed in the paper.

1–9 points

There may be an attempt to explain gender but the definition is not provided and an example is not provided OR a definition is provided but a relevant example is not provided OR there is no link between the definition, example and image or symbol.

10–11 points

The paper might include an attempt to explain the pod and fail to define the pod. A characteristic is provided that is not explained and/or related to the pod. The relationship between the pod and the characteristic may be unclear or there may be a lack of evidence incorporated to support the application of the characteristic to the pod.

12–13 points

The paper defines the pod correctly. At least one specific characteristic is explained and related to the pod. The paper addresses the relationship between the characteristic and the pod. Evidence is incorporated to support the application of the characteristic to the pod.

14–15 points

The paper correctly defines the pod AND explains it clearly and completely. At least one specific characteristic is explained as an example of the pod. The paper demonstrates a correct understanding of the pod AND explains the relationship between the characteristic and the pod with evidence. Additional evidence is skillfully incorporated to support the application of the characteristic to the pod.

Score of Pod # 1 Gender,

/ 15

Pod # 2 Culture

0 points

The pod is not addressed in the paper.

1–9 points

There may be an attempt to explain the pod, but the definition is not provided. Or a definition is provided but a relevant characteristic is not provided. Or there is no link between the definition, example and the characteristic.

10–11 points

The paper might include an attempt to explain the pod and fail to define the pod. A characteristic is provided that is not explained and/or related to the pod. The relationship between the pod and the characteristic may be unclear or there may be a lack of evidence incorporated to support the application of the characteristic to the pod.

 

12–13 points

The paper defines the pod correctly. At least one specific characteristic is explained and related to the pod. The paper addresses the relationship between the characteristic and the pod. Evidence is incorporated to support the application of the characteristic to the pod.

14–15 points

The paper correctly defines the pod AND explains it clearly and completely. At least one specific characteristic is explained as an example of the pod. The paper demonstrates a correct understanding of the pod AND explains the relationship between the characteristic and the pod with evidence. Additional evidence is skillfully incorporated to support the application of the characteristic.

Score of Pod # 2 Culture,

/ 15

Pod # 3 Reflected Appraisal

0 points

The pod is not addressed in the paper.

1–9 points

There may be an attempt to explain the pod, but the definition is not provided. Or a definition is provided but a relevant characteristic is not provided. Or there is no link between the definition, example and the characteristic.

10–11 points

The paper might include an attempt to explain the pod and fail to define the pod. A characteristic is provided that is not explained and/or related to the pod. The relationship between the pod and the characteristic may be unclear or there may be a lack of evidence incorporated to support the application of the characteristic to the pod.

12–13 points

The paper defines the pod correctly. At least one specific characteristic is explained and related to the pod. The paper addresses the relationship between the characteristic and the pod. Evidence is incorporated to support the application of the characteristic to the pod.

14–15 points

The paper correctly defines the pod AND explains it clearly and completely. At least one specific characteristic is explained as an example of the pod. The paper demonstrates a correct understanding of the pod AND explains the relationship between the characteristic and the pod with evidence. Additional evidence is skillfully incorporated to support the application of the characteristic.

Score of Pod # 3 Reflected Appraisal,

/ 15

Pod # 4 Social Comparison

0 points

The pod is not addressed in the paper.

1–9 points

There may be an attempt to explain the pod, but the definition is not provided. Or a definition is provided but a relevant characteristic is not provided. Or there is no link between the definition, example and the characteristic.

10–11 points

The paper might include an attempt to explain the pod and fail to define the pod. A characteristic is provided that is not explained and/or related to the pod. The relationship between the pod and the characteristic may be unclear or there may be a lack of evidence incorporated to support the application of the characteristic to the pod.

12–13 points

The paper defines the pod correctly. At least one specific characteristic is explained and related to the pod. The paper addresses the relationship between the characteristic and the pod. Evidence is incorporated to support the application of the characteristic to the pod.

14–15 points

The paper correctly defines the pod AND explains it clearly and completely. At least one specific characteristic is explained as an example of the pod. The paper demonstrates a correct understanding of the pod AND explains the relationship between the characteristic and the pod with evidence. Additional evidence is skillfully incorporated to support the application of the characteristic.

Score of Pod # 4 Social Comparison,

/ 15

Message Composition

0.0 points

The paper does not include an introduction and conclusion.  The body of the paper is either not complete or lacks clarity and logical sequence.

0.1–6.5 points

Composition of the message (theme, introduction, and conclusion, and a sequence of points with transitions) is unclear, not included in their entirety or is only intermittently observable in the paper.

6.6–7.5 points

Composition of the message (central theme, introduction, and conclusion, and a logical sequence of points with transitions) is observable throughout the paper.

7.6–8.5 points

Composition of the message (clear central theme, introduction, and conclusion, and a logical sequence of points with smooth transitions) is adequate and consistently observable throughout the paper.

8.6–10.0 points

Composition of the message (clear central theme, introduction, and conclusion, and a logical sequence of points with smooth transitions) is superior and observable throughout the paper.

Score of Message Composition,

/ 10

Message Delivery

0.0 points

The paper does not meet the minimum standards of effectively communicating the central message or was not completed.

0.1–6.5 points

The message delivery incorporates grammatically incorrect, inarticulate language that ineffectively communicates the central message.

6.6–7.5 points

The message delivery incorporates minimal errors in grammar and includes language that is understandable and is able to communicate the central message.

7.6–8.5 points

The message delivery incorporates grammatically correct and consistently thoughtful language that is understandable and effectively communicates the central message.

8.6–10.0 points

The message delivery incorporates grammatically correct, articulate, imaginative language that is easily understandable and effectively communicates the central message in a compelling manner.

Score of Message Delivery,

/ 10

Citation

0.0 points

The paper includes no citation of any sort.

0.1–6.5 points

There is some attempt at citation, BUT: a significant number of concepts are not cited; OR there is no in-text citation; OR paraphrases are not cited. Assignment 1 | Love in a Pod

6.6–7.5 points

Some attempt at citation is included for most concepts used in the paper that are originally explained in a printed source AND most of these ideas are cited, whether they are paraphrased or directly quoted AND in-text citation is used but it is not in a recognizable style and/or a Works Cited may not be included.

7.6–8.5 points

In-text citation is included for most concepts used in the paper that are originally explained in a printed source AND these ideas are cited, whether they are paraphrased or directly quoted AND the citation is in MLA or APA style, though there are some format errors AND a Works Cited is included at the end of the paper, though there are some format errors.

8.6–10.0 points

In-text citation is included for all concepts used in the paper that are originally explained in a printed source AND all of these ideas are cited using correct in-text citation, whether they are paraphrased or directly quoted AND the citation is in correctly formatted MLA or APA style AND a correctly formatted Works Cited is included at the end of the paper.

Score of Citation,

/ 10

Images are included for each of the four pods.

0.00 points

No images are included.

0.01–3.25 points

An attempt is made, but not all images are included.

3.26–3.75 points

Images are included for each pod, but the relationship to the pod is not clear.

3.76–4.25 points

Images are included for each pod, and the relationship to the pod is clear.

4.26–5.00 points

Images are included for each pod, and the relationship to the pod is clear, and the image is addressed in the paper.

Score of Images are included for each of the four pods.,

/ 5

Total

Score of Assignment 1 Love in a Pod,

/ 100

Overall Score

Level 5

90 points minimum

Level 4

80 points minimum

Level 3

70 points minimum

Level 2

60 points minimum

Level 1

0 points minimum

Assignment 1 | Love in a Pod

Principles of Communication

A principle is a general idea that guide our behaviors. There are principles of physics, for example, that guide the understanding of motion and action. There are principles of interpersonal communication that are tied to the axioms or general laws of communication. These are overarching patterns or statements that serve as the underpinning of communication theory.

Michael Sackrison
 of the University of Colorado summarizes three principles by Watzlawick, Beavin and Jackson very succinctly. The three principles are:

One cannot 
not
 communicate.
 Everything one does is a message: activity or non-activity; words or silence – they all have message value. If you are in the presence of another person, you can choose not to respond verbally, but your nonverbal cues will sneak out – intentionally or accidentally.

There are both content and relationship aspects to communication.
 Content refers to the actual subject matter of what is being discussed. The relationship level of a communicative act has to do with how the two communicators view one another and how they convey it. When someone says something to you, we dissect the message: what was said and what do you think of the person who just said it.

Communication is either complementary or symmetrical.
 We either have some power over another person (complementary) or we are basically equals (symmetrical.) We expect people to use language that matches that perceived relationship. A judge can order us to pay a fine. A coach can demand that we run an extra lap. A friend can suggest a certain restaurant for dinner. Life gets complicated when people use language that does not fit the perceived relationship: If your Area Manager says, “Joe, be sure to pick up the trash in the parking lot before you clock out,” that comment would be expected from a supervisor. Your reaction would be very different, however, if your co-worker had said, “”Joe, be sure to pick up the trash in the parking lot before you clock out.”

Remember that interpersonal communication is a social science … which means that something only has to happen 95% of the time for it to be considered true. That helps us to account for the fact that humans are individuals with the presence of free choice, and unlimited contextual differences that affect our thoughts and behaviors Principles of Communication.

Discussion Activity 1:
 FOUNDING FATHER/MOTHER (20 points)

Select and research a founding father/mother and role-play as that individual during an online discussion. Please go to the Discussion Forum, “The Monocle” and introduce yourself as a founding father or mother and share information on your founder’s contributions to the founding of our nation with your classmates Discussion Activity 1: FOUNDING FATHER/MOTHER.

Some of the founders participated in many events like the American Revolution, declaring independence, and writing the U. S. Constitution so focus on 
two or three
 of their important contributions. In addition, you may provide some biographical information, and what you believe is most interesting about that individual. Each posted response must be two (2) paragraphs in length
.
 Also, indicate your 
reference(s) at the end of your statement 
so your classmates know where you obtained your material.

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The following are some examples of 
Founding Fathers
: Thomas Jefferson/John Adams/Ben Franklin and the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution, George Washington, Commander of the Continental Army and President of the Constitutional Convention, James Madison and the U. S. Constitution, Patrick Henry /Alexander Hamilton and the ratification of the U. S. Constitution, George Mason/James Madison and the Bill of Rights. 
Founding Mothers
: Abigail Adams, Martha Washington, Debra Franklin, Mercy Otis Warren, and Esther Reed, etc. When you do your research make sure your 
founding father or mother lived in the 18th Century at our nation’s founding, e.g. 1776-1800
.

You may use books, magazines, and Internet resources for this assignment. Do not use encyclopedias!

Discussion Activity 2:
FEDERALISM

Discussion Activity 1: FOUNDING FATHER/MOTHER

Discussion Activity 2:
 
FEDERALISM (20 points)

Research an issue facing either the federal government or you state government. You may use an article in a newspaper, magazine, or on the internet.

The following are some recent examples of issues facing our federal and state governments:

federal ban on assault weapons, limiting magazine capacity, address mental health issues;

teachers and school staff arms training to protect schools;

permitting concealed weapons on college campuses or in bars;

providing young illegal aliens legal status and a work permit;

comprehensive legal immigration reform;

protecting homeland security post 9/11;

fighting the war on terrorism;

reforming Social Security, and Medicare and Medicaid;

health care reform, e.g. establishing state/federal insurance exchanges to provide insurance options;

climate change

energy: natural gas production or alternative fuels

banning collective bargaining by state public employees;

state/local funding of public education;

running elections (e.g., Early voting); and

gay marriage.

women in combat role

COVID-19

criminal justice reform.

You will share what you have learned about your federal or state issue
 during a class discussion at the Discussion Forum, “The Monocle.” Your posted response should be no longer than a short paragraph. At the conclusion of your statement, please provide:

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the author

title of the article

and reference, e.g. 
Dayton Daily News
.

Also, you will comment
 on one of your classmate’s articles during the class discussion at “The Monocle.” Let your fellow classmates know what you think about the issue and how the government is dealing with a particular problem. Your comment can be brief.

Discussion Activity 3: 
INTEREST GROUPS

Discussion Activity 2: FEDERALISM

Discussion Activity 3: 
INTEREST GROUPS (20 points)

Research an interest group and participate in a panel presentation. During the presentation, you will briefly describe the interest group’s purpose, size, a method used by the interest group to influence the making of public policy, e.g. lobbying, litigation, regulation making, persuasion (mass media), or election activities (PAC $) and its position on one or two public policy issues, e.g. National Rifle Association, gun control. 
You must use the Internet to find the information on the interest group’s home page, e.g. nra.org.

To find an interest group, you may look at 
Vote Smart’s List
 and the 
Encyclopedia of Interest Lobbyists in the United States
 by Emmanuel Ness, Vol. I. & Vol. II. on the SCC Library reference shelves.

You can also reference Washington State University’s website provides examples of interest groups. They provide a nice explanation of each interest group and their websites and contact information. Please go to 
Political Advocacy
 for a 
list of issues that you can choose from and learn what group is concerned about those subjects by clicking on the issue.

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Once you have investigated your interest group (corporation, union, association), you will go to the Discussion Forum, “The Monocle,” and share what you have learned about their organization with your classmates. At the conclusion of your presentation, 
please provide the URL of the interest group’s website.
 Your posted response must be no more than two (2) paragraphs in length.

Discussion Activity 4: 
POLITICAL PARTIES

POLITICAL PARTIES Discussion Activity 4

Discussion Activity 4: 
POLITICAL PARTIES (20 points)

Research two political party platforms and present the two political parties’ positions on an issue, e.g. Republican Party vs. Democratic Party position on abortion. You will look for similarities or differences in party platform positions.

You must use the party websites and locate the recent Party Platforms
. At the GOP Presidential Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the delegates adopted the 2024 GOP platform, 
RNC2024-Platform.pdf (gop.com).

To find the
 Democratic Party’s 2024 platform 
adopted at the August 2024 Democratic Presidential Convention in Chicago, Illinois, please go to 
FINAL MASTER PLATFORM (democrats.org).

If you are interested in learning more about other minor parties or 3rd parties 2024 platforms, just go online and check their party websites, e.g. Libertarian Party, Green Party, and Reform Party.

After doing your research, you will present your two political parties’ positions stated in the 2024 party platform to your classmates at the Discussion Forum, “The Monocle.”
 
Please include in your response the party platform web page addresses that you used.

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Your posted response must be no more than two (2) paragraphs in length. Note that party positions on the economy and homeland security for example are fairly long. So for example, if you choose to compare or contrast the Republican and Democrat Party’s positions on the economy, just choose one aspect of the economy like taxes. Remember you only have two paragraphs for both parties!

Discussion Activity 5:
 
ELECTORAL COLLEGE

POLITICAL PARTIES Discussion Activity 4