Esclanda, Maria Carmela Rachel G.

ENG447: Communication Theory

PhD-English Prof: Claudia Odette J. Ayala, PhD

ENG 447 Communication Theory

Module 2: The Seven Traditions of Communication

Activities/Assessments
1. Choose a communication artifact. (An artifact is anything that is an output of
Communication.). Analyze the artifact and explain to which tradition of
communication it falls under.

Rhetorical

Public advocacy is just one of many areas of communicative practice, such as

interpersonal conversation, news reporting, and so on, it becomes obvious that all

communication can be theorized as practical art and studied in much the same ways as

rhetoric has traditionally been studied. It now comports with common sense to think of

communication as a practical discipline. Moreover, rhetorical tradition seems plausible

and useful because it appeals to many commonplace beliefs about communication, it is

also interesting because it challenges other commonplace beliefs and reveals some of

the deepest paradoxes of communication. It challenges the commonplaces that mere

words are less important than actions, that true knowledge is more than just a matter of

opinion, and that telling the plain truth is something other than the strategic adaptation

of a message to an audience.

The rhetoric and public influence emphasis develops an understanding of the

roles of communication and persuasion in culture resulting in social change. Such study

leads students to significantly impact their local communities and our world.
 Nation building and social movements are often a function of effective

communication. Rhetorical criticism provides the tools to help interpret the impact and

effectiveness of each communication situation. This emphasis also requires history and

political science courses, making it especially practical for those who anticipate a career

in the legal or political arenas.