This document is a printed copy of the Web site written to educate Internet users about potential risks associated with communication over the Internet, and to suggest precautions to reduce those risks. An Introduction highlights why users should care about privacy on the Internet, activities that can reveal personal information to others, and…

Three adult males met 2 hours a week for 26 weeks in a non-academic setting to explore writing. Adult One (A-1) and Adult Two (A-2) were limestone miners and close friends. Adult Three (A-3) had some limited academic writing experience, so A-1 and A-2 thought that he knew more about what made writing effective. A-3 observed the others' writing…

A study was conducted to identify variables associated with question-asking in the college classroom. Specifically, the study examined the influence of instructional interventions on intentions to ask questions. Subjects, 220 university undergraduates enrolled in a basic communication theory course at a midsize, midwestern, urban university,…

This paper considers discourse models of knowledge and use and social problem solving that revive the tradition of dialectical reasoning (the broader term) or rhetoric, i.e., the art of using language, in speaking or writing, to convince others that something is true, right, or better. Discourse models of knowledge use allow taking the…

Instructors at College of Du Page (Illinois) offered a free series of film forums at various off-campus locations. Directed primarily toward the nontraditional student, the interdisciplinary forums consisted of 12 units, each comprised of six or seven film discussion sessions. (NHM)

Discussed student-developed career meetings in which guest speakers provided students with information about their work experience. (RK)

Communication scholars should be skilled in the use of focus groups in communication research and in interpreting the data this approach generates. The focus group is a discussion group that concentrates on a particular topic or topics and typically consists of eight to 12 participants. The group is facilitated by a moderator who follows a…

This article discusses the National Issues Forum (NIF), a national, nonpartisan program designed to encourage citizen discussion of important public issues. The programs try to recreate the town meeting concept of reaching consensus on public issues. Short workbooks are available on two reading levels for issues such as the superpowers, crime,…

Recent years have been marked by a decline in the quantity and quality of small group research for four reasons: (1) the experimenter is an integral component of the system he or she is studying and thereby influences the findings, (2) layers of group process defy complete analysis, (3) small group research is reflexive, and (4) much of the…

Perceptually handicapped children can be helped through guided discussions of their art work. (DB)

Investigates the effects of consultation among collegiate debate judges prior to balloting. Results suggest that such interaction produces stronger bases for and confidence in final decisions. (MH)