Digital library
Textbooks, references and open learning resources.
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Oral/Interpersonal Communication
Darrel Farmer; Bridget Bell · WisTech Open · 2025
Oral/Interpersonal Communication provides a comprehensive overview of foundational and advanced communication concepts, emphasizing practical skills for individual and group interactions. This textbook explores the communication process, including verbal and nonverbal strategies, the role of culture, and techniques for effective listening. It also covers essential topics such as public speaking, interpersonal relationships, teamwork, and conflict resolution. With a focus on real-world applications, the book delves into communication theories, ethics, and the impact of communication on relationships, organizational settings, and personal identity. Designed to prepare students for professional, social, and civic contexts, this resource encourages reflection and skill-building to foster meaningful and effective communication in diverse situations.
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Communication in Practice
Jeremy Rose · University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing · 2025
This approachable and conversational textbook is intended for undergraduate communication courses. Dr. Jeremy Rose draws from an accomplished lecturing career to explore the fundamentals of communication with media examples and real world scenarios.
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Introduction to Communication and Media Studies
J.J. Sylvia IV · ROTEL · 2024
Introduction to Communication and Media Studies is an in-depth exploration of how communication shapes our world. This book traces the historical evolution of media, from the early days of the printing press to today’s digital age, examining key developments such as the telegraph, radio, television, and the internet. It also covers critical theories that explain media’s impact on society, including the effects of advertising, the role of public relations, and the emergence of social media as a powerful force in modern communication. Chapters on media literacy, critical thinking, and rhetorical analysis help students develop critical skills for understanding and analyzing media messages.
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Effective Professional Communication: A Rhetorical Approach
Rebekah Bennetch; Corey Owen; Zachary Keesey · University of Saskatchewan · 2021
Welcome to Effective Professional Communication, your text book for the RCM 200 course at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. As you already know, this course focuses on communicating in professional environments. Even if you haven’t held a job before, you know–at least on a basic level–that how you communicate changes depending on the context of your situation; specifically, you talk differently when you speak to customers/clients versus your co-workers versus your supervisors. Our goal in this text is to break down the communication process in professional environments so you can maximize your chance to get hired and retain your job once you graduate from university. We will do this by looking at communication through political, rhetorical, ethical, and interpersonal lenses and applying this knowledge to your future career.
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Small Group Communication: Forming & Sustaining Teams
Jasmine Linabary; Moon Castro · Jasmine R. Linabary · 2021
Small Group Communication: Forming & Sustaining Teams is an interdisciplinary textbook focused on communication in groups and teams. This textbook aims to provide students with theories, concepts, and skills they can put into practice to form and sustain successful groups across a variety of contexts.
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Language and Culture in Context - A Primer on Intercultural Communication
Robert Godwin-Jones · Virginia Commonwealth University · 2020
The text introduces some of the key concepts in intercultural communication as traditionally presented in (North American) courses and textbooks, namely the study of differences between cultures, as represented in the works and theories of Edward Hall and Geert Hofstede. Common to these approaches is the prominence of context, leading to a view of human interactions as dynamic and changeable, given the complexity of language and culture, as human agents interact with their environments.
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Intercultural Communication
Shannon Ahrndt · University of Missouri - St. Louis · 2020
Intercultural Communication examines culture as a variable in interpersonal and collective communication. It explores the opportunities and problems arising from similarities and differences in communication patterns, processes, and codes among various cultural groups. It explores cultural universals, social categorization, stereotyping and discrimination, with a focus on topics including race, ethnicity, social class, religion, gender and sexuality as they relate to communication.
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Communication, Affect, & Learning in the Classroom
Jason Wrench; Virginia Richmond; Joan Gorham · Jason S. Wrench · 2020
Communication, Affect, & Learning in the Classroom was original published by Virginia Richmond and Joan Gorham in 1992 and then updated a decade later by Virginia Richmond, Jason S. Wrench, and Joan Gorham in 2001. As we enter into the revision of the 3rd edition of the text, the basic content has not been drastically altered over the years. However, the research in Instructional Communication has clearly become more prominent and stronger. Probably the single most important development in the past two decades was the publication of the Handbook of Instructional Communication: Rhetorical and Relational Perspectives edited by Mottet et al. (2006). The purpose of the handbook was to synthesize the first three decades of research in instructional communication into a single volume that could help both researchers and instructors understand the value of communication in the instructional process.
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A Guide to Technical Communications: Strategies & Applications
Lynn Hall; Leah Wahlin · Ohio State University Libraries · 2016
Welcome to the textbook for Engineering Technical Communications courses at The Ohio State University. Our aim in writing this textbook was to create a resource specifically focused on and applicable to the kinds of communication skills most beneficial to the students who take our courses. Therefore, this textbook focuses on developing both technical and professional communication skills and will help readers practice strategies for critically analyzing audiences and contexts, real-world applications of rhetorical principles, and skills for producing documents (reports, proposals, instructions), presentations, videos, and wide variety of other professional communications.
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Communication in the Real World - An Introduction to Communication Studies
University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing · 2016
Communication in the Real World: An Introduction to Communication Studies overviews the time-tested conceptual foundations of the field, while incorporating the latest research and cutting-edge applications of these basics. Each chapter will include timely, concrete, and real-life examples of communication concepts in action. A key feature of this book is the integration of content regarding diversity and organizational communication in each chapter through examples and/or discrete sub-sections. Discussions of diversity are not relegated to feature boxes. Also integrated into the content are examples that are inclusive in terms of race, gender, sexuality, ability, age, marital status, religion, and other diverse identity characteristics.
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Writing and Literature: Composition as Inquiry, Learning, Thinking, and Communication
Tanya Bennet · University of North Georgia Press · 2017
In the age of Buzzfeeds, hashtags, and Tweets, students are increasingly favoring conversational writing and regarding academic writing as less pertinent in their personal lives, education, and future careers. Writing and Literature: Composition as Inquiry, Learning, Thinking and Communication connects students with works and exercises and promotes student learning that is kairotic and constructive. Dr. Tanya Long Bennett, professor of English at the University of North Georgia, poses questions that encourage active rather than passive learning. Furthering ideas presented in Contribute a Verse: A Guide to First-Year Composition as a complimentary companion, Writing and Literature builds a new conversation covering various genres of literature and writing. Students learn the various writing styles appropriate for analyzing, addressing, and critiquing these genres including poetry, novels, dramas, and research writing. The text and its pairing of helpful visual aids throughout emphasizes the importance of critical reading and analysis in producing a successful composition. Writing and Literature is a refreshing textbook that links learning, literature, and life.
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Tutorials of Visual Graphic Communication Programs for Interior Design, Volume 2
Yongyeon Cho · Iowa State University · 2022
This book is for advanced-level architecture and interior design students who have in-depth knowledge and skills with computer-aided visualization software. The author developed a total of twenty-two chapters to teach practical graphic presentation techniques for architectural presentations. Readers will learn these techniques by following step-by-step tutorials. This book includes multiple exercises for the reader's practice. After completing the tutorials, readers will be able to apply these techniques to their design projects.
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Rhetorical Communities: Understanding Language, Power, and Communication Across Contexts
Leigh Meredith; Phil Choong; Melisa Garcia · Leigh Meredith, Phil Choong, and Melisa Garcia · 2025
Rhetorical Communities guides students in analyzing and engaging with the practices, values, and expectations that shape communication within different communities. Beginning with foundational concepts of rhetoric and discourse community theory, the text progresses through genre analysis, audience and context, composing processes, collaboration, and ethical considerations, while highlighting how identity and power influence discourse. Emphasizing real-world examples and community contexts, this book helps students understand and participate in rhetorical practices across academic, professional, and civic settings.
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Green Tea Intermediate English Communication OER
Eric Dodson; Luciana Diniz; Nanci Leiton · Open Oregon Educational Resources · 2020
This set of multimedia materials incorporates interesting topics and real-world language in an accessible way for adult English language learners at the low-to-mid intermediate level, using eclectic methods (communicative activities, content-based instruction lite, focus on form), all while maintaining a connection to our learners’ lives. Each unit has handouts, presentation slides, key vocabulary lists, informative speeches recorded by ESOL teachers at PCC, dialogs, extension activities, and additional videos or materials for assessment. The videos can be linked to directly, embedded in a class page or Learning Management System (LMS, such as Canvas), or downloaded. Closed captioned versions of the videos are also available. Teachers can incorporate everything here, or take an a la carte approach with their existing activities and curricula. To make it easier to navigate these materials, we are gathering them in a pressbooks site as well. That site may make it easier for teachers to navigate and share links with students. Like any set of classroom materials, this OER is not a “class in a box.” We anticipate that teachers will have their own approach to in-class (or synchronous online) activities, out-of-class work, assessments, and speeches, so we’re not offering a one-size-fits-all solution. These materials are openly shared (with the exception of youtube videos, where noted), which means you have all the permission you need to use, adapt, and re-share them. All we ask is to attribute the materials to “Green Tea Communication OER,” and, if you have a moment, let us know if you found the materials helpful. Please let us know if you have feedback, questions, or additional contributions to this project: eric.dodson@pcc.edu, luciana.diniz@pcc.edu and nleiton@pcc.edu
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Communication Across Cultures
Heejin Chang; Scott Windeatt; Esther Stockwell · University of Southern Queensland · 2024
These resources will prepare culturally and linguistically diverse students for academic study in situations involving intercultural communication.
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Interpersonal Communication: Context and Connection
Hilary Altman; Kristine Clancy; Elizabeth Coleman; Liz Encarnacion · Academic Senate for California Community Colleges · 2023
Interpersonal Communication: Context and Connection provides an engaging overview of interpersonal communication grounded in theory, research, and practical application, with an eye to the lived experience of college students. The first three chapters provide the foundation of interpersonal communication with an examination of the theoretical and conceptual background of communication, self, and perception. The next section of the book examines unique features of messaging, with an exploration of listening, verbal, and nonverbal communication. Chapters 7, 8, and 9 explore dynamic factors that shape interpersonal relationships, including emotions, climate, and conflict. The final chapters of the book delve into communication in context through building and maintaining relationships, the dark side of communication, and workplace relationships.
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Howdy or Hello?: Technical and Professional Communications
Matt McKinney; Kalani Pattison; Sarah LeMire; Kathy Anders · Texas A&M University · 2021
Technical writing courses introduce you to some of the most important aspects of writing in the worlds of science, technology, and business—in other words, the kind of writing that scientists, nurses, doctors, computer specialists, government officials, engineers, and other professionals do as a part of their regular work. The skills learned in technical writing courses can be useful in other fields as well, including education and social sciences.
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Communication Beginnings: An Introductory Listening and Speaking Text for English Language Learners
Della Abrahams · Portland State University Library · 2017
This textbook is designed for beginning-intermediate English language learners. It is composed of 7 chapters, each of which covers specific speaking and listening learning objectives and includes dialogues, interviews, discussions and conversation activities. Each chapter includes listening and speaking components such as dialogues, interviews, discussions and conversation activities. Each chapter also focuses on 10 target words from the New General Service List of English vocabulary. The textbook includes an audio component that consists of recorded conversations of native and non-native English speakers, as well as links to additional listening resources on the web.
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Writing for Strategic Communication Industries
Jasmine Roberts · Ohio State University Libraries · 2016
Good writing skills are important in today's competitive work environment. This is especially the case for communication-related professions such as public relations, brand communication, journalism, and marketing. Writing for Strategic Communication Industries emphasizes practical application of academic inquiry to help readers improve their writing skills. This book gives readers: Straightforward chapters that use real-world examples to illustrate key points. Discussion of different writing styles and techniques. Examples of communication materials such as press releases, creative briefs, feature articles, and more. Embedded videos of insights from communication professionals. Tips on pitching to the media. A collection of popular sources for further explanation.
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Introduction to Communication Systems: An Interactive Approach Using the Wolfram Language
Victor Frost · University of Kansas Libraries · 2021
This ebook provides a unique pedagogical approach to teaching the fundamentals of communication systems using interactive graphics and in-line questions. The material opens with describing the transformation of bits into digital baseband waveforms. Double-sideband suppressed carrier modulation and quadrature modulation then provide the foundation for the discussions of Binary Phase Shift Keying (BPSK), Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK), M-ary Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (M-QAM), M-ary Phase Shift Keying (MPSK), and the basic theory of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM). Traditional analog modulation systems are also described. Systems trade-offs, including link budgets, are emphasized. Interactive graphics allow the students to engage with and visualize communication systems concepts. Interactivity and in-line review questions enables students to rapidly examine system tradeoffs and design alternatives. The topics covered build upon each other culminating with an introduction to the implementation of OFDM transmitters and receivers, the ubiquitous technology used in WiFi, 4G and 5G communication systems.