For this assignment, you will select and investigate a communication theory and create an annotated bibliography that conforms to American Psychological Association format and style requirements.

1. Choose a communication theory covered in the course content as follows:

• Any group or organizational comm theory EXCEPT Groupthink
• Cultural Studies, Cultivation Analysis, Spiral of Silence, and Mass Media theories but NOT Uses and Gratifications
• Any of the Culture and Diversity theories
• Any of the Relationship Development theories

To begin acquainting yourself with communication theories, see the attachment here for an abridged list of basic communication theories. See the Encyclopedia of Communication Theory in our Course Resources for links to detailed information on a wide range of communication theories.

2. When you’re ready to begin your deep dive into your research, click on Resources > Library in the blue navigation bar at the top of our classroom screen or go to the UMUC Library at http://www.umuc.edu/library/library.html . You will be taken to the OneSearch page in our library.

3. Click on Research Guides > Course Research Guides on that page to find this class’s communication theory resources. Review information about the theory you’d like to pursue. The Encyclopedia of Communication Theory would be a good source for this.

4. Then go back to the OneSearch page and use the Research Databases or the Advanced Search function to explore information related to your major or your planned career in the list.

5. Once you are done exploring, search for peer-reviewed journal articles about thecommunication theory and career you’re interested in. Your job is to explore research on communication theories or skills that has been conducted about your chosen career field. For example, “nursing” and “standpoint theory” or “nursing” and “empathetic listening.”

6. Report the subject area.

7. Report the database(s) you used for your search.

8. Report the keywords you used in your searches.

9. Write an introductory paragraph (~250-300 words) describing the reasons you chose that theory or researcher in the context of the following question:

How can an understanding communication theory supplement your skills and the insights you will need to succeed in your future work?

10. Select three articles from the databases in your field of study or career interest that support your thesis in response to the question posed in Step 9.

11. Write an annotated bibliography for the three articles that best support your thesis. If you are unfamiliar with an annotated bibliography, click on Resources > Effective Writing Center in the classroom navigation bar to learn about them from our writing center, or go to the Purdue OWL. You need to write a complete APA citation for each article. Then write a summary of at least 150 words for each article that includes an explanation of how the article supports your thesis. Make sure each summary or “annotation” includes a specific quote that illuminates what you learned from the article.

12. Please be sure to write carefully and well, using good grammar and APA-style in-text citations for quotes, summaries, and paraphrases.