Assignment 3

Aevitossignment 3  (submit through BlackBoard dropbox for assignment 3).  Complete after reading Chapter 8  (or the chapter in your edition of the book that deals with Conversational Messages)  – (Each answer should be at least one page in length, double spaced with a normal margin at the top of the page, bottom of the page, and on each side.  (Not too large, make sure you have enough writing on the paper.)  Proper spelling, sentence structure and paragraph usage are expected.  Font size should be 12. This assignment should be a minimum of five pages in length using the guidelines above.  Do NOT include a title page.  Please place your name in the lower left corner of the last page.  1. What types of conversational openings have you found successful?  Unsuccessful? Explain “Why” in each instance?  Do you find it difficult to start conversations? (Refer to content from chapter 8 in your answer for initiating conversations).  2. Explain how the conversational maxims operated in a recent conversation you had.  Be sure to name the maxims and explain how each was incorporated into the conversation.  3. What examples of interruptions stick out in your mind and why?   What efforts do you make to minimize interruptions in your own communication?  4. What are some good and bad excuses that you have heard to repair a relationship?  Give reasons why you believe them to be good or bad excuses.  (Use what you learned about this from your book and your own research to complete this answer).  You must make reference to theories/concepts from textbook in your answer).   5. Please read the story below and give one example of where you verbally wounded   someone and an example of where someone verbally wounded you.  (They can not be the same example).  Do you feel you have a habit of “verbally wounding” those around you?  Explain any feelings or insights. Must be at least one page in length, but may be more if needed.  The Fence  Author:  unknown   There once was a boy who had a temper.  His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence,  The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence.  Over the next few weeks as he learned to control his anger the number of nails hammered gradually dwindled down.  He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive nails into the fence.  Finally the day came when he did not lose his temper.  He told his father and his father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his anger.  The days passed and the boy told his father that all the nails were gone.  The father took the boy by the hand and led him to the fence.  He said, “Look at the holes in the fence.  The fence will never be the same.  When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like the holes in the fence.”    You can put a knife in a man and draw it out, but it won’t matter how many times you say “I’m sorry”, the wound is still there.  A verbal wound is as bad a physical one.    This assignment will be graded on the following criteria:   Format – 2 points   Grammar, spelling, use of paragraphs, etc. – 5 points   Content and following assignment – 58 points   Total possible points – 65 and the book is called the interpersonal communication book by Joseph D