Softcover

ISBN 10: 0199334323 ISBN 13: 9780199334322

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2013

For over three decades, this has been the bestselling text for the Human Communication course. Understanding Human Communication is written with one goal in mind: to provide students with the insights and skills to succeed in our changing world. Fully updated and expanded to include more information on culture and communication, gender and communication, and the effects of technology and social media on communication, this twelfth edition also features two new types of boxes, "Understanding Diversity" and "@Work," as well as new annotated sample speeches.

About the Author:

Ronald B. Adler is Professor of Communication, Emeritus, at Santa Barbara City College. He is coauthor of Interplay: The Process of Interpersonal Communication, Twelfth Edition (OUP, 2013), Looking Out, Looking In (2014), and Communicating at Work: Principles and Practices for Business and the Professions (2013).

George Rodman is Professor in the Department of Television and Radio at Brooklyn College, City University of New York, where he founded the graduate media studies program. He is the author of Mass Media in a Changing World, Fourth Edition (2012), Making Sense of Media (2001), and several books on public speaking.

Athena du Pré is Professor of Communication at the University of West Florida. She is the author of Communicating About Health: Current Issues and Perspectives, Fourth Edition (OUP, 2014), as well as other books, journal articles, and chapters on communicating effectively in modern organizations.

Review:

"Understanding Human Communication is highly readable, its coverage is well balanced, and it's visually pleasing--this is a text that students will actually read. It also emphasizes real-world applications, which students these days need and WANT."--Debi Hill, Sauk Valley Community College

"Understanding Human Communication is one of the most comprehensive and affordable texts on the market."--Shawnalee A. Whitney, University of Alaska Anchorage

"I truly prefer this text to the 8-9 other books I've used and reviewed. It is clearly organized, well written, conversational, relevant, modern, and fun."--Cheryl Chambers, Mississippi State University

"In the years I have taught this course, I have never found a more comprehensive yet relatable text for students than Understanding Human Communication."--Cole Franklin, East Texas Baptist University

"The self-assessments really make this text stand out and the real-life opening scenarios are much stronger than those in other texts."--Jennifer McCullough, Kent State University

"I admire the authors' openness to teach necessary concepts that are outside the world of academia. They set the tone immediately by presenting a real-world application; a blog. Also, for those students who may not be aware of how communication and technology are fused, the 'Understanding Communication Technology' feature offers thought-provoking situations about how we use and abuse social media."--Jason Ziebart, Central Carolina Community College

"I love Now Playing. It engages students using current films and provides them with common ground to discuss examples. I also love the consistent focus on diversity, culture, ethics, and technology. Any student exposed to this text-be it a communications major or a non-major-will walk away with a basic yet textured understanding of the importance of effective communication."--Marie Baker-Ohler, Northern Arizona University

"I love the way that the authors have incorporated 'private and interpersonal' communication into the book. It's not just about making speeches; it really is about understanding how people communicate and learning about communicating more effectively in all settings."--Deanna Brooke-Armentrout, Potomac State College of WVU

"Updated topics, pictures, and scenarios make this book a timely and interesting read. It offers students all the tools that they need to become dynamic communicators."--Kimberly Batty-Herbert, South Florida State College

"The most relevant, current, and complete text I've seen for an introductory communication course. This edition incorporates social media better than any other text and has self-assessments, 'on your feet' prompts, film clips, up-to-date examples, more on communication apprehension, and profiles of real people."--Brittany W. Hochstaetter, Wake Technical Community College

"Reading this book is like having a conversation, and my students will like the contemporary look and feel."--Don Taylor, Blue Ridge Community College

"Understanding Human Communication is highly readable, its coverage is well balanced, and it's visually pleasing--this is a text that students will actually read. It also emphasizes real-world applications, which students these days need and WANT."--Debi Hill, Sauk Valley Community College

"Understanding Human Communication is one of the most comprehensive and affordable texts on the market."--Shawnalee A. Whitney, University of Alaska Anchorage

"I truly prefer this text to the 8-9 other books I've used and reviewed. It is clearly organized, well written, conversational, relevant, modern, and fun."--Cheryl Chambers, Mississippi State University

"In the years I have taught this course, I have never found a more comprehensive yet relatable text for students than Understanding Human Communication."--Cole Franklin, East Texas Baptist University

"The self-assessments really make this text stand out and the real-life opening scenarios are much stronger than those in other texts."--Jennifer McCullough, Kent State University

"I admire the authors' openness to teach necessary concepts that are outside the world of academia. They set the tone immediately by presenting a real-world application; a blog. Also, for those students who may not be aware of how communication and technology are fused, the 'Understanding Communication Technology' feature offers thought-provoking situations about how we use and abuse social media."--Jason Ziebart, Central Carolina Community College

"I love Now Playing. It engages students using current films and provides them with common ground to discuss examples. I also love the consistent focus on diversity, culture, ethics, and technology. Any student exposed to this text-be it a communications major or a non-major-will walk away with a basic yet textured understanding of the importance of effective communication."--Marie Baker-Ohler, Northern Arizona University

"I love the way that the authors have incorporated 'private and interpersonal' communication into the book. It's not just about making speeches; it really is about understanding how people communicate and learning about communicating more effectively in all settings."--Deanna Brooke-Armentrout, Potomac State College of WVU

"Updated topics, pictures, and scenarios make this book a timely and interesting read. It offers students all the tools that they need to become dynamic communicators."--Kimberly Batty-Herbert, South Florida State College

"The most relevant, current, and complete text I've seen for an introductory communication course. This edition incorporates social media better than any other text and has self-assessments, 'on your feet' prompts, film clips, up-to-date examples, more on communication apprehension, and profiles of real people."--Brittany W. Hochstaetter, Wake Technical Community College

"Reading this book is like having a conversation, and my students will like the contemporary look and feel."--Don Taylor, Blue Ridge Community College