LearningCurve for adaptive quizzing for the chapter.
The “Browse Resources for this Unit” tab to view videos illustrating key concepts.
Take a look at a piece of writing you’ve produced (an essay, your résumé, or a private Facebook message to a friend). Do you use high or low levels of abstraction? Is your choice of language appropriate for the communication contexts involved? (For example, is your essay written in a way that is mindful of your relationship with your professor and the academic setting?)
Describe the similarities and differences you find in the language you use and the language a close friend or family member of the opposite sex uses over the course of a single conversation. What did you notice? Were there any misunderstandings or power struggles in this conversation? How do your findings match up with what the research we presented tells us?
Examine the language you use in mediated communication. Are there subtle ways in which you and your communication partners negotiate influence and create connectedness? Are any language choices related to sex or gender? What differences do you find in the language you use in mediated contexts from the language you use in face-
Make a study of your Facebook (or other social networking) pages. Compile a list of the types of language used, including acronyms. Do you ever misunderstand the language in posts from your friends? Have you ever used language that was misinterpreted? Are you ever offended by the posts or “shares” of your friends? Describe how you could post in the future to avoid problems due to language.