Designed to help students see the relationships among the concepts, skills, theories, and contexts of communication, this text anchors all discussion around five fundamental principles:

* Be aware of your communication with yourself and others

* Effectively use and interpret verbal messages

* Effectively use and interpret nonverbal messages

* Listen and respond thoughtfully to others

* Appropriately adapt messages to others

Providing both comprehensive and cutting-edge content about communication organized around these five themes, this text covers all of the topics expected in the basic course in a manner that will help both instructors and their students organize the extensive range of material.