The Relationships Between Student Responsive Behaviors, Student Socio-Communicative Style, and Instructors’ Subjective and Objective Assessments of Student Work

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine whether instructor perceptions of student responsive behaviors and student socio-communicative style were related to instructors’ subjective (speech presentation) and objective (multiple-choice exam) assessments of student work. The results suggest that student nonverbal and verbal responsive behaviors positively influence instructor assessments of student speech grades accounting for 8% and 11% of the variance, respectively. Instructor perceptions of student socio-communicative style were unrelated to instructor assessments of student speech grades. Neither student responsive behaviors nor student socio-communicative style were related to how well students scored on a cognitive-based, multiple-choice exam assessing public speaking knowledge.

Keywords:

• Interpersonal Needs Theory
• Student Socio-Communicative Style
• Student Responsiveness and Assertiveness
• Public Speaking Assessment
• Objective and Subjective Assessment Practices

Acknowledgments

A faculty research enhancement grant from Texas State University, San Marcos, funded this study. The authors would like to thank the editor, Pat Kearney, and the two anonymous reviewers for their comments on an earlier draft of this article. The authors would also like to thank all of the graduate teaching assistants and adjunct instructors who participated in this study.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Timothy P. Mottet

Timothy P. Mottet (Ed.D., West Virginia University, 1998) is an Associate Professor of Communication Studies at Texas State University

Steven A. Beebe

Steven A. Beebe (Ph.D., University of Missouri, 1976) is Professor and Chair of Communication Studies at Texas State University