A discourse analysis of student perceptions of their communication competence

Abstract

Discourse regarding student perceptions of their communication competence was collected from students in geographically diverse university systems in the U.S. These student discourses were analyzed for patterns that revealed shared topics, ideas, and values regarding communication competence in a variety of situations. Three characteristics of student understanding of communication competence emerged from the discourse analysis: (1) a conception of communication competence as quality of performance, (2) conceptions of communication competence that vary from the purely physical to the purely intellectual, and (3) a conception of communication competence as a form of sociality. Discourse analysis, an interpretative methodology in the tradition of constructivism and ethnography, is a demonstrably useful approach to the study of communication competence.

Keywords:

• communication competence
• discourse analysis
• performance

Notes

Eugenie P. Almeida (PhD, 1991, University of Buffalo) is assistant professor in the Department of Performing and Fine Arts at Fayetteville State University, North Carolina, 28301. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 2002 Southern Speech Communication Association Conference, Winston‐Salem, NC. Eugenie Almeida can be contacted at [email protected]

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Eugenie P. Almeida

Eugenie P. Almeida (PhD, 1991, University of Buffalo) is assistant professor in the Department of Performing and Fine Arts at Fayetteville State University, North Carolina, 28301. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 2002 Southern Speech Communication Association Conference, Winston‐Salem, NC. Eugenie Almeida can be contacted at [email protected]