Organizational Theory Application Essay

This course is designed to help you develop your ability to apply communication theory to your everyday lives. For this Theory Application paper, choose one theory from either the “Group Communication Theories” or the “Organizational Communication Theories” and describe how it helps to explain a real life situation you have experienced. Be sure to describe:

(a) the theory you selected and the key components of the theory,

(b) what happened in your experience,

(c) how this experience does (or perhaps does not) illustrate the key components of the theory, and

(d) how your experience sheds light on the strengths or weaknesses of the theory.
Each application paper should include a summary (in your own words) of the ONE theory discussed in your textbook and an example of how the theory can be applied to a real-life situation.

Keep in mind that we will not necessarily cover all the theories before this paper is due, so you may want to read ahead and pick your favorites. Be sure to describe (a) the theory you selected and the key components of the theory, (b) what happened in your experience, (c) how this experience does (or perhaps does not) illustrate the key components of the theory, and (d) how your experience sheds light on the strengths or weaknesses of the theory.

Be sure to write about your own examples—do not use ones that were brought up in class (unless it was your own). A “real-life situation” is very loosely defined; think about interactions that you have with friends, family members, coworkers, teammates, and parents. Also, you can think about and describe situations from TV or movies that illustrate some application of theory.

Ask yourself: What insight does the theory provide to help you understand communication situations in which you have found yourself? What predictions does it make or advice does it offer for future activities? You should strive to integrate your explanation/overview of the theories and discuss the explanations through the particular real-life situation. Application and understanding of the theories should not be separate.

Remember, this course fulfills the University’s GCCR (Intermediate Writing) requirement. So, do be sure to put your best foot forward in your writing. Make sure your work is well argued (sufficient evidence is provided and warranted for each claim you make), well organized (include a brief introduction with a clear thesis and preview statement, ensure that body paragraphs are organized logically, and include a conclusion that summarizes the writing and recaps the thesis), and features good written mechanics (spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, term usage, proofreading).