Sample Assignments
In this document, you will find sample course assignments from various family
communication professors. You can, of course, adapt the assignments (and/or evaluation
criteria) to suit the needs of your class.
Communication Teacher is another excellent resource for finding assignments. Here are a
few examples:
Family Crest Assignment
(Paul Schrodt, Texas Christian University)
Objective
• Thoughtfully consider who your family is, how your family communicates, and
how best to represent your family identity symbolically.
• Create a coat of arms or personal crest that depicts your family’s communication
characteristics (or patterns) and captures the essence and uniqueness of your
family’s identity.
________________________________________________________________________
DIRECTIONS
THE CREST
1. Think about who your family is and how family members generally communicate
with each other. Identify the characteristics, activities, values, talents, and
relationships that make your family who they are.
THE PRESENTATION AND THE GRADE
Bring your crest to class with you on the due date. You will present it to the class and
give a 3-4 minute explanation of how it represents your family. This assignment is worth
85 points: 75 for the crest and 10 for the presentation.
FAMILY CREST EVALUATION FORM
Each of the items listed below will be evaluated using the following scale:
5 = Exceptional work – greatly exceeded requirements and demonstrated outstanding
levels of hought and effort.
Coat of Arms
1. Does crest identify and describe some of the characteristics, activities, _____(x2)
values, talents, and relationships that make your family who they are?
2. Are there are a variety of pictures, drawings, words, objects, and symbols ______ (x2)
on your crest?
3. How much effort and creativity is displayed in your crest? ______ (x 4)
4. How neat (or how organized) is your crest? ______ (x 2)
“Media Representation” Report Guidelines
You will lead class discussion using a mediated representation (e.g., TV/movie clip, blog,
news story) related to your assigned topic. I am happy to discuss your media source with
you. Once you have found your media example, complete the following assignment:
1.) Sign up for a topic day and get source approval. Then, upload source to Blackboard
on the class day prior to your presentation. Find your source sooner rather than later!
2.) In the discussion, you should consider the following:
• What main concepts/theories are you presenting? You should have a thorough
understanding of your topic. I will also discuss the main points from the reading,
but you should be prepared to answer questions and situate your discussion within
current and previous class conversations. Encourage class involvement when you
bring your applications into the lecture points.
3.) Write a paper (2-3 double-spaced pages) that compares and contrasts your media
representation to the assigned journal article and at least one other scholarly source, on
your topic. The additional source you use should be a peer-reviewed, scholarly journal
article. In your paper, you will want to show how your media representation challenges
and/or supports the research. For example:
• Do the theories/concepts/outcomes discussed in the course reading(s) hold true or
Think critically about what you are reading (both in scholarly work and in the news),
apply your “academic knowledge” to what you are presented with in the media, and
create a well-organized paper that presents your thoughts/ideas. I expect excellence in
writing quality (e.g., grammar, editing, organization) and APA formatting. The paper
(with reference page) is due on your topic day. Good luck and have fun!
FINAL PROJECT: FAMILY RITUAL ANALYSIS
(Paul Schrodt, Texas Christian University)
The purpose of the assignment is to learn more about how families communicate by
studying the forms and functions of their family rituals. We will learn by talking about
rituals with members of two different families and comparing their responses. You may
complete this final project individually, or in groups of no more than three to four
members each. If completing the project individually, students will still be responsible
for providing their two transcripts to other group members and for analyzing the other
group members’ transcripts and including the entire set of transcripts in the final
paper – the choice is yours, so choose wisely!
1) Locate and prepare interviewees. Locate a minimum of two adults who are
members of different families (one of these families may be your own). You are going
to have to be very detailed in your paper (or in your group’s paper), so choose
interviewees you think will be detailed in their descriptions. Get the respondent’s
permission to be interviewed and read them the pre-interview ethics statement:
2) The interview questions: Conduct a practice interview with a friend or classmate
so that you are conversant with the interview questions and know what you are doing.
INTERVIEW SCRIPT
Tape record yourself reading this statement to your interviewee:
“Thank you for participating in the interview. Remember that you do not have
to answer any question you do not want to answer. I want to remind you that I
will audiotape the interview. You may ask me to turn off the tape recorder at any
time during the interview. Participating in the interview is voluntary and only my
professor and I would have access to your identity and audiotape. There are no
right or wrong answers to these questions. The more descriptive you are, the
more it will help me as I write my paper.”
*{If you need to give examples of rituals: For example, they could be birthday
celebrations, a ritual of telling jokes at the dinner table, visiting a gravesite, or a family
engaging in a bath time ritual for young children}
What are the two rituals you want to talk about? __________________________
I am going to ask you a series of questions about each ritual. So, we will discuss one
ritual and then repeat the questions for the second ritual.
1) Name: What is the ritual called?
2) History: How and when did this ritual start in the family?
3) Reason: Why did this ritual start in this particular family?
8) Tone: What is the “tone” or the “feeling” of the ritual? (i.e. serious, wild,
etc.)
9) Functions: When performed correctly, what does the ritual accomplish
(how does it function) for the family as a whole? What does the ritual
accomplish for individual members?
WRITING THE PAPER
Analysis of the interview tapes. Listen to the audiotape and transcribe each
participant’s responses. Turn in the transcripts and the audiotapes with the paper.
Writing the paper. In your paper, discuss the following questions and separate the
section with the headings. Be detailed and complete. Demonstrate that you have given
this some thought and have completed an analysis representing depth of understanding.
Include specific examples (paraphrased and/or quoted) from your group’s interviews.
1) Description of the rituals. Describe at least four of the rituals in detail,
following the sequence of the interview questions.
2) Similarities. What important similarities do you see in the four family rituals?
What important similarities do you see in the families represented in your
interviews?
• Write a double-spaced paper answering the questions above – I really don’t know
what to tell you concerning the length of the final paper. Just be sure that your
group’s final paper (or your final paper) covers each of the points outlined above, and
that you include excerpts from the transcripts to support your analysis.
You may earn up to 185 points total for successful completion of this assignment:
150 Points for the Final Paper
25 Points for the Transcripts
10 Points for the Final Presentation,
FAMILY NARRATIVE ANALYSIS
(Tiffany Wang, University of Montevallo)
Paper (110 points)
Family stories have the power to go beyond entertaining and reminiscing to serve key
ongoing functions in the family’s development. In some families, stories serve to teach
about values, reinforce identity, discipline or inspire, or create new levels of relationships
among members. These stories do not just reflect the past but also serve to shape the
present and form the future. Stories are constructed by the tellers and listeners with each
rendition carrying new meaning.
B. Your analysis of a particular family story should include the following:
1. A written version of a particular family story (no minimum/maximum)
2. Who tells, or is allowed to tell, the story and why (3 pages total for 2-6)
3. The context for telling the story
4. The reason for telling the story
5. The way the story links to family meaning: themes, images, values
6. Your interpretation of this storytelling moment
C. Your analysis of a family story you would like to tell should include the following:
1. A written version of the story you would like to tell (no minimum/maximum)
D. Your paper should:
1. Respond thoroughly to all topics
Presentation (30 points)
E. Time limit: 8-10 minutes
F. Provide an oral rendition of both of your stories. Tell the story as the person who
usually tells it (particular) and provide an oral rendition of the story as you would like
to tell it (future). Summarize your analysis.
G. Your presentation should:
1. Be clearly organized
FAMILY NARRATIVE ANALYSIS PAPER EVALUATION FORM
Name:
Total:
Introduction: (10 points)
/10 Introduction
Body: (80 points)
/10 Written version of story (Particular)
/5 Who tells and why (Particular)
/5 Context (Particular)
/5 Reason (Particular)
Conclusion: (10 points)
/10 Conclusion
What did the writer do most effectively?
What problems should the writer pay special attention to?
FAMILY NARRATIVE ANALYSIS PRESENTATION EVALUATION FORM
Name:
Total:
Up to 5 point deduction if you are over/under time:
Speech fit within the time limit (8-10 minutes)
Time
Introduction (2 points)
/1 Included attention grabber
/1 Developed clear thesis statement/main points preview
Conclusion (2 points)
/1 Reinforced thesis/summarized main points
/1 Closed with memorable ending
What did the speaker do most effectively?
What problems should the speaker pay special attention to?
TV SITCOM ANALYSIS
(Tiffany Wang, University of Montevallo)
Paper (110 points)
A. Choose two TV sitcoms that depict an actual or fictional family. One should be a
classic TV sitcom and one should be a modern TV sitcom.
B. The purpose of this 10 page (half page introduction, one page per topic, half page
conclusion) paper is to use these TV sitcoms to illustrate key concepts and processes
discussed in class and in the textbook.
E. Your analysis should also compare and contrast how the classic and modern sitcoms
depict one of the following concepts:
1. Intimacy and self disclosure
2. Family roles and communication
3. Family sexuality and influence strategies
4. Power and decision making
F. Use examples from each TV sitcom to illustrate your concepts.
Presentation (40 points)
H. Time limit: 18-20 minutes
I. Focus on comparing and contrasting how the classic and modern TV sitcoms depict
intimacy and self disclosure, family roles and communication, family sexuality and
influence strategies, or power and decision making. Discuss the degree to which the
classic and modern TV sitcoms reflect the concepts discussed in your text and in
class. NOTE: There must be considerable analysis of the sitcoms tied directly to
course material. As a general rule, sitcom clips should be short and take no more than
one-third of the group’s total time allotment (20 minutes).
Group Member Feedback (10 points)
K. Describe each team member’s contributions (including your own) to the overall
success of the paper and presentation. Assign each team member (including yourself)
a grade from 1-10. You can receive a maximum of 10 points for your individual
contributions to the group. This grade is calculated based on group member feedback.
TV SITCOM ANALYSIS PAPER EVALUATION FORM
Name:
Classic TV Sitcom Choice:
Modern TV Sitcom Choice:
Introduction: (5 points)
/5 Introduction
Conclusion: (5 points)
/5 Conclusion
/2 1 inch margins, headings and subheadings (APA format), and page numbers
/2 Meets 10 page minimum/maximum
What did the writers do most effectively?
What problems should the writers pay special attention to?
TV SITCOM ANALYSIS PRESENTATION EVALUATION FORM
Name:
Classic TV Sitcom Choice:
Modern TV Sitcom Choice:
Body (20 points)
/4 Developed clear main points
/4 Thoroughly developed analysis
/4 Used appropriate amount of TV sitcom clips
/4 Applied appropriate text/class concepts
/4 Used effective transitions
Conclusion (4 points)
/2 Reinforced thesis/summarized main points
/2 Closed with memorable ending
What did the speakers do most effectively?
What problems should the speakers pay special attention to?
ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEW PROJECT
(Haley Kranstuber Horstman, University of Missouri-Columbia)
Purpose: Family stories affect and reflect the functioning and identity of families and
their members. These stories may be negatively or positively valenced, and may provide
the foundation of family members’ life stories. Further, family communication
researchers note the importance of the intergenerational transmission of family stories,
rituals, lessons, and histories. Often, family members do not have the opportunity or the
means to tell their stories to their family members. This project gives you the chance to
give three people the “gift” of their family story, or oral history. With the knowledge
gleaned from your interview, you will also apply family communication concepts to
analyze the communication within your interviewee’s family.
Stage 2: The Interview and Transcription. The service learning component of the
assignment involves provide individuals with the gift of their oral histories. Select three
people from the community or your/your partner’s own family who would benefit from
an oral history interview. Interview persons from three different generations, and at least
one person over the age of 65. They may be from one family, or from three different
families. Please interview people face-to-face in order to ensure greater accuracy of
Stage 3: The Analysis Paper. Using the knowledge you gathered from the oral history
interviews, write an 8-10 page paper describing and analyzing the communicative
functioning of your participants’ experiences. Read through your data in its entirety, and
then look for themes of your participants’ experiences. Include your personal
observations and reactions to your experience of collecting these data. Give participants
pseudonyms for the analysis paper. Below are four requirements for your paper.
o Family Roles and Types
o Power, Influence, Decision Making
o Family Conflict
o Family Stress
• Family Theory. Please illustrate and incorporate at least one of the family theories
discussed in the course into your analysis of these families. How would this
theory explain family functioning? How does the functioning in these families
support the tenets of this theory?
In addition to class resources, your paper should include at least five outside resources to
support your ideas as well. These resources should be of strong academic integrity
(communication journals preferably). Your outside sources should accurately and
effectively support and expand the arguments in your paper.
“Top 5” Family Communication Tip List
Description: For your paper, you will create a Buzzfeed (Greatist, Huffpost) style “TOP
5” list. After reading and discussing (and writing about) research over the course of the
semester, you will choose ONE topic to research further and give five recommendations
to relevant stakeholders (e.g., families, parents, counselors, marital partners). Your topic
can be directly related to one of your previous essays, or it may be a more general topic
that spans across your essays (e.g., ways to become closer with your siblings, which
could include ideas about stories, theories, conversation orientation, conflict, etc.). You
may also write about something specific that we only tangentially discussed in our
discussions or essays (e.g., ambiguous loss, in-laws, illness), but make sure it connects
back to our family communication content.
Please come talk with me about your topic after you have completed your “key findings”
assignment (see below). “Key findings” points will be earned after this meeting with me.
Organizing: For each claim you make (i.e., “tip” or advice), you will create your claim,
with the evidence from the research. Then, think about how you can creatively provide
ideas or tips or stories that bring your “tip” to life. Offer ideas for how to do what you are
suggesting. Have fun with each point. You are the expert in family communication now,
so this means you get to translate what you have learned from other researchers to your
audience. Think about what YOU would want to read if you clicked a link to read a “Top
5 …” list. And remember, titles (and appealing formatting) draw the reader to your post.
Key Findings: Information-gathering Handout
This assignment in meant to help you begin your research for your top 5 lists, based on
the topic you have found most interesting or important during the semester.
My topic:
Finding/information idea 1 (include citations)
Finding/information idea 4 (include citations)
Finding/information idea 5 (include citations)
Final Paper: Literature Review and Self-Help Book Analysis
For your final paper, you will select a self-help book on family relationships. Preferably,
the book should be written as a “pop literature” book – accessible to the masses rather
than researchers/practitioners. Your book choice needs to be approved. In your paper,
you will critique the self-help book using scholarly research. Specifically, you will
identify at least 3-5 main claims the book makes (e.g., conclusions made, solutions or
tips offered) and compare each based on the scholarly research you find related to that
topic. The main objectives of the assignment are to 1) develop your critical thinking
skills, 2) practice locating, analyzing, and synthesizing scholarly research, and 3)
improve your organizational and writing skills.
The paper should include the following:
a) Introduction/Rationale: Introduce your topic (e.g., conflict, divorce/stepfamilies,
secrets/topic avoidance, difficult conversations, relationship maintenance – or
some combination of topics) and explain why it is important to understand the
topic(s) in the context of family relationships.
d) Conclusion: Provide an overall assessment of the book (e.g., how valid is the
book, what are the implications [positive/negative] of having it available to
families, would you recommend it based on accuracy, accessibility, etc.?). You
may offer suggestions for how it could be more accurate or more accessible to
consumers (e.g., how claims should be modified, what related topics are
necessary but omitted, etc.).
Your paper should offer a solid critique of the book while also providing a thorough
examination of the existing research on your topic. You will want to use the organization
that is best for your purpose (using suggestions/sections above). Put the book synopsis
where it is most appropriate, and be consistent. Don’t forget your discussion/conclusions.