This assignment serves as a bridge between the early chapters of our course (what communication is,
why we should study it, how it influences who we are and how we interact in arious contexts etc.) and the latter
chapters which focus on formal presentations.
This past Spring, President Obama delivered the State of the Union address; this assignment will analyze this
presentation in detail using the criteria below.
1. Watch the 2014 State of the Union address– a link to the both the video and the text/transcript appear as a link to this assignment (as always–right click and open in another window/tab) If this does not work, then just google “2014 State of the Union Address”.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/29/us/politics/state-of-the-union-address-text.html?_r=0
2. Reread Chapter 1 of our text; this section highlights the transactional Communication Model.
3. Analyze Obama’s speech using/identifying each part of the Communication Model. For example, one of the
elements of the communication process/model is context/occasion. So, when analyzing this you might write/comment that this
is an annual event delivered in a formal location–face-to-face with both houses of Congress, and through media to the country and
even the world. The speech always takes place at the beginning of the year and the content (give an example here) includes a summary
of what has happened over the past year and goals for the future. Included in this aspect of “context or occasion” is the time of day the
speech is delivered, where it is delivered, the day it is delivered–for example, the State of the Union speech is traditionally delivered
prime time TV viewing in the evening hours…comment on why this is and how this aspect of the occation/context influences the
speaker/listener(s)….Our goal is a thorough and detailed examination of the interplay of the elements in the communication process and a
public message (be sure to comment on who the intended receiver…).
4. Post your analysis to this assignment area; you may attach a document or type right into the assignment box.
