This assignment is designed to give you an interpersonal communication experience. Through the dyadic encounter, you will observe the dynamics of self and other as senders, receivers, responders, and meaning makers. The assignment asks you to reflect upon and analyze communication in interpersonal relationships through the initial stages of conversation.

• You will be paired with a member of the Oral Communication class for conversation. You will participate in five face-to-face encounters, each of which will be 20 minutes in length.
• Two of the encounters will occur during class sessions. The other meetings should take place outside of class in a different setting or at a different time or day or night. 
• The purpose of your meeting is to talk. You should think about conversation topics or starters before each meeting even if you do not use these in the actual conversation.
• Following each encounter write your reactions and observations to what occurred. Did you enjoy the conversation? How did it go? Was it easy to talk and listen? How did this conversation compare to others you have had?
• What did you observe about yourself as a communicator? What did you discover about interpersonal communication?


Following your conversations write a paper on the connection between relationship and communication, and the ways in which relationship is built through communication.