Master's Theses

Department

Communication Studies

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine if students perceive more immediate instructors as more credible than non immediate instructors, if students perceive graduate teaching assistants to be more or less immediate and more or less credible than full-time faculty, and whether more immediate instructors are perceived as more credible than non-immediate instructors in a classroom situation. Richmond , Gorham, and McCroskey's (1987) Nonverbal Immediacy Behaviors Instrument, McCroskey and Young's (1981) Teacher Credibility instrument, and a standard university evaluation form used at a mid-sized Midwestern university (TEVAL, 1996) were administered to 289 undergraduate students enrolled in 17 sections of Fundamentals of Oral Communication. No significant differences were found between GTA and full-time faculty evaluation scores. There was a strong positive correlation between nonverbal immediacy and teacher credibility, and significant positive correlations were found on all measures in relation to expected grade.

Advisor

Carolyn Sue Strohkirch

Date of Award

Spring 1999

Document Type

Thesis - campus only access

Rights

© 1999 Jennifer G. Hargett

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