A TERMINAL COURSE IN ENGLISH COMMUNICATIONS FOR SENIORS A Project Presented to the Faculty of the School of Education The University of Southern California In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science in Education by Jack Henry Branham February 1950 UMI Number: EP46204 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMI Dissertation Publishing UMI EP46204 Published by ProQuest LLC (2014). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code ues t* ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 Ed 'S'i 6&&I Proj This project report, written under the direction of the candidate’s adviser and approved by him, has been presented to and accepted by the Faculty of the School of Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Education. Date .......................... Adviser Dean i i TABLE OP CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE PART I. SOCIALIZATION HOW TO CORRESPOND WITH OTHERS 1. HOW TO WRITE SOCIAL CORRESPONDENCE . .............. 3 2. HOW TO EXPRESS SYMPATHY TO THOSE WHO NEED A FRIEND . 1$ 3. HOW TO WRITE BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE............ . 23 PART II. CREATION HOW TO WRITE FOR RECREATION If. HOW TO WRITE THOUGHTS FOR FUN .............. 3if 5. HOW-TO USE YOUR IMAGINATION , . . . . . . . . . . . IfO PART III. CEREBRATION HOW TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU READ 6. HOW TO TAKE USEFUL NOTES ON YOUR READING..........if8 7. HOW TO CONTROL PROPAGANDA..........................£5 PART IV. PRESENTATION HOW TO CONDUCT INTERVIEWS WITH FRIENDS 8. HOW TO WIN AN ARGUMENT.............................66 9. HOW TO TALK TO FRIENDS .....................73 APPENDIX: I* BIBLIOGRAPHY: Reference shelf for communication . * 8l II. RECREATIONAL READING: Books to read for fun. . . . 83 i l l LIST OP FIGURES F33GURE PAGE 1. GET A CORRESPONDENCE CORNER L .................. 2 2. USE INFORMAL FORMAT . ^ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 3. USE CORRECT NOTE FORM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 4. ANSWER PROMPTLY . . * ......... . . . . . . . . . 8 5. MAKE THE GIFT APPROPRIATE........................l4 6. SEE THE HEAD MAN............ 22 7. BE SPECIFIC WHEN ORDERING................... . . . 25 8. PAY BILLS BY MAIL............................... . . 26 9. THINK, THEN WRITE IT.............................. 33 10. GET ACTION IN YOUR WRITING.............. ...... 39 11. GET THE IDEA ON PAPER . ’..........................i}-7 12. ATTACK PROPAGANDA AT THE SOURCE.................. 54 13. MAKE YOUR POINT FORCEFULLY........................65 14. INVITE A FRIEND TO HAVE A "COKE"................. 72 iv PREFACE During the Summer Session of 19^4-9 the author taught a clgss in Senior English at Manual Arts High School as a \ second semester assignment in directed teaching. The lack of planned materials for such a course was appalling. A quick survey of the class 'Showed that .students required a combined course, one that would be useful both to college preparatory and to non college students* Both classes of students wanted a practical course. This-project is an outgrowth of that experience* Material was gathered from students at random, class­ mates in the Master’s Project Seminar, and from other in­ dividuals. The question was asked, "If you had the chance to take a final course in English Communications, what would be useful to you? What would you want to be included in such a course?" Since most of the answers to the above questions were of a functional or semi-functional nature an attempt has been made to prepare an English course that is functional. This work is intended wherever a complete survey of the English Communications field is applicable. It is intended for both college and non-college high school students* Much of the material is conventional in nature, but has been functionalized. Material was prepared by the "Difficulty Analysis" technique* Material from the institute for Propaganda Analysis* The Pine Art of propaganda, Harcourt, Brace and Company, New York, 1939, was used for the chapter on propaganda. Illustrations were prepared by James S. Branham, 1 PART I. SOCIALIZATION HOW TO CORRESPOND WITH OTHERS No individual can be better than the impression he makes .on other people. Your personality is what you are in the eyes of the society around you. To make a good impression on others you must be able to correspond with them. You must be able to meet the requirements of social living. You must be able to icrite to them. You must be able to write to your friends and answer the letters you get from your friends. You must be able to arrange a business correspondence to pre­ vent the loss of money* In short, you must be able to write the letters required of a member of our society. The following chapters will aid you in doing this. GET A CORRESPONDENCE CORNER CHAPTER 1 HOW TO WRITE SOCIAL CORRESP ONDENCE A. MOTIVATION: Personal gains you can expect from being able to write correct social correspondence. 1. GAIN PRESTIGE: The person who keeps up \?ith his social obligations 'is thought well bred and is considered a person worth knowing. 2. KEEP FRIENDS: One sure way of losing friends and making people dislike you is to ignore your social correspondence. 3* HAVE PUN: If you know how to write and answer social correspondence you will receive invitations to parties and to group get to gethers. B. DIRECTIONS: Methods of perfecting your technique in social writing. 1. GRATITUDE: How to write a thank you letter. a. Use a good grade of writing paper. b. Write your letter with ]ben and ink. c. Do NOT use printed thank you cards. d. Say exactly for what you are giving thanks. {1) Describe in detail, for example, "Thank you for the beautiful bouquet of American Beauty Roses. They helped no end in relieving me of my sorrow for my lost appendix."