This text focuses student-learning on the key communication competencies recommended by the National Communication Association. With applied examples and a vibrant and engaging design, this text covers all the expected topics in an introductory course (foundations of communication, interpersonal communication, small group communication, and public speaking - plus a special appendix on interviewing). Scenarios begin each chapter with a problem to which students can relate and then solve as they learn about the concepts discussed in each chapter. A concentrated focus on careers in communication, highlighted in a two-page spread near the end of each chapter, brings home the relevance of communication outside the classroom and helps students learn more about how studying communication can help them throughout their lives. Additional emphasis on topics such as ethics, culture, gender, and technology is found throughout the text.