After reading this chapter, you will be able to do the following:

1. Analyze a definition of communication, articulating the definition’s level of observation, intentionality, and normative judgment
2. Recognize the various contexts in which communication takes place
3. Differentiate a communication theory from a concept and a model
4. Discriminate between commonsense, working, and scholarly theories
5. Use criteria for evaluating theory to determine the relative usefulness of a communication theory