Business and Professional Communication Quarterly Jun 2020

Nonverbal Communication and Writing Deficiencies of Graduates: Research by Undergraduates for Undergraduates

Sally O. Hastings University of Central Florida ; Sandra Aponte University of Central Florida ; Esther Valverde University of Central Florida ; Catherine Gristock University of Central Florida ; Rebecka Fraser University of Central Florida ; Michelle Missigman University of Central Florida ; Jordan Bicasan University of Central Florida ; Luisa Rosas University of Central Florida

Abstract

Effective organizational socialization demands soft skill competence. This article advances two goals: (a) explore the inclusion of undergraduate researchers in the scholarship of teaching and learning research and (b) present research findings on employer perceptions of new college graduates’ communication skills. The research team used a rules approach to explore employer perceptions of nonverbal communication skills for new college graduates, such as commonly violated rules. Four key findings relating to rule violations in unspoken communication include displaying a lack of interest, inappropriate attire, body art, and writing deficiencies. Suggestions are offered for including undergraduates in this kind of research.

Journal
Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
Published
2020-06-01
DOI
10.1177/2329490620906447
CompPile
Search in CompPile ↗
Open Access
Closed
Topics
teacher development
Export
BibTeX RIS

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (3)

  1. Khalid et al. (2026)
    Impact of Flipped-ARCS and ARCS-Integrated Instruction on Business Writing Achi…
    Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
  2. Knight (2021)
    Promoting Accessibility in the Zoom Era
    Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
  3. Gettings et al. (2021)
    “This Happens in the Real World?”: Perceptions of Student-Developed Workplace C…
    Business and Professional Communication Quarterly

References (39) · 5 in this index

  1. 10.14434/josotl.v14i3.5031
     ↗
  2. Brinkmann S. (2015)
    InterViews: Learning the craft of qualitative research interviewing
  3. Burgess-Wilkerson B. (2010)
    Society for Marketing Advances Proceedings
  4. Carbaugh D. (1990)
    Cultural communication and intercultural contact
  5. Carpen J. (2008)
    Information Executive
Show all 39 →
  1. Clokie et al. (2016)
    Graduate Employability and Communication Competence: Are Undergraduates Taught …
    Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
  2. Coffelt et al. (2016)
    Business Communication Practices From Employers’ Perspectives
    Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
  3. 10.1111/j.0965-075X.2005.00306.x
     ↗
  4. 10.1080/10570314.2016.1159727
     ↗
  5. 10.1037/apl0000201
     ↗
  6. Engelkemeyer S. W. (2012)
    University Business
  7. 10.1177/002194369803500201
     ↗
  8. 10.1016/S0001-8791(02)00017-9
     ↗
  9. 10.1177/0021943605277008
     ↗
  10. Jones M. (2016)
    College Student Journal
  11. 10.1111/ijtd.12120
     ↗
  12. 10.1177/0893318902161003
     ↗
  13. 10.1163/156916294X00016
     ↗
  14. Lindlof T. R. (2019)
    Qualitative communication research methods
  15. 10.1080/10510974.2013.811429
     ↗
  16. Martin-Lacroux et al. (2017)
    Do Employers Forgive Applicants’ Bad Spelling in Résumés?
    Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
  17. 10.1108/00483480910992247
     ↗
  18. 10.1080/03075079.2015.1067602
     ↗
  19. 10.12968/ijtr.2009.16.12.45433
     ↗
  20. Ortiz et al. (2016)
    Employer Perceptions of Oral Communication Competencies Most Valued in New Hire…
    Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
  21. 10.1080/13538322.2012.706464
     ↗
  22. Pierce D. (2018)
    Community College Journal
  23. 10.20429/ijsotl.2011.050123
     ↗
  24. 10.1177/1080569912460400
     ↗
  25. 10.1080/03634520216496
     ↗
  26. 10.1177/1468794105056922
     ↗
  27. 10.1108/CDI-12-2016-0214
     ↗
  28. 10.1016/j.jvb.2006.12.004
     ↗
  29. 10.2307/2393009
     ↗
  30. 10.1111/j.1468-2885.2009.01355.x
     ↗
  31. Shimanoff S. B. (1980)
    Communication rules: Theory and research
  32. 10.1007/s10551-007-9370-z
     ↗
  33. Suvedi M., Ghimire R. P., Millenbah K. F. (2016). How prepared are undergraduates for a career? NACTA Journal…
  34. Washington et al. (2014)
    Perceptions of Civility for Mobile Phone Use in Formal and Informal Meetings
    Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
CrossRef global citation count: 5 View in citation network → Build reading path →

Related Articles

  1. Computers and Composition Jun 2026
    “Article laundry” or “tutor in pocket?”: Multilingual writers’ generative AI-assisted writing in professional settings ↗
    Qianqian Zhang-Wu
    writing pedagogy teacher development professional writing qualitative research digital rhetoric artificial intelligence multilingual writers
  2. Computers and Composition Jun 2026
    Evaluating students’ Coded animated stories as multimodal narrative composition in the middle school English curriculum ↗
    Len Unsworth
    first-year composition teacher development digital rhetoric multimodality
  3. Business and Professional Communication Quarterly May 2026
    Andrew Carnegie and the Rhetorical History of Business and Professional Communication ↗
    Joe Edward Hatfield
    rhetorical criticism teacher development professional writing archival research
  4. Business and Professional Communication Quarterly Apr 2026
    Bridging Curricula and Workplaces in China: A Needs-Based Model for Arabic Business Communication ↗
    Suo Yan Mei; Suo Yan Ju; Zarima Mohd Zakaria
    discourse analysis teacher development professional writing
  5. Business and Professional Communication Quarterly Apr 2026
    Teacher Clarity, Immediacy, and Self-Efficacy: An Ecological Approach to Student Burnout ↗
    Diyako Rahmani; Jenilee Crutcher Williams; Michelle T. Violanti; Stephanie Kelly
    graduate education teacher development professional writing