This annual collection contains essays relating to instruction in the basic communication course, grading in the basic communication course, evaluating the basic communication course, and the "state" of the basic communication course. Papers in the collection include: "The Future of the Basic Course" (Judy C. Pearson and Paul Nelson); "Communication Apprehension in the Basic Course: Learning Styles and Preferred Instructional Strategies of High and Low Apprehensive Students" (John Bourhis and Charlene Berquist); "An Investigation into the Communication Needs and Concerns of Asian Students in Speech Communication Performance Courses" (Ester Yook and Bill Seiler); "The Required Course and the Advanced Student: A Placement Perspective" (Michael R. Schliessmann and Laurie B. Haleta);"Beyond Writing: The Case for a Speech-Based Basic Course in a Vid-Oral World" (W. Lance Haynes); "A Communication-Based Model of Friendship for the Interpersonal Communication Course" (Rod Troester); "Some Student Perceptions of Grades Received on Speeches" (Ted J. Foster and others); "A Program of Rater Training for Evaluating Public Speeches Combining Accuracy and Error Approaches" (Nancy Rost Goulden); "Evaluating the Basic Course: Using Research To Meet the Communication Needs of the Students" (Lyn B. Bendtschneider and Douglas M. Trank); "The Basic Course: What Do We Know? What Do We Need To Know? Where Do We Go from Here?" (Nancy L. Buerkel-Rothfuss and David L. Kosloski); and "The Basic Speech Course at United States Colleges and Universities: V" (James W. Gibson and others). (RS)