A mixture of theoretical and practical essays points up the purposes of, barriers to, and means of facilitating communication. Four models of how people communicate are presented. A series of essays describing communication messages and channels include considerations of "gobbledygook," nonverbal communication by touch, smell, or body movement, and an excerpt from McLuhan. Essays about communication sources and receivers concern attitudes which people bring to communication which can hinder their sending or receiving a message. These essays look at hidden premises in messages, ways to organize information, psychological barriers to communication, the importance of putting yourself in the other person's shoes, the effects of defensive attitudes on communication, and offer a guide to effective listening. Since the book is intended for use in undergraduate courses in communication, discussion questions are at the end of each essay. (JK)