16. Communication Apprehension and Public Speaking Instruction

Oral communication is essential for people’s workplace performance as well as for university students learning English. Speaking fluently is also crucial for maritime academy students prepared to work in industries abroad. Students need to believe in their ability to speak English. For this reason, sound communication skills are necessary for maritime students so they can compete with seafarer or sailor from other countries. The purpose of this research was to identify the level of oral communication apprehension of nautical students of Akademi Maritim Indonesia (Indonesian Maritime Academy) AIPI Makassar. The sample consisted of 10 first year students at nautical of AMI AIPI Makassar. Data was gathered through questionnaires adapted from Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Class Scale (FLCAS). The findings indicated that students were generally apprehensive in EFL oral communication. The students showed the highest apprehension for public speaking. The level of nautical students’ apprehension based on observation and supported by the modified FLCAS were 20% in the low category, 60% in the moderate category, and 20% in the high category. Students in the high apprehension category showed more symptoms than students in the moderate and low apprehension categories.

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Testing Rival Measurement Models of the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension in Two Taiwanese Samples

Psychological Reports ◽

10.2466/02.07.11.20.pr0.107.4.127-138 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 107 (1) ◽

pp. 127-139 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Tsung-Yuan Hsiao

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Discriminant Validity ◽

Public Speaking ◽

Communication Apprehension ◽

Factor Model ◽

Relative Importance ◽

Measurement Models ◽

Two Samples ◽

Confirmatory Factor ◽

Environmental Causes

Some previous research has questioned the appropriateness of using McCroskey's Personal Report of Communication Apprehension with participants of non-Western countries. Rival measurement models of the scale were examined on two samples of 216 and 177 college students in Taiwan. Confirmatory factor analysis of the data showed that although a four-factor model was more representative of the data than the models with one, two, or three factors, this model did not generate an acceptable fit to the data. Further testing of discriminant validity suggested that Taiwanese college students do not differentiate a meeting setting from group, dyadic, and public speaking settings. Findings of this study suggest a re-examination of the conceptualization of communication apprehension before evaluating the relative importance of biological and environmental causes.

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Factor Analysis of the Rathus Assertiveness Schedule and the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension-24: Replication and Extension

Psychological Reports ◽

10.2466/pr0.1984.54.3.851 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 54 (3) ◽

pp. 851-854 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Patricia Kearney ◽

Michael J. Beatty ◽

Timothy G. Plax ◽

James C. McCroskey

Keyword(s):

Factor Analysis ◽

Public Speaking ◽

Communication Apprehension ◽

Common Factor ◽

Prior Work ◽

Five Factors

Prior work indicates items for the Rathus Assertiveness Schedule and the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension share one common factor, apprehension about interpersonal encounters. Employing a revised measure of apprehension, factor analysis of responses of 160 male and 144 female undergraduates to these two scales yielded five factors: apprehension about communicating in groups and meetings, apprehension in interpersonal contexts, apprehension in public speaking contexts, preventing others from taking advantage, and contentiousness. Only one common factor, apprehension in interpersonal contexts, was shared by items from both scales.

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