Paul E. Nelson was Director of the Honors College at the University of Missouri, Departmental Executive Officer at Iowa State University, Dean of the College of Communication at Ohio University, and Chair of the Political Science Department and Head of the Department of Communication at North Dakota State University. He has co-authored many textbooks with his spouse and colleague, Dr. Judy C. Pearson. Scott Titsworth is an Associate Professor and Interim Dean for the Scripps College of Communication at Ohio University. Scott is co-author of four textbooks and a nationally respected scholar in the field of instructional communication and communication education. In addition to his current administrative responsibilities, Scott has worked as a basic course administrator for his entire career and has been active with the first year student program at Ohio University. Judy C. Pearson was Associate Dean of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences and Professor of Communication at North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota, and Director of the Northern Virginia Center for Virginia Tech in Falls Church, Virginia. She has co-authored over 30 text and trade books and more than 100 scholarly articles and chapters in edited books. Judy has served as the President of the Central States Communication Association, the World Communication Association, and the National Communication Association. She met Paul E. Nelson at a basic course directors meeting, married him, and the couple has six children. The two have been producing basic course books together ever since.