Personal improvement in communication begins with a clear understanding of your own attitudes and of the relationships you build with others. Human Communication draws the best available research and helps each student, no matter who they are or where they are, to develop the skills needed for effective and confident communication in any occasion. Human Communication is an integrated program that helps students practice communication skills, build confidence in public speaking, and achieve success in their introductory communication course. Always rooted in the most current scholarship and with an eye on practical, everyday communication scenarios, Human Communication is designed to make introductory communication studies immediate and relevant to students. The authors strike a balance of definitive theory and everyday application that resonates with the challenges and goals of today's typical basic course. In the new 7th edition, updated research is integrated throughout the text. Additionally, there is a new focus throughout the text on how communication can help individuals relate in an increasingly polarized world. This edition also discusses fake news within the context of ethical research for a presentation and provides new sample presentation and outline examples. Finally, the new 7th edition will also feature SmartBook 2.0, the first and only adaptive reading experience, that highlights content based on what the individual student knows and doesn't know and provides focused help at that moment in need through targeted learning resources (including videos, animations and other interactivities). SmartBook 2.0's intuitive technology optimizes student study time by creating a personalized learning path for improved course performance.