Pt. 1. The nature of inquiry and theory -- 1. Communication theory and scholarship -- 2. Theory in the process of inquiry -- -- Pt. 2. Topics in communication theory -- 3. System theory -- 4. Theories of signs and language -- 5. Theories of discourse -- 6. Theories of message production -- 7. Theories of message reception and processing -- 8. Theories of symbolic interaction, structuration, and convergence -- 9. Theories of social and cultural reality -- 10. Theories of experience and interpretation -- -- Pt. 3. Contextual themes -- 12. Communication in relationships -- 13. Communication in group decision making -- 14. Communication and organizational networks -- 15. Communication and media -- -- Pt. 4. Capstone -- 16. Making communication theory