CMC COMPETENCEThis measure will allow you to assess your own CMC competence.

DIRECTIONS: The following statements, modified from Spitzbergs (2006) CMC Competence Scale, describe the ways some people use and feel about new CMC. Please indicate in the space at the left of each item the degree to which you believe the statement applies to you. Please use the following 5-point scale:

1 = Not at all true of me 2 = Mostly not true of me 3 = Neither true nor untrue of me; undecided 4 = Mostly true of me 5 = Very true of me _____ 1. I enjoy communicating using computer media.

_____ 2. I always seem to know how to say things the way I mean them using CMC.

_____ 3. I feel very competent in learning and using communication media technology.

_____ 4. Communicating through a computer does not make me anxious.

_____ 5. I know I can learn to use new CMC technologies when they come out.

_____ 6. I manage the give and take of CMC interactions skillfully.

_____ 7. I can show compassion and empathy through the way I write e-mails.

_____ 8. I take time to make sure my e-mails to others are uniquely adapted to the particular receiver Im sending them to.

_____ 9. I try to use a lot of humor in my CMC messages.

_____10. I use a lot of expressive symbols [e.g., :-) for smile] in my CMC messages.

_____11. I have no trouble expressing my opinions forcefully on CMC.

_____12. I avoid saying things that might offend someone.

_____13. My interactions are effective in accomplishing what I set out to accomplish.

_____14. My comments are consistently accurate and clear.

_____15. I am generally pleased with my interactions.

_____16. I come across in conversation as someone people would like to get to know.

_____17. My CMC interactions are more productive than my face-to-face interactions.

_____18. CMC technologies are tremendous time-savers for my work.

_____19. I rely heavily upon my CMCs for getting me through each day.

_____20. I can rarely go a week without any CMC interactions.

Assess CommunicationYour

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Add your scores. The highest score you can receive is 100, and the lowest is 20. How did you score? What surprised you about your score? You can also try the assessment on others. Simply fill out the measure with another persons behaviors in mind. For instance, you might find it interesting to fill out the survey for one of your friends to determine whether his or her use of CMC might play some role in the degree to which you interact with him or her online. Do you notice differences in your friends use of CMC and face-to-face interactions? Be aware of how you assess communication between CMC and face-to-face interactions among your friends, family, coworkers, and acquaintances.

Source: Scale adapted from Spitzberg, B. H. (2006). Preliminary development of a model and measure of computer-mediated communication (CMC) competence. Journal Of Computer-Mediated Communication, 11(2), 629666.