To broaden your understanding of the chapter, consider the following assignments related to the Internet.

1. Interview at least three people about their e-mail experiences and how they achieved meaning in those e-mail "dialogues." Ask questions about the extent to which meaning has not been achieved, what the individual did to gain meaning and clarity, and how the recipient of the e-mail responded to attempts at meaning coordination.

2. An integral level in the hierarchy of meaning proposed in the Coordinated Management of Meaning is cultural patterns. Examining the way the Internet is used both in and outside of the U.S. is one way of assessing the influence of culture on e-mail conversations. Try looking at archived collections of content from a variety of magazines, newspapers, and organizations (e.g., www.salon.com, www.nytimes.com, and www.pewinternet.org) and examine articles looking at how messages may be interpreted differently across cultures.