WGU D644 FOUNDATIONS OF STRATEGIC
COMMUNICATION CERTIFICATION
ASSESSMENT PAPER 2026 QUESTIONS WITH
SOLUTIONS
◉ Narrative Paradigm. Answer: Walter Fisher -People are storytelling
animals; almost all forms of human communication are fundamentally
narrative. Listeners judge a story by whether it hangs together and rings
true with the values of an ideal audience. Thus, narrative rationality is a
matter of coherence and fidelity.
◉ Elaborate Likelihood Model. Answer: Richard Petty & John Cacioppo
Says how likely one is to elaborate on messages. There is a central route
and a peripheral route. Central (highly involved in processing info) and
peripheral (low involvement processing)
◉ early adopters. Answer: 13.5% of population; respected; more
integrated into the local social system; the persons to check with before
adopting a new idea; category contains greatest number of opinion
leaders; are role models
◉ innovators. Answer: 2.5% of population; venturesome; very eager to
try new ideas; acceptable if risk is daring; more cosmopolite social
relationships; communicates with other innovators
,◉ Early majority. Answer: 34% members dont like to take as much isk
and therefore tend to wait until "the bugs" are worked out of a particular
product or service middle class
◉ Late Majority. Answer: 34% Older and conservative consumers who
avoid products they consider to be too risky. They will purchase
something only if they consider it to be a necessity or when they are
under some form of social pressure.
◉ Laggards. Answer: 16%; Adopt only when certain the technology will
not fail, or when forced to change. Innovation-decision process is
lengthy. Tied to the past; Reluctant to try new things. Don't see a need to
change. Suspicious of innovations. Limited resources
◉ Opinion Leaders. Answer: Individuals who are highly knowledgeable
and well respected, and as such, they are often able to influence change.
◉ epistemology. Answer: A branch of philosophy that examines
questions of how we come to know what we know. Study of knowledge
◉ ontology. Answer: Nature of being/existence
A subcategory of metaphysics that inquires into the nature of real and
unreal. (2) Inquiry into the essential nature of things. Example: Are such
things as dreams, spirits, & ethical persuasions real?
,◉ axiology. Answer: Area of philosophy that deals with nature of values.
It includes questions such as "what is good?" and "what is value?"
◉ crisis communication plan. Answer: The process of anticipating and
preparing for threats that have the potential to damage an organization's
reputation with important constituents and influence the organization's
survival.
◉ secondary research. Answer: involves the summary, collation and/or
synthesis of existing research rather than primary research, where data is
collected from, for example, research subjects or experiments.
◉ archival research. Answer: Include external documents (newsletters,
annual reports, and other publications)
What is the client's history?
What kind of products and services does this company or nonprofit
organization provide?
What is the competitive environment, etc...
◉ Image Restoration Theory. Answer: William Benoit - IRT's Message
Structure Concepts: denial (we didn't do it, or we didn't do it, they did)
reduce the offensiveness (bolstering, minimization, differentiation,
compensation, attack the accuser) correct the wrong (set things right).
— Organization defends its reputation and protects its image. Not
necessarily an apology
, ◉ agenda setting. Answer: Max McCombs and Donald Shaw - Belief
that journalists don't tell you what to think, but do tell you what and
whom to think about
the power of the media to bring public attention to particular issues and
problems
◉ User gratification Theory. Answer: This mass media theory assumes
that people makes choices about what media they will consume in order
to fulfill certain needs
◉ Mass Media Sources. Answer: Newspaper and magazine articles,
radio and tv broadcasts
◉ Demographics. Answer: Grouping individuals by characteristics of
which they have no control; age, gender, race, ethnicity
◉ Psychographics. Answer: Grouping individuals by their lifestyle
choices of which they do have control; education, income, housing
choice, martial status, family size, religion
◉ Seniors. Answer: Strongest workplace trait is loyalty to employers
Value work over family
COMMUNICATION CERTIFICATION
ASSESSMENT PAPER 2026 QUESTIONS WITH
SOLUTIONS
◉ Narrative Paradigm. Answer: Walter Fisher -People are storytelling
animals; almost all forms of human communication are fundamentally
narrative. Listeners judge a story by whether it hangs together and rings
true with the values of an ideal audience. Thus, narrative rationality is a
matter of coherence and fidelity.
◉ Elaborate Likelihood Model. Answer: Richard Petty & John Cacioppo
Says how likely one is to elaborate on messages. There is a central route
and a peripheral route. Central (highly involved in processing info) and
peripheral (low involvement processing)
◉ early adopters. Answer: 13.5% of population; respected; more
integrated into the local social system; the persons to check with before
adopting a new idea; category contains greatest number of opinion
leaders; are role models
◉ innovators. Answer: 2.5% of population; venturesome; very eager to
try new ideas; acceptable if risk is daring; more cosmopolite social
relationships; communicates with other innovators
,◉ Early majority. Answer: 34% members dont like to take as much isk
and therefore tend to wait until "the bugs" are worked out of a particular
product or service middle class
◉ Late Majority. Answer: 34% Older and conservative consumers who
avoid products they consider to be too risky. They will purchase
something only if they consider it to be a necessity or when they are
under some form of social pressure.
◉ Laggards. Answer: 16%; Adopt only when certain the technology will
not fail, or when forced to change. Innovation-decision process is
lengthy. Tied to the past; Reluctant to try new things. Don't see a need to
change. Suspicious of innovations. Limited resources
◉ Opinion Leaders. Answer: Individuals who are highly knowledgeable
and well respected, and as such, they are often able to influence change.
◉ epistemology. Answer: A branch of philosophy that examines
questions of how we come to know what we know. Study of knowledge
◉ ontology. Answer: Nature of being/existence
A subcategory of metaphysics that inquires into the nature of real and
unreal. (2) Inquiry into the essential nature of things. Example: Are such
things as dreams, spirits, & ethical persuasions real?
,◉ axiology. Answer: Area of philosophy that deals with nature of values.
It includes questions such as "what is good?" and "what is value?"
◉ crisis communication plan. Answer: The process of anticipating and
preparing for threats that have the potential to damage an organization's
reputation with important constituents and influence the organization's
survival.
◉ secondary research. Answer: involves the summary, collation and/or
synthesis of existing research rather than primary research, where data is
collected from, for example, research subjects or experiments.
◉ archival research. Answer: Include external documents (newsletters,
annual reports, and other publications)
What is the client's history?
What kind of products and services does this company or nonprofit
organization provide?
What is the competitive environment, etc...
◉ Image Restoration Theory. Answer: William Benoit - IRT's Message
Structure Concepts: denial (we didn't do it, or we didn't do it, they did)
reduce the offensiveness (bolstering, minimization, differentiation,
compensation, attack the accuser) correct the wrong (set things right).
— Organization defends its reputation and protects its image. Not
necessarily an apology
, ◉ agenda setting. Answer: Max McCombs and Donald Shaw - Belief
that journalists don't tell you what to think, but do tell you what and
whom to think about
the power of the media to bring public attention to particular issues and
problems
◉ User gratification Theory. Answer: This mass media theory assumes
that people makes choices about what media they will consume in order
to fulfill certain needs
◉ Mass Media Sources. Answer: Newspaper and magazine articles,
radio and tv broadcasts
◉ Demographics. Answer: Grouping individuals by characteristics of
which they have no control; age, gender, race, ethnicity
◉ Psychographics. Answer: Grouping individuals by their lifestyle
choices of which they do have control; education, income, housing
choice, martial status, family size, religion
◉ Seniors. Answer: Strongest workplace trait is loyalty to employers
Value work over family
