The Comprehensive Public Relations Reader : Function and Practice

Featuring the original writing of noted experts in the field, and selected by educators and former public relations professionals, The Comprehensive Public Relations Reader: Function and Practice gives students a comprehensive overview of public relations. 

The readings are organized into four sections. The first provides foundational information on public relations, including a clear definition of the field and insight into its origins. Section 2 discusses careers in public relations in articles on job preparation and the top public relations careers in areas such as health care, government, and sports. In Section 3 readers learn about public relations best practices. Specific topics include identifying stakeholders, assessing the environment, and knowing the tools of the trade. The final section is devoted to the four-step public relations process, and explores how to establish goals and objectives, and implement a strategic plan. 

A thoughtful blend of writing on the theoretical and the practical, background and application, The Comprehensive Public Relations Reader is an ideal text for introductory courses in the discipline. The anthology is also well-suited to classes in advertising, marketing, and strategic business communication.

Bob “Pritch” Pritchard, M.A., is a retired Navy Captain, with more than 25 years of public relations experience. He is faculty adviser for the student-run advertising and public relations agency in the Gaylord College at the University of Oklahoma. Professor Pritchard is a member of the Public Relations Society of America’s College of Fellows, a distinction shared by fewer than two percent of the 20,000 members.

Jensen Moore, Ph.D., is a former community relations director and advertising account executive for the St. Paul Saints professional baseball team, and team public relations director in the Continental Basketball Association. Dr. Moore is currently an assistant professor at the University of Oklahoma Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication, where she teaches courses in public relations, and researches social media and crisis communication. She completed her Ph.D. from the School of Journalism at the University of Missouri.