Public Relations for Beginners

A ready-to-teach resource that helps instructors bridge theory and practice while preparing students to become ethical communicators and community builders. 

Public Relations for Beginners is a ready-to-teach, interactive textbook that helps instructors bridge theory and practice while preparing students to become ethical communicators and community builders. Designed for the modern classroom—traditional, flipped, or online—it is also a valuable guide for nonprofits, startups, and small businesses eager to strengthen their internal communication efforts and understand how PR can drive authentic connection. 

This dynamic text introduces the study and practice of public relations through an applied, community-centered lens. Students explore the ethical foundations of the field while learning how to communicate with integrity, build trust, and strengthen relationships across diverse publics. Through embedded interactive activities, reflection prompts, and real-world assignments, learners experience how media, persuasion, relationships, and organizational communication work together in practice—helping them grow into ethical, well-rounded professionals. 

Instructors benefit from a flexible, adaptable resource with integrated tools for tracking progress, including a customizable gradebook that connects seamlessly with university learning management systems. Supplementary appendices offer practical resources such as step-by-step guides for writing news releases and media pitches, job-shadowing and interview assignments, and campaign development templates. 

Rooted in ethical practice and guided by the PRSA Code of Ethics, Public Relations for Beginners emphasizes responsible persuasion, transparency, and community accountability. The text explores four foundational areas crucial to understanding and practicing PR: media, persuasion, relationship building, and organizational communication. It also positions PR as a vital force for social movements and community engagement. 

Two innovative frameworks set this book apart. The Integrated Model of Community-Based PR positions practitioners as community builders within the broader field of Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC). Complementing this, the ENGAGER Community Model of PR provides a clear, actionable roadmap for ethical, community-centered engagement:

E – Engage in Research 
N – Needs Assessment 
G – Goal Setting 
A – Action Planning 
G – Generate Content 
E – Engage with the Community 
R – Report and Evaluate 

Accessible, engaging, and grounded in real-world practice, Public Relations for Beginners empowers educators and emerging professionals alike to connect theory with application, lead with ethics, and strengthen the communities they serve. Built for the modern classroom, it also serves as an ideal gateway to more advanced courses in the PR curriculum, such as PR Writing and PR Campaigns. Its emphasis on research, message design, and ethical community engagement ensures that students enter upper-level courses with the critical thinking, writing, and strategy skills they need to succeed as ethical, community-minded practitioners.