A chorus of chirping crickets outside my window kept me company this afternoon while I prepared a public speaking exam for tomorrow's class. My exams are tough:  definitions, true/false statements, multiple choice, fill-in-the-blanks, and brief essay questions. I do not want students to simply memorize a batch of material, spit it out onto an exam, and promptly forget what they memorized within the hour. I craft the exam so that students must apply what they read in their textbook to their lives and future career. In class we can discuss, chart, and debate communication theory until we turn blue, but discussion is pointless unless students have opportunities to practice communication tools in their private and professional lives.