COMMUNICATION PROCESS AND ITS COMPONENTS

PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION

What is communication?
Communication comes from the Latin word communis meaning commonness. It is the process of transmitting or
exchanging of knowledge, ideas, information, attitude, feelings and the like.
It is a two way process by which information is exchanged among individuals through a common system of symbols, signs
and behavior.

ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION:
1. Participants – sender and receiver
2. Context – interrelated conditions/factors affecting communication
5 relevant factors/ milieu (setting) of communication context:
a. Physical
b. Social
c. Psychological
d. Cultural
e. Historical
3. Messages –content/ meaning/ ideas/ feelings that are transmitted
4. Channels – means of transmitting the message.
Maybe auditory or visual
5. Noise – distractions
a. External –sights or sounds outside the communicators’ bodies
b. Internal – inside the communicators’ bodies
c. Semantic –has something to do with faulty/unintentional language use
6. Feedback –responses to message. It improves communication.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Kinds of communication
Verbal communication is the transmission of ideas, opinions, feelings, emotions or attitudes through the use of oral
language.

Non-verbal communication refers to the sending of messages to another person using means other than spoken language
like signs and symbols.

LEVELS OF COMMUNICATION
a. Intrapersonal –with oneself, maybe vocal or non-vocal
b. Interpersonal- with another person
c. Group- with 3 or more people
d. Public- with many people
e. Mass- with a large number of people through the use of mass media

PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATION
1. It is purposive (Persuade, Inform, Entertain).
2. It is continuous.
3. Messages vary in conscious encoding.
4. It is relational.
5. It has ethical implications.
6. Communication is learned.

COMMUNICATION ETHICS
1. Speak with sincerity.
2. Do not expose an audience to falsehood or half-truths that can cause significant harm.
3. Does not premeditatedly alter the truth.
4. Presents the truth as he/ she understands it.
5. Raises the listeners level of expertise by supplying the necessary facts.
6. Employs message that is free from mental as well as physical coercion does not invent or fabricate
information
7. Gives credit to the source of information.
 8. In ethical communication:
9. Do not violate their rights.
10. Do not misrepresent.
11. Do not mislead.

INTERCULTURAL AND GLOBAL COMMUNICATION

CULTURE - the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group; 
- the characteristic features of everyday existence (such as diversions or a way of life) shared by people in a place
or time 
- the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization 

Communication creates communities and cultures and many sub-groups of people have identifiable ways of communicating
differently from other people in a nation.

ETHNOCENTRIC BIAS –your own cultural way of acting is right and normal, and all other ways of acting are only variants of
the only really good way to act (YOURS!!!)

CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION generally compares the communication styles and patterns of people from very
different cultural/social structures.

INTER-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION deals with how people of these cultural/social structures speak to one another and
what difficulties they encounter, over and above the different languages they speak

IMPORTANT POINTS:
1. Multiple “cultures” exist in one society or national group.
2. Multiple “social communities” co-exist in single society and talk amongst themselves as part of their conduct of cultures
“membership” (ballet dancers, gays, bikers, gamers).

TRANSACTING CULTURES
You belong to a certain culture when you:
1. share meanings and style of speaking
2. system of beliefs and customs
3. The nature of culture and your connection to society is conducted through the specific relationships you
have with other individuals whom you meet and interact regularly.

YOU CANNOT SAY that everyone in the U.S or in the PHILIPPINES communicates in the same way. In other
words, we cannot generalize a certain culture having the same way of communication.

DIMENSIONS OF CULTURE
4 categories of culture:
1. Symbols
2. Rituals
3. Values
4. heroes
Our knowledge with other cultures is limited by OUR perception and biases depending on our own culture.
Cross cultural characteristics:
1. Context
2. Collectivism/individualism
3. Time
4. Conflict
Context is the circumstances surrounding a message. The circumstances might include the setting, the value positions of the
people, and appropriateness of a message. This means considering your audience, the forum under which you are speaking,
the era, and accepted norms.
Everything is connected including personal contexts of status, influence, and personal knowledge.
High-context cultures
(Asian, African, Arab, central European and Latin American cultures)
Association: Relationships build slowly and depend on trust. Productivity depends on relationships and the group process. An
individual’s identity is rooted in groups (family, culture, work). Social structure and authority are centralized.

Interaction: Nonverbal elements such as voice tone, gestures, facial expression and eye movement are significant. Verbal
messages are indirect, and communication is seen as an art form or way of engaging someone. Disagreement is
personalized, and a person is sensitive to conflict expressed in someone else’s nonverbal communication.

High-context cultures
(Asian, African, Arab, central European and Latin American cultures)
Territoriality: Space is communal. People stand close to each other and share the same space.
Temporality: Everything has its own time, and time is not easily scheduled. Change is slow, and time is a process that belongs
to others and nature.
Learning: Multiple sources of information are used. Thinking proceeds from general to specific. Learning occurs by observing
others as they model or demonstrate and then practicing. Groups are preferred, and accuracy is valued.
Low-Context Cultures
(European roots, such as the United States and Australia)
Association: Relationships begin and end quickly. Productivity depends on procedures and paying attention to the goal. The
identity of individuals is rooted in themselves and their accomplishments. Social structure is decentralized.
Interaction: Nonverbal elements are not significant. Verbal messages are explicit, and communication is seen as a way of
exchanging information, ideas and opinions. Disagreement is depersonalized; the focus is on rational (not personal) solutions.
An individual can be explicit about another person’s bothersome behavior.

Low-Context Cultures
(European roots, such as the United States and Australia)
Territoriality: Space is compartmentalized. Privacy is important, so people stand farther apart.
Temporality: Events and tasks are scheduled and to be done at particular times. Change is fast, and time is a commodity to be
spent or saved. One’s time is one’s own.
Learning: One source of information is used. Thinking proceeds from specific to general. Learning occurs by following the
explicit directions and explanations of others. Individual orientation is preferred, and speed is valued
Low context vs. high context culture
DIMENSIONS OF CULTURE

POWER DISTANCE
displays how a culture handles inequality, particularly in relation to money and power ex. caste system
Low power distance cultures move in the other direction; they place a high value on the equal distribution of societal power.
INDIVIDUALISM VS. COLLECTIVISM
In individualistic cultures, the population is less tightly-knit, and there is an “every man for himself” mentality. People are
expected to take care of themselves and their immediate family first.
In collectivist cultures, importance is placed on the concept of “we” instead of “I”, with closely connected groups within that
population working together.

MASCULINITY VS. FEMININITY

In this dimension, a culture is measured on a scale of masculinity vs. femininity, which represents a culture’s preferences for
achievement, competition, and materialism vs. preferences for teamwork, harmony, and empathy.
INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION ETHICS

Go To Intercultural Communication Ethics

Go To Barriers To Intercultural Communication

What is Ethics?
Means & Ends Collide
Universals for Ethical Intercultural Communication
Mutuality
Nonjudgmentalism
Honesty
Respect
Self-Reflection
Reflect on Behaviors
Reflect on Behaviors
Reflect on Behaviors
Self-Reflection
Intercultural Competence
Conscious Competence
Unconscious Competence
Go to barriers of intercultural comm

BARRIERS TO INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

Six Barriers to Intercultural Communication

LANGUAGE DIFFERENCES
Even within the same culture, communication isn't always easy.
Spouses get divorced, friends fall out and workers change jobs -- often because of misunderstandings.
Add cultural differences to the mix, and the sources of potential problems multiply.
Whether you're a student, businessperson or traveler, knowing the barriers to intercultural communication is the first step to
overcoming problems.
BODY LANGUAGE
BODY LANGUAGE
People sometimes take offense because of differences in body language across cultures.
For example, a businessperson from Latin America might stand closer to a client than someone from North America would.
This may make the North American feel crowded and want to back away.
People from southern Europe typically use more eye contact than Britons and Americans, which may make the English-
speakers uncomfortable. Because the French typically smile less than Americans, sometimes Americans think they aren't
friendly.

LEVEL OF CONTEXT
Most English-speaking cultures are low-context, meaning they put a message into explicit words.
In these cultures, saying "no" when you mean "no" is just considered straightforward or honest.
High-context cultures, such as Japan, expect the listener to pick up more meaning from the general situation.
For example, Asians sometimes say "yes" or "maybe" when they actually mean "no," according to the Diversity Council.
Asians often consider an outright refusal blunt rather than honest.

VALUE OF TIME
Not all cultures think about time in the North American linear fashion.
In the U.S., punctuality is important, but Latin and Middle Eastern cultures put a higher value on relationships. For example,
you'd finish your conversation with someone even if it makes you late to a meeting.
A culture's view of time also influences how it sees deadlines. For example, North Americans consider making a deadline
crucial -- whether on the job or in college.
People from Asia or South America are more likely to view deadlines as less important than results over the long haul.

NEGATIVE STEREOTYPES AND PREJUDICES

Stereotypes and prejudices about people from other cultures can cause communication problems and give offense.

Ethnocentrism, or a belief that your own culture is better than that of others, can lead to acting superior toward other groups
and not treating them well.
For example, a teacher in an exclusive school may think that students from a certain culture who lack strong English skills or
are incapable of good work. This prejudice can lead the teacher to treat the students unfairly.

FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS

Individuals from the United Kingdom and Japan typically keep a tight control of their emotions
Italians and French are more comfortable showing their feelings.
Loud talking might embarrass an Englishman, but an Italian may just be expressing excitement.
Differences in culture and communication styles can even cause fear. As a result of this anxiety, people from different cultures
may pull back and avoid trying to communicate at all.
Lesson 4

ANXIETY
When you are anxious because of not knowing what you are expected to do, it is only but natural to focus on that feeling and
not be totally present in communication situation.

ASSUMING SIMILARITY INSTEAD OF DIFFERENCES

When you have no information about a new culture, it might make sense to assume that there are no differences, to behave as
you would in your home culture.

ETHNOCENTRISM
Negatively judging aspects of another culture by the standards of one’s own culture

STEREOTYPES AND PREJUDICE

STEREOTYPE- refers to the negative or positive judgments made about individuals based on any observable or believed
group membership
“Kapag matalino sa Math, mahina sa English.”

PREJUDICE – refers to the irrational suspicion or hatred of a particular group, race, religion, or sexual orientation.
“Ayaw kong magkaanak ng bakla, pulis pa naman ako.”

CHARACTERISTICS OF CULTURAL COMPETENCE

MOTIVATION
The desire to communicate successfully with strangers

TOLERANCE FOR AMBIGUITY

Communicating with people from different backgrounds can be confusing.
A tolerance for ambiguity (vagueness) makes it possible to accept, and even embrace, the often equivocal and sometimes
downright incomprehensible messages that characterize intercultural communication.

OPENMINDEDNESS
Open-mindedness relates to the way in which people approach the views and knowledge of others, and "incorporate the
beliefs that others should be free to express their views and that the value of others' knowledge should be recognized."

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

Know that the rules and customs of one can be different from another
Be mindful and be aware of your behavior and others’.

HOW????
1. Be a passive and active observer
2. Do active strategies such as watching movies, reading, asking other who know the culture
3. Self-disclose. Volunteer for personal information to people from other cultures

Gender-neutral language or gender-inclusive language is language that avoids bias towards a particular sex or

social gender. ... For example, the words policeman and stewardess are gender-specific job titles; the corresponding gender-
neutral terms are police officer and flight attendant.

Examples:
Folks, folx, or everybody instead of guys or ladies/gentleman
Humankind instead of mankind
People instead of man/men
Members of Congress instead of congressmen
Councilperson instead of councilman/councilwoman
First-year student instead of freshman
Machine-made, synthetic, or artificial instead of man-made
Parent or pibling instead of mother/father
Child instead of son/daughter
Kiddo instead of boy/girl
Sibling instead of sister/brother
Nibling instead of niece/nephew
Partner, significant other, or spouse instead of girlfriend/boyfriend or wife/husband
Flight attendant instead of steward/stewardess
Salesperson or sales representative instead of salesman/saleswoman
Server instead of waiter/waitress

CHAPTER 4
EVALUATING MESSAGES AND IMAGES
MESSAGE
Gives information and ideas to its intended receiver or audience.
EXAMPLES AND OBSERVATIONS
VERBAL
(SPOKEN WORDS)
NON-VERBAL CONTENT
(SIGNS AND SYMBOLS)

COMMUNICATING MESSAGES
Communication is effective only when the message is understood and when it stimulates action or encourages the receiver the
receiver to think in new ways.

THE MESSAGE IN A RHETORICAL ACT

Rhetoric is the study of processes by which people influence each other through symbols, regardless of the intent of the
source.

MESSAGE IN CLASSICAL RHETORIC

uses logical, ethical, and pathetic proofs

MESSAGES IN THE MEDIA

2 COMPONENTS:
1. Simple, direct and concise
2. Defines the issues on your own terms and in your own words

People who are highly literate are able to see much more in a given message. They are more aware of the levels of meaning.
This enhances understanding.

Messages in the media

People operating at higher levels of media literacy fulfil the goals of higher understanding, control and appreciation.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE MESSAGE

PIE
1. Persuade
2. Inform
3. Entertain/goodwill

The reader and the audience

A reader is someone who needs a particular newspaper, book, or magazine with a particular skill.
Interpretation of the texts is done through seeing relationships of the elements presented.

Reading comprehension requires readers to know and understand the text being read.

What do we do with messages?

Messages come from the texts being read. This could be evaluated by the readers in different ways; hence, they begin to have
different levels of reading comprehension.

Printed texts
Online materials

Different cultures respond differently to essays in different ways

Ways used to convey messages from various texts read
Visual learners
1. Visual learners best comprehend information by visualizing relationships and ideas. Maps, charts, diagrams and even
essays work well for visual learners.
2. Many visual learners need quiet time to themselves to study. They may speak fast and they may prefer to work alone
rather than in groups.
Auditory learners
1. Auditory learners are all ears. They tend to prefer listening to information rather than reading it or seeing it visually
displayed.
2.  Auditory learners may speak and read slowly.
3. They tend to be linear thinkers and may repeat things they hear out loud.

Kinesthetic learners
1. They are most hands-on learning type.
2. They learn best by doing and may get fidgety if forced to sit for long periods of time. 
3. They do best when they can participate in activities or solve problems in a hands-on manner.
4. They tend to have good coordination and best remember what they do.

Reading & writing learners

1. Reading and writing learners are extremely comfortable with the written word.
2. They prefer to consume information by reading texts and can further absorb information by condensing and
rephrasing it.
3. The traditional college lecture and note-taking environment works well for the reading/writing learning style.

COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY

ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN COMMUNICATION

1. Communication and technology have become essential in today’s generation.
2. Developing a person’s knowledge and skills related to communication technology provides an important grounding for
later in life.
3. Technology assisted communication and machine-assisted communication combines characteristics of both
interpersonal and mass communication situations.
4. Individuals of today’s generation will have to be good communicators who can competently discuss topics with others
and effectively share their ideas in many forms and for different purposes.

EVOLUTION OF COMMUNICATION

EXAMINING RELATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND CONSTRUCTION OF IDENTITIES

1. Technological devices play a vital role in the way people communicate nowadays.
2. Personal and relational identities are created and maintained through the use of these technologies.
3. The meaning of relational technology
4. The use of relational technologies develops unique meanings for particular social groups.

MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY GENERATIONS

1. Technologies influences people’s thinking, sense of expertise, and perceptions of reality in very unique and specific
ways.
2. Media generations and societies as a whole consequently develop different standards and methods for evaluating
knowledge experience and reality.
3. Technology and social networks
4. Your social network is an equally strong force in guiding perceptions and use of technology.
5. You belong to multiple social groups, each of which likely views technology and its use differently
6. Technology and social networks
7. The use and incorporation of technology will differ according to the person with who you are in contact and what you
want to achieve thorough interaction.
8. Group dynamics and critique

The following are topics that you have to discuss as a group

● You are given 15 minutes to exchange ideas.
● Be able to summarize your discussion.
 ● Be able to come up with your group's stand on the matter.
1. Technological Product and Service Providers
2. Do people prefer quality or function in choosing their gadgets?
3. Millenials’ perception of reality is not solid. You live in virtual reality.
4. Service Providers
5. Is there a need for more service provider competition for Globe/ Smart/PLDT?

ON LINE COMMUNICATION
1. Discuss identity theft in social media.
2. What are screen names? Are they good and necessary?
3. Personal web pages and blogs develop and maintain identities but people choose which aspect of them will be known by
others.
4. Face to face communication and online communication are very different.
5. Social networking sites allow people to connect with friends, families and others in an existing network while establishing
connections and forming relationships with people from around the world.

MEDITATED COMMUNICATION AND ITS IMPACT ON PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS CALL PHONES AND PERSONAL
RELATIONSHIPS
1. Giving/ Denying personal number to others
2. Constant connection and availability
3. Shared experience
4. Cell phones allow this shared experience even when physically separated.
5. Characteristics of online communication
6. All forms of interaction have unique benefits and challenges.
7. It has to do with people’s comfort and familiarity.
a. dimensional questions
8. Does internet diminish social interaction and lead to a disconnection with reality.
9. Does internet make us productive or unproductive?

COMPETENCE AND CHALLENGES IN MEDIATED COMMUNICATION

1. Because most mediated communication are leaner that face to face communication, they can be harder to interpret.
2. Disinhibition (being bold in expressing information and feelings in the net.
3. Permanence, sharing, and retrieval of data

WHAT IS THE BEST COMMUNICATION CHANNEL TO USE?

▪ Face to face?
▪ Text message?
▪ Voice call?
▪ Voice and video call?
▪ Teleconferencing?
▪ E-mail?
▪ Printed letters?

COMMUNICATION FOR VARIOUS PURPOSES

SPEECH TO INFORM – describes facts, truths, and principles in a way that stimulates interest, facilitates understanding and
increases the likelihood of remembering.

CHARACTERISTICS
1. INTELLECTUALLY STIMULATING – it is new to them and when it is explained in a way that arouses their curiosity
and interest.
2. RELEVANT – make it important to the listeners.
3. CREATIVE – it gives innovative ideas

HOW?
1. rethink a topic, issue or problem from many perspectives (point of view).
2. make your thought visible through graphics.
3. set objectives.
4. make your speech memorable.
5. bear in mind that the audience is diverse.
How to write an informative speech: samples and tips
1. Decide on your Topic. ...
2. Narrow down your general subjects into topics. ...
3. Form your Thesis. ...
4. Consider your audience. ...
5. Outline your speech. ...
6. Write an introduction. ...
7. Expand an outline to form the body of your informative speech. ...
8. Write the conclusion.

METHODS OF INFORMING
1. Definition- is a statement of the meaning of a term. Definitions can be classified into two large categories, intentional
definitions and extensional definitions. 
ex. A school is an institution.
A school is an institution whose objective is to educate students.

2. Explaining its derivation or etymology (origin)

ex. Communication came from the word communis which means commonness.

3. Explaining its function

ex. An AVR is a hardware device used to maintain a voltage to electronic devices. 

4. Using a familiar synomym or antonym.

ex. A vegan is a herbivore and does not eat animal meat.

5. Narration - is the use of a written or spoken commentary to convey a story to an audience. 

6. Retells an autobiographical or biographical event, myth or other story.

7. Use the following cue words: First, second third… and then… finally.
8. Demonstration

9. Shows how something is done

ex. How to debone bangus
10. Narrative speech -tells a story, often one that is based on personal experience
ex. How I became a teacher

The differences between male and female communication.

Example topics:
● history of comic books(general or choose a specific one, ie. Superman, X-Men, etc)
● first woman astronaut
 ● history of transplants
● medicinal marijuana
● alternative fuels
● nanotechnology
● genetically modified crops
● history of Barbie
● Learning disabilities and their effects on learning in college.

SPEECH TO PERSUADE - the speaker has a goal of convincing the audience to accept his or her point of view.
Kinds:
1. Problem-solution
Ex. The national debit is too high that is why we need to raise taxes to lower the debt.
2. Refutation (objection)
Ex. Even though you think that food supplements have no approved therapeutic effects, many can attest that their
sugar level got lower by taking ampalaya capsulette
3. Cause and effect
Ex. Because teen-agers engage in premarital sex, they are forced into early and unprepared parenthood.
There should be:
✔ Motivated sequence
✔ Steps
✔ Attention
✔ Need
✔ Satisfaction
✔ Visualization
✔ Action
Examples of persuasive speech topics
● Should surrogate motherhood be allowed?
● Make recycling mandatory to help the environment.
● Is nuclear power the answer to the energy crisis?
● Social networks and our young generation.
● Subliminal messages in movies and tv ads.
● Juvenile delinquents should be charged in court.

SPEECH TO ENTERTAIN - is to have the audience relax, smile and enjoy the occasion. The speech should have a central
theme or a focus.
-presented during socials and does not require too much thinking and action from the listeners

Tips on how to deliver a speech to entertain:

1. Organize and structure your speech
2. Establish your goal or purpose.
3. If you tell funny or humorous things about some individuals in your public: don’t insult and be sensitive.
4. Be natural and witty.
5. Practice on the timing and the smooth flow of your speech

Examples of speech to entertain

● Why must I clean my room everyday
● What do teachers do off duty?
● How do I fire my boss?
● If I ruled the world...
● Internet dating
● The advantages of wearing braces
● My most embarrassing moment
● What to say on a first date
● What not to say on a first date
● How to survive a blind date

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IN THE WORKPLACE

COMMUNICATION:
 1. It is the lifeblood of an organization.
2. It plays an important role in the success of the organization.
3. It helps to establish the relationship between organizations.
4. Relays on how well they manage to communicate with each other.

COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
1. In an organization, the manager has to read, speak, write, listen, observe, and supervise all the means of
communication.
2. He should know how to make letters, reports, proposals, memos and other form of communication.
3. Know who will communicate with whom... and how?

Communication networks- regular patterns of person-to-person relationships through which information flows in an
organization.

FORMAL COMMUNICATION NETWORKS - systems designed by management to dictate who should talk to whom to get the
job done.

THE BIGGER THE ORGANIZATION, THE MORE COMPLEX AND COMPLICATED THE NETWORK GETS.

SOLUTION: Provide guidelines.

DOWNWARD COMMUNICATION –superior to subordinates

1. Job instructions (what to do and how to do it)
2. Job rationale (how one task relates to other tasks)
3. Procedures and practices (information about rules, regulations, policies and benefits)
4. Feedback (information about effectively a person is performing)
5. Indoctrination (information aimed at motivating employees by impressing the organization’s mission upon
them and specifying how they should relate to it.

UPWARD COMMUNICATION- subordinates to superior

4 types of messages conveyed;

1. What the subordinates are doing?
2. Unsolved work problems?
3. Suggestions for improvement.
4. How subordinates feel about each other and the job?

HORIZONTAL COMMUNICATION – between co-workers with different areas and responsibility

5 purposes:
1. Task coordination
2. Problem solving
3. Sharing information
4. Conflict resolution
5. Building rapport
Informal communication networks – based on friendships, shared personal or career interest, and proximity between workers.

Functions:
1. Confirming- checking
2. Expanding – enlarging the picture
3. Expediting- speeding up the message
4. Contradicting – opposing
5. Circumnavigating- bypassing official channels
6. Supplementing – improving

Cultivating informal networks can be developed by:

1. Seeking exposure to people at all levels of organization.
2. Seek a mentor/ trainer/ guide/coach/guidance counsellor/ who could teach informal rules in an organization.
 3. Be polite and pleasant.
4. Don’t brag about your connections

COMMUNICATION MATERIALS IN THE WORKPLACE

1. Sales Letters -the purpose is to get the reader to do something, these letters include strong calls to action, detail the
benefit to the reader of taking the action and include information to help the reader to act, such as to try a product, shift
brands, avail of a service, etc.

2. Order Letters - sent by consumers or businesses to a manufacturer, retailer or wholesaler to order goods or services
- must contain specific information such as model number, name of the product, the quantity desired and expected price
- payment is sometimes included with the letter.

3. Complaint Letters - the words and tone you choose to use in a letter complaining to a business may be the deciding factor
on whether your complaint is satisfied
- be direct but tactful and always use a professional tone if you want the company to listen to you.

4. Adjustment Letters - normally sent in response to a claim or complaint.

- if the adjustment is in the customer’s favor, begin the letter with that news.
- keep your tone factual and let the customer know that you understand the complaint.

5. Inquiry Letters - ask a question or elicit information from the recipient.

- when composing this type of letter, keep it clear and brief and list exactly what information you need.
- be sure to include your contact information so that it is easy for the reader to respond.

6. Follow-Up Letters - usually sent after some type of initial communication.

- this could be a sales department thanking a customer for an order, a businessman reviewing the outcome of a meeting or a job
seeker inquiring about the status of his application.
- in many cases, these letters are a combination thank-you note and sales letter.

7. Letters of Recommendation - usually comes from a previous employer or professor

- it describes the sender’s relationship with and opinion of the job seeker.

8. Acknowledgment Letters - act as simple receipts.

- businesses send them to let others know that they have received a prior communication, but action may or may not have
taken place.
9. Cover Letters - usually accompany a package, report or other merchandise.
- they are used to describe what is enclosed, why it is being sent and what the recipient should do with it, if there is any
action that needs to be taken

10. Letters of Resignation - usually sent by an employee to his immediate manager giving him notice and letting him know
when the last day of employment will be.
- in many cases, the employee also will detail his reason for leaving the company.

RÉSUMÉ- is a brief account of your personal details, your education, and the jobs you have had.
- you often send a résumé when you are applying for a job

Types:
1. Chronological resume is organized by job titles, which are listed in reverse chronological order.
2. Functional resume-focuses on your skills and experience, rather than on your chronological work history. It
is typically used by job seekers who are changing careers, who have gaps in their employment history, or
whose work history is not directly related to the job.
3. Combination resume is organized into two parts or pages. The first part of a combination resume is
a functional format, which highlights skills and accomplishments.

JOB INTERVIEW TIPS

1. Conduct Research on the Employer, Hiring Manager, and Job Opportunity
2. Review Common Interview Questions and Prepare Your Responses
3. Dress for Success
4. Arrive on Time, Relaxed and Prepared for the Interview
5. Make Good First Impressions
 6. Be Authentic, Upbeat, Focused, Confident, Candid, and Concise
7. Remember the Importance of Body Language
8. Ask Insightful Questions
9. Sell Yourself and then Close the Deal
10. Thank Interviewer(s) in Person, by Email, or Postal Mail

ETHICS IN DIGITAL BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

Here are eight guidelines for communicating in an effective, respectful manner:
1. Don’t use your cell phone at inappropriate times, in inappropriate places, or in an inappropriate way. This invades others
privacy and disrupts their ability to concentrate in the workplace or in a business meeting.
2. Don’t encroach on others personal space when using your laptop computer. There are appropriate times/places to
connect and use your laptop and there are times when it is not appropriate. Also avoid using office desktop for personal
use.
3. Turn off your gadget whenever you are in a situation where it could be distracting.
-if it cannot be avoided, put it in vibrating alert especially when you are waiting for an important call.
4. Don’t send lengthy messages unless you first call the individual or business to ensure that it's a good time./ If you know
that your number is unsaved by the receiving person, text him first to be notified.
5. Only use the speaker phone when necessary, and always make sure the person you are talking to does not mind (Better
use an earplug with microphone).
6. Never send e-mail that contains inappropriate or sensitive material (as some executives have learned the hard
way).
Prefer e-mails than Facebook in sending business messages
7. Consider calling a person who you usually communicate with by e-mail from time to time to establish a more personal
contact.
8. Avoid calling or texting at home or after hours, unless it is vital that you do so.

COMMUNICATION FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES

A book review is a form of literary criticism in which a book is analyzed based on content, style, and merit. A book review may be a
primary source, opinion piece, summary review or scholarly review. ... A book review's length may vary from a single paragraph to
a substantial essay.

1. Start with a couple of sentences describing what the book is about

2. Discuss what you particularly liked about the book
Focus on your thoughts and feelings about the story and the way it was told.
3. Mention anything you disliked about the book
Talk about why you think it didn't work for you.
4. Round up your review
Summarise some of your thoughts on the book by suggesting the type of reader you'd recommend the book to.
5. You can give the book a rating, for example a mark out of five or ten, if you like!

A position paper is an essay that presents an arguable opinion about an issue – typically that of the author or some specified
entity. ... The goal of a position paper is to convince the audience that the opinion presented is valid and worth listening to.

10 Easy Writing Steps

1. Decide on a topic. The best topic will be one you have a strong interest in or opinion about. Find some articles to read about
your topic. It is best to read different positions. Try to get a feel for the various views on the topic.
2. Write your position idea. Pick one particular aspect of the topic to discuss and write a one-sentence opinion. Test to see if
this is really an arguable opinion. Are there other points of view? If everyone agrees on this topic, then you don't really have
something you can write a good persuasive essay about.
3. Gather your sources. You can use articles you read in preparing your thesis, but you may want to get more evidence to
support your view. Make sure you also have information about opposing views.
4. Decide what sort of claim you are writing (fact, definition, cause, value, policy). Read your sources and decide on a claim
statement. This claim statement will be the thesis of your paper.
 5. Do prewriting about your audience (see questions below).
6. Outline: Use the information you have gathered and your pre-writing about audience to write an outline using the information
"Writing your Outline."
7. Write your paper, including adding your author tags, evidence and citations in MLA style.
8. Do Peer Editing: Have someone read your paper.
9. Re-vise your draft using the information you got from your reader(s).
10. Final Proofread. Run a spelling and grammar check, proof-read and read aloud to catch errors.

Example topics:
⮚ Medical marijuana
⮚ Cyberbullying
⮚ Lowering of criminal responsibility to age 10
⮚ Strand requirement to college course choice
⮚ Transgenders joining women pageants