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HUN 102, PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION, MODULE 1

THE CONCEPT OF COMMUNICATION

The word communication is originated from the Latin word “communicare” which means “to share”. It is
the exchange of information between two persons or more. So communication is a social process.
Generally, communication is exchange of ideas in an unstructured manner. The process of
communication has four elements, namely, Sender,Message,Medium and Receiver.
Sender is the person who wants to communicate. Message is the idea or content of communication.
Medium is the use of language or symbols for communication. Receiver is the person who gets the
message.

The process of communication can be represented as follows

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Ideation Encoding Transmission

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Feedback Decoding
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Ideation = Sender has an idea to communicate

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Encoding = Sender converts ideas to words or symbols

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Transmission = Message travels through a channel

Decoding = Receiver understands the message
Feedback = Receiver’s response

USE OF LANGUAGE IN COMMUNICATION

Language is a system of human communication. It mainly involves the use of meaningful words, to be
used by certain people belong to the same linguistic community. Language can be carried out in
different levels,namely, the use of words, body language, actions etc.
In the use of language, vocabulary, fluency, pronunciation, tone, stress etc. are very important. Body
language includes sitting and standing posture, how people utilise the space when they communicate

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and movements of the body, the eyes etc. Actions are very important too since they help in
communication in a blissful manner.

To communicate anything in an effective manner, language is inevitable. Using of language with

accuracy will give us an edge over others in the real life situations. The best use of language will help us
in the following ways,

 To maintain social order

 To create and promote business opportunities
 To maintain harmonious relations with different societies
 To promote leadership
 To train and learn, etc.

TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION

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Technical communication is the type of communication that we follow in our professional life. It is
different from the normal communication that we use in our informal contexts. Technical

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communication is majorly followed in written form but can be done in oral form too. By technical
communication, we share scientific, engineering and other technical information.
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Characteristics of technical communication are as given below.
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Technical communication is,

 Crisp
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 Objective
 Including jargons (technical words)
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 Formal
 Including tables, charts, diagrams, etc.
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SIGNIFICANCE OF TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION

1. Technical communication conveys scientific and other technical matters by appropriate

diagram, vocabulary, etc.
2. Technical communication is clear, able to use jargons (technical words), invokes logical
thinking and reasoning.
3. Technical communication is significant because it facilitates clear communication among
professionals.
4. It helps in promoting business proposals, plans, projects, etc.
5. It helps in maintain effective and helpful human relations among employees of an
organisation.

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TECHNOLOGY BASED COMMUNICATION
Recently, communication has gone through drastic changes. Social media, presentation software and
other platforms are used even for high end presentations. Different aspects of technology based
communication are given below

EFFECTIVE E MAIL MESSAGES

E mail is the most widely used medium of communication in business and academic fields. The
advantages of using e mails are,
1. Speed : Reaches the recipient almost instantly.
2. Can be sent to multiple recipients on a single click.
3. A variety of files can be attached.

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4. Easy access from anywhere in the world.
5. Inexpensive; most personal e mail ID’s are free.

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6. It can be sent even to a person who is hard to reach.

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To maintain effectiveness in E Mail communications, the following measures can be taken,
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 Mention the subject correctly and never send an e mail without subject.
 Use simple and clear language.
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 Use good formatting without using all CAPS.

 Type small paragraphs.
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 Use bold, italics, etc to highlight the important points.

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SLIDE PRESENTATIONS

Microsoft power point and Google slides are the most popular slide show programs today. The basic
structure of slide show is given below.

1. Introductory Slides
They include the title, overview and introduction to the topic.
2. Content Slides
These slides include the main body of the presentation.
3. Concluding Slides
These include the results, conclusion, discussions, references and thank you
slides.

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The purpose of slide show is to support the presentation and not to detract from it. We can use the
slides to attract the audience and audience is always the important factor in a presentation and not
the slides. Slides should be used to,
*support communication
* make the presentation better
* give an overview of the presentation
* deliver the visual data which cannot be explained in words.

While making a presentation, the following are very important.

 Plan the presentation
 Ensure the clarity and visibility of slides


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Align the text to the left.
 Present the content in a structured manner

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 Use a consistent theme without too much graphics
 Use dark text on a light background.
 Use good fonts s.
 Use slide numbers
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 Before presentation, ensure that the slides work properly.

Don’ts
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 Don’t use slides as substitute for saying.

Don’t paste entire paragraph of the reference text to the slides.
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
 Don’t put full sentences on the slide, only the key points are needed.
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 Don’t use too much animation.

 Don’t add sound effects unless they are necessary.
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EDITING SKILLS

Editing is the process of finding out the mistakes of a given text and correcting them. We can make use
of different softwares to edit audio, video, graphic and other files. The following steps can be used to
improve editing skills of a text.

 Develop mastery in language

 Read the content in full
 Know the purpose of editing (understand whom are we writing to)
 Have the confidence to spot and edit the errors

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 Take sufficient time to edit
 Reread the content sentence by sentence

Editing can be done through spelling, structure, style, punctuating, fact checking, grammar, etc.

EDITING SOFTWARES

Following are the examples for editing softwares that engineers use.
1. Media Wiki : PHP based web editing tool which Wikipedia uses

2. What Fix : Online documentation software

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3. Wordpress : Open source, free, online content management platform

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4. Microsoft Visio : Used in engineering applications design
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5. Prezi : Used to make demos in video presentation. Can write and draw
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6. MS Word : Can be used for documentation

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MODERN DAY RESEARCH AND STUDY SKILLS

Different from the conventional classroom study and face to face interaction between students and
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teachers, the present trend is gathering sufficient helps and information from the internet. Different
apps, discussion forums, etc. also help multitudes of people in knowledge acquisition. The following
are examples for modern day research and study tools.

1. SEARCH ENGINES

Search engines are web based tools that enable the users to locate information on the WWW.
Examples are Google, Yahoo. MSN, etc.
Search engines utilise automated software applications like robots, bots, spiders, etc. that travel along
the web to create searchable index.

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2. REPOSITORIES

Repositories are places where multiple databases or files are located for distribution over a network.
Repositories give assistance to the users without making them go though the entire network of
internet.

3. GIT HUB

Git Hub is a global company that provides hosting for software development version control using Git.
A Git is a distributed version control system to track changes in a source code during software
development. Git Hub offers all of the distributed version control and source code management
functionality of a Git.

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4. STACK EXCHANGE

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Stack Exchange is a network of question and answer websites on topic in different areas. It is self
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monitoring. Each site in Stack Exchange covers specific topics and scholars will be giving answers to the
different questions.
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5. OSS COMMUNITIES
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OSS (Open Source Software) is a type of computer software in which the copyright holder grants rights
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to the users to study, change and distribute the software to anyone for anything. OSS may be
developed in a collaborative manner. Linux, Android and Drupal are examples.

6. MOOC

MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) is an online course aims at unlimited participation and open
access through web. It has been introduced in 2006 and widely accepted in 2012. MOOC’s provide
interactive sessions among students, professors and teaching assistants and are part of distance
education.

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7. SWAYAM

SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds) is a programme by the MHRD of
India. Professors from IIT’s, IIM’s and central universities offer online courses to the citizens of India
through SWAYAM. It has been developed by the MHRD & the AICTE with the help of Microsoft. Online
courses are offered for free but certification requires fee.

8. NPTEL

NPTEL (National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning) is an initiative by 7 IIT’s (Bombay,

Delhi, Guwahati, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Madras and Roorkee). Through NPTEL, it is aimed at creating
course contents in engineering and science. Civil Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering,

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Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Electronics and Communication Engineering, Mechanical
Engineering and core science programmes are the main areas at the beginning. Contents of the

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courses are based on the IACTE model curriculum.

9. QUORA
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It is an American question and answer website where questions are asked, answered and edited by the
internet users.
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PLAGIARISM
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Plagiarism is stealing another person’s language, thoughts, ideas or expressions. Examples of softwares
to check plagiarism are duplichecker, paperrater, copyleaks, etc.

TECHNICAL VOCABULARY

Technical vocabulary is the vocabulary that we use in our professional and formal lives. This can also
be called as jargons. Normally, we use technical vocabulary while

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VOCABULARY USED IN FORMAL LETTERS, E MAILS AND REPORTS

In formal letters, we have to have good starting, body of letter and conclusion. The vocabulary we can
use in formal letters to start are with a good salutation and greetings like dear sir/ madam, wish you a
good day, greetings for a good day, hope that you do well, etc. The body of letter should clearly specify
the content. Conclusion can be made by the words like yours truly, yours faithfully, obediently yours,
etc.
In formal e mails, we have to specify the subject clearly with simple and understanding language, open
with salutation as that in formal letters and in case of any attachment, mention it clearly like “please
go through the attached file”. Conclusion can be made by using the same vocabulary as we use in
formal letters.
Vocabulary in Reports should have the aim/ purpose of writing the report. It can have the words like
“this report is prepared based on the study”, “as of our study/observation”, etc. While giving examples

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we can use “as example, for instance”, etc. Towards the ending, expressions like “to sum up, to
conclude, as conclusion”, etc. can be used.

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SEQUENCE WORDS s.
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Sequence words are the words that help to understand the order of events in a story or narration of
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events in a report.
Examples: first, second, next, later, once upon a time, in addition to, suddenly, etc.
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COMPOUND WORDS
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Compound words are words formed with two or more words put together to form a new word with
new meaning. There are three types of compound words namely,
1. Closed Compound Words
2. Open Compound Words
3. Hyphenated Compound Words

1. Closed Compound Words

They are the words which look like one word, usually made up of only two words.
Eg: - Notebook, Superman, Fireman, Bookstore, Airport, Extraordinary, Worldwide,
Metaphysical, Bookstore

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2. Open Compound Words
Open compound words are made with the modifying adjective, combined with its noun. We
use a space between the adjective and noun.
Eg: - Living room, Real estate, Coffee mug, Full moon, High school, Dinner table, Ball pen

3. Hyphenated Compounds
A compound adjective is hyphenated if placed before the noun it modifies, but not placed
after the noun.
Eg: - A long – term solution is required now.
An up – to – date user guide is given with the device.
But hyphenation will not be given in the cases given below because compound adjectives are placed

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after the noun.

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Eg: - A solution is required now which should be long term.
A user guide, which is up to date, is given with the device.
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SYNONYMS
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A synonym is a word which carries the same meaning of another word.

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PARAPHRASING
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Paraphrasing is formulating someone else’s ideas in our own words. To paraphrase something, rewrite
the given document is important, without changing the meaning. This method is used to simplify the
author’s idea.
There are certain steps in paraphrasing as follow,

 Read the passage several times

 Note down the key concepts
 Write our own version without looking at the text.
 Compare the prepared text with the original
 Cite the source from which you found the idea.

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VERBAL ANALOGIES

Verbal analogies are used to test our ability to find relationships between two words and to recognise
a similar relationship with two other words.
Eg: - Pages : Book :: Petals : ? (Flower)
Butcher : Knife :: Hairdresser : ? (Scissors)
Warm : Hot :: Old : ? (Antique)

SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT

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Subject verb agreement simply means the subject and verb must agree in number, that is both must
be singular/ plural. If a subject is singular, verb must be singular.

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The following are certain rules we have to follow related to the subject verb agreement.


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Two or more singular nouns or pronouns joined by and require a plural verb.
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Eg: - Platinum and gold are costly metals.
He and I are playing.
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 The verb should be singular if the nouns suggest one idea or refer to the same person or
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thing.
Eg: - Time and tide waits for none.
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Bread and butter is my breakfast.

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 Verb should be put in singular if words joined to a singular subject by with, as well as,
etc.
Eg: - The president, with his members, has to be present in the meeting.
Technology, as well as science, is taught at our college.

 Two or more singular subjects connected by or or nor require a singular verb.

Eg: - No city or village was left without Covid ’19 pandemic.
Neither power nor money influences him.

 When one of the subjects joined by or or nor is plural, the verb must be plural and the
plural subject should be placed nearest to the verb.
Eg: - Neither the chairman nor the directors are present.

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 When the subjects joined by or or nor are of different persons, the verb agrees with the
nearer.
Eg: - Either he or I am mistaken. Either I or he is mistaken.
Neither you nor he is to blame. Neither my friend nor I am to blame.

 Either, neither, each, everyone, many a, must be followed by a singular verb.

Eg: - Either of the drivers is perfect.
Neither of the two is student.
Each of the students has to write the exam.
Everyone of the ministers is a politician.
Many a student passed the exam.

 Two nouns, qualified by each or every , even though connected by and require a
singular verb.
Eg: - Every student and every teacher is given holiday.

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Each boy and each girl is given certificate.

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 Some nouns, which are plural in form but singular in meaning, take a singular verb
Eg: - The news is true.


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Politics without ethics spoils the nation.
When a plural noun denotes some specific quantity or amount considered as a whole,
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the verb is generally singular.
Eg: - Fifteen minutes is given to clear the problem.
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Five hundred Rupees is not a big amount.

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NUMERAL/NUMERICAL ADJECTIVES
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An adjective is a word used with a noun to describe a person, animal, place or thing, to tell the number
or quantity. Numeral adjectives (adjectives of number) show how many persons or things are meant,
or in what order a person or thing stands. Adjectives of number usually answers the question “how
many”.
Eg: - The hand has five fingers.
Few cats like cold water

There are no pictures in this book.

Numeral adjectives are three types.
1. Definite Numeral Adjectives
They are the adjectives which denote the exact number.

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Eg: - One, two, three, etc. (They are known as Cardinals)
First, second, third, etc. (They are known as Ordinals)

2. Indefinite Numeral Adjectives

They are the adjectives which do not denote the exact number
Eg: - All, no, few, some, any, etc.

3. Distributive Numeral Adjectives

They are the adjectives which refer each one of a number.
Eg: - Each boy should play football.
We expect every help from you.

EMBEDDED SENTENCES
To complete a sentence, there should be a main clause. Main clause is also known as independent

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clause, super ordinate clause or base clause. Main clause is made with subject and predicate which
expresses the complete meaning.

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Eg: - The angry man shouted violently.

In this sentence, “the man shouted” has a complete meaning and to it, the words “angry” and
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“violently” are embedded.
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CLAUSES
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Group of words which forms part of a sentence, and contains a subject and a predicate is called clause.
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Eg: - He has a chain which is made of gold.

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We cannot ride bike while it is raining.

CONDITIONALS

Conditionals help to describe the result of something that might happen in the present or future or
might have happened in the past. They are also called “if clauses”.

There are four main types of conditionals.

1. The Zero Conditional (if + simple present)
Eg: - If you heat water to 100° C, it boils.
If you heat ice, it melts.

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2. The First Conditional ( if + simple present + will + to infinitive )
Eg: - If you heat water to 100° C, you will be able to boil it.
If it rains tomorrow, we will go to swim.

3. The Second Conditional ( if + simple past + would )

Eg: - If I won the lottery, I would buy a Ferrari.

4. The Third Conditional ( if + past perfect + would + have + past participle of the verb)
Eg: - If I had studied, I would have passed the exam.

REPORTED SPEECH

We can report another person’s words in two ways, namely, by quoting his actual words which is

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called Direct Speech and by reporting what he said without quoting his exact words and is called
Indirect Speech or Reported Speech. Reported Speech is used to communicate what someone else

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said, think or believe, but without using the exact words. It is usually used to talk about the past; hence
change of tense should be there.
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Rules to Change Direct Speech into Reported Speech
I. When the reporting verb is in the Past Tense, all Present Tenses of the Direct Speech
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will be changed into the corresponding Past Tense. Thus,

1. A simple present becomes a simple past.
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Eg: - He said, “I am weak”. (Direct)

He said that he was weak. (Reported)
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2. A present continuous becomes a past continuous

Eg: - My friend said, “I am playing football”. (Direct)
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My friend said that he was playing football. (Reported)

3. A present perfect becomes a past perfect.
Eg: - He said, “I have completed the homework”. (Direct)
He said that he had completed his homework. (Reported)
4. Simple past in the direct becomes past perfect in indirect
Eg: - He said, “The poet died in the night”. (Direct)
He said that the poet has dies in the night. (Reported)
5. “Shall” of the future tense is changed into “should”.
6. “Will” of the future tense is changed into “would” or ”should”.

II. The tenses may not change if the statement is still relevant or if it is a universal truth.
Eg: - Gopi said, “I know her address”. (Direct)
Gopi said that he knows her address. (Reported)

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III. The following words will be changed into the corresponding words given in the table.
Direct Speech Reported Speech

Now Then
Here There
Today That day
Yesterday The day before

ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICES

Voice is that form of a Verb which shows whether what is denoted by the subject does something or
has something done to it.
A verb is in the active voice when its form shows that the person or thing denoted by the subject does

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something. It follows the pattern SVO (Subject, Verb and Object).

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A verb is in the passive voice when its form shows that something is done to the person or thing
denoted by the subject.
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It has to be noticed that when the Verb is changed from the active Voice to the Passive, the Object of
the Transitive Verb in the Active Voice becomes the Subject of the Verb in the Passive Voice.
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The below given table shows what changes occur while changing the sentences from Active Voice to
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Passive Voice.
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TENSE ACTIVE VOICE PASIIVE VOICE

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Simple Present Take Am taken

Takes Is taken
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Am taking Are taken

Am being taken
Present Continuous Is taking Is being taken
Are taking Are being taken

Present Perfect Has taken Has been taken

Have taken Have been taken
Simple Past Took Was taken
Were taken
Past Continuous Was taking Was being taken
Were taking Were being taken

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Past Perfect Had taken Had been taken
Simple Future Will take Will be taken
Shall take Shall be taken

Prepared by,
SHIBU N G
Assistant Professor
Department of Science and Humanities
MESCE KUTTIPPURAM

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HUN 102, PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION, MODULE 2

SKILLS OF A LANGUAGE

There are basically four skills of language which are important for every language. Those skills are
Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing (LSRW). Listening and speaking are known as the primary skills
of a language and reading and writing are the secondary skills of a language. Out of these listening and
reading are the receptive skills of a language and speaking and writing are the productive skills of a
language.

READING SKILL

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Reading skill is the secondary receptive skill of a language. It is secondary because it requires education

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and receptive because, out of it, we receive information.

READING COMPREHENSION
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Reading comprehension aims at testing the readers’ ability to understand a passage. Readers are
expected to answer certain questions, which are based on the given passage. There are certain steps, as
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follow, to be followed for effective reading comprehension.

• Read the passage quickly to get the general idea.

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• Read again slowly, to know the details.

• Study the given questions thoroughly and write in your own words.
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SUMMARISING

Summary is the shortened version of a text. It contains the main points and is made in our own words.
Summarising means understanding the text and write it in our own level.
There are certain steps for summarising, as given below.

• Read and understand the text carefully.

• Think about the purpose of the text (to whom the text has been written, why is it used, etc).
• Select the relevant information.

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• Find the main ideas.
• Change the structure of the text.
• Rewrite the main ideas.
• Check the summary you have prepared.

READING STYLES

Reading can be of different styles based on different purposes and situations, as explained below.
Scanning
It is a type of reading which is used by the reader to get the required or specific
information. The reader leaves all the other information and goes the text quickly till he
gets the wanted information.

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Eg: - Scanning for a particular number in a telephone index, scanning for the meaning of

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a word in a dictionary, etc.

Skimming
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Skimming is reading quickly to get the overall idea of a text. This will be done by a reader
who is not at all interested to read the text or even the news paper in full. Deep
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understanding of the text will not be there in this type of reading.

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Intensive Reading
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It is a type of reading which requires more time and attention. It is helpful to get detailed
and deep information about the given text and also helping to keep the read information
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in our memory.

Extensive Reading

Extensive reading is a type of reading which is used for pleasure. It doesn’t require
detailed attention or concentration.

Speed Reading

This is a type of reading which is done by pace. It is useful for revisions during the
preparation for examinations.

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READING SPEED

Reading speed is different from person to person. It is also different from one purpose to the other. Age,
difficulty level of the language of the text and physical and psychological conditions are also the deciding
factors of reading speed. Reading speed can be indicated by the term WPM (Words per Minute). Look
at the below given table to understand reading speed at various occasions.

PURPOSE READING SPEED

To remember something Less than 100 WPM
Normal reading speed for learning 100-200 WPM
For reading comprehension 200-400 WPM
Speed reading 400-700 WPM
Average reading speed of adults 250 WPM with 70% comprehension

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CRITICAL READING
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Critical reading is a type of reading by which the reader goes beyond just understanding the text. An
analysis of the given text is done by this method and the reader tries to find out the purpose of writing
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and the style of the author, etc.

There are certain steps, as follow, in critical reading.
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1. Previewing
In this step, the reader checks the thickness of the text, name of the author, style of
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writing, paperback, font style, etc.

2. Annotating
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Annotating is the step in which the reader marks the important and difficult points by
giving underlines, brackets or by writing at the margins, etc.
3. Summarising
This is the step in which the reader makes a short note about the text, by including all
the important points.
4. Analysing
This step is used to analyse the summary prepared based on the text.
5. Rereading
This is the step in which the given text is reread to check whether any point is left.

6. Responding
The step in which any question based on the text is answered.

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READING AND COMPREHENDING TECHNICAL ARTICLES

A short technical article is prepared after a preliminary study, before completing the entire process of
a research. A short technical article may contain almost 2500 words, with eight references the least.
A long technical article is prepared after containing a detailed study. To read and comprehend a long
technical article, the following stages may be followed.
1. Identify the Influential Sources
While selecting an article, select the most influential and genuine journal.
2. Focus on the Concepts you Identify
Try to understand the concept clearly. In case if you have doubts, approach scholars.
3. Get Practical Experience
Understand the article clearly by gaining the exposure through practical experience.

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While reading and comprehending articles from newspaper, the following points to be noted.
1. Find a comfortable place to read the article

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2. Decide the reading purpose
3. Preview the section you have to read
4. Make your own opinion s.
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VARIOUS TRANSITIONS IN A TEXT
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Transitions are words or phrases that help lead the reader from one idea to the other. Authors use
transitions to introduce major details and examples. Transitions occur within paragraphs that lead to
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anticipation of what comes next. They can occur between paragraphs and sections.
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SQ3R METHOD OF READING

SQ3R is a reading comprehension method which has five steps namely Survey, Question, Read, Retrieve
and Review. This method has been introduced by Francis P. Robinson. This method offers an effective
approach to reading textbook materials. The steps are explained below.
Survey
Through this step the reader first goes through a chapter and notes the headings, subheadings
and other outstanding features, such as figures, tables, etc. This step takes 3–5 minutes, but it
provides an outline of the text.

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Question
The reader tries to make and ask questions on the content of the reading materials and looks for
answers. The questions may be like what the chapter discusses, how the details help him, etc.

Read

The reader uses the background work done with surveying and questioning to begin reading
actively. This means reading in order to answer the questions raised by the questioning step.
Retrieve
The second "R" refers to the part “Retrieve”. The reader tries to retrieve from memory what was
learned. The reader uses his/her own words to formulate the material. This recital stepmay be
done either in an oral or written format.
Review

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The final "R" indicates "Review." After reaching the end of the passage, the reader reviews the
material by repeating the point of the passage, by using the reader’s own words.

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PQRST METHOD OF READING
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PQRST method is aimed at helping the students to memorise and reuse the information, learned from
the text books, into long term memory. PQRST stands for Preview, Question, Read, Summarise and Test.
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Preview
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Here skimming and scanning will be done to get the gist of the text. The reader reads the
summary or introduction and conclusion, headings, pictures, charts, etc. If there are none of
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these, reading the first sentence of every paragraph will be done to get an overall idea.
Question

In this step, the reader thinks about the purpose of the chapter and the text material. Questions
may be prepared based on the title of the chapter or each heading and based on your previous
knowledge.
Read
In this step, the reader reads slowly to get the entire meaning of the text. The reader can
underline the important points. Remember the questions the reader made in the previous step
and try to answer them to understand the material thoroughly.

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Summarise
Summarising process includes answering the questions you made in the previous step, jot down
the important points and concepts of the text, paraphrasing the main points etc. Only after
understanding these steps, the reader can move to the final step.
Test

At the end of the session, the reader tests himself on what he just read. The reader has to
remember the headings, explain the main ideas and check whether he can answer the questions.
The reader tests himself again the next day, in a few days, and in a week or so.

` READING COMPREHENSION TECHNIQUES

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There are certain techniques that can be adopted for reading comprehension.

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Monitor the Comprehension
s.
The reader thinks of his comprehension skills and thoughts at the time of reading the text. He
tries to check whether the text deviates from the main course or subject matter.
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Activate and Connect
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The already known ideas of the reader about the topic of the reading material are important in
this technique. Activating the pre existing memory of the reader and connecting the same to the
new reading materials happen here.
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Ask Questions
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Asking questions by the reader at the time of reading is very important in order to understand
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the innate and detailed meaning and information of the text.

Infer and Visualise

Inferring means, taking the background information of the reader and merging it with the
information given in the text. Visualising helps in creating images, sounds, etc. in mind about
what the reader reads.
Decide the Importance
No any reader remembers everything that he read from a text. Deciding what is important for
the reader to be done while or even before reading the text. This helps in remembering the
contents, which are important for him.

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Summarise and Synthesise
This is the technique is used to get the big picture of the text without losing the main points of
it. Synthesising the already known ideas with the text read will be done here.

UNDERSTANDING TEXT BOOKS

Text books are integral part of a student’s life. Inorder to be highly successful in academic field, text book
reading is highly recommended. Through the following stages, understanding the texts can be done in
effective manner.
Before Reading

Make a basic idea and concept about the text that you read, before starting the reading. This

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basic idea about the text can be helpful in understanding it easier. This is known as previewing,
in which the reader understands the importance of each chapter, topic, headlines, associated

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questions, etc. The reader prepares to answer certain questions that have been given in the text
itself.
While Reading s.
Read the text carefully to answer the questions you developed while previewing. Visualising the
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information that you read will help in understanding and remembering the points. Highlighting
by underlining, marking or giving brackets may be done. Make a note, including pictures, graphs,
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etc. on the text that you read will help in future, during the time of examination.
After Reading
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Remember the things that you have read and also discuss the same with peer groups at the time
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of collaborative learning (combine study). Writing the main theme or important points of the
text may be done to enhance memory.
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NOTE TAKING

Note taking is writing down the important, difficult and new points while listening to the speaker. It is
a “while” process because listening and writing happen at the same time. The listener does this during
classroom lectures as well, which may help him to comprehend and understand text books. The listener
takes notes in his own understanding level without following strict grammatical rules. Note taking
process improves attention span.

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NON VERBAL CUES

To be highly skillful in communication, a person should have verbal and non verbal skills. Non verbal
communication includes body language, sitting and standing posture, how people utilise space when
they communicate, movement of hand, eye, etc. By recognizing non verbal cues, a person can
understand the intention or mindset of another person while they communicate. The following are
certain non verbal cues and their interpretations.

Non verbal Cues Interpretation

Crossed arms Defense
Sitting/standing straight Confident
Continuous eye contact Interested in the speaker
Looking down Guilty

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Looking at the watch regularly Bored
Yawning Tired

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Looking up Memorizing
Biting nails Stressful
Tapping the fingers Impatient/ bored
Raised eyebrows
s. Fear/surprise
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Prepared by,
SHIBU N G
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Assistant Professor
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Department of Science & Humanities

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MESCE

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HUN 102, PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION, MODULE 3

ORAL PRESENTATION

Oral presentation is the most important mode of presentation by which the idea a person has in mind
can be best conveyed to another person. It is the primary mode of presentation.
All the effective oral presentations will have three steps as follow.
1. Planning

Planning should be properly done based on the time of presentation, audience

characteristics, importance of the topic, etc.
2. Practicing

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Practicing should be done before presentation. This should follow the exact time for
presentation, thinking that audience witnesses the presentation.

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3. Presenting
It is important that the presenter should keep in mind that the audience listens to him
s.
carefully and make sure that the content is delivered exactly similar to what has been
planned. Make the presentation in calm, confident, clear and concise manner.
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Effective oral presentation helps to make an impression. There are certain features, as follow, which
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make oral presentation better.

Voice Modulation
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Voice modulation is the fine tuning of pitch or tone of voice, rhythm, stress, tempo, etc. which
help the audience clearly hear and understand the oral presentation, by a speaker. It is very
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important especially in public speaking. While doing public speaking, inorder to follow better
voice modulation, the following points may be noted.
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• Always vary the tempo of speaking

• Maintain the speed as 120-150 words per minute
• Pronounce the words with sufficient stress at right places.
• Pause at required areas which promotes effectiveness of presentation

Tone is the way by which a person speaks. It is related to the variation of the pitch of voice. Tone
decides the attitude of an individual and his intention of speaking as well. Tone is different from
each situation like in questions, requests, statements, commands, etc.
Pitch is the highness or lowness of a tone.
Rhythm is the arrangement of spoken words alternating stressed and unstressed elements.
Stress is the force that we apply, when we speak, to syllables in a word, words in a sentence and
sentence in a long presentation.

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Elements of a Successful Presentation

All the ingredients given under have to be worked together to make a presentation successful.
The six key elements can be identified as,
1. Preparation
It is the first critical element of presentation. Decide the manner and method of
presentation to present the content successfully. The presenter should be well
learned about the topic to answer any doubt asked by the listener.

2. Mode of Presentation
The most suitable mode of presentation should be selected once the topic is
finalised. The most popular and suitable is oral presentation. All the supporting
materials for presentation must be ready with the presenter. Calculations should

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be there on the duration of presentation.

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3. Audience
The mode of presentation depends on the target audience. The speaker should
know about the audience and the content and tone should be apt to the audience.
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4. Language and Delivery
The choice of words must be in tone with the subject matter and the capacity of
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the audience. Avoid difficult and technical words. The speaker should control the
speed of presentation. The audience should be treated well.
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5. Non verbal Communication

Ideas are not conveyed by words alone. The gestures, postures, voice modulation,
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etc are also very important. The speaker should be able to understand the non
verbal cues shown by the audience to improve his presentation. Keeping eye
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contact ensures connectedness.

6. Feedback
The presenter should obtain feedback from the audience during and after
presentation. The feedback we had can be used to improve presentation skills in
future.
PUBLIC SPEAKING SKILLS

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Public speaking is delivering content in front of a large group of audience. Normally, the interaction
between the public speaker and the audience will be very less. The following points will help you in
delivering an effective public speech.

• Understand your strengths and weaknesses

• Understand the audience
• Learn the topic thoroughly by organizing the points
• Practice / rehearse well
• Use pause, silence and other non verbal skills of communication effectively
• End the presentation with a neat conclusion

There are basically four different types of public speaking which are categorized as per the purpose of
presentation.
1. Public Speaking for Inspiration

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This type of public speaking is used to inspire and motivate the audience.
2. Public Speaking for Information

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This is used to inform the audience about something. Mainly this can be seen in academic field.
Government officials also use the same to inform the people about some plans, projects,
proposals, etc.
3. Public Speaking for Entertainment
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This is mainly used to entertain people. Comedians, artistes and people alike use this.
4. Public Speaking for Persuasion
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This is used to encourage the audience to do something. Candidates during their election
campaign do this to ensure vote of the people.
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BUSINESS PRESENTATIONS
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A business presentation is a presentation which is used in the field of business. By this, a business person
can introduce his plans, proposals, progress and new projects to the audience. Audio visual aids are used
in this type of presentation for effective illustration. An effective business presentation promotes
healthy relationship between the employer and the employees.
There are different types of business presentations as given below.

1. Inter Organisational Presentation

Inter organisational presentation is used during business presentation for MoU’s and joint
business plans between two organisations.
2. Intra Organisational Presentation
This is used to describe new ventures, plans, products, etc to the employees of an
organisation. The same can be used to train the employees as well.

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3. Sales Presentation
This will be done in front of the customers and will be highly useful only if the presenter
prepares well to make people aware of the products and services.

PREPARATION FOR PRESENTATION

For any presentation, be it public speaking or business presentation, preparation is very important for
effective delivery of the content. While preparing, we have to be careful about certain aspects like size,
age group and educational level of the audience, objective of presentation, manner of delivery of the
content, etc. To gather contents, the presenter can rely on internet, library, reference books, video
lectures, etc.

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ORGANISING THE MATERIALS FOR PRESENTATION

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After collecting all the details and information for presentation, it is important to organise the details
s.
to deliver the content in the most suitable manner. A good organisation and planning will help the
presenter reduce the pressure and tension at the time of presentation.
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Organizing the materials includes the following,
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• Write down all the important points

• Select the main points for introduction, presentation and conclusion
•
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If any example is available, note it for each description

• Specify sufficient sessions for questions and answer with the audience
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SELF INTRODUCTION

An effective and impressive self introduction helps the speaker to grab the attention of the audience in
a public speaking context. Instead of simply telling the name of the speaker and entering the
presentation directly, the speaker can use any effective method, which is different from the normal level
of introduction. The speaker should be able to make a rapport with the audience and also be able to give
the objective of the presentation. The presenter can tell his background, experience and achievements
he has, by which the audience may feel very much impressed about the speaker.

INTRODUCING THE TOPIC

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The speaker should introduce the topic very impressively to the audience which eases the presentation
and ensures success. The presenter should give an overview, key points, purpose and scope of
presentation clearly to bring the audience in to the presentation. Giving a big picture of the presentation
increases the interest of the audience.

ANSWERING QUESTIONS

Oral presentations are completely effective only when the questions asked by the audience be
answered. This session of Q&A can be there either during or after the presentation. The speaker should
be careful about the following while handling this session,

• Listen to the questions completely. This will help the speaker to answer the questions completely
as per the understanding level of the audience.
•

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The presenter should repeat the question asked by the listener and explain the answer in a way
that is audible to the entire audience, which help in understanding the question and answer to

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the entire audience.
• Care and attend each person who asks questions and encourage everyone to ask.
• Do not give false answers to the questions, if the speaker doesn’t know the answer, he may tell
s.
it politely.
•
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After answering the question, ask the questioner whether the answer satisfied him.
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INDIVIDUAL PRESENTATION PRACTICE

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Public presentation can be done in a better way only by effective practice. Presentation practice can be
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done through the following steps.

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• Preparation
While preparing, all the detailed, relevant, correct and important points to be collected. Make
sure that notes or slides are prepared, which help in preparation and presentation. Understand
how the points are connected together. We can add examples, illustrations, etc to support the
presentation.

• Practice out Loud

This will help to present the content before the audience in a confident manner. Mere reading
of the content will not help in this regard.
• Be Aware of Time
While preparing, we have to confine exactly with time. We have to plan time for audience
interaction, question and answer sessions as well.
• Spend More Time on Opening and Closing

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Since a well beginning gives a positive attitude among the audience, concentrate more on
beginning. A well defined conclusion should also be prepared.
• Practice by Recording
Record yourself in any device which has digital recorder in it. After recording, analyse the
practice you had and rectify the mistakes and try to improve the presentation.
• Incorporate Question and Answer into your Presentation
Try to include possible questions that may be asked by the audience and be prepared to answer
those.
• See the Venue of Presentation
If possible, visit the venue of presentation. Try to check the sound and visualisation facilities
and the angles where the audience may sit.
• If Possible, Practice before an Audience of the Same Size
This will help to present the content in effective manner with much confidence.

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PRESENTING VISUALS EFFECTIVELY

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Visuals in a presentation are really helpful for both the presenter and the audience. They help the
s.
presenter to remember the points which he needs to present and the audience to easily understand the
points. Visuals include pictures, videos, illustrations, animations, etc.
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Visuals will be highly apt and effective if they are included by taking care of the following,
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• If possible, pictures can be numbered

• Charts, graphs, pie diagram, etc should be exactly matching to the details presented.
•
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Water marks, download links, etc on the pictures should be avoided.

• Try to be creative in our own way in including pictures and other visuals.
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• If any downloaded visual is added, include the source from which it has been downloaded.
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GROUP DISCUSSION (GD) AND DEBATE

Group Discussion is a communicative process in which a topic is discussed within a group. It is used as
a part of interviews nowadays to assess various abilities and skills of the participants of GD.

The topic of discussion may be related to social, political. economical, cultural or environmental issues
which are relevant for the occasion.
GD can be different types as given below.

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STRUCTURED

FORMAL
GROUP
UNSTRUCTURED
DISCUSSION
INFORMAL

Formal Group Discussion:

Formal group discussion is the discussion that is followed in an official set up. This is used for interview
purposes and to discuss the new business plans, proposals, etc in a director board meeting of a business
organissation. There are basically two types of formal group discussions like structured group
discussion and unstructured or non structured group discussion. In structured GD, every person of the
group gets separate time from the total allowed time in which he has to express his ideas. In
unstructured or non structured GD, all the members can utilise the total time together and there will
not be separate time for each individual.

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Informal Group Discussion:

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This is the type of GD which can be seen among family members, friends, neighbours, etc. It doesn’t
have any structure or seriousness.
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DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GD AND DEBATE
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GD DEBATE
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Happens within a group Happens between two teams

There will not be winner and loser There will be winner and loser
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Used to test multiple skills of an individual Used to check communication skills

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PROCESS OF GD
There will be a moderator for every formal GD which is conducted for job interviews. The process
starts from dividing the total participants into groups. Every group can have 12 to 15 members. The
moderator allows the members to sit in a semicircular manner, which helps every member to face each
other. Total time of GD may vary from 10 to 15 minutes and in rare cases, it can be for 20 minutes. A
topic of relevance will be given to the participants and they will be allowed to think about the topic for
5 minutes. The moderator says “the session is open” or “now you can start the discussion”. The
moderator observes each and every member very closely, and when the time to wind up the GD comes
in, it concludes.

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IMPORTANTCE OF AND SKILLS CHECKED BY GD

GD can be used to check multiple skills at the given time and hence it has been included in interview
process. It saves time and energy of the recruiter. Since it checks multiple skills at the given time, it is
the most effective method to evaluate the complete skills of a participant. The following skills can be
checked out of GD,

• Initiation skill
• Communication skill
• Listening skill
• Problem solving skill
• Negotiation skill
• Interpretation skill
• Leadership skill

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• Decision making skill
• Teamwork

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• Cooperative skills
• Brainstorming (collection of lot of ideas and select the best idea)
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ENSURING SUCCESS IN GD

• Maintain comfortable sitting posture which displays confidence

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• Be respectful to others’ opinions

• If possible, be the one to start the discussion
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• Bring the discussion back on track if it deviates from the topic

•
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Have good body language and eye contact

• Speak in audible volume with clarity and confidence
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• Have valid points when you speak

• Do not repeat the points
• Do not share irrelevant point to the topic

Prepared by,

SHIBU N G
Assistant Professor, Department of Science and Humanities

MESCE

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HUN 102, PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION, MODULE 4
Listening and Interview Skills

SKILLS OF A LANGUAGE

There are four different skills of any language namely listening, speaking, reading and writing. Out of
these skills, listening and speaking are the primary skills of a language and reading and writing are the
secondary skills. The primary skills are called so because they do not require education and are the first
skills achieved by a person. Reading and writing are known as the secondary skills of a language because
they require education to follow.
Listening and reading are the receptive skills. Speaking and writing are productive skills. Listening is the
primary receptive skill and reading is the secondary receptive skill. Speaking is the primary productive

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skill and writing is the secondary productive skill.

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LISTENING
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Listening is the primary receptive skill of a language. It requires attention and is different from hearing.
There are certain differences between listening and hearing as given below.
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LISTENING HEARING
Result oriented process Not a result oriented process
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Intentional Unintentional
Requires attention Doesn’t require attention
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Creates inputs and outputs Doesn’t create inputs or outputs

DIFFERENT TYPES OF LISTENERS

There are 4 types of listeners as given below and are evaluated based on individuals and their attitude
towards the speaker or the topic.
1. Detached Listeners
Detached listeners are those who don’t feel involved in the process of communication.
These listeners may be bored or inattentive and their body language includes lack of eye
contact, yawning, etc.

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2. Involved Listeners
These listeners are attentive and interested to listen. They keep eye contact and have
suitable body language.

3. Passive Listeners
These listeners neither contribute actively to the communication process nor try to
understand the message.

4. Active Listeners
The listeners fully participate in the communication process and give maximum attention
to the speaker. They have alert posture and eye contact.

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DIFFERENT TYPES OF LISTENING

Different types of listening are identified based on the situations or occasions. No persons listen to all

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the situations or presentations in the same way. The different types are as given below.

1. Superficial Listening
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In this type of listening the listener has little awareness of the contents he hears. The
listener may ignore the spoken material by thinking that it is not meant for him and the
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points discussed are not worthy for him. He immediately forgets the spoken material. Eg:-
Listening to friendly talks
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2. Appreciative/ Entertainment Listening

This is meant for enjoyment purposes. Listening to music, stories, jokes etc. are examples
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for this.
3. Focused Listening/ Listening to Specific Information
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This is listening to specific information. This can be practiced to take decisions on a

particular subject. Listening to favorite radio programmes, sports news from news
bulletin, etc are examples for this.
4. Evaluative Listening
This type of listening is meant to evaluate somebody or some speech content. The listener
analyses and interprets what he has heard and selects the appropriate information. Eg:-
Listening of judges to a competition.
5. Attentive Listening

This is known as the most important listening type. This type of listening demands the
complete attention of the listener. This can be seen in GD, meetings, job interviews, etc.
The listener attends all the spoken materials.

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6. Empathetic Listening
Empathetic listening is listening not only to what the speaker says but also to how he is
saying that. It includes attending the feelings, emotions, movements and state of mind.
The listener has to understand the body language of the speaker also. Eg:- Listening to
movies.
7. Intensive Listening
It involves listening for details and appreciating the language form. It helps improving
specific knowledge.
8. Listening for General Content
This type of listening aims at getting a general idea of the total spoken material. The
listener doesn’t pay attention to all the minute points spoken by the speaker. The focus
of the listener is to get the overall idea of what is spoken.
9. Listening to Longer Technical Talks
While listening to longer technical talks, the following points to be noted.

m
• We have to listen by involving in the moment fully by imagining ourselves in the
position of the speaker.

co
• Make efforts for active listening
10. Listening to TED Talks
s.
TED stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design. TED Talks can mainly be within 18
minutes and on any topic. TED talks help getting vast knowledge about variety of topics.
te
no

DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE LISTENENING SKILL

Listening skill can be developed by following the given methods,

la

1. Note Taking : Writing the important points of the spoken material while listening to
ra

the speaker.
2. Note Making : Writing the important points of the spoken material after listening to
ke

the speaker.
3. Ask Questions : To get the unclear things clearly, ask questions to the speaker.
4. Maintain Effective Listening Atmosphere
5. Prepare the Mind and be away from Psychological and Interpersonal Barriers

BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE LISTENING

Barriers to effective listening include factors such as external noise, unclear presentation, problems
related to listening skill, etc.
The major barriers to listening are given below,

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1. Prejudice : The ideas that the listener already has in his mind about the
speaker and the topic the speaker delivers. The listener thinks he knows what will be talked.
2. Misunderstanding : It happens due to lack of awareness, lack of interpretation skills
and inability to listen properly to the speaker.
3. Interruption : Happens due to constant disturbances from outside. The listener
cannot get the full content delivered by the speaker.
4. Mental Distraction : Happened due to the lack of concentration in listening to the
speaker.
5. Emotional Disturbances : The listener becomes unable to listen to the speaker due to the
disturbance of the mindset of the former.

INTERVIEW SKILLS

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The broad meaning of interview is a formal consultation or a meeting to obtain information. We can also
assume that, interview means a discussion between a recruiter and an applicant to understand whether

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or not the latter can be given a job.
There are different types of interviews as follow,
1. Preliminary Interview
s.
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It is the starting stage of a more detailed interview, in which initial screening will be done.
It helps to save time by eliminating the unsuitable candidates,
no

2. Standardised Interview
In this stage, pattern of questions will be decided before the proceedings. Time will be
la

allowed to prepare.
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3. Depth Interview
ke

This is semi structured type by which an interviewee will be examined in depth.

Background, knowledge, personality traits, etc will be understood in this type of
interview.

4. Stress Interview
This is used to understand how the interviewee reacts to the pressure situations. The
interviewer checks whether the interviewee gets nervous, irritated or angry when
provoked.

5. Technical Interview
This type of interview is used to assess the knowledge, technical competence and
proficiency. Behavioral aspects and communication skills are secondary here.

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6. Personal / HR Interview
In this interview, the behavioral aspects and attitude of the candidate is checked. The EQ
of the candidate will be checked more than his knowledge.

LATEST TRENDS AND METHODS IN INTERVIEWS

There are certain methods that have been adapted nowadays to conduct interview. They are Skype
interview, panel interview (a number of members will be there in the group of interviewers), lunch
interview, etc.

Ensuring Success in Job Interviews

Basic steps to ensure success in job interviews can be broadly classified into three.

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1. Preparing
This stage tells about the pre interview stages.

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✓ Learn about the firm from internet, reports, etc. Also refer to the website and
annual reports if available of the company.
✓ Understand the job requirement. We should find out the requirement of the
s.
position and the skill sets required. We can use social networks for the same. Also
te
find the nature of the job, pay scale, scope for career advancement, etc.
✓ Prepare the CV with maximum care.
no

✓ Rehearse with mock interviews.

✓ If the interview is technical, revise what you have already studied.
✓ Dress well to impress and feel comfortable in the dress.
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✓ Leave for the venue early.

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2. Performing
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✓ Arrive early
✓ Maintain etiquette while entering and inside the interview hall.
✓ Adopt appropriate posture while sitting or standing.
✓ Be attentive and listen carefully to the questions.
✓ While answering, be natural and confident. Be audible and clear.
✓ Do not respond to the questions without thinking.
✓ Avid negative talks. Don’t criticise your previous bosses or any other.
✓ Always be truthful and pleasant.
✓ Thank each member before leaving the interview hall.

3. Follow up
✓ Send a thanking letter to the firm for giving opportunity to attend the interview.

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✓ Learn from the mistakes that you have.

Appropriate use of Non verbal Communication in Job Interviews

✓ Dress well and in appropriate manner.
✓ Avoid pungent perfumes.
✓ Take a folder in which every document should be arranged properly.
✓ Keep smiling and be enthusiastic.
✓ Have a firm handshake with the interviewer.
✓ When greeting the interview board, smile and keep eye contact.
✓ Maintain confident posture.
✓ Speak confidently with optimum volume,
✓ Don’t argue with the board members.
✓

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Make sure that you close the door gently and do not leave it ajar or slam.

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Prepared by, s.
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SHIBU N G

Assistant Professor
no

Dept. of Science and Humanities

la

mesce
ra
ke

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APJ ABDUL KALAM TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

SYLLABUS | STUDY MATERIALS | TEXTBOOK

PDF | SOLVED QUESTION PAPERS

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 KTU STUDY MATERIALS

PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION
HUT102

Module 5
Related Link :

KTU S1/S2 STUDY MATERIALS KTU S1/S2 NOTES

KTU S1/S2 SYLLABUS KTU S1/S2 TEXTBOOK PDF

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Module-5
TECHNICALWRITING

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co
s.
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Technical writing is a specialized form

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of exposition: that is,

written communication done on the job,
especially in fields with specialized
vocabularies, such as science, engineering,
technology, and the health sciences. Along
with business writing, technical writing is
often subsumed under the heading of
professional communication.
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 Purpose: Getting something done within an organization

(completing a project, persuading a customer, pleasing your
boss, etc.)
 Your knowledge of the topic: Usually greater than that of
the reader.
 Audience: Often several people, with differing technical
backgrounds.
 Criteria for evaluation: Clear and simple organization of
ideas, in a format that meets the needs of busy readers.

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 Statistical and graphic support: Frequently used to

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explain existing conditions and to present alternative
courses of action. s.
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no
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 Definition:
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i. Technical writing: Technical writing is a process of managing

technical information in a way that allow people to take actions.
ke

ii. Literary writing: Literary writing is an innovative, creative work,

such as poems or novels, and compilations or volumes of creative
work.
 Purpose:
i. Technical Writing: Written to inform, instruct readers about a
certain thing.
ii. Literary Writing: Written to entertain, amuse readers.
 Language
i. Technical Writing: The language used in technical writing
is direct, factual, and straightforward.
ii. Literary Writing: The language used in literary writing is
creative, imaginative and uses literary techniques like
hyperbole, personification, similes, metaphors, etc.

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 Appeal
i. Technical Writing: Technical Writing appeals to the mind.
ii. Literary Writing: Literary Writing appeals to emotions.
 Structure

i. Technical Writing: Technical writing has technical

vocabulary, simple sentences, impersonal, objective tone.
ii. Literary Writing: Literary writing might have complex
sentence structure and linguistic aspects like dialects,
ambiguity, etc.

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 Audience

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i. Technical Writing: Technical writing is written for those who
are knowledgeable about that particular subject area.
ii.
s.
Literary Writing: Literary writing is written for general
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readers.
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What is Letter???
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“A written or printed communication

directed to a person or organization.”

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 An informal letter is a letter you would write to a friend or family

 Format :
 Address
The writer’s address is written at the top right-hand corner
· For example:
25, Jalan Tebing 8/8,
Seksyen 8,
40000 Shah Alam,
Selangor Darul Ehsan.

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 Date
Written below the address.

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For example: 6 June 2011 For example: 6 June 2011
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 Written on the left-hand side of the letter .

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 Begin with:
Dear........,
For example: Dear Susan, AnoopAntony,
Dearest…….., or My dear…., (for close
friends & family)
For example: Dearest father, My dear Uncle ,
Dearest Babu etc.

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You may begin your letter by:

· Asking about the person’s health. For example:
 How are you? I hope that you’re in the pink.

 How’s your family getting on?

 I’m fine and I hope you’re fine too.

 I hope that you’re as fit as a fiddle.

· Asking what the reader had been up to?

 How’s the weather at your place? Not too hot I hope.

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 Did you get to visit your grandparents?

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 Did you go on your trip to Paris as you had hoped? They say
Calicut is a beautiful city.
s.
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no
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Expressing happiness
 I received your letter on…
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 I’m happy to receive your letter…

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 Thank you for your letter which I received…..

 I’m so glad to hear…..
 I’m glad to learn that….
Expressing sorrow:
 I’m sorry to hear that…..
Expressing apology:
 I’d like to say sorry for…
 I’m sorry for not writing….

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In the 2nd paragraph, mention your

main reason for writing the letter.
You may use the following phrase:
 In your last letter, you wanted me to
describe / advice…..

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 I’m writing this letter to….

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s.
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Inform the reader that you are ending the letter. You may use
the following phrases:
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Ø I’ll write again soon.

Ø Do write to me soon.
Ø Well, that’s about all for now.
Ø Please give/send my regards to…
Ø Please convey my warm regards to….
Ø Let me pen off here.
Ø Take care of yourself.
Ø Hope to hear from you soon.
Ø I’m looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Ø Hope to receive a reply from you.
Ø Bye / Goodbye.

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 If you are writing to your parents, you can sign of

using:
Ø Your loving daughter,
Ø Yours lovingly,
Ø Yours affectionately
 If you are writing to friends or relatives, you can sign
off using:
Ø Your friend,
Ø Yours sincerely,

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Ø Yours faithfully,

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Ø Your niece / nephew,
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 Sign your name at the bottom of the letter

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in the right hand corner.

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co
s.
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la
ra

A formal letter is a letter written

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to a business, a college, or any

professional that are not
considered friends or family.

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1. YOUR ADDRESS
2.THE NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE PERSON
TO WHOM YOU ARE WRITING
3. THE DATE
4. THE GREETING,
5.THE BODY OF THE LETTER (INTRODUCTION,
MAIN PARTS, CONCLUSION)

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6. THE ENDING
7. YOUR SIGNATURE

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Addresses:
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1) Your Address
The return address should be written in the top righthand
corner of the letter.
2) The Address of the person you are writing to
The inside address should be written on the left, starting
below your address.
Date: Different people put the date on different sides of
the page. You can write this on the right or the left on the
line after the address you are writing to. Write the month
as a word.
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Salutation
1)Dear Sir or Madam, If you do not know the
name of the person you are writing to, use this.
It is always advisable to try to find out a name.
2)Dear Mr.Johny,If you know the name, use
the title (Mr., Mrs., Miss or Ms, Dr, etc.) and
the surname only. If you are writing to a

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woman and do not know if she uses Mrs. or

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Miss, you can use Ms, which is for married
and single women.
s.
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no
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1)Yours faithfully-If you do not know

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the name of the person, end the letter

this way.
2)Yours sincerely-If you know the
name of the person, end the letter this
way.
3) Your signature-Sign your name.

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 First paragraph-The first paragraph should be short

and state the purpose of the letter- to make an
enquiry, complain, request something, etc.
 The paragraph or paragraphs in the middle of the
letter should contain the relevant information behind
the writing of the letter.
 Most letters in English are not very long, so keep the
information to the essentials and concentrate on

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organising it in a clear and logical manner rather than

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expanding too much.
s.
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The last paragraph of a formal letter

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should state what action you expect

the recipient to take- to refund, send
you information, etc.

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AMERICAN STYLE BRITISH STYLE
1. Heading 1. Heading
According to the format, but usually The heading is usually placed in the top right
aligned to the left. corner of the letter (sometimes centered).
2. Date 2. Date
January 17, 2009 (month-day -year). 17 January 2009 (day-month-year)
According to the format but Usually placed directly (or one
usually aligned to the left (two blank line) below the heading.
lines below the heading). 3. Salutation
3. Salutation
Dear Mr. / Mrs.Anna,
Dear Mr. / Mrs.Anna:
Dear Sir or Madam,
Dear Sir or Madam:
Gentlemen,
Gentlemen:
After the salutation there is a

m
After the salutation there is a
colon (:) comma (,)

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4. Complimentary close 4. Complimentary close
Sincerely, Sincerely,
Sincerely yours,
Yours truly,
s. Yours sincerely,
Yours faithfully,
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The following abbreviations are widely used in letters:

 asap = as soon as possible
ke

cc = carbon copy (when you send a copy of a letter to more than

one person, you use this abbreviation to let them know)

 enc. = enclosure (when you include other papers with your letter)
pp = per procurationem (A Latin phrase meaning that you are signing

the letter on somebody else's behalf; if they are not there to

sign it themselves, etc)
ps = postscript (when you want to add something after you've

finished and signed it)

 pto (informal) = please turn over (to make sure that the other

person knows the letter continues on the other side of the page)
 RSVP = please reply

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co
s.
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We write semi-formal letters to people that we

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do not know very well. They are usually more

polite than informal letters and are written in a
neutral style. ... And here is an example of a
semi-formal letter: Dear Mr and Mrs Brown,
Thank you very much for your letter.

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Salutation
Like in formal letter, you should greet the
person with Dear [Title] Last name. Title
varies depending on the status of the person.
So unmarried girl hold a Miss title, marries
women Mrs. Title, man should be saluted
with Mr. , while women which marriage status
is unknown Ms. If the person is holding an
academic or royal title, you should place it

m
before his/her last name: Dear Dr Jones.

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s.
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Address and date are placed on the top

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right of the page. Date should be

written in -
DD, Month, YYYY format.

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Each paragraph should be indented at the

beginning. Usual practice is to divide body of
the letter in up to 3 paragraphs: introduction,
main body and conclusion.

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co
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This is the main feature that

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distinguishes formal form semi-

formal letters. In semi – formal
letters language used is similar to
ordinary speech. Therefore you may
use even exclamation marks.

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 Ending of the letter should round off the letter

and suggest the action that will follow. For
example: See you soon, looking forward to
your call, See you on next Monday, Call me if
you need anything, etc.
 For complementary close you should use Your
sincerely, followed with the signature, because
It is reassumed that you already know the

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person.

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s.
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no

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T b . e C u r a1Lo r
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 Ondo Boys' High School,
p right: your address
t N O T your name
https://www.keralanotes.com/
- P.O. Box 41,
--- Ondo,
- o t e t h e p u n c tu a t i on ).
Ondo State.
-
e date goes here. 17th January. 20 I 0

:alutation. -- - - - - - - - 1-- -
1
Dear Uncle Charles,

e body of the letter - - - - -1 This is to say how sorry I was to hear of your dreadful acc ide nt.
rranged ·in paragraphs. I have only just heard the news.. and was deeply shocked. How
J sua lly paragraph 1 is can such things happen? But of course,. some of the roads are
OT indented: the others
are indented in semi- death traps these days, especially the way people drive on them.
:0 rm al le tt ers. I do hope that you are not in too much pain and that you are
in good hands. .Auntie Efe told me that you are likely to be
in hospital for at least two weeks - and she says the hospital in
Abeoku a is extremely well-equipped. That is s o m e consolation.
I suppose.
A n y w a y, this is just to send you love and best wishes for a
speedy recovery. I shall certa'niy come and visit you as soon as
tenn ends..
Please give my love to Aunt Efe and all the family I very

m
much look forward to seeing you a 1 soon.

co
Co m p limenta ry close Much love
(sign off or subsc rip t).
Your affectionate nephew

Yo u r n o r m a l siignature. - - - -
s.- - -
te
no
la
ra

The job or employment application is the

ke

official form that employers ask all

applicants for a position to fill out. The
job application is filled out offline in a
pen and paper format or, increasingly,
online.

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 Online Job Applications. There are thousands of sites where

you can post your resume online and complete an online job
application. Sometimes, you can apply online on job
boards like Monster.com or job search engines like
indeed.com. Other times, you can apply directly on the
company’s website.
 In-Person Job Applications. Many companies, especially
retail and hospitality employers, expect applicants to apply

m
in-person or at a kiosk in the business. It's not as complicated
as applying online, but you will need to be prepared to apply

co
and maybe even interview on the spot.
s.
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 Email Job Applications: When you are using

ke

email to apply for jobs, it's important that all

your communications are as professional as they
would be if you were mailing a paper application.
Here's advice on how to submit job applications
via email.
 Paper Job Applications: There are paper job
application forms that you fill out if you apply in
person for a position.

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I.Personal Information
 Name
 Address, city, state, zip code
 Phone number
 Email address
 Social security number
 Are you eligible to work in the United States?
 If you are under age eighteen, do you have an employment certificate?
 Have you been convicted of a felony within the last five
years? (information about convictions varies based on state law and may
not be legal to ask in your location)
II.Education and Experience

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 School(s) attended, degrees, graduation date
 Certifications

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 Skills and qualifications
 Grade Point Average (G.P.A.)
s.
 Extracurricular activities where you held a leadership role
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no

 Honor societies
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 Employment History
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 Employer
 Address, phone, email
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 Supervisor
 Job title and responsibilities
 Salary
 Starting and ending dates of employment (month, day, year)
 Reason for leaving
 Permission to contact the previous employer
 References
 Name
 Job title
 Company
 Address, phone, email
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 Personal Information
 First Name:
 Middle Name:
 Last Name:
 Street Address:
 City, State, Zip Code:
 Phone Number: ( )
 Email Address:
 Have you ever applied to / worked for [Our Company]

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before? [ ] Y or [ ] N
If yes, please explain (include date):

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s.
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no

 Do you have any friends, relatives, or acquaintances working for

[Our Company]? [ ] Y or [ ] N
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If yes, state name & relationship:

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 If hired, would you have transportation to/from work? [ ] Y or [ ]

N
ke

 Are you over the age of 18? [ ] Y or [ ] N

 If you are under the age of 18, do you have an employment/age
certificate? [ ] Y or [ ] N
 If hired, would you be able to present evidence of your U.S.
citizenship or proof of your legal right to work in the United
States? [ ] Y or [ ] N
 Have you been convicted of or pleaded no contest to a felony
within the last five years? [ ] Y or [ ] N
 If yes, please describe the crime - state the nature of the crime(s),
when and where convicted, and the disposition (final settlement)
of the case:

 If hired, are you willing to submit to a controlled substance test?

[ ] Y or [For
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 Position and Availability
 Position Applying
For:
 Desired Salary: Rs.
 Are you applying for:
 Temporary work – such as summer or holiday work? [ ]
Y or [ ] N
 Regular part-time work? [ ] Y or [ ] N
 Regular full-time work? [ ] Y or [ ] N
 If applying for temporary work, indicate your desired
length of employment below:

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 Start date: / / End date: / /

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 Days/Hours Available
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 Monday
Tuesday
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Wednesday
Thursday
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Friday
Saturday
Sunday
 Hours Available: from to
 Are you available to work overtime? [ ] Y or [ ] N
 If hired, on what date can you start working? / /
 Are you able to perform the essential functions of the job for
which you are applying, either with / without reasonable
accommodation? [ ] Y or [ ] N
 If no, describe the functions that cannot be performed:

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Education, Training and Experience
 High School:
School Name:
SchoolAddress:
School City, State, Zip:
 Number of years completed:
Did you graduate? [ ] Y or [ ] N
Degree / Diploma earned:
 College / University:
School Name:
SchoolAddress:
School City, State, Zip:
 Number of years completed:
Did you graduate? [ ] Y or [ ] N
Degree / Diploma Earned:
 Vocational School:
School Name:
SchoolAddress:

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School City, State, Zip:
 Number of years completed:

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Did you graduate? [ ] Y or [ ] N
Degree / Diploma earned:
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 Military:
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Branch:
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Rank in Military:
Total Years of Service:
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Skills/Duties:
Related Details:
 Skills and Qualifications: Licenses, Skills, Training, Awards

 Do you speak, write or understand any foreign languages? [ ] Y

or [ ] N
 If yes, list which languages(s) and how fluent you consider
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 Employment History
 You should be prepared to detail each position for the past five years
and account for any gaps in employment during that period.
 Are you currently employed? [ ] Y or [ ] N

 If you are currently employed, may we contact your current

employer? [ ] Y or [ ] N
 Name of Employer:
Name of Supervisor:
Telephone Number:
Business Type:
Address:
City, State, Zip:

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 Length of Employment (Include Dates):

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Salary/Hourly Rate of Pay:
Position & Duties:
Reason for Leaving:
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 References
 List below three persons who have knowledge of your work
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performance within the last four years. Please include

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professional references only.

 First and Last Name:
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Telephone Number:
Email Address:
Address:
City, state,
zip:
Occupation:
Number of YearsAcquainted:

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Certification
 I certify that the information contained in this
application is true and complete. I understand
that false information may be grounds for not
hiring me or for immediate termination of
employment if I am hired. I authorize the
verification of any and all information listed
above.
 Signature:

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 Date:
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 Minutes of Meeting describe what was

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discussed and decided in a meeting.

 Permanent record of the meeting for future
reference.
 Include an overview of the structure of the
meeting.
 Note down in a concise way the matters that
are being dealt with and decided on during a
meeting and to produce the minutes of the
meeting to every one.
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 Generally, minutes begin with the organization name,

place, date, list of people present, absent and the time.
 All the agenda for the said meeting.
 All official decisions must be included.
 The reports given and the person involve
 The vote tally may also be included
 The date, time and place of the next meeting.

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 Assignments and the person responsible.

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 The minutes may end with a note of the time that the
meeting was adjourned.
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 Confirm any decisions made.

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 Record of any agreed actions to be taken.

 Record of who has been allocated any tasks or
responsibilities.
 Provide details of the meeting to anyone unable
to attend.
 Serve as a record of the meeting's procedure and
outcome.

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 Make A Short Summary About The

Meetings Agenda
 Make A List Of AllThe Details
Beforehand
 Recording The Body Of The Minutes
 Concluding The Minutes

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 Distributing The Minutes Among The

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Attendees s.
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 VideoRecording
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 Audio Recording
 Hand Recording

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 Name of the organization.

 Date and time the meeting.
 Those present and those who could not attend.
 A list of the agenda items/topics.
 Summary of discussion for each agenda item.
 The actions people committed to.

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 Summary of any decisions made.

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 Minutes of Narration – These include some of the

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discussions and important details. This style of minutes is

considered a legal document.
 Report – This is a full record of all discussions that
includes the names of all speakers, movers and seconders
of any motions, written in a narrative style.
 Minutes of Resolution – These are limited to the
recording of the actual words of all resolutions that were
passed. Movers and seconders are not recorded. Each
resolution that is made commences RESOLVED THAT.
This style of minutes is also considered a legal document.
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 Record simple short statements which

capture decisions passed and actions agreed
upon under each of the agenda headings
 Keep it brief & to the point
 Circulate within a week
 Impersonal tone

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 Reported speech

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 Typing meeting minutes on a laptop can make

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the process quicker and easier.

 Make a note of who is present. If necessary,
pass around a sign-in sheet.
 Use the meeting agenda as an outline for the
minutes.
 Do write down any motions and decisions
made and the key findings of any committee
reports.
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 Use bullet points to make the minutes easier to
read. Each bullet statement should represent a
different finding, discussion, or decision.
 Make a note of issues that were tabled until
future meetings.
 Transcribe or review minutes as soon as
possible after the meeting, while your memory
of what happened is still fresh.

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 Before you submit the meeting minutes,

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proofread for types.
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 RESUME
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 Resume is a French word meaning “summary”.

 A resume is ideally a summary of one’s
education, skills and employment when applying
for a new job.
 A resume does not list out all details of a
profile, but only some specific skills customized
to the target job profile. It thus, is usually 1 or at
the max 2 pages long.
 A resume is usually written in the third person
to give it an objective and formal tone.

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Structure: A good resume would start with a
Brief Profile of the candidate, Summary of
Qualifications, followed by Industry Expertise
and then Professional Experience in reverse
chronological order. Focus is on the most recent
experiences (with responsibilities and
accomplishments), and previous experiences are
only presented as a summary. This would be

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followed by Education details and/or

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Professional Affiliations and/or Voluntary
Initiatives. s.
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 Curriculum Vitae is a Latin word meaning

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“course of life”.
 It is more detailed than a resume, generally 2 to 3
pages, or even longer as per the requirement.
 A C.V. lists out every skill, all the jobs and
positions held, degrees, professional affiliations
the applicant has acquired, and in chronological
order.
 A C.V. is used to highlight the general talent of
the candidate rather than specific skills for a
specific position.
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 Bio Data is the short form for Biographical Data

and is an archaic terminology for Resume or
C.V.
 In a bio data, the focus is on personal particulars
like date of birth, gender, religion, race,
nationality, residence, marital status, and the
like.

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 A chronological listing of education and

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experience comes after that.
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 A resume would be ideally suited when experience

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people apply for specific positions where certain

specific skills are more important than education.
 A C.V., on the other hand should be the preferred option
for fresh graduates or people looking for a career
change. It could also be used by people applying for
academic positions.
 The term bio-data is mostly used in India when people
apply for government jobs, or for research grants where
one has to submit descriptive essays. Bio Data are not
common in the international markets where personal
information like age, gender, religion are not required to
be submitted by candidates.

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Marketing tool: First impression is the

one which lasts.
Request for an interview: We are always
looking for jobs.
Your “big picture”: A detailed snapshot
of your professional and academic life.

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 Chronological
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 Functional
 Chrono functional/
Combinational/Combined

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 Reverse chronological order

 Widely used for corporate sector

 Mainly used by individuals with solid

work history
 Few or no gaps between jobs

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 Focuses on the skill set of an

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individual
Mainly used by individuals with
significant gaps in employment
 A mixed employment background
 Very short work history

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 Specificwork experience
 Specific skills and talents

 Used mainly by individuals

 Freshly graduated from school

 With uninterrupted work history

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 Applying for specific jobs

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 Academic
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 Used for academic applications (graduate student

applications, scholarship applications)
 Usually more detailed
 Focuses mainly on academic achievements
 Relevant projects and courses mentioned
 Corporate
 Used for getting jobs
 Specific to the needs of the employer
 Focuses mainly on work experience and relevant
academic affiliations
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 Header

 Objective
 Education

 Honors/Activities

 Work Experience

 Research Experience/Projects

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 Name
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 Must be the first line of resume

 Bold
 Larger than the largest font used in body
 Address
 Current address preferable
 Email Address
 Use professional email addresses preferably with
name
 Phone number
 Preferably use both home and cell phone numbers
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 Optional but highly recommended

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 Statement must be clear, concise and to the point

 Bad: “I want to get a job”
 Weak: “To attain an internship in livestock industry.”
 Good: “To attain an internship in the livestock
industry with detailed insight into genomics and
bioinformatics.”
 Avoid being over specific
 Target the company’s perspective

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Educational qualifications from

highest to lowest
Do not use high school details once
you have graduated
 Must include years in school

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Experience should be listed in reverse

chronological order
POSITION TITLE, ORGANIZATION
NAME, CITY, STATE/PROVINCE,
DATES EMPLOYED (Include months
unless this shows big gaps of

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unemployment )

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 Describes specific roles in bullets
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Focus on relevant research

experience
Must include graduate level
research
 In reverse chronological order

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 This section should scream “I am a leader”

 Must contain all academic and professional
awards
 May include extra-curricular awards
 Include a brief description if not self-evident
from title
 Don’t include hobbies or activities not related

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to the job or your story

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 Good to include leadership positions
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 One of the most crucial things

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 Follow the requirement

 If not mentioned, then “On Request/demand”

 Ask referees beforehand

 Use the best ones

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 ProfessionalCertificates/Licenses
 Specialized Experience
 Publications/Theses
 Additional Training/Assistantships
 Membership/Affiliations
 Volunteer Experience/Community Service

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 Language or Computer Skills

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 Continuing Education
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 Electronic
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 Scannable
Email
 HTML
 Paper

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 Scannable
 Best to use black color fonts
 Use proper font type (do not try anything fancy)
 Many companies scan paper resumes into their
database
 Email Attachment
 Currently the most widely used delivery method
 PDF-most widely used format

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 Easily convert your Microsoft Word CV to PDF

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using various online resources (www.pdfonline.com)
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 Ease of access
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 Shows your creativity

 Easily available and free of cost from many

service providers like google
 Link to different sections of your CV

 Very detailed

 You can add forms of social media like twitter,

facebook pages and personal/professional blogs

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 Don’t title your resume as “Resume” start with your

full name.
 Don’t use cliché words like (People person,
Multitasker, Go-Getter…)
 Don’t mail or fax if email is an option (use the option
that the job posting asks for fax, email…)
 Don’t go over one page.

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 Don’t use fancy fonts.
Don’t use personal pronouns “I”, “my” or “me”

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

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 Don’t use passive words. (instead use

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words like “ achieved, attained, generated

– passive words convey little)
 Don’t use colorful paper
 Don’t include a picture or other artwork.
 Don’t lie.
 Don’t include your whole life’s history.

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 Don’t include personal information.

 Don’t include salary information.
 Don’t include personal references.
 Don’t include “references available
upon requests.” If they want them

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they will ask.

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 Do send your resume with a cover letter.

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 Do strive to make a good impression.

 Do make your resume clear, concise and easy
to read.
 Do use BOLD or Underline for section
headings.
 Do emphasize your strongest qualifications.
 Do focus on accomplishments, skills, and
results.
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 Do make contacting you easy.

 Do include descriptive terms that include
supportive facts and figures.
 Do use short phrases, not long and complex
sentences.
 Do utilize action words.

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 Do list your most recent job/educational

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experience first.
 Do list job titles, dates, cities and states.
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 Do use word processing and spell

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checkers.
 Do ask 2 friends or colleague to
proof read your resume.
 Do keep your resume up-to-date.

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 A report is a document that presents descriptions,

information, analyses or opinions about a subject or
problem in a systematic manner after conducting a
research.
 A report can be written, documentary or film. Even
oral report is also there.
 It is usually submitted to a superior authority.
 A report includes descriptions of sequence of events,

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evaluation of situations and facts, discussions of
results, recommendations and conclusions.

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 A report should be clear, unbiased and truthful.
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 Research Report
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 Business Report
 Scientific Report
 Routine Report
 Investigation Report
 Project Report
 Director’s Report
 Seminar Report
 Annual Report
 Audit Report 5.
 Progress Report, etc.

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1.Defining the Requirement

The purpose of the report (whether descriptive,
analytical, etc) must be clarified. Identifying the
target audience is very important.
2. Researching the Topic
The data for research must be examined carefully,
which helps in deciding the direction of research.

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Information for research can be collected from

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books, newspapers, internet, etc.
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3.Analyse/Evaluate/ Understand the

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Information
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Use logic, critical and creative thinking to

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make the report a sensible and legible one.

4. Organise the Report
Decide the structure of the report depending
on the requirements and the information
available.
5. Write the Report
The report can be written in this stage using
the structure which is already decided.
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 The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

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(IEEE) style is a widely accepted format for writing

research papers, commonly used in technical fields,
particularly in computer science.
 IEEE style is based on the Chicago Style.
 Computer Science and Electronic Engineering related
subjects generally use the IEEE referencing style. When
using IEEE citations, the citations should be numbered
accordingly to the order in which they appear in the text
and inside the punctuation.
(please refer the separate PDF provided through Etlab to know more about IEE
Format)
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 It has a clear thoughts

 It is complete & self-explanatory
 It is comprehensive but compact
 It is accurate in all aspects
 It has suitable format for readers
 It support facts & is factual
 It has an impersonal style

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 It has proper date & signature

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 It has a reference to relevant details
 It follows an impartial approach
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 It has all essential technical details

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 It is presented in a lucid style

 It is a reliable document

 It is arranged in a logical manner

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 Units not quoted

 Numbers quoted to inappropriate precision
 Graphs, graph axes, data points, tables not labelled
 No headings on graphs/tables
 Over -ambitious curve fitting
 Environmental data missed out when important (room
temperature, atmospheric pressure, etc.)
 Graphs inappropriately scaled
 Figures not referred to

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 Poor presentation (mistakes, untidy, poor typing, not spell
checked)

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 Poor or confusing sentences (often too long)
 Poor grammar s.
 Figure in wrong place (e.g. after the appendices)
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no
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 Inappropriate use of appendices

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 No attempt to analyze errors

 Use of meaningless words like 'efficiency' or 'experimental error'
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 No discussion of what the results mean

 Not understanding the difference between discussion and
conclusions
 Conclusions not linked to objectives
 No comments on whether values are as expected and if not why not
 No references given when needed, or bibliography given as
references
 Poor internal referencing of material (where does the reader find
things?)
 Illogical sequence of material
 Communication not concise and complete
 Statements without justifications (don't bullshit!)
 Use of I rather than third person.
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