10a3. Soft Skills Notes Unit 3
10a3. Soft Skills Notes Unit 3
GCET/IQAC/LDP-06
Soft Skills (BAS205)
Unit-3-Notes
Reading and Writing Skills
CO3: The students will learn the use of correct body language and tone of voice to enhance
communication.
Contents:
Reading style: Skimming; Scanning; Churning & Assimilation, Effective writing tools and
methods: Inductive Deductive; Exposition; Linear; Interrupted; Spatial & and Chronological etc,
Official and Business Letter writing, Agenda, Notices, Minutes of meeting,
Reading Skills:
Reading involves an active participation of the reader in understanding the message the writer
has conveyed through the written text. Thus, it would be wrong to assume that the reader's role is
passive at the time of reading. Reading involves skimming, scanning, extensive reading/ reading
for pleasure / reading longer texts for fluency, intensive reading/ reading for detail and / reading
shorter texts for accuracy. Reading Style: Reading is a process that involves recognizing words,
leading to the development of comprehension. According to research, reading is a process that
negotiates the meaning between the text and its reader. There are four basic ways/styles to read a
text:
Reading Styles:
● Skimming
● Scanning
● Intensive Reading
● Extensive Reading
● Churning
● Assimilation
Skimming:
Skimming is sometimes referred to as gist reading. Read only selected parts of the text.
Skimming may help in order to know what the text is about at its most basic level. You might
typically do this with a magazine or newspaper and would help you mentally and quickly
shortlist those articles which you might consider for a deeper read. You might typically skim to
search for a name in a telephone directory. You can reach a speed count of even 700 words per
minute if you train yourself well in this particular method.
Skimming is a type of reading when one goes through the text in order to get its gist or central
idea. One doesn’t read through the text completely. It is a technique that involves quick glancing
through a text to understand its general content. This is done by reading the topic sentences of
each paragraph and the concluding sentence in the last paragraph.
Skimming is used to get the main idea of the text, or find a particular piece of information
quickly. For example when you read a newspaper you usually read through the article to get
what you want and not reading it word by word. Skimming is done at a speed, three to four times
faster than normal reading. People often use skimming skill when they have lots of material to
read in a limited amount of time. While skimming you make a distinction between main points
and sub points, facts versus opinions, relevant and irrelevant, explicit and implicit. Skim the
material:
● Try to pick out the main idea of the piece you are reading. Often you can find it in the
title or the first paragraph
● Try to determine the organization method. What is the rhetorical strategy used? Is it
cause and effect? Compare and contrast, narration, etc .
● Look for the definitions and difficult words that you must understand if you are to
understand what follows
● Skim all the sub headings. They will give you an overview of the material
● Read the first sentence of every paragraph and also the last sentence which would help
you to provide the context
● If something confuses you, try to figure it out. Read two or three times. If you are still
unable to understand, move on
● Underline the main ideas, list supporting details and write an outline. After this write the
summary.
Scanning:
Picture yourself visiting a historical city, guide book in hand. You would most probably just scan
the guide book to see which site you might want to visit. Scanning involves getting your eyes to
quickly scuttle across sentences and is used to get just a simple piece of information.
Interestingly, research has concluded that reading off a computer screen actually inhibits the
pathways to effective scanning and thus, reading of paper is far more conducive to speedy
comprehension of texts.
Something students sometimes do not give enough importance to is illustrations. These should be
included in your scanning. Pay special attention to the introduction and the conclusion.
Churning:
Churning means interpretation and inference. Churning stands for interpretation and inference
where interpretation means getting the summary of all the important points on a topic and
inference is meant for reading between the lines understanding facts that are not stated openly.
Interpretation: Depending on the question, we need to decide what angle we are going to take to
interpret a text. Generally, a text contains discussion on more than one keyword you have to
collect information on the specific keyword that is asked in the question
Example: This method draws its significance from the actual curd-churning method. Many f us
belonging to villages must have seen our mothers or grandmothers churn curd; churning it for
long with patience. When churning is over, and butter ball floats on the whey, they collect it. In
the same way, in this method we interpret the topic with different perspectives and finally gather
the overall gist of the given text or document.
Assimilation: When we attempt to make a mental map of the entire passage that we have read is
called assimilating. When we say we have understood a concept after reading a chapter, we have
actually done assimilation.
Steps to Do Assimilation
● Look for pictures, videos and other texts related to the topic to get better knowledge.
This will help you plant a mental map of the information you have read.
Actually this method originates from the manner a camel tucks in fodder, chews it and digests it.
So this whole process from tucking in to digesting is called assimilation. In the same way, when
one reads a text, one need to pick up main ideas from it, then contemplates and finally absorbs
them into ones being. Thus this whole process, in context for paragraph reading staring from
picking up to absorption is called assimilation.
Intensive Reading
You need to have your aims clear in mind when undertaking intensive reading. Remember this is
going to be far more time consuming than scanning or skimming. If you need to list the
chronology of events in a long passage, you will need to read it intensively. This type of reading
has indeed beneficial to language learners as it helps them understand vocabulary by deducing
the meaning of words in context.
It moreover, helps with retention of information for long periods of time and knowledge
resulting from intensive reading persists in your long term memory. This is one reason why
reading huge amounts of information just before an exam does not work very well. Students tend
to do this, and they undertake neither type of reading process effectively, especially neglecting
intensive reading. They may remember the answers in an exam but will likely forget everything
soon afterwards.
Extensive reading
Extensive reading involves reading for pleasure. Because there is an element of enjoyment in
extensive reading it is unlikely that students will undertake extensive reading of a text they do
not like. It also requires a fluid decoding and assimilation of the text and content in front of you.
If the text is difficult and you stop every few minutes to figure out what is being said or to look
up new words in the dictionary, you are breaking your concentration and diverting your thoughts.
Extensive reading or reading for fluency involves reading of longer texts for pleasure. It is not
done for finding our minute details. Students should develop the habit of reading outside the
classroom also. Class time is short and not much of reading can be done inside the classroom.
Teachers should encourage students to do a lot of extensive reading on varied subjects. Extensive
reading can play a vital role in second language learning. Students can do selective reading and
decide when to read and where to read.
Generally, students find their text books uninteresting and demotivating. Hence, it is imperative
that materials for extensive reading are easy, appealing and varied. The texts should be similar to
those the students come across in daily life and which they will want to read after they go out of
their educational institutions. The selection of texts depends on the level of linguistic competence
the students have reached at a particular point of time. Independent silent reading requires a
sufficient, and of language to comprehend the message in the text.
Reading involves not only reading for understanding the gist of the text or looking for some
specific piece of information but also comprehending the intended message, ideas, style etc., of
its writer. The right kind of skills and strategies are to be developed in students for this purpose.
Skimming, scanning, intensive reading and extensive reading are the main skills that can be
developed in students so that they become efficient readers. An efficient reader is a reader who
can read a text-familiar or unfamiliar-silently with understanding and without help.
Though reading, like all other skills, needs constant practice, a teacher can help his students
increase their capacity of reading efficiently by using modern gadgets and sophisticated
machines like tachistoscopes, pacers etc., that force the learner to read at a given rate without
regressions by exposing the text briefly. Students find that there is always too much to read. It is
important that students select the most appropriate source for their needs. To do this, students
must have a clear purpose for their reading and they must be able to predict which source will
help them most to meet that purpose.
● Inductive Method
● Exposition Method
● Chronological Method
● Spatial Method
● Linear Method
● Interrupted Method
Deductive Method
When the purpose is to defend an idea by providing evidence, we write the paragraph in
deductive method. The writer moves from general statements to the particular ones. He first
provides evidences then he finally gives his submission.
The topic sentence comes at the beginning. It states a fact. The supporting sentences come after
it, and give evidence that the fact is true.
Spatial Method
Purpose of the spatial method is to describe objects in a place. When we have to give exact
description of a place so that people have clear idea of where things are kept, we use spatial
method of paragraph writing. The topic sentence comes at the beginning, telling the name of the
place. The supporting sentences give details of things positioned in that place.
In this method, an object, a place, or an event or anything is described in respect of place. If
somebody is asked to reach a particular place, definitely he or she would be provided with clear
information about the location of that place. For example if a person is coming from Agra and
ask somebody where Galgotia College of Engineering is. The person directing this fellow will
advise him to board on roadways or some private bus or any vehicle commuting between Agra
and Delhi or Noida on Yamuna expressway. This fellow will be advised to get down on the Pari
Chowk where from he will hire an auto to this college. Reaching on the gate no 1, he can be
assisted by the security guards to reach the right place on the campus of the college. So the
method used in this description is special method.
Linear Method
The purpose of linear method is step by step description of a process. Often we have to write
description of a process in manuals. We have to write every step, from starting point to the inish.
In this condition, we use linear method. In linear method, one line logically leads to the other.
Linear Method: An Example
Installing a program needs a few, simple steps. First go to the start menu. Then go to the control
panel to step next, click uninstall a program. Then select the program you want to remove.
Finally click uninstall at the top of the page.
Interrupted Method
The purpose of interrupted method is narrating an experience in a dramatic way.
In chronological method, we narrate event like a diary entry. But often, in order to sound more
dramatic and interesting, we break the strict chronology. We talk about present then go back to
the past, and then start talking about future. This is called interrupted method. They show the
interrupted way of thoughts.
Interrupted Method: An Example
I am a fan of movies of superheroes from Baahubali, Spider-Man etc. I love them all. When I
was a child, I had obsession for Shaktimaan. I even tried jumping off a terrace, but was luckily
saved. Now I just use jackets and T-shirts to show my obsession. Someday I dream of creating a
superhero series on TV myself.
Letter of Enquiry
Letter of Quotation
Order
Claim and Adjustment Letter
OFFICIAL LETTERS
D.O. Letters
Govt. Letters
It is a means to keep oneself in touch with those who are separated by Distance. It is a
peace of conversation by post. It is an art as well as the science. It isa science because it
follows some set formats. It is an art because if it follows some aesthetic rules.
● Making an enquiry
● Seeking Information
▪ BLOCK FORMAT
▪ FULL BLOCK
FORMAT
Block Format: - In this format, except date, complementary closing and name &
signature with designation of the sender, we align all other elements to the left margin.
We have shown the proper place of these elements in the format giving below-
Heading/Letter Head
============
Date
===============
Reference
===============
Inside address
===============
Attention Line
===============
Salutation
===============
Subject
===============
Main Body
===============
Complementary Closing
====================
=================
Full Block Format- In this format, we align all elements of a business letter with left
margin. We maintain double space between every two elements. We have shown the
proper places of these elements in the diagram given below.
Heading/Letter head
=================
Date
=============
Reference
=============
Inside address
===============
Attention Line
==============
Salutation
==============
Subject
============
Main body
============
Complimentary Closing
===============
Name & Signature with Designation
================
Identification Mark
=============
Enclosures
============
Definition of Business Letters
1 Letter of Sales
2 Complaint Letter
3 Adjustment Letter
4 Resume/Job Application Letter
5 Enquiry Letter
6 Quotation Letter
7 Appointment Letter
8 Resignation Letter
9 Letter of Order
10 Letter of Credit
Letter of sales:
● Defective packaging
● Untimely delivery
● Faulty billings
Adjustment Letter: It is a polite reply to a customer's complaint.
2. It is a kind of sales letter because an applicant seeks to sell his service. The main
purpose of this letter is to get an interview letter.
Enquiry Letter: The main purpose of this letter is to get information about quantity,
quality, price, availability, variety, guarantee, warranty and terms and condition of the
goods and services.
Appointment Letter:
1 It informs the candidate about his appointment.
2 The employer offers it to the candidate selected in an interview for the job.
Resignation Letter:
1 It is a symbol of self-respect.
2 The employee submits it to his employer. Reasons to resign the job may
be as (a) Dissatisfaction with the job, (b) Good opportunity.
Letter of Order:
1. It is placed after enquiry.
2. Its main motive is to promote both sales and purchases without case payment.
Q: You are the distributor of electrical appliances like generators, water pumps etc.
You have purchased some water-pumps from Honda SIEl Power Products Limited,
Greater Noida two weeks back. Some of these water pumps are found defective.
Draft a courteous complaint letter to the Manager Sales of the company to replace
the defective water pumps immediately?. Invent Necessary Details.
Answer:
Mob: 9812131499
20 July 2022
With reference to the delivery of hundred water pumps received on date 21 December,
2022, I want to inform you about some defective water pumps whereof 10 out of 100
water pumps are defective. It is the first time that we have received defective electrical
appliances from your company. It is a humble request to you that you may please
replace these defective pumps without any delay.
We have been corresponding with you for a long time. We wish to maintain our
corporate relationship with you. It is only possible, if you regard our feelings and trade
with us sincerely and favorably.
Yours truly,
X.Y. Kumar
Distributors, G. Noida
Q: You have come across the vacancies issued by an M N C published in the
Accent of the Times of India for the post of the Chief Engineer in the Dept.
of Electrical and Electronics Engineering. Attach your Curriculum Vitae
along with the application/covering letter. Invent Necessary Details.
Answer:
X Y Singh
S/O Mr. Y Z Singh
A-257, Alpha-I
Greater Noida G.B Nagar, (U.P ) 201308
20 March 2022
Attention: HR Department
Dear Sir/Madam
Yours Sincerely
(X. Y. Singh)
Q: Daft your C.V. candidly.
Answer:
CURRICULUM VITAE
Correspondence Address
My Qualification:
● HSC/ 10TH Class passed with 1st Div with 64% from Kendrya Vidyalaya,
Greater Noida, G.B.Nagar (U.P.) in 2000.
● SSC/ 12TH Class passed with 1st Div with 68% from Kendrya Vidyalaya,
Greater,Noida, G.B.Nagar (U.P.) in 2002.
● B.Tech (IT) Passed with 1st Div with 76% from XIMT affiliated with
UPTU,Lucknow, Greater Noida, G.B.Nagar (U.P.) in 2006.
● M.Tech (IT) Passed with 1st Div with 75% from XIMT affiliated with
UPTU,Lucknow, Greater Noida, G.B.Nagar (U.P.) in 2008.
Industrial Experience:
My Name :
Father’s Name :
Mother’s Name :
Date of Birth :
Nationality :
Marital Status :
Height/ Weight :
Languages Known :
Strengths :
Weaknesses :
Hobbies :
I hereby declare that all above given facts are true to the best of knowledge.
Place :
Answer:
21 March 2022
Dear Sir,
With response to your letter posted on 20 March 2009 about the delivery of defective
water pumps, we regret for the inconvenience.
We are informed that 10 out of 100 water pumps are defective. We can send you a
technician for the repairing of the pumps. We hope you will be satisfied, if not, we
can replace the same.
You are our very precious customer and we would never like to displease you.
Nonetheless we are very sorry for all that. Besides we are giving you Rs1000/= as
compensation for each pump.
Yours sincerely
Name & Signature
Date :
Place :
Q: What do you mean by a Sales Letter? Suppose you are the Manager
Sales of your company that manufactures Electrical Power Products. Draft
an attractive Sales letter to your customers to relate them with the quality,
low price, long durability, guarantee/ warrantee and other terms and
conditions of power generator
Answer:
23 March 2022
•We promise a guarantee for one year and warrantee for 3 years.
THREE DAYS!
Yours truly,
Date :
Place :
Q: What do you understand by a letter of enquiry? You are a
customer. Ask the Sales Manager of a company to provide you with all
details of Electric Meters.
Answer:
X. Prasad Bose
E-160 BETA-I, Greater Noida
G.B.Nagar ( U.P.) 201310
Contact No: 0120- 2358733/ 673
Mob: 9718764534
23 March, 2022
E-mail: [email protected]
Dear Sir/Madam
With reference to the above subject, kindly provide us the details of Electric Meters as
soon as possible.
Yours truly
X. Prasad Bose
Date :
Place :
Q: What is a letter of order? As a big distributor, place a polite letter of
order to the Sales Manager of a company and ask him to deliver the
requirement goods as early as possible Answer:
23 March 2022
Dear Sir/Madam,
With reference to the above subject, we have heard a lot about quality products of your
company. That is why we desire to place a purchase order for 500 computer systems.
Thanking you
Yours truly
● It should carry the name and designation of the issuer of the notice.
An Agenda:
An agenda is a list of activities to be done in an ordered sequence. In meetings,
business agenda refers to the activities and topics that need to be discussed or
performed at a particular time or the things to achieve during a meeting. The agenda is
also used to determine the goal of a meeting. It also serves as a planning tool for
participants and a control tool for the leader. With the meeting objectives clearly
defined, an agenda can be developed, keeping the following guidelines in mind:
Purpose of an Agenda:
The main purpose of an agenda is to give the participants a clear understanding of the
meeting or subject at hand and logically guide the participants with the whole process.
It also makes the participant familiar with the topics to be discussed. Things to be
included in an agenda are as follow:
Almost all businesses follow a similar format of an agenda to run their meeting
effectively and ensure that it stays on time. To make your meeting as effective as
them, include these things in your agenda or download our printable agenda here to
make everything easy for you.
● The title of the agenda. The titles are important in any agenda example as it
can be used as identification.
● The objective of the meeting. The objective of the meeting should also be
included in the meeting to remind the participants about what the meeting is
all about and what it hopes to achieve.
● The topics and/or activities. The agenda should list all the topics or activities
to be addressed in a meeting.
● The time allocation. Every topic and/or activities must have a time
allocation so that it will be followed accordingly.
● Call to action. The agenda should have a call to action that signifies the
start and end of the meeting.
Meetings:
Meetings are an important facet of corporate life. A group of people performing
different functions in an organization may come together during a meeting to work on
a specific project. Major projects demand that knowledge and expertise from several
sources be pooled for successful implementation. Meetings also serve as vehicles foe
individual advancement and organizational achievement. Meetings, if effectively
managed can become a potentially powerful tool for transforming the organization.
Purpose:
Every meeting is called for a specific purpose and it is this purpose that decides the
form of the meeting. In general the purpose of the meeting is either informational or
decision making. Examples of meetings for informal purposes:
To communicate important or sensitive information
● To explore new ideas and concepts
● To provide feedback
● To present a report
Decision making meetings are mainly concerned with persuasion, analysis and
problem solving. Examples of meetings for decision making purposes:
● To reach a group decision
● To solve a problem
● To reconcile a conflict
● To negotiate an agreement
If there is a clear need for a group of people to assemble a meeting is called for.
Preparation:
Before to call a meeting the following preparation should be done:
Time- carefully consider the timing of a meeting because it can have a significant
impact on the outcome.
● Choose a time during which participants are at their best.
● If you select an unusual starting time, participants are more likely to show up
punctually, especially if the meeting is scheduled to end at a natural
breakpoint, such as lunch or the close of the workday.
● Allow ample time for preparation.
● Sending an email
● Details regarding the purpose date, day, time & venue of the meeting
● Signature
● Recipients
Conducting Meeting:
There are a few points which a chairperson should do while conducting an effective meeting:
Role of Participants:
A few things which they are bound to pay attention to are:
● Read the agenda carefully and participate actively in discussion. Don’t sit silently.
● Minutes should be written in the third person and in the past tense.
● While preparing the minutes, the agenda of the meeting should be closely followed.
● In the final draft of the minutes names of the contributors need not be mentioned.
● The minutes should not cover the entire discussion held in the meeting; it
should include the outcome of the discussion of each matter.
● All decisions taken during the course of discussion in the meeting should
be clearly stated.
● The names of the participants and their respective responsibilities as
decided in the meeting should be clearly listed.