Week 1 :

Introduction to Business Communication

Day One : Purpose of Communication
The purpose of communication is to get your message across to others clearly and
unambiguously.
Doing this involves effort from both the sender of the message and the receiver. And it's a
process that can be fraught with error, with messages often misinterpreted by the recipient. When
this isn't detected, it can cause tremendous confusion, wasted effort and missed opportunity.
In fact, communication is only successful when both the sender and the receiver understand the
same information as a result of the communication.
By successfully getting your message across, you convey your thoughts and ideas effectively.
When not successful, the thoughts and ideas that you convey do not necessarily reflect your own,
causing a communications breakdown and creating roadblocks that stand in the way of your
goals both personally and professionally.
In a recent survey of recruiters from companies with more than 50,000 employees,
communication skills were cited as the single more important decisive factor in choosing
managers. The survey, conducted by the University of Pittsburgh's Katz Business School, points
out that communication skills, including written and oral presentations, as well as an ability to
work with others, are the main factor contributing to job success.
In spite of the increasing importance placed on communication skills, many individuals continue
to struggle with this, unable to communicate their thoughts and ideas effectively whether in
verbal or written format. This inability makes it nearly impossible for them to compete
effectively in the workplace, and stands in the way of career progression.
Getting your message across is paramount to progressing. To do this, you must understand what
your message is, what audience you are sending it to, and how it will be perceived. You must
also weigh-in the circumstances surrounding your communications, such as situational and
cultural context.
For some professionals, the purpose of communication in business can sometimes seem like an
excuse for a boss or a customer to talk endlessly about their problems. Effective executives
understand the opportunity inherent in that kind of communication to uncover powerful solutions
that can propel a company to long-term success.

http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/CommunicationIntro.htm
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/purpose-communication-business-2830.html

Day Two : Definition of Communication

Communication (from Latin commnicre, meaning "to share") is a purposeful activity of
exchanging information and meaning across space and time using various technical or natural
means, whichever is available or preferred.
Communication requires a sender, a message, a medium and a recipient, although the receiver
does not have to be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of
communication; thus communication can occur across vast distances in time and space.
Communication requires that the communicating parties share an area of communicative

commonality. The communication process is complete once the receiver understands the sender's
message.
"Any act by which one person gives to or receives from another person information about that
person's needs, desires, perceptions, knowledge, or affective states. Communication may be
intentional or unintentional, may involve conventional or unconventional signals, may take
linguistic or nonlinguistic forms, and may occur through spoken or other modes."
Some definitions of Communication include:

Sharing meaning through the use of signs.

A prescribed collective performance that is symbolically meaningful to the participants.
Expression, interaction, and influence: how people interact causes and effects
communication, and it is mediated by psychological variables that cause behaviour such as
emotions, attitudes, beliefs, personality.
Information processing.
Participation in a common culture and society: shared patterns of action and meaning
make communication possible.

A business can flourish only when all objectives to the organization are achieved effectively. For
efficiency in an organization, all the people to the organization must be able to convey their
message properly. Communication skills have proven to be the most powerful element to possess
for in a skill set of employee.To equip yourselves for a smooth career in the field of management,
it is even more essential to grasp, practice and put on display high levels of communication skills
in regular and crisis situations. Effective communication skills act as ladder to the managers and
leaders for quick progression in their careers.
http://www.unm.edu/~devalenz/handouts/defcomm.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communication

Day Three : Process of Communication

A sende
r is the
party that
sends a
message.
Lindsey,
of
course,
will be the sender. She'll also need themessage, which is the information to be conveyed.
Lindsey will also need to encode her message, which is transforming her thoughts of the
information to be conveyed into a form that can be sent, such as words.

A channel of communication must also be selected, which is the manner in which the
message is sent. Channels of communication include speaking, writing, video transmission,
audio transmission, electronic transmission through emails, text messages and faxes and even
nonverbal communication, such as body language. Lindsey also needs to know the target of her
communication. This party is called the receiver.
The receiver must be able to decode the message, which means mentally processing the
message into understanding. If you can't decode, the message fails. For example, sending a
message in a foreign language that is not understood by the receiver probably will result in
decoding failure.
Sometimes, a receiver will give the sender feedback, which is a message sent by the receiver
back to the sender.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

A sender encodes information

The sender selects a channel of communication by which to send the message
The receiver receives the message
The receiver decodes the message
The receiver may provide feedback to the sender

http://www.cliffsnotes.com/more-subjects/principles-of-management/communication-andinterpersonal-skills/the-communication-process
http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/what-is-the-communication-process-definitionsteps.html#lesson

Day Four : Technologies used in Communication

Communication mediated by technology can be unidirectional, flowing from a sender to one or

more individuals, groups, or organizations. Unidirectional communication is typical when the
sender primarily seeks to inform or influence the recipient(s). Electronic memos that are emailed or documents shared via computer servers are examples. Alternatively, communication
can be intended as reciprocal and interactive. A collaboration tool such as Google Docs is an
example.
Organizations use communication technology to support and drive their business activities. Some
examples of technology used to communicate in business include:
E-mail among employees, management, and customers
Social media sites used to communicate with customers

 Video conferencing used to hold meetings with remote workers

SMS (texting) among employees
Internet marketing as way to advertise products and services to customers
Mobile marketing strategies to advertise products to customers based on their current location
Business communication often relies on the use of technology to connect and facilitate the flow
of information among individuals, groups, and organizations. Technologies for e-mailing,
messaging, video conferencing, and document-sharing in most organizations are fully integrated
into how work is conducted and how people interact.
https://www.boundless.com/management/textbooks/boundless-managementtextbook/communication-11/improving-communication-effectiveness-85/using-technology-tocommunicate-413-6612/

Day Five : Feedback and Barriers to Communication

*Feedback in Communication
The term 'feedback' is taken from cybernetics, a branch of engineering concerned with selfregulating systems. In its simplest form, feedback is a self-stabilising control system such as the
Watt steam governor, which regulates the speed of a steam engine or a thermostat that controls
the temperature of a room or oven. In the communication process, feedback refers to a response
from the receiver which gives the communicator an idea of how the message is being received
and whether it needs to be modified
In communication studies, the response of an audience to a message or activity.
Feedback can be conveyed both verbally and non-verbally.

Business communication models operate in a manner similar to personal models, except the
audience consists of an identifiable group of listeners. Workplace managers, workers and
customers all provide feedback to business owners. Feedback includes both verbal and nonverbal
communication and takes formal and informal forms. Formal feedback includes written
comments and structured feedback, while informal feedback tracks casual verbal comments and
actions. Business owners must consider all forms of feedback to listen to suggestions that can
improve operations, work conditions, and products and services
Feedback helps staff members answer questions about work procedures and helps customers
receive sales information. Regular staff meetings help owners collect feedback from employees
to create workplace rules. Posting a sign asking employees to eat outside the work area fails to
identify a lunchroom for staff dining. Opening discussion on this topic during a weekly meeting
allows the staff to provide feedback to the business owner about the lunchroom and dining
regulations.
Clarification feedback doesn't need to be done in person. A suggestion box and owner email
account provide the same opportunity for staff feedback to clarify business policies. Open
communication for customers using suggestion boxes and online forums also helps clarify
business and marketing operations and promotions.
Endorsement
Feedback creates a chance for staff, managers and customers to let the business owner know
when the group endorses a policy, marketing approach or business philosophy. Positive feedback

takes the form of verbal comments, regular and email letters or concrete actions. Sales increases
illustrate positive feedback to a company's offerings and policies, while declining sales mean
business owners must seek specific feedback to make changes to keep clients.
Modification
Many business owners seek only staff and consumer endorsements, rather than all types of
feedback. However, understanding the motivations and reasons for the negative feedback, helps
business owners take actions to modify the message or makes changes in corporate actions to
transform the negative into positive feedback. Modifying the message typically involves
secondary surveys and investigative study using highly specialized surveys, including face-toface, written questionnaires, group and telephone interviews, and business or corporate meetings
to modify business or company policies and procedures.

*Barriers in Communication
Communication is not a one-way street. To have others open up to you, you must be open
yourself. By overcoming these barriers to communication, you can ensure that the statement you
are making is not just heard, but also understood, by the person you are speaking with. In this
way, you can be confident that your point has been expressed
1. Physical barriers
Are easy to spot doors that are closed, walls that are erected, and distance between people all
work against the goal of effective communication. While most agree that people need their own
personal areas in the workplace, setting up an office to remove physical barriers is the first step
towards opening communication. Many professionals who work in industries that thrive on
collaborative communication, such as architecture, purposefully design their workspaces around
an open office plan. This layout eschews cubicles in favor of desks grouped around a central
meeting space. While each individual has their own dedicated work space, there are no visible
barriers to prevent collaboration with their co-workers. This encourages greater openness and
frequently creates closer working bonds.
2. Perceptual barriers
In contrast, are internal. If you go into a situation thinking that the person you are talking to isnt
going to understand or be interested in what you have to say, you may end up subconsciously
sabotaging your effort to make your point. You will employ language that is sarcastic,
dismissive, or even obtuse, thereby alienating your conversational partner. Think of movie
scenarios in which someone yells clipped phrases at a person they believe is deaf. The person
yelling ends up looking ridiculous while failing to communicate anything of substance.
3. Emotional barriers
can be tough to overcome, but are important to put aside to engage in conversations. We are
often taught to fear the words coming out of our own mouths, as in the phrase anything you say
can and will be used against you. Overcoming this fear is difficult, but necessary. The trick is to
have full confidence in what you are saying and your qualifications in saying it. People often
pick up on insecurity. By believing in yourself and what you have to say, you will be able to
communicate clearly without becoming overly involved in your emotions.
4. Cultural barriers
Are a result of living in an ever shrinking world. Different cultures, whether they be a societal
culture of a race or simply the work culture of a company, can hinder developed communication
if two different cultures clash. In these cases, it is important to find a common ground to work
from. In work situations, identifying a problem and coming up with a highly efficient way to
solve it can quickly topple any cultural or institutional barriers. Quite simply, people like results.

5. Language barriers
Seem pretty self-inherent, but there are often hidden language barriers that we arent always
aware of. If you work in an industry that is heavy in jargon or technical language, care should be
taken to avoid these words when speaking with someone from outside the industry. Without
being patronizing, imagine explaining a situation in your industry to a child. How would you
convey these concepts without relying on jargon? A clear, direct narrative is preferable to an
incomprehensible slew of specialty terms.
6. Gender barriers
Have become less of an issue in recent years, but there is still the possibility for a man to
misconstrue the words of a woman, or vice versa. Men and women tend to form their thoughts
differently, and this must be taken into account when communicating. This difference has to do
with how the brain of each sex is formed during gestation. In general, men are better at spatial
visualization and abstract concepts such as math, while women excel at language-based thinking
and emotional identification. However, successful professionals in highly competitive fields tend
to have similar thought processes regardless of their gender.
7. Interpersonal barriers
Are what ultimately keep us from reaching out to each other and opening ourselves up, not just
to be heard, but to hear others. Oddly enough, this can be the most difficult area to change. Some
people spend their entire lives attempting to overcome a poor self-image or a series of deeply
rooted prejudices about their place in the world. They are unable to form genuine connections
with people because they have too many false perceptions blocking the way. Luckily, the cure for
this is more communication. By engaging with others, we learn what our actual strengths and
weaknesses are. This allows us to put forth our ideas in a clear, straightforward manner.
http://opin.ca/article/seven-barriers-communication
http://grammar.about.com/od/fh/g/Feedback.htm
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/role-feedback-communication-33279.html

Week Two :
Communication in Organization
Day One: Types of Organization
Pyramid/Hierarchy
An organization using a pyramid or hierarchy structure has a leader who is responsible for and
makes all the decisions affecting the organization. This leader manages other organizational
members. Pyramids and hierarchies often rely on bureaucratic practices, such as clearly defined
roles and responsibilities and rigid command and control structures. Like a physical pyramid,
these organizations need a sturdy base with sufficient members to support various levels of
management within the overall structure so that the organization does not fall short of its goals.
From a business perspective, a hierarchy will often be divided according to function or
geography. For example, a global retailer may utilize a geographic hierarchy at the upper level,
with each geographic branch creating a functional hierarchy beneath it. A smaller organization
operating in a single region may simply have a functional hierarchy.

 Committee/Jury
Committees or juries consist of groups of peers who decide collectively, sometimes by casting
votes, on the appropriate courses of action within an organization. Committees and juries have a
basic distinction: members of a committee usually perform additional actions after the group
reaches a decision, while a jury's work concludes once the group has reached a decision. In
countries with common-law practices, In the business world, a committee structure is more
commonly found in smaller institutions. A start-up company with three people, for example, may
easily function as a committee in which decisions are made via discussion. Committees represent
a decentralized approach to organizational design and tend to have a collaborative, often
unstructured workplace. The more people involved, the more disparate and less effective
committee structures become.
Matrix
Matrix organizations assign employees to two reporting lines, each with a boss representing a
different hierarchy. One hierarchy is functional and assures that experts in the organization are
well-trained and assessed by bosses who are highly qualified in the same areas of expertise. The
other hierarchy is executive and works to ensure the experts bring specific projects to
completion. Matrix organizations are by far the most complex and are more common in large
corporations.
Projects can be organized by product, region, customer type, or other organizational need. The
matrix structure combines the best parts of both separate structures. In a matrix organization,
teams of employees perform work to take advantage of the strengths and compensate for the
weaknesses of both the functional and decentralized forms of organizational structure. Matrix
organizations may be further categorized as one of the following types:

Weak/Functional Matrix: A project manager with limited authority is assigned to oversee

cross-functional aspects of the project. Functional managers maintain control over their
resources and project areas.
Balanced/Functional Matrix: A project manager is assigned to oversee the project. Power
is shared equally between the project manager and functional managers, combining the
best aspects of functional and project-oriented organizations. This system is the most
difficult to maintain because of difficulties in power-sharing.
Strong/Project Matrix: A project manager is primarily responsible for the project.
Functional managers provide technical expertise and assign resources as needed.
Ecology

In ecologies, each business unit represents an individual profit center that holds employees
accountable for the unit's profitability. These kinds of organizations foster intense competition, as
all members are paid for the actual work they perform. Ineffective parts of the organization are
left to fail and thriving parts are rewarded with more work. Companies that use this
organizational structure define roles and responsibilities strictly, and each business unit tends to
operate autonomously. In an ecology organization, clearly defined, measurable objectives that
reflect the business's goals are critical.
https://www.boundless.com/management/textbooks/boundless-managementtextbook/organizational-structure-2/defining-organization-23/basic-types-of-organizations-1421383/

Day Two : Functions of Communication in Business Organization

Communication is an essential part of every business transaction between coworkers,
management and staff as well as company representatives and customers. Effective
communication facilitates the exchange of information between parties, which is necessary to
perform all aspects of business.
Motivation
Managers use communication to motivate workers to achieve peak performance. By clarifying
the expectations of employees and providing incentives for meeting or exceeding expectations,
communication can help companies reach specific objectives. For example, by communicating to
salespeople that they'll receive a 10 percent bonus if they reach their annual sales goal, it helps
the company reach its overall sales goals.
Control
A company uses communication as a way to maintain control over employees and their work
environment. Written human resources policies and procedures dictate how employees are
permitted to act in the workplace. Job descriptions outline the parameters of an employee's job
functions. Performance reviews control whether an employee receives a raise or attains a
promotion.
Interaction
Communication allows employees to interact with customers and each other. A customer service
department communicates with customers to help them resolve issues. A business letter can be
used to introduce a company to a potential customer. Communication is essential for employees
who work together on a project or during the training process. Employees may interact socially
both at work and outside the workplace.
Providing Information
Information is dispersed throughout an organization through written or verbal communication. A
human resources representative or business owner may send out a memo explaining a change in
the company's health plan. A business meeting may be used as a way to communicate a new
office procedure. A webinar allows a company to conduct a meeting over the Internet with
employees or customers who cannot attend in person.
Providing Feedback
Communication allows for employees, managers and business owners to give and receive
feedback on changes that are being considered or have already been implemented. For example,
if a small business owner is considering the purchase of a new computer system, he may first
consult with his employees to determine what features the system should include and what help
they may need in learning the system.

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/functions-communication-business-130.html

Day Three: Organizational Structures

Line Organizational Structure:
A line organisation has only direct, vertical relationships between different levels in the firm.
There are only line departments-departments directly involved in accomplishing the primary goal
of the organisation. For example, in a typical firm, line departments include production and
marketing. In a line organization authority follows the chain of command.
Staff or Functional Authority Organizational Structure
The jobs or positions in an organisation can be categorized as:
I.
Line position:
a position in the direct chain of command that is responsible for the achievement of an
organizations goals
II.
Staff position:
A position intended to provide expertise, advice and support for the line positions.
The line officers or managers have the direct authority (known as line authority) to be exercised
by them to achieve the organizational goals. The staff officers or managers have staff authority
(i.e., authority to advice the line) over the line. This is also known as functional authority.
Line and Staff Organizational Structure:
Most large organisations belong to this type of organizational structure. These organisations have
direct, vertical relationships between different levels and also specialists responsible for advising
and assisting line managers. Such organizations have both line and staff departments. Staff
departments provide line people with advice and assistance in specialized areas (for example,
quality control advising production department).
Divisional Organizational Structure:
In this type of structure, the organisation can have different basis on which departments are
formed. They are:
Function,
Product,
Geographic territory,
Project
Combination approach.
Project Organizational Structure:
The line, line and staff and functional authority organizational structures facilitate establishment
and distribution of authority for vertical coordination and control rather than horizontal
relationships. In some projects (complex activity consisting of a number of interdependent and
independent activities) work process may flow horizontally, diagonally, upwards and
downwards. The direction of work flow depends on the distribution of talents and abilities in the
organisation and the need to apply them to the problem that exists. The cope up with such
situations, project organisations and matrix organizations have emerged.
A project organization is a temporary organisation designed to achieve specific results by using
teams of specialists from different functional areas in the organisation. The project team focuses
all its energies, resources and results on the assigned project. Once the project has been
completed, the team members from various cross functional departments may go back to their
previous positions or may be assigned to a new project. Some of the examples of projects are:
research and development projects, product development, construction of a new plant, housing
complex, shopping complex, bridge etc.

Matrix Organizational Structure:

It is a permanent organization designed to achieve specific results by using teams of specialists

from different functional areas in the organization.Superimposes a horizontal set of divisions and
reporting relationships onto a hierarchical functional structure.
Hybrid Organizational Structure:
Used in organizations that face considerable environmental uncertainty that can be met through a
divisional structure and that also required functional expertise or efficiency
This type of structure is used by multinational companies operating in the global environment,
for example, International Business Machines USA. This kind of structure depends on factors
such as degree of international orientation and commitment. Multinational corporations may
have their corporate offices in the country of origin and their international divisions established
in various countries reporting to the CEO or president at the headquarters. The international
divisions or foreign subsidiaries may be grouped into regions such as North America, Asia,
Europe etc. and again each region may be subdivided into countries within each region.
The Informal Organization:
An informal organization is the set of evolving relationships and patterns of human interaction
within an organisation which are not officially presented. Alongside the formal organization, an
informal organisation structure exists which consists of informal relationships created not by
officially designated managers but by organisational members at every level. Since managers
cannot avoid these informal relationships, they must be trained to cope with it
The informal organisation has the following characteristics:

Its members are joined together to satisfy their personal needs (needs for
affiliation, friendship etc.)
It is continuously changing:
The informal organisation is dynamic.
It involves members from various organisational levels.
It is affected by relationship outside the firm.
It has a pecking order: certain people are assigned greater importance than others
by the informal group.

http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/organization/8-types-of-organisational-structures-theiradvantages-and-disadvantages/22143/

Day Four: Channels of Communication and Networking

Communication channels are the means through which people in an organization communicate.
Thought must be given to what channels are used to complete various tasks, because using an
inappropriate channel for a task or interaction can lead to negative consequences. Complex
messages require richer channels of communication that facilitate interaction to ensure clarity.
Face-to-Face
Face-to-face or personal communication is one of the richest channels of communication that can
be used within an organization. Physical presence, the tone of the speaker's voice and facial
expressions help recipients of a message interpret that message as the speaker intends. This is the
best channel to use for complex or emotionally charged messages, because it allows for
interaction between speaker and recipients to clarify ambiguity. A speaker can evaluate whether
an audience has received his message as intended and ask or answer follow-up questions.
Broadcast Media
TV, radio and loud speakers all fall within the broadcast media communication channel. These
types of media should be used when addressing a mass audience. Businesses seeking to notify

customers of a new product may advertise or do promotions using a broadcast channel. Similarly,
a CEO may do a global company address by having a television feed broadcast across global
sites. When a message intended for a mass audience can be enhanced by being presented in a
visual or auditory format, a broadcast channel should be used.
Mobile
A mobile communication channel should be used when a private or more complex message
needs to be relayed to an individual or small group. A mobile channel allows for an interactive
exchange and gives the recipient the added benefit of interpreting the speaker's tone along with
the message. Some within an organization may opt to use this channel versus a face-to-face
channel to save on the time and effort it would take to coordinate a face-to-face meeting.
Electronic
Electronic communication channels encompass email, Internet, intranet and social media
platforms. This channel can be used for one-on-one, group or mass communication. It is a less
personal method of communication but more efficient. When using this channel, care must be
taken to craft messages with clarity and to avoid the use of sarcasm and innuendo unless the
message specifically calls for it.
Written
Written communication should be used when a message that does not require interaction needs to
be communicated to an employee or group. Policies, letters, memos, manuals, notices and
announcements are all messages that work well for this channel. Recipients may follow up
through an electronic or face-to-face channel if questions arise about a written message.
Networking is a skill and a low cost method of marketing that is used to build new business
contacts through connecting with other like minded individuals. Business Networking is
generally done through face to face meetings almost anyplace or anytime but is commonly done
at business or community events and even more specific, Business Networking events that are
hosted by business networking groups or organizations. These events can be on a local or
national level. The events are usually planned around an activity, such as a conference speaker.
Either before or after the activity, attendees are given the opportunity to meet and interact with
one another to share business thoughts and ideas with the intent to build business relationships
that will be of benefit to each involved. Most networking groups meet once a month or
sometimes more frequently.
There is also business networking that is done virtually through the use of online Business
Networking sites which are also very low cost and often free. An online Business Networking
website may have the additional benefit of being able connect their members with contacts that
are worldwide as well as local.
Because business networking is based on the building of relationships with people, it is a
ongoing and long term method of gathering business contacts but can be very effective.
Many business people contend business networking is a more cost-effective method of
generating new business than advertising or public relations efforts. This is because business
networking is a low-cost activity that involves more personal commitment than company money.
Country-specific examples of informal networking are guanxi in China,blat in Russia, Good ol'
boy network in America, and Old boy network in the UK.
In the case of a formal business network, its members may agree to meet weekly or monthly with
the purpose of exchanging business leads and referrals with fellow members. To complement this
business activity, members often meet outside this circle, on their own time, and build their
own one-to-one business relationship with the fellow member.
Many business use networking as a key factor in their marketing plan. It helps to develop a
strong feeling of trust between those involved and play a big part in raising the profile and

takings of a company. suppliers and businesses can be seen as networked businesses, and will
tend to source the business and their suppliers through their existing relationships and those of
the companies they work closely with. Networked businesses tend to be open, random, and
supportive, whereas those relying on hierarchical, traditional managed approaches are closed,
selective, and controlling. These phrases were first used by businessman Thomas Power,
businessman and chairman of Ecademy, an online business network, in 2009.
http://sales.about.com/od/glossaryofsalesterms/g/businessnetwork.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_networking

Day Five : Communication Media and Principles of business Communication

Communication media refers to the means of delivering and receiving data or information. In
telecommunication, these means are transmission and storage tools or channels for data storage
and transmission. Importantly, it is increasingly impossible to communicate with these
stakeholders without using some of the newer technologies that have simplified and complicated
the business communication landscape, including email, social media and mobile phones.
Stated Purpose
People communicate all of the time whether they know it or not, through verbal and non-verbal
channels. But when they plan for communication, they can increase the odds that business
communications will be most effective. Before engaging in communication with an audience,
regardless of its size, determine what the purpose of the communication will be. Is it to inform,
to persuade, to sell, to influence? About what? Stating the business objective is a critical starting
point.
Audience Needs
Business communicators always have an intended audience. Clearly defining that audience and
knowing as much as possible about them, can help make communications most effective. Given
the communication objective and the audience, what does the audience need to know? What
objections or questions might the audience have? The answers to these questions can help the
business communicator come up with key messages designed to bridge the gap between the
communication objective and the audience's needs.
Multiple Channels
Advertisers have long measured recency, frequency and reach as components of effective
advertising communication. Business communicators can take into account the same
considerations as they work to communicate messages to key audiences. The broader the reach
or distribution of the message, the more often the messages is sent and the more recently the
receiver heard the message, the more likely it is to have made an impact. It's not enough to
communicate a message one time. Business communication should incorporate a well-designed
plan of communication that extends over a period of time and incorporate a variety of methods
for getting the message across.
New Media
Every business doesn't need to be on Twitter, but every business communicator should be
familiar with the broad range of communication tools available to communicate with target
audiences. New media options don't take the place of traditional options--they simply provide
more opportunities. This can become quite complex, but it opens up additional opportunities for
business communicators to connect with audiences in a variety of settings in ways that can be
passive and interactive.

http://www.techopedia.com/definition/14462/communication-media
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/business-communication-principles-716.html

WEEK THREE:
Using The Language
Day One: Jargon
1. The specialized language of a trade, profession, or similar group, especially when viewed as diffi
cult to understand by outsiders:
2. Nonsensical or incoherent language
3. (Linguistics) specialized language concerned with a particular subject, culture, or profession
4. language characterized by pretentious syntax, vocabulary, or meaning
5. gibberish.
Jargon, technical terminology, or term of art, is "the technical terminology or characteristic
idiom of a special activity or group." An industry term is a type of technical terminology that
has a particular meaning within a specific industry.
Jargon is similar to slang used by a certain group or subculture. Jargon is significantly removed
from the proper or formal language spoken in that location.
It is common place for each generation to create their own jargon. Whether this is because they
want to identify with each other and thus create a language of their own, or if they deliberately
do not want to be understood by anybody else. An example of this is the texting slang that the
specific generation has created. If one is not briefed in this new vocabulary, he would have no
idea what is being communicated via text slang Some words and phrases, however, become part
of the a language naturally through time. An example of this would be the word "ginormous"
being added to Webster's English Dictionary in 2013.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/jargon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jargon
Day Two: Sentence Structure
Simple Sentence
A simple sentence, also called an independent clause, contains a subject and a verb, and it
expresses a complete thought.
1.
2.
3.

Some students like to study in the mornings.

Juan and Arturo play football every afternoon.
Alicia goes to the library and studies every day.

Compound Sentence
A compound sentence contains two independent clauses joined by a coordinator. The
coordinators are as follows: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so. (Helpful hint: The first letter of each of
the coordinators spells FANBOYS.) Except for very short sentences, coordinators are always
preceded by a comma.
In the following compound sentences, subjects are in bold, verbs are in italic , and the
coordinators and the commas that precede them are in underline.
1.
2.
3.

I tried to speak Spanish, and my friend tried to speak English.

Alejandro played football, so Maria went shopping.
Alejandro played football, for Maria went shopping.

Complex Sentence
A complex sentence has an independent clause joined by one or more dependent clauses. A
complex sentence always has a subordinator such as because, since,after, although, or when (and
many others) or a relative pronoun such as that, who, or which.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

When he handed in his homework, he forgot to give the teacher the last page.
The teacher returned the homework after she noticed the error.
The students are studying because they have a test tomorrow.
After they finished studying, Juan and Maria went to the movies
Juan and Maria went to the movies after they finished studying.

When a complex sentence begins with a subordinator such as sentences 1 and 4, a comma is
required at the end of the dependent clause. When the independent clause begins the sentence
with subordinators in the middle as in sentences 2, 3, and 5, no comma is required. If a comma is
placed before the subordinators in sentences 2, 3, and 5, it is wrong.
Note that sentences 4 and 5 are the same except sentence 4 begins with the dependent clause
which is followed by a comma, and sentence 5 begins with the independent clause which
contains no comma. The comma after the dependent clause in sentence 4 is required, and
experienced listeners of English will often hear a slight pause there. In sentence 5, however,
there will be no pause when the independent clause begins the sentence.
Complex Sentences / Adjective Clauses
Finally, sentences containing adjective clauses (or dependent clauses) are also complex because
they contain an independent clause and a dependent clause. The subjects, verbs, and
subordinators are marked the same as in the previous sentences, and in these sentences, the
independent clauses are also underlined. The subjects, verbs, and subordinators are marked the
same as in the previous sentences, and in these sentences, the independent clauses are also
underlined.
1.
2.
3.
4.

The woman who called my mom sells cosmetics.

The book that Jonathan read is on the shelf.
The house which Abraham Lincoln was born in is still standing.
The town where I grew up is in the United States.

http://eslbee.com/sentences.htm

Day Three: Fog Index

The Gunnings Fog Index (or FOG) Readability Formula
The Gunning Fog Index Readability Formula, or simply called FOG Index, is attributed to
American textbook publisher, Robert Gunning, who was a graduate from Ohio State University.
Gunning observed that most high school graduates were unable to read. Much of this reading
problem was a writing problem. His opinion was that newspapers and business documents were
full of fog and unnecessary complexity.
Gunning realized the problem quite early and became the first to take the new readability
research into the workplace. Gunning founded the first consulting firm specializing in readability
in 1944. He spent the next few years testing and working with more than 60 large city daily
newspapers and popular magazines, helping writers and editors write to their audience.
In 1952, Gunning published a book, The Technique of Clear Writing and created an easy-to-use
Fog Index.

The Gunnings Fog Index (or FOG) Readability Formula

Step 1: Take a sample passage of at least 100-words and count the number of exact words and
sentences.
Step 2: Divide the total number of words in the sample by the number of sentences to arrive at
the Average Sentence Length (ASL).
Step 3: Count the number of words of three or more syllables that are NOT (i) proper nouns, (ii)
combinations of easy words or hyphenated words, or (iii) two-syllable verbs made into three
with -es and -ed endings.
Step 4: Divide this number by the number or words in the sample passage. For example, 25 long
words divided by 100 words gives you 25 Percent Hard Words (PHW).
Step 5: Add the ASL from Step 2 and the PHW from Step 4.
Step 6: Multiply the result by 0.4.
The mathematical formula is:
Grade Level = 0.4 (ASL + PHW)
where,
ASL = Average Sentence Length (i.e., number of words divided by the number of sentences)
PHW = Percentage of Hard Words
The underlying message of The Gunning Fog Index formula is that short sentences written in
Plain English achieve a better score than long sentences written in complicated language.
The ideal score for readability with the Fog index is 7 or 8. Anything above 12 is too hard for
most people to read. For instance, The Bible, Shakespeare and Mark Twain have Fog Indexes of
around 6. The leading magazines, like Time, Newsweek, and the Wall Street Journal average
around 11.
While the fog index is a good sign of hard-to-read text, it has limits. Not all complex words are
difficult. For example, "asparagus" is not generally thought to be a difficult word, though it has
four syllables. A short word can be difficult if it is not used very often by most people.
Until the 1980s, the fog index was calculated differently. The original formula counted each
clause as a sentence. Because the index was meant to measure clarity of expression within
sentences, it assumed people saw each clause as a complete thought.
In the 1980s, this step was left out in counting the fog index for literature. This might have been
because it had to be done manually. Judith Bogert of Pennsylvania State University defended the
original algorithm in 1985. A review of subsequent literature shows that the newer method is
generally recommended.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunning_fog_index
http://www.readabilityformulas.com/gunning-fog-readability-formula.ph

Day Four: Paragraph Structure

A Paragraph (from the Greek paragraphos, "to write beside" or "written beside") is a group of
sentences with one topic. it is also a self-contained unit of a discourse in writingdealing with a
particular point or idea. A paragraph consists of one or more sentences. Though not required by
the syntax of any language, paragraphs are usually an expected part of formal writing, used to
organize longer prose.
Topic Sentence
A topic sentence usually comes at the beginning of a paragraph; that is, it is usually the first
sentence in a formal academic paragraph. (Sometimes this is not true, but as you practice writing
with this online lesson site, please keep to this rule unless you are instructed otherwise.) Not
only is a topic sentence the first sentence of a paragraph, but, more importantly, it is the most
general sentence in a paragraph. What does "most general" mean? It means that there are not
many details in the sentence, but that the sentence introduces an overall idea that you want to
discuss later in the paragraph.
Supporting Sentence
They are called "supporting" because they "support," or explain, the idea expressed in the topic
sentence. Of course, paragraphs in English often have more than two supporting ideas. The
paragraph above is actually a very short paragraph. At minimum, you should have at least five to
seven sentences in your paragraph.
Concluding Sentence
In formal paragraphs you will sometimes see a sentence at the end of the paragraph which
summarizes the information that has been presented. This is the concluding sentence. You can
think of a concluding sentence as a sort of topic sentence in reverse.
You can understand concluding sentences with this example. Consider a hamburger that you can
buy at a fast-food restaurant.*
A hamburger has a top bun (a kind of bread), meat, cheese, lettuce, and other elements in the
middle of the hamburger, and a bottom bun. Note how the top bun and the bottom bun are very
similar. The top bun, in a way, is like a topic sentence, and the bottom bun is like the concluding
sentence.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paragraph
http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/students/fwalters/para.html

Day Five: Emotive Language

Emotive Language
Speakers and writers wanting to persuade us to agree with them often try to engage our
emotions. They can do this by including words that carry emotional weight.This can be
persuasive because it encourages the reader to respond on an emotional level, rather than
considering the facts, or it may subtly affect the way the reader views the topic.
Example:
Non-emotive version: Another person in the bar was injured by the man's glass.
Emotive version: An innocent bystander suffered facial injuries when the thug launched his glass
across the bar.
Non-emotive version: The government will reduce interest rates.
Emotive version: The government will slash interest rates.
Non-emotive version: Mr Smith was attacked by Mr Jones for two minutes.
Emotive version: For what seemed a lifetime, Mr Smith was subjected to a vicious, cowardly
assault by the unemployed, steroid-pumped monster.
Critique

The persuasive technique of Emotive language often involves using words that sound like
accurate, descriptive words, but which actually carry emotional content as well that is, a bias
towards approval or disapproval.

For example:
A thin person could be described as slender (positive) or emaciated (negative) to affect the way
the reader views that person.
The statements below are neutral but you can easily use emotive (biased) language to create a
negative impression:
The boy ran past me with the other boy chasing him The man stood in the corner talking to the
girl
The statements below are neutral but you can easily use emotive (biased) language to create a
negative impression:
The thug fled , the boy ran past me with the other boy chasing him sleazy dark hitting on young
The man stood in the corner talking to the girl
Contention:
We need harsher punishments for youth offenders who commit acts of violence. An innocent
bystander had his face shredded by broken glass when the drunken idiot lost control.
He is svelte.
(positive spin)
He is skinny.
(negative spin)
You are meticulous.
(positive spin)
You are nitpicking.
All of these terms are emotive.
Discussion (C-grade)
The writer uses emotive language to make the reader feel sorry for the victim and anger towards
the perpetrator. This makes the reader agree with the contention because we want to see justice
for this shocking crime.
Discussion (A-grade)
The writer uses emotive language to make us feel sympathetic towards the victim and critical of
the perpetrator. Describing the victim as an innocent bystander makes us feel sympathetic
towards them as they didnt deserve to get injured and we may also feel fear as it could happen to
anyone. Saying that their face was shredded is very graphic and shocks the reader. We feel
disapproval and possibly anger towards the perpetrator as they committed this horrible crime and
are nothing more than a drunken idiot. This makes us agree as the violence was severe and we
can clearly identify a good guy and bad guy. By making us angry at the outset of the article,
we are less inclined to read the rest of the argument objectively so will be more likely to accept
the call for harsher punishments for youth offenders who commit acts of violence.
http://www.slideshare.net/cgatt/emotive-language-gatt-example
http://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/emotive_language.htm