Communication applications

Mohammad Assaf

Chapter 1Chapter 1Section 1Section 1

Putting Communication to Putting Communication to Work for youWork for you

Mohammad Assaf Communication Applications3

Communication is the process of creating and exchanging meaning through symbolic interaction

Symbols may be verbal or nonverbal

Interaction is the sum of all symbols, verbal and nonverbal


A choice acceptable for one occasion maybe inappropriate for another.

Context makes one communication choice better than another.

Context is the situation in which communication occurs.

Context includes the people, the occasion, and the task.


Understanding roles and norms helps choosing best communication.

Each context has roles to play and norms for communication.

Communication behavior depends on the roles and norms of the context.


A role is a part played in a specific setting or situation.

Being aware of roles to play and flexible to change them as needed will help to make better communication choice.

Roles intersect in complicated situations. To ensure success at work, we have to separate between our roles.


A norm is a stated or implied expectation.

A guideline of what is appropriate for a given context.

Norms can be written, or implied or understood from context.

Written norms leave little room for errors.


A standard is an established level of requirement.

Standards are important to make communication decisions.

No rules to set standards for situations.

Choices based on what is appropriate for yourself, your listener, the occasion, and the task.


Knowing who you are, what do you want to achieve, and how you want others to perceive you can create standards for yourself

If you want others to respond to your messages, you consider their needs, desires, and limitations.

Each occasion brings with it different expectations of appropriate behavior


Rank Skil l

1 Oral Communication

2 Self-motivation

3 Problem solving

4 Decision making

5 Leadership

6 Human relations

7 Teamwork

8 Work experience


A competent communicator is someone who incorporate knowledge, attitude, and skills into his or her communication to communicate effectively and appropriately.

Once you’ve made the choice about what your actions say about you, you need to be sure your words also say what you mean.


It is important to have complete, accurate, and recent information in order to support ideas.

Knowledge also includes the ability to analyze and interpret information and to reason and think logically to make right decisions.


Attitudes influences the way you see yourself and others.

Your behavior in a situation tends to reflect the positive or negative tone of your attitude.

As a result, your attitude greatly affects your communication choice.


You can manage and control your attitude.

Attitudes are the result of related experience.

People change their environment, friends, interests or perhaps even their jobs to make a fresh start.


Skills needed for effective communication can be task skills and relationship skills.

Task skills are needed to do a job or complete a task.

Relationship skills are needed to maintain goodwill with people.


To be come a competent communicator, you must understand what is appropriate in a given context.

To do so, you must analyze any information that is part of communication.

Analyzing means to break it into meaningful parts.


Step 1 Identify the general topic of the information

Step 2 Identify the main points of the information

Step 3 Summarize the information in your own words

STEPS TO ANALYZE INFORMATION

Chapter Chapter 1 1 Section Section 22Communication in Communication in OrganizationsOrganizations


An organizations is a number of people with specific responsibilities who are unified for some purpose.

Organizations can be professional or social.

Professional organizations serve customers or clients, social organizations serve community or nation.


To participate in organizations, you have to:

1. Understand context of each organization.

2. Know your role with the organizations.

3. Know written or implied norms.


Identity: Organizations provide a chance for you to define who you are.

Unity: by joining together, people can achieve goals that individuals cannot accomplish alone.

Preservation: organizations preserve things we believe in.


Culture is the set of life patterns passed down from one generation to the next in a group of people.

Organizational culture is how an organizations thinks, what it finds important and how it conducts business.



Structure: Includes the parts of an organization as well as the relationship between those parts.

Systems: communicating in an organization requires order and coordination.

Values and Beliefs: Organizations has set of values and beliefs that governs its policies and actions


Goals: A goal is an end result or outcome that someone strives to attain.

Environment: refers to the physical surroundings.

Traditions: A tradition is a practice or ceremony that is carried out in the same manner yearly.


Heroes: A hero is an individual who is respected for contribution he has made to and organization.

Chapter Chapter 2 2 Section Section 22Communicating for SuccessCommunicating for Success


We do communication to achieve goals.

The Stronger the communication, the better will help to achieve those goals.

Knowing the characteristics of oral communication will help organizing goals.


Intrapersonal Communication: communication occurs in your own mind (Self-talk).

Interpersonal Communication: communication the occurs between people.

Small-Group Communication: communication within formal or informal groups or teams.


One-to-Group Communication: communication involves a speaker to audience, both presenter and listener.

Mass Communication: electronic or print transmission to the general public, people use media to transmit messages.


Task

Relationship


Ethical: Ethics is the study of the general nature of morals.

In communication, ethics have to do with how we behave and how we treat others.

Honest, Truthful, Considerate, and keeps confidence are ethics competent communicator must has.


Responsible: responsible for own behavior and actions.

Informed: support ideas with facts and examples.

Logical: develop reasoning skills and use logical reasoning to draw conclusions and reach decisions.


Accountable: take responsibilities, decisions and actions into account. Whether they are appropriate or inappropriate.

Reliable: can be trusted to keep their words. Reliability is a valued characteristic in relationships.


Accessible: value positive relationships with peers, supervisors, and clients.

Open, pleasant, caring, likeable are all make communicator accessible.

Chapter Chapter 3 3 Section Section 11Understanding Understanding Intrapersonal Intrapersonal CommunicationCommunication


Intrapersonal Communication is known as Self-Talk.

The first level of communication begins with understanding who you are and what do you think of yourself.


Intrapersonal Communication is a form of Self-Talk or inner speech.

It includes the questions and comments you make to yourself.

It influences the way you view things and your ability to reach your goals


Think through.

Interpret events.

Interpret the messages of others.

Respond to your own experiences.

Respond to your interactions with others.


The process you use to assign meaning to data about yourself or the world around you.

Steps of perception process:◦ Sensory perception◦ Selective perception◦ Personal perception


The process of taking in data through senses.

Seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching are all physical senses.

They allow you to take in information, learn, and respond to the data.


The mental process of choosing which data to focus on from all that are available.

We can control what to perceive and what to not.

Communication is affected by our selection of what to perceive.


Intensity: the more dramatic the stimulus, the more likely we are to notice it.

Repetition: people notice repetitious stimuli.

Uniqueness: people notice things that are new, unusual, unexpected or unique.

Relevance: people notice things that mirror their own interests, needs, and motivations.


1. Stay alert

2. Make choice about what is important

3. Screen out noise

4. Monitor the way you select data


The process of organizing and sorting the data to understand reality.

You create meanings for events, people, and objects around you by interpreting data.

Your personal perception become the basis for judgment and decisions you make.


Values: values reflect priorities, data selected are filtered through these values.

Beliefs: beliefs are thoughts and ideas that people accept as true.

Culture: culture affects all aspects of our life.


Bias: bias is a viewpoint through which we view the world.

Prejudice: prejudice is a prior judgment. To judge only based on opinion not on fact.

Attitudes: either positive or negative. It is the way we choose to respond to situations.


Expectations: what you expect something to be like influences your perception.

Knowledge: what you know influences how you organize and interpret information.

Communication Skills: listening is important for interpreting others’ messages.

Chapter Chapter 4 4 Section Section 11Understanding Listening Understanding Listening ProcessProcess



We spend much of our time listening, so it is important to learn to listen well.

Unfortunately, listening is the least communication skill taught.

Listening skills are assumed to develop naturally.


Listening is physical and psychological process that involves acquiring, assigning meanings, and responding to symbolic messages from others .

Listening is not just hearing sounds and understanding language.


The primary reason for listening is to acquire oral messages from others.

Areas of life affected by listening skill:1. School2. Relationships3. Social Groups and Organizations4. Public dialogue5. The Workplace


Cost to Business: faulty listening can lead revising letter, rescheduling appointments.

Cost to Consumers: business cost is passed to consumers through higher prices.

Inconvenience: faulty listening leads to poor service.

Safety Issues: faulty listening can lead to tragedy.


1. Build successful relations2. Help making better grades3. Increase the chance to find better job4. Receive more promotion5. Increase productivity6. Satisfied customers


Misconception Fact

Listening and hearing are the same thingHearing is the physical first step in the listening process and does not imply understanding

Listening is easy or automatic Listening is a complex process that requires energy, efforts, and skills

Listening develops naturally Listening is a skill that can be learned, improved, and refined

If that’s what I heard, then that’s what you said

Listeners cannot assume they understood messages correctly

Attitude and Listening are not related Attitude is very important factor in listening

People remember most of what they hear Failure to remember may or may not indicate faulty listening


RespondingUnderstanding• Decoding• Interpreting

AttendingAcquiring

Memory

Feedback

Noise/Barriers Noise/Barriers Noise/Barriers

Feedback fromSender-receiver Feedback from

Receiver-Sender


Acquiring is the act of picking up stimulus through the senses.

For listening, the first sense is hearing.

Sounds can come from someone’s voice or any other sound, such as knocking the door.


Hearing Ability: the physical ability to receive sound waves varies from one person to another.

Noise and Barriers to Hearing: noise affects our ability to acquire sounds.

1. Loud Noise: traffic, engines, ringing phones2. Speaker’s voice: harsh, irritating3. Receiver's attitude: not hearing speaker’s words.


Attending is the act of choosing to focus attention on verbal or nonverbal stimuli.

Paying attention is not automatic, that’s why person can wander.

Attending is done by using selective perception by focusing on specific stimuli at a particular time.


Understanding is a complex mental process that involves decoding message received from others and then interpret and assigning a personal meaning to that message.

Decoding: assigning meanings to sender’s words.

Decoding involves listening carefully to speaker’s words to understand the meaning.


Decoding is important because without it you cannot understand the language of the speaker.

Knowledge, culture, and language skills affect decoding.

Language is code and different languages have different words for the same meaning.


Interpreting is a process in which you create personal picture of what speaker is saying.

Knowledge, culture, values, beliefs.... Are all affect personal interpretation.

Each listener has unique interpretation system. So, two people will interpret particular message differently.


Responding is the listener’s internal emotional and reaction to a message.

External response is verbal and nonverbal feedback.

Verbal response is done through words, nonverbal response is done by physical actions .


Responding Process:1. Respond emotionally to the message.2. Responds intellectually to the message.3. Analyze and evaluate response.4. Reflect analyzing by choosing what to say or do in

response to understanding.


The listening process is influenced by three factors:◦ Noise◦ Barriers◦ Memory


Noise is the internal and external distractions that interfere with listening and concentration.

Noise is the first critical factor that affects the listening process.

Noise can exist in every step of the listening process.


Noise can be internal such as confusion, impatience, or annoyance.

Noise can be external such as loud talks, telephone ringing, or even surrounding environment (i.e. warm or cold room).


Barriers can block or prevent effective communication.

Barriers can be external such as speech problems, incompatible language, and reduced hearing ability.

Barriers can be internal such as ignorance, fear, and anger.


External barriers are harder to eliminate than noise because they involve more complex problems.



The process of recalling information. It affects all aspects of the listening process.

Memory is an incentive for listening.

Memory can be selective, we may choose what we wish to remember.

Memory can be affected by attention or other health problems such as stress and fatigue.


Category Explanation Example

Immediate Recalling information for a brief period of time

“Yes, Joe called a few minutes ago”

Short TermRecalling information for doing a daily task

“The homework assignment is to solve question number 5”

Long TermRecalling information from past experience

“I was very nervous my first day on college”


Although the listening process always the same, it can have different purposes and characteristics from one situation to the next.

Each purpose requires a different kind of listening.

Each kind of listening requires its own set of communication skills.


The listening process uses the same steps in the same sequence.

The way you listen varies according to the context.

There are three ways of listening: actively, passively, or impatiently.


In active listening, the listener participates fully in the communication process.

Active Listener listen attentively, provide feedback, and strive to understand and remember messages.

He view communication as process of sending and receiving messages.


Active listener consider listening to be interesting, so, he keeps asking questions and giving positive response.

Active Listeners make better grades, they make fewer mistakes, better performance, and high productivity.


In passive listening, the listener does not participate in the communication process.

Passive Listeners think they can absorb information even when they do not contribute to the interaction.

They view communication as one-way process rather than “give-and-take”, and place responsibility on the speaker.


Passive listening is sometimes called “Lazy Listening”, because listeners consider them-selves as receivers rather than interactors.

Passive Listeners may easily become bored, ask few questions, or give negative nonverbal feedback.

The result mostly is boredom, apathy, and lack of interest in the communication process.


In impatient listening, short bursts of active listening are interrupted by noise and other distractions.

Impatient listeners usually can pay attention but for short periods of time, and then they allow their mind to wander.


Impatient listeners do not understand all messages because they miss some details when they wander.

This will mostly lead to make mistakes.

Impatient listening also called “Fake Listening” as listeners give comments at inappropriate times.


Type Descript ion

Anticipatory Listening Listeners anticipates what the speaker will say and then rushes to plan a response

Defensive Listening Listener’s main goal is to argue or disagree

Combative Listening Listener’s main goal is to win or to put down a speaker

Distracted ListeningListener pays attention to the first part then stops listening and starts thinking about something else


Depending on the goals of listening there are different kind of listening.

The four major kinds of listening include; critical listening, deliberative listening, empathic listening, and appreciative listening.

Each kind has a unique purpose and has its own rewards. Each kind can help in successful communication.


Critical listening is the listening to understand ideas and information in order to achieve a specific goal.

Critical listening is know as “Comprehensive Listening” because the reason for listening is to understand the message.

Critical listening is used in school, listening to announcements, and when listening to directions.


Deliberative listening is listening to understand, analyze, and evaluate messages so that you can accept or reject point of view, make a decision, or take action.

This listening is known as “Evaluative Listening” because the purpose is to evaluate information in order to take future action.


Examples of deliberative listening are; listening to a friend asking for help, and customer making complaint.

This listening requires the listener to evaluate the message, and think of the action he is being asked to take.


Empathic listening is listening to understand, participate in, and enhance a relationship.

Empathic listening mostly used between two persons or small group, it can also be used in large groups and social and professional contexts.

The purpose of empathic listening is to understand feelings of the speaker and see the world through his eyes.


Empathic listening does not mean to agree or disagree with those feelings.

Empathic listening requires special skills. These skills are important in developing successful personal relationships.


Appreciative listening is listening to enjoy or appreciate speaker’s message. Listening for fun, laugh, or use your imagination.

Mostly used in social situations, such as when you watch movie or play.

The main purpose of appreciative listening is enjoyment. This will not only help person in relax but also can inspire growth and fulfillment.


Communication Skills are important to your success in professional and social life.

Interpersonal skills are the most important for career success and for developing personal relationships.

On the other hand, poor interpersonal skills can cause a person to lose his job or friends.


Relationships at work and in social organizations because the people who deal with each other are “Inter-dependent”.

They must combine their tasks and skills to see that work done efficiently.

They may also share resources, supplies, and even time to achieve task on time and within budget.


Relationships in professional organizations are determined by the company’s culture, and by the position individuals fill in the company’s hierarchy.

Professionals usually communicate role to role, depending on their job or function within the organization.


Three types of relationships necessary for getting work done:◦ Management and employees

◦ Employees and other employees

◦ Employees and clients or the public

Each type has its importance and purpose to help organization to achieve goals.


This relationship is governed by the culture and the size of the organization.

In large companies, communication between upper-level management and employees may be indirect.

Communication between lower or mid level managers and employees can be more direct.


Importance: attitude of employees is improved, this will increase productivity and provide higher job satisfaction.

Purpose: keep lines of communication open between managers and employees. This will make business operate more efficiently and successfully.


Employees form positive relationships that allow them to communicate with each other and do job effectively.

Different employees in the hierarchy communicate with each other to accomplish their tasks.

Problems occur when different authority given to many employees.


Importance: some companies make social events to encourage all employees to get to know one another better.

Purpose: positive relationships leads to better understanding of tasks, it also adds enjoyment to work.


Companies success depends on communication between employees and customers.

Companies train employees to interact with customers positively.

Dress codes and pleasant voice on the telephone can make positive relationship with customers.


Importance: this type of relationship importance because of its effect on business. Employees also will feel more enjoyment with this type of relationship.

Purpose: create goodwill and feeling of loyalty for both employees to work better and for customers to buy more products and separate good news about the company.


Social relationships are those relations that you make with people in social contexts.

They are special because they include people of different ages and backgrounds. However, they may share common interests


Three important types of social relationships are.◦ Leadership and member

◦ Member and other member

◦ Members and the public

Each type has its importance and purpose to help group to achieve goals.


Social groups also need leaders who make sure work is done and goal is accomplished.

Lines of communication must be open between leaders and members to make it easier to share ideas and solve problems.

Positive relationships serve as motivator for success.


Importance: this relationship between leaders and members is essential for success of any organization. Problems can occur if members do not build positive relations with leaders.

Purpose: build a sense of interdependence and to facilitate the achievement of goals.


Members of social groups may have similar interests and cultures, this can provide a basis for communication and interpersonal relationships.

Sometimes, those members may represent different cultures, but they have to communicate in order to achieve their goals.


Importance: reaching goals depends heavily on the interpersonal relationships between group members. Events are ordered to enhance these relationships.

Purpose: create a positive environment for reaching group goals. In some contexts, individuals may benefit from making a lot of relationships.


Public image plays a large role in the success of an organization.

Each group members serves as the group’s ambassador.

On the other hand, public perception can affect the success of the group.


Importance: creating goodwill with the public can generate support and funding for the group. Open lines of communication allow community to contribute ideas for group’s work.

Purpose: group are required to establish good relations with public as community can give all kind of support to that group.


Communication in most productive relationships seems to share some basic characteristics.

These characteristics help the individuals develop better interpersonal relationships.

If any of those characteristics is missing, the relationship tends to suffer.


Willingness to share ideas and feelings.

Willingness to listen carefully and to consider feelings of others.

Willingness to reflect on the effectiveness of communication.


To understand and appreciate the feelings of someone.

That is, to put yourself in his position and see the world through his eyes.

Empathy does not mean to agree or disagree with the other person’s view.


To view one another as equals, despite different jobs, responsibilities, weaknesses, genders, ages, and talents of persons.

Equality does not mean sameness. People have personal and cultural differences.

Equality means all persons have equal respect, rights, and opportunity.


To care about and respect one another.

Supportiveness in professional and social relationships can help building trust and loyalty.

When you are consistently supportive of others, you are more likely to be supported in your own activities.


Positiveness is based on positive attitudes and communication that make relationships grow better.

Positiveness is referred to as optimism, confidence of achieving goals.

Positive persons often encourage others to accomplish tasks.


Being qualified may not be enough to get a job.

Learning to communicate effectively and present yourself appropriately in an interview may increase chances of getting the job.

Interviewing skills may help you in a variety of other situations.


An interview is a formal two-party communication, in which at least one of the participants has a set purpose.

This type of communication requires listening skills, asking appropriate questions, and giving appropriate answers.

There are two main roles in the interview process: the interviewer and the interviewee


The interviewer is the one who determines the purpose of the interview.

The interviewee is the one who provides information to the interviewer.

Both parties must participate in the interview by asking questions and listening to each other carefully.


The interviewer is responsible for setting up the interview and carrying it out.

Main responsibilities are: set the goal and structure of the interview, prepare and ask questions, and control the direction of the discussion.


Set a Goal: The goal defines what the outcome of the interview would be.

Develop the structure: the structure of an interview is the manner in which it is constructed.

Prepare and Ask Questions: prepare a list of appropriate questions before interview

Control the Direction of the Discussion


Responsible for providing clear, complete, and appropriate answers, and of gathering information.

Both, the interviewer and interviewee are responsible for successful communication.


Provide Answers: to provide clear and complete answers. This can be done by thinking about responses before saying.

Gathering Information: job interview is set to help interviewee learn more about the company and the job. By asking specific questions, he can determine whether the job fits his needs.


Interviews vary because they are conducted for different reasons.

The three main types of interviews:◦ Information-gathering◦ Information-giving◦ employment


Gather information from a number of people.

Information is used to draw conclusions, make interpretation, determine future action, or find out customers’ reaction to a product.

Survey interviews also are used to gather information about people’s reaction to change or new ideas.


Interview in which interviewer uses questions to find out unknown information, which is often used to determine the cause of an event.

The type of questions generally asked are who, what, when, where, why, and how.

Often used by companies to discover what is needed for employees for the development of products and services.


Also used by journalists to gather information about their stories.

Detectives and lawyers depend heavily upon investigation interviews while attempting to solve crimes.

Exit interviews are used to determine why a person has decided to leave an organization.


Information-giving interview is one in which an interviewer gives information to an interviewee.

Performance Appraisal is an evaluation of how well you have achieved your objectives over a period of time.

This interview occurs face-to-face.


A Counseling Interview generally occurs when an interviewer helps interviewee decide of an action.

The counselor (interviewer) shares his expertise with the interviewee to achieve a positive result.

College counselor and family counselor are examples of Counseling Interviews.


A process employers use to judge whether a job candidate is qualified for a position.

This will include investigation of employee’s experience, motivation, education, and personality.

Employment interviews are the most important factor in getting a job.


Communication skills and a knowledge of interviewing are more important that grade-point average or work experience.

In this interview, interviewer evaluate qualities of employee in a short period of time.

So, it is critical for employee to master interviewing skills effectively to make best possible impression.


The way to build these skills is through study and practice.

First step it to study the job advertisement. This will give indication for you of what need to be prepared for this interview.

Some positions require you to send resume (a brief history of your education and work. A well-written resume may help give some information about you.


Mostly, interviews take place at the company where the job is being offered.

Sometimes, interviews may be held in a job fair, in a hotel, or on the telephone.


An informed organized oral statement made to a group of professional or social peers, supervisors, or members of the general public.

The fear of making presentations can come from feeling that you are the center of attention, or even because you are unsure about the information you are presenting.

Presentations can be formal or informal.


A formal presentation is scheduled in advance and involves individual or team research.

Formal presentations may contains audiovisual or AV support.

They require formal language strategies and delivery techniques.

Product demonstrations, classroom presentations are examples of formal presentations.


An informal presentation may occur on a daily or ongoing basis.

Usually shorter and more unplanned than formal presentations.

Informal presentations may involve smaller audience.

Showing new employee around the office, and explaining a bill to a client are informal presentations.


The basic skills most needed by professional presenters fall into 5 categories.

1.Selection

2.Organization

3.Style

4.Memory

5.Delivery


Selection: first responsibility is to select topics, ideas, and supporting information.

If topic has been selected, you still need to select additional ideas to support topic.

Organization: presenters are responsible for making sure their presentations are put together well.


Style: use appropriate language for topic, audience, task, and occasion.

Memory: filling away information and topics about presentation to memory, this will provide a bank of knowledge.

Delivery: use verbal and nonverbal skills to deliver information to audience. Loud voice and eye contact are examples of those skills.


Presenters are responsible of giving careful consideration to the image he expresses to an audience.

There are 4 main aspects of image that presenters should try to consider:

1. Knowledge

2. Character

3. Good Intent

4. Genuineness


Knowledge: audience expects complete and accurate information about the subject.

Character: the listeners must believe a presenter would not tell untruths or omit important information.

Good Intent: listeners will show more interest if they feel that the speaker cares about the outcome of the presentation.

Genuineness: listeners want speaker to present their own emotions and ideas.


The more you know about the audience, the better you can do your presentation.

One important consideration for a speaker is the demographics of the audience.

Demographics is the information about a group’s age, gender, education, group memberships, ethnicity, and sociocultural background.



Use audience demographics to make generalization about listener’s interests.

By knowing your audience’s concerns and interests you can customize you message for maximum effectiveness.

Which means, focus on what is important for each group.


Age: people of different ages typically have different interests, they may be interested in different aspects of the topic.

Gender.

Education: audiences with a higher level of education may have a broader knowledge base on a specific topic. However, listeners who have experience may have the same knowledge regardless of their education level.


Group Affiliation: knowing which groups audience members identify with can help you understand their common interests.

Sociocultural and Ethnic Backgrounds: audiences with different social, economic, ethnic, or cultural backgrounds may have different ways of identifying with a topic based on how they are affected by it.


Disorganized presentations are usually ineffective and leave the listener questioning about the purpose of the presentation.

After the presenter has determined the topic and has sufficient information, he should consider how to organize it.

A well-organized presentation is clear and simple to understand, has a limited number of ideas, and flows logically from point to point.


1. Determine a topic

2. Limit the topic

3. Determine the purpose

4. Research the topic

5. Organize and outl ine the presentation

6. Select supporting information

7. Prepare notes and manuscripts for delivery

8. Rehearse the presentation


The first impressions are the most important, so, you should devote 5%-10% of presentation time to introduction.

The introduction of a presentation has five purposes:1. Get the audience’s attention2. State the thesis (idea)3. Establish your image as a speaker4. familiarize the audience5. Preview the main points


Audience members have a little mental patience, if you fail to gain attention within few moments they will quickly wander.

An attention device is a tool used by speakers to grab the interest of an audience.

There are several popular attention devices: humor, quotations, stories, references to the occasion or audience, rhetorical questions, startling statements, personal experiences.


The attention device depends on the topic and audience.

By using a story you can immediately get the audience involved in a topic.

Getting the audience attention is the first step in the introduction, if you fail to grab interest the rest of your presentation will not go ok.


Thesis statement is a clearly written, simple sentence or question that states the point you expect to make in your presentation.

This statement lets an audience know from the beginning the one thing you expect them to get from you presentation.

This single statement or question will guide your entire presentation.


The introduction provides the opportunity for the presenter to introduce himself to the audience.

Provide information about yourself, your expertise, or the research you have done on the topic.

Sometimes, well-know speakers are introduced to the audience by another person.


Provide audience with information they need in order to understand the presentation.

Not all presentations require this step. This depends on the nature of audience.

The information that familiarize the audience include: detention, background information, and motivation .


The preview tells the audience what to listen for in the presentation.

This preview can be a single statement or a list of the main points.

Not all presentations require this step. This depends on the nature of audience.

The audience are ready to focus on three main points at most.


You cant share everything with the audience, so you have to determine what information to include.

The body is made of only 2-5 main points each with supporting details, and the less the points the better the presentation.

The body of the presentation usually makes up 75%-85% of the presentation time.


The main points can be determined by considering the purpose of the presentation.

Each main point must support the main idea of the presentation.

If you don’t have information to support the main point don’t include it.

Transition between presentation parts can be with a word or a phrase like “next” or “first of all”, “on the other hand”


The conclusion is very important to make the presentation memorable for the audience.

A conclusion serves three purposes:

1. Summarize the main points of the presentation

2. Restate the basic idea

3. Provide a clear ending to the presentation


The presentation is designed to provide an audience with new information about the topic.

It is important to present that information in a way that is easy to understand.

There are 4 major patterns of presentation:◦ Chronological◦ Sequential◦ Spatial◦ Topical


Chronological order is an arrangement to the time in which something occur.

When used in presentations, this pattern categorize the main points as past, present, and future.

This pattern is used to explain the history of something, or a summary of accomplishments.


Sequential order is an arrangement according to the steps of a process.

The number of main points depends on the number of steps necessary to accomplish the presentation.

This pattern is used when giving instructions for a task where the order of steps is important to do the job.


Spatial order is an arrangement according to how the topic is put together.

Describing things from top to bottom, side to side, north to south.

This pattern is used in analyzing company’s quarterly sales or in weather forecasters in presenting the weather.


Topical order groups ideas by logical theme.

Sometimes the main points of the presentation are related only by the general topic. The order of the main points is by importance.

This pattern is used in presenting the divisions of the company. Each division is a main point, but the divisions are related only by being part of the company.


A picture is worth a thousand words.

When using audiovisuals, listeners find the message interesting, and more easily to understand and remember.

Reasons for using audiovisual tools:◦ Clarity◦ Interest◦ Professionalism◦ Presenter support


Clarity: using visual aid can make information easier to understand.

Interest: audiovisual tools add interest to your presentation.

Professionalism: audiovisuals can give presentation a professional image

Presenter Support: audiovisuals are an excellent way of removing fear and shift attention away from you. And they can help you remember main points.


Objects and models add substance and precision to the presentation.

Objects can be live like animals or inanimate like a rock.

Sometimes it is impractical to bring the object in the presentation because it’s too big or too dangerous.

In these instances, a model can be used instead of the object


Photographs, slides, videos, drawings are all pictorial reproduction.

In absence of an object or model, a photo can help the audience to understand.

In most cases, pictorial reproductions need to be enlarged for easier viewing.

This may need a projector to enlarge it during presentation.


Statistics are presented through pictorial symbols.

Graphs, charts, and diagrams are pictorial symbols.

Line Graph uses one or two lines to show change over a period of time.

Bar Graph is a good way to show comparison between two or more items.

Communication applications

Education

communication decisions

communication behavior

best communication

effective communication

better communication

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given context

understanding roles