HED1102: COMMUNICATIONS SKILLS

1. How to write understandable articles

2. Characteristics of languages:
a. Arbitrariness-there is no inherent connection between the sounds/symbols used in a
language and their meanings.
b. Productivity-one can produce an infinite number of utterances. (Syllables can be
reused to make different words)
c. Cultural and social context-words like mzungu are in the dictionary originating from
Kenyan word for a foreigner.
d. Openness-language can change anytime. (some words become outdated-thee ,thy)
e. Creativity-one can create expressions, wordplay, metaphors and such. (A bird in hand
is worth 2 in the bush)
f. Interchangeability-one can switch roles between listening and speaking. (active
listening and speaking)
g. Universality
3.
a. Using shorter meaningful sentences.
b. Using organizational style books.
4. Language barriers
a. Accents and dialect
b. Jargon
c. Colloquialism
d. Ambiguous language
e. Slang
f. Grammar and spelling
g. Translation errors
5.
a. APA referencing
i. Curl,J.(2001).News manual booklet. The associated press.
b. APA citation
i. She says that Kanye West, commonly known as Ye was suspended from
twitter. (Sherman,2022)
6. C’s of communication:
a. Clear-understandable language
b. Concise-brief
c. Concrete-content should be supported with evidence.
d. Correct-factual data.
e. Coherent-forming a unified.
f. Complete
g. Courteous-must have no vulgar language/offensiveness.
7.
a. A veteran soldier is unlikely to give a speech on dealing with Post-war trauma to
kindergarten children because it is something they have never experienced and
would not understand. He would most likely give the speech to fellow soldiers and
their families.
 b. Assuming there was a seminar on educating young girls on how to handle
themselves as women, the organizers would most likely invite women to give
speeches as it is in their field of experience, as compared to men.
8. Communications Models:
a. Laswell model
i. Linear
ii. Shows-who(communicator), says what(message), in which
channel(medium), to who(receiver) and to what effect/why(effect)
iii. One way
iv. Good in transmitting messages related to risk.
v. Complexity of communication is ignored here.
b. Shannon-weaver model
i. AKA Linear model/mathematical model
ii. Sender, encoder, channel (noise under), decoder, receiver, feedback (back to
sender).
c. Schramm’s/Osgood’s model
i. {Encoder, interpreter ,decoder},message, {Decoder,interpreter,
encoder},message.
ii. It shows communication is cyclic.
iii. Doesn’t acknowledge noise.
iv. Doesn’t acknowledge power dynamics.
v. Doesn’t acknowledge more than one communicator.
d. Aristotle’s model of communication:
i. Speaker(communicator), speech(message), occasion(why), audience (to
who), effect (for what purpose).
ii. Main elements/pillars:
1. Ethos-refers to the credibility of the speaker and his message.
2. Pathos-Connects the speaker to the audience’s emotions.
3. Logos-conformity of the message to logic.
e. Transactional method
i. Each person is a speaker and listener at the same time/simultaneously.
ii. Noise is from all over.
9. Types of noise (any distraction which can be a barrier to communication):
a. Internal: self interest, self image, acceptance at an emotional level, perception,
defensiveness, filtering, status block.
b. External: auditory noise.
c. Physiological: hunger, sleep.
10. Connotative vs Denotative meaning:
a. Denotative-the fundamental meaning of a word/primary meaning in the dictionary.
i. Snake-an animal.
b. Connotative-the secondary meaning of a word based on culture, context and other
biases.
i. Snake- a deceptive and manipulative person.
11. Euphemism-use of words which are more socially acceptable to describe something
(Expectant, he is not the sharpest tool in the shed).
a. The are used to:’
i. Politeness
ii. Conceal harsh realities.
 iii. Avoid bluntness.
iv. Etiquette.
v. Avoiding taboos.

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