English Communication and Report Writing PDF

English Communication and report writing 1. What is communication? The word ‘communicate’ is derived from the Latin word ‘communicare’ and the French word ‘communis’, and both the word mean ‘to give to another.’ The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines ‘communication’ as “The activity pr...

English Communication and report writing 1. What is communication? The word ‘communicate’ is derived from the Latin word ‘communicare’ and the French word ‘communis’, and both the word mean ‘to give to another.’ The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines ‘communication’ as “The activity process of expressing ideas and feelings or of giving people information”. Although the growth of communication technology has tremendously changed the ways of communicating ideas, meaning of the word ‘communication’ remains unchanged. If we look around us, we find people communicating with one another or involved in day-to-day conversations, calls, e-mails, writing letters, sending SMS’s, chatting, presentations and so on. 1.1 Process of Communication Communication is a dynamic exchange between a sender and a receiver. It is a complex process and not as simple as it appears to be. Mere transmission of message is not sufficient. Along with this, receiver’s understanding, feeling and response are to be taken into consideration. A message moves through the following five stages of the process of communication: ➙ Sender and idea ➙ Encoding the idea into a message ➙ Transmission of the message ➙ Decoding of the message 1.2.1 Communication Cycle 1. Sender and Idea: The process of communication begins with an idea that is generated in the mind of the sender and the selection of a message to be communicated. The scope of the idea depends on the knowledge and abilities of the sender as well as the purpose and the context of communication. 2. Encoding: Encoding is the next step in communication. Here, the sender converts the idea into a message which can be non-verbal, verbal or written. This is called encoding. It involves language selection in addition to the selection of the medium of communication. An appropriate choice of language is necessary for effective encoding. 3. Transmission: The next step is transmission of the message. Transmission is the fl ow of message through a chosen channel—verbal, nonverbal, written, visual and audio-visual. A channel of communication uses a medium such as telephone, e-mail, SMS, video conferencing, Internet, letter and face-to-face conversation. The choice of the channel and the medium depends upon the time and place of communication. 4. Decoding: Decoding is the next step in the process of communication. It is the stage when the transmitted message is converted into thoughts so that the receiver may understand its meaning. It is to be noted that the receiver interprets the message by analyzing it according to his/her understanding. A written message is decoded through reading, an oral communication by listening and a non-verbal communication by interpreting signs and symbols. 5. Receiver’s Response or Feedback: Response or feedback is the last stage in the process of communication. It incorporates the reaction of the receiver to the message and assists the receiver in knowing whether the message has been correctly interpreted, misunderstood or rejected. If encoding and decoding match each other, that is, the sender and the receiver of the message are on a common wavelength, transmission of the message is effective and efficient. Communication in this way is perfectly successful. An absence of any of these skills may lead to misinterpretation of the message and may cause confusion and misunderstanding. 1.3 Channels and Media of Communication Channels: a. Non-Verbal b. Verbal c. Written d. Audio-visual 1.4 Barriers to Communication Communication is a process through which you convey your idea to someone or a group of people. It is said to be effective if the idea is conveyed clearly and unambiguously. In such a case, the message should reach the receiver with little deformation. Communication becomes successful only if the receiver understands what the sender is trying to convey. If your message is not clearly interpreted or the receiver does not give the desired feedback, you should understand that you are facing a communication barrier. The process of communication may be blocked due to many reasons. Many sociopsychologists believe that there is 50–70% loss of meaning while conveying the message from a sender to a receiver. You should understand these barriers as they can create hurdles in your professional and personal life too. The following are some of the major barriers: 1. Physical Barriers: One of the major barriers to communication is the physical barrier. Physical barriers include large working areas that are physically separated from others. Other distraction that could cause physical barriers is the negative environment which is not conducive to healthy talks. Background noise may also affect the whole process of communication. One should try to minimize the elements that cause physical barriers. 2. Psychological Barriers: Your emotions could be a barrier to communication. If you are preoccupied with some emotions, you will have trouble listening to others or understanding the message conveyed to you. It can be due to many other reasons too—  hostility, anger, inhibitions, ego-hang-ups, personal prejudices, tiredness, pre-conceived notions, stress, lack of confidence and introvert nature. 3. Linguistic Barriers: Incapability or failure to communicate in a language that is known to both the sender and the receiver is the most crucial barrier to effective communication. Wrong or out of place words, mispronounced sounds, incorrect grammar and syntax as well as difference in accent, lack of clarity, could lead to misunderstanding between the sender and the receiver while conversing or writing. 4. Perceptual Barriers: The problem in communicating with others occurs because we all perceive things differently. This is because we are made and groomed differently due to our varied social, cultural and family backgrounds. If we weren’t, we would have no need to communicate. We all see the world from different angles and if we lack the perspective to see other’s point of view, we become the victim of the perceptual barrier. 5. 5. Cultural Barriers: Intercultural communication has become more common in the present scenario than ever before. The differences in cultural values cause socio-cultural barriers. When we interact with a cross cultural group and wish to associate with it, we need to adopt the behaviour patterns of the group. The group reverts back by showing recognition and approval. When you are not able to adjust to the new setting, cultural barriers crop in. How to Overcome Barriers to Communication? The solutions to overcome these barriers are not simple or easy. Remedies are to be adopted according to situation. Here are some solutions to overcome communication barriers: ➙ Avoid physical distractions ➙ Empathize with your receiver ➙ Try to understand your receiver’s point of view ➙ Encode your message in a language that your receiver can interpret ➙ While communicating be calm from within to avoid psychological barriers ➙ Listen and read effectively ➙ Understand cultural variations