Basic Elements Of Communication
Simply, we can define communication as “sharing of ideas or feelings with others.” Communication takes places when one person transmits information and understanding to another person. There is a communication when you respond or listen to someone. Movements of lips, the wave of hands or the wink of an eye may convey more meaning than even written or spoken words. The basic elements of communication process include communicator, communicatee, message, channel and feedback.
- Communicator is the sender, speaker, issuer or writer, who intends to express or send out a message.
- Communicatee is the receiver of the message for whom the communication is meant. The communicatee receives the information, order or message.
- Message, which is also known as the subject matter of this process, i.e., the content of the letter, speech, order, information, idea, or suggestion.
- Communication channel or the media through which the sender passes the information and understanding to the receiver. It acts as a connection between the communicator and the communicatee, i.e., the levels of communication or relationships that exist between different individuals or departments of an organization.
- Feedback, which is essential to make communication, a successful one. It is the effect, reply or reaction of the information transmitted to the communicatee.
Firstly, the communicator develops an exact idea about concepts, beliefs or data that he wants to convey. Then he translates the idea into words, symbols or some other form of message which he expects the receiver to understand. The communicator picks out an appropriate medium for transmitting the message. The message is then received by the communicate. The communicate acts upon the message as he has understood it. Finally, the effectualness of communication is assessed through response or feedback. If the communication brings in the desired changes in the actions, it is said to be successful communication.
Five elements of effective communication:
1. APPROACH
Timing of communication; choice of medium; tone and point of view (perspective, attitude, and relationship regarding audience, purpose, and material); recognition of audience (reader vs. writer orientation); direct vs. indirect presentation (ordering of evidence and conclusions); persuasive strategies and rhetorical appeals (logos, pathos, ethos)
Checkpoints:
□Timing and choice of medium are appropriate to the purpose, audience, and material.
□Tone is appropriate to the purpose, audience, and material.
□Material is made relevant to the reader (reader’s interests and concerns are recognized).
□Conclusions are presented directly (conclusion first, evidence last) to a sympathetic audience, indirectly (evidence first, conclusion last) to a unsympathetic or hostile audience.
□Persuasive strategy incorporates a mixture of rhetorical approaches (appeals to logic, feelings, and ethics or credibility).
2. DEVELOPMENT
Organization (logical arrangement and sequence); evidence and support (relevance, specificity, accuracy and sufficiency of detail); knowledge of subject and material; quality of perception, analysis, and insight
Checkpoints:
□Material is arranged in a logical and coherent sequence.
□Conclusion or closing restates the argument and identifies the action to be taken.
□Examples are relevant, specific, detailed, sufficient, and persuasive.
□Quotations support the argument.
□Handling of material demonstrates knowledge and insight.
3. CLARITY
Presentation of thesis or central argument (statement of purpose, delineation or narrowing of topic, relevance of subordinate or secondary arguments); word choice; technical language and jargon; structure (sentence, paragraph, document); coherence devices (organizational statement, repetition of words and phrases, progression from familiar to unfamiliar, topic and transitional sentences); textual markers (headings, highlighting, formatting features)
Checkpoints:
□Purpose or central idea is sufficiently limited for meaningful discussion.
□Purpose or central idea is stated clearly, usually in the opening.
□Organizational statement is offered, usually at the end of the opening.
□Subordinate ideas are effectively identified and related clearly to the main purpose or central idea.
□Language is clear, specific, accurate, and appropriate to the audience, purpose, and material.
□Word choice is clear, specific, accurate, unassuming, and free of clichés and misused jargon.
□Technical language and terms are defined and explained as needed (depending on knowledge of the audience).
□Sentences are free of ambiguity.
□Text is coherent, with new information linked to previously discussed information (ordered within sentences as “something old/something new”).
□Transitions between paragraphs are clear and helpful.
□Text is appropriately highlighted (bullets, paragraphing, boldface, italics, underlining, etc.) to engage the reader and reinforce the main points.
4. STYLE
Word choice (economy, precision, and specificity of language and detail; abstract vs. concrete language; action verbs vs. linking or weak verbs with nominalizations; figures of speech: schemes and tropes); tone (personality and humor); active vs. passive voice; sentence variety
Checkpoints:
□Word choice is economical, clear, specific, accurate, unassuming, and free of clichés and misused jargon.
□Action verbs are preferred over weak verbs with nominalizations (as in recommend over make a recommendation).
□Language is appropriately concrete or abstract (signifying or not signifying things that can be perceived by the senses).
□Figurative language (metaphors and similes, as well as other tropes and schemes) enrich and deepen the argument.
□Active voice is preferred over passive voice (active voice is used to emphasize the performer of the action; passive voice is used to emphasize the receiver of the action).
□Sentences are free of wordiness and unnecessarily complex constructions.
□Variety in sentence structure and sentence length creates emphasis.
□Author’s values, personality and – when appropriate – humor are conveyed in a way that reinforces the message.
5. CORRECTNESS
Rules and conventions of spelling, grammar, punctuation, usage, and idiom; style (appropriateness of word choice and level of formality to audience, purpose, and material); social and cultural appropriateness; accuracy in proofreading
Checkpoints:
□Spelling (including technical terms and proper names) is correct.
□Correct words are used to convey the intended meaning.
□Rules of grammar and syntax are followed, including pronoun-noun agreement, subject-verb agreement, appropriate verb tense, pronoun case, possessive forms, parallel construction, etc.
□Punctuation (particularly comma placement) reflects standard usage.