Thursday, February 26, 2009
Journal entry for week # 7
While working on this chapter I thought what if the mid-term for this class was an oral presentation? It would only make sense to work on the chapter about oral presentations the week before, if we are going to be presenting next week. Then I though naah. The professor would have mentioned it by now, wouldn't she well anyway we'll find out tomorrow. I used the PRS technique to read this chapter and it helped, but I did forget to label so I was a little scattered, next time i'll get it just right.
Ch. 7 summary- Designing Oral Presentations
For most people in the business world, the day will come when they have to deliver an oral presentation in front of an audience. Delivering a good presentation is not a piece of cake; it requires a great deal of hard work. There are many factors that need to be taken into consideration. For example, if I had to make an oral presentation next week in front of my peers, then I would complete the following tasks to ensure I give the best presentation within my abilities. I would start by gathering information about the audience I will be presenting in front of. Using the information I gather I could create a customized presentation. A customized presentation is a carefully planned speech that is tailored to the specific needs, knowledge, perspectives, and background of an audience. You have to show interest in your topic. How can a presenter expect their audience to be interested in their presentation if they themselves don’t seem interested? If you deliver your presentation with confidence and enthusiasm then in turn your audience will likely pay more attention to what you have to say, because now you appeal to them. Other techniques that could help you gain the interest of the audience are: Try to relate to their situation, field, position, or experience, and provide them with tips, facts, and strategies they can utilize in their professional or personal lives. I would take into account of what the occasion is that I will be presenting at. Will the occasion be relaxed and festive, or is it strictly business? Will there be other presenters or am I the only one? At what time do I have to make my presentation? Audiences are usually more alert in the mornings. These are some of the questions I would ask myself in the days leading up to my scheduled presentation. Before I start writing my speech I have to determine what I want to write about, such as my interests, or skills and abilities. Sometimes you won’t have choice and the topic will be selected for you. Now I have to decide what my speech goal will be. What do I want from my audience and what do I want to communicate to them? There are four speech goals: informative, persuasive, requesting, and entertaining. Informative speeches can build audience awareness, knowledge, and memory about a subject. A persuasive speech intends to influence a change in an audience’s attitude, behavior, or belief. A requesting speech is a type of persuasive speech, but its aim is to gain funding or approval for a specific product, program, or proposal. Entertainment or special occasion speeches mark special occasions, and arouse emotions through celebration. My introduction has to gain the attention of my audience. I have to make a connection between myself, my listeners, and the occasion. I can gain their attention through creative speaking. Creative speaking is the art of gaining the audience’s interest by using entertaining speaking methods; such as: Anecdotes, catchy stories that draw from common experiences with which the audience can relate to. I could ask a question; this can draw them in by making them think of a potential answer. Examples, such as personal or topic related can illustrate ideas and establish credibility. Quotations can be helpful when you’re trying to open up ideas. Startling or surprising remarks such as facts, statistics, or events can arouse the attention of the audience, and finally humor if used correctly can break the ice and build a rapport with the audience. Your audience needs to have a reason to listen, you have to be creative, and you have to be the one to let them know your message is valuable and they may be able to benefit from it. If I take the time to prepare, if I am honest, if I research my topic, and speak with confidence than I will be able to demonstrate my credibility to my audience. Now I am ready to organize my speech. I would break it up into three parts. In the first part, the introduction, I have to present a positive impression of myself, establish my credibility, and the main idea. A main idea is a central point you want to make with your audience that will run through the entire message.
In the body section of my presentation I will present my main ideas and back them up with supporting details or secondary ideas. I will limit my main ideas to three or four main points, because most people usually only remember three to four main points from a presentation. I can arrange my material in five different organizational patterns to help my audience understand and achieve my own speech goals. I can use a Chronological, topic, spatial, cause and effect, or problem and solution pattern to transmit my message. In the conclusion of my speech I have to connect my main points, inspire the next step, and provide a strong sense of closure. I can make a powerful statement or use a quote that I want them to think about later. I also have to remember to use transitions. Transitions are key words or short sentences that bridge one idea to another, such as my introduction, body, and conclusion. Visual aids such as tables, charts, posters, and handouts can give a speech more strength. You can also use electronic presentation software such as power point to create slides. The use of visual aids will increase message clarity, visually demonstrate and explain more than words, increase the interest of the audience, and dramatically extend the audience recall of speech information. You can use the internet, books, magazines, periodicals, and financial or statistical reports to gather your information. Once I have practiced over and over again and I’m ready to present I can choose from four different delivery styles. Impromptu speeches are unexpected and off the cuff. A manuscript speech is written word for word and read out loud. Extemporaneous speaking is planned and rehearsed but not memorized, prepared notes only outline key ideas. Finally with a memorized speech text is written word for word and committed to memory. There is a great deal of work that goes on before a speech is ever presented. You have to research your audience, gather data about your main idea, and prepare your speech in three parts, introduction, body and conclusion. Your speech should be organized in a specific organizational pattern, have a clear goal and be delivered in one of four speech styles to ensure message clarity and to not lose your audience. The next time I deliver a speech I think I will deliver it the extemporaneous style. Keeping the audience interested is very important. If they are uninterested and they tune you out then what is the point? Finally to reduce anxiety by planning practicing and rehearsing your speech till you know it inside and out.
In the body section of my presentation I will present my main ideas and back them up with supporting details or secondary ideas. I will limit my main ideas to three or four main points, because most people usually only remember three to four main points from a presentation. I can arrange my material in five different organizational patterns to help my audience understand and achieve my own speech goals. I can use a Chronological, topic, spatial, cause and effect, or problem and solution pattern to transmit my message. In the conclusion of my speech I have to connect my main points, inspire the next step, and provide a strong sense of closure. I can make a powerful statement or use a quote that I want them to think about later. I also have to remember to use transitions. Transitions are key words or short sentences that bridge one idea to another, such as my introduction, body, and conclusion. Visual aids such as tables, charts, posters, and handouts can give a speech more strength. You can also use electronic presentation software such as power point to create slides. The use of visual aids will increase message clarity, visually demonstrate and explain more than words, increase the interest of the audience, and dramatically extend the audience recall of speech information. You can use the internet, books, magazines, periodicals, and financial or statistical reports to gather your information. Once I have practiced over and over again and I’m ready to present I can choose from four different delivery styles. Impromptu speeches are unexpected and off the cuff. A manuscript speech is written word for word and read out loud. Extemporaneous speaking is planned and rehearsed but not memorized, prepared notes only outline key ideas. Finally with a memorized speech text is written word for word and committed to memory. There is a great deal of work that goes on before a speech is ever presented. You have to research your audience, gather data about your main idea, and prepare your speech in three parts, introduction, body and conclusion. Your speech should be organized in a specific organizational pattern, have a clear goal and be delivered in one of four speech styles to ensure message clarity and to not lose your audience. The next time I deliver a speech I think I will deliver it the extemporaneous style. Keeping the audience interested is very important. If they are uninterested and they tune you out then what is the point? Finally to reduce anxiety by planning practicing and rehearsing your speech till you know it inside and out.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Journal entry for week # 6
This chapter has a lot of terms and definitions to be learned and remembered. It didn't make the summary any difficult but was a little annoying when I had to make the mind map. I did learn a new term that could describe me at times. Sometimes when I have to present in front of people I experience communication apprehension in the form of Introversion. In other words I rather listen than participate because I get shy at times.
Chapter 6 summary- Designing Messages with Words
Muzlifa Amani
Eng. 93 B-Comm
Summary of chapter 6- Designing Messages with Words
Words have power. Words should be chosen carefully to ensure message clarity and avoid misunderstandings. Verbal messages contain both oral and written communication. Designing messages requires intrapersonal communication skills. Verbal communication is defined as, “The use of any linguistic symbols-spoken, sign, or written language to accomplish message goals. The author states, “A communicator’s effectiveness depends on the appropriate choice of words and their arrangement in a message.” This statement is very true. I have been to seminars where the speakers were not effective communicators and had poor verbal styles of communication, and almost one hundred percent of the time I tuned them out after a while. When designing a message, the sender should choose language that will allow the receiver to interpret the meaning of the message as close as possible to what they intended it to be. The choice of words, phrases, sentence arrangements, and formalities of expressions a person chooses to use in their message is referred to as their verbal style. Verbal styles reflect aspects of people’s individual personalities. There are nine primary verbal communication styles, and each one serves a different purpose. A person’s choice of style depends on the relationship they share with the people they are communicating with, the attentiveness and experience of the audience, and the context and purpose of the message. There are four rules for speaking, : Grammatical rules which include sentence construction, word arrangements, syntax, and language fluidity, talking and interaction rules include topic relevance, length of talking time, clarity, and silence, social rules include greetings, correct word usage, expression styles, and ambiguity, and finally semantic rules include denotative and connotative meanings. Physicians, attorneys, and engineers sometimes use a specialized language known as jargon. Jargon is defined as,: a specialized language used by members of a specific profession or field that denotes technical knowledge. Working in a medical office I hear jargon every day being spoken by the doctors. Although I understand what they, people who don’t work in the field most likely don’t. The word slang means: an informal set of terms used within a social group or culture. In my opinion, these days it sound like kids and teenagers speak more in slang than in proper English. Recognizing language limitations is very important. Language limitations can obscure your message, make it less powerful, and vague. By recognizing limitations people can design better and clearer messages that can have a greater impact. Some of these limitations include: Abstraction-is the use of complicated rather that concrete language, bypassing-when different meanings are associated with the same word symbol, or when different symbols are used to identify the same idea or object, fact inference- jumping to conclusions, misused words-can make a message meaningless because words are misused, overgeneralization- is the use of sweeping statements that do not provide enough information, extremism-to see the world simply in shades of black and white, rather than in shades of gray, and inflexibility- results from rigidity in our awareness of the world around us. When a person becomes self-conscious, nervous, and unwilling to communicate with other people then they are probably experiencing communication apprehension or CA for short. Stage freight is one example. I sometimes experience CA before I make presentations due to the fact that I’m naturally a shy person. Other factors that can contribute to CA include: Introversion-when people prefer to listen rather than participate, they appear timid, and shy even if they really aren’t, alienation-when common speech rules of communication are unknown to the individual, low self-esteem- when sense of self-worth is low, cultural divergence- styles of communication appropriate for one culture are not appropriate for another, poor communication skills-when people lack necessary skills to make their meaning clear, and finally communication incompetence-people doubt their ability to communicate clearly and may deliver inappropriate messages. When a speaker is trying to be persuasive, they are attempting to influence people’s behavior, attitudes, and or beliefs. An argument is a verbal technique that can be utilized by a communicator. It is a statement or series of statements aimed at influencing behavior, attitudes, and beliefs through reasoning. Business arguments are built by using 1.) Grounds-evidence to support the argument, 2.) Warrants- the relationship of the evidence to the claim including common sense, common knowledge, and traditions 3.) Claim- a statement of fact or opinion. Reasons are defined as: statements of evidence, support, or proof used in an argument. Reasoning is the ability to see connections between ideas and evidence and to use reasons as building blocks to support your conclusion. Deductive reasoning is the move from general principles to specific instances. Inductive reasoning is the move from specific instances to general conclusions. Appealing to your audience is important. Greek terms such as ethos-(ethics), pathos-(proof), and logos-(logic) used to describe different types of appeals can be used by communicators to persuade their listeners to agree with them. A one-sided argument involves the presentation of only one point of view or one side of an issue. On the other hand a two-sided argument presents both sides of an issue. The speaker’s position and opposing views are both presented, such as in a debate. The author was very thorough in writing this chapter. There is a lot of terminology to be learned and remembered. Some terms and text from chapter five were carried over in this chapter, but of course that would make sense because in order to be able to design messages with words you have to first know how the meanings of words are created and how their meanings are used. The lesson I’ve learned from this chapter is that a communicator’s word selection is very important; your choice of words can make or break your case depending on how your message is received.
Eng. 93 B-Comm
Summary of chapter 6- Designing Messages with Words
Words have power. Words should be chosen carefully to ensure message clarity and avoid misunderstandings. Verbal messages contain both oral and written communication. Designing messages requires intrapersonal communication skills. Verbal communication is defined as, “The use of any linguistic symbols-spoken, sign, or written language to accomplish message goals. The author states, “A communicator’s effectiveness depends on the appropriate choice of words and their arrangement in a message.” This statement is very true. I have been to seminars where the speakers were not effective communicators and had poor verbal styles of communication, and almost one hundred percent of the time I tuned them out after a while. When designing a message, the sender should choose language that will allow the receiver to interpret the meaning of the message as close as possible to what they intended it to be. The choice of words, phrases, sentence arrangements, and formalities of expressions a person chooses to use in their message is referred to as their verbal style. Verbal styles reflect aspects of people’s individual personalities. There are nine primary verbal communication styles, and each one serves a different purpose. A person’s choice of style depends on the relationship they share with the people they are communicating with, the attentiveness and experience of the audience, and the context and purpose of the message. There are four rules for speaking, : Grammatical rules which include sentence construction, word arrangements, syntax, and language fluidity, talking and interaction rules include topic relevance, length of talking time, clarity, and silence, social rules include greetings, correct word usage, expression styles, and ambiguity, and finally semantic rules include denotative and connotative meanings. Physicians, attorneys, and engineers sometimes use a specialized language known as jargon. Jargon is defined as,: a specialized language used by members of a specific profession or field that denotes technical knowledge. Working in a medical office I hear jargon every day being spoken by the doctors. Although I understand what they, people who don’t work in the field most likely don’t. The word slang means: an informal set of terms used within a social group or culture. In my opinion, these days it sound like kids and teenagers speak more in slang than in proper English. Recognizing language limitations is very important. Language limitations can obscure your message, make it less powerful, and vague. By recognizing limitations people can design better and clearer messages that can have a greater impact. Some of these limitations include: Abstraction-is the use of complicated rather that concrete language, bypassing-when different meanings are associated with the same word symbol, or when different symbols are used to identify the same idea or object, fact inference- jumping to conclusions, misused words-can make a message meaningless because words are misused, overgeneralization- is the use of sweeping statements that do not provide enough information, extremism-to see the world simply in shades of black and white, rather than in shades of gray, and inflexibility- results from rigidity in our awareness of the world around us. When a person becomes self-conscious, nervous, and unwilling to communicate with other people then they are probably experiencing communication apprehension or CA for short. Stage freight is one example. I sometimes experience CA before I make presentations due to the fact that I’m naturally a shy person. Other factors that can contribute to CA include: Introversion-when people prefer to listen rather than participate, they appear timid, and shy even if they really aren’t, alienation-when common speech rules of communication are unknown to the individual, low self-esteem- when sense of self-worth is low, cultural divergence- styles of communication appropriate for one culture are not appropriate for another, poor communication skills-when people lack necessary skills to make their meaning clear, and finally communication incompetence-people doubt their ability to communicate clearly and may deliver inappropriate messages. When a speaker is trying to be persuasive, they are attempting to influence people’s behavior, attitudes, and or beliefs. An argument is a verbal technique that can be utilized by a communicator. It is a statement or series of statements aimed at influencing behavior, attitudes, and beliefs through reasoning. Business arguments are built by using 1.) Grounds-evidence to support the argument, 2.) Warrants- the relationship of the evidence to the claim including common sense, common knowledge, and traditions 3.) Claim- a statement of fact or opinion. Reasons are defined as: statements of evidence, support, or proof used in an argument. Reasoning is the ability to see connections between ideas and evidence and to use reasons as building blocks to support your conclusion. Deductive reasoning is the move from general principles to specific instances. Inductive reasoning is the move from specific instances to general conclusions. Appealing to your audience is important. Greek terms such as ethos-(ethics), pathos-(proof), and logos-(logic) used to describe different types of appeals can be used by communicators to persuade their listeners to agree with them. A one-sided argument involves the presentation of only one point of view or one side of an issue. On the other hand a two-sided argument presents both sides of an issue. The speaker’s position and opposing views are both presented, such as in a debate. The author was very thorough in writing this chapter. There is a lot of terminology to be learned and remembered. Some terms and text from chapter five were carried over in this chapter, but of course that would make sense because in order to be able to design messages with words you have to first know how the meanings of words are created and how their meanings are used. The lesson I’ve learned from this chapter is that a communicator’s word selection is very important; your choice of words can make or break your case depending on how your message is received.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Journal entry for week # 5
This chapter had a lot of information in it. I'va always been a detailed person. I try to shorten my summaries but its hard for me to do. Over the long weekend when I have time, I want to download the latest version of mind mapping. I want to play around with it and see if I could download pictures becuase I can't with the version I have right now.
Chapter 5 summary-Creating & Using Meaning
In chapter five the author states the definition of meaning will not be found in this chapter, or in this book. The author asks me, the reader to come up with my own definition for the word. In my opinion the definition of meaning is the clearly marked limits of a word, and its intentions. The author was accurate to state, “Meaning is a difficult concept to define or describe.” It did take me a while to come up with my definition. The author then goes on to say, understanding the way we acquire and interpret meaning can help people communicate more effectively. Differences in meaning can often lead to miscommunication. We assume when we create and transmit messages to others our meanings are always understood. We forget that other people see the world through their own eyes, just as we see it through our own eyes. My understanding of a meaning might completely different from someone else’s understanding of the same meaning. Conveyor-belt flaw is what this flaw is called. We assume when we transmit a message to another person they will automatically understand our message. They will physically get our message but that doesn’t guarantee our meaning will be accepted the way we intended it to be. In addition to containing words, sentences, and visual images, messages also contain intended and interpreted meanings. Intended meaning is the meaning the sender has in mind when creating a message. Interpreted meaning is the meaning that the receiver interprets upon receiving the message. Perception is the act of becoming aware through our senses. Perception starts when we receive and mentally record sensory information. Organization is the ordering and categorizing of information you receive, and then associating it with knowledge already known to you about people, ideas, and objects. Once you have received sensory information and then organized it you begin to interpret what the experience may mean to you. When we interpret, we are actually analyzing what we are experiencing and associating it with past experiences that share similarities. Perception, organization, and interpretation can take place in no time at all. Meaning is an internal process that is created and interpreted by people. Although people don’t always agree on meanings they do agree on the interpretations of signs and symbols. A sign is something that people can agree represents something else. Symbols are types of signs that have no natural link to what it represents, although they can have an indirect association. For example, when kids see a picture of Ronald McDonald, they automatically think of the restaurant McDonalds. Context is one layer of several that is involved in the creation of meaning. It is the physical, social, and psychological situation in which a event of communication occurs in. Intrapersonal context is the act of thinking and communicating with ourselves, internally. During at which time we are decoding and encoding internal and external stimuli. Intrapersonal decoding is the process of receiving data that can originate inside or outside ourselves, interpreting it, and assigning meaning to the data. Intrapersonal encoding is the process of organizing data and translating thoughts into a controlled internal response. For example, during my math class I practice intrapersonal encoding. I organize the data I receive, and my thoughts always translate into the same internal response. How irrelevant math is for me, how much I dislike it, and how I can’t wait till class is over. A personal history context is our remembrance of past experiences, which we then use to make meaning and sense of new experiences. Cultural context is the connection people share through their collective experience in social life. This experience is a sociocultural perception. It provides the assumptions for how we should behave, think, and feel as members of society. Interpersonal context interaction helps people shape verbal and non verbal messages transmitted to them by the people around them, such as family members and friends. In a business context setting, people use their skills to interpret their professional experiences from their business perspectives. In business, context messages are framed differently than they are in interpersonal context. They are more structured and formal in design. Semantics is the relationship between words and the meanings people attach to them. Words don’t contain independent meanings; rather People attach symbols and create connections between those symbols to generate ideas and meaningful concepts. Concrete words are words that are associated with objects or events that people experience through their senses. Abstract words symbolize ideas and concepts that people can not directly experience through their senses. For example, words such as absolute, and interest are abstract words. Business message meanings can be specific or they can be vague. A specific business message is straightforward, and to the point. Intentions are clearly expressed and disclose what the sender wants, feels, and needs. Specific messages are devised to simplify the reader’s understanding of meaning. Vague business messages state the sender’s intentions in ambiguous language. Meanings are not always clear. These messages are uses sometimes when the sender is unsure of the receiver’s reaction. When messages are not interpreted correctly, the way the sender wants then to be, then they might put the blame on the receiver for the misunderstanding. It is up to the sender to send clear messages so that the receiver will have less difficulty understanding the intended meaning of the message. The lesson of this chapter is just because you physically send a message does not guarantee it will be received the way you intended it to be received. Meaning is a process of perception and interpretation. The notion of the various contexts of meanings was new to me. I learned what a context is and all the different contexts that create conditions for different interpretations of meanings.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Journal Entry # 2
Well I am beat. It's late and I've had a long day. Even so I did enjoy reading chapter four. I also enjoy doing the mind maps now. They are very easy once you get the hang of them. I wish I had the time to make them more elaborate. Hopefully as the weeks pass on I will. Bye.
Chapter 4 summary, Listening: A silent hero
Listening: A silent hero
In the world of business, the listening skill is used more frequently than any other skills. It is used more than speaking, reading and writing. Listening is needed for more than just learning and remembering. It is also needed to make important decisions and to understand your fellow employee and client needs. Poor listening skills can wreak havoc in a company. It could cost money, valuable time, errors in shipping and receiving, and can ruin customer relationships the company has built over time. Hearing is defined as, the involuntary physiological process of receiving sound waves through receptors in the ear that transmit them to the brain. Hearing is not the same as listening. You can hear sounds without actually listening to them. When you listen, you are hearing, selecting, attending, interpreting, and remembering sounds. There are several different types of listening processes. Active listening is intrapersonal and interactive. You actively focus on, interpret, and respond verbally and nonverbally to messages. Critical listening requires the listener to comprehend information, make assessments, and decisions about the information they are hearing. Sensitive listening is a supportive process. The listener demonstrates empathy towards the speaker, when the speaker is sharing their thoughts and feelings. This process requires full attention from the listener, and judgment making towards the speaker is out of the question. You must allow the speaker to vent and pay attention to their point of view. When a group discussion is taking place, and people are sharing, identifying, and exploring each other’s meanings and perspectives, it is called dialogue listening. Listening to the sound of waves, or leaves rustling in the wind is called pleasure listening. The sounds are enjoyable, comforting, and relaxing. Casual listening is an informal process of listening. During conversational casual listening, the listener has to listen and speak, but they don’t listen effectively and they don’t concentrate on all the messages or respond to all of them. Polite casual listening is applied when an uninterested listener has to listen to a speaker. The listener appears to be paying attention but is really not, they are just doing it to be polite. It is important to hone one’s listening skills since it’s used more frequently than any other skill in the business world. Hearing a person talk is not the same as listening to them speak. Being a good listener is highly beneficial in the business world.
In the world of business, the listening skill is used more frequently than any other skills. It is used more than speaking, reading and writing. Listening is needed for more than just learning and remembering. It is also needed to make important decisions and to understand your fellow employee and client needs. Poor listening skills can wreak havoc in a company. It could cost money, valuable time, errors in shipping and receiving, and can ruin customer relationships the company has built over time. Hearing is defined as, the involuntary physiological process of receiving sound waves through receptors in the ear that transmit them to the brain. Hearing is not the same as listening. You can hear sounds without actually listening to them. When you listen, you are hearing, selecting, attending, interpreting, and remembering sounds. There are several different types of listening processes. Active listening is intrapersonal and interactive. You actively focus on, interpret, and respond verbally and nonverbally to messages. Critical listening requires the listener to comprehend information, make assessments, and decisions about the information they are hearing. Sensitive listening is a supportive process. The listener demonstrates empathy towards the speaker, when the speaker is sharing their thoughts and feelings. This process requires full attention from the listener, and judgment making towards the speaker is out of the question. You must allow the speaker to vent and pay attention to their point of view. When a group discussion is taking place, and people are sharing, identifying, and exploring each other’s meanings and perspectives, it is called dialogue listening. Listening to the sound of waves, or leaves rustling in the wind is called pleasure listening. The sounds are enjoyable, comforting, and relaxing. Casual listening is an informal process of listening. During conversational casual listening, the listener has to listen and speak, but they don’t listen effectively and they don’t concentrate on all the messages or respond to all of them. Polite casual listening is applied when an uninterested listener has to listen to a speaker. The listener appears to be paying attention but is really not, they are just doing it to be polite. It is important to hone one’s listening skills since it’s used more frequently than any other skill in the business world. Hearing a person talk is not the same as listening to them speak. Being a good listener is highly beneficial in the business world.
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