The Communication Process & Elements of Communication

Communication as a Process
Human communication is interpersonal, it is purposive and it is a process.
Question: What do we mean by process?
Answer: By process we mean that steps have to be taken and in a set/particular order to achieve a desired result/goal. These are the important elements of the communication process:

1. SENDER/ENCODER
The sender also known as the encoder decides on the message to be sent, the best/most effective way that it can be sent. All of this is done bearing the receiver in mind. In a word, it is his/her job to conceptualize.
The sender may want to ask him/herself questions like: What words will I use? Do I need signs or pictures?

2. MEDIUM
The medium is the immediate form which a message takes. For example, a message may be communicated in the form of a letter, in the form of an email or face to face in the form of a speech.

3. CHANNEL
The channel is that which is responsible for the delivery of the chosen message form. For example post office, internet, radio.

4. RECEIVER
The receiver or the decoder is responsible for extracting/decoding meaning from the message. The receiver is also responsible for providing feedback to the sender. In a word, it is his/her job to INTERPRET.

5. FEEDBACK
This is important as it determines whether or not the decoder grasped the intended meaning and whether communication was successful.

6. CONTEXT
Communication does not take place in a vacuum. The context of any communication act is the environment surrounding it. This includes, among other things, place, time, event, and attitudes of sender and receiver.

7. NOISE (also called interference)
This is any factor that inhibits the conveyance of a message. That is, anything that gets in the way of the message being accurately received, interpreted and responded to. Noise may be internal or external. A student worrying about an incomplete assignment may not be attentive in class (internal noise) or the sounds of heavy rain on a galvanized roof may inhibit the reading of a storybook to second graders (external noise).
The communication process is dynamic, continuous, irreversible, and contextual. It is not possible to participate in any element of the process without acknowledging the existence and functioning of the other elements.

Note Taking Basics

1. Prepare for Class

“Studies on memory have shown that, without review, 47% of what a person has just learned is forgotten in the first twenty minutes and 62% is forgotten after the first day. Therefore, having good  notes to review can determine how well you are able to perform on exams.

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• You need to have all the materials necessary for taking notes, i.e pens, pencils, highlighters, notebook, publishing software on a pc etc. Instructor's often make comments like, "This is an important concept." Or, "Make sure you understand this." These are direct clues that this will more than likely be on an exam. Highlighting these notes will help remind you later that this is definitely something you need to know.
• You may want to consider using a three-ring binder instead of a spiral or bound book. Pages can be easily removed for reviewing. Handouts can be inserted into your notes for cross-referencing. You can insert your own out-of-class notes in the correct order.
• You must read assigned material and previous class notes before class. Make notations about material or concepts you don't understand. Look up vocabulary words that are unfamiliar to you. You will have a better understanding about what the instructor is lecturing about and that will allow you to better decipher the more important points of the lecture.

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2.  Sharpen your listening skills.

"Learn how to listen and you will prosper even from those who talk badly." 
--- Plutarch (A.D. 46 - 120). Greek biographer and philosopher
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• Start by entering the classroom with a positive attitude. Going to class thinking, "This is the last place I want to be today" only sets the stage for internal noise. Approaching lectures with a positive attitude allows one to be open-minded and enables you to get the most out of the information presented.
• Make a conscious effort to pay attention. Concentrate on concentrating. "Without concentration there is no focus, and without focus there is no learning”.
• Adapt to whatever direction a lesson/lecture takes. When a lesson/lecture takes an unexpected detour, say a student asks a question you aren't particularly interested in, students have a tendency to "zone out." However the lesson/lecture may get back on track five minutes later and you would have missed crucial information that should have been noted.

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3. Develop a note taking strategy  that works for you.

"Learn, compare, collect the facts." 
--- Ivan Petrovic Pavlov (1849 - 1936), Russian physiologist.

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In order to increase your note taking speed and comprehension, fine-tune the structure and organization of your notes later.

• Start each new lesson/lecture on a new page, and date and number each page. The sequence of material is important.
• Write on one side of the paper only. You can set them out side-by-side for easier reviewing when studying for an exam.
• Leave blank spaces. This allows you to add comments or note questions later.
• Make your notes as brief as possible. "Never use a sentence when you can use a phrase, or a phrase when you can use a word" (Berkeley). For example, The food of the tainos, the caribs, the Axtecs, the Incas and the Mayas, we may say the food of the Amerindians.
• Develop a system of abbreviations and symbols you can use wherever possible. And=&, the=t ,
• Note all unfamiliar vocabulary or concepts you don't understand. This reminds you to look them up later.
• For examples of popular notetaking formats, see Notetaking Systems at http://www.sas.calpoly.edu/asc/ssl/notetaking.systems.html

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4. Play close attention to content.

"There is a great difference between knowing a thing and understanding it." 
--- Charles Kettering (1876 - 1958), American electrical engineer and inventor

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Knowing what and how much to write down is sometimes difficult. Rely on some of the following tips for what to include in your notes.

• Details, facts, or explanations that expand or explain the main points that are mentioned. Don't forget examples.
• Definitions, word for word.
• Enumerations or lists of things that are discussed. 
• Material written on the chalkboard or on a transparency, including drawings or charts. 
• Information that is repeated or spelled out. (University of Texas at Austin)

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5. Review and edit your notes.

"Ideas won't keep; something must be done about them." 
--- Alfred North Whitehead (1861 - 1947), English mathematician and philosopher.
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Academic skills centres and other authorities on effective study skills consider reviewing and editing class notes to be the most important part of note taking and essential to increasing learning capacity.

• It is extremely important to review your notes within 24 hours. 
• Edit for words and phrases that are illegible or don't make sense. Write out abbreviated words that might be unclear later.
• Edit with a different colored pen to distinguish between what you wrote in class and what you filled in later. 
• Fill in key words and questions in the left-hand column. 
• Note anything you don't understand by underlining or highlighting to remind you to ask the instructor.
• Compare your notes with the textbook reading and fill in important details in the blank spaces you left.
• Consider rewriting or typing up your notes. 

Published elsewhere: http://cape-commstudies.blogspot.ca/2010_10_01_archive.html

START HERE==>Welcome

Welcome to the rewarding world of Communication Studies. Some of you may be interested in pursuing a career in Communications while some of you may be considering Culinary Arts, Graphic Design, Software Engineering, Business, Education etc. Whatever the case may be, you all have one thing in common and that is - mastering Communication Studies for career success and advancement! 

This blog is one channel that we will be using to achieve this goal. The content will explore some of the essentials of business communications. So be sure to ask a lot of questions, practice writing and most importantly challenge yourself to read daily!