CMST 240 | EXAM 1 Notes | Ch 1-6

WEEK 1: Aug. 24-28

Chapter 1- Business and Professional Communication
● Current state of business communication is in a state of transformation
● Many companies seek to create a turbulent business environment to gain
competitive advantage
○ Ex. Amazon offering same day package delivery to compete with
UPS, Fedex, USPS
● Diversity- existence of many unique individuals in the workplace,
marketplace, and community. This includes men and women from
different nations, cultures, ethnic groups, generations, backgrounds,
skills, abilities, and all the other unique differences that make each of us
who we are
○ A more diverse workplace increases the challenges associated with
communication
● Communication Technologies change the way people work and they share
several important features:
○ Increase speed of organization
○ Offer ways to access people in situations and locations previously
unimagined
○ Allow for almost immediate access to and sharing of information
from most any point on Earth
○ Have the potential to make existing business models obsolete
● Ethics- set of values and beliefs that provide guidelines for behaviors
and influence judgments as to what is right or wrong. These sets of values
and beliefs offer a perspective from which to understand the ethical
content of our own and others’ behaviors
● Plagiarism- involves using the work of others and representing it as your
own. As a speaker, you must give credit to others for their ideas

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CMST 240 | EXAM 1 Notes | Ch 1-6

The Models of Communication

● Feedback- messages sent in response to other messages.
○ Ex. your instructor may respond to a point you raise during class
discussion
● 3 Models of Communication:
1. Linear Communication Model- where a sender encodes a message via a
channel and the message is decoded by the receiver
a. Ex. mass communication like television, radio, newspapers, etc.
b. No immediate feedback
2. Interactive Communication Model- after a message is encoded and sent
to the decoding receiver, the roles then reverse, and the receiver encodes
and sends a response to the original sender who has now turned receiver
a. Ex. A text message conversation where your friend sends you a
message and you respond to it
b. Feedback
3. Transactional Communication Model- receiver and sender can play the
same roles simultaneously, as sometimes happens, as messages can be sent
back and forth simultaneously
a. Feedback
[Source: http://thecommunicationprocess.com/models-of-communication/
https://open.lib.umn.edu/communication/chapter/1-2-the-communication-process/
]

What Communication Skills do College Grads Need?

● The class of 2016 was overwhelmingly optimistic about their prospects for
getting a job within their field of study.

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CMST 240 | EXAM 1 Notes | Ch 1-6

● Unfortunately, recent studies reveal that underemployment was the reality

for more than half (51%) of those who graduated in the past two years.
● Skills hiring managers found lacking: Critical thinking, problem solving,
attention to detail, communication, leadership, ownership, teamwork, and
writing proficiency
[Source:
https://www.fastcompany.com/3059940/these-are-the-biggest-skills-that-new-grad
uates-lack]

WEEK 2: Aug. 31-Sept. 4

Chapter 2- The Communication Process
● Intention- proven to be a difficult issue to resolve when defining
communication
○ Perspective #1: communication need not be intentional
■ Implication-- All we do is considered communication
○ Perspective #2: individuals are pursuing a goal/set of goals
through the intentional use of symbolic behavior when they
communicate with others
■ Implication—study of communication is limited to
purposeful interaction
● Communication- intentional use of messages to create shared
understandings
● People pursue 3 kinds of goals when they communication:
○ 1. Functional Objectives- to inform, to persuade, to entertain, to
coordinate/regulate, to question
○ 2. Relational Objectives- we define who holds power and
authority in the relationship when we communicate

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CMST 240 | EXAM 1 Notes | Ch 1-6

○ 3. Identity Management Objectives- we seek to have others view

us in the way we wish
● When communicating in the workplace, we pursue all 3 of these goals at
once
○ Most often communicate ineffectively via [1] relational & [2]
identity mgmt.
● Source Message Channel Receiver Model (SMCR)- AKA the Linear
Model
Source→Message → Channel→Receiver
● Source- speaker
● Message- content of what the speaker wants to communicate
● Channel- medium
○ Ex. TV, face to face, radio
● Receiver- decodes the message and interprets it
● Transactional Model- people engage in a transaction by sending and
receiving messages simultaneously, interference and context both impact
the encoding/ decoding of the message
● Interference- factors that inhibit the exchange of meaning or impede the
message
● Context- surrounding environment or situation
● Most important difference between the two models is that the transactional
model involves feedback
● Feedback- nonverbal or verbal response from receivers that are sent back
to the speaker in reaction to a message
● Business communication differs from other communication contexts in
several ways:
○ Roles- people take on different roles when in an organization than
in a social setting

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CMST 240 | EXAM 1 Notes | Ch 1-6

○ Planning/ preparation- a business presentation takes more planning

than a normal conversation
○ Degree of formality- presentations, interviews, and meetings tend
to be viewed as more formal than day-to-day conversations
○ Communication rules- many of the rules we use to guide
conversations don’t apply in business presentations
● Overcoming challenges associated with a diverse audience:
○ Analyze audience- learn about the audience to adapt your message
○ Reverse the roles- would you feel comfortable with a speaker from
a different culture if he/she treats your cultural beliefs the way you
plan to treat their cultural beliefs?
○ Avoid ethnocentrism- belief that your worldview is superior to
others
○ Learn the jargon- symbols are not interpreted the same in all
cultures so be mindful
● Hearing a message is not the same as listening to a message
○ Listening- the receiver is actually concentrating on the message
with the goal of interpreting it
■ Process that involves hearing (receiver-able to detect the
sounds directed toward him/her), evaluating, & responding
to spoken messages
■ *Least understood* role – involves mostly internal
(cognitive process) rather than behaviors
○ Effective listening- requires receiver to actively engage when
people are communicating
● Filters- barriers to effective listening
○ Ex. setting, interests, values, assumptions, bias, background and
experiences

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CMST 240 | EXAM 1 Notes | Ch 1-6

● 4 listening weaknesses:
1. limited attention span
■ can be increased by (A) consciously not engaging in mental
distractions & (B) not giving into physical distractions
2. listening too hard & missing the big picture
3. reserving judgement/jump to conclusions
4. focusing on delivery & personal appearance
● 6 guidelines for effective listening: take listening seriously, resist
distractions, resist diversion by delivery/appearance, suspend judgement,
develop note-taking skills, focus on the main points & evidence
● Communication Apprehension- anxiety people experience when they
think about OR engage in communication
● Speech Anxiety- anxiety we experience when we think about OR engage
in business presentations 🡪2 Types:
○ Trait- level of anxiety = long-term, enduring characteristic
○ State- anxiousness is brought on by particular situations
● Methods to manage speech anxiety:
○ Self- perception- change how the individual perceives him/herself
when delivering presentations
○ Visualization- speaker places self in hypothetical presentation
situation prior to the actual delivery; vividly imagine delivering
effectively
■ Repetition reduces fears—(-) image 🡪(+) image
○ Competence- strengthen skills of the speaker via training
○ Skills Training- requires individual to gain additional experience
as a speaker

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CMST 240 | EXAM 1 Notes | Ch 1-6

○ Physiology- address the symptoms of communication

apprehension to more effectively manage it (e.g. relaxation
training- take deep breaths before speech)
Common Knowledge
● Common Knowledge- it is knowledge that most educated people know or
can find out easily in an encyclopedia or dictionary
○ Communal knowledge that no one person can claim
● The lines are blurry between what is common knowledge and what needs
to be cited
● Ask yourself: What has been said in the class or repeated in textbooks and
other sources often enough to suggest that it is common knowledge within
the discipline?
[Source:
https://poorvucenter.yale.edu/writing/using-sources/understanding-and-avoiding-p
lagiarism/common-knowledge]

WEEK 3: Sept. 7.-Sept. 11

Chapter 3- The Process of Communicating and Organizing
● 3 general approaches to organizing and communicating: Classical, Human
Relations, and Human Resources
● Classical Organization Theories- are characterized by a strong focus on
organizational structure
○ General principles- involve way company should organize,
develop standards for job duties, establish lines of authority, and
motivate workers
● Scientific Management- developed by Frederick Taylor and comprised of
4 great underlying principles of management

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CMST 240 | EXAM 1 Notes | Ch 1-6

○ 1. Develop a true science of work

○ 2. Scientifically select and develop employees
○ 3. Link the science of work to scientifically selected employees
○ 4. Establish constant and intimate cooperation of managers and
workers
● Bureaucratic Model- developed by Max Weber and comprised of 3 ways
in which power and authority are legitimate in organizations
○ 1. Charismatic- the leader has an edge or “shine” they need to
give people a reason to believe in their leadership\
■ Ex. Steve Jobs, Bill Clinton
○ 2. Precedent and Usage- people in the organization come to
expect authority to be applied based on custom
■ Ex. Family run businesses
○ 3. Bureaucratic Model- focus on a process of rational analysis
that involved designing an organization to meet specific goals,
should run like a well-oiled machine
■ Shown through organizational charts- illustrates
hierarchical arrangement of an organization
● Weber’s model led people to think of communication as moving in
directions leading to creation of communication channels
● Communication Channels- involving upward, downward, and horizontal
communication
● Downward Communication- messages being communicated from
supervisor to subordinates
● Upward Communication- messages move from subordinates to
supervisor
● Horizontal Communication- people at the same level share messages

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CMST 240 | EXAM 1 Notes | Ch 1-6

● Human Relations Movement- organizations are composed of human

beings who bring their interests, goals, and desires to the workplace, path
to effectiveness involved social dimensions of the workplace instead of
tasks and structures
○ Became less popular when people realized that a happy worker
doesn’t equal a productive worker
● Human Resources Movement- focused on all the resources (ideas,
knowledge, skills, etc.) people can bring to the business
○ Stressed opportunities for individual and organizational growth
● Organization Culture- shared values, beliefs, and symbols, and actions
of organization members that are passed to succeeding employees

Chapter 4- The Interviewing Process

● Interviews- transactional communication event involving 2 parties, at
least of one whom is pursuing prearranged goals
● Mediated Interviews- offer people the opportunity to access information
or other technologies in ways that aren’t as easy during face-to-face
encounters
○ Ex. Electronic, telephone
○ Restrict both parties to a limited range of visual message content
and nonverbal messages
● Goals- what the interviewer and interviewee want to accomplish
● Topics- what will be addressed in the interview
● 2 interview strategies: directive and nondirective
● Directive- bring about a highly structured, controlled interview, identical
questions for each candidate
● Nondirective- no particular order of topics and interviewee largely
determines the pace and structure, used mostly for final stage interviews

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CMST 240 | EXAM 1 Notes | Ch 1-6

● 3 types of question strategies: open vs. close- ended, primary vs. probing,
and neutral vs. leading
○ Open-ended vs. close-ended- open can’t be answered with a
single word or phrase but close can
○ Primary vs. probing- primary is prepared in advance and probing
is in response to an interviewees answer
○ Neutral vs. leading- neutral doesn’t influence the interviewee to
answer in a specific way and leading does
■ Leading questions should be avoided
○ Loaded questions- dictate what counts as the right answer
■ Ex. Do you use Facebook like those slackers in the office
down the hall?
● Tunnel Sequence- questions prepared are all similar in depth, either
narrow or broad
○ Used most often when the goal is to gather information rather than
persuade or evaluate
● Funnel Sequence- questions arranged to begin broad and move into more
narrow
● Inverted Funnel Sequence- questions arranged to begin narrow and
move into more broad
● Hourglass Sequence- combines both funnel and inverted funnel, moves in
and out of narrow and broad
● Establishing Rapport- creation of a willing, receptive communication
climate between the 2 parties, feeling comfortable
● Interview Preview- sets 2 important functions
○ 1. Party initiating the interview begins with statement of purpose
○ 2. Party initiating provides an orientation statement that
summarizes the topics to be discussed

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CMST 240 | EXAM 1 Notes | Ch 1-6

● 3 types of interviews: employee, performance, disciplinary

● Employee Interview- used to fill new/vacant positions or for promoting

What is Public Narrative

● Public Narrative- leadership art through which we translate values into
action: engaging heart, head, and hands
● We interpret the world through narrative and analysis
● Narrative articulates how we feel about things (affect) better than what we think
about them (cognition)
● Analysis applies rules of critical reason and evidence to understanding data in the world.
○ Analysis articulates what we think about things (cognition) better than how we feel
about them (affect).
● Storytelling involves plot, characters, and morals
● Plot consists of challenge, choice, and an outcome
● We build our public story with three components. Our Story of Self allows others to
experience the values that move us to lead. Our Story of Us makes common cause
with a broader community whose values we share. And a Story of Now calls us to act,
so we can shape the future in ways consistent with those values.
[Source: Canvas page PDF]

NO WEEK 4

WEEK 5: Sept. 20 -Sept. 25

Chapter 5- Business Presentations: Preparations
● Preparation in the single most important factor in determining if you will
deliver an effective presentation
● General Purpose- broad based goal of a presentation and is usually made
clear to the speaker when he/she is asked to give presentation

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CMST 240 | EXAM 1 Notes | Ch 1-6

● 3 general purposes of a presentation are to inform, persuade, and entertain

○ All functional objectives from Chapter 2
● Specific Purpose- single phrase that focuses on only one aspect of your
topic, should state exactly what you want to accomplish in presentation
○ Observable and measurable
○ Ex. To inform my audience of the 5 basic parts of a business plan
● Guidelines to writing specific purpose:
○ Topic and specific purpose must meet requirements of assignment
○ Purpose must be narrow enough to achieve in the allotted time
○ Relevant to the audience
○ Must not be trivial- is this info worth knowing?
○ Not too technical for the audience
● Thesis/ Central Idea- concise, one sentence statement of what the
presentation is about
● Topic to Central Idea Example
○ Topic: Aging Workforce
○ General Purpose: To inform
○ Specific Purpose: The 3 major areas impacted by an aging
workforce include higher health care spending, increased pension
costs, and a reduction in income tax revenue.
● Egocentrism- speaker simply empresses his/ her views that reflect his/her
own values, beliefs, experiences regardless of the audience
○ Ineffective way to communicate with audience
● Audience- centeredness- adapt message to the needs, values, and beliefs
of the receivers
● Determining who is making up the audience depends on demographics
● Demographic variables- qualities or characteristics that can be used to
segment or divide the population into groups

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CMST 240 | EXAM 1 Notes | Ch 1-6

○ Ex. gender, race, ethnicity

● Attitude- predisposition or evaluation toward someone or something, can
influence how audience receives the presentation
● When preparing the presentation, consider the following about the setting:
○ Location
○ Layout of the room
○ Potential distractions
○ Time of day of presentation
○ Audio-visual equipment
● Comprehension Questions- special kind of question that seeks feedback
from audience
● The following are the Key Elements of Presentation Organization and
Structure:
● Main Points- key parts of presentation that make up the central idea
○ Guidelines to writing main points:
■ Limit main points
■ Should be distinct
■ Make certain all of them are worded consistently
■ Equal time to each main point
■ Strategically order the main points
● Supporting Material- evidence to back up each main point
● 5 Organizational Patterns (used to arrange main points)
○ Chronological- organizing based on time, best for presentations
that involve a process or event (often informative)
■ Ex. 5 Steps for a Marketing Campaign
○ Spatial- organizing based on topics top to bottom or left to right,
best for presentations that involve shape or form (often
informative)

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CMST 240 | EXAM 1 Notes | Ch 1-6

■ Ex. 3 Major Regions of Tennessee

○ Casual- organizing based on cause and effect, best for
presentations with 2 main points (informative & persuasive)
■ Ex. 3 Major Causes of Obesity
○ Problem- Solution- organization based a problem & how to fix it
(best for persuasive)
■ Ex. State Law Needs to Prohibit Cell Phone Use while
Driving
○ Topical- organization based on logical subtopics that become your
main point (best for merging multiple issues)
■ Ex. 5 Major Accomplishments of Elon Musk
● Connectives- words or phrases that link 2 thoughts & make clear their
relationship (make presentation unified & coherent)
○ Transitions- sentences used between main points (body*)
■ **Most important of ALL** bc they make main points
clear
○ Internal Previews- tell the listener what will be covered next
■ Most important one is located b/w the intro &
body—“First, I will talk about…” (internal preview
statement-placed after the central idea)
○ Internal Summaries- used only to recap what has been discussed
■ the most important one will be in the conclusion before
recapping the main points
○ Signposts- tell where you are currently in the presentation
■ Used b/w subpoints
● 4 Objectives for Introduction:
1. Gain attention of the audience using one device (which allows
relatability):

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CMST 240 | EXAM 1 Notes | Ch 1-6

■ Ex. State importance of topic, question, quote, story, startle,

arouse curiosity
2. Reveal purpose to avoid confusion
3. Establish credibility as the speaker
4. Preview the central idea of the presentation
● Conclusion- signals the end of the presentation, summarizes the main
points, end with a dramatic final statement
● Guidelines for writing conclusion:
○ Conclude on a strong note
○ Be relatively brief
○ Avoid introducing new information
● Preparation Outline- full representation of the entire presentation, mostly
for the audience
● Speaking Outline- notes the speaker uses during the presentation
● Visual Aid- visuals used to enhance the presentation and main points
○ Advantages: added clarity and interest, aids in retention
○ Types: objects, models, pictures, drawings, graphs and charts,
recordings, and handouts
● Guidelines for preparing visual aids:
○ Prepare after preparing presentation
○ Keep it simple
○ Make it large enough to be seen
● Guidelines for practicing the presentation
○ Read the speaking outline aloud
○ Talk through examples and stories
○ Recite stats and quotes
○ Use visual aids as you practice
○ Keep time

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CMST 240 | EXAM 1 Notes | Ch 1-6

○ Concentrate on ideas, not exact words

○ Practice in front of others

Using Visual Aids

1. Plan your presentation before creating visual aids
2. Use sparingly
3. Make them visual to entire audience
4. Talk to audience, not visual aids
5. Avoid laser pointers
6. Explain visual aid when you first show it
7. Remove it when you're done with it
8. Limit amount of material on one visual aid
9. Avoid clip art
10. Be prepared to give presentation without visual aids
[Source: http://wittcom.com/10-tips-for-using-visual-aids/ ]

Designing Visual Aids

● Make each visual stand out on its own
● Achieve balance and consistent layouts
● Make them easy to read
● Include only main points
[Source:
https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-resources/teaching-ti
ps/lecturing-and-presenting/logistics/designing-visual-aids ]

WEEK 6: Sept. 27 -Oct. 2

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CMST 240 | EXAM 1 Notes | Ch 1-6

Chapter 6- Business Presentations: Delivery

● 2 components of any presentation: content and delivery
● Effective delivery is characterized by 2 qualities: naturalness and
conversational quality
● Impromptu- little or no preparation for short presentations
● Reading from a manuscript- every word is stated as it is written
● Reciting the presentation from memory- not an effective method of
delivery because the speaker cannot adapt the message
● Extemporaneous- carefully prepared and rehearsed and is presented from
a brief set of notes
● The goal is to be conversational with the audience to seem more
approachable
● 8 voice factors that influence the performance
○ Volume- speak loud enough for everyone to hear
○ Rate- the speed with which you speak
○ Pitch- highness or lowness of voice
○ Vocal Variety- changes in rate, pitch, and volume that give the
voice expressiveness are considered vocal variety
○ Pauses- momentary breaks in vocal delivery are pauses
○ Vocalized Pauses- filler words that are inappropriate to use in
presentations like “uh” or “you know”
○ Pronunciation- accepted standard of sound and rhythm
○ Articulation- physical production of sounds
○ Dialect- variations of accent, grammar, or vocabulary
● Nonverbal Communication
○ Eye contact
○ Body movement
○ Gestures

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CMST 240 | EXAM 1 Notes | Ch 1-6

○ Appearance
● Addressing Audience Questions
○ Wait to answer questions until the end of the presentation
○ Guidelines:
■ Take it seriously
■ Use the same conversational delivery style
■ Have a positive attitude
■ Listen carefully
■ Answer only the questions that has been asked
■ Repeat the question to the entire audience
■ Direct your answer to the audience and not just the person
who asked
■ Be honest and straightforward
Types of Nonverbal Communication
● Kinesics- study of hand, arm, body, and face movements
● Adaptors- touching behaviors and movements that indicate internal states
typically related to arousal or anxiety
● Emblems- gestures that have a specific agreed-on meaning
○ Ex. thumbs up
● Illustrators- most common time of gesture and are used to illustrate the
verbal message they accompany
● 4 general human postures: standing, sitting, squatting, and lying down
● Oculesics- study of nonverbal eye behaviors
● Haptics- study of communication by touch
● Vocalics- study of paralanguage, which includes the vocal qualities that go
along with verbal messages, such as pitch, volume, rate, vocal quality, and
verbal fillers
● Communicative functions of vocalics

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CMST 240 | EXAM 1 Notes | Ch 1-6

○ Repetition- vocalic cues reinforce other verbal and nonverbal cues

○ Complementing- elaborate on or modify verbal and nonverbal
meaning
○ Accenting- emphasizing a particular part of a message
○ Substituting- vocalic cues can take the place of other verbal or
nonverbal cues
○ Regulating- regulate the flow of the conversations
○ Contradicting- vocalic cues may contradict other verbal or
nonverbal signals
● Proxemics- study of how space and distance influence communication
○ Intimate Space- 0-1.5’
○ Personal Space- 1.5-4’
○ Social Space- 4-12’
○ Public Space- 12’+
● Territoriality- innate drive to take up and defend spaces
● Chronemics- study of how time affects communication
○ Time is classified into several different categories, including
biological, personal, physical, and cultural time
[Source:
https://open.lib.umn.edu/communication/chapter/4-2-types-of-nonverbal-commun
ication/]
10 Nonverbal Cues that Convey Confidence at Work
1. Good eye contact
2. A confident handshake
3. Effective gestures
4. Dressing the part
5. Authoritative posture and presence
6. Appropriate facial expressions

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CMST 240 | EXAM 1 Notes | Ch 1-6

7. Initiating interactions
8. Appropriate voice tone
9. Giving your full attention
10. Responding to others nonverbal cues
[Source:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/03/11/10-nonverbal-cues-that-
convey-confidence-at-work/#9b4f92a5e13e ]

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