Module Purposive Comm Revised Final

Module in Purposive Communication GE5
MODULE 8
COMMUNICATION FOR WORK PURPOSES
Introduction
Communication in the workplace is very important for companies to work efficiently and be
productive. Employees can experience increased morale, productivity and commitment if they can
communicate up and down a company’s communication chain. Employers who spend time and
energy to create open communication lines will quickly create trust among employees, resulting in
productivity, performance and overall morale. At the same time, employees who communicate
effectively with their colleagues, managers and customers continue to be valuable assets to a
company.
Poor communication in the workplace will inevitably lead to non-motivated staff that can begin to
question their confidence in their skills and organizations.
What is Workplace Communication?
Workplace communication is the process of exchanging information, both verbal and non-verbal,
within an organization. There are many means of communication. To be an effective and valuable
member of your workplace it is important that you become skilled in all the different methods of
communication that are appropriate.
Effective workplace communication ensures that organizational objectives are achieved.

Workplace communication is tremendously important to organizations because it increases
productivity and efficiency. Ineffective workplace communication leads to communication gaps
between employees, which causes confusion, wastes time, and reduces productivity.
Misunderstandings that cause friction between people can be avoided by communicating effectively.
For communication to occur it must pass from a sender to a receiver. This must occur
irrespective of the form of communication.
For communication to be effective it must be understood by the receiver and can be responded
to. This means that communication involves speaking, reading, listening, and reasoning skills.
As communications pass from the source to the receiver there is plenty of opportunity for its
original meaning to change. Therefore listening, reasoning and feedback is an important part of the
process as it is an opportunity for the sender to make sure the receiver has understood the message.
The other consideration is the “noise” associated with the communication – what else is happening,
what are the distractions, the baggage etc. Noise can have a big impact on the message the
receiver decodes.
Why is Effective Communication Important?
1. Workplace communication improves productivity.
2. Workplace communication can increase employee job satisfaction.
3. Workplace communication can have a positive effect on absenteeism and turnover rates.
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How to Communicate in the Workplace
Communication in the workplace should occur in a way that responds positively to individual
differences. Consider the following:
Value all individuals and treat them with respect, courtesy and sensitivity.
Recognize cultural differences.
Communicate in a way to develop and maintain positive relationships, trust and
confidence.
Make an effort to use basic strategies to overcome communication barriers.
The way that you communicate impacts your ability to get along with people and get the things that
you want/need done. Communication, whether verbal, written or visual can be expressed in positive
and negative ways. Individuals need to take feedback from how others interpret or perceive how they
are communicating. Sometimes we can be perceived as aggressive even though it is not intended.
When Verbally Communicating:
 Speak clearly and listen carefully to ensure information is understood.

 Ask questions and confirm the meaning of information to avoid misunderstandings.
 Let others talk – a conversation is a two-way event at a minimum.
 Engage in difficult conversations when necessary – not saying something to avoid a
difficult conversation usually makes things worse.
 Ensure the tone you use is open and non-confrontational and encourage feedback.
When Communicating Through Email (Or Other Written Communication):
 Always read, then re-read an email before sending to check spelling, grammar and tone.
 Ensure that the content of the email is relevant and has an appropriate subject heading.
 Ensure that contact details are appended to the email, so that those reading it can contact the
sender if required.
 Be polite, concise, use valid points and avoid lengthy ramblings.
 Don’t cc the email to anyone to whom it is not relevant.
 Avoid using email to discuss confidential information.
The workplace is always a professional environment. This means that each type of written
communication has an expected professional standard. Some of the basic expectations are that all
written communication:
 Is simple and easy to understand.

 Is to the point and avoids unnecessary repetition or sentence “sprawl” (long rambling
sentences).
 Avoids too many technical terms.
 Avoids slang, offensive language and discriminatory, racist or sexist language.
How to Communicate with Clients & Customers
A client or customer is someone you provide a service to, complete a task for, or sell a product to
outside of your organization. It is important that you are polite and use verbal and non-verbal
communication to respond to the client or customer requests in an appropriate manner.
Miscommunication can occur in many ways and create significant problems in the workplace. What
your client or customer “hears” as they listen to you can become a miscommunication based on:
 The words you are speaking being misinterpreted.

 Your body language sending a message that is different from your words.
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 They are not listening to you properly or you are not listening to them properly.
 Here are some tips to help you communicate effectively with clients and customers:
 Speak clearly and accurately - speak at a rate your customer can understand you and provide
correct information.
 Be open and non-judgmental - have an open posture; do not judge the way your customer is
dressed or presents himself or herself.
 Be respectful of your customers’ feelings - be professional and be aware of the words you use.
 Use the customer’s name - this makes them feel special and valued.
 Unlearn your own bad habits - be aware of your own behavior, always be self-assessing.
 Be aware of non-verbal messages - make sure you are displaying positive and appropriate
body language at all times.
 Be interested in people - take a genuine interest in the customer’s needs. This will build
rapport and trust.
 Ask questions and be open to feedback – ask your customers open-ended questions (not
yes/no questions) to find out what they are looking for.
Activity 1 
WORK CASE ANALYSIS
The following cases focus on communication gaps in the workplace. Read and
comprehend their context and select from the choices given the barrier involved
then justify your answer.
1. Mike, Operations Manager for Solar Solutions, has had communication difficulties
about the daily production of steel in his meetings with James, one of the shift
supervisors. Assuming this is an issue of hierarchy, the barrier they face is related
to _____.
a. Gender differences c. Language Differences d. Cultural difference
b. Status Differences
Justify your answer:

_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
2. LSA marketing manager is irritated that his counterpart in Japan limited eye contact
during a recent visit to his facility. Eye contact is a sign of attentiveness to one but
represents inappropriate behavior to the other. What type of barrier is this?
a. Gender differences c. Language Differences d. Cultural difference

b. Status Differences
Justify your answer:

_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
Source: https://study.com/academy/practice/quiz-worksheet-barriers-to-effective-workplace-
communication.html
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Activity 2 
EXPERIENCING WORK SITUATIONS
The passage below focuses on communication transactions that exist in the real work
stations. Read the passage comprehensively and answer the discussion questions that
follow
Good Work Goes Unrewarded
Iris Jones is the Associate Vice President of a large chain pharmaceutical company based
in the northeastern part of the country. Recently her chief operating officer, Philip Walker,
asked her to complete five high revenue generating projects for the company. Her
expedient completion of these projects would enable her to advance into a senior-level
management position. Determined to get a promotion, Jones handed these projects over to
her very competent network team. The team was hesitant to work hard, for in the past
Jones took all the credit and bonuses for herself, when they were the ones who
accomplished all the tasks. Nonetheless, the team took on these new high profile projects
and completed them with a very high success rate. Months later as the profits began to
rise, Jones was summoned into Walker’s office. When asked if her team contributed in any
way to her successful projects, Jones simply answered “No” and took all the credit. Walker
was planning to increase her team’s salary but felt no reason for it after Jones’ response.
Discussion Questions
1. What should the team have done before accepting Jones’ new projects?
2. Did the team have motive to jeopardize these high profile projects?
3. What do you think of Jones’ inability to highlight her employees’ meritorious

work?
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Conceptualizing Effective Communication Materials in the Workplace
Today, it is widely acknowledged that professional performances are developed through and
greatly influenced by communication, and professional skills are as important as language skills. The
demands of the globalizing society and the continuously upgrading technologies have imposed new
requirements in transmitting the results of work to other people, understandably and persuasively,
both verbally and in writing. This changing environment in which technical communication occurs has
placed more emphasis on the psychological, social, and rhetorical principles for effective
communication. If you are a technical professional or planning to become one, you should prepare
yourself for work in this increasingly internationalized world. You should seek out opportunities for
studying foreign cultures and languages and learn how to deal with people who may not share your
cultural norms. Indeed, the use of effective communication materials in communicating with others is
very significant specifically in achieving better communication transactions.
Hence, some theories were used to further the understanding of various types of
communications materials.
1. Diffusion of Innovation – Postulated by Everett Rogers)
This theory stipulates that changes/innovations when communicated through certain

channels gradually diffuse into a community from a certain point. It implies that ideas or
messages communicated can be a stimulus from which wider social change can take place
although the ultimate decision to change is a personal decision.
2. Stages of Change – Introduced by Prochaska
This theory explains that individual change, whether to adopt healthy or end
unhealthy behaviors takes place through a process. Individuals move from a state of being
unaware about a problem to recognizing the problem and consequently getting support to
and then taking long term actions to change/solve the problem/situation. The theory
recognizes that change only begins to take place if the individual is aware of a problem and
willing to effect the change themselves. In terms of communication materials development it
implies that messages should be provoking enough to induce personal reflections and later
the drive to change as well as be crafted to move communities along a process of change
(e.g., not calling for action before something is considered as a problem).
3. Social Cognitive Theory – Theorized by Albert Bandura
This theory propounds that the belief one has in oneself and one’s ability to create
positive change (self efficacy) is necessary for any change to take place. That in order for
someone to change one needs to feel they are able to make that change happen. The
message in this theory for communications materials thus is in recognizing the benefits of
positive and empowering concepts as a driver for change in individuals and in communities.
Suggested Activities: Students may discuss/react on the usefulness of understanding the linkage
between theory and practice when developing communication materials. The
discussion opened room for reflections on how much thought is given to
development of text and images in materials.
Some specific concerns were; how we can identify specific audiences for messages, how we
can make materials provocative and reflective and how materials can foster individual change
as well as culminate into broader social change.
Reactions may be uploaded to the new.edmodo.com account (GE1- Purposive

Communication) or at the face book page account of the subject.
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References
20 Ways to Communicate Effectively with Your Team. Link

https://smallbiztrends.com/2013/11/ways-to-communicate-effectively-in-
theworkplace.html
Workplaces That Work: Interpersonal Communication . Link http://hrcouncil.ca/hr-

toolkit/workplaces-interpersonal.cfm
Workplace Communication [Regional Skills Training Pty Ltd.]

Link:http://www.regionalskillstraining.com/sites/default/files/content/WC%20Book
%201.pdf
Workplace Communication – Wikipedia . Link

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workplace_communication
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MODULE 9
COMMUNICATION FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES
Introduction
At all levels of education, students must be able to communicate effectively. Without well-
developed communication skills, children run the risk of falling behind their peers or becoming
emotionally overwhelmed or withdrawn at school.
Academic success depends on solid communication skills, beginning with clear oral
communication. Students are often called upon in class to answer questions. These questions may
range from those with simple factual answers to questions that involve putting thoughts together and
making arguments. Answers to questions need to be communicated effectively so teachers can
assess a student’s knowledge. Students with oral challenges may also become embarrassed if they
are unable to communicate on par with their peers. If a student stutters or mumbles they may become
fearful of speaking up in class, and this in turn can lead to lowered grades and diminished self-
esteem.
Lesson 1. Perspective of Communication for Academic Purposes
Academic Communication Defined

Source: https://learn.org/articles/What_are_Academic_Communications.html
Academic communication involves presenting ideas effectively and formally in a scholastic

environment. If you attend an institution of higher education, you can use these skills to contribute to
the academic conversation with your teachers and peers.
Many people intuitively know the proper way to communicate in different settings; for instance, the
way you speak to your friends is usually different than the way you speak to your parents. Academic
communication, also called scholarly communication, refers to methods of communication that are
highly structured and generally only used in pedagogical settings. Academic communication can
include the words and structures used to express ideas, as well as the methods by which ideas are
disseminated.
Most academic writing follows a number of specific rules and you are expected to follow them whilst
writing at university.
 Academic writing contains a number of consistent features:
 Uses clear formal language (no colloquial/slang words)
 Includes evidence from other experts in the field (references)
 Answers or debates a specific question or field (focused)
 Has clear organization and layout (logical structure).
 Is grammatically correct.
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It might sometimes feel like academic writing doesn’t come naturally to you. This may be
because it includes words that we don’t use in everyday conversation. Remember that the
more you read within the context of your discipline, the more familiar it will become.
Academic writing usually... Because..

You must prove to an expert (your tutor) that you
includes subject specific terms
understand what these words mean
This removes bias and can allow the reader to see the
is written in the third person (for
evidence of the piece and not simply the author’s
example ‘the research uncovered’)
voice
adheres to specific rules Referencing is evidence of the research you have
(referencing) undertaken to inform your assignment
Academic writing may be read by scholars all over
seems formal and conservative (does
the world and a chatty conversational tone or slang
not include slang or local dialect
words may not be understood by those outside of
words)
your geographical area
Academic Writing and Communication Skills
Academic writing and communication skills are essential aspects of a student’s learning
process. They are also essential when it comes to the workplace irrespective of the career
path that one chooses. As such, you need to know how you can enhance your
communication skills.
Academic Writing as an Integral Part of the Studies
Academic writing is essential to every student and can be used to enhance one’s communication
skills. With it, a student can show how to apply the knowledge acquired so far. This writing happens in
a different setting; for instance; you can have academic writing that presents an argument with
evidence to support the viewpoint. Sometimes it is due to analyze certain information and present the
analysis as a written piece. All these aspects point to how you can communicate a standpoint or even
present information pertaining to a topic.
Communication Aspects Derived from Academic Writing
Source: https://essaymin.com/blog/academic-writing-enhance-communication-skills/
There are some aspects of communication that you can derive from academic writing to enhance your
communication. For those who thought that your academic skills are done once you graduate, there is
more to it than meets the eye. They can come in handy, especially if you get to a place of leadership.
As a student, you should be able to improve both the written and spoken to make your communication
all-round.
Your communication skill is enhanced through academic writing in the following ways:
1. Making Arguments that are well-reasoned
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Remember that when engaging in academic writing, you are supposed to present a
well-reasoned argument backed up by evidence. The same case applies when it comes to
communication. You have to present your argument in a manner that is well reasoned. In other
words, you are more capable of presenting substantiated decisions that are logical instead of
bluster. For instance, if you re asked a question, you go beyond saying “yes” or “no” and give a
reasoned argument.
2. Communicating without Formal Language
Your communication skills will earn you respect from around you. The way you write
your academic papers following all the rules of citation and references earns you not only good
grades but also respect from your lecturer because you have presented your work as a good
scholar. Academic writing you an edge when it comes to communicating informally. You can
put your argument in clear, unequivocal terms and the end; you earn respect.
This is necessary, especially during your career, which is why you should take your time to
enhance your academic writing and use it as a stepping-stone to becoming a better
communicator.
a. Academic writing hones your correspondence
In your life as a student, you will write numerous academic papers. As time goes by, you will
become a better writer, and you will find it easy even to write reports. Being good at writing
helps you even to save time. You can effectively communicate more by saying or writing
less.
b. Placing sufficient emphasis on evidence
Academic writing helps you to draw observations from data and information. This helps you
to answer questions and provide evidence, thereby communicating effectively on the
matter at hand.
c. Ability to focus on facts
When you are communicating, facts are important. With academic writing, you are
supposed to use facts and evidence as a way of validating your standpoint.
Communication works the same, and you can put aside all irrelevances and focus on what
matters. You can differentiate what is necessary and what is superfluous.
d. Thinking in the language
English has been the means of communication throughout the world. It appeals to native
and non-native English speakers. As such, academic writing is done in English in most
parts of the world. This implies that you have to think in English. Thinking in the language is
one of the fastest ways to master it. To communicate effectively, you need to think in
English, especially in academic writing. This is the way that you are going to communicate
your views. If you are used to academic writing, then writing in English will not be a hard
task. It is a good way to enhance not only your written communication skills but also the
speaking aspect of it.
e. Asking for help from fellow students
Academic writing is no favorite undertaking for some students. Some of them find it hard,
and in most cases, their performance may not be as good as they want it to be. As such,
looking for help from fellow students is a good way of enhancing academic writing prowess
as well as written communication skills. You can decide to engage with friends who can tell
you something about academic writing hat you need to know and do. This improves your
communication skills too. Go to a friend who has experience in the academic writing aspect
that you. You can improve your written and spoken communication skills by listening to you
more experienced friend and see how he or she has applied it.
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Lesson 2. Writing Academic Report: The Research Paper

Source: https://www.wordy.com/writers-workshop/writing-an-academic-report/
The first thing to note is that academic writing is extremely formal. Typically, it should be free
of contractions and any sort of slang. It is also important, generally, to write in the third
person, eliminating pronouns like "I" and "we."
Academic Reports
Although you may not realize it, writing an academic report is different than writing an academic
essay. In an essay, you can provide your thoughts and opinions about a topic or statement. In an
academic report, you should provide a description or analysis of a set of actions you took to research
a specific question or phenomenon.
Research is a process of systematic inquiry that entails collection of data; documentation of

critical information: and analysis and interpretation of that data/information, in accordance with
suitable methodologies set by specific professional fields and academic disciplines. Research is
conducted to evaluate the validity of a hypothesis or an interpretive framework; to assemble a
body of Substantive knowledge and findings for sharing them in appropriate manners; and to
generate questions for further inquiries.
The Research Proposal
A Research Proposal basically a short “sales pitch” to submit your selected subject matter to
your instructor and persuade him/her to accept it as applicable to the assignment, and worthy of
both time and effort. Complete a 100 word minimum Topic Proposal for your research essay.
This must be typed and formatted using MLA style using complete sentences and paragraph
format, explain as specifically as possible what your topic will be. Argue for the relevance or
significance of your topic. How does it meet the definition of social problem? Who do, the
problem involve? What causes or effects can you currently predict prior to further research?
What is your general purpose or point? Who is your intended audience and why? Con you
formulate a thesis statement yet?
Format of Proposal
The proposal should be about 2 – 4 pages. It should be structured as follows:
a. Background/Introduction: This should include a brief literature review, rationale and

objectives of the study. Make sure your research question is stated clearly.
b. Methodology: Describe the steps that you will take to do the study. This should
include the study design, sample selection, process of data collection and data
analysis. Pay special attention to the ethical implications.
c. Timeline: Using the deadline dates on page 2 of this workbook and your rotation
schedule set a realistic timeline for the different steps of your research project. This
will help you stay on track, finish on time, and give each part of the project that time it
deserves.
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d. References: All references sited in the text should be included in this section. You
can use any of the standard accepted styles as long as they are complete and
consistent.
e. Appendices: Include copies of questionnaires, any data collection tools, and consent
forms in this section.
Different Data Gathering Procedures
There are different data gathering procedures that you can use for a term paper. It will depend
on your convenience and ‘he ease in gathering toe required details that you can use for the
research results. In any case, we will discuss some of the major types of data gathering
procedures.
a. Data Mining This procedure is simple. You can easily find many resource materials
where data and numerical figures are already tallied and presented. Usually, you can find
data among research institutions and academic centers. Data mining is simply using an
already published set of data.
b. Interviewing is another example of a date gathering procedure. One benefit that you can
get from this process is that you can actually gather raw and reliable data direct from
your subjects. Although it is time consuming, you can still have very credible result from
this data gathering procedure.
c. Surveying– actually involves gathering responses from subjects through a written

medium. You will be distributing paper questionnaires for your subjects to answer. You
will then tally the results and use the data for your research.
Literature Review
A literature review is a critical analysis of published sources, or literature, on a particular topic. It

is an assessment of the literature and provides a summary, classification, comparison and
evaluation. At postgraduate level literature reviews can be incorporated into an article, a
research report or thesis. At undergraduate level literature reviews con be a separate stand-
alone assessment.
The literature review is generally in the format of a standard essay made up of three
components: on introduction, a body and a conclusion. It is not a list like an annotated
bibliography in which a summary of each source is listed one by one
Research Design
https://nobaproject.com/modules/research-designs
https://ascholarship.com/research-design-types-and-research-method/
A Research Design is a methodical, well-organized procedure utilized by a researcher, or a

scientist to carry out a scientific study. It is a comprehensive co-existence of already identified
elements and any other information or data leading to a reasonable end result.
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The research design is required to follow a pre-planned, well-thought-out methodology, in

agreement with the pre-selected research type, in order to come up with an error-free, authentic
conclusion.
What are the types of Research Design?
A Research Design is necessary since it enables the smooth sailing of the varying
research components, thus making your research more reliable, efficient, and flexible.
There are four major types of research designs, which include:
 Descriptive Research. As the name implies, this is an in-depth sort of research

design that answers what and how.
 Explanatory Research. This sort of research design explains the subject of the
research and thereby answers what, why, and how.
 Exploratory Research. This sort of research explores the subject matter and
answers what and how.
 Evaluation Research. This sort of research determines the productivity of the

subject matter, or a program and is, therefore, quite extensive.
What is Quantitative Research Design?
Quantitative Research – A Quantitative Research analyzes variable relationships in terms

of numbers and statistical strategies to review findings, and is generally divided into four
main types, namely:
 Descriptive Design. This sort of design describes the present status of a

phenomenon, or a variable, and does not require any hypothesis for initiation: It is
developed only after the data is collected. For instance; case-study, naturalistic
observation, surveys, etc.
 Correlational Design. This sort of design utilizes statistical analysis in order to

determine whether two variables are related or not e.g., case-control
study, observational study.
 Quasi-Experimental Design. This sort of design resembles a true experimental

design, and is utilized when a standard research design is not applicable, however;
it is not based upon randomized sample groups.
 Experimental Design. This sort of design determines cause and effect relationships
among various variables in such a way that the independent variable is changed in
order to observe its effect on the dependent variable e.g., experiment with random
assignment.
What is Qualitative Research Design?
Qualitative Research – A qualitative research design is concerned with establishing

answers to the whys and hows of the phenomenon in question (unlike quantitative). Due to
this, qualitative research is often defined as being subjective (not objective), and findings are
gathered in a written format as opposed to numerical.
The underlying reason for carrying out any qualitative research is to gain a richly
detailed understanding of a particular topic, issue, or meaning based on first-hand
experience. This is achieved by having a relatively small but focused sample base because
collecting the data can be rather time consuming; qualitative data is concerned with depth as
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opposed to quantity of findings. A qualitative research design is concerned with establishing

answers to the whys and hows of the phenomenon in question (unlike quantitative).
Due to this, qualitative research is often defined as being subjective (not objective), and
findings are gathered in a written format as opposed to numerical. This means that the data
collected from a piece of qualitative research cannot usually be analysed in a quantifiable
way using statistical techniques because there may not be commonalities between the
various collected findings. However, a process of coding can be implemented if common
categories can be identified during analysis.
A popular and helpful categorization separate qualitative methods into five groups:
ethnography, narrative, phenomenological, grounded theory, and case study. John Creswell
outlines these five methods in Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design.
While the five methods generally use similar data collection techniques (observation,
interviews, and reviewing text), the purpose of the study differentiates them—something
similar with different types of usability tests. And like classifying different usability studies, the
differences between the methods can be a bit blurry. Here are the five qualitative methods in
more detail.
1. Ethnography. Ethnographic research is probably the most familiar and applicable

type of qualitative method to UX professionals. In ethnography, you immerse yourself in the
target participants’ environment to understand the goals, cultures, challenges, motivations,
and themes that emerge. Ethnography has its roots in cultural anthropology where
researchers immerse themselves within a culture, often for years! Rather than relying on
interviews or surveys, you experience the environment first hand, and sometimes as a
“participant observer.”
For example, one way of uncovering the unmet needs of customers is to “follow them
home” and observe them as they interact with the product. You don’t come armed with any
hypotheses to necessarily test; rather, you’re looking to find out how a product is used.
2. Narrative. The narrative approach weaves together a sequence of events, usually

from just one or two individuals to form a cohesive story. You conduct in-depth interviews,
read documents, and look for themes; in other words, how does an individual story illustrate
the larger life influences that created it. Often interviews are conducted over weeks, months,
or even years, but the final narrative doesn’t need to be in chronological order. Rather it can
be presented as a story (or narrative) with themes, and can reconcile conflicting stories and
highlight tensions and challenges which can be opportunities for innovation.
For example, a narrative approach can be an appropriate method for building a

persona. While a persona should be built using a mix of methods—including segmentation
analysis from surveys—in-depth interviews with individuals in an identified persona can
provide the details that help describe the culture, whether it’s a person living with Multiple
Sclerosis, a prospective student applying for college, or a working mom.
3. Phenomenological. When you want to describe an event, activity, or phenomenon,

the aptly named phenomenological study is an appropriate qualitative method. In a
phenomenological study, you use a combination of methods, such as conducting interviews,
reading documents, watching videos, or visiting places and events, to understand the
meaning participants place on whatever’s being examined. You rely on the participants’ own
perspectives to provide insight into their motivations.
Like other qualitative methods, you don’t start with a well-formed hypothesis. In a
phenomenological study, you often conduct a lot of interviews, usually between 5 and 25 for
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common themes, to build a sufficient dataset to look for emerging themes and to use other
participants to validate your findings.
For example, there’s been an explosion in the last 5 years in online courses and
training. But how do students engage with these courses? While you can examine time spent
and content accessed using log data and even assess student achievement vis-a-vis in-
person courses, a phenomenological study would aim to better understand the students
experience and how that may impact comprehension of the material.
4. Grounded Theory. Whereas a phenomenological study looks to describe the

essence of an activity or event, grounded theory looks to provide an explanation or theory
behind the events. You use primarily interviews and existing documents to build a theory
based on the data. You go through a series of open and axial coding techniques to identify
themes and build the theory. Sample sizes are often also larger—between 20 to 60—with
these studies to better establish a theory. Grounded theory can help inform design decisions
by better understanding how a community of users currently use a product or perform tasks.
For example, a grounded theory study could involve understanding how software
developers use portals to communicate and write code or how small retail merchants
approve or decline customers for credit.
5. Case Study. Made famous by the Harvard Business School, even mainly
quantitative researchers can relate to the value of the case study in explaining an
organization, entity, company, or event. A case study involves a deep understanding through
multiple types of data sources. Case studies can be explanatory, exploratory, or describing
an event. The annual CHI conference has a peer-reviewed track dedicated to case studies.
For example, a case study of how a large multi-national company introduced UX

methods into an agile development environment would be informative to many organizations.
The table below summarizes the differences between the five qualitative
methods.
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What is the difference between Fixed Design and Flexible Design?
A Fixed Design generally follows a pre-set or pre-determined design, or a sequence,

before the collection of data, and is usually driven by theory. Additionally, the variables are
usually measured via quantitative research.
A Flexible Design, on the other hand, offers freedom when it comes to the collection
of data. This is usually because the variable, in this case, is not measured quantitatively e.g.,
culture. In a few cases, the theory may not even be available before the actual research
begins.
How do you create a Research Design?
o Pinpoint your learning outcomes, objectives, etc.;
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o Pick out your research questions;

o Develop a research design;
o Choose a sampling framework;
o Pick suitable methods of data collection;
o Set up appropriate measurement instruments;
o Identify proper data analysis techniques, tools, etc.;
o Contemplate dissemination and publication of your findings.
What is the difference between Research Design and Approach?
A Research Design is the overall framework, or outline, or structure of a research proposal

whereas a Research Approach incorporates various tools, techniques, procedures or
processes utilized to collect or review data or information.
A Research Design demonstrates how your selected research design or method is applied to
tackle a specific research question while a Research Approach utilizes different methods to
answer different research questions.
What makes a good Research Design?
A good Research Design is usually characterized by the following features:

o A good research design ought to be flexible, effective, efficient, appropriate, reliable,
economical, etc.
o A good research design ought to increase reliability and decrease bias of any data or
information collected and reviewed.
o The good research design must be less prone to an error whenever it comes to
experiments, surveys, etc.
Nevertheless, your research design is based upon your research problem, research objective,
or any other research questions that you have. Thus, you may even be required to combine a
variety of research designs and approaches in order to accomplish your research goal.
Data Analysis
Data Analysis is the process of systematically applying statistical and/or logical techniques to
describe and illustrate, condense and recap, and evaluate data While data analysis in qualitative
research con include statistical procedures, many tomes analysis becomes an ongoing iterative
prowess where data is continuously collected and analyzed almost simultaneously. Indeed,
researchers generally analyze for patterns reservations through the entire data collection phase.
The farm of the analysis is determined by the specific qualitative approach token (field study,
ethnography content analysis, oral history, biography, unobtrusive ‘ and the form of the data
(field notes. documents, audiotape, and videotape).
Sections that are Usually Included in an Academic Report
The following are the basic parts of an academic report particularly a research paper.
A. Introduction
In the introduction to your academic report, you present the research topic or question and
explain why you chose to study that topic. You may also present a general overview of the
work you did and your findings, expanding on these points further in the main body of the
text. At the end of the introduction, you may want to present a brief summary of the way in
which the rest of the report is organized.
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B. Literature Review/Background
In this section, you will briefly summarize work on this topic that other researchers have
conducted, including their findings. You can also provide any background information on the
topic that your readers should have before you present your own work. Remember that your
reader is interested in your work, not the work of others. It isn’t necessary to go into
excessive detail regarding other studies, especially if they aren’t relevant to your work. Focus
on summarizing work that relates in some way to the work you have performed.
C. Methods
The methods section is where you describe the steps you took in your research. For
example, you can describe the methodology you used to build your study, the sampling
method you used to obtain survey participants, and the steps you took in a scientific
experiment. Make sure to describe all your steps in detail using the past tense (since you’re
describing something that already happened, not something that will happen).
D. Results
In this section, you will describe the results of your study. For example, you will provide
information such as survey participants’ answers, medical test results, data from scientific
experiments, and any statistical analysis results. You may find it helpful to use figures and
tables to present these results in an easy-to-read format. However, note that if you present
data in a table or figure, it is not necessary to also provide all the same data in the text. If you
use tables or figures, only discuss particularly important findings in the text.
E. Discussion
In this section, you will discuss the implications of your findings, explaining them and relating
them to the previous research presented in your literature review. You will interpret your
findings and describe how these findings answer (or don’t answer) your research questions.
You should also describe any limitations of your work, such as sample size or missing data,
and discuss how you could resolve those issues in future work.
F. Conclusion
The conclusion is where you summarize your main work and findings as well as the
implications of your work. You should not introduce any new material in this section. You
should also provide recommendations based on your findings and discuss any future
research needed.
Lesson 3: Essay Writing

Though the word essay has come to be understood as a type of writing in Modern English, its
origins provide us with some useful insights. The word comes into the English language through
the French influence on Middle English; tracing it back further, we find that the French form of the
word comes from the Latin verb exigere, which means "to examine, test, or (literally) to drive out."
Through the excavation of this ancient word, we are able to unearth the essence of the academic
essay: to encourage students to test or examine their ideas concerning a particular topic.
Essays are shorter pieces of writing that often require the student to hone a number of skills
such as close reading, analysis, comparison and contrast, persuasion, conciseness, clarity, and
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exposition. As is evidenced by this list of attributes, there is much to be gained by the student who
strives to succeed at essay writing.
The purpose of an essay is to encourage students to develop ideas and concepts in their
writing with the direction of little more than their own thoughts (it may be helpful to view the essay
as the converse of a research paper). Therefore, essays are (by nature) concise and require clarity
in purpose and direction. This means that there is no room for the student’s thoughts to wander or
stray from his or her purpose; the writing must be deliberate and interesting.
Genres of Essay
a. Expository Essays
The expository essay is a genre of essay that requires the student to investigate an
idea, evaluate evidence, expound on the idea, and set forth an argument concerning
that idea in a clear and concise manner. This can be accomplished through comparison
and contrast, definition, example, the analysis of cause and effect, etc.
Please note: This genre is commonly assigned as a tool for classroom evaluation
and is often found in various exam formats.
The structure of the expository essay is held together by the following.
 A clear, concise, and defined thesis statement that occurs in the first
paragraph of the essay.
It is essential that this thesis statement be appropriately narrowed to follow the

guidelines set forth in the assignment. If the student does not master this
portion of the essay, it will be quite difficult to compose an effective or
persuasive essay.
 Clear and logical transitions between the introduction, body, and conclusion.
Transitions are the mortar that holds the foundation of the essay together.
Without logical progression of thought, the reader is unable to follow the
essay’s argument, and the structure will collapse.
 Body paragraphs that include evidential support.
Each paragraph should be limited to the exposition of one general idea. This
will allow for clarity and direction throughout the essay. What is more, such
conciseness creates an ease of readability for one’s audience. It is important to
note that each paragraph in the body of the essay must have some logical
connection to the thesis statement in the opening paragraph.
 Evidential support (whether factual, logical, statistical, or anecdotal).
Often times, students are required to write expository essays with little or no
preparation; therefore, such essays do not typically allow for a great deal of
statistical or factual evidence.
 A bit of creativity!
Though creativity and artfulness are not always associated with essay writing,
it is an art form nonetheless. Try not to get stuck on the formulaic nature of
expository writing at the expense of writing something interesting. Remember,
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though you may not be crafting the next great novel, you are attempting to
leave a lasting impression on the people evaluating your essay.
 A conclusion that does not simply restate the thesis, but readdresses it in light
of the evidence provided.
It is at this point of the essay that students will inevitably begin to struggle. This
is the portion of the essay that will leave the most immediate impression on the
mind of the reader. Therefore, it must be effective and logical. Do not introduce
any new information into the conclusion; rather, synthesize and come to a
conclusion concerning the information presented in the body of the essay.
The Five-Paragraph Essay
A common method for writing an expository essay is the five-paragraph approach.

This is, however, by no means the only formula for writing such essays. If it sounds
straightforward, that is because it is; in fact, the method consists of:
1. an introductory paragraph
2. three evidentiary body paragraphs
3. a conclusion
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B. Writing the news. Activity 1 

Write a news about real-time situations in your barangay/locality focusing on the
WRITING
programs and activities AN EXPOSITORY
in battling ESSAY
the COVID19 pandemic. Factual information and
statistics must be considered in this writing task.
A. Interview
The Pros and Cons of Mobile
personalities Legendswho have knowledge on the issue. Also
or authorities
consider the basic format of news writing. WH questions should be
Write an essayanswered.
focusing on the pros and cons of online game playing particularly the
MOBILE LEGEND. Make an argument as to why one view is more correct than the
other.
Games consoles are a great mental development tool for children and teens and they
help connect people from around the globe. However, they also discourage face to
face socialization and physical activity in the younger generations.
20
b. Descriptive Essay
The descriptive essay is a genre of essay that asks the student to describe
something—object, person, place, experience, emotion, situation, etc. This genre
encourages the student’s ability to create a written account of a particular
experience. What is more, this genre allows for a great deal of artistic freedom (the
goal of which is to paint an image that is vivid and moving in the mind of the
reader).
One might benefit from keeping in mind this simple maxim: If the reader is unable to
clearly form an impression of the thing that you are describing, try, try again!
Here are some guidelines for writing a descriptive essay.
 Take time to brainstorm
If your instructor asks you to describe your favorite food, make sure that you jot
down some ideas before you begin describing it. For instance, if you choose
pizza, you might start by writing down a few words: sauce, cheese, crust,
pepperoni, sausage, spices, hot, melted, etc. Once you have written down some
words, you can begin by compiling descriptive lists for each one.
 Use clear and concise language.
This means that words are chosen carefully, particularly for their relevancy in
relation to that which you are intending to describe.
 Choose vivid language.
Why use horse when you can choose stallion? Why not use tempestuous
instead of violent? Or why not miserly in place of cheap? Such choices form a
firmer image in the mind of the reader and often times offer nuanced meanings
that serve better one’s purpose.
 Use your senses!
Remember, if you are describing something, you need to be appealing to the

senses of the reader. Explain how the thing smelled, felt, sounded, tasted, or
looked. Embellish the moment with senses.
 What were you thinking?!
If you can describe emotions or feelings related to your topic, you will connect
with the reader on a deeper level. Many have felt crushing loss in their lives, or
ecstatic joy, or mild complacency. Tap into this emotional reservoir in order to
achieve your full descriptive potential.
 Leave the reader with a clear impression.
One of your goals is to evoke a strong sense of familiarity and appreciation in

the reader. If your reader can walk away from the essay craving the very pizza
you just described, you are on your way to writing effective descriptive essays.
 Be organized!
It is easy to fall into an incoherent rambling of emotions and senses when

writing a descriptive essay. However, you must strive to present an organized
and logical description if the reader is to come away from the essay with a
cogent sense of what it is you are attempting to describe.
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Activity 2 
B. Descriptive Writing:WRITING DESCRIPTIVE

Strengthening Exercises ESSAY
Now, as you have already warmed up your imagination, it is time for harder, strengthening
exercises for youWriting:
A. Descriptive to polishStretching
your papers, making them more and more descriptive.
Exercises
What1. isLook for similes

descriptive and metaphors
writing? Descriptive towriting
betterisexpress your ideas.
the equivalent Now, aswith
of drawing youwords
have
instead already stretched
of lines and colors.your
You imagination,
need to createyou vividwon’t haveusing
pictures, difficulties withwords
only your drawing
and
unexpected parallels to create fresh metaphors.
memory or imagination. Your goal is to make your readers see, hear, taste, smell and feel
what you want to say.
2. Look at your outline and start writing. If a writer’s block suddenly strikes you at this
So, let’sstage
start (though it is nearly
our exercise program impossible after
with gentle all the previous
stretching exercisesexercises),
and ask our you can try
experts if
free writing (writing for a fixed time, without paying much attention
you need academic assistance). Exercises will help you unlock your imagination and write to grammar,
the firstpunctuation or even
strokes of your what ideas
descriptive you write down).
essay:
3.
1. After
Choose you complete
a place, your
object, first or
person draft,
eventlook through
to focus yourit descriptive
and deletepaper
all unnecessary
on. Choose
adjectives and adverbs. You see, it is extremely important
something original and unique, but something you know well. For instance, to strike the golden
you
balance
might haveanddifficulties
include just enough details
describing the view in this
fromtype
the of academic
window of a essays.
plane if Too
you much
have
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never can be confusing
traveled and evenyou
by air. However, annoying
will easilyfor describe
readers.\ your way home from school,
because you see this road every day.
4. Remove all clichés. Look for too general or too common phrases in your papers and
replace them with better substitutes. For instance, everyone would write about a
tanned person, that s/he is brown as a berry. Avoid making this mistake. Instead,
you might write that someone was suntanned, like a grilled chicken. It will help
2. Close your eyes and imagine that you look at the chosen object from different sides.
readers imagine what the person looked like and will make them smile.
Walk around it and pay attention to the tiniest details. Concentrate on the reactions
of your 5 senses. See it, hear it, touch it, smell it and taste it.
5. Proofread your paper and improve its logical structure (especially if you have
followed the previous advice and tried free writing). Finally, give a sigh of relief
(remember that breathing exercises are important as well).
22
c. Reflective Essay
Source: https://www.oxbridgeessays.com/blog/complete-guide-to-writing-a-reflective-essay/
Reflective essays are those sorts of essays that seem oh so easy, and yet oh
so hard to write, all at the same time. To put it simply, reflective essays constitute a
critical examination of a life experience and with the right guidance, they aren’t very
difficult to put together. A reflective essay is akin to a diary entry, except that others
will be reading it so it needs to have a great deal of coherence and a good structure.
In that regard, a reflective essay is much like any other essay out there.
Format of Writing Reflective Essay
In a reflective essay, a writer primarily examines his or her life experiences,

hence the term ‘reflective’. The purpose of writing a reflective essay is to provide a
platform for the author to not only recount a particular life experience, but to also
explore how he or she has changed or learned from those experiences. Reflective
writing can be presented in various formats, but you’ll most often see it in a learning
log format or diary entry. Diary entries in particular are used to convey how the
author’s thoughts have developed and evolved over the course of a particular
period.
The format of a reflective essay may change depending on the target audience.
Reflective essays can be academic, or may feature more broadly as a part of a
general piece of writing for a magazine, for instance. For class assignments, while
the presentation format can vary, the purpose generally remains the same: tutors
aim to inspire students to think deeply and critically about a particular learning
experience or set of experiences. Here are some typical examples of reflective
essay formats that you may have to write:
a. Focus on personal growth
A type of reflective essay often used by tutors as a strategy for helping

students to learn how to analyze their personal life experiences to
promote emotional growth and development. The essay gives the student
a better understanding of both themselves and their behaviors.
b. A focus on the literature
This kind of essay requires students to provide a summary of the

literature, after which it is applied to the student’s own life experiences.
What do I write about?
As you go about deciding on the content of your essay, you need to keep in
mind that a reflective essay is highly personal and aimed at engaging the reader or
target audience. And there’s much more to a reflective essay than just recounting a
story. You need to be able to reflect (more on this later) on your experience by
showing how it influenced your subsequent behaviors and how your life has been
particularly changed as a result.
As a starting point, you might want to think about some important experiences in
your life that have really impacted you, either positively, negatively, or both. Some
typical reflection essay topics include: a real-life experience, an imagined
experience, a special object or place, a person who had an influence on you, or
something you have watched or read. If you are writing a reflective essay as part of
an academic exercise, chances are your tutor will ask you to focus on a particular
episode – such as a time when you had to make an important decision – and reflect
23
on what the outcomes were. Note also, that the aftermath of the experience is
especially important in a reflective essay; miss this out and you will simply be
storytelling.
Writing Reflection
It sounds obvious, but the reflective process forms the core of writing this type
of essay, so it’s important you get it right from the outset. You need to really think
about how the personal experience you have chosen to focus on impacted or
changed you. Use your memories and feelings of the experience to determine the
implications for you on a personal level.
Once you’ve chosen the topic of your essay, it’s really important you study it
thoroughly and spend a lot of time trying to think about it vividly. Write down
everything you can remember about it, describing it as clearly and fully as you can.
Keep your five senses in mind as you do this, and be sure to use adjectives to
describe your experience. At this stage, you can simply make notes using short
phrases, but you need to ensure that you’re recording your responses, perceptions,
and your experience of the event(s).
Once you’ve successfully emptied the contents of your memory, you need to start
reflecting. A great way to do this is to pick out some reflection questions which will
help you think deeper about the impact and lasting effects of your experience. Here
are some useful questions that you can consider:
– What have you learned about yourself as a result of the experience?
– Have you developed because of it? How?
– Did it have any positive or negative bearing on your life?
– Looking back, what would you have done differently?
– Why do you think you made the particular choices that you did? Do you
think these were the right choices?
– What are your thoughts on the experience in general? Was it a useful

learning experience? What specific skills or perspectives did you acquire as a
result?
These signpost questions should help kick-start your reflective process.

Remember, asking yourself lots of questions is key to ensuring that you think deeply
and critically about your experiences – a skill that is at the heart of writing a great
reflective essay.
Consider using models of reflection before, during, and after the learning
process to ensure that you maintain a high standard of analysis. For example, before
you really get stuck into the process, consider questions such as: what might happen
(regarding the experience)? Are there any possible challenges to keep in mind?
What knowledge is needed to be best prepared to approach the experience? Then,
as you’re planning and writing, these questions may be useful: what is happening
within the learning process? Is the process working out as expected? Am I dealing
with the accompanying challenges successfully? Is there anything that needs to be
done additionally to ensure that the learning process is successful? What am I
learning from this? By adopting such a framework, you’ll be ensuring that you are
keeping tabs on the reflective process that should underpin your work.
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Activity 3 
WRITING REFLECTIVE ESSAY
Write a reflective essay about your experiences and observations about the impact of
COVID19 pandemic. The title below will be your basis in presenting your ideas:
“A Day in my Life During Covid-19″
25
d. Critical/Evaluative Essay
Source: https://papersowl.com/blog/write-critical-analysis-essay
A critical analysis essay is a type of academic paper which demonstrates a

student’s ability to analyze a piece of literature or cinematography.
A good critical analysis provides the reader with a profound evaluation of the
piece and reflects its positive and negative aspects.
How to Start Writing a Critical Analysis Essay?
Beginning: Read first then write! If you have to evaluate a piece of writing such
as a novel, a play, or a poem, you should first read it carefully. Arm yourself with
stickers, a notebook, and a pen or pencil. Concentrate on the given topic of your
essay and make notes of the essential parts of the book. Pay attention to the
unfamiliar terms and concepts. Follow the assignment instructions as proper
formatting and successful completion of the specific requirements will get you the
highest grade.
Creation of the Title: Formulate a “working” title which is able to help you to
focus your ideas. This will help your reader or another researcher have a clear
vision of the essay's analysis. For instance, critical analysis in literature may deal
with the following books:
 On Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare;

 On Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelley;
 On Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby;
 On the Lord of the Rings, written by J. R. R. Tolkien.
Steps to Writing an Excellent Critical Analysis Essay
Step 1: Writing Critical reading
To create a good paper, it is not enough to simply read a book, you have to
conduct a critical reading which has the following goals:
 Identify the key ideas;

 Determine the author’s main thesis;
 Identify the appeals that were used;
 Evaluate the author’s success in conveying his or her message.
These are the main goals you should keep in mind while reading. We also
recommend conducting research on all unfamiliar materials such as terms, words,
and concepts) for a better understanding of the topic.
Step 2: Make an outline
With a good plan, you will easily handle this task. First, consider the format of
your work. As a rule, essays of this type have a standard structure that consists of
an introductory clause, a few body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Use this
standard structure to make a detailed outline.
26
Step 3: Write your paper
During writing your paper, you should pay special attention to the introduction and
the main body because they require the most attention and effort.
 Introductory clause. Start your introduction with a hook to engage the

readers, catch their attention, and make them want to continue reading
your paper. Then define the author’s thesis and outline the key ideas.
Finish your intro with your own thesis statement, gradually leading the
readers into the discussion.
 Body paragraphs. Make two or more body paragraphs, each presenting a

single idea, and within your body paragraphs, answer the key questions
stated in the introductory clause, supporting your ideas with examples,
evidence, and quotes.
 Conclusion. Restate your point of view. The conclusion should match the
intro but not repeat it! As you attempt to show the readers the particular
points about the text, create a strong final argument on the basis of the
previous explanations.
How to Format a Critical Analysis Essay?
Your essay has to be clear, well-structured, and contain logical reasoning. The
idea is to reflect your opinion on the specific text. You don’t have to focus merely
on the negative points. You can agree or disagree with the writer but each claim or
point you make has to be supported by strong evidence and arguments that prove
your analysis of the author’s point.
1: Background information
 Work (title, author, publication details, topic, and purpose)

 Your thesis statement that indicates your opinion about the piece
2: Clear description and summary of the analyzed work

3: Evaluation and/or interpretation of the work
 Work’s organization
 Author’s style
 The effectiveness of the work
 Discussion of how the author disclosed the topic and conveyed the
main message
 Discussion of how the author appeals to the audience
27
28
Activity 4 
WRITING CRITICAL/EVALUATIVE ESSAY
Pick out at least genre of literature or readings that you could critique for this
exercise. If you have already chosen literary piece/s for the activity, read critically
and answer the guide questions that follow.
Here are some questions to think about:
 Does the text provide in-depth information?

 How long is it?
 Does it include a “works cited” or bibliography section?
 What is the source of the text?
 Does it come from an academic, professional, or scholarly publication?
 Does the text advocate a particular position?
 What is it, and do you agree or disagree with the text?
29
Lesson 3. Blog Writing

Source: https://firstsiteguide.com/what-is-blog/
30
A blog (a shortened version of “weblog”) is an online journal or informational website

displaying information in the reverse chronological order, with the latest posts appearing first,
at the top. It is a platform where a writer or a group of writers share their views on an individual
subject.
What is the purpose of a blog?
There are many reasons to start a blog for personal use and only a handful of strong
ones for business blogging. Blogging for business, projects, or anything else that might bring
you money has a very straightforward purpose – to rank your website higher in Google SERPs,
a.k.a. increase your visibility.
As a business, you rely on consumers to keep buying your products and services. As a
new business, you rely on blogging to help you get to potential consumers and grab their
attention. Without blogging, your website would remain invisible, whereas running a blog
makes you searchable and competitive.
So, the main purpose of a blog is to connect you to the relevant audience. Another one
is to boost your traffic and send quality leads to your website.
The more frequent and better your blog posts are, the higher the chances for your
website to get discovered and visited by your target audience. This means that a blog is an
effective lead generation tool. Add a great call to action (CTA) to your content, and it will
convert your website traffic into high-quality leads. A blog also allows you to showcase your
niche authority and build a brand.
When you use your niche knowledge for creating informative and engaging posts, it
builds trust with your audience. Great blogging makes your business look more credible, which
is especially important if your brand is still young and fairly unknown. It ensures presence
online and niche authority at the same time.
Blog structure
The appearance of blogs has changed over time, and these days blogs include a wide
variety of items and widgets. However, most blogs still include some standard features and
structure.
Here are common features that a typical blog will include:
 Header with the menu or navigation bar.

 Main content area with highlighted or latest blog posts.
 Sidebar with social profiles, favorite content, or call-to-action.
 Footer with relevant links like a disclaimer, privacy policy, contact page, etc.
Why are many people blogging today?
Most people today are creating blogs for a variety of reasons. Every human being has
their own story to tell. Through the internet, bloggers can communicate to a massive number of
people.
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Why is blogging so popular?
Blogs allow you to talk about any topic you are interested in and express your opinion.
You’ll find some bloggers writing on every activity that took place during their day. These
activities may range from small things like waking up to major issues like human rights and
climate change! Remember that as a blogger running your own blog, you need to focus on the
topics that you are passionate about and through that focus strive to become one of the best
blogs on the web.
Are bloggers getting paid?
Our blogging industry survey proves that bloggers do earn money, but this is not a get-
rich-quick kind of profession. Before you can start monetizing your blog, you need to build both
your Google SERPs ranking and your niche influence. Those tasks take a lot of time and quality
content. Money-making opportunities won’t present themselves until you’ve gained some
credibility in the field. So, get down to business.
Here’s how you can make good money as a top-ranked niche blogger:
 Selling ad space on your blog privately or via Google AdSense.

 Becoming an affiliate partner privately or through ad networks.
 Selling your own digital products such as eBooks and tutorials.
 Selling memberships for access to exclusive content or advice.
 Using your blog as a content marketing tool for your business.
If you’re starting a blog as a way to market and boost your existing business, you probably
won’t be selling ad space or memberships. However, you can create and start offering exclusive
digital products such as eBooks, guides, or online courses as a lead capturing tool in exchange
for visitors’ email addresses. That way, you’ll nudge them one step further down your sales
funnel.
Blogs and websites
Many people still wonder if there is any difference between a blog and a website. What is a blog
and what is a website? It’s even more challenging to differentiate between the two today. Many
companies are integrating blogs into their websites as well, which further confuses the two.
What differentiates blogs from websites?
Blogs need frequent updates. Good examples of this include a food blog sharing meal recipes
or a company writing about their industry news.
Blogs also promote reader engagement. Readers have a chance to comment and voice their
different concerns and thoughts to the community. Blog owners update their site with new blog
posts on a regular basis.
Ten characteristics of a blog
We’ve done some counting and ended up with ten main characteristics of a blog:
1. A Blog Must Always Be Dynamic
A common question about a blog is how it relates to a website – are these two
essentially the same, or are there any differences between them? While websites are
32
mainly presentational, blogs are always intended to engage. A website is therefore

static, as opposed to a blog that must be dynamic.
The information offered by websites is presented on static pages, in the form of

an evergreen content that doesn’t require any updates. Blog posts, on the other hand,
are like diary entries; they include a publishing date and meta tags. New entries and
regular updates are key to running any kind of blog.
2. Posts Are Displayed in Reverse Order
Unlike with a personal diary written in a notebook, blog entries are displayed in
reverse chronological order – the newest posts being on top. The latest ones push
previously published ones down the list until they completely disappear from the landing
page. Older posts are usually archived on the following pages, but they can also be
organized by the month or year when they were first published.
3. Most Blogs Have the Same Structure
First comes a header with the menu or navigation bar to declutter the page and
make a great first impression. It’s followed up by the main content area on which blog
posts appear either by order of publishing or by relevance. Down below are contact
pages, privacy policies, and relevant links, neatly arranged in a footer. A sidebar
highlights favorite entries and displays social profiles and call-to-actions.
4. The Blog’s Leading Star Is Its Content
Different blogs publish different types of posts, though a majority of them relies
on the power of the written word. Depending on the author’s intention, an article is
typically an opinion piece, an instructional guide, or a news post. Monotonous chunks
of text are separated with images or videos.
A blog post can also be a picture with little or no text. It’s a common trend in
fashion and travel blogs, though it’s also not rare for business-related niches to publish
infographics instead of instructional articles. But regardless of the medium, a blog is
always defined by the quality of its published content.
5. Headlines Should Be Attention Grabbers
Naming a blog post is an art by itself. There’s a whole philosophy behind writing
article headlines – a compelling one can truly silence the noise, instantly generating
clicks, driving traffic, and enticing a reader to read on. Nowhere in the online universe
are titles given the same kind of attention as here.
6. One Rule Applies to All Blogs: Relevancy
Though every engaging content must be relevant, this rule especially applies to
blogs posts. They might differ in types, mediums, formats, and styles; in order to arouse
interest or evoke debate, they have to be original and unique; but to be read at all, blog
posts must always deliver upon their promise.
7. Blogs and Links Go Hand in Hand
As a promotional strategy, link building is not limited to blog posts, but it

definitely is a characteristic that all decent blogs share. Blogs and links go hand in hand
even when marketing isn’t the goal. Internal linking, for instance, ensures intuitive
navigation between mutually relevant posts, thus providing an exceptional reading
experience. It’s about the flow and facilitation of knowledge transfer.
33
8. A Blog Is Founded on Personal Touch
The word “blog” derives from an earlier version “weblog”, which initially referred
to personal online journals. Before blogs became political in the early 2000s, they were
merely means to make private thoughts and opinions public. The personal touch,
however, remains their vital characteristic to date.
Even with today’s universal topics, the recommended interpretative approach is

the one that implies uniqueness. If the subject matter requires utmost objectivity, the
personal touch is accomplished through an individualistic writing style. Every blog
author has an “About Me” page and a distinct signature mark.
9. Posts Should Always Encourage Debate
The comment section is another mutual characteristic of respectable blogs. It’s

typically located at the end of every post, as a place for readers to engage in a
conversation and leave their honest feedback. The ability to provoke a response and
encourage interaction is held in the highest regard by all readers.
10. All Blogs Are About Communication
With or without open debate, communication is still the end purpose of each and
every blog post. If the blog is promotional, its goal is to attract the audience and open a
dialogue that will hopefully convince them to buy what the owner is selling. If not about
sales, then it’s about spreading the word.
Whether it imparts knowledge, provides solutions, or simply entertains, blogging

is a brilliant way of reaching out and communicating with the world. Without any
question at all, such a transformative power of free expression and exchange is the
single most important characteristic of any terrific blog.
Suggested Readings and References
Addy, K. (2007). Theory of mind function, motor empathy, emotional empathy and
schizophrenia: A single case study. Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology, 18(3),
293-305. doi: 10.1080/09670870701292746
Bates, J. D. (2000). Writing with precision: How to write so that you cannot possibly be
misunderstood. New York: Penguin Books.
Betts, J. (2019). APA Format and Citations. Available at https://www.bibliography.com/apa/apa-

format-and-citations/
Hammonds, K. (2001, December). Continental’s turnaround pilot. Fast Company, 96-101.
M.J. Gordon (1978), JFP, 7; 145-160, Revised April 2009
Moya, P. M. (2001). Chicana feminism and postmodern theory. Signs: Journal of Women in
Culture and Society, 26(2), 28-41.
Links for Further Readings
https://study.com/academy/practice/quiz-worksheet-barriers-to-effective-workplace-
communication.html
34
https://firstsiteguide.com/what-is-blog/
https://nobaproject.com/modules/research-designs
https://ascholarship.com/research-design-types-and-research-method/
https://learn.org/articles/What_are_Academic_Communications.html
https://essaymin.com/blog/academic-writing-enhance-communication-skills/
35

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Module in Purposive Communication GE5

What is Workplace Communication?

Effective workplace communication ensures that organizational objectives are achieved.

Why is Effective Communication Important?

1. Workplace communication improves productivity.

2. Workplace communication can increase employee job satisfaction.

How to Communicate in the Workplace

When Verbally Communicating:

 Speak clearly and listen carefully to ensure information is understood.

When Communicating Through Email (Or Other Written Communication):

 Is simple and easy to understand.

How to Communicate with Clients & Customers

 The words you are speaking being misinterpreted.

WORK CASE ANALYSIS

Justify your answer:

a. Gender differences c. Language Differences d. Cultural difference

Justify your answer:

EXPERIENCING WORK SITUATIONS

Good Work Goes Unrewarded

3. What do you think of Jones’ inability to highlight her employees’ meritorious

Conceptualizing Effective Communication Materials in the Workplace

1. Diffusion of Innovation – Postulated by Everett Rogers)

This theory stipulates that changes/innovations when communicated through certain

2. Stages of Change – Introduced by Prochaska

3. Social Cognitive Theory – Theorized by Albert Bandura

Reactions may be uploaded to the new.edmodo.com account (GE1- Purposive

20 Ways to Communicate Effectively with Your Team. Link

Workplaces That Work: Interpersonal Communication . Link http://hrcouncil.ca/hr-

Workplace Communication [Regional Skills Training Pty Ltd.]

Workplace Communication – Wikipedia . Link

Lesson 1. Perspective of Communication for Academic Purposes

Academic Communication Defined

Academic communication involves presenting ideas effectively and formally in a scholastic

 Academic writing contains a number of consistent features:

 Uses clear formal language (no colloquial/slang words)

 Includes evidence from other experts in the field (references)

 Answers or debates a specific question or field (focused)

 Has clear organization and layout (logical structure).

Academic writing usually... Because..

Academic Writing and Communication Skills

Academic Writing as an Integral Part of the Studies

Communication Aspects Derived from Academic Writing

1. Making Arguments that are well-reasoned

2. Communicating without Formal Language

a. Academic writing hones your correspondence

b. Placing sufficient emphasis on evidence

c. Ability to focus on facts

d. Thinking in the language

e. Asking for help from fellow students

Lesson 2. Writing Academic Report: The Research Paper

Research is a process of systematic inquiry that entails collection of data; documentation of

The Research Proposal

The proposal should be about 2 – 4 pages. It should be structured as follows:

a. Background/Introduction: This should include a brief literature review, rationale and

Different Data Gathering Procedures

c. Surveying– actually involves gathering responses from subjects through a written

A literature review is a critical analysis of published sources, or literature, on a particular topic. It

A Research Design is a methodical, well-organized procedure utilized by a researcher, or a

The research design is required to follow a pre-planned, well-thought-out methodology, in

What are the types of Research Design?

There are four major types of research designs, which include:

 Descriptive Research. As the name implies, this is an in-depth sort of research

 Evaluation Research. This sort of research determines the productivity of the

What is Quantitative Research Design?