Communication came from the Latin word communicare which

means “to make common”.

Communication is a process of sharing and conveying messages
or information from one person to another within and across
channels, contexts, media, and cultures (McCornack, 2014).
 There is a wide variety of contexts and situations in which
communication can be manifested; it can be a face-to-face
interaction, a phone conversation, a group discussion, a meeting
or interview, a letter correspondence, a class recitation,

and many others.

Nature of Communication

Communication is a process.

Communication occurs between two or more people (speaker and receiver).

Communication can be expressed through written or spoken words, actions

(nonverbal), or both spoken words and nonverbal actions at the same time.
Functions of Communication

Control – communication functions to control behavior.

Social Interaction – communication allows individuals to interact with others.

Motivation – communication motivates or encourages people to live better.

Emotional expression – communication facilitates people’s expression of their

feelings and emotions.

Information dissemination – communication functions to convey information.

 CONTEXT BARRIERS
CHANNEL
the environment where the factors that affect the
the medium or the means, such as
communication takes place flow of communication
personal or non-personal, verbal or
nonverbal, in which the encoded message
is conveyed

SENDER RECEIVER
the source of the recipient of the
information or message, or someone
message who decodes the message

DECODING
ENCODING
the process of interpreting
the process of converting the
the encoded message of the
message into words, actions, or other
speaker by the receiver
forms that the speaker understands
MESSAGE FEEDBACK
the information, ideas, or the reactions, responses,
thoughts conveyed by the or information provided
speaker in words or in by the receiver
actions
Shannon-Weaver Model
Known as the mother of all communication models, the Shannon-Weaver model (1949) depicts
communication as a linear or one-way process consisting of five elements: a source (producer of
message); a transmitter (encoder of message into signals); a channel (signals adapted for transmission);
a receiver (decoder of message from the signal); and a destination.
This model, however, has been criticized for missing one essential element in the
communication process: feedback. Without feedback, the speaker will not know whether the receiver
understands the message or not.
Transaction Model
Unlike the Shannon-Weaver Model, which is a one-way process, the Transaction Model is a two-
way process with the inclusion of feedback as one element.
This model is more interactive. There is a collaborative exchange of messages between
communicators with the aim of understanding each other. It also shows that a barrier, such as noise, may
interfere with the flow of communication.
Schramm Model
Barriers to Communication
Verbal Communication
Verbal Communication refers to an interaction in which words are used to relay a
message. For effective and successful verbal communication, use words to express ideas which
can be easily understood by the person you are talking to. Consider appropriateness, brevity,
clarity, ethics, and vividness when engaging in this type of communication.

Appropriateness
The language that you use should be appropriate to the environment or occasion (i.e.,
whether formal or informal).

Brevity
Speakers who often use simple yet precise and powerful words are found to be more
credible. Try to achieve brevity by being more direct with your words. Avoid fillers and
insubstantial expressions which do not add to the message, such as “uh,” “you know,” “I
guess,” and others.
Verbal Communication
Clarity
The meanings of words, feelings, or ideas may be interpreted differently by a listener;
hence, it is essential for you to clearly state your message and express your ideas and
feelings.

Ethics
Words should be carefully chosen in consideration of the gender, roles, ethnicity,
preferences, and status of the person or people you are talking to.

Vividness
Words that vividly or creatively describe things or feelings usually add color and spice to
communication. Hence, you are encouraged to find ways to charm your audience through
the use of vivid words.
Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal communication refers to an interaction where behavior is used to convey

and represent meanings. All kinds of human responses that are not expressed in words are
classified as nonverbal communication. Examples of nonverbal communication are stares,
smiles, tone of voice, movements, manners of walking, standing and sitting, appearance, style
of attire, attitude towards time and space, personality, gestures, and others.
Features of an Effective Communication
In their pioneer book Effective Public Relations, Professors Broom, Cutlip, and Center
(2012) list the 7 Cs of Effective Communication. This list is widely used today, especially in public
relations and advertising.

Completeness
Complete communication is essential to the quality of the communication process in
general. Hence, communication should include everything that the receiver needs to hear
for him/ her to respond, react, or evaluate properly.

Conciseness
Conciseness does not mean keeping the message short, but making it direct or straight to
the point. Insignificant or redundant information should be eliminated from the
communication that will be sent to the recipient.
Features of an Effective Communication
Consideration
To be effective, the speaker should always consider relevant information about his/her
receiver such as mood, background, race, preference, education, status, and needs, among
others. By doing so, he/she can easily build rapport with the audience.

Concreteness
Effective communication happens when the message is concrete and supported by facts,
figures, and real-life examples and situations. In this case, the receiver is more connected to
the message conveyed.

Courtesy
The speaker shows courtesy in communication by respecting the culture, values, and beliefs
of his/her receivers. Being courteous at all times creates a positive impact on the audience.
Features of an Effective Communication
Clearness
Clearness in communication implies the use of simple and specific words to express ideas. It
is also achieved when the speaker focuses only on a single objective in his/her speech so as
not to confuse the audience.

Correctness
Correctness in grammar eliminates negative impact on the audience and increases the
credibility and effectiveness of the message.