College of Engineering and Architecture Lecture Notes for Purposive Communication

marianhemia.malate@bisu.edu.ph

Hello!

Welcome to, Purposive Communication….

My name is Maria Nemia L. Malate, and I will be with you as your teacher in this course.

Together, we will navigate this journey towards learning the aspects of communication in
the new normal.

What does this course contains and hopes to deliver? This talks about communication in
the academic and corporate realms.

This course will guide you in writing speeches, minutes of meetings, documents,
preparing a technical or research paper, and even making presentations. Moreover, you
get to see each other’s work and together, we can make positive suggestions and
advices to each other in order to improve our listening, speaking, reading, writing, and
viewing skills.

For this semester, we will discover the many ways of becoming an effective speaker,
writer, content maker, well – versed communicator.

I am fully aware that we have come face to face with the reality that imparting knowledge
has become more of a challenge today due to the threat brought by the global
pandemic. But, as they say, great are the challenges we face but greater is our will to
overcome them.

With this, I encourage you to have faith and keep the fire for learning burning
continuously despite the pandemic.

Let us begin our journey!

Enjoy the ride - no matter how ironic this may sound… ☺

- Miss Nemz
****

Disclaimer:
The contents of this lecture notes is a compilation of resources.
This is SOLELY for educational purposes and NOT for sale or any economic gain of any sort.
Authors are also duly acknowledged at the end of this lecture notes.

Unauthorized distribution especially to people outside of the class is strictly prohibited.

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College of Engineering and Architecture Lecture Notes for Purposive Communication

marianhemia.malate@bisu.edu.ph

∞∞∞∞∞∞
There is always a season for growth.
There is a time for change.
There is a first to everything; and you are it!
∞∞∞∞∞∞

Unit 1 –
COMMUNICATION PROCESS, PRINCIPLES AND ETHICS

Objectives:

At the end of the lesson, the students are expected to:

1. Define communication and its elements;

2. Identify the models and proponents of communication;
3. Identify different communicative situations and the factors affecting communication
breakdown; 4. Create a model of the communication process which reflects the elements of
communication; and
5. Appreciate the value of respect and kindness in view of being an effective

communicator. Time Frame: 3 weeks

Engage:

What makes you listen to a song?

Why do you read a book?

A WOMAN WITHOUT HER MAN IS NOTHING

What are the two possible interpretations of the phrase above?

Build your Vocabulary:

Communication
Purposive Communication
Communication breakdown
Verbal Communication
Non-verbal Communication
Congruent and Incongruent Messages
Implicit and Explicit Messages
 Message Filters
Meta Level of Communication

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College of Engineering and Architecture Lecture Notes for Purposive Communication

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Discussion:

What is communication?

Communication is an exchange of ideas between the speaker and the listener with the intention to convey
the right message through the use of effective communication channels.

• Communication is a dynamic process that individuals use to exchange ideas, relate experiences and
share desires through speaking, writing, gestures or sign language.
• Taken from the Latin word ‘communis’ which means common.
• Two way process.
• Its essential element, is that communicated information should be understood correctly and transferred in
the right direction.
• Principles help in forming message, style and importance so that it becomes more effective for audience.

What then is purposive communication?

Purposive communication
– is an intentional communication that happens within the bounds of specific contexts. – is a
communication applied in a specific setting, environment, scene, social relations and culture

Contexts affect the process of sending and receiving of messages; semantics or meanings, choice of
channels, words and methods of delivery.

1. Settings or environment – family, school, workplace, religious communities

2. Social relationships – friends, husband and wife, parent child, colleagues/boss-subordinate in the
office
3. Scenes which include place, time and occasion – business meeting, job interview, social
gathering – parties, weddings, etc.)
4. Culture – history, tradition, beliefs, norms, values

Components of Communication

• Anthropological component
 Communication happens between at least two human beings
• Social component
Participants have certain intensions when communicating and understanding each other

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• Signal component
During communication participants refer to a socially adapted set of signs in order to transmit a
message
• Process component
There are continuous changes during communication
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College of Engineering and Architecture Lecture Notes for Purposive Communication

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⮚ Factual information
explains the fact
⮚ Self-revelation
expresses the sender himself and his feelings
⮚ Relationship
expresses what the sender expects from the receiver and what kind of relationship (contact)
exists between the parties
⮚ Appeal
seeks to have an influence on the other

Barriers of Effective Communication:

Inaccurate interpretation
- ignoring or misunderstanding non-verbal signals or implicit messages
Selective perception
- by selecting only certain elements from a message, hearing an expected message
Linguistic impact language
- style, tone, speed
Semantics
- different perceptions, meanings that different people attach to the same word

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Models of Communication

1. Aristotle (5BC)
The first and the earliest model. Aristotle who was a teacher of Rhetoric and even put up an academy
to produce good speakers. He focused on the speaker and the message and he considers the
setting where the listener is situated as the most important part in his model. It is the setting that
dictates the message.

The 3 types of Setting

A. Legal Setting
B. Deliberative Setting
C. Ceremonial Setting
SPEAKER (MESSAGE) SPEECH (LISTENER) AUDIENCE

2. Claude Shannon and Warren Weaver (1948)

This model gave the concept of “noise”; this is often called the Telephone Model because it is based on
the experience of having the message interfered with by “noise” from the telephone switchboard in the
1940s. In this model, Shannon and Weaver assert that the Message sent by the Source (Speaker) is
not necessarily the Message received by the Destination (Listener). This is due to the interruption of
“noise” or anything that hampers the communication.

Information Source >> (Speaker) >> Transmitter/Channel (Signal) >> Message >> Received Signal >>
Receiver (Destination)

3. Wilbur Schramm
Wilbur Schramm is considered as the Father of Mass Communication. Schramm asserts that
communication can take place if and only if there is an overlap between the Field of Experience of the
Speaker and the Field of Experience of the Listener.
♥ Field of Experience is everything that makes a person unique – everything he/she has ever
learned, watched, seen, heard, read, and studied. In other words, this is practically
everything that has happened in a person’s life.

4. Eugene White (1960)

White’s model of communication asserts that communication is circular and continuous, without
beginning or end. He points out that although we can assume that communication begins with thinking,
communication can actually be observed from any point in the cycle. He contributed the concept of
feedback to the field of communication. Feedback is the perception by the speaker about the
Response of the Listener. The Speaker can only receive Feedback if the Speaker is monitoring the
Listener. The Speaker will know what the Listener’s Response is only if he/she is paying attention.
Sender Message (Verbal/Nonverbal) Channel (5 Senses/2 Waves) Receiver Feedback

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 Lecture Notes for Purposive Communication
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Monit oring Think

ingSymbo
lizing
College of Engineering and Architecture
Expre
ssing
Feed
back
Deco ding Transmi
tting

5. Harold
Dwight Laswell
(1948) Recei ving

In 1948, Harold Dwight Laswell described communication as being focused on the following Ws: Who says,
What in, Which channel, to Whom, and with What effect.

Who (Communicator) 🡪 Says what (Message) 🡪 In which channel (Medium) 🡪 To whom (Receiver) 🡪 With
what effect (Effect)
Elements of Communication
A. Speaker. The encoder, crafts the message and decides how to deliver it.
B. Message. The central element of the communication process.
C. Listener. The decoder, he makes sense of what is being said and reacts to it.
D. Channels. The means by which the message is sent.
E. Response/Feedback. The only way the Speaker knows that the Message has been received. F. Noise.
Any barrier to communication that results to communication breakdown (which can lead to a total cessation
of interaction.
G. Communicative Situation. Has two components - (1.) physical location, that is usually chosen for the
purpose it will serve; and the (2.) psychological setting, which depends on the participants.

Ideation
✔ Formation of idea or selection of a message to be communicated.
✔ Consists of “What” of communication------ content of the specific message.
✔ Scope of ideation is determined by the sender’s knowledge, experiences and abilities as well as the
purpose of communication and the context.

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Engage:

Why do we communicate?
How do we communicate?

JOKES ARE HALF MEANT.

Do you agree with the phrase stated above? Why or why not?

Discussion:

The success of any communication endeavor can long be ensured even before the speaker steps into the
podium or the writer publishes his work.

What about you? What are your preparations before you present your speech?
What about before you start writing?

The 7 Cs of Communication

Conciseness
❖ A concise message saves time and expense for both sender and receiver. Conciseness is saying
what you have to say in the fewest possible words without sacrificing the other C qualities. ❖
Simplicity and directness help you to be concise. Conciseness contributes to emphasis. By eliminating
unnecessary words, you help make important ideas stand out.

Courtesy
❖ Courtesy builds goodwill. It involves being polite in terms of approach and manner of addressing an
individual.
❖ Courteous messages help to strengthen friendships, as well as in making new friends. Courtesy
stems from sincere you-attitude. It is not merely politeness with mechanical insertions of please's
and thank-you's.

Correctness
❖ Glaring mistakes in grammar obscures the meaning of a sentence. The misuse of language can
damage your credibility.
❖ This principle comprises more than proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling. A message may be
perfect grammatically and mechanically but still, insult and fail to achieve its purpose.

Clarity
❖ This means getting your message across so the receiver will understand what you are trying to
convey..

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❖ Clarity makes speeches understandable. Fuzzy language is absolutely forbidden, so as jargons,

cliché’ expressions, euphemisms, and doublespeak language.

Completeness
❖ The communication must be complete. It should convey all facts required by the audience. The
sender of the message must take into consideration the receiver’s mindset and convey the
message accordingly.

Cultural Sensitivity
❖ Today, with the increasing emphasis on empowering diverse cultures, lifestyles, and races and the
pursuit for gender equality, cultural sensitivity becomes an important standard for effective
communication.
Tips:
✔ Explore other traditions/ cultures in more depth to be prepared.
✔ Be patient when conversing with others especially when you hear their language style.
✔ Maintain etiquette.
✔ Practice active listening.

Captivating
❖ You must strive to make messages interesting to command more attention and better responses.
Tips:
✔ Use a storytelling format.
✔ Know how to pitch.
✔ Choose the right words.
✔ End your talk strongly.

General Principles of Effective Communication

1. Know your purpose in communicating. Are you communicating basically to inform, to entertain, or to
persuade? While you may have more than one purpose, there is still a more dominant objective or reason
why you communicate.

2. Know your audience. In both speaking and writing, you should know your audience as it will dictate the
speaking and writing style you are going to employ. Consider the age, educational background, profession,
culture, and other salient features of your listeners or readers.

3. Know your topic. You communicate essentially because you want to share something. In speaking
situations, speakers are invited because they have something to share. This also applies to writing. You
write because you wish that other people learn something from you. You may then utilize several or multiple
communication techniques to easily catch the attention of the audience.

4. Adjust your speech or writing to the context of the situation. The environment in which your speech or
writing is to be delivered determines the kind of language you will use.
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5. Work on the feedback given to you. Once you receive comments from the listeners/readers, work on
them. In the long run, constructive criticisms will prove beneficial to you as you lean to address them.

Engage:

Communication ethics emphasizes that morals influence the behavior of an individual, group, or
organization thereby affecting their communication. It is important to note that one’s behavior should be
regulated by honesty, decency, truthfulness, sincerity, and moral uprightness.

Please watch the video on the link provided.

https://study.com/academy/lesson/unethical-communication-definition-behaviors.html

Ethics is an integral part of communication. When we communicate, we do not simply choose words; we choose
words for the effect they will have on our audiences, on ourselves, and ultimately, on society.

Also, we choose the manner of communication because sometimes “what matters is not what you say, but
how you say things.” Thus, when we communicate, we ask ourselves how harmful or helpful our words and
our ways are.

Considerations in Ethical Communication

1. Ethical Communicators are Respectful of Their Audience.

Communication is a two-way process. The communicator must consider the audience’s ideas and
feelings during the interaction.

2. Ethical Communicators Consider the Consequences of their Communication. Every

communicator must bear in mind that the ultimate aim of communication is to promote the common
good. Communication must be set in a way that conflict is reduced or eliminated.

3. Ethical Communicators Respect the Truth.

A great deal of the ethics of communication involves respect for truth. Indeed, as one has put it, the
assumption of truth undergirds the very concept of communication itself: "an inherent end of speech is the
communication of belief" (Kupfer 118). If we cannot trust the other party, we cannot accurately judge how to
respond. If we cannot accurately judge how to respond, then our communication becomes increasingly
ineffective.

4. Ethical Communicators Use Information Properly.

 Communicators have the responsibility to give and acquire adequate and accurate information. As
an ethical communicator, a respect for truth means being informed on a topic before posing as any kind of

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authority on the subject. We also need to consider the accuracy of the information and the accuracy with
which we use it. When we communicate, we expect people to react in some way to what we say and do.
When we use inaccurate information to influence others, we cause difficulty for them and for ourselves.

5. Ethical Communicators Do Not Falsify Information.

Worse than the distortion of information is falsifying information. Failing to find the information useful to our
goals, we make it up. This is a form of cheating; therefore, it should, by all means, be avoided.

6. Ethical Communicators Respect the Rights of Others to information.

A respect for truth and an ethical consideration of others also means respecting the rights of others
in regard to information and access to information. Collecting information is an integral part of the research
process, but stealing information is theft, taking something that does not belong to us. Beyond the personal
act of theft, stealing information is unethical because it prevents other people from securing information and
unnecessarily makes their lives more difficult.

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

▪ Freedom of Expression is a basic human right, including the freedom to seek, receive, and impart
information and opinions of any kind in any form.

▪ Internationally, freedom of expression is protected under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

▪ Used to seek answers and express opinions

ETHICAL FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

▪ Freedom of Expression must be balanced against society’s need to maintain order, protect general
welfare and public morality

▪ There should be limits to free expression, but only when it involves harm to others

▪ People should refrain from hate speech, the public use of derogatory and offensive language
denigrating others, particularly on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender and/or sexual orientation.

MASS COMMUNICATION

▪ Mass communication is used to describe the various means by which individuals and entities relay
information through mass media to large segments of the population at the same time.
 ▪ It is the mass production of messages or information that is intended to reach a large amount of

people ▪ Uses mass media; such as newspapers, TV, radio, books etc.

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MASS COMMUNICATION ETCHICS

▪ Truth
▪ Censorship
▪ Laws
▪ Privacy
▪ Appropriateness
▪ Sensitivity to other cultures
▪ Respect dignity, privacy, and well-being of a person

ETHIC CODES

Ethic Codes (or Ethical Codes) are moral guidelines that are used to help assist people in making
decisions, to tell the difference between ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ and to utilize this understanding to make ethical
choices

There are 3 levels:

1. Code of ethics (social issues)
2. Code of conduct (influence to behavior of employees)
3. Code of practice (professional responsibility)
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