Communicating Strategically for Various

Purpose
Lesson 1: OBTAINING AND
DISSEMINATING INFORMATION
EFFECTIVELY
 THE ART OF INQUIRING AND
SPREADING INFORMATION

• INFORMATION serves so many functions in

today’s world. Using it responsively for various
purposes may help you become an empowered
member of society.
• Consequently, when information is hared
responsibly for a clear objective, those around
you may be empowered as well. In order to do this,
one begins with obtaining information
effectively. This means validating sources and
following ethical practices.
• Making personal inquiries requires
considering the process of communication
and the corresponding communication
context ( see Adler and Elmhorst 1999).
• As you have learned in the previous chapters,
language use will vary depending on the
communication context. For example, the way
you chat with your peers is quite different
from the way you speak with your parents.
• When you write an essay for an English class, you
have to edit it according to the prescribed structure
and format before you submit it to your teacher. You
do this because you know that it will be evaluated
according to a set of criteria.
• In contrast, you do not check your grammar or
spelling when you send a text message to your best
friend because you know that those features will not
matter significantly. The tone and language of the
email messages you write may also depend on the
person who will read it and the objectives of the
correspondence.
• As you have learned in the first previous lesson,
you use FORMAL language in
communicating with authorities and during
formal occasions.
• Imagine a dinner for student leaders and foreign
dignitaries at the Japanese Embassy. Because
the occasion is attended by representatives of
certain communities who probably are not
acquainted with each other yet, formal language
is expected.
• You may use INFORMAL language when
chatting with your classmates and when you are
in a place or event that allows you to be more
relaxed with rules of etiquette and behavior.
• In this case, consider your messages in social
media apps. Your tone may be friendly as one
would use in every day, spontaneous
conversation. You use a lot of short cuts,
acronyms, emoticons, videos, and variety of
graphics.
• However, these are not strict codes to
follow because language is flexible. In a
formal situation, informal language may be
also used and vice versa.
• For instance, in an academic setting such as
the classroom, professors usually employ a
very formal tone but switch to an informal one
when they crack jokes to engage students’
interest.
• At a party, when your friends’ parents
show up and greet you, your behavior
changes as you respond in a formal
manner.
• Moreover, when you speak and write, you
use a combination of languages if you are
bilingual or multilingual. This is a natural
practice because you draw from your bank
of words and expressions.
• In the Philippines, for example, most speakers
know at least two languages. Bilingual and
multilingual Filipinos combine English and
Filipino in their messages even with terms
from the additional languages they know.
• In obtaining and disseminating information,
therefore, the communication context should
be clear to you before making a query or
passing on a message.
• If it is not, miscommunication may happen. If
it does, then you will not be able to achieve
your purpose.
• As such, be sure that the details of your
inquiry or request are well stated to avoid
confusing the person you wish to address
(Pearsall and Cunningham 1986).
• Do not make the receiver read a lengthy
message and guess your objectives. Respect
the time that is given to attending your query.
 How to make an Effective Query

1. Define the communication context.

2. Choose the appropriate kind of language for
composing your inquiry.
3. Make your message clear and concise. Begin
with an introduction (who you are if your
addressee does not know you) followed by main
purpose (what information you need and what it
is for), and end it with a closing statement.
4. Thank the addressee promptly when you
receive a response. If you need to make a follow
up on your inquiry, do so in a courteous manner.
• In today’s age, many people who have easy
access to the internet prefer receiving
messages be email. Remember that there are
conventions to be followed in composing
formal e-mail messages.
Rules of etiquette that Booher (2001)
in formal electronic messages
1. Use sentence case instead of uppercase and
lowercase
2. Use single space in composing your message
3. Avoid humor or sarcasm
4. Avoid sending emotional message
5. Avoid using emoticons
• For certain, you have to be aware of your use
of TONE. Always use respectful and formal
language. Remember that it is not what you
say but how you say it.
• SAMPLE LETTER OF INQUIRY
Message: Inquiry about a workshop on building
communication skills offered by language center in
a university
Audience: Director of the language center
(authority)
Medium: Email
Purpose: To get more details about the workshop
(discounted rates for undergraduate and how to
volunteer as a workshop assistant)
Language: Formal
• Examine Sample 1 and Sample 2
SAMPLE 1 SAMPLE 2
CLEAR AND CONCISE LONG

THE TONE IS VERY POLITE AND APPROPRIATE THE TONE IS QUITE RUDE AND DEMANDING

STATE THE PURPOSE OF THE E-MAIL BEGINS WITH AN IRRELEVANT NARRATIVE

DIRECTLY

FORMAL IN GENERAL BUT THE TONE IS NOT

APPROPRIATE

TONE IS QUITE OFFENSIVE

Obtaining Information from Available
Sources
• Obtaining information today using technology
grants us to access to secondary sources such
as websites, books, television, and radio
programs.
• The information from these kinds of media
may be just too handy. As such, you have to
be responsible and prudent in choosing, using,
and spreading the information you get from
these sources.
Tips in Obtaining Information from
Available Sources
First, be sure that the sources you rely on are
credible and accurate.

• Fact-checking website: snopes.com,

FactCheck.org, or Politifact
Second, check that the information you have
is current.
Third, consider the perspective or worldview
of your sources.
Fourth, when you do the share the
information that you have learned through
various media platforms, you must cite and
acknowledge your sources.
• Indeed, you are bombarded with information
every day on social media. Often, the clever
use of language and deliberate choice of
words lead you to believing all too readily
what you receive from various sites and
outlets.
• Evaluate messages constantly and diligently.
This skill of evaluation is necessary when you
need to disseminate certain information
yourself.
• For starters, beware of chain emails, text
messages, and status updates that compel
recipients or addresses to pass them to bigger
group of people.
• Similarly, avoid online click baits that lure you
with intriguing, controversial, and sensational
images and texts that are only meant to sell
you certain products and services.
• In addition, some advertisements of these
products and services may be misleading or
downright false. Falling into these online traps
only dulls the mind and takes away time for
more productive accomplishments.
• When you are engaged in more constructive
and creative activities in school, you are
expected to craft announcements about
specific events. You may also hold positions
that require you to disseminate important
information.
Information dissémination
• Information dissémination is important when
lives are affected.

• Example: public service announcements

during natural calamities such as typhoons
can save lives.
Silver (2014)
• When you face an opportunity to help address
the general public, you have to use simple
language that readers, listeners, and viewers
may grasp right away.
Ulmer, et al (2015) suggests the
following when informing the public in
moments of crisis (58)
Inform the community immediately,
acknowledgement uncertainty, and assure the
public that they will receive regular updates
on current and future risks.
• The public needs useful and practical
statements of managing difficulties during
crisis.
• The impact of poor information may be
illustrated in 2009 during the onslaught of
Typhoon Ondoy that resulted in death and
devastation in the National Capital Region.
• Many government officials learned much from
this experience and, consequently, became
more organized and efficient in disaster
management.
• As one official stated, “The most important
thing is communication. We have redundancy
of communication so that down to the lowest
level, we will be able to inform these people”
(Howard 2010)
• When you disseminate information, your
message should be correct, clear, and concise.
Accuracy is important. Avoid using vague
terminologies that are open to various
interpretations.
• Moreover, instead of using lengthy
paragraphs, use numbers or bullet points to
make it easier and faster to read.
• Consider also the levels of communication
involve in disseminating information. For
instance, there is the barangay or community
level, the city level, the regional level and the
national level.
• Within these levels are different types of
audiences who use different types of
languages and various modes of
communication. Point persons and specific
organizations in charge of spreading
information should be identified. In addition,
they have to coordinate their messages
consistently.
• Consider the following sample Facebook
messages.
Sample A
The University of Knowledge needs
student volunteers to help in packing relief
goods for the typhoon victims in Leyte. If you
would like to give donations, you are welcome
to do so.
Sample B
The University of Knowledge has organized
a help center at Martinez Hall for reaching out
to the typhoon victims in Leyte. The help center
welcomes donations (cash, medicine, and relief
goods) and student volunteers who would like to
help in the packing of relief goods for the
victims. The center will be open for one week
for this purpose from 8am-7pm. You may
contact Ms. Alice at 09267755553 if you have
questions. Thank you.
• Message A lacks clarity because it has
insufficient details, while Message B provides
specific details that may enable students to
respond to the call for help promptly. In
Message B, the 5W (what, where, when, who,
why) and H (how) are answered:
What: A help center has been organized by
the University of Knowledge.
Where: The help center is at Martinez Hall
When: The help center is open for one week
from 8am-7pm
Who: Ms. Alice may be contacted for details.
Why: There is a need to support victims in
Leyte.
How: Students may give donations and/or do
volunteer work.
• Disseminate only when you are certain of the
truthfulness of the message and the credibility
of its source. In addition, in simplifying a
message that you wish to share, be sure not to
omit important details nor include additional
information that may be inaccurate.
• In some events, you may be expected to
provide directives or instructions to organize
and mobilize groups of people through public
service announcements or PSAs.
Public Service Announcements
• PSAs inform people about a particular
event, raise awareness for a certain issue,
and/or promote a campaign.
Campaigns
• Campaigns are organized movements that
boost and support a particular cause or
advocacy such as the preservation of the
environment, the promotion of children’s
rights, or gender equality.
• PSAs may be in various modes and presented
through various media. In developing them, it
is important to consider your audience,
context, and purpose.
• PSAs promoting awareness campaigns may be
shown through videos. These can make use of
powerful words and images to move an
audience and encourage them to take
concrete in support of the advocacy.
• In making PSAs that require directives or
instructions, provide specific steps that your
target audience can understand; number
these specific steps, and use parallel phrasing
for clear instructions.
• Compare the following sets of directives
or instructions for registration.
Sample A
1. Courses should be checked online before
registration.
2. Download the registration form.
3. The registration form should be complete
when you go to your home department for
advisement.
4. If you are a scholar, see the Admissions
Office.
5. The last step is the cashier.
Sample B
1. Check the available courses online before
registering.
2. Download the registration form and complete
it.
3. Go to your home department for advisement
and approval.
4. See the Admissions Office if you are a scholar.
5. Pay the fees at the Cashier’s Office.
• Sample A is not in parallel structure, which
makes the instructions quite confusing. On the
other hand, Sample B is more concrete and
organized because each item is written in the
imperative. The statements are parallel and
the steps are clear. Crafting effective
instructions is crucial in facilitating specific
actions efficiently and productively.
Definition and Explanation
• Parallel structure refers to the way statements
are phrased or presented following the same
pattern. Consider the examples below. In the
first sentence, the phrases are not parallel.
The second and third sentences show
parallelism.
 Sentences that show parallelism
1. I love to read and studying.
2. I love reading and studying.
3. I love to read and to study.
How to Disseminate Information
Effectively
Define the communication context.
Choose the appropriate kind of language that
will be used in composing your message.
Write a clear and concise message, including
the five Ws--- who, what, where, and why---
and one H---how.
Avoid jargon or technical language that may
be unfamiliar to your reader.
• At the height of Typhoon Ondoy, communities
were not immediately aware that the enduing
floods would reach catastrophic levels. The
tragedy taught many lessons and various
government agencies and communities
learned to be proactive in facing such natural
disasters.
• When Typhoon Ruby, another powerful storm,
hit the country in 2014, some areas reported
zero casualties. One of the keys was effective
information dissemination (Rappler.com
2014). Albay province, which is located in the
Bicol region in southeastern Luzon, severed as
a model for achieving zero casualties in the
Philippines.