CHAPTER 3

COMMUNICATION FOR
VARIOUS PURPOSES
LESSON 1

INFORMATIVE, PERSUASIVE
AND ARGUMENTATIVE
COMMUNICATION
INFORMATIVE
COMMUNCATION
- INVOLVES GIVING THAN ASKING. AS AN
INFORMATIVE COMMUNICATOR, YOU
WANT YOUR RECEIVERS TO PAY
ATTENTION AND UNDERSTAND, BUT NOT
TO CHANGE THEIR BEHAVIOR.
OSBORN (2009) CLAIMS THAT
INFORMATIVE COMMUNICATION
ARISES OUT OF THREE DEEP IMPULSES:
a. WE SEEK TO EXPAND OUR AWARENESS OF
THE WORLD AROUND US.
b. WE SEEK TO BECOME MORE COMPETENT.
c. WE HAVE AN ABIDING CURIOSITY ABOUT
HOW THINGS WORK AND HOW THEY ARE
MADE.
WHEN PREPARING FOR AN
INFORMATIVE EXCHANGE, ASK
YOURSELF THE FOLLOWING
QUESTIONS:
1. IS MY TOPIC NOTEWORTHY TO BE CONSIDERED
INFORMATIVE?
2. WHAT DO MY RECIPIENTS ALREADY KNOW ABOUT
MY TOPIC?
3. WHAT MORE DO THEY HAVE TO KNOW?
4. AM I KNOWLEDGEABLE ENOUGH OF MY TOPIC TO
HELP MY RECEIVERS UNDERSTAND IT?
PERSUASIVE COMMUNICATION
- IS AN ART OF GAINING FAIR AND FAVORABLE
CONSIDERATIONS FOR OUR POINT OF VIEW. IT
a. PROVIDES A CHOICE AMONG OPTIONS.
b. ADVOCATES SOMETHING THROUGH A SPEAKER.
c. USES SUPPORTING MATERIAL TO JUSTIFY ADVICE.
d. TURNS THE AUDIENCE INTO AGENTS OF CHANGE.
e. ASKS FOR STRONG AUDIENCE COMMITMENT.
f. GIVES IMPORTANCE TO THE SPEAKER’S CREDIBILITY.
g. APPEALS TO FEELINGS.
h. HAS HIGHER ETHICAL OBLIGATION.
AGRUMENTATIVE COMMUNICATION

- RELIES HEAVILY ON SOUNDPROOF AND

REASONING. THE NATURE OF PROOF HAS BEEN
STUDIED SINCE THE GOLDEN AGE OF GREECE
AND HAS BEEN IMPROVED THROUGH TIME.
ACCORDING TO ARISTOTLE, LOGOS, ETHOS,
AND PATHOS ARE THE THREE PRIMARY FORMS
OF PROOF.
• LOGOS, OR THE APPEAL TO LOGIC, MEANS TO APPEAL TO THE AUDIENCES’ SENSE OF
REASON OR LOGIC.
• ETHOS IS USED TO CONVEY THE WRITER’S CREDIBILITY AND AUTHORITY.
• PATHOS, OR THE APPEAL TO EMOTION, MEANS TO PERSUADE AN AUDIENCE BY PURPOSELY
EVOKING CERTAIN EMOTIONS TO MAKE THEM FEEL THE WAY THE AUTHOR WANTS THEM TO
FEEL.
IN OUR TIME, WE HAVE FOURTH DIMENSION OF PROOF, MYTHOS, WHICH SUGGESTS
THAT WE RESPOND TO APPEALS TO THE TRADITIONS AND VALUES OF OUR CULTURE AND TO
THE LEGENDS AND FOLKTALES THAT EMBODY THEM.
LUCAS (2007) CLAIMS THAT TO AVOID
DEFECTIVE ARGUMENTATION, THE
FOLLOWING MUST BE AVOIDED:
1. DEFECTIVE EVIDENCE
* MISUSE OF FACTS
* STATISTICAL FALLACIES
* DEFECTIVE TESTIMONY
* INAPPROPRIATE EVIDENCE
2. DEFECTIVE PATTERNS OF REASONING
* EVIDENTIAL FALLACIES
A. SLIPPERY SLOPE
B. CONFUSING FACTS WITH OPINION
C. RED HERRING
D. MYTH OF THE MEAN
* FLAWED PROOFS
* DEFECTIVE ARGUMENTS
LESSON 2 PUBLIC SPEAKING
PUBLIC SPEAKING IS A PROCESS OF
SPEAKING IN A STRUCTURED, DELIBERATE
MANNER TO INFORM, INFLUENCE OR
ENTERTAIN AN AUDIENCE.
SPEECH
- IS THE TERM USED TO REFER TO THE BODY
SPOKEN EXPRESSIONS OF INFORMATION AND
IDEAS. A SPEECH MAY BE DELIVERED IN ANY
OF THE FOLLOWING MODES: READ FROM A
MANUSCRIPT, MEMORIZED AND DELIVERED
EXTEMPORANEOUS OR IMPROMPTU.
 READING FROM A
MANUSCRIPT
- IS APPROPRIATE WHEN THE SPEECH IS LONG AND
WHEN DETAILS ARE COMPLICATED AND ESSENTIAL
SUCH AS THAT THEY NEED TO BE GIVEN COMPLETELY.
READING MAY POSE THE LEAST CHALLENGE IN PUBLIC
SPEAKING BUT THE SPEAKER MAY BE TRICKED INTO
THINKING THAT NO PREPARATION IS NEED. WHEN A
MESSAGE IS DELIVERED THROUGH READING, THE
FORCE, NATURALNESS, AND EYE CONTACT MAY BE
DIMINISHED BECAUSE THE EYES HAVE TO TRAVEL
 MEMORIZED
- MEMORIZED SPEECH REQUIRES A SPEAKER TO
COMMIT EVERYTHING TO MEMORY. THIS METHOD IS
EXCELLENT FOR SHORT MESSAGES ALTHOUGH IT IS ALSO
USED FOR LONG PIECES IN ORATORICAL, DECLAMATION
AND OTHER LITERARY CONTEST. JUST LIKE A READ
SPEECH, A MEMORIZED SPEECH ALSO POSES CHALLENGE
IN NATURALNESS. THE WORST EXPERIENCE ONE COULD
HAVE IN DELIVERING A MEMORIZED SPEECH IS TO
FORGET THE LINES AND FAIL TO SHIFT SMOOTHLY TO
 EXTEMPORANEOUS
SPEAKING
- MAY HAVE A SHORT OR LONG PREPARATION. THE
SPEAKER MAY USE AN OUTLINE TO GUIDE HIM
THROUGH HIS SPEECH TO ACHIEVE BETTER
ORGANIZATION AND TO AVOID LEAVING OUT DETAILS.
BUT UNLIKE READING, EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEAKING
NECESSITATES THE SPEAKER TO FORMULATE HIS
SENTENCES WHILE HE IS SPEAKING. EXTEMPORANEOUS
SPEAKER MUST BE SPONTANEOUS.
 IMPROMPTU
- IMPROMPTU MEANS SPEAKING AT THE SPUR OF
THE MOMENT. SINCE THERE IS VERY MINIMAL OR NO
TIME FOR PREPARATION GIVEN FOR IMPROMPTU, THE
CONTENT AND ORGANIZATION MAY SUFFER.
IMPROMPTU MAY NOT DELIVER THE BEST THOUGHT IN
THE BEST WAY BUT IT BRINGS OUT THE MOST NATURAL
THING TO SAY AT THE MOMENT.
LESSON 3 MAKING
INQUIRIES
AN INQUIRY LETTER IS WRITTEN WHEN A PERSON
NEEDS MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PRODUCTS
SERVICES, INTERNSHIPS, SCHOLARSHIPS, OR JOB
VACANCIES OFFERED BY COMPANIES, ASSOCIATIONS,
OR INDIVIDUALS.
AN INQUIRY MAY ALSO BE IN THE FORM OF
TELEPHONE OR PERSONAL INTERVIEW.
BOTH INTERVIEW AND LETTER REQUIRE CORRECT
AND APPROPRIATE LANGUAGE USE. BOTH REQUIRE
 CONTENT AND
ORGANIZATION OF LETTER
OF INQUIRY
JUST LIKE ANY BUSINESS LETTER, LETTER INQUIRY HAS THE FOLLOWING BASIC PARTS:
A. HEADING OR LETTERHEAD
B. INSIDE ADDRESS
C. SALUTATION
D. BODY OF THE LETTER
FIRST PARAGRAPH: IT PROVIDES A BACKGROUND OF YOUR INQUIRY SUCH AS HOW,
WHERE AND WHEN YOU FIRST LEARNED OF THE INFORMATION. STATE YOUR PURPOSE IN
ONE OR TWO SENTENCES.
MIDDLE PARAGRAPH: THIS SECTION SHOULD SPECIFY THE INFORMATION YOU ARE
SEEKING.
FINAL PARAGRAPH: EXPRESS YOUR EXPECTATION FROM YOUR ADDRESSEE AND THANK
HIM IN ADVANCE FOR HIS FAVORABLE ACTION.
 MOST COMMONLY USE
FORMATS:
-PURE BLOCK
-SEMI-BLOCK
-MODIFIED BLOCK
EMAILS
MORE FREQUENTLY USED NOW IN INQUIRY
ARE EMAILS. EMAILS GAINED POPULARITY
BECAUSE OF SPEED AND CONVENIENCE.

FOR MORE EFFECTIVE EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS, REMEMBER THE

FOLLOWING:
1. BE COURTEOUS
2. KEEP MESSAGES AS CONCISE AND CLEAR AS POSSIBLE.
3. PROOFREAD AND SPELLCHECK BEFORE SENDING.
4. PROVIDE A SHORT BUT DESCRIPTIVE SUBJECT LINE.
5. KNOW THE OTHER PARTS OF THE EMAIL. (OPTIONAL)
 PARTS OF THE EMAILS
FROM: NAME OF PERSON SENDING THE EMAIL
SENT: DATE AND TIME
TO: NAME OF PERSON RECEIVING THE EMAIL
CC: OTHER PERSON RECEIVING THE MESSAGE
BCC: ANOTHER PERSON RECEIVING THE EMAIL WITHOUT THE OTHER RECIPIENT
KNOWING
SUBJECT: CONTENT(TITLE) OF THE EMAIL
ATTACHMENT: DOCUMENT SENT (ATTACHED FILE)
SALUTATION: GREETING OR OPENING
BODY OF THE EMAIL: MESSAGE
CLOSING: ENDING
 INTERVIEW IS A SPECIAL TYPE OF
PURPOSIVE CONVERSATION. INTERVIEW
REQUIRES REAL TIME FOR BOTH THE
INTERVIEWEE AND INTERVIEWER.
 TIPS IN CONDUCTING AN
INTERVIEW
BEFORE THE INTERVIEW
1. REMEMBER THAT IF YOU ARE SEEKING FOR
INFORMATION FROM PEOPLE, YOU ARE ASKING
THEM A FAVOR; THUS MAKE APPOINTMENTS WITH
YOUR INTERVIEWEE AT THEIR MOST CONVENIENT
TIME.
DURING THE INTERVIEW
1. BE PUNCTUAL
2. WEAR APPROPRIATE ATTIRE.
3. OBSERVE GOOD MANNERS.
4. SPEAK CLEARLY AND BE ATTENTIVE.
5. IF YOU HAVE FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS, ASK POLITELY.
6. ALLOW THE INTERVIEWEE SUFFICIENT TIME TO ANSWER.
7. REPHRASE QUESTIONS TO CLARIFY VAGUE POINTS.
8. ACKNOWLEDGE ANSWERS OF THE INTERVIEWEE TO ASSURE
HIM OF YOUR ATTENTION.
9. GRACIOUSLY THANK THE INTERVIEWEE FOR HIS TIME.
 PARTS OF THE INTERVIEW
OPENING- INCLUDES THE INITIAL CONTACT OF THE
INTERVIEWER AND THE INTERVIEWEE. RAPPORT SHOULD
BE ESTABLISHED BY CREATING POSITIVE IMPRESSION.
ALTHOUGH INTRODUCE MIGHT HAVE BEEN DONE DURING
THE APPOINTMENT, INTRODUCE YOURSELF BRIEFLY.
BODY- INCLUDES SEVERAL QUESTIONS TO ACHIEVE YOUR
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES.
CONCLUSION – INCLUDES EXPRESSING GRATITUDE AND
HOPE OF MEETING THE INTERVIEWEE AGAIN IN THE
FUTURE.