Communications Skills

Course Objectives:

• To understand the communication system paradigm.
• To understand how language vocabulary can be increased and difference between Indian, British and American English.
• To understand how to write a business letter and make a speech.
• To improve grammar and sentence structure.

Course Outcomes (CO):

• CO1 Ability to Communicate as an Individual and in a Group.
• CO2 Ability to learn new words, differentiate between Indian, British and American English.
• CO3 Ability to write business letters and make speeches.
• CO4 Improved grammar and sentence structure.

Unit I

Role and Importance of Communications, Attributes of Communications, Verbal and Non-Verbal Communications, Verbal Communications Skills, Non-verbal Communication Methods, Body Language, Barriers to Communications, Socio-psychological barriers, Inter-Cultural barriers, Overcoming barriers, Communication Mediums: Characterization and Choice of medium, Effective Communication: Correctness, Clarity, Conciseness, Courtesy, Group Communication: Meetings (types, purpose), Group Discussions, Conduct of Meeting, Participant Role, Making Presentations. 

Unit II

Spoken and Written English: Attributes of spoken and written communication, Formal & Informal Communication, Variation in between Indian, British and American English. Etiquette and Manners: Personal Behaviour, Greetings, Introductions, Telephone Etiquette. Vocabulary Development: Dictionaries and Thesaurus, Words often confused, generally used one word substitutions, Comprehension. 

Unit III

Letter writing: Planning the message, Planning Content, Structure, Language use, Layout, enquires and replies, asking for or giving quotations, Bargaining letters, Seller’s reply, etc.; Complaints and Replies; Memos, Circulars and notices;

Papragraph Writing, Writing Scientific and Technical Reports: Types, Structure, Drafting and Delivering a Speech: Understanding the Environment, Understanding the Audience, Text preparing, Composition, Practicing, Commemorative Speeches, Welcome and Introduction, Farewell and Sendoffs, Condolence 

Unit IV

Articles: Indefinite, Definite; Tenses: Present, Past, Future, Perfect (Present, Past and Future), Tenses in conditional sentences; Active and Passive Voice: Formation, conversion; Direct and Indirect Speech, Degrees of Comparison, Common errors, Concepts of Learning and Listening

Textbooks:

1. English Language Communication Skills by Urmilla Rai, Himalaya Publishing House, 10th Ed., 2010.

References:

1. Technical Communication: Principles and Practice byMeenakshi Raman and Sangeeta Sharma, Oxford University Press, 2015.
2. Communication Skills for Engineers by C. Muralikrishna and Sunita Mishra, Pearson, 2011.
3. Effective Technical Communication by M. Ashraf Rizvi, McGraw-Hill, 2018.
4. Business Communication: Skills, Concepts, and Applications by P.D. Chaturvedi and Mukesh Chaturvedi, Pearson, 2013.
5. Business Correspondence and Report Writing by R.C. Sharma and Krishan Mohan, McGraw-Hill, 2016.
6. English for Technical Communications by Aysha Viswamohan, Tata McGraw-Hill, 2008.