ADVANCED COMMUNICATION SKILLS LAB

TEACHERS’ MANUAL

2017 – 2018

CMR ENGINEERING COLLEGE,

KANDLAKOYA,

MEDCHAL

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ADVANCED COMMUNICATION SKILLS
LAB SYLLABUS

1. Activities On Fundamentals Of Inter-Personal Communication And Building

Vocabulary

- Starting A Conversation

- Responding Appropriately And Relevantly

- Using The Right Body Language

- Role Play In Different Situations & Discourse Skills Using Visuals.

- Synonyms, Antonyms, Word Roots, One-Word Substitutes, Prefixes, Suffixes, Word

Origin, Business Vocabulary, Analogy, Idioms And Phrases, Collocations & Usage

Of Vocabulary.

2. Activities On Reading Comprehension

- General Verses Local Comprehension

- Reading For Facts, Guessing Meaning From The Context

- Scanning, Skimming, Inferring Meaning

- Critical Reading & Effective Googling.

3. Activities On Writing Skills

- Structure And Presentation Of Different Types Of Writing

- Letter Writing / Resume Writing / E- Correspondence / Technical Report Writing /

Portfolio Writing

- Planning For Writing

- Improving One’s Writing.

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 4. Activities On Presentation Skills

- Oral Presentation (Individual And Group) Through Jam Sessions, Seminars / PPTs

- Written Presentations through Posters, Projects / Reports / Emails / Assignments etc.

5. Activities On Group Discussion And Interview Skills

– Group Discussion – Dynamics Of GD, Intervention, Summarizing, Modulation Of

Voice, Body Language, Relevance, Fluency And Organization Of Ideas, Rubrics

For Evaluation

– Interview Skills – Concept And Process, Pre-Interview Planning, Opening

Strategies, Answering Strategies, Interview Through Tele-Conference And Video

Conference And Mock Interviews.

********************

LEAD EXPERIMENT
Mini Project: As a part of Internal Evaluation
1. Seminar/ Professional Presentation
2. A Report on the same has to be prepared and presented.
o Teachers may use their discretion to choose topics relevant and suitable to the needs of
students.
o Not more than two students to work on each mini project.
o Students may be assessed by their performance both in oral presentation and written report.

TOPICS BEYOND SYLLABUS

1. Agenda and Minutes of a Meeting

2. Writing an SOP
3. Soft Skills
*******************

Prescribed Lab Manual: A book titled A Course Book of Advanced Communication Skills
(ACS) Lab published by Universities Press, Hyderabad.

Books Recommended:
1. Technical Communication by Meenakshi Raman & Sangeeta Sharma, Oxford University
Press 2009.

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2. Advanced Communication Skills Laboratory Manual by Sudha Rani, D, Pearson Education
2011.
3. Technical Communication by Paul V. Anderson , 2007. Cengage Learning pvt. Ltd. New
Delhi.
4. Business and Professional Communication: Keys for Workplace Excellence, Kelly M.
Quintanilla & Shawn T. Wahl. Sage South Asia Edition. Sage Publications, 2011.
5. The Basics of Communication: A Relational Prespective, Stev Duck & David T. Mc Mahan.
Sage South Asia Edition. Sage Publications, 2012.
6. English Vocabulary in Use series, Cambridge University Press 2008.
7. Management Shapers Series by Universities Press(India) Pvt Ltd., Himayatnagar, Hyderabad
2008.
8. Handbook for Technical Communication by David A. McMurrey & Joanne Buckley, 2012.
Cengage Learning.
9. Communication Skills by Leena Sen, PHI Learning Pvt Ltd., New Delhi, 2009.
10. Handbook for Technical Writing by David A McMurrey & Joanne Buckely CENGAGE
Learning 2008.
11. Job Hunting by Colm Downes, Cambridge University Press 2008.
12. Master Public Speaking by Anne Nicholls, JAICO Publishing House, 2006.
13. English for Technical Communication for Engineering Students, Aysha Vishwamohan, Tata
Mc graw Hill 2009.
14. Books on TOFEL/ GRE/ GMAT/ CAT/ IELTS by Barron's/ DELTA/ Cambridge University
Press.
15. International English for Call Centres by Barry Tomalin and Suhashini Thomas, Macmillan
Publishers, 2009.

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Guidelines for ACS Lab III Yr (R13)

Introduction

The Advanced Communication Skills Lab caters to the placement needs of the students,
by giving them intensive training in areas like Group Discussion, Interview Skills, Resume
Writing, etc. that makes them ready for the corporate world. It also provides exposure to topics
that are included for competitive exams like GRE, TOEFL, CAT –through Vocabulary
Building, and Reading Comprehension etc. Training in topics like Report Writing and Portfolio
Writing facilitate the students in writing their projects. The ACS lab therefore serves as a bridge
between the academic and corporate world, by imparting skills that enhance a student’s
personality and professional outlook.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

 To enable students to develop their listening skill so that they may appreciate its role
in the LSRW skills approach to language and improve their pronunciation.

 To equip students with necessary training in listening so that can comprehend the
speech of people of different backgrounds and regions.

 To make students aware of the role of speaking in English and its contribution to their
success.

 To enable students to express themselves fluently and appropriately in social and

professional contexts.

 To develop an awareness among the students about the significance of silent reading
and comprehension.

 To develop the ability of students to guess the meanings of words from context and
grasp the overall message of the text, to draw inferences etc.

 To develop awareness among the students about writing as an exact and formal skill.

 To equip them with the components of different forms of writing, beginning with the
lower order ones.

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General Rules and Regulations:

1. Students should report to the concerned lab as per the time table.
2. Students who turn up late to the labs will in no case be permitted to do the program
scheduled for the day.
3. Students should bring the observation book of 200 pages and write experiments in the
observation book.
4. After completion of the experiment, certification of the concerned staff in charge in
observation book is necessary.
5. The immediate last lab session experiment is to be written in the lab record book and
should be submitted and corrected by the concerned faculty.
6. Viva must be conducted for each student for 5 minutes in each lab session about the
understanding of the experiment.
7. The student should not be allowed without the observation book and without
completion of Record book of the last immediate lab session.
8. Out of the 25 marks for Internal, Day to day work in the lab should be evaluated for 15
marks and Internal examination shall be evaluated for 10 marks conducted by the
concerned faculty.

Mode of Teaching

Three modes of instruction are employed in the ACS Lab

a. Theory Session
b. Practice Session
c. Exercises

For each of the topics, the faculty first gives theoretical inputs followed by an activity /
experiment and exercises.

Theory Session:
Theory Sessions deal with the theory related to the topic such as definition, explanation,
description, analysis, conclusions and suggestions. It also deals with the relevance of the topic
to higher education or placements.

Practice Session:
During practice session, firstly the students are given some examples followed by the
experiment where they practice the topic explained in the theory session. The teacher’s
feedback helps the student to strengthen his knowledge on the given topic.

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Exercise:
Students note down the observations of their experiment in their observation books and later
record them in their record books which are submitted for correction in the following lab
session.

Exam Pattern:
The ACS lab exam is a comprehensive examination which tests students’ theoretical as well as
practical knowledge in the desired subject.

SCHEME OF EVALUATION OF ACS LAB

ACADEMIC YEAR 2016-2017

LAB INTERNAL EXAM - I

DAY TO DAY ASSESSMENT INTERNAL

EXAM

Uniform Viva/Behaviour Record/ Participation Performance/Result Write Presentation

Observation (Spoken/ Up
Written)

3 3 3 3 3 5 5
TOTAL MARKS = 25

LAB INTERNAL EXAM - II

DAY TO DAY ASSESSMENT INTERNAL EXAM

Uniform Viva/Behaviour Record/ Participation Performance/Result Presentations

Observation (Spoken/
Written) 1.GD
2..JAM
3.PPT/POSTER
3 3 3 3 3 4. INTERVIEW

TOTAL MARKS = 25 10 MARKS

(An average of both the internals is considered for awarding internal marks)

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 LAB EXTERNAL EXAM

S.NO. WRITE UP RECORD VIVA

1. Situational Dialogue – 5 marks
2. Cover letter and Resume – 5 marks
3. Vocabulary- 5 marks
4. Reading Comprehension – 5 marks
5. JAM Session – 5 marks
6. GD – 10 marks

MARKS 35 5 10
TOTAL MARKS : 50
ACS MARKS: INTERNAL(25) + EXTERNAL(50)
TOTAL MARKS : 75

The practical examination for the ACS lab has two parts:

1. Continuous Evaluation
2. End Examination

1. Continuous Evaluation: This has two parts:

a. Day-to-day work: There shall be a continuous evaluation during the semester for 15 marks.
Out of the 15 marks, day-to-day work in the laboratory shall be evaluated for10 marks and 5
marks for the record or observation book.

b. Lab Internal Exam: Two lab internal exams are conducted for 10 marks each. This
examination shall be conducted by the concerned teacher.
Lab internal I comprises of units 1,2, 3 and Lab internal II comprises of units 4 & 5. An average
of Lab Internal 1&2 is taken at the end of the semester.
The average of Continuous evaluation for 15 marks, average of lab internals for 10 marks and 5
marks for the record are added up as final Internal marks for 25.

Lab Internal I Pattern

Syllabus: Unit-1, Unit-2, Unit- 3.

Question1 is based on Situational dialogues and Role-play. Students can complete the written
task first and then attempt the role-plays.
Question 2 is based on Vocabulary. Attempting all the parts of the question is compulsory.
Question 3 is based on Reading Comprehension.
Question 4 is based on Writing Skills.

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Lab Internal I Model Paper Time: 3 Hours Max Marks: 10

Q.1 Write dialogues for the following situation. (8-10 utterances for each speaker)
A customer comes to a bank to apply for a bank loan and approaches the manager. Build
a Dialogue. – 3 marks

Q.2 Answer the following : 2 ½ marks

a) Give one word substitute for “A person who can neither read nor write”
b) Write the meaning of the word root “aud” and give two examples.
c) Give the origin of the word “abacus”.
d) _______________me a favour (Write the correct collocation)
e) paw: cat :: hoof: __________ ( )
i) lamb ii) elephant iii) lion iv) horse

Q.3 A. Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow. 2 ½ marks

Dolphins are regarded as the friendliest creatures in the sea and stories of them helping
drowning sailors have been common since Roman times. The more we learn about dolphins, the
more we realize that their society is more complex than people previously imagined. They look
after other dolphins when they are ill, care for pregnant mothers and protect the weakest in the
community, as we do. Some scientists have suggested that dolphins have a language but it is
much more probable that they communicate with each other without needing words. Could any
of these mammals be more intelligent than man? Certainly the most common argument in favor
of man's superiority over them that we can kill them more easily than they can kill us is the least
satisfactory. On the contrary, the more we discover about these remarkable creatures, the less
we appear superior when we destroy them.

1. What stories are popular about the dolphins since roman times?
2. What does the passage tell us about the society of dolphins?
3. Why does man try to claim that he is superior to these mammals?
4. Do the dolphins have a language?
5. Give the meaning of the word mammal.

Q4. a) What do you understand by portfolio writing? – 1 mark

b) Mention some tips to be followed while sending e mails. – 1 mark

Lab Internal II Pattern

Syllabus: Unit-4, Unit-5

Question 1 is based on Group discussion.

Students get 10 minutes time for preparation. They get 15 minutes for the actual GD.

Question 2 is on Presentation skills.

Question 2 a) is on JAM. Students get the topics on the spot. They will be given one minute for
JAM Session.

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2 b) is on Power Point Presentations. Students give a PPT or project or technical report. They
will be given 10 minutes for PPT.

Question 3 is based on Interview Skills.

Question 3a) is a face to face interview and 3b) is a Tele conference interview. Students are
instructed to bring their smart phones to the class. One faculty member from the core
department is identified who conducts a telephonic interview on the topic of their project. Each
candidate will be interviewed for 5 minutes in Face to Face interview as well as in Tele
conference.

Lab Internal II Model Paper Time: 3 Hours Max Marks: 10

Q1. Participate in a Group Discussion on the given topic. 3 marks

Q2. Make the following presentations:

a) JAM (Oral) ( 1 mark )
b) PPT Presentation/ Project/ Technical Report (3 marks )

Q.3 Participate in the interview. 3 marks

a) Face-to-face interview (1.5 marks)
b) Tele conference interview (1.5 marks)
**************************************************************************
2. End Semester Examination:. The end semester examination (Final) shall be conducted by
the teacher concerned with the help of the external examiner of a different institution. The final
lab exam shall be conducted in all the seven units prescribed in the syllabus. The Final exam is
conducted for 50 marks out of which 40 marks are for oral and written exam and 10 marks for
Viva-voce.

Lab External Exam Pattern Time: 3 Hours Max Marks: 50

Syllabus: All the 5 units
This paper has three parts. A, B and C. Altogether seven questions will be given and students
need to answer any five questions choosing at least two questions from Part-A and Part-B.
Part- C is compulsory for all.

Question 1 is based on Interpersonal Communication.

Question 2 is on Vocabulary. Attempting all the parts is compulsory.
Question 3 is based on Reading Comprehension
Question 4 is based on Writing skills.
Question 5 is based on Group discussion.
Question 6 is on Presentation skills.( JAM / PPT)
Question 7 is based on Interview Skills.(Face to face interview/ Tele Conference interview)
Q8.Viva Voce

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Lab External Exam Model Paper Time: 3 Hours Max Marks: 50

1. One of your friends met with an accident. You enquire him about the accident and
advise him to be cautious while driving. Build a Dialogue. – 5 marks

2. Answer the following : 5 marks

a) Give one word substitute for “the art of gardening”
b) Write the meaning of the word root “manu” and give two examples.
c) Give the origin of the word “candidate”.
d) __________ someone’s heart (Write the correct collocation)
e) table : furniture :: pencil : __________ ( )
i) writing ii) sharpener iii) eraser iv) stationery
3. Read the passage given and answer the questions that follow – 5 marks

Opera refers to a dramatic art form, originating in Europe, in which the emotional content is
conveyed to the audience as much through music, both vocal and instrumental, as it is through
the lyrics. By contrast, in musical theater an actor's dramatic performance is primary, and the
music plays a lesser role. The drama in opera is presented using the primary elements of theater
such as scenery, costumes, and acting. However, the words of the opera, or libretto, are sung
rather than spoken. The singers are accompanied by a musical ensemble ranging from a small
instrumental ensemble to a full symphonic orchestra.

a) What is the difference between an opera and a musical theatre?

b) What is opera?
c) The origin of opera is traced to ________________.
d) Another name for opera is _____________.
e) Music plays a dominant role in Musical Theatre.( true or false)

4. Write a Cover letter and Resume applying for the post of Asst. Professor in P.R.N.
College of Engineering and Technology, Hyderabad – 5 marks

5. Conduct a Group Discussion on the topic given – 5 marks (15 min)

6. Speak for a minute on the topic given(JAM Session) – 5 marks (10 min)

7. Participate in Face-to-face/ Tele Conference Interview – 5 marks ( 5 min)

8. Viva – 10 marks

9. Record – 5 marks

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 Sample Assignment Questions

1. Submit a word list of 50 Synonyms, Antonyms, Affixes, Word Roots, Word Origin,
One-word Substitutes, Phrasal Verbs and Idioms.
2. Prepare a PPT on the topic given/ on the topic of your choice
3. Prepare a Poster on the Topic given/ on the topic of your choice.
4. Prepare your Resume along with a Cover Letter for applying for the vacancy of an
Engineer in a reputed company.
5. Prepare a Report based on the question given/ on the topic of your choice.
6. Write e mails for the given situations.
7. Writing Official/ Business letters

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 GENERAL RUBRICS FOR ACS LAB

ACADEMIC YEAR: DATE:

STUDENT NAME: ROLL NO. :

S.No. Criterion/CO s Unsatisfactory(1) Acceptable(2) Exceptional(3) Score

Accomplishment of Poor vocabulary and Has enough Able to use
sound Vocabulary and unable to use the vocabulary vocabulary
1 its proper use limited vocabulary required for effectively in any
contextually correctly in various various contexts context
contexts and is able to use
it properly.
Develop a flair for Does not know the Able to handle Good at rules and
writing and a felicity basic rules of Written written structure of
with words and correspondence and communication Written
2 written expression is unable to express independently Professional
especially in the ideas coherently Communication
professional context with good
expression skills
Enhance speaking Unable to speak Able to Good at
abilities to effectively properly due to participate in expressing ideas
3 take part in Social and limited vocabulary conversations orally
Professional and inhibition and oral
Communication presentations
Gathering and Unable to Able to express Has maturity of
organizing ideas communicate his/ her views thought and
relevantly and properly with others properly reasoning and
4 coherently for and lacks ideas possesses good
participation in expression and
Debates and Group convincing skills
Discussions

Preparing the Nervous and unable Prepared enough Prepared for

students for facing to express properly in to face any kind interviews and
Interviews confidently front of the interview of interview exhibits high
and training them panel levels of
through Mock confidence and
5 Interviews for Face- ease during
to-face interviews, performance
Tele-conference and
Video-Conference
To enhance job Needs to improve to Good but can Has an excellent
6 prospects in today’s succeed in the job improve chance for
competitive market market confidence levels selection in any
further. interview.

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 ACS LAB COURSE OUTCOMES( Common to all branches)

Course CO ACS LAB COURSE OUTCOMES(COs)

Code No.
C328 CO1 Accomplishment of sound Vocabulary and its proper use
contextually
C328 CO2 Develop a flair for writing and a felicity with words and written
expression especially in the professional context
C328 CO3 Enhance speaking abilities to effectively take part in Social and
Professional Communication
C328 CO4 Gathering and organizing ideas relevantly and coherently for
participation in Debates and Group Discussions
C328 CO5 Preparing the students for facing Interviews confidently and
training them through Mock Interviews for Face-to-face
interviews, Tele-conference and Video-Conference

C328 CO6 To enhance job prospects in today’s competitive market

Program Outcomes (POs) (Common to all Branches):

1. Engineering knowledge: Apply the knowledge of mathematics, science, engineering

fundamentals, and an engineering specialization to the solution of complex engineering
problems.

2. Problem analysis: Identify, formulate, review research literature, and analyze complex
engineering problems reaching substantiated conclusions using first principles of
mathematics, natural sciences, and engineering. sciences.
3. Design/development of solutions: Design solutions for complex engineering problems
and design system components or processes that meet the specified needs with
appropriate consideration for the public health and safety, and the cultural, societal, and
environmental considerations.
4. Conduct investigations of complex problems: Use research-based knowledge and
research methods including design of experiments, analysis and interpretation of data,
and synthesis of the information to provide valid conclusions.
5. Modern tool usage: Create, select, and apply appropriate techniques, resources, and
modern engineering and IT tools including prediction and modeling to complex
engineering activities with an understanding of the limitations.
6. The engineer and society: Apply reasoning informed by the contextual knowledge to
assess societal, health, safety, legal and cultural issues and the consequent
responsibilities relevant to the professional engineering practice.
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 7. Environment and sustainability: Understand the impact of the professional
engineering solutions in societal and environmental contexts, and demonstrate the
knowledge of, and need for sustainable development.
8. Ethics: Apply ethical principles and commit to professional ethics and responsibilities
and norms of the engineering practice.
9. Individual and team work: Function effectively as an individual, and as a member or
leader in diverse teams, and in multidisciplinary settings.
10. Communication: Communicate effectively on complex engineering activities with the
engineering community and with society at large, such as, being able to comprehend and
write effective reports and design documentation, make effective presentations, and give
and receive clear instructions.
11. Project management and finance: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the
engineering and management principles and apply these to one’s own work, as a
member and leader in a team, to manage projects and in multidisciplinary environments.
12. Life-long learning: Recognize the need for, and have the preparation and ability to
engage in independent and life-long learning in the broadest context of technological
change.

Course Outcome (CO) – Program Outcome (PO) Matrix

CO/PO PO1 PO2 PO3 PO4 PO5 PO6 PO7 PO8 PO9 PO10 PO11 PO12

CO1 3 3 3 3
CO2 2 1 3 3
CO3 3 3 3 3 3
CO4 3 3 3 3 1
CO5 3
CO6 3 2
AVG 3 2 3 3 2

Justification of Correlation Levels:

CO1, CO3 and CO4 with PO6: CO1, CO3 and CO4 substantially correlate with PO6 as
they help in developing contextual knowledge and its application in various professional
practices.

CO2 with PO6: CO2 moderately correlates with PO6 when dealing with application of
knowledge and reasoning in written professional communication.

CO3 and CO4 with PO8: CO3 and CO4 substantially correlate with PO8 as they involve
analysis and discussion of various issues following the ethical principles.

CO2 with PO8: CO2 minimally correlates with PO8 as ethical principles also have a role in

15
 in professional written expression.

CO1, CO3, CO4 and CO5 with PO9: CO1, CO3, CO4 and CO5 substantially correlate
with PO9 as they help to improve an individual’s communication skills and mould him into
a good team player as well as a team leader.

CO1, CO2, CO3, CO4 and CO6 with PO10: CO1, CO2, CO3, CO4 and CO6
substantially correlate with PO10 as they develop all the essential communication skills
necessary for effective interaction with the engineering community and with the society.

CO1, CO2 and CO3 with PO11: CO1, CO2 and CO3 substantially correlate with PO12 as
they help to understand and demonstrate the engineering and management principles and
apply them in different kinds of projects.

CO4 with PO11: CO2 and CO6 correlate minimally with PO11 as lifelong learning
enhances job prospects.

CO6 with PO11: CO6 correlates moderately with PO11 as developing project management
skills are essential to enhance job prospects in this competitive world.

VISION OF THE INSITUTION

To be recognized as a premier institution in offering value based and futuristic quality

technical education to meet the technological needs of the society.

MISSION OF THE INSITUTION

1. To impart value based quality technical education through innovative teaching and
learning methods.

2. To continuously produce employable technical graduates with advanced technical skills

to met the current and future technological needs of the society.

3. To prepare the graduates for higher learning with emphasis on academic and industrial
research.

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 MECHANICAL DEPARTMENT

Vision of the Department:

To be a center of excellence in offering value based and futuristic quality technical

education in the field of Mechanical Engineering.

Mission of the Department:

M1. To impart quality technical education imbibed with values by providing state of the art
laboratories and effective teaching and learning process.

M2. To produce industry ready mechanical engineering graduates with advanced technical and
lifelong learning skills.

M3. To prepare graduates for higher learning and research in mechanical engineering and its
allied areas.

Program Educational Objectives (PEOs):

PEO 1: The Graduates will exhibit strong knowledge in mathematics, sciences and engineering
for successful employment or higher education in mechanical engineering.
PEO 2: The Graduates will design and implement complex modeling systems, conduct research
and work with multi disciplinary teams.
PEO 3: The Graduates will be capable of communicating effectively with lifelong learning
attitude and function as responsible members of global society

Program Specific Outcomes (PSOs):

PSO.1 Design a Thermal system for efficiency improvement as per industrial needs.
PSO.2 Design and manufacture mechanical components using advanced manufacturing
technology as per the industrial needs.

Course Outcomes (CO) – Program Specific Outcomes (PSO) Matrix:

CO’s/PSO’s PSO1 PSO2

CO1
CO2
CO3
CO4
CO5
CO6

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 Justification of correlation levels:

Nil

ECE DEPARTMENT

Vision of the Department: To promote excellence in technical education and scientific

research in Electronics and Communication Engineering for the benefit of the society.

Mission of the Department:

M1. To impart excellent technical education with state of art facilities inculcating values and
lifelong learning attitude.

M2. To develop core competence in our students imbibing professional ethics and team spirit.

M3. To encourage research benefitting society through higher learning.

Program Educational Objectives (PEOs):

PEO 1: Excel in professional career & higher education in Electronics and Communication
Engineering and allied fields through rigorous quality education.

PEO 2: Exhibit professionalism, ethical attitude, communication skills, team work in their
profession and adapt to current trends by engaging in lifelong learning.

PEO 3: Solve real life problems relating to Electronics and Communication Engineering for the
benefits of the society.

Program Specific Outcomes (PSOs):

PSO.1. Ability to apply concepts of Electronics and Communication Engineering to associated

research areas of Electronics, Communication; Signal processing, VLSI and Embedded
Systems.

PSO.2 Ability to design, analyze and simulate a variety of Electronics & Communication
functional elements using hardware and software tools along with analytic skills.

18
 Course Outcomes (CO) – Program Specific Outcomes (PSO) Matrix:

CO’s/PSO’s PSO1 PSO2

CO1
CO2
CO3
CO4
CO5
CO6

Justification of correlation levels:

Nil

CSE DEPARTMENT

Vision of the Department: To produce globally competent and industry ready graduates in
Computer Science and Engineering by imparting quality education with know-how of cutting
edge technology and holistic personality.

Mission of the Department:

M1. To offer high quality education in Computer Science and Engineering in order to build core
competence for the graduates by laying solid foundation in Applied Mathematics and program
framework with a focus on concept building.

M2. The department promotes excellence in teaching, research and collaborative activities to
prepare graduates for professional career or higher studies.
M3. Creating intellectual environment by developing logical skills and problem solving
strategies thus to develop, able and proficient computer engineer to compete in the current
global scenario.

Program Educational Objectives (PEOs):

PEO 1: Excel in professional career or higher education by acquiring knowledge in

mathematical, computing and engineering principles.

19
PEO 2: To provide intellectual environment for analyzing and designing computing systems for
technical needs.

PEO 3: Exhibit professionalism, multi disciplinary team work and adapt to current trends by
engaging in lifelong learning and practice their profession with legal, social and ethical
responsibilities.

Program Specific Outcomes (PSOs):

PSO 1. Professional Skills and Foundations of Software Development: Ability to analyze,

design and develop applications by adopting the dynamic nature of Software Developments.

PSO2. Applications of Computing and Research Ability: Ability to use knowledge in

cutting edge technologies in identifying research gaps and to render solutions with innovative
ideas.

Course Outcomes (CO) – Program Specific Outcomes (PSO) Matrix:

CO’s/PSO’s PSO1 PSO2

CO1
CO2
CO3
CO4
CO5
CO6

Justification of correlation levels:

Nil

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 SESSION PLAN
SESSION PLAN ( 1 Session = 3 periods)
BRANCH/SEM: DATE:
NAME OF THE UNIT:

OBJECTIVES:

TIME TOPICS THEORETICAL PRACTICE EXERCISES REMARKS

COVERED INPUTS SESSION

21
 SAMPLE SESSION PLAN
SESSION PLAN (1 Session = 3 periods)
BRANCH/SEM: ECE – A (IV-I) DATE: 20/06/2016

NAME OF THE UNIT: UNIT – I , Interpersonal Communication

OBJECTIVES: Enhance speaking abilities to effectively take part in Social and Professional
Communication

TIME TOPICS THEORETICAL PRACTICE EXERCISES REMARKS

COVERED INPUTS SESSION

Discussing various Reading and

examples of starting listening simple Record various
10:10 Learning a conversation, conversational rules and
to giving responses, techniques and techniques of Covered/
various
11:00 conversational problems faced in pieces on the conversation in Not
am techniques keeping the prescribed the Observation Covered
conversation going software books
on.

Role play/ Differentiating Listening to Build dialogues

Situational between Situational audios and on the given
Dialogue Dialogue and Role videos of situation, note
11:00 Play, Discussing various them in the
to And various examples, Dialogues on observation Covered/
11:50 Discussing different the prescribed book and enact Not
Using the them.
am types of Non-verbal software and Covered
right body Communication also observe
language their body
language.

Learn some Make a note of

important various tips to
11:50 Discourse improve the
to Learning Discussing various Skills, Discourse skills. Covered/
12:40 Discourse tips to improve to watching Not
pm skills Discourse Skills videos played Covered
in the class
(collected from
internet
sources).

22
 SESSION EXECUTION LOG

CLASS: DATE:

FACULTY: DURATION:

TOPIC:

S. NO. SCHEDULED TOPIC DURATION COVERED / NOT COVERED REMARKS

1 Theoretical Inputs

2 Practice Session

3 Exercises

23
 LECTURE PLAN/ TEACHING SCHEDULE

No. of
S.No. UNIT TOPICS COVERED SESSIONS DURATION REMARKS
REQUIRED

Starting A Conversation,
Responding Appropriately
And Relevantly, Using The
Right Body Language, Role 1 SESSION 3 PERIODS
UNIT - I
Play In Different Situations
Activities On & Discourse Skills Using
1 Fundamentals Of Visuals.
Inter-Personal
Communication Synonyms, Antonyms, Word
And Building Roots, One-Word
Vocabulary Substitutes, Prefixes,
3 PERIODS
Suffixes, Word Origin, 1 SESSION
Business Vocabulary,
Analogy, Idioms And
Phrases, Collocations &
Usage Of Vocabulary.

General Verses Local

UNIT – II Comprehension
Reading For Facts,
2 Activities On Guessing Meaning From 1 SESSION
3 PERIODS
Reading The Context
Comprehension Scanning, Skimming,
Inferring Meaning, Critical
Reading & Effective
Googling

Structure And Presentation

Of Different Types Of
UNIT –III Writing 1 SESSION 3 PERIODS
Letter Writing / Resume
Writing / E-
3 Activities On Correspondence
Writing Skills
Technical Report Writing /
Portfolio Writing
Planning For Writing 1 SESSION 3 PERIODS
Improving One’s Writing

24
 Oral Presentation
(Individual And Group)
UNIT – IV Through Jam Sessions, 1 SESSION 3 PERIODS
4 Seminars / PPTs

Activities On
Presentation Skills Written Presentations
through Posters, Projects /
Reports / Emails / 1 SESSION 3 PERIODS
Assignments etc.

Group Discussion –
Dynamics Of GD,
Intervention, Summarizing,
Modulation Of Voice, Body
Language, Relevance, 1 SESSION 3 PERIODS
Fluency And Organization
Of Ideas, Rubrics For
UNIT – V Evaluation

5 Activities On Interview Skills – Concept

Group Discussion And Process, Pre-Interview
And Interview Planning, Opening
Skills Strategies, Answering
Strategies, Interview 1 SESSION 3 PERIODS
Through Tele-Conference
And Video Conference And
Mock Interviews

Group Discussion and Mock

interview Practice Session
1 SESSION 3 PERIODS

TOTAL SESSIONS REQUIRED = 10 ( 3x 10 = 30 PERIODS)

25
 UNIT – I

ACTIVITIES ON FUNDAMENTALS OF INTER-PERSONAL

COMMUNICATION AND BUILDING VOCABULARY

Inter- Personal Communication

Interpersonal communication is the process by which people exchange information,
feelings, and meaning through verbal and non-verbal messages: it is face-to-face
communication.

It is an exchange of information between two or more people. It is also an area of study.

Communication skills are developed and may be enhanced or improved with increased
knowledge and practice. During interpersonal communication, there is message sending and
message receiving. This can be conducted using both direct and indirect methods. Successful
interpersonal communication is when the message senders and the message receivers
understand the message.

Starting a Conversation – General Tips :

When starting a conversation, people face many problems such as not knowing what to
say or how to keep the conversation going on once it has been started. Following are some tips
to overcome these problems:

 Search for common ground

 Keep the conversation going on by asking open – ended questions such as Why, What,
How etc.
 Be attentive and maintain a positive attitude.
 Search for ‘hot button’ topics (topics of common interest).
 Self – Disclosure( Share your feelings, experiences, opinions and talk about yourself)
 Maintain positive body language (smile, lean forward, eye contact, nod etc.).
 Step out of your comfort zone and try to overcome shyness

Responding to a Conversation – Effective Responses :

An effective response is essential for a healthy communication. The following is the list of
eight responses helpful in creating a healthy communication:

 Understanding
 Clarification
 Self-Disclosure
 Questioning
 Information Giving
 Reassurance (e.g. Don’t worry, It’s alright, It’s quite natural etc.)

26
  Analytical Response (involves giving reasons, explanations for a particular
situation/behavior etc.)
 Giving Advice

BASIC CONVERSATIONAL EXPRESSIONS

INFORMAL GREETINGS:

 Hi!
 Hello!
 What’s up?
 What’s new?
 How’s it going?
 How are you?
 How’s life?
 How’re things going?
 How are you getting along?

MORE FORMAL GREETINGS:

 Good morning. How are you today?

 Good afternoon. How’s everything?
 Good evening. How have you been?

GREETING SOMEONE YOU HAVEN’T SEEN FOR A WHILE

 I haven’t seen you in ages! How have you been?

 What a surprise to see you here!
 Never thought I’d see you here!
 Long time no see!( Informal)

RESPONDING

 I’m fine, thanks. And you?

 Great. How about you?
 Not too bad, thanks.
 Not so well.

27
ASKING WHAT SOMEONE IS OR HAS BEEN DOING

 What are you up to?

 What have you been doing?

RESPONDING

 Working a lot
 Studying a lot
 I’ve been very busy
 Same as usual
 Not much or nothing much

BODY LANGUAGE/NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Non verbal communication is communication without the use of written or spoken word.
It is concerned with body language, voice patterns, time, distance, touch etc.

The inner state of emotions of a person is expressed through the movements of different
parts of the body. These are called Gestures. Our facial expressions and eyes also show
happiness, anger, frustration, fear etc. They change automatically and effortlessly unless we try
to mask them deliberately. Our body posture also indicates feelings like confidence, fear,
anxiety etc.

GESTURE INTERPRETATION

1. pointing finger Authority

2. shrugging shoulders Indifference
3. tapping fingers Impatience
4. winking an eye Intimacy
5. slapping forehead Forgetfulness
6. biting nails Anxiety, nervousness, inferiority complex

POSTURE INTERPRETATION

1. standing erect Enthusiasm and confidence

3. stretched out legs Relaxation
3. crossed legs Domination, confidence
4. shaking legs Anxiety, irritation

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USING THE RIGHT BODY LANGUAGE

Non- verbal communication reveals the personality of the person concerned. It also
depicts the behavior of a person. An awareness of proper body language enables a person to
handle different relationships better and to enjoy harmony with others. However the
interpretation of non-verbal communication is likely to differ from culture to culture.

SITUATIONAL DIALOGUE/ROLE PLAY

Often students have problems using English to speak and to listen. As a result, they
experience difficulty using English to make friends, to share thoughts/ideas, to listen to others,
and so on. Also the fear of being laughed at makes them tongue tied. Role plays/ Situational
Dialogues help to remove this fear. The students are made to speak in English. Although they
make mistakes, they continue to speak with errors. Gradually they learn from their mistakes and
develop accuracy. Role play creates a platform to improve the speaking skills, non-verbal
communication and contextual usage of language and make them understand how to face real-
life situations.

Role Play is any speaking activity where a person puts himself into somebody else’s
shoes or may stay in his own shoes but put himself into an imaginary situation.

The most important components of role play are – speaking skills, listening skills and
non-verbal communication. The speaking skills include – the ability to use suitable vocabulary,
spoken forms of English and the ability to compose sentences and speak fluently.

SAMPLE ROLE PLAY

FLUENT BUT INCORRECT FLUENT BUT CORRECT

Ram: Hello! My name is Ram. Your Ram: Hello, I am Ram.(extends his hand)
name? Venu: Hai! I am Venu. I’m from CSE
Venu: Venu. Your subject? branch. From which branch are you?
Ram : ECE B. You which subject? Ram: I am from ECE-B section.
Venu: I am CSE. Where you stay? You Venu: Where do you reside? Do you come
come by bus? to college by bus?
Ram: I stay Ameerpet. I come in college Ram: I stay at Ameerpet and I come by
bus. college bus.
Venu: Aray, I live in S.R.Nagar. You and I Venu: Really? I stay at S.R. Nagar.
same bus. We friends now onwards. We both can come by the same bus. Let’s
Ram: OK yaar. As you wish. be friends from now.
Venu: Thank you. It is class time .We will Ram: Sure. We are friends from now.
go. OK we will go. Venu: Thank you Ram. It’s time for our
class. Let’s go to our class. Yes, let’s go.

29
Exercises

1. Raghu is suffering from fever and cold. He goes to Dr. Bharat for medication. Dr. Bharat
examines Raghu and prescribes medicine. Build a dialogue.

2. Madhav, the reporter of D TV gets a chance to interview the Finance Minister. He decides to
interview him regarding the budget proposals for 2010.

3. The General Manager visits a software company in USA. He decides to call for a meeting to
know the progress of the given project. One of the employees arranges a video conference so
that the employees could give report of their project to the manager.

4. A customer comes to a bank to apply for a bank loan and approaches the manager.

5. Suresh, an applicant for the post of Software Engineer is interviewed by the HR Manager,
Mr. Raju and the General Manager Mr. Swaroop.

DISCOURSE SKILLS
Discourse skills refer to the effective use of words to exchange thoughts and ideas.

Following are some tips to improve our discourse skills:

1. Learn phrases, not just individual words

2. Listen to more English

3. Practice thinking in English

4. Get an online conversation partner

5. Remember that communication is more important than grammar

6. Speak slowly

7. If you forget a word, use other words

8. Relax & have a positive, confident attitude

9. Learn phrases suitable for everyday life

VOCABULARY BUILDING
Vocabulary building is of major concern to all the four language skills. We will not be
able to listen (understand) or speak confidently; or read and write effectively if we do not have
reasonable vocabulary competence. Vocabulary development involves learning or knowing a

30
new word; knowing its different shades of meaning, using in various contexts, grammatical
characteristics, pronunciation and so on.

Synonyms – Synonyms are words with similar meaning.

Antonyms – Antonyms are words with dissimilar/opposite meaning.

WORD SYNONYM ANTONYM

authentic Reliable, authoritative False, spurious

benevolence Generosity, charity Cruelty, malevolence

captivity Bondage, imprisonment Liberty, independence

cognizance Understanding, wisdom Ignorance

concise Compact, succinct Verbose, redundant

deflate Empty, exhaust, humble Inflate, fill, flatter

discard Abandon, reject Keep, adopt, embrace

discretion Carefulness, caution Foolishness, rashness

elegant Fine, beautiful, handsome Common, vulgar, rustic

emancipate Liberate, release Subjugate, confine

erudite Scholarly, enlightened Ignorant, unlettered

esteem Admiration, regard Criticism, blame

facsimile Replica, copy Variation, opposite

fragile Breakable, frail Strong, tough

WORD ROOT

A root is a part of any word that reveals its essential meaning, a meaning that
never changes; even though, other letters or word parts may be added at the beginning or the
end. Recognizing word roots makes unfamiliar words become more meaningful. Roots also help
in memorizing clump of words with similar meanings which in turn helps to decode unfamiliar
words.

31
ROOT MEANING EXAMPLE

Audi Hear Audible, audience, auditorium

Aqua Water Aquarium, aqua-culture
Dict Say Dictate, dictation
Cred Believe Credible, credentials
Flu Flow Fluid, fluent
Logy Study Biology, technology
Gen Birth Generate, genesis
Manu Hand Manual, manuscript
Dia Through/Across Diagonal, diameter
Cide The act of killing Germicide, suicide
Corp Body/bodily Corpse, corporal
Cur/curr/curs run Cursive, cursory, current

WORD ORIGIN

English language, in its origins, had little to do with England itself. English has drawn
upon a number of words inherited from other languages. More than half of the English words
trace to Latin as a source.

Word origin refers to the life history of a word. Learning the origin of words makes their
present meaning clearer and more nearly unforgettable.

1. Abacus – comes from the Greek word ‘abax’ which means ‘sand tray’. Originally, columns
of pebbles were laid out on the sand for the purpose of counting.

2. Alarm – from the Italian ‘All arme’ – “to arms”. It refers to any sound used to warn of a
danger.

3. Appendix – in Latin it means “the part that hangs”. A human appendix hangs at the end of
the large intestine; appendices come at the end of the books

4. Ballot – from the Italian term “pallotte” for “small ball or pebble”. Italian citizens earlier
voted by casting a small pebble or ball into one of the several boxes.

5. Biscuit – from the medieval French “bis+cuit” meaning “cooked twice”

6. Candidate – from the Latin “candidus” meaning ‘bright, shining, glistening white’. The
ancient Rome candidates for office would wear bright white togas.

7. Deer – from the old English, “deor”, meaning “animal”.

32
8. Fowl – from the old English, “fugol”, meaning “bird”.

9. Gorilla – New Latin from Greek “Gorillai”, for “a tribe of hairy woman, perhaps of African
origin.

10. Home – from the old English ‘hum’, from which we also got the suffix ‘ham’ as in
Nottingham.

ONE-WORD SUBSTITUTES

One – word substitution refers to the expression of lengthy phrases and clauses in the
form of a single word without a change in the meaning. Acquiring command over one-word
substitutes enables a person to use the language with comfort and ease.

1. A person who can neither read nor write –illiterate

2. A person who eats human flesh – cannibal

3. one who looks on the brighter side of things – optimist

4. one who carves in stone – sculptor

5. the art of gardening – horticulture

6. one who looks on the dark side of things – pessimist

7. one who collects postage stamps – philatelist

8. one who compiles a dictionary – lexicographer

9. the sleeping rooms in a college or public institution – dormitory

10. a residence of monks and priests – monastery

IDIOMS

Idioms are expressions which function as single units and whose meaning cannot be deduced
from its separate parts. For example, the idiomatic expression ‘kick the bucket’ means ‘to die’.
The meaning of this expression cannot be derived from the meanings of the words kick or
bucket.

Write the meanings of the following idiomatic expressions and use them in sentences of
your own.

1. all and sundry: each and everyone

We cannot invite all and sundry to dinner.

33
2. bag and baggage: with all belongings

He migrated to Bombay bag and baggage.

3. hard and fast: strict

There are no hard and fast rules for becoming rich.

4. in the nick of time: just on time

I was able to catch the train in the nick of time.

5. a man of letters: a scholar

Mulk Raj Anand was a man of letters.

PHRASAL VERBS
A Phrasal Verb is an idiomatic phrase consisting of a verb and another element, typically either an
adverb, as in break down, or a preposition, for example see to, or a combination of both, such as look
down on.

Write the meaning of the following phrases and use them in sentences of your own:

1. break into: enter by force

The burglars broke into the bank yesterday.

2. run over: hit by a vehicle

A school boy was run over by a lorry at the cross-roads yesterday.

3. look into: investigate

The CBI is looking into the Telecom scam.

4. run across: discover by chance

While digging a pit to plant some saplings, the farmer ran across a nugget of gold.

5. preside over : to occupy the place of authority or control, act as Chairman or President.

The General Manager presided over the Annual General Body Meeting.

34
 AFFIXES

In English, a word is sometimes made up of one or more than one element such as root
plus an Affix (prefix or suffix). Affix is an addition to the base form or stem of a word in order
to modify its meaning or create a new word.

PREFIX

A prefix refers to a word or part of a word fixed before another word to add something
to its meaning. It may even be a syllable. Most of the English prefixes are borrowed from Latin
and Greek.

PREFIX MEANING EXAMPLE

a/an without, not amoral, amorphous, anemia

circum around, on all sides circumference, circumscribe

di/bi two disyllabic, bicycle

homo same homogeneous, homonym

inter between, among interrupt, intersect

SUFFIX

A suffix refers to a word or a part of a word fixed after another word to add something
to or modify its meaning. Suffixes can change the word-class and meaning of a word i.e.
suffixes can form nouns from nouns and adjectives, and adjectives from nouns and verbs.

NOUNS FROM VERBS

SUFFIX MEANING VERBS NOUNS

-ment act of, result appoint, arrange, agree appointment, arrangement,
judge, argue, commit judgment, argument,
commitment

-ion/tion state, result act, attract, add, combine action, attraction, addition,
converse combination, conversation

NOUNS FROM ADJECTIVES

SUFFIX MEANING ADJECTIVES NOUNS

-ity state, quality able, active, inferior, local ability, activity,

35
 inferiority, locality

-ness state of happy, kind, weak, fond happiness, kindness,

weakness, fondness

ADJECTIVES FROM NOUNS

SUFFIX MEANING NOUNS ADJECTIVES

-y made up of, allow, air, cloud, grass, rose, oil airy, cloudy, grassy,
bring about rosy, oily

-ish origin, nature, book, red, boy bookish, reddish, boyish

resembling

ADJECTIVES FROM VERBS

SUFFIX MEANING VERBS ADJECTIVES

-able capable of, fit for admire, avoid, compare, admirable, avoidable,
prefer, read comparable, preferable,
readable

-ful full of, characterized by thank, help, use thankful, helpful, useful

ANALOGY

An analogy is a comparison between two objects, or systems that highlights respects in which they are
thought to be similar. In simple words, it is a comparison of two things based on their being alike in
some way.

1. flow : river :: stagnant : ________ ( b )

a. rain b. pool

c. stream d. canal

2. paw : cat :: hoof : ________ ( d )

a. lamb b. elephant

c. lion d. horse

3. ornithologist : bird :: archeologist : __________ ( c )

36
a. islands b. mediators

c. archeology d. aquatic

4.peacock : India :: bear : _________ ( b )

a. Australia b. Russia

c. England d. America

5. nation : antino :: hungry : __________ ( b )

a. hnugry b. uhngyr

c. yrnguh d. unhgyr

COLLOCATIONS
(Source: http://www.englishleap.com/vocabulary/collocations)

A collocation is a combination of words that are commonly used together; the simplest way of
describing collocations is to say that they ‘just sound right’ to native English speakers. Other
combinations that may mean the same thing would seem ‘unnatural’. Collocations include noun phrases
like ‘ stiff wind’ and ‘weapons of mass destruction’, phrasal verbs such as ‘to get together’ and other
stock phrases such as ‘the rich and famous’

Collocations starting with the verb ‘do’ Have a problem

Have a relationship
Do me a favour Have lunch
Do the cooking Have sympathy
Do the housework
Do the shopping
Do the washing up
Do your best Collocations with the verb ‘break’
Do your hair
Break the law
Collocations with the verb ‘have’
Break a leg
Have a good time Break a promise
Break a record
Have a bath Break someone's heart
Have a drink Break the ice
Have a haircut Break the news to someone
Have a holiday Break the rules

37
Collocations with the verb ‘take’ Pay cash
Pay interest
Take a break Pay someone a visit
Pay the bill
Take a chance Pay the price
Take a look
Take a rest Collocations with the verb ‘keep’
Take a seat
Take a taxi Keep the change
Take an exam
Take notes Keep a promise
Take someone's place Keep a secret
Keep an appointment
Collocations with the verb ‘make’ Keep calm
Keep in touch
Make a difference Keep quiet
Keep someone's place
Make a mess
Make a mistake Collocations with the verb ‘save’
Make a noise
Make an effort Save yourself the trouble
Make money
Make progress Save electricity
Make room Save energy
Make trouble Save money
Save someone a seat
Collocations with the verb ‘catch’ Save someone's life
Save something to a disk
Catch the bus Save time

Catch a ball Collocations with the verb ‘go’

Catch a cold
Catch a thief Go bald
Catch fire
Catch sight of Go abroad
Catch someone's attention Go astray
Catch someone's eye Go bad
Catch the flu Go bankrupt
Go blind
Collocations with the verb ‘pay’ Go crazy
Go fishing
Pay respect Go mad
Go missing
Pay a fine Go online
Pay attention Go out of business
Pay by credit card Go overseas

38
Go quiet Get wet
Go sailing Get worried
Go to war
Collocations related to time
Collocations with the verb ‘come’
Bang on time
Come under attack Dead on time
Free time
Come close From dawn till dusk
Come direct Great deal of time
Come early Early/late 15th century
Come first Make time for
Come into view Next few days
Come last Past few weeks
Come late Right on time
Come on time Run out of time
Come prepared Time goes by
Come right back Time passes
Come to a decision Waste time
Come to an agreement
Come to an end Collocations related to business English
Come to a standstill
Come to terms with Annual turnover
Come to a total of Keep in mind
Break off negotiations
Collocations with the verb ‘get’ Close a deal
Close a meeting
Get the sack Come to the point
Dismiss an offer
Get a life Draw a conclusion
Draw your attention to
Get a job Launch a new product
Get a shock Go bankrupt
Get angry Go into partnership
Get divorced Make a profit/loss
Get drunk
Get frightened
Get home
Get lost
Get married

Get permission
Get ready
Get started
Get the impression
Get upset

39
BUSINESS VOCABULARY

NOUNS

 advantage  equipment  permission

 advertisement  estimate  possibility
 advice  experience  product
 agenda  explanation  production
 apology  facilities  profit
 authorization  factory  promotion
 bill  feedback
 brand  goal  purchase
 budget  goods  reduction
 commission  growth  refund
 comparison  guarantee  reminder
 competition  improvement  repairs
 competitor  increase  report
 confirmation  industry  responsibility
 costs  instructions  result
 creditor  retailer
 customer  interest  rise
 deadline  inventory  risk
 debt  invoice  salary
 debtor  knowledge  sales
 decision  limit  schedule
 decrease  loss  share
 deficit  margin  signature
 delivery  market  stock
 message  success
 department  mistake  suggestion
 description  objective  supply
 difference  offer  support
 disadvantage  opinion  target
 distribution  option  transport
 employee  order  turnover
 employer  output  wholesaler
 enquiry  payment
 environment  penalty

VERBS

 accept  afford  buy

 add  approve  calculate
 admit  authorize  cancel
 advertise  avoid  change
 advise  borrow  charge
 build  check

40
 choose  pack
 complain  participate
 complete  pay
 confirm  plan
 consider  present
 convince  prevent
 count  process
 produce
 decide  promise
 decrease  promote
 deliver  provide
 develop  purchase
 discount
 dismiss  raise
 dispatch  reach
 distribute  receive
 divide  recruit
 reduce
 refuse
 reject
 employ  remind
 encourage  remove
 establish  reply
 estimate  resign
 exchange  respond
 extend  return
 fix  rise
 fund  sell
 improve  send
 increase  separate
 inform  shorten
 install  split
 invest  structure
 invoice  succeed
 join  suggest

 lend
 lengthen
 lower
 maintain
 manage
 measure
 mention
 obtain
 order
 organize
 owe
 own

41
JOB APPLICATION VOCABULARY

 address  physical examination

 age  position
 apply  present address
 area code  previous experience
 birthday
 certification  quit
 children  reason for leaving
 citizenship  relatives
 city  salary
 college  separated
 country  single
 date  skills
 date of birth  social security
 dependents number
 diploma  state
 divorced  street
 telephone number
 education  vision
 educational  weight
background  wife's name
 elementary school  zip code
 employee
 employer
 experience
 family name
 female
 fired
 first name
 gender
 graduate school
 handicap
 hearing
 height
 high school

 husband's name
 junior college
 junior high school
 last name
 male
 marital status
 married
 middle name
 name
 next of kin
 notify
 occupation
 phone number

42
WAYS TO ENRICH YOUR VOCABULARY

 Love words if you want to learn new vocabulary.

 Look up words you don't know whenever you encounter them.
 Use a Thesaurus.
 Many computer programs and websites have ways of giving a short "Word of the Day" list with
new words every day.
 Get a personalized Google homepage and click on "Add Content".
 Read all genres of books.
 Play word games with friends.
 Use the words you learn while talking to people or writing letters or e-mail.
 Learn roots, prefixes, and suffixes.
 Learning languages like French, Spanish, Italian, Latin or Ancient Greek also helps
immensely with improving your vocabulary because so many complicated English words
are derived from these languages.
 Find a friend who speaks English.
 Listen to the radio, watch television, or find a podcast that you like in English, and practice
understanding the language when spoken too.

Reference Books:

1) Oxford Advanced Learner’s Compass, 7th Edition

2) DETLA’s key to the Next Generation TOEFL Test: Advanced Skill Practice.
3) Lingua TOEFL CBT Insider, by Dreamtech
4) TOEFL & GRE (KAPLAN, AARCO & BARRONS, USA, Cracking GRE by CLIFFS)

List of reference books for vocabulary building

1) Word power made easy – Norman Lewis
2) Latin key to better English- Norman Lewis
3) Build your vocabulary skills! A Quick and easy method – John Lacarna
4) Webster’s New Explorer Vocabulary Skill Builder – Merriam Webster
5) English vocabulary in use – Advanced- Michael Mc Carthy & Felicity O’Dell.
6) Word origins and their romantic stories- Wilfred Funk, Peter Funk
7) Barron’s – The leader in test preparation 2nd Edition
8) Barron’s – Essential words for the GRE – 3rd Edition- Philip Geer.
9) Practice book for the paper-based GRE revised general test

List of Websites:

1) Vocabulary.com
2) BBC Learning English
3) Confusing words
4) Just the word

43
 5) Lexipedia
6) Wordnik
7) Lingro
8) Snappy words
9) Vocab grabber
10) Wordia
11) Graph words
12) Word spy
13) Word think
14) Vocabgenci
15) Wordhippo & Dictionary.com

UNIT – II

ACTIVITIES ON READING COMPREHENSION

Reading comprehension is defined as the level of understanding of a text/message. This

understanding comes from the interaction between the words that are written and how they
trigger knowledge outside the text/message. Comprehension is a creative process. Proficient
reading depends on the ability to recognize words quickly and effortlessly.

Having the skill to monitor comprehension is an important factor. For example: "Why is this
important?" and "Do I need to read the entire text?"

Every time a reader reads anything, he makes use of the following strategies:

 Activate prior knowledge, and connect the applicable prior experiences to the reading
 Set Purposes
 Predict
 Decode Text — identify word and sentence meanings
 Summarize — bring meaning forward throughout the reading, building on prior
information to create new and fuller meanings
 Visualize — see characters, settings, situations, ideas, mental models
 Question
 Monitor understanding — the most salient difference between good and poor readers is
that good readers know when — and often why — they are not comprehending
 Use Clarifying and Corrective strategies where needed
 Reflect on and Apply the meaning that has been made to new situations

READING FOR FACTS

Students often get confused trying to determine whether a statement is factually accurate or not.
Recognizing the difference between facts and opinions is a skill that often remains unevaluated.

44
A fact is something which can be checked and backed up with evidence. Facts are often used in
conjunction with research and study.

An opinion on the other hand is based on a belief or view. It is not based on any evidence that
can be checked. Opinions can be found in many types of writing such as in the letters written to
the Editor.

Often writers mix facts and opinions. It is not always easy to tell whether something is based on
facts that can be checked or someone’s particular viewpoint. Hence it is important for the reader
to read with a questioning mind.

GUESSING MEANING FROM THE CONTEXT

Guessing from context refers to the ability to infer the meaning of an expression using contextual
clues. These clues may be purely linguistic or situational.

Examples:

1. When he made insolent remarks towards his teacher they sent him to the principal
for being disrespectful.

2. Although the girl was very loquacious, she remained silent in front of her father.

TYPES OF READING SKILLS :

There are different styles of reading for different situations. The technique you choose
will depend on the purpose for reading.

Web pages, novels, textbooks, manuals, magazines, newspapers, and mail are just a few
of the things that people read every day. Effective and efficient readers learn to use many styles
of reading for different purposes. Skimming, scanning, and critical reading are different styles of
reading and information processing.

SKIMMING

Skimming is used to quickly identify the main ideas of a text. When you read the
newspaper, you're probably not reading it word-by-word, instead you're scanning the text.
Skimming is done at a speed three to four times faster than normal reading. People often skim
when they have lots of material to read in a limited amount of time.
Examples of Skimming:
 The Newspaper( quickly to get the general news of the day)
 Magazines ( quickly to discover which articles you would like to read in more detail)
 Business and Travel Brochures ( quickly to get informed)

45
 SCANNING

Scanning is a technique you often use when looking up a word in the telephone book or
dictionary. You search for key words or ideas. In most cases, you know what you're looking for,
so you're concentrating on finding a particular answer.
Examples of Scanning:
 The “What’s on TV” section of your Newspaper
 A train / airplane schedule
 A Conference Guide

EXTENSIVE READING

Extensive Reading is used to obtain a general understanding of a subject and includes

reading longer texts for pleasure and for general knowledge.

Examples of Extensive Reading:

 The latest marketing strategy book
 A novel you read before going to bed
 Magazine articles that interest you

INTENSIVE READING

Intensive Reading is used for shorter texts in order to extract specific information. It
includes close reading for accurate detail.

Examples of Intensive Reading:

 A book keeping report
 An insurance claim

CRITICAL READING

Critical reading is the vital part of the writing process. The critical reading of a given
text implies a critical examination of the concepts used as well as of the soundness of the
arguments and the value and relevance of the assumptions on which the text is given.

Most successful critical readers use some of the following strategies:

 Previewing
 Annotating
 Summarizing
 Analyzing
 Re-reading
 Responding

46
INFERRING MEANING

Inference in reading is the ability to understand the meaning of a passage or text without all the
information being spelled out. Readers take the clues given to them and draw conclusions based
on their own views and personal experiences.

Consider the following statement:

The Senator admitted owning the gun that killed his wife.

Unpacking the meaning, we can see that the Senator was married and his wife is now dead—
although this is not actually stated as such. (In fact, the sentence is about an admission of gun
ownership.) It is as though the single sentence contains a number of assertions:

 There is a Senator.
 He owns a gun.
 He is married.
 His wife is dead.
 That gun caused her death.
 The Senator admitted owning that gun.

EFFECTIVE GOOGLING

At any given moment, there are millions of people “Googling” something, but very few
use the many features associated with the search engine that can refine, define and optimize your
search. For example, Google results will be different if you search for student/ students,
barking dog/ dog barking. Google pays attention to the order of your words and if they are
plurals. It ignores most little words ( I , it, an, for, of etc.) and punctuation other than
apostrophes, hyphens and quote marks.

TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE GOOGLING

1. be as specific as possible when searching for something

2. words that are quoted together, stick together
3. exclude the words you don’t want
4. keep the words you need
5. use wildcards for words you don’t know.
6. Google can also be used as a quick calculator, an address book and as an
entertainment guide.

47
Reference Books:

1) Effective technical communication – M. Ashraf Rizvi,

2) “DELTA’s key to the Next Generation TOEFL Test : Advanced Skill Practice”, New Age
International (P) Ltd., Publishers, New Delhi.
3) “IELTS series with CDs”, Cambridge University Press.
4) Edgar Thorpe & Showick Thorpe, “Objective English”, Pearson Education 2007.
5) Jolene Gear & Robert Gear, “Cambridge Preparation for the TOEFL”, 4th Edition.
6) Comprehension connection – bridges to strategic reading – Tanny Mc Gregor
7) Reading Comprehension for the CAT – Sujith Kumar

UNIT – III

WRITING SKILLS
It's true that anyone can write. All you need is a computer with a keyboard or a pen and
paper to accomplish that. But it is untrue to think that anyone, even someone who uses the best
writing enhancement software, can write well. Without practice and careful study, learning to
write well is a skill that few individuals will ever master in their lifetimes. Even professional
writers spend a lifetime picking up on all the nuances of writing.

Whether you are composing a memo to your co-worker or a report for your boss, you should
decide what information you want to convey. Here is how to do this:

1. List each item you need to discuss in your memo or report.

2. Put them in order—from most to least important.
3. Write a brief summary of your entire memo—this will be your first paragraph.
4. Expand on each item listed in step 1.
5. If any action needs to be taken by the recipient, state that in your closing paragraph.

SOME TIPS TO IMPROVE WRITING SKILLS

1. Avoid wordiness and use simple sentences.

2. Write for your audience. Use simple language without using a huge vocabulary.

3. Stay away from the jargon which your reader may not understand.

4. Avoid clichés (A cliché is an expression, idea, or element of an artistic work which has
become overused to the point of losing its original meaning or effect, even to the point of being
irritating).

48
Rather than saying “When it’s all said and done, at the end of the day, I can say, I made a
difference in the world” simply say, "Finally, I made a difference in the world.”

5. As far as possible, use the active voice.

6. Pay attention to grammar.

7. Proof reading is one of the most important things you can do. Be careful as computerized
spelling and grammar checkers may miss some words used in the wrong context.

e- CORRESPONDENCE

One of the most frequently used means of communication in the job search is e-mail and its
advantages are many. Delivery of an e-mail is prompt and assured (as long as you have the
individual's correct e-mail address). Another positive feature is that e-mail is less intrusive than a
phone call; the recipient can read the message at his or her leisure. Often, e-mail will be an
employer's preferred method of communication. Following are some important suggestions and
rules to remember when composing job search related e-mails.

Every email message has two parts: the header and the body (the main text of the message).

The body is the main text of the message, and may also include attachments.

Most mail programs allow you to create a signature which can be automatically added to the end
of every mail message you send. Conventionally a signature should not exceed four lines in
length.

The principal elements of the mail header are normally

Date :

To : the recipient’s address,

From : sender’s address and

Subject: the subject of the mail

Other header elements include

 CC : a list of addresses to which the mail is to be copied

 BCC : a list of addresses for "blind" copies (the recipient does not see this list)
 Reply-To : the default address for replies, if different from the From: address

49
Maintaining a Professional Tone
We are so used to communicating with friends, relatives, and casual acquaintances that we
can easily lapse into a tone that is too informal for communicating with potential employers.
What does this mean? The goal is to achieve a tone that is consistently professional, but also
engaging.

The greeting and closing convey your tone. Address the person in a professional manner,
using the title Mr., Ms., Dr., etc. If you are uncertain of the gender based on the name,
then it is appropriate to write the first and last name: "Dear Terry Martin." Take care not
to misspell the recipient's name. Choose a professional closing, such as "Sincerely", and
sign the e-mail using both your first and last name.

Language, of course, conveys tone. Never use language that is potentially offensive or
inflammatory. This is not the place for slang or curse words (not even mild ones).

Avoid abbreviations such as "u" for "you," "plz" for "please," etc. Similarly, do not include
emoticons. Sorry :(. Although they are expressive and fun to send to friends, they are not
professional.

Believe it or not, capitalization can indicate tone. For example, if you write in all caps it may
appear as though you are shouting. By the same token, do not type in all lower case because
it may suggest laziness and a lack of attention to detail.

Lastly, consider your own e-mail address. Does it reflect the image you want to project to an
employer? For example, crazyboy09@gmail.com is obviously inappropriate.

Grammar and Formatting

It is all too easy to write an e-mail in haste and send it off without much thought to
accuracy and appearance. Here are a few important things to bear in mind before you
click the "send" button.

 Ensure that your message is well-written, and grammatically correct. Read it over several
times aloud. How does it sound? Better yet, ask someone else who has a knack for
writing to read it over and give you feedback.
 Be vigilant in checking for spelling and punctuation errors. Run spell check. And
remember that spell check will not necessarily catch all errors (e.g., "to" instead of "too").
 Select a font that is legible and fairly standard, such as Times New Roman, Arial, or
Calibri.
 Check your font size. Is it so small that it is hard to read? Or so large that it looks
cartoonish? A 10-12 point font is recommended.
 No colored fonts or backgrounds, please.
 Look at the overall layout of your e-mail. Is it stylistically consistent? Are your
paragraphs evenly spaced?

50
Length and Content

As in any written business communication, the goal is to be courteous, but concise and to the
point. You want to give the recipient the necessary information without being excessively
wordy or including unnecessary information.

 Be sensitive to the person's time, and include only essential items. Draft and edit your e-
mail.
 At the same time, be sure that the information you do include is clear and complete.
 The subject line should be brief and indicate the content of the e-mail (e.g., " Rajesh -
Cover Letter/Resume").
 Courtesies are very important. Remember to include "please" and "thank you." Express
interest, appreciation, and enthusiasm.

SAMPLE e - mail:

Send an e mail to the Principal of your College to request him to open a first
aid room in your college. Send a copy of this e mail to the Vice Principal and a blind
copy to the Secretary of the college committee.

To : principal_cmrec@gmail.com

CC : vp_cmrec@gmail.com

BCC : secretary_cmrec@gmail.com

Sub: To open a first aid room in the college.

Respected Sir,

We the students of CMREC, Hyderabad are facing many problems as

there is no first aid room in our college. Students who are getting injured during
the sports hour and those who meet with minor accidents are suffering due to lack
of medical aid.

Hence we request you to kindly arrange a medical aid room in our college
at the earliest.

Thanking you Sir,

Yours obediently,
Students of CMREC,
Hyderabad.

51
 COVER LETTER/JOB APPLICATION LETTER

A cover letter, covering letter or a job application letter is a letter of introduction attached to,
or accompanying another document such as a résumé or curriculum vitae.

Job seekers frequently send a cover letter along with their curriculum vitae or applications for
employment as a way of introducing themselves to potential employers and explaining their
suitability for the desired positions.

Cover letters are typically divided into three categories:

 The application letter or invited cover letter, which responds to a known job opening
 The prospecting letter or uninvited cover letter, which inquires about possible positions
 The networking letter, which requests information and assistance in the sender's job
search

RESUME

A Résumé (American) is a document used by persons to present their backgrounds and skills.
Résumés can be used for a variety of reasons, but most often they are used to secure new
employment.

A CV or Curriculum Vitae( British), is an in-depth document that can be laid out over two or
more pages and it contains a high level of detail about your achievements, a great deal more than
just a career biography. The CV covers your education as well as any other accomplishments like
publications, awards, honours etc.

A CV is static and doesn’t change for different positions; the difference would be in the cover
letter.

A resume, or résumé, is a concise document typically not longer than one page as the intended
the reader will not dwell on your document for very long. The goal of a resume is to make an
individual stand out from the competition.

Three major differences between CVs and resumes are the length, the purpose and the layout.

A resume is a brief summary of your skills and experience over one or two pages, a CV is more
detailed and can stretch well beyond two pages. The resume will be tailored to each position
whereas the CV will stay static and any changes will be mentioned in the Cover letter.

52
A CV has a clear chronological order listing the whole career of the individual whereas a
resume’s information can be shuffled around to best suit the applicant. The main difference
between a resume and a CV is that a CV is intended to be a full record of your career history and
a resume is a brief, targeted list of skills and achievements.

CV – long, covers your entire career, static

Resume – short, no particular format rule, highly customizable

Resume Styles and Formats:

There are three acceptable resume styles depending on the applicants qualifications, career goals
and personal references.

1. Chronological Resume: This is the most common resume style. It focuses on

education and experience. The past employment and education are organized in
reverse chronological order starting with the current or the most recent work/
qualification.
2. Functional Resume: This highlights accomplishments and demonstrates the
skills needed for the targeted position.
3. Combination Resume: This follows a mixed style, drawing on the best
characteristics of the chronological and functional resumes. It not only includes
detailed information about the candidate’s education and work experience but also
highlights his/her skills.

Exercise:
You are a recently passed out graduate of Engineering. Apply for the post of Software
Engineer advertised by TCS in the Times of India dated 19/01/2016. Submit a Resume
along with a Covering Letter to the Human Resource Manager.

53
 COVER LETTER
From
XYZ,
Flat No: 16,
Triveni Apartments,
Ameerpet,
Hyderabad.
19 January 2016.
To
The HR Manager,
TCS,
Madhapur,
Hyderabad.
Sir/ Madam,

Sub: Application for the post of Software Engineer – reg

Ref: Your advt. in Times of India dated 19/01/2016

With reference to your advertisement, I would like to present myself as a

candidate for the post of Software Programmer in your esteemed organization.
I am a 23 year old graduate in Computer Science Engineering with an aggregate
of 75%. I am a Fresher. I meet all the requirements mentioned in your advertisement. I have a
good command over JAVA and C++ and I also possess excellent communication skills.
I assure you that I shall be an asset to your organization. This position would
provide e with the ideal opportunity to assist your organization and to expand my programming
skills as well. I enclose copies of my certificates. I would be grateful if you consider me for the
advertised position.
Thanking You,

Encl: Yours faithfully,

1. Resume Signature
2. Copies of Certificates [XYZ]

54
 CURRICULUM VITAE
XYZ,
Flat No.16,
Triveni Apartments,
Ameerpet,
Hyderabad.
Mobile:
E mail:
___________________________________________________________________________

CAREER OBJECTIVE

To succeed in an environment of growth and excellence and earn a job which provides me job
satisfaction and self development and helps me achieve personal as well as organization goals.

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

 B.Tech from CMREC, JNTUH with an aggregate of 90% in 2015

 Intermediate from Narayana Junior College, BIE with an aggregate of 85% in 2011
 X Class from Triveni High School, SSC Board with an aggregate of 87% in 2009

TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS

 Undergone certification course in .NET.

 Successful completion of course in PHP and JSP

ADDITIONAL SKILLS

 Programming Languages : Java, .NET, PHP

 Operating Systems : Windows XP, Linux, MS-DOS
 Packages : Microsoft Office
 RDBMS : Oracle, MS-SQL server

AREAS OF INTEREST

 Website Development
 Compiler Design

ACHIEVEMENTS

 Participated in National Level Seminar on FOG Computing

 Got first prize in Quiz program in the Intra-college competition
 Received best student award in SSC

55
STRENGTHS

 A good team player as well as a good leader.

 Ability to deal with people effectively.
 Disciplined & have a good etiquette.

ACADEMIC PROJECTS

Project 1 : Portable Compiler

Language of implementation: C

Project Description:

 Lexical analysis, parsing, semantic checking and code generation.

Project 2 : Online Shopping Cart

Language of implementation: .NET

Project Description:

 In this project a website is designed for buying products online. Users can register with
username and password. They can buy things online and add it to their shopping cart.
Microsoft SQL Server is used as back-end tool.

PERSONAL PROFILE

Name : XYZ
Father’s Name : XXXXX
Date of Birth and Age : 21-12- 1992, 23 years
Gender : Male
Marital Status : Single
Nationality : Indian
Languages Known : English, Hindi and Telugu
References : Will be furnished upon request

Declaration: I hereby declare that the above mentioned details are correct up to my knowledge
and I shall bear the responsibility for the correctness of the above mentioned particulars.

Place: Signature

Date : [XYZ]

56
TECHNICAL REPORT WRITING

A report is any informational work (usually of writing, speech, television or film) made with the
specific intention of relaying information or recounting certain events in a widely presentable
form.

Written reports are documents which present focused, salient content to a specific audience.
Reports are often used to display the result of an experiment, investigation, or inquiry. The
audience may be public or private, an individual or the public in general. Reports are used in
government, business, education, science and other fields.

Reports use features such as graphics, images, voice or specialized vocabulary in order to
persuade that specific audience to undertake an action.

Reports are written for different purposes. They therefore contain different information and
structures, including headings and subheadings, and these form the outline of the report. The
table below shows the sections commonly found in various types of reports.

Common report structures

Science report Business report

Short report  Title page  Title page

 Introduction  Executive summary
 Title page  Method & materials  Table of contents
 Introduction  Results  Introduction
 Discussion  Discussion  Discussion
 Recommendations  Conclusion  Conclusion
 References  Appendices  Recommendations
 References  Appendices
 References

Engineering report Research report

 Title page  Title page

 Executive summary  Executive summary
(optional)  Introduction
 Introduction  Method / methodology
 Objectives  Results / findings
 Analysis  Discussion
 Discussion  Conclusions
 Recommendations &  Recommendations
action plan  Appendices
 Conclusion  Bibliography
 Appendices
 References

57
A technical report (also scientific report) is a document that describes the process, progress, or results
of technical or scientific research or the state of a technical or scientific research problem. It might also
include recommendations and conclusions of the research.

A technical report should contain the following sections:

Section Details

Must include the title of the report. Reports for assessment, where the
Title page word length has been specified, will often also require the summary word
count and the main text word count

A summary of the whole report including important features, results and

Summary
conclusions

Contents Numbers and lists all section and subsection headings with page numbers

States the objectives of the report and comments on the way the topic of
Introduction the report is to be treated. Leads straight into the report itself. Must not be
a copy of the introduction in a lab handout.

The sections which make up Divided into numbered and headed sections. These sections separate the
the body of the report different main ideas in a logical order

Conclusions A short, logical summing up of the theme(s) developed in the main text

Details of published sources of material referred to or quoted in the text

References
(including any lecture notes and URL addresses of any websites used.

Other published sources of material, including websites, not referred to in

Bibliography
the text but useful for background or further reading.

List of people who helped you research or prepare the report, including
Acknowledgements
your proofreaders

Any further material which is essential for full understanding of your

Appendices (if appropriate) report (e.g. large scale diagrams, computer code, raw data, specifications)
but not required by a casual reader

58
SOME TYPES OF REPORTS

Technical - background report: The background report is the hardest to define but the most commonly
written. This type of technical report provides background on a topic--for example: solar energy, global
warming.

Feasibility reports: It studies a problem or opportunity and then makes a recommendation. A feasibility
report tells whether a project is "feasible"--that is, whether it is practical and technologically possible.

Recommendation report: A recommendation report compares two or more alternatives and

recommends one (or, if necessary, none).

Evaluation report: An evaluation or assessment report studies something in terms of its worth or value

Primary research report: Primary research refers to the actual work someone does in a laboratory or in
the field such as experiments and surveys. E.g.: lab report.

Minutes of a meeting: Minutes, also known as protocols are the instant written record of a meeting or
hearing. They typically describe the events of the meeting, starting with a list of attendees, a statement of
the issues considered by the participants, and related responses or decisions for the issues.

SAMPLE SHORT REPORT

CMREC
English Department
Hyderabad
Telangana

A Report On The Possibility Of Opening A Short Course In English

Introduction

In a meeting of the department of English held on 20 Jan 2016, the view was expressed that our
students have a very poor command in English, both spoken and written. So it was proposed that
a short course in English should be opened under the management of the English faculty.

Discussion

We realized the need for such a course for good reasons. From the answer scripts of the students
of different departments, we found that the standard of English of about 80% of them is far
below the average. We interviewed many students of our college, of some other colleges, and
even some outsiders, and found that they deplorably lacked correctness in writing and fluency in
speaking English. We also talked with them about opening a short course in English in order to
help them with the basics of written and spoken English. They all highly appreciated the idea and
opined that such a course would be of much help for them.

59
The students need to use correct English in their answers of the examination questions in
different courses and subjects. If they are given some knowledge about the basics of spoken and
written English, they can go a long way towards their improvement.

Conclusion

So we think that Short Courses in English will be a quite popular programme. It will help
students, non-students, and professionals.

Recommendations

We would recommend that such a course should be opened in the Department of English, and
the college should look into the financial aspects of the programme as early as possible.

Prof. XXX
Head of the Department of English
25 January 2016

60
FORMAT OF A REPORT (IN THE FORM OF A LETTER)

DATE
From
--------
---------
----------
To
----------
----------
----------
Sir,

Sub/ Title: ___________________________________

Introduction/ Terms of Reference:

___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
Data Sources:
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
Findings:
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

Conclusion & Recommendations:

___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
Yours faithfully,
(Signature)
[Name in Block Letters]

Exercise:

The District Collector, Kurnool, is concerned with the rapid no. of road accidents in the district. The
Chairman, Municipal Corporation, Kurnool has been asked to submit a report investigating the causes and
suggesting the measures to improve the situation.

61
 PORTFOLIO WRITING

It is a collection of student’s writing (in print or electronic form) that is intended to demonstrate
the writer's development over the course of one or more academic terms. Since the 1980s,
writing portfolios have become an increasingly popular form of student assessment in
composition courses taught in colleges and universities, especially in the U.S.

The purpose of a writing portfolio is to demonstrate a student’s improvement and achievements.

Portfolios allow writers to collect a body of writing in one place and to organize and present it in an
effective, attractive format, giving the instructor a view of a student's over all writing performance.
Portfolios help the students to evaluate their own work.

The process-writing portfolio is an instructional tool that manifests the stages and efforts in the writing
process. It also contains completed, unfinished, abandoned, or successful work. Process-writing portfolios
typically contain brainstorming activities, clustering, diagramming, outlining, free writing, drafting,
redrafting in response to teacher/peer review, and so forth. Thus, a picture of the current state of an
individual's composing process is revealed.

A web folio is an electronic version of the portfolio. The web folio is a collection of the scholar's work
placed on the webpage with links to other Internet resources. It is a collection of all of the scholar's work
created throughout the year. It starts out as a homepage.

Your web folio will include your hypertext essays, your own writings, using a paper template, and any
other elements you wish to represent you and your capabilities as a web scholar.

References:

1) Report Writing Today by Steven E.Steven E.Pauley, Daniel G.Riordan

2) Technical Writing Process and Product Third Ediation by Sharon J.Gerson and Steven M. Gerson.
3) The writing room A Resource book Horvay S.Wiener hor Teachers of English O.U.P 1981.
4) Technical writing Process and product. Sharon J.Gerson, Steven M.Greson , Pearson education
Asia, 2001,
5) Hand Book for Business writing L.Sue Bengh/ Meridell Fryar/Devid Thonal.
6) Technical Report Writing Todes All india traveler book seller 1989. Rauley. Riorben.

7) Technical Report writing today daind G. Riorden. 2012.

8) Writing good reports – John Bowden 2007.
9) How to write Report and Proposals revised 2010 – patriak Forsyth.
10) Hand book for Business Writing L.Sue Baugh/Maridell Fryar/David Thomas by Tata McGraw-
Hill Edition

62
11) M. Ashraf Rizvi, “Effective Technical Communication”, Tata Mc. Graw-Hill Publishing
Company Ltd.
12) Madhavi Apte, “A Course in English Communication”, Prentice-Hall of India, 2007
13) Leena Sen, “Communication Skills”, Prentice-Hall of India, 2005.
14) Stephen Bailey, “Academic Writing - A Practical guide for students”, Rontledge Falmer,
London & New York, 2004.
15) Daniel G. Riodran & Steven E. Pauley, “Technical Report Writing Today”, Biztantra
Publishers, 2005.

16) Internet hand book for Writers, Students, Teachers by Mary Mc Guire, Linda Stil Borne, Melinda
Mc Adams, Laurel Hyatt.
17) Writing for the internet by Jane Dorner
18) The Dos and Don’ts of Electronic Correspondence by Hillary A Collins and Douglas S Levy
19) www.reesbroome.com/ community/March 2013
20) The Executive Guide to E-mail Correspondence: Including Model Letters for Every Situation –
2006- Dawn-Michelle Baude
21) .E-Mail: A Write It Well Guide – 2008-Janis Fisher Chan
22) The Executive Guide to E-mail Correspondence: Including Model Letters for Every Situation-
Dawn Michelle Baude, Dawn-Michelle Baude, Ph.D.Career Press, 2006 Writing Effective E-mail-
Improving Your Electronic Correspondence-2003-Nancy Flynn , Tom Flynn
23) Elements of E-Mail Style: Communicate Effectively via Electronic Mail Paperback – 1994-
David Angell , Brent Heslop ISBN-13: 978-0201627091

UNIT – IV

ACTIVITIES ON PRESENTATION SKILLS

ORAL PRESENTATION / PUBLIC SPEAKING

Oral Presentation is a tool for business communication and professional interaction.

Some forms of Oral presentations are Seminars, Workshops, Student presentations, press
conferences etc. Oral presentations can be either prepared or extempore (made without
preparation).
The four basic elements of an effective presentation are – Plan, Prepare, Practice and Perform.

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 JAM SESSION

JAM (Just a Minute) is an impromptu speech test conducted with the time limit of a
minute. Essentials of JAM Session are – Subject Knowledge, Enriched Vocabulary, Knowledge
of Sentence Structures and Time Management.

SAMPLE JAM SESSION

TOPIC : If I Were A Millionaire

Good Morning friends,

I am here to present my views on the topic “If I were a millionaire”.

To be honest, I am poor in life and my wishes are hopelessly small. I live in a state of uncertainty
and I never know whether I shall be able to afford my next meal.

But there is no check on one’s fancy. Fancy is my luxury. I wish I were a millionaire!
As a poor man, I have often experienced that the rich are generally selfish to the extent of being cruel.
Their outlook on life is not human but materialistic. They forget that to be rich is not to be in human.
When I am rich, I shall not forget god and god’s men.

I long to lead some days in comfort. Money will end the state of uncertainty in which I live.
Riches are a panacea. Poverty loses friends and makes one disrespectable and unacceptable in society.
Wealth attracts and makes one honorable.

If I were a millionaire, I would be in the company of rich friends and would be honorable. But
being a millionaire is only a part of my desire.

I know I get education under very difficult circumstances. So I shall open schools and colleges
for the education of all. My great aim in life is to establish a university in the model of ancient Indian
universities. I want to go back to our old culture which was once the pride of the world.

A wealthy man can do much good to this world. Wealth often spoils man. Money along with
comforts and care brings evil also. Rich men are generally victims to one evil or the other. I have natural
dislike for the base and the disreputable. I was born human and shall live a pious and noble life. This duty
openly man owns to god. I shall fulfill this duty. I shall set a noble example before others and shall be a
brilliant light for misguided millionaires.

I would very much wish to encourage social service in the country. I shall make a trust which
will look after the welfare of orphans. It is a pity that in our country wealthy persons do not possess
charitable qualities. I shall lead a noble life and cut down my own expenses so that I may help others to
live better.

I am a noble-hearted and simple person. That is what I could remain even if I become a
millionaire.
Thank you.

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TOPICS FOR ORAL PRESENTATION (EXTEMPORE)

1. Fresher’s Parties 11. Corruption

2. Pollution 12. The Importance of games and sports

3. Co-education 13. TV Serials

4. Indian Films 14. Harmful effects of plastic

5. Importance of Hard work 15. Agriculture in India

6. Fests in Colleges 16. Libraries and their usefulness

7. Influence of TV on kids 17. Reality Shows

8. Role of engineers in the society 18. Social networking sites

9. Importance of Communication Skills 19. Time Management

10. Illiteracy in India 20. Student Life

TOPICS FOR JAM SESSION

1. If I were the CM…… 11. If animals could talk

2. Language Labs: Are they useful? 12. Summer Vacation

3. Drunk driving 13. A place I visited

4. Rash driving 14. Bald head

5. Using mobiles while driving 15. Teenage: Enjoyment

6. Smoking in public places 16. Explain the rules of your favorite

game
7. My role model
17. A rainy day
8. My childhood days
18. If I could meet God….
9. If I had wings to fly
19. If not an Engineer, I would
10. The most memorable incident in be……
my life
20. Some people I like

65
 SEMINARS

A seminar is, generally, a form of academic instruction, either at an academic institution or offered by a
commercial or professional organization. It has the function of bringing together small groups for
recurring meetings, focusing each time on some particular subject, in which everyone present is requested
to actively participate.

The idea behind the seminar system is to familiarize students more extensively with the methodology of
their chosen subject and also to allow them to interact with examples of the practical problems that
always occur during research work. It is essentially a place where assigned readings are discussed,
questions can be raised and debates can be conducted.[2] It is relatively informal, at least compared to the
lecture system of academic instruction.

Increasingly, the term "seminar" is used to describe a commercial event (though sometimes free
to attend) where delegates are given information, training and instruction on various topics such
as property investing, internet marketing and self-improvement.

There are many different types of seminars; however the two most popular seminars are Personal
Development Seminars and Business Seminars.

Personal Development Seminars are intended for the improvement of personal growth of people.
In these seminars, the speakers usually talk about psychology, philosophy, mindset and other
topics that can help individuals grow as a person.

Business Seminars are seminars where speakers talk about business strategies, how to grow and
succeed in business, business ideas, success stories, etc... These seminars can be helpful for
business owners, entrepreneurs and anyone who would like to start their own business.

POWER POINT PRESENTATIONS

Microsoft PowerPoint is a slide show presentation program developed by Microsoft. A well-organized

slide show allows a presenter to fit visual images to an oral presentation.

Presentation software is most commonly used for instructional purposes, usually with the intention of
creating a dynamic, audiovisual presentation. The relevant points to the entire presentation are put on
slides, and accompany a spoken monologue.

A presentation program is supposed to help both: the speaker with an easier access to his ideas and the
participants with visual information which complements the talk. There are many different types of
presentations including professional (work-related), education, entertainment, and for general
communication. Presentation programs can either supplement or replace the use of older visual aid
technology, such as Pamphlets, handouts, chalkboards, flip charts, posters, slides and overhead
transparencies. Text, graphics, movies, and other objects are positioned on individual pages or "slides" or

66
"foils". The "slide" analogy is a reference to the slide projector, a device that has become somewhat
obsolete due to the use of presentation software. Slides can be printed, or (more usually) displayed on-
screen and navigated through at the command of the presenter. Transitions between slides can be
animated in a variety of ways, as can the emergence of elements on a slide itself. Typically a presentation
has many constraints and the most important being the limited time to present consistent information.

Do’s and Don’ts in a PPT:

 Use 5 to 6 slides for a 30 minute presentation.

 Each slide should have bulleted points not more than 5 or 6 in number.
 Points on a slide should be animated in order to show them one by one.
 Visual aids such as pictures, graphs, diagrams can be used wherever necessary.
 Slides should be colourful but not gaudy.
 Queries should be answered in a soft and interesting tone.

Sample Presentation:
Good morning everyone.

I am Vasudha from third year B.Tech of Mechanical Engineering. I am here to make a

presentation on Global Warming.

I would like to divide my presentation under the following heads:

2. Introduction
3. Significance of the problem
4. Causes of Global Warming
5. Measures to minimize the problem
6. Queries

What is Global Warming?

Global Warming is the increase of Earth's average surface temperature due to effect of
greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels or from
deforestation, which trap heat that would otherwise escape from Earth. This is a type of
greenhouse effect.

Significance of the problem:

 Global warming is already having significant and costly effects on our communities, our
health, and our climate such as:

67
  Accelerating sea level rise and increased coastal flooding

 Longer and more damaging wildfire seasons

 More frequent and intense heat waves

 Putting many of the country's most iconic and historic sites at risk

 Widespread forest deaths

 Costly and growing health impacts

Unless we take immediate action to reduce global warming emissions, these impacts will
continue to intensify, grow ever more costly and damaging, and increasingly affect the entire
planet — including you, your community, and your family.

Causes of Global Warming:

 Combustion of fossil fuels in cars, factories.

 Electricity production.
 Methane released from landfills and agriculture (especially from the digestive systems of
grazing animals)
 Nitrous oxide from fertilizers
 Gases used for refrigeration and industrial processes
 The loss of forests that would otherwise store CO2.

Measures to minimize the problem:

1. Use Fluorescent Light Bulbs

2. Switch off Electric Appliances when not in use

3. Change Your Monitor with LCD

4. Don’t Leave Fridge’s door open for a Long Time

5. Uses of Solar Energy

6. Use Electric or Hybrid Car

7. Plant trees

8. Save water

9. Avoid using lights at day time

10. Make high roofs

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11. Reduce trash at home

With this I conclude my presentation.

Please feel free to pose questions if any. I shall be glad to answer them all.

Thank you.

POSTER PRESENTATIONS

A poster session or poster presentation is the presentation of research information by an

individual or representatives of research teams at a congress or conference with an academic or
professional focus. The work is usually peer reviewed. Poster sessions are particularly prominent at
scientific conferences

Presentations usually consist of affixing the research poster to a portable wall with the researcher
in attendance answering questions posed by passing colleagues. The poster itself varies in size according
to conference guidelines from 2x3 feet to 4x8 feet in dimensions. Posters are often created using a
presentation program such as PowerPoint and may be printed on a large format printer. Posters are often
laminated with plastic to improve durability.

SAMPLE POSTER

69
 PROJECTS

A project is defined as a collaborative enterprise, involving research or design, that is carefully planned
to achieve a particular aim.

Projects can be further defined as temporary rather than permanent social systems or work systems that
are constituted by teams within or across organizations to accomplish particular tasks under time
constraints. An on-going project is usually called (or evolves into) a program.

At school, educational institute and university, a project is a research assignment given to a student which
generally requires a larger amount of effort and more independent work than is involved in a normal
essay assignment. It requires students to undertake their own fact-finding and analysis, either from
library/internet research or from gathering data empirically. The written report that comes from the
project is usually in the form of a dissertation, which will contain sections on the project's inception,
analysis, findings and conclusions...

an engineering project is broken down into design and construction phases. The outputs of the design
process are drawings, calculations, and all other design documentation necessary to carry out the next
phase. The next phase would normally be sending the project plans to a developer who will then help
construct the plans (construction phase).

References:
1. Speaking Your Mind: Oral Presentation and Seminar Skills - 2000- Dr Rebecca Stott (Editor),
Cordelia Bryan (Editor),Longman, ISBN-13: 978-0582382435

2. Oral Communication: Skills, Choices, and Consequences Paperback –2011- Kathryn Sue Young ,
Howard Paul Travis, Waveland Press,Inc. ISBN-13: 978-1577667452
3. Business Communication: M.M. Monipally , 2000, Tata-Mcgraw Hill
4. Business Communication : 2014, Meenakshi Raman, Prakash Singh CUP
5. Dr. A. Ramakrishna Rao, Dr. G. Natanam & Prof. SA Sankaranarayanan, “A Reader cum Lab
Manual”, Anuradha Publications, Chennai
6. M. Ashraf Rizvi, “Effective Technical Communication”, Tata Mc. Graw-Hill Publishing Company
Ltd.
7. Andera J. Rutherford, “Basic Communication Skills for Technology”, Pearson Education, 2007.
8. Sunita Mishra & C. Muralikrishna, “Communication Skills for Engineers”, Pearson Education
2007.

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 UNIT – V

ACTIVITIES ON GROUP DISCUSSION AND INTERVIEW SKILLS

GROUP DISCUSSION
Discussing in groups of two or more people can be a great way to develop better social and
emotional skills in a structured environment.

In any kind of GD, the aim is to judge the participants based on personality, knowledge,
communicative ability to present the knowledge and leadership skills. Today team players are
considered more important than individual contributors. Hence in a GD, the potential to be a
leader is evaluated and also the ability to work in a team is tested. The evaluators generally
assess the oral competence of a candidate in terms of team listening, appropriate language,
clarity of expression, positive speech attitudes and adjustments, clear articulation, and effective
non-verbal communication.

DYNAMICS OF GD

GD involves a lot of group dynamics, that is, it involves both person to person as well as group
to group interactions. Every group member has to develop a goal oriented or group oriented
interaction. A participant needs to be aware of needs of other group members and overall
objectives of the discussion.

INTERVENTION

Intervention in a GD refers to becoming involved in something (such as a conflict) in order to

have an influence on what happens. These days Group Discussion is being used as an
intervention strategy in novel teaching to study students’ attitudinal changes. Intervention helps
to promote the higher order thinking skills.

SUMMARIZING
There is a general tendency among candidates to grab an opportunity to initiate or summarize a
GD topic without putting proper emphasis on the content.

A group discussion can be categorically divided into three phases:

1. Initiation/Introduction

71
2. Body of the Group Discussion

3. Summarization/Conclusion

The following points should be kept in mind while summarizing a discussion:

1. No new point should be taken up.

2. A person should not share his or her own viewpoint alone.

3. A summary should not dwell only on one side of the GD.

4. It should be brief and concise.

5. It should incorporate all the important points spoken.

MODULATION OF VOICE
Voice Modulation refers to a change in stress, pitch, loudness or tone of the voice. It helps to improve
your voice and increase your authority in presentation. For better communication, we should be
aware of our voice quality, volume, speech rate and manner of speaking.

For example, a deep throaty voice indicates maturity, a shaky voice indicates nervousness, a
broken voice indicates lack of preparation while a clear voice indicates confidence.

BODY LANGUAGE IN A GROUP DISCUSSION

When we communicate, it is very essential for us to have the correct body language to avoid
offence to anyone.

 In a group discussion, Positive body gestures are a sign of confidence and security. They
are a sign of active participation and leave a good impression.
 Positive gestures include Walking upright, Shaking hands confidently etc.
 Often body language conveys a lot of messages that words may not.
 A positive body language increases an impact on others.
 Body language helps to build a rapport with others.
 Body language helps to understand what others may try to convey.
 Body language helps to control aggression and conflicts.
 Body language can show you are energetic in a group discussion.

When communicating, it is important for us to have positive body gestures. Direct and steady
eye contact is the most important of them.

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RELEVANCE
Relevance is the degree to which something is related or useful to what is happening or being talked
about. While participating in a GD we should be aware if our point has any relevance to the discussion.

Students often lose relevance while carrying out Group Discussions. This is mainly because their social
skills are declining as they have less time for face-to-face interaction due to their increased use of digital
media. Students often exhibit decreased sensitivity to emotional cues, losing the ability to understand the
emotions of other people. Relevance in communication can be improved by developing social skills.

FLUENCY
One should enhance one’s vocabulary by learning more phrasal verbs, idioms etc. these help in
boosting your fluency. However ornamental and flowery language should not be used much.
Instead use simple words for an easy understanding.

ORGANISATION OF IDEAS
Prepare yourself. If you don't know your material ahead of time, you will have less to
contribute and will understand the discussion less. Research some background information on
your topic if you are given it ahead of time.

Be confident: If you aren't confident with yourself, you'll be scared of sharing your opinions.
You need to trust yourself and others and you need to feel confident in your thoughts. Share your
opinions- it doesn't matter what other people think.

Form a debate: Group discussion is weighing the pros and cons of a debatable topic. The group
discussions are mostly a way to see if how people's views are different, and how they perceive
things. It's also comparing answers to others.

Conquer misunderstandings: Even though you are mainly talking, and announcing whatever
comes to you to debate over; it doesn't stop from heated words spilling. So take in all in stride
and try to form a question about why such an argument bursts out from something
misunderstood. Try to make sure that their anger simmered down, and make a light-humored
topic to stay. Compare comedy to the comedy back then, with all the custard pies thrown, and
chases, it's a good way to diminish the tense atmosphere.

Find balance: It's important to have those small 'no' or shake of the heads, it's better not to find a
topic you all agree on. This allows your view to be heard, and thought upon. There has to be
flaws, obviously, or else it wouldn't be a good debate. That is probably the main problem, where
the topic is perfect to discuss about. Instead of finding the boring, flawless debate, find one that
you never heard of. It'll be enough to research, and enjoy. It also might be something
educational, not the regular question from teachers if school uniforms should be allowed, or not
allowed kind-of-thing.

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Decision: Group discussion topics vary ranging from charities, healthy eating, politics, sports,
and virtue or value in today's products. Mainly, you got to wonder if that topic is worth talking
about. It's often challenging, but group discussion is an opening to your lives.

DO'S AND DON'TS OF A GROUP DISCUSSION

Do's of a Group Discussion

• Initiate the GD if confident about the content.

• If not, listen to others and then make your point.
• Consider both sides of the topic.
• Be concise in your expression.
• If the group is losing the track, intervene, as a leader.
• Maintain your composure even when you disagree.
• Connect to the group whenever you speak.
• Thank the listeners when you end the presentation.

Don’ts of a Group Discussion:

• Do not initiate if not thorough with the topic.

• Do not lose the track while presenting the topic.

• Do not interrupt other speakers.

• Avoid discrepancy in your expression.

• Do not end abruptly.

• Do not get nervous if others perform better.

• Do not become emotional.

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GD Process Flow and Candidate Evaluation

Process Stage Possible Observations

Evaluators are present in the Group
Discussion room.
Participants are called in.
 Order and manner in which the participants
enter the room.
Participants come into the room.
 Interactions among the participants.

 Do the participants greet back?

Evaluators greet the participants.
 Who chooses which seat?
Evaluators ask the participants to take
 Who chooses promptly and confidently?
their seats.
 Presenting ability, confidence, composure,
Evaluators take in their first impression body language and other qualities that are a
of the participants. part of the first impression.

Evaluators announce the topic, structure  Who asks clarifications?

and provide instructions for the Group  The quality of the query asked?
Discussion.
Evaluators announce commencement of
GD session.
 Are pen and paper used, points jotted down?
Participants take time to collect their
 Is the time allotted judiciously used?
thoughts and prepare for the discussion.
Evaluator asks the participants to start the  Who takes initiative and begins the discussion?
discussion or participants initiate the  Quality of opening statements made.
discussion themselves.
Evaluator observes the discussion
 Who tries to define the topic?
 Who tries to check if all participants have an
understanding of the topic?
 Does anyone try and define the objectives for
Topic
this discussion?
 Does anyone try and define a framework for
points to be considered during the discussion?

 The number of points

 The relevance of points
Points/ Ideas  The variety of points, out of the box points,
uniqueness of points

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  The conciseness of the spoken statement to
convey the idea of the point
 The diction, tone, volume, confidence of
speech
Communication  Is the speech directed to the entire group or to
some strategic participants?
 Who responds to the spoken point, the entire
group or only a select few?

 Does one ask for clarifications on or offer

supporting data for points made by others?
 Is one able to offer clarifications to others on
own points?
 Does anyone try to moderate the discussion?
 Can anyone evaluate and point out the
relevance of a point to the discussion, weed out
Discussion
irrelevant points?
 Is anyone able to get all the participants to
contribute?
 Who is able to summarize the discussion till at
any given point in time, evaluate the direction
the discussion is taking?

 How do the participants react, who is dejected,

who is upbeat, who is confident, who maintains
Evaluator signals end of discussion, their poise etc.?
thanks the participants and request them  Does anyone ask any queries? If so, the
to leave the room. relevance of the queries?
 Does anyone thank the evaluators?

RUBRICS FOR EVALUATION

A rubric sets out clearly the criteria and standards for assessing different levels of
performance. Rubrics have often been used in education for grading student work, and in recent
years have been applied in evaluation to make transparent the process of synthesizing evidence
into an overall evaluative judgment.

A single rubric can be developed for overall performance or a number of rubrics can be
developed, each for an aspect of performance.

76
A rubric consists of a rating of performance, which can be generic (e.g. from 'Very poor' to
'Excellent') or customized (e.g. ''Detrimental' to 'Highly Effective'). A rubric is also known as a
global assessment scale.

SAMPLE GROUP DISCUSSION GRADING

CATEGORY 0-2 POINTS 3-5 POINTS 6-8 POINTS 9-10 POINTS
Promptness Does not respond to Responds to most Responds to most Responds to postings
And most postings; rarely postings several days postings within a 24 in less than 24 hours;
Initiative participates freely after initial hour period; requires demonstrates good
discussion; limited occasional prompting self- initiative
initiative to post
Delivery of Post Uses poor spelling Errors in spellings and Few grammatical or Consistently uses
and grammar in most grammar evidenced in spelling errors are grammatically correct
posts; posts appear several posts noted in posts posts with rare
hasty misspellings
Relevance of Post Posts topics which do Occasionally posts off Frequently posts Consistently posts
not relate to the the topic; most posts topics that are related topics related to
discussion content; are short in length and to discussion content; discussion topic; cites
makes short or offer no further prompts further additional references
irrelevant remarks insight into the topic discussion of topic related to topic
Expression within Does not express Unclear connection to Opinions and ideas Expresses opinions
Post opinions or ideas topic evidenced in are stated clearly with and ideas in a clear
clearly; no connection minimal expression of occasional lack of and concise manner
to topic opinion or ideas connection to topic with obvious
connection to topic
Contribution to the Does not make effort Occasionally makes Frequently attempts to Aware of needs of
Learning to participate in meaningful reflection direct the discussion community,
Community learning community of group’s efforts; and to present frequently attempts to
as it develops; seems marginal effort to relevant viewpoints motivate the group
indifferent become involved with for consideration by discussion; presents
in the group group; interacts freely creative approaches to
topic

SAMPLE GROUP DISCUSSION

( SOURCE : http://www.mbarendezvous.com/group-discussion/)

CRICKET HAS SPOILED OTHER STREAMS OF INDIAN SPORTS

Number of participants: 5

Time: 20 Mins

Rahul Reddy Started:

Good Morning everyone, it is my pleasure to be seated with you all for this exciting discussion. Let's fully
participate in this and try to come up with a concrete end remark.
I think, it is not justified to think cricket as a national obsession. It is the one game through which we
Indians are able to hold our heads high. We won two world cups and have been on top in tests for two odd
years. Whatever it has brought is quite appreciable. In other sports as well, like Abhinav bindra winning
gold medal in Olympics, Indian hockey team winning 8 gold medals in past, etc are also highly

77
appreciated. But it is also a fact that it happened when TV's and internet are on full bloom. But, in 1983,
when India won the world cup, the TV's were just becoming popular. Still, cricket fever was high on
everyone's head. That made it more popular than any other sport. Every Indian wants to play cricket in
streets. It is in Indian blood and no media is required for cricket. Cricket is, and will be the most popular
sport in India although I hope other sports also will do well.

Smriti Nigam said:

Hello everyone, I do agree with my friend here.

Even I don't think that cricket have hurt any other sports. If cricket is more interesting, full of excitement,
inculcating a nation patriotism feeling, then it is not the "SPORT'S" fault. I think it is just because cricket
has a very interesting format and that is why it has become so popular and loved by all. It is followed as a
religion and the cricketers are worshiped as God in our country. But also the fame that cricket has given
to India, cannot be ignored. As far as other sports are concerned, they have not lost their importance.
Whether it is tennis, badminton or hockey they are still very popular. But yes, it is a fact that cricket is
more popular and followed by more people.

Himanshu said:

Good Morning friends,

I don't think cricket as a national obsession is a deterrent to other sports. Cricket has got popularity
because of the legends cricket has given to us like sunil gavaskar, kapil dev, sachin tendulkar, etc. Just
because of the achievement that these peoples have made in the game of cricket, it is appreciated so much
in India. Recently, if we take an example, when Rajyawardhan Singh Rathore won silver in Olympics,
just after that we won lots of medals in shooting. So, if we want others game to be equally appreciated,
then we need some great legends in other games too. And I believe that if other sports will also produce
great players then definitely they will get as much appreciation as cricket in this country.

Mayank Aggarwal said:

Hello Friends,

As the topic suggests, that cricket is detriment to other sports, I quite agree with it. It is because:

1) Cricket game is promoted by the way of advertisement.

2) Cricket sport stars are being seen in most of the advertisements related to cricket or promotion of any
other product from honey to alcohol and potato chips to insurance.
3) One of the main reasons for the game of cricket being preferred is when there is a match between India
and Pakistan. And the way it is advertised on the news make cricket not only detriment to other sports but
to national peace.
4) In newspapers, most of the sports page is filled with cricket news, wherever it is held.

So, along with cricket, the Indian media too, is playing the role of detriment to other sports of India.
Media has the highest power today in our country. If it wishes, it can change the shape of sports too.

Abin Thomas said:

Hello everyone,

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I don't, at all, think that cricket is a detriment to other sports. But, it is the Indian people's supportive spirit
towards cricket is what is destructing other sports. Most people do not even know that India has teams in
Hockey, Rugby, Soccer, Basketball, etc. It feels mortified extremely, to know that a huge nation like India
does not support its athletes. I hope that we will recognize our athletes of all games and supports them in
their respective sports.

Rahul Reddy said:

As I said earlier, according to me cricket is not at all detrimental to any other sports, it is suppressed by
ourselves, we-the people are totally responsible for that. Well, I think that there is no comparison between
2 sports. Each has its own existence, so how can cricket suppress the other sports? It is just the matter of
fact that Indian people are crazy about the cricket .So the comparison lies not in sports but in our thinking
only. Few days ago, the Economic Times conducted a survey to find out who inspires the people in the
field of sports and the results announced that almost -
43% people inspires with S R Tendulkar
35% people inspires with M S Dhoni
11% people inspires with S. Nehwal
04% people inspires with Vijendra Singh
04% people inspires with A. Bindra
This survey observed that a total of 78% people inspired by the cricketers, that shows the craziness of the
people towards cricket.

Mayank Aggarwal said:

Well, I personally feel that obsession with cricket is a detriment to other sports. It is all because of the
way it is promoted. It is just like in the case of a movie, if a movie is hyped about, all of us go to watch it.
But on the same time some epic movie just gets neglected because of poor advertisement. Also, it is not
the case that there is less talent in other sports. If other sports are unable to match up to the expectations,
it is only because of improper training due to lack of finances.

Smriti Nigam said:

Well friends, although I like and support cricket a lot, I fell that, unintentionally only but cricket has come
to a point from where it has become detrimental to other sports. You can see among yourself only, tha
how many of us watches other sports played by Indian sportsmen. Of course, a handful! Why is it so?
One definite reason could be the hype that cricket gets through the media. People not only watch the
match with shear attention but also the pre and post-match shows. Other main reason is the investment of
money either by the Government and/or, now as we can see, by the business individuals which lures
young minds to have a great profession in cricket. Lastly, I would say that the Government should
definitely see to this and take necessary measures to allow other sports perpetuate.

Abin Thomas Concluded:

Now, if we conclude our discussion I would like to highlight the main points that were discussed.

First: Majority of us agreed that the Game of Cricket, in itself, is not spoiling other streams of sports but
it's the audience that goes crazy for its favorite sport.

Second: Media should give as much exposure to other sports as much it does to cricket.

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Third: Government and Corporate people need to fund other sports as well so that they could get better
training and bring home as much popularity as cricket does.

Remarks:

Team - A good team with members willing to participate as no one asked anyone to speak; rather
everyone picked their own chance of entering the discussion.

Rahul:

Confident and aware of his stance

Knows how to take leadership
Started the discussion and paved the way throughout
Aware of current happenings
Believes in producing proper data
Strong chances of getting selected

Smriti:

Confident but loses her stance

Gets drifted by others persuasive arguments
Believes in accepting what comes along
Strong analyzing power
Does stand a chance to get selected

Himanshu:

Not very confident

Spoke only once in 20 mins
Believes in joining the bandwagon
Not in a habit of going through newspapers and thus not updated about sport stars.
Does not stand chance of selection

Mayank:

Extremely confident
Believes in walking down his own path
Very clear on his stance
Knows how to put across his points and views
High chance of selection

Abin:

Confident
Aware of current happenings
Patriotic
Analytical mind
Does stand a chance of selection

80
WE WILL NEVER BE A CORRUPTION FREE SOCIETY

Number of Participants: 5

Time: 20 Mins

Pooja said:

A very good morning everyone! I feel very proud to be sitting here for this exciting discussion. I hope this
will lead to a very productive exercise.
When it comes to predict that whether we will have a corruption free society or not, I would say it is not
impossible but also very difficult to achieve as I strongly believe that corruption is the price we pay for
democracy. Corruption is the abuse of power and consequently the people. It not only prevents enough
money to go in the pockets of the people who need it, but makes it easy for the politicians to grab it all.
This problem is not only prevalent in India, but also in developed countries. So, I think corruption is
caused by greed, which is inevitable pull of emotion in humans.

Vishal said:

Hello Friends,

Corruption is NOT the price we pay for democracy. Thus, it is possible to have a corruption free society.
If you think about it, being a democracy is the only thing that helps us put our views out here. A
democratically elected government is answerable to the people, through the opposition party. Yes, there is
rampant corruption in the society, not just in the government services, but also in private sector industries,
such as Satyam. But think for a moment. A lot of money has been looted with a legal check on power.
What if we had no rights to say what we want to? If there was no opposition, who would have pointed out
the embarrassing flaws in the ruling party? The corrupt will have a license to do it in the open, and a lot
more money would be taken away from each of us. Thus politicians can also help in discarding corruption
from our system.

Akshita said:

Good Morning friends,

What I believe is that it is very easy to say, that corruption is unstoppable, and crack jokes about the
corruption in India. But if none of us pay a bribe to anyone, try to use monetary power to cut corners, this
is possible. Government agencies might refuse to work without your bribe, but if none of us pay a bribe
and he still refuses to work, the whole system will collapse. He will not be able to take it after a point.
This doesn't happen in a day, of course, but with a clear destination set in our minds, we can get there.

This won't be the first time when a mass public agitation will rise in the country, where the government
seemed to be in power of everything. What it needs is persistence and non-cooperation of the public.
Think of our fight for independence. Corruption was much more rampant, and the Englishmen were in
control of all our government undertakings. We got them out of the country. It is possible to do that to
corruption as well, we just need persistence and faith.

I also would like to mention that if corruption was the price paid for democracy, communist nations such
as China wouldn't be corrupt, and they are ranked higher in the most corrupted nations list.

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N Manish said:

Hello Friends,

I believe it is absolutely possible to have a corruption free society as we are the largest democratic
country. We have many rights in our hands but as far as corruption is concerned democracy opposes it. If
we know our rights and our responsibilities, we can surely throw away corruption from its roots. We have
to change at first place because removing corruption is neither a one day job nor a one man's job. We
must stop giving bribe in public offices, to traffic police, we all must abide by rules and regulation then
only the cure of corruption is going to come.

Rushil said:

Friends,

What I believe is that democracy is not the price we pay for corruption but corruption is the consequences
of unawareness of people towards this everyday topic of life. Corruption has to be stopped in any way and
the main thing is to increase the awareness of common people towards this problem of bribes. The main
power that could help in controlling this is the media. It could be the newspaper, TV or radio they have to
start campaigns against this life taking disease. They can contribute a lot in creating a corruption free
society.

Pooja Said:

Though India is a democratic country, we still have to pay to get what is our right. Corruption is the base
for each and every evil thing that happens in India. Nowadays, we see news full of corruption scandals by
leaders of the country who are ruling the country. Common man is responsible for the corruption, because
he has no options left to complete his work without giving bribe. Corruption will not end unless there is
awareness among the people regarding the bad consequences like hike in petrol prices, LPG, and other
daily requirements which a common man has to pay for.

Akshita said:

Now-a-day we can't find a place where there is no corruption. But by the year 2020, world's 50% of the
youth will be in India. If we blame others, nothing will happen and even corrupt people won't change. So
we have to be mentally very strong and we must have the determination to make the India the powerful
country in the world. That means not only in the sense of money, but we have to be respected by every
person in the world due to our cultures and mind set. If we have the courage to achieve a corruption free
society, then we will be the number one in the entire world. We should have the confidence that we can
achieve anything, not only the corruption free society but also whatever we want to change in our society.

Rushil said:

Now, if you all will please allow me to sum up the discussion and put forth the important points as
discussed.
We all agree that it is not impossible to achieve a corruption free society, provided, we, the citizen of
India, takes an oath that now and in future we will try to make our country a better place to live.

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Remarks:

Team - A good team with members willing to participate as no one asked anyone to speak; rather
everyone picked their own chance of entering the discussion.

Pooja:

Confident and sharp

Strong determination
Knows how to take leadership
Knowledge wise, on a very superfluous level who believes politicians are the only problem
Chances of selection are not very bright

Vishal:

Very confident
Does not believe in joining the bandwagon
Has clarity of thought and to the point argument
Knows how to put forth his point
Although spoke only once, he outshines all the other
Very Strong chance of selection

Akshita:

Confident and sharp

Strong determination
Optimistic
Knowledgeable
Has clarity of thought and to the point argument
Knows how to put forth his point with excellent examples
Very Strong chance of selection

N Manish:

Not very confident

Presented loose points
Rephrased others comment
Not very bright chance of selection

Rushil:

Confident
Knows how to take leadership
Added a very valid point to the discussion
Optimistic
Knowledgeable
Analytical
Very bright chances of selection

83
 TOPICS FOR GROUP DISCUSSION
1. Is our Political System Reason for our Backwardness?

2. Retirement Age for Politicians

3. Brain-Drain has to be stopped

4. Flexi Timings or Fixed Timings - Which is better at Work?

5. Corruption is a Necessary Evil for Success in Any Sphere

6. Capital Punishment should be Banned or Allowed?

7. Is Dependence on Computers a Good Thing?

8. Effects of Television on Youth

9. Love Marriages Vs Arranged Marriages

10. Are beauty contests degrading womanhood?

11. Morals & Human Values among Indians is Degenerating

12. Foreign Television Channels are Destroying Our Culture

13. Women Empowerment - A Cause for Increasing Divorce Rate in India

14. Showing Violence and Crimes should not be allowed in films and on television.

15. Influence of Online Social Networks on our Youth

16. We are not serious about saving Wildlife/Environment

17. Our education system needs serious reforms

18. Are Leaders Born or are they made in Business Schools?

19. Should GD be Part of Campus Placements?

20. Whether Hard-Working or Smart-Working is Desirable?

21. Do we really Need Education to be Successful?

22. Private Educational Institutions: Good or Bad

23. Multinational Corporations: Are they Devils in Disguise?

24. Advertising is a Waste of Resources

25. Cricket as a National Obsession is a Detriment to Other Sports

84
 INTERVIEW SKILLS

Interviewing for a job can be nerve-cracking. You may feel uncomfortable “selling”
yourself or fielding unexpected questions. Or the prospect of having to meet and impress new
people may be enough to trigger anxiety. However, interviewing is a skill you can learn. With
the right tips and techniques, you can become a master at sharing your value with potential
employers, presenting yourself effectively at interviews, and getting the job you want.

THE PURPOSE OF THE INTERVIEW

Firstly, it is for the interviewer to see if you match the requirements of the job. These
will naturally vary with different jobs but are likely to include:

 Your personal qualities

 How well you express yourself
 Your motivation and enthusiasm

The recruiters will already have an indication of these from your initial application but
now the interview will assess you in person.

It is also your chance to meet somebody from the organization and assess them: are they
offering what you want?

There isn’t any right or wrong answers to interview questions: How you come across
is as important as what you say. Be yourself – if you have to put on a completely false act to get
through the interview, is this really the right job for you?

PREPARATION FOR THE INTERVIEW

Preparation is the key ingredient for interview success. Careful planning and preparation
will make sure that your interview goes smoothly and will also help to calm your nerves!

 Research very carefully the career area for which you are applying.
 Remind yourself why you are interested in this career, and this employer: enthusiasm
is important.
 Re-read your application form as if you were the interviewer. Try and anticipate the
questions they will ask. Think about any awkward points that might be picked up on, and
how you will handle them.
 Prepare some questions to ask the interviewer.
 Plan how you will get to the interview. Leave plenty of time in case of traffic jams or
delayed trains.
 Dress neatly and smartly.

85
  Take a small, neat notepad and pen to write down important information the interviewer
may tell you, and after the interview, the questions you were asked, so you can work out
better answers to any you fluffed.
 Research the employer - here are some things you may be able to find out from the
employers web site or via Google.
o What is the size of the organization?
o How long has it been in business?
o What are its products and/or services?
o What sort of reputation or public image does it have?
o Who are its main competitors?
o Where is it based? Single or multiple locations? UK or multinational?
o What is the organizational structure like?
o What are its future plans and prospects?
o What is the organizational culture?
o What types of training, development and appraisal are offered?

ARRIVING FOR THE INTERVIEW

Try to arrive ten or fifteen minutes early.

This gives you the opportunity to go through the publications if any, about the employer or their
field of work available to read. Be polite to everyone you meet, including receptionists, porters
and security staff.

First impressions

These are very important - they set the tone for the rest of the interview. A survey of 273
managers by Monster.co.uk found that interviewers take on average less than 7 minutes to
decide if a candidate is right for the role.

Factors influencing whether an interviewee is viewed as employable were

 A candidate’s timekeeping (96% of managers agree this is influential)

 Level of a candidate’s interview preparation (93%)
 Ability to hold eye contact (82%)
 Personal appearance (73%)
(two thirds of employers said they were put off by tattoos)
 Quality of banter or small talk (60%)
 Strength of handshake (55%)

The five most important factors interviewers considered when hiring were:

 Work experience (36%)

 First impressions of the candidate (24%)
 Education (12%)

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  Professional qualifications (10%)
 References (9%)

According to a survey of 1000 recruiters by Fly Research three quarters of

interviews are lost within three minutes of entering the room.

 25% of interviewers were put off by a weak handshake or lack of eye contact
 24% by poor body language
 18% by poor posture (e.g. slumped shoulders suggests lack of confidence) or presence
 Only 20% waited until the middle of the interview to test a candidate on their knowledge
of the industry and aptitude for the job
 According to research selectors make snap judgments about your trustworthiness,
attractiveness, likability, competitiveness and aggressiveness and spend the rest of the
interview confirming or denying these opinions.

 Shake hands firmly and warmly, but wait to be invited to sit down. Handshakes are also
commonly given at the end of the interview. A firm handshake is perceived to
communicate sociability, friendliness and dominance: normally desirable qualities in
candidates whereas weak handshakes may communicate, introversion, shyness and
neuroticism.

Also as the handshake is at the start of the interview, it can set a positive tone for the rest
of the encounter. In practice interviews with 98 students, those who gave a firm
handshake were more likely to be offered jobs. Women who gave a firm handshake
were perceived more positively than men who gave a firm handshake.

 Smile and keep up good eye contact with the interviewer.

 You may be offered tea or coffee. If you feel this will help you to relax, then fine, but
otherwise it is quite OK to refuse politely.
 Try to relax - don't perch on the edge of your chair, but don't slouch either.
 Speak clearly and not too fast. Give yourself a moment to think about your replies.
 Don't fidget and try to avoid meaningless phrases like "you know", "I mean", etc.
 See our body language in interviews quiz for much more detail on this.

The standard method of selecting candidates for jobs is to make list of key competencies
required in the job and then to match these to the candidate's application.

However two US researchers (Higgins & Judge) followed 100 university students trying
to get their first job. They analyzed their CVs for qualifications and work experience and talked
to the interviewers afterwards.

Surprisingly the main factor in deciding which ones were selected was whether or not
the candidate appeared to be a pleasant individual. Interviewers tend to favour candidates
with personalities, attitudes, values, and backgrounds similar to their own.

87
The successful candidates had:

 Smiled and made a lot of eye contact

 Shown a genuine interest in the interviewer and given genuine compliments
 Praised the company: find something you genuinely like about the organization.
 Asked interesting questions: for example "What is your personal experience of working
for this company?"
 Talked about subjects unrelated to job, but that interested the candidate and
interviewer. See the panel to the right.

OPENING STRATEGIES

Many of the candidates seldom pay attention to the way they enter the in the interview
room how they introduce themselves. The first few minutes of an interview are typically the
most important. Below are a few tips for starting out on the right foot:

Dress appropriately.

The rule in terms of interview attire is to dress at least one level higher that the position
you are interviewing for.

Relax.

The interviewer will be more at ease with you if you are at ease yourself. Trust that you
are well-prepared, and project confidence without coming across as arrogant.

Have an Awareness of Cultural considerations.

When working in multicultural contexts, be aware of cultural factors and social rules that
govern appropriate social interaction.

Use your skills as a psychologist.

Quickly assess your interviewer's mood, body language, tone and rate of speech, and
personality style, and adjust your interactions in a way that increases the comfort level in the
room.

Pay attention.

Remember, even though you are being interviewed, you are also interviewing the
organization to see if it is a good fit for you. Begin to look for clues about the work environment
and organizational culture.

88
INTRODUCING YOURSELF

Use a 90-second guideline when answering this question:

 Focus the first 15 seconds on relevant and appropriate personal information you wish to
share (e.g., where you are from).
 Focus the next 30 seconds on your academic experience (e.g., what you are studying,
relevant courses, study abroad experience, relevant research experience).
 Focus the next 30 seconds on your professional experience (e.g., leadership positions,
relevant extra-curricular involvement, internships, part-time jobs).
 Use the last 15 seconds to discuss why you are interested in the position, given the
background you just discussed.

ANSWERING STRATEGIES

Every interview question presents an opportunity for you to project why you are the best
person for the position.

While answering the questions in an interview, be clear and concise. Give examples of
situations where you demonstrated a quality that is asked. Be like a politician while answering
tricky questions.

TELE CONFERENCING

A teleconference is a telephone meeting among two or more participants involving technology

more sophisticated than a simple two-way phone connection.

Computers have given new meaning to the term because they allow groups to do much more
than just talk. Once a teleconference is established, the group can share applications and mark up
a common whiteboard. There are many teleconferencing applications that work over private
networks. One of the first to operate over the Internet is Microsoft's NetMeeting.

VIDEO CONFERENCING

Videoconferencing (or video conference) means to conduct a conference between two or more
participants at different sites by using computer networks to transmit audio and video data. For
example, a point-to-point (two-person) video conferencing system works much like a video
telephone. Each participant has a video camera, microphone, and speakers mounted on his or her
computer. As the two participants speak to one another, their voices are carried over the network
and delivered to the other's speakers, and whatever images appear in front of the video camera
appear in a window on the other participant's monitor.

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 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

(http://www.indiabix.com/hr-interview/questions-and-answers/)

1. Tell me about yourself.

2. Why should I hire you?
3. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
4. Why do you want to work at our company?
5. What is the difference between confidence and over confidence?
6. What is the difference between hard work and smart work?
7. How do you feel about working nights and weekends?
8. Can you work under pressure?
9. Are you willing to relocate or travel?
10. What are your goals?
11. What motivates you to do good job?
12. What makes you angry?
13. Give me an example of your creativity.
14. How long would you expect to work for us if hired?
15. Are not you overqualified for this position?
16. Describe your ideal company, location and job.
17. What are your career options right now?
18. Explain how would be an asset to this organization?
19. What are your outside interests?
20. Would you lie for the company?
21. Who has inspired you in your life and why?
22. What was the toughest decision you ever had to make?
23. Have you considered starting your own business?
24. How do you define success and how do you measure up to your own definition?
25. If you won $10 million lottery, would you still work?
26. Tell me something about our company.
27. How much salary do you expect?
28. Where do you see yourself five years from now?
29. On a scale of one to ten, rate me as an interviewer.
30. Do you have any questions for me?

90
CATEGORY:: HR INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR EXPERIENCED

1. Why did you resign from your previous job?

2. Why have you been out of work so long?
3. Why have you had so many jobs?
4. Tell me about a situation when your work was criticized.
5. Could you have done better in your last job?
6. Tell me about the most boring job you have ever had.
7. May I contact your present employer for a reference?
8. How many hours a week does you normally work?
9. What was the toughest challenge you have ever faced?
10. Have you been absent from work more than a few days in any previous position?
11. What changes would you make if you came on board?
12. What would you say to your boss if he is crazy about an idea, but you think it stinks?
13. How could you have improved your career progress?
14. Tell me honestly about the strong points and weak points of your boss (company, management
team, etc.)
15. Looking back on your last position, have you done your best work?
16. Why should I hire you from the outside when I could promote someone from within?
17. How do you feel about reporting to a younger person?
18. Looking back, what would you do differently in your life?
19. Why are not you earning more money at this stage of your career?

MOCK INTERVIEW
A mock interview is like a mock exam. By definition, a mock interview is a “fake” interview where you
simulate the interview situation in order to prepare for the “real” interview.

EXERCISE
Do a Mock Interview and get your performance recorded on a video camera.

Here's the process you should follow:

1. Select your interview questions and their order

2. Record yourself asking these questions
3. Get the footage onto a computer to act as a virtual interviewer
4. Record yourself answering the questions
5. Play it back and review your performance

91
SAMPLE INTERVIEWS
INTERVIEW – 1

Candidate: May I come in, sir?

Interviewer: Come in please….. Have a seat.

Candidate: Thanks.

Interviewer: Please tell us something about you.

Candidate: I passed 12th from CBSE with 75% marks. Now I am doing graduation from
University of Delhi. I am also doing a part time job as a computer operator. My hobbies are
watching cricket and listening to music.

Interviewer: Where are you working?

Candidate: I am working at the office of a chartered accountant in CP.

Interviewer: How much salary are you taking?

Candidate: Rs.5000/- per month.

Interviewer: Why do you want to leave that job?

Candidate: Firstly it is a part time job and I want to do a full time job. Secondly I am not
interested in accounting.
Interviewer: You are doing graduation. How will you be able to do a full time job?

Candidate: I am doing graduation through correspondence. Therefore I am able to do a full time

job.

Interviewer: Why do you want to join a call centre?

Candidate: I like to talk to others. Moreover, career prospects are bright in a big company. Talent
is valued here.

Interviewer: Cricket is one of your hobbies. Now tell me, who is better batsman – Sehwag or
Brian Lara?

Candidate: In my opinion Lara is more experienced and a better batsman.

Interviewer: Which type of music do you like to listen to?

Candidate: I enjoy both classical and pop music.

92
Interviewer: Why do Punjabi pop songs are more popular in India than songs of any other Indian
language?

Candidate: They are melodious and foot-tapping

Interviewer: Who is your favourite family member?

Candidate: My father is my favourite.

Interviewer: Why is he your favourite?

Candidate: He is hard-working and wise. Now and then he sits with us and gives friendly
guidance.

Interviewer: If you are made the chief minister of Delhi state what would be your first two steps?

Candidate: To remove illegal encroachments from the city and ensure parking places in each
colony.

Interviewer: And if you become God for one day tell us one thing you would like to do.

Candidate: To create a new world without violence.

Interview: How many buttons does your shirt have?

Candidate: Sorry sir, I never counted them.

Interviewer: When did Akbar the great land on moon?

Candidate: Actually he never landed on moon. He was king of India, a great mogul.

Interviewer: What is your weak point?

Candidate: Eating spicy food.

Interviewer: What is the main strength of your personality?

Candidate: The ability to talk to any person without hesitation.

Interviewer: Where do you see yourself after five years?

Candidate: Working in your company at a senior position.

Interviewer: Speak a few sentences on ‘a bunch of ripe bananas’.

93
Candidate: It reflects a healthy and zestful life. It also fills us with a feeling of togetherness. It
symbolizes that a spirit of cooperation among employees makes them more useful and valuable. .
If we work in a team we become very competitive. Therefore join hands and move forward with
confidence.

Interviewer: I am impressed with your answers. Would you like to have your appointment letter
just now and join the company from the first of coming month?

Candidate: Definitely now itself. Thanking you a lot for giving me an opportunity to serve the
company

INTERVIEW – 2

Interviewer: “Tell me about yourself?”

Interviewee: “I am a software engineer with 4 years of experience in ‘Sales Force’ domain with
expertise in Customer Relationship Management process. Leaving aside that, I am a jovial
person who loves to hitch-hike and indulge in white water rafting whenever time permits. All in
all, a team person who loves to face challenges and deliver on deadlines!”

Note: The applicant has been able to communicate his strengths and expertise (Personal &
Professional) in an informal and succinct yet informative line of communication. Further, he had
prodded the interviewer to ask about his professional involvement.

Interviewer: “Can you briefly explain what role you played in Customer Relationship
Management process for Sales Force?”
Interviewee: “Yes, sure. I was a team lead while designing the Customer Relationship
Management software for Sales Force. The project was regarding an international retail chain.
With a team of 15 members I was able to successfully pin –point and utilize the factors affecting
the footfall at the store and thus, helped the client achieve a growth of 30% in sales.”

Note: The interviewee has successfully talked about his work deliverables, his management
abilities and the results achieved.

Interviewer: “Great! So, how do you thing you fit in our organization?”
Interviewee: “I wish to make a career in IT industry and keeping in mind my long term goals, I
believe that associating with this organization will be the most prudent step. In here, I would
surely be able to further utilize my skills in the most effective manner and also, obtain a chance
of acquiring newer skills and honing the same.”

Note: The interviewee has put forward a logical reason for associating with the organization and
has also touch-based on his future plans.

This above dialogue is a typical interview dialogue between interviewer and interviewee.

94
Reference Books:

1) Group discussion & Interviews D.S. Paul, B . Kishore

2) How to prepare for Group Discussion and interviews (with CD) – Harimohan Prasad, Rajesh
Mohan, Tata McGraw-Hill publication
3) Communication Skills for Engineers – Sunitha Mishra and C. Murali krishna
4) Effective technical communication – M.Ashraf Rizvi,

1) Manual for Group Discussion – PS.Bright.

2) Group and Interviews – R.Guptas, Anand Ganguly.
3) Group Discussion with DVD – Sannita Chakraborty
4) Handling group discussions –
5) Essential managers :Negotiating skills – Tim Hinkle
6) Communication Skills for Engineers – Sunitha Mishra and C. Murali krishna
7) Effective technical communication – M.Ashraf Rizvi,

M. Ashraf Rizvi, “Effective Technical Communication”, Tata Mc. Graw-Hill Publishing Company
Ltd.
2. Dr. A. Ramakrishna Rao, Dr. G. Natanam& Prof. SA Sankaranarayanan, “A Reader cum Lab
Manual”, Anuradha Publications, Chennai
3. Dr. ShalilniVerma, “Body Language - Your Success Mantra”, S. Chand, 2006
4. LeenaSen, “Communication Skills”, Prentice-Hall of India, 2005.
5. Meenakshi Raman &Sangeeta Sharma, “Technical Communication”, Oxford University Press.
6. Sunita Mishra & C. Muralikrishna, “Communication Skills for Engineers”, Pearson Education
2007.
7. EBEC Day2Day English- English for work, EBEC Language Laboratories Pvt. Ltd. 2011.
8. James Innes, The Interview Book: Your Definitive Guide to the Perfect Interview Technique,
Pearson Business 2009.
9. Raymond L Gorden, Basic Interviewing Skills, Waveland Press Inc, 1998.
10. Rebecca Corfield, Successful Interview Skills: How to Prepare, Answer Tough Questions and
Get your Ideal Job, Kogan Page Ltd, 2009.
11. Anandamurugan, Placement Interviews: SkillsFor Success, Tata McGraw Hill, 2011.
12. David B. Rosengren, Building Motivational Interviewing Skills: A Practitioner Workbook, The
Guilford Press, 2009.
13. Rob Yeung, Successful Interviewing and Recruitment, Kogan Page Ltd, 2011.

Software
1. EBEC CDs-EBEC Day2Day English- English for work, EBEC Language Laboratories Pvt. Ltd.
2011.
2. Globarena software
3. K-Van Software

95
4. Oxford Advanced Learner’s Compass, 7th Edition - CD
5. train2success.com - Preparing for being interviewed - CD
6. train2success.com - Interview skills - CD
7. train2success.com - Positive Thinking - CD
8. train2success.com - Team Building - CD
9. train2success.com - Decision making – CD

LEAD EXPERIMENT
ASSIGNMENT ( Considered As Part Of Internal Assessment)

Present A PPT on Any Topic of Your Choice.

TOPICS BEYOND SYLLABUS

1. AGENDA OF A MEETING & MINUTES OF A MEETING

Minutes, also known as protocols are the instant written record of a meeting or hearing. They
typically describe the events of the meeting, starting with a list of attendees, a statement of the issues
considered by the participants, and related responses or decisions for the issues.

Minutes may be created during the meeting by a typist or court reporter, who may use
shorthand notation and then prepare the minutes and issue them to the participants afterwards.
Alternatively, the meeting can be audio recorded, video recorded, or a Secretary may take notes,
with minutes prepared later. Many government agencies use minutes recording software to
record and prepare minutes.

An agenda of the meeting is prepared and a copy of it is distributed to each of the

participants before the meeting to keep them informed well in advance about the topics
scheduled for discussion in the meeting.

An agenda is a list or outline of things to be discussed, considered or done in any

meeting.

96
 SAMPLE CLUB MEETING AGENDA

Date/Time: Thursday, February 28, 2013 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Location: Sara Jane’s house, 345 Sullivan Drive, Hamden, CT 06518

Attendees: Logan Smith, Megan Mark, Gaby Moore, Susan Johnson, Taylor O’Connor, Kendall
Carroll

OBJECTIVE

Weekly discussion of club’s book. This week, it’s The Wednesday Letters. Assign leader to ask
discussion questions and have lengthy discussion.

SCHEDULE

7:00 to 7:15: Welcome; appetizers and cocktails served – Sara Jane

7:15 to 7:30: Begin discussion and give overview of book – Gaby Moore

7:30 to 8:20: Discussion of book – Gaby Moore

8:20-8:30: Introduction of next book, Final Appeal – Kendall Carroll

8:30-9:00: Dessert and wrap-up – Sara Jane

ROLES/RESPONSIBILITIES

Food set-up: Taylor O’Connor

Discussion questions: Gaby Moore

Desserts: Megan Mark

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 SAMPLE MINUTES OF A MEETING - I
Participatory Governance Council

Meeting Summary

Meeting attended by: ADMINISTRATORS: Andre Barnes, David Dore; CLASSIFIED: Attila
Gabor, James Rogers; FACULTY: Alisa Messer, Francine Podenski, Karen
Saginor, Kathleen White; STUDENTS: Bouchra Simmons, Shannell Williams,
Teresa Villicana, William Walker
Absent from meeting: ADMINISTRATORS: Lindy McKnight; CLASSIFIED: Athena Steff, Karl
Gamarra; FACULTY: *Darlene Alioto (sub: Francine Podenski);
Date: December 18, 2012
Time: 3:00pm-5:0pm
Facilitator: Thelma Scott-Skillman
Agenda Topic #1: Introductions Deadlines:
Notes:
After introductions of council members, each constituent group identified the process used to identify their
representatives.
Action Items:
All constituent groups were asked to identify alternates to serve in the Next scheduled meeting.
absence of a representative
Agenda Topic #2: Review Participatory Governance Policy
Notes:
Policy #2.07 was reviewed. Under Item V. A. Clarification: The
Governance Council can make ‘recommendation’ to the Chancellor for a
new committee or workgroups. The Governance Council cannot establish
committees or workgroups.
Acknowledgement was given that the Council, like all its committees, is a
‘recommending body’, not a decision-making body.
Action Items:
The correction to Policy - Item V.A. needs to be made.
Agenda Topic #3:Rules of Engagement & Procedures
a. Purpose, Membership, Terms, Agendas, Notes, Notifications, Web
Notes:
Members questioned how public comment would be handled through the
council. Several reps suggested every agenda include a Public Comment
time slot. “Representation” was discussed. Constituent groups need to
develop a communication vehicle to ensure their rep on the PGC engaging
the constituent base. As an example, the Student reps (W. Walker) has an
ASK site. He indicated a willingness to share the web structure.
The college web site – suggestion to have it ‘open’ for availability/access
for use such as Survey Monkey.
Action Items:
Ensure the web site is updated and accessible.
Agenda Topic #4:Discuss DRAFT organization chart
Notes:
Program Review – as a subcommittee should be added as a ‘charge’ under
Annual Plan and Budget.

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Clarification of student development: How are issues addressed under
current committees identified? -- Through Program Review, Enrollment
Management, and Accreditation.
Action Items: Next scheduled meeting.
Add: Change committee to read: Annual Plan/Budget/Program Review
Ensure that Student Development (including Student
Government/Activities) is addressed through the Program Review process
and ‘charged’ through the Annual Plan and Budget Committee.
Agenda Topic #5:Review Draft Subcommittee templates
Notes:
Accreditation Committee: Item IV: The ALO is the Committee Chair.
Planning Committee: The integration of all plans, SLOs, and enrollment
management need to be considered.
Enrollment Management Committee: and Diversity Committee templates
were reviewed with no additional changes.
Comment from the Academic Senate that they think there should be
additional faculty on this committee.
The Council commented that all committees are consistent with the
membership and want opportunity to process through as is with the
committee makeup of all committees.
Action Items: Next scheduled meeting.
Accreditation Committee: Add in Item IV – the ALO is the committee
chair.
Planning Committee: Item V.a.: add the following: …overalland ensure
the integration of all plans.
Item VI.a. Add the following: … institutional assessment, SLO,
evaluation…
Item VI.e. Add the following: ……instructional, enrollment management,
Agenda Topic #6:Standing agenda items
Notes:None identified
Action Items:None
Agenda Topic #7:Next Step
Notes:Discussion occurred on seeking clarity of additional committees that
may be operating ‘outside’ of the PGC.
Action Items: Next scheduled meeting.
Request for Agenda item: Identification of other committees currently
operating (Academic Senate)
Request for Agenda Item: Clarification on the Academic Senate’s 10+1
Future agendas and any additional info need distribution in advance of
meetings.
Next Meeting:3rd Thursday of each month, 3-5pm MUB 140 January 17; February 21 (location TBD);
March 14 (exception due to Spring
Break); April 18; May 16; June 20.

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SAMPLE MINUTES OF A MEETING – II

Sample of Board Meeting Minutes

Name of Organization
(Board Meeting Minutes: Month Day, Year)
(time and location)

Board Members:
Present: Bhata Bhatacharia, Jon White Bear, Douglas Carver, Elizabeth Drucker, Pat Kyumoto,
Jack Porter, Mary Rifkin and Leslie Zevon
Absent: Melissa Johnson
Quorum present? Yes

Others Present:
Exec. Director: Sheila Swanson
Other: Susan Johns, Consulting Accountant

Proceedings:
· Meeting called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Chair, Elizabeth Drucker
· (Last month's) meeting minutes were amended and approved

· Chief Executive's Report:

- Recommends that if we not able to find a new facility by the end of this month, the
organization should stay where in the current location over the winter. After brief discussion,
Board agreed.
- Staff member, Jackson Browne, and Swanson attended the National Practitioner's Network
meeting in Atlanta last month and gave a brief extemporaneous presentation. Both are invited
back next year to give a longer presentation about our organization. After brief discussion, Board
congratulated Swanson and asked her to pass on their congratulations to Browne as well.
- Drucker asserts that our organization must ensure its name is associated with whatever
materials are distributed at that practitioner's meeting next year. The organization should
generate revenues where possible from the materials, too.
- Swanson mentioned that staff member, Sheila Anderson's husband is ill and in the hospital.
MOTION to send a gift to Anderson's husband, expressing the organization's sympathy and
support; seconded and passed.

· Finance Committee report provided by Chair, Elizabeth Drucker:

- Drucker explained that consultant, Susan Johns, reviewed the organization's bookkeeping
procedures and found them to be satisfactory, in preparation for the upcoming yearly financial
audit. Funds recommends that our company ensure the auditor provides a management letter
along with the audit financial report.
· - Drucker reviewed highlights, trends and issues from the balance sheet, income statement and
cash flow statement. Issues include that high accounts receivables require Finance Committee

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attention to policies and procedures to ensure our organization receives more payments on time.
After brief discussion of the issues and suggestions about how to ensure receiving payments on
time, MOTION to accept financial statements; seconded and passed.

· Board Development Committee's report provided by Chair, Douglas Carver:

- Carver reminded the Board of the scheduled retreat coming up in three months, and provided a
drafted retreat schedule for board review. MOTION to accept the retreat agenda; seconded and
passed.
- Carver presented members with a draft of the reworded By-laws paragraph that would allow
members to conduct actions over electronic mail. Carver suggested review and a resolution to
change the By-laws accordingly. Kyumoto suggested that Swanson first seek legal counsel to
verify if the proposed change is consistent with state statute. Swanson agreed to accept this
action and notify members of the outcome in the next Board meeting.

· Other business:
- Porter noted that he was working with staff member, Jacob Smith, to help develop an
information management systems plan, and that two weeks ago he (Porter) had mailed members
three resumes from consultants to help with the plan. In the mailing, Porter asked members for
their opinions to help select a consultant. Porter asked members for their opinions. (NOTE:
Zevon noted that she was also a computer consultant and was concerned about conflict of
interest in her Board role regarding this selection, and asked to be ABSTAINED from this
selection. Members agreed.) The majority of members agreed on Lease-or-Buy Consultants.
MOTION to use Lease-or-Buy Consultants; seconded and passed.
- Swanson announced that she had recently hired a new secretary, Karla Writewell.

· Assessment of the Meeting:

- Kyumoto noted that the past three meetings have run over the intended two-hour time slot by
half an hour. He asked members to be more mindful and focused during discussions, and
suggested that the Board Development Chair take an action to identify solutions to this issue.
Chair, Carver, agreed.

· Meeting adjourned at 9:30 p.m.

· Minutes submitted by Secretary Bhatacharia.

2. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
A Statement of Purpose is a sentence that you write, which states, in some detail, what you want to
learn about in your research project. The statement guides you as you work so that you will read and
take notes only on what's needed for your project. It is the personal statement about an individual,
what influences them, professional interests, and plan for the future as typically described as part
of a college applicants admissions application.

A written statement of purpose is a standard requirement for graduate school admission. It is a

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tool for the faculty on graduate school admissions committees to assess the knowledge,
experience, motivation, intellectual maturity and readiness of applicants to pursue graduate
education at their institution. The statement of purpose is a crucial component of the graduate
school admissions process. It can determine whether an applicant is accepted or rejected,
irrespective of their other qualifications.

Sample Statements of Purpose ( SOPs):

SOP for MS in Computer Science

Few areas of my education have stimulated me to think as much as my undergraduate courses in
Data Structures, Theory of Computation and Computer Programming have. When I watch videos
of Pranav Mistry demonstrating his Sixth Sense technology or when I used Google Wave for the
first time or even when I log into Face book everyday and come up against some new feature,
what I feel is a sense of marvel. Here are innovations that keep evolving not only technically but
also hold infinite scope for creativity and logic. I feel a similar sense of exhilaration when I see
my own code run successfully. It is this feeling, which till date, drives me to not give up on even
the toughest of problems. And it is this love for programming, combined with my desire to dig
deeper into the working of various applications and technologies, which propels me to apply for
a MS in Computer Science.

Pursuing my strong interest in Computer Science has over the years enabled me to develop keen
analytical and reasoning skills. Through the course of the four-year Bachelor of Technology (BS)
degree program in Computer Science and Engineering at the prestigious ABC University, I
acquired an overall perspective of this scientific discipline, with a particular interest in Object
Oriented Programming. Data Structures, .NET Technology, Database Management, Theory of
Computation and Principles of Compiler Design were some of the other areas that captured my
attention. My keen interest in the subjects translated into receiving an A+ grade in the Data
structures lab and averaging an A grade in the other labs. I also involved myself in numerous
projects, including a prototype of a 'Billing and Inventory Management System' for a retail
showroom, developed using Visual Basic and SQL Server 2005, and also the simulation of a
simple SLR parser using C++ for a Principles of Compiler Design assignment. Proactive in my
approach to learning, I have also completed the Cisco certified Fundamentals of Java
Programming course.

Apart from the projects undertaken in college, it was my desire to gain exposure to the software
industry and this prompted me to take up various trainings and internships. In the summer of
2010 and 2011, I spent a week in Germany where I was trained in Basics of Robot Programming,
and Offline Robot Programming (using Roboplan V5.00), at Carl Cloos Schweisstechnik. I also
completed a project titled "Study on Non Stock Transaction Monitoring" at L&T Komatsu,
Bangalore in May-June 2011.

For my final University dissertation, I worked with a team of three other classmates to develop a
'Multiparty Voice Chat on Windows Platform'. The project was undertaken in L&T Infotech,
Bangalore and involved building a low cost application to enable voice/text chat and file transfer,

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using .NET technology. The application was intended for in house communication between peer
systems in the organization, thereby removing the need for a dedicated server. This assignment
greatly strengthened my conceptual knowledge, and through its practical implementation, it also
allowed me to further my expertise through integrating .NET technology and Network
programming. In addition to enhancing my .NET skills, I also gained knowledge about multiple
architectures in networking and how socket programming works. Till then my coding had been
largely restricted to basic C++, and while it was a challenge to learn and implement socket
programming in the .NET framework within a short span of 4-5 months, it was one I readily
accepted and am richer by it.

Simultaneously, active participation in a wide range of extracurricular activities has ensured the
all round development of my personality. I have taken part in cultural activities like group dance
and literary activities like crossword and Sudoku competitions. I also play badminton as a hobby.
Apart from this I handled the role of being the Student Representative of the Computer Science
branch for four years, a responsibility that included acting as the bridge between the students and
the administration, scheduling additional lectures for the class, assisting the faculty advisor in her
duties and assisting the students in case of any problems. This experience brought to the fore my
leadership abilities, while also assisting in honing my social skills.

Having acquired a solid foundation in the field of computer science through a rigorous
undergraduate program, and my various internships in the IT industry, at this point, I feel that it
is the right time to take up graduate studies. I wish to raise my understanding of the nuances of
the Computer Science field and use this knowledge to further my chances for a lucrative career
in Software. With a keen interest in working on the latest web technologies, I seek to take
advantage of the plethora of opportunities in the field of social media which allows the
combination of these technologies with one's own creative instincts.

The MS program in Computer Science offered by the University of Stony Brook will
undoubtedly provide me with the right knowledge, skills and experience to pursue that dream
and exploit the opportunities to the fullest extent. The practical-orientation of your in-depth
coursework will allow me to not only acquire a clear understanding of the subject but also the
skills to execute it. I am confident my exposure to such initiatives would quite augment my
knowledge base and add tremendous value in enabling me to realize my professional goals

SOP for MS in ECE

(Area of Interest: Communications and Signal Processing )

At this juncture when I have made one of the most crucial decisions in my life by selecting the right
University for my Graduate studies this statement presents before you, my academic background, my
research interests, my future aims and reasons for selecting your University for Graduate study.

My desire to pursue Electrical Engineering as my major for my Graduate study is influenced by many
instances in my academic life. I have been interested in Mathematics and Science for a very long time,

103
which helped me to participate in many Science Exhibitions. That was the moment I realized that the
practical knowledge is superior to theoretical knowledge. My interest in Mathematics also highlighted
my inquisitive nature to reach the profundity of the problem and to resolve the intricacies. The obvious
outcome of my interest in Mathematics and Science was to take up Electronics and Communication
Engineering for my Undergraduate study in PSG College of Technology, affiliated to Anna University
which is one of the Best Colleges in India. This was then that I got introduced to the fascinating world of
Electronics. My Undergraduate curriculum exposed me to a wide gamut of courses in Signal Processing,
Communications, Microelectronics and Networking. In the three and half years of Undergraduate study,
I have strived to maintain an approach of expanding independent effort in all my endeavors. The years
of my Undergraduate education have been a truly enriching experience, and have significantly
contributed to my overall personality development. Following the process of self-learning and
knowledge sharing, I have consistently topped at all levels, resulting in outstanding scholastic records.

My intended area of specialization in the graduate program in Electrical Engineering at Rennselaer

Polytechnic Institute will be ‘Communications and Signal Processing’. This area has immense potential
for innovation and exploration at present and in the future. My Undergraduate degree in Electronics and
Communication Engineering has given me a strong hold in these areas. My final year dissertation titled
"A Novel System for Microarray Image & Data Analysis for Mutation Prognosis" involved Genomic Signal
Processing and Image Signal Processing. The aim of the project is to develop a system for prognosis of
mutation based diseases like cancer from the Microarray images. This project won me the ‘Best Project
Work Award’ among all the Undergraduate projects in the department. My other projects in my area of
interest include ‘Automatic Speaker Recognition using Linear Predictive Coefficients and Mel frequency
Coefficients’ (completed project in ITTIAM Systems Pvt Ltd, Bangalore, India) and ‘Implementation of
Image enhancement Techniques in BLACKFINN Processor BF533’ (IIT Madras, DSP Learning Center).

I have also participated in numerous Design Contests, the Texas Instruments Design contest 2004 being
one, in which I proposed a new kind of device entitled ‘ Wireless Personal Storage Device’. In order to
pursue my interest, I have also undergone Industrial/Practical training on Radar Communication,
Satellite communication and Control Systems in Indian Space Research Organization and on Digital
Communication in Doordarshan, Broadcasting Corporation of India. I am particularly fascinated by the
areas of Speech and Image Signal Processing, Neural networking training algorithms and Wireless
Communication, and would be keen to work in these areas for my Masters and Doctoral studies. I have
been a student member of IEEE for past two years and a member of IEEE Signal Processing Society for
one year. This has allowed me to constantly upgrade my knowledge through its seminars, workshops
and publications (IEEE spectrum, IEEE Signal Processing Magazine).

I also had an opportunity to showcase my technical knowledge and intellectual ability when my paper
‘Alignment and Gridding of Microarray data using fast Fourier Transform and Wavelet Filter Banks’, got
accepted for publication in International Conference on Computational Intelligence in Medicine and
Healthcare, Portugal and IEEE Eight International Symposium on Signal Processing and its Applications,
Australia.

I believe in the statement ‘Experience is the Master of Knowledge’. I’m currently working with Cognizant
Technology Solutions (CTS) - RFID division in Manufacturing & Logistics. My work experience has given
me an opportunity to work and interact with various kinds of people. I have learnt to accept both
criticism and praise with a positive frame of mind. It has taught me that the basis for good work is self-
reliance, and most importantly time management. As the work I do at CTS is relevant to my area of
interest (Wireless Communication), it has really acted as a confidence booster to pursue graduate

104
studies in this field. As part of my work, I have developed an application called ‘RFID Tag Visualizer’
which could help in determining the optimum positions for placement of RFID Reader Antennas and
Tags based on various analyses like read range analysis, tag orientation analysis and tag mobility
analysis. Other projects that I am currently working on include- ‘Real Time Location Tacking of assets in
manufacturing division using RFID system’ and RFID middleware.

Finally, I am totally convinced that my research interests would get a clear direction under the guidance
of the distinguished professors at your department. The institute’s excellent research facilities, such
Communications, Information and Signal Processing Research group and Center for Image Processing
Research (CIPR) are some of the critical factors that have motivated me to apply to your University. I
believe the program offered by your university will help me acquire the versatility needed to reach my
full potential as an outstanding Researcher-cum-Teacher.

I am determined to contribute at least a drop to this ocean of Electronics. I realize that this can be best
achieved by pursuing Doctoral study and then taking up a Researcher-cum-Teacher position. I have
always admired the way in which a Professor derives satisfaction by disseminating his knowledge to his
students, which is of course acquired by years of learning and research. The thrill of new discovery and
rewards received for research work is an experience that can only be felt.

An MS degree is the first step that I have chosen to initiate my personal contribution towards becoming
a researcher-cum-teacher. I am confident this would eventually culminate into a PhD program, which
will take me another step forward towards achieving my long-term goal. It would be really valuable to
receive a teaching or research assistantship, as this would contribute significantly to realization of my
goal. A fellowship or a tuition fee waiver would serve as an incentive in my pursuit of Doctoral degree
while reducing the financial impact of graduate study. Hence, I would like to be considered for all such
Fellowships, Assistantships and tuition fee waivers.

Looking forward to Graduate Studies at your University.

SOP FOR MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Keeping in view that my undergraduate course would be completed in a few months, I am at the crucial
stage wherein I have to decide what I would be doing to improve my career. I have a great compulsion
towards practical industrial work environment and therefore I wish to pursue graduation study. Also,
the sweeping changes in Global Industrialization and Design Engineering have made the role of
mechanical engineer a really indispensable one. It has been my deepest desire to be a part of this
rapidly burgeoning community. With due reverence to the Department and the University, I pen down
this Statement of purpose.

To reach the peaks of perfection, I consider studying in a suitable environment and a good university
with a rewarding research program, where the research facilities and the faculty at the university are
excellent is of utmost necessity.

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Right from my schooling I have shown keen interest in mathematics and physics that enhanced
quantitative and analytical skills in me. This strength enabled me to secure XX% in XX(10th grade). I
passed my senior secondary school with XX% in mathematics and XX% in physics respectively and I
gained an overall percentage of XX% marks in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, which were my main
subjects. The competitive spirit within me acted as a catalyst in all my academic successes.

Pursuing engineering as my future was a natural consequence because of my love towards science and
technology. To study in this field, I had to overcome hurdles, a common entrance examination, which I
had to take along with hundreds of thousands of students, all aspiring to get through. I passed with
flying colors, being placed in the top X% of all students who took the examination. I took up Mechanical
Engineering in XXXXX COLLEGE affiliated to prestigious XXX University as my undergraduate major
because it has tremendous potential to become a dominant force in this millennium, affecting all walks
of human life. I have maintained a clean and brilliant academic record throughout my years in this
course.

The undergraduate study has given me a comprehensive exposure to a wide spectrum of courses,
namely, Design Engineering, Kinematics of Machinery, Engineering Graphics, Finite Element Analysis,
Thermodynamics, Mechanics of Solids, Robotics, Computer aided Design/Computer aided
Manufacturing, etc. I strongly believe in “learning by doing”. It is the hope of coming up with path
breaking results streaked with an element of uncertainty that makes experimental results extremely
fascinating.

I went beyond the four walls of the classroom, during my undergraduate course; I visited many
industries, namely, XXX, XYZ etc. I wanted to get a closer look at the application of Mechanical
Engineering. I presented a good number of technical papers at the national level. I have organized many
technical and cultural events. All these extra-curricular activities have made me socially accomplished
with self-confidence, communicating skills, leadership qualities and team spirit. I have undertaken two
projects in final year of my Bachelor’s Degree.

I as a project leader for the above projects and I learned the practical difficulties in implementing the
task, with the help of limited resources available. With guidance of technical expertise from my college I
successfully completed them in time.

I was elected as the president of the department forum for my performance, leadership qualities,
communication skills and organizing capabilities (I have successfully organized many events). I also
participated in various inter-college competitions and in seminars. Robotic competitions give me an
adrenaline rush; I am an active representative from my college in robotic competitions and also stood
best at some stages. I was part of organizing committee in the department’s weekly co-curricular
activities, which bring out a platform for college students to interact with experts from industry; we
organized many seminars and workshops under the college support. I stood best in robotic national
level competition held at my college. I managed at the same time, to help my dad in managing
agriculture lands in our village, as he was busy with his job; I took the financial responsibility of the
farms and have been successfully managing it for the past 3 years.

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 My objectives of joining a Masters in Science field are very clear-cut. I want to hone my intellectual
abilities; to acquire in-depth competence in my stream of engineering; to develop individuality and
conviviality; to learn for collective good and expand my horizons of knowledge. After ten years I envision
myself as engaged in a career of manufacturing. I also get immense pleasure from teaching. I enjoy
interacting with people and this leads me to believe that sharing my knowledge that I gain through my
masters in technical background would be a very rewarding experience. My dream is to apply my gained
advanced knowledge in benefit and service of industry, which needs professionals like me most for its
development.

In this era of technological revolutions, United States has been at the forefront of pioneering work in the
evolution of technology with the industry giants and I hope to get benefit from this great endeavor. My
decision to pursue graduate studies in your university is a result of lengthy discussions with the faculty.
Browsing through the information brochure and the University's home page, I feel that the graduate
study here holds a lot of promise to me. The breadth and depth of the courses coupled with a
stimulating research environment seem to me the right mix for seminal work and pioneering research.

I found your esteemed university, known for its great facilities, will be the ideal place for me to pursue
my graduate studies. Interacting with the best minds of the world will be an enriching experience and
this will spur me on, to being the very best in my field. I eagerly wait for your benevolent act of
accepting me into your fold and granting an admission in Masters in Mechanical Engineering program.

SOP FOR CIVIL ENGINEERING

After three and half years of undergraduate study in Civil Engineering, I feel completely
satisfied with my decision to choose engineering as my career option as it has revealed most
pragmatic and down-to-earth approach to tackling human problems to me. My enthusiasm
coupled with scope for innovations and opportunities available in the civil engineering has
motivated me to opt for higher studies and contribute to the field through meaningful research. I
sincerely believe that graduation at West Virginia University will be an ideal step in this
direction.

My decision to major in Civil Engineering was result of my desire to contribute

something beautiful to the society, direct impact of Civil Engineering on every individual’s life
and importance of infrastructure for development of a country. Foundation of this lay in my
childhood admiration of my friends’ father who was a civil engineer and I used to be excited and
inquisitive whenever I used to visit him.

I am optimistic and hardworking and strongly believe in maintaining ethical integrity in

all my endeavours. My family maintains a highly motivated ambience conducive to academic
pursuit. This has ingrained the desire of competition and achievement and temperament of
scientific inquiry in my character. Consequently I topped every class I attended in school and

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high school. My hard work and perseverance paid off when I scored in top 1% of students in
Joint Entrance Examination for admission in India’s premier technology colleges, the National
Institute of Technology (NIT - Warangal).

I had first formal exposure to structural engineering in course “Mechanics of Materials”.

This course inculcated in me the fundamental tenets of structural behaviour which ignited my
interest in this field. To strengthen my concepts I pursued courses on basic and “Advanced”
“Structural Analysis” which enabled me to do elastic analysis of structures using flexibility and
stiffness approaches. Design courses like basic and “Advanced” “Design of Concrete
Structures”, “Design of Steel Structures” and “Analysis and Design for Wind and Earthquake
Effects” equipped me with adequate tools to carryout Load Resistant Factor Design and
introduced me to codal provisions. Laboratory courses helped me consolidate my fundamentals
and reinforce theoretical background.

I armed myself with the knowledge of basic geotechnical engineering in “Geotechnical

Engineering I” & “II”. These courses have given me sound grasp of fundamentals. Numerous
visits to construction sites enhanced my practical understanding. Elective course “Foundation
Engineering” gave vital insight into design of shallow and deep foundation in clayey and sandy
soil.

I also credited courses like “Materials of Construction”, “Building Construction and

Equipments” and “Functional Design of Buildings” which inculcated latest construction
technology and management methods in me. “Construction Management” highlighted
importance of effective team coordination for project execution in quality construction practice
and exposed me to plethora of applications of Operations Research in project management. To
keep myself abreast with latest information, I am regularly referring to ASCE Journal of
Structural Engineering, Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics, Indian Construction:
Journal of Builders Association of India and Magazine of Concrete Research.

In the previous years I have paved a way to shape my career but I realised that
undergraduate education has given me only glimpse of knowledge in this field. My decision for
Master of Science in structural engineering or construction management is an effort to quench
my thirst of knowledge and contribute to field by positive research. From consultants of my
professors, guidance of my seniors and careful perusal of web-pages of university, I am
convinced that my career will be in best hands at your University. Not only was I attracted by its
distinguished faculty, excellent laboratory facilities and high reputation but also by quality of
research going on. My choice of this specialisation is motivated by its multidisciplinary nature
which will broaden my horizons and give me flexibility in professional practice.

The practical knowledge I received in my summer Training was really inspiring, when I was a
part of a team of trainees working for National Authority of Highways India (NHAI) and
Hindustan Shipyard Limited. Here I took the task of performing a study of testing of materials
procured for Roads, mix design, design of reinforced concrete structures. Also I had the
opportunity to visit and learn about the surveying. I was exposed to the various aspects of
structural and Transportation Engineering and I got the opportunity to interact with the Engineers
involved with futuristic activities that inspired me.

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 The knowledge gained through academics and experience in trainings came to lime light when I
proceeded to work for M/s AARVEE associates where I took up railways as my field research
for two years designing bridges, retaining walls etc.,.

My academic pursuits have not however, prevented me from participating with interest in
various extracurricular activities. As coordinator of the Civil Engineering Association, Technical
Festival and Cultural Festival of NIT WARANGAL, I have enjoyed working in a team while
planning for the organization's activities. Apart from these I have represented my college as
captain of cricket team winning the Inter NIT sports meet for our college.

The undergraduate curriculum enabled me to clear my fundamentals; so I feel the need to

complete my Masters. The fast emerging global scenario in the field of Civil Engineering, and
moreover the quality of education and exposure to plethora of research work in USA
supplemented by my own interest, has helped me to fortify my decision to pursue graduate
studies in U.S.A.

I am applying to your university because of the excellent reputation of your school. In addition,
your splendid facilities are also a major attraction to me. In my experience as a student I know
for certain that good facilities can make a difference in a student's life and learning experience. I
hope you will grant me the privilege of pursuing my Masters Degree in your prestigious
university

I look forward to a long and fruitful association with University of West Virginia at Morgantown.

3. SOFT SKILLS

Soft skills is a term often associated with a person's "EQ" (emotional intelligence quotient),
which is the cluster of personality traits that characterize one's relationships with other people.
These skills can include social graces, communication abilities, language skills, personal habits,
cognitive or emotional empathy, and leadership traits. Soft skills contrast with hard skills, which
are generally easily quantifiable and measurable (such as software knowledge or basic plumbing
skills).

A person's soft skill EQ is an important part of their individual contribution to the success of an
organization. Organizations which deal with customers face-to-face are generally more
successful if they train their staff to use these skills. Screening or training for personal habits or
traits such as dependability and conscientiousness can yield significant return on investment for
an organization. For this reason, soft skills are increasingly sought out by employers in addition
to standard qualifications.

( Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft_skills)

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What are Soft Skills?

The phrase ‘soft skills’ is often used to describe the skills which characterize relationships with
other people, or which are about how you approach life and work.

Others phrases that are often used for these types of skills include: ‘people skills’, ‘interpersonal
skills’, ‘social skills’ or ‘transferable skills’.

‘Hard skills’, by contrast, is a phrase usually used to describe job-specific skills. Examples of
such skills include professional skills like bricklaying or accountancy, medical expertise such as
diagnosis and treatment, or other skills that can be taught and whose presence is testable through
exams.

Ironically, for many people, the so-called soft skills are often some of the hardest skills to
develop.

The Relative Importance of Hard and Soft Skills

Job-related expertise is essential in any profession and in many other careers. However, over the
last twenty to thirty years, understanding has grown that perhaps the soft skills may ultimately be
more important in determining levels of success.

That is, the hard skills are a basic minimum necessary in order to operate in that
particular workplace. Whether or not you are successful in your career may depend on how
you relate to other people and to work: the so-called soft skills.

(Find more at: http://www.skillsyouneed.com/general/soft-skills.html#ixzz4Hqjd0tEZ)

What are the most important Soft Skills?

It’s hard to judge which soft skills are most important, but this list is broadly what employers
mean when they talk about good soft skills and the skills which are most likely to enable you to
build constructive working relationships with others, or to be a constructive and helpful
employee.

1. Communication Skills

Communication skills are always top of the ‘essential skills’ list in any job advertisement. People with
strong communication skills can build relationships (from the initial building rapport through to a
longer-term relationship), listen well, and vary their communication to suit the circumstances.

If you spend time on nothing else, work on your communication skills.

2. Making Decisions

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Valued by employers for many reasons, being able to make decisions is key to getting on in life.
Sometimes the actual decision doesn’t even matter; what matters is that you have made one and
moved on.

3. Self Motivation

People who are self-motivated get on by themselves. They don’t need close supervision and they are
good to work with because they are generally positive about life and can be counted upon to keep
going. It also helps to work on your personal resilience and adaptability to change.

4. Leadership Skills

These are the set of soft skills that we least expect someone to develop by themselves. There are
many leadership training courses available and much has been written about how to develop your
leadership skills.

Our leadership skills pages describe many of the skills needed for effective leadership and how to
develop your leadership style.

5.Team-Working Skills

Like leadership skills, there are many training courses to teach you how to work well in a team.
However, there is also plenty of thinking to suggest that good communication skills, particularly good
listening skills, together with an ability to build rapport will go a long way to support your ability to
work well in a team.

6. Creativity and Problem Solving Skills

Creativity and problem-solving skills are highly valued because they are hard to develop. There are
many people who believe that creative thinkers are born, not made, and there are certainly some
people who find these skills much easier. But, like other skills, you can develop them if you work to do
so and our pages on these topics will give you some ideas about how to do this.

7. Time Management and ability to work under pressure

Many would say that these two skills, which often go hand-in-hand, are more an attitude than a skill.
However they can also be developed and honed, which is why we include them as skills. Highly valued
by employers, they are also very useful for organizing a family or a team, and for making sure that the
job gets done.

Of course this list is not exhaustive. Any given employer or individual may place more or less
emphasis on these or others.

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However, work to develop the skills in this list is likely to pay off in a job search, in any job or
career on which you embark, and in life more generally.

(Find more at: http://www.skillsyouneed.com/general/soft-skills.html#ixzz4HqjsYh1a)

MATERIAL COLLECTED FROM NET

NOTE: The sources of materials collected from websites on any topic are
cited near the topic itself.

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