Name: SAMYA PAL

Roll No: 2114504018

Program: MCA
Semester: Sem2
Course Name: COMMUNICATION
SKILLS

DCA6205 – COMMUNICATION
SKILLS
 SET I

1. Mention any four barriers to communication and substantiate your

answer with one example for each.
Ans:
Physical Barriers: On top of the list of physical barriers is stammering and
similar such speech difficulties. Next is hearing disabilities that prompt the
speaker to speak loudly. But electronic modes of communication have
reduced the barriers of time and space and even deaf, dumb and blind people
are able to communicate. Even nonverbal communication should not be
ignored, and the nonverbal cues offered by the listener will help you alter the
course of the conversation. eg: noise, large working areas, marked out
territories

Psychological Barriers: Lack of interest, attention, distraction shown by the

listener can put off the other person. Swiping the phone screen all the time,
attending calls are all considered impolite. Avoiding eye contact can really
put off the other person, especially if he is a position of authority. It can incite
them to chide you and is treated as insolent behaviour. Differences in
perception and viewpoint can occur but if there is no hidden agenda in the
minds of either party, it can be sorted out. Even religious differences and
political problems can be sorted out if there is face to face, heart to heart
communication with parties sitting together with an aim to resolve the issue.

Language Barriers: Using jargon or over-complicated, unfamiliar or

technical terms is an artificial barrier to communication. Some CXO gets a
kick out of throwing business jargon to colleagues who might not have done
any courses in business administration. Conveying a clear and concise
message is what excellent communication is all about. Even in written
communication, one who writes well is the one who uses simple words and
presents his thoughts in an easy to understand manner. So, when readers
peruse his written copy they can take part in his imagination and elicit the
right responses as per the needs of the document. eg: English is a widely
spoken language but not everyone knows english.

Cultural Differences: This is more often seen in oriental societies where

there are more taboos about communication between opposite genders.
Certain topics may be off-limits not just in routine conversation but in arts,
cinema as well. In a corporate setting, up its best to stay away from politics,
religion, sex, disability, racism or anything that puts off your colleagues.
Foreign tourists often meet cultural barriers to communication as they are
unable to decipher the regional colloquialism and expressions of the local
people. Stress is also a major factor in why people won’t listen and is a major
issue that creates a psychological barrier to communication. eg: inability to
see eye to eye in matters of culture or tradition
2. Differentiate between listening and hearing. List the different types
of listening.
Ans:
Hearing means:
“the process, function, or power of perceiving sound; specifically: the
special sense by which noises and tones are received as stimuli.”
Listening means:
“to pay attention to sound; to hear something with thoughtful attention;
and to give consideration.”

As you can see, hearing is a purely physical process, while listening is also
a mental or cognitive process.

The biggest difference between hearing and listening is that hearing is

a passive process, while listening requires the person to actively pay attention.
Hearing doesn’t require any concentration or effort, whereas listening does.

Hearing is also involuntary – you don’t have any choice whether you do or
don’t hear something. Listening is voluntary – you must make an effort and
choose to really understand and process what is being said to you.

Listening is also a crucial differentiator between whether you do or don’t learn

something. Everyone has had the experience of coming away from a class or
lecture you found boring and feeling like you don’t remember a single word
of what was said. You might have heard the teacher speaking, but you
weren’t listening enough to consciously retain any information.

Types of Listening

Active listening

The first type is known as active listening. Active listeners focus on the
speaker’s words to understand their meaning and context. This type of listener
pays close attention to the speaker’s body language, facial expressions, and
tone of voice. They engage with the speaker, ask meaningful questions, and
clarify information. Active listening is helpful in personal relationships and
professional settings when you need to build a strong rapport with someone.

If you need to focus on what someone is saying, try out the following tips for
active listening:
  Make eye contact and pay attention to facial expressions.
 Listen carefully to the words being used and try not to interrupt.
 Paraphrase what the speaker has said to show that you understand.
 Respond with questions or comments that will help you understand
better.
 Give the speaker your full attention and avoid distractions.

Critical listening

Critical listeners search for conflicting messages in order to better understand

what they hear. They also look for flawed logic, missing information, and
hidden agendas when making sense of others’ words. This type of listening
can be beneficial if you want more facts to make an important decision.

To listen critically, it is important to:

 Think about what you hear and how it relates to other information.
 Ask questions that will help clarify the speaker’s thoughts and feelings.
 Be aware of any omissions or distortions in meaning when listening,
so you can ask for clarification if necessary.

Informational listening

The third type of listening is known as informational listening. In this type of

listening, you focus on gathering data on specific topics for a school project,
learning new skills, or gathering information for work. It often involves taking
notes and asking clarifying questions when needed.

These can help:

 Be patient and let the speaker finish before asking questions.

 Make sure your questions are relevant to the topic being discussed.
 Take notes if it helps you remember what was said.
 Paraphrase key points to ensure you understand them correctly.
Empathetic listening

Empathetic listeners are good at understanding others’ feelings, especially

when people have a tough time communicating them verbally. This type of
listener asks questions that focus on the other person’s thoughts and emotions
to gain insight into how they feel about specific topics or ideas.

If you want to be an empathetic listener, it’s important to:

 Listen carefully without interrupting while concentrating on

understanding the other person’s feelings.
 Reflect on what you’ve heard in your own words to make sure you
understand correctly.
 Avoid giving advice or telling the other person what they should do.
 Let the other person know you understand how they feel.
 Be non-judgmental so the speaker can open up more easily if needed.

Appreciative Listening

When appreciative listening, the listener is interested in the speaker’s feelings,

thoughts, and experiences. Their goal is to create a positive connection. This
type of listener is often friendly and supportive, and they may share personal
stories that apply to the discussion.

Appreciative listeners are good at seeing things from another person’s

perspective, supporting others’ goals.

To become an appreciative listener, try:

 Look for the good in what the speaker is saying, even if it’s hard to
find.
 Ask the speaker questions that show you are interested in their opinions
and feelings.
 Reassure others when they express negative thoughts or emotions by
being understanding without judgment.
 Remember your own experiences to help understand what others are
feeling.
 Let the speaker know you appreciate their thoughts and feelings by
using phrases like “I can understand why that is important to you.”
3. Explain the various types of readings.
Ans:
Different Types of Reading

It’s important to know the different types of reading skills to make the most
of what you are reading.

Here are some of the most common types of reading we’ll encounter during
your life:

Extensive Reading:

Extensive reading is one of the methods of reading that people use for
relaxation and pleasure. Adopt this method when the purpose is to enjoy the
reading experience. It places no burden upon the reader and due to its
indulgent nature, it is seldom used if the text isn’t enjoyable.

This is one of the methods of reading that occurs naturally. It’s how we’ve
read as a child and while growing up.

This method of reading helps us understand words in context and enriches our
vocabulary.

Intensive Reading:

Among the different types of reading skills, intensive reading is used when
we want to read carefully by paying complete attention to understand every
word of the text. It is where we would examine and decipher each unfamiliar
word or expression.

As the term states, intensive means in-depth. This reading method is

especially used when reading academic texts, where the goal is to prepare for
an exam or to publish a report. This method helps retain information for much
longer periods.

Scanning:

Imagine if we went to the Louvre museum only to see the Mona Lisa. We’d
quickly walk through all the corridors and rooms merely glancing at the walls
until we found it. Scanning is quite similar to that.
It is one of those kinds of reading where we read to search for a particular
piece of information. Our eyes quickly skim over the sentences until we find
it.

We can use this method when we don’t need to go deep into the text and read
every word carefully. Scanning involves rapid reading and is often used by
researchers and for writing reviews.

Skimming:

Through this method, we try to understand the text in short. Though one saves
a lot of time through this method, one will gain only a shallow understanding
of the text.

Skimming is a great way to get a broad idea of the topic being discussed. This
method is generally used to judge whether the information is useful or not.

A good example of this is picking up a magazine and flipping through the

pages. We take in only the headings or the pictures to get a broad idea of what
the magazine covers.

Critical Reading:

Among the different types of reading strategies, critical reading has a special
place. Here, the facts and information are tested for accuracy. We take a look
at the ideas mentioned and analyse them until we reach a conclusion.

We would have to apply our critical faculties when using this method. Critical
reading is often used when reading the news on social media, watching
controversial advertisements, or reading periodicals.

Various types of reading lead to different outcomes. Choosing the right one
can be instrumental in furthering our goals. Further, diversifying our reading
habits to include different types of reading will enable us to become a better
writer and speaker. Improving our communication skills will enable us to
convey our ideas with precision and clarity. It’s not always easy to get our
point across. But reading gives us the power to understand multiple
perspectives. Building a reading habit can be effective in the short and long
run.
 SET II

4. Discuss the steps one should follow while writing a paragraph?

Write a paragraph on the topic “Where there is a will, there is a
way.”
Ans:
Check your paragraph for spelling and grammar. Once you have finished
writing, you must re-read your paragraph two or three times to check it for
misspelled words and poor grammar. Spelling mistakes and bad grammar can
significantly impact the perceived quality of your paragraph, even if the ideas
and arguments it contains are of high quality. It is effortless to overlook small
mistakes when writing, so don't skip this step, even if you're in a rush.

 Ensure that each sentence has a subject and that all proper nouns are
capitalized. Also, make sure that all the subjects and verbs agree with
each other and that you use the same tense across the entire paragraph.

 Use a dictionary to double-check the spelling of words that you are

unsure about, don't just assume that they are correct.

 Check your paragraph for the proper use of punctuation, making sure
that you use marks such as commas, colons, semicolons, and ellipses
in the correct context.

Check your paragraph for coherency and style. Not only should the
technical aspects of your writing be spot on, but you should also try to achieve
clarity in your writing, as well as stylistic flow. You can do this by varying
the length and format of your sentences, and by using transitional words and
a varied vocabulary

 The point of view of your writing should remain consistent throughout

the paragraph, and indeed, the entire paper. For example, if you are
writing in the first person (e.g., "I believe that...") you should not
switch to a passive voice ("it is believed that") halfway through.

 However, you should also try to avoid beginning every sentence with
"I think..." or "I contend that..." Try to vary the format of your
sentences, as this will make the paragraph more interesting for the
reader and help it to flow more naturally.
  For beginner writers, it is better to stick to short, to-the-point sentences
which clearly express your point. Long, rambling sentences can rapidly
become incoherent or fall victim to grammatical errors, so try to avoid
them until you gain more experience as a writer.

Decide if your paragraph is complete. Once you have re-read the paragraph
and fixed any grammatical or stylistic errors, you should have one more
glance over it to determine whether it is complete. Try to look at the paragraph
objectively and decide whether it sufficiently supports and develops your
topic sentence, or whether it needs a few more details or additional evidence
to back up your claims

 If you feel that the main claim of your topic sentence is sufficiently
supported and well-developed by the contents of the rest of your
paragraph, then your paragraph is probably complete. However, if any
important aspect of the topic remains unexplored or unexplained or if
the paragraph is shorter than three sentences, it likely needs a little
more work.

 On the other hand, you may decide that your paragraph is too long and
contains superfluous or tangential content. If this is the case, you
should edit the paragraph, so it contains only the most relevant
information.

 If you feel that all the content is necessary to your point, but the
paragraph is still too long, you should think about breaking it up into
several smaller, more specific paragraphs

Where there is a will, there is a way” is a familiar and well-known saying. But
only a few understand and act upon it. This saying underlines a very vital fact
of life. Man is ambitious; he is full of desires. But all of them are not fulfilled,
because they lack the force of willpower. Without determination and strong
will, nothing can be achieved. When our desires are mere wishes, they are not
likely to be satisfied for there is not perseverance, sustained efforts, and
required singleness of purpose at their back. Determination is one of the
secrets of success. Why a few succeed and numerous others fail in life. The
answer is simple and clear. Those who work hard without any let-up in their
efforts are crowned with success, while the others make – not much effort or
make half-hearted ones. The not successful people may be likened to a cat
who wishes to eat fish but dare riot to wet its feet. Such people are fatalistic,
inactive, purposeless, indecisive, and spineless. They lack boldness,
determination, and sustained efforts.
5. What is a job application? What are the points that one needs to keep
in mind while writing a job application\
Ans:
A job application is an official form that employers ask all applicants for a
position to fill out. You may fill out the application through a third-party job
listing site or by visiting the website of the potential employer. Some
employers may ask you to fill out a paper application.

Employers use job applications because they provide a consistent format with
the same questions that must be answered by each person who applies for an
open position. Employers can easily compare the background and work
experience of each applicant.

1. Take your time

Rushed applications that are not personalised will be immediately obvious to

employers and can give the impression that you don’t care about getting the
role. It makes more sense to submit five tailored, specific, well thought-out
applications that will stand out to employers than 10 generic applications that
are far less likely to get you noticed. Plus, taking your time will allow you to
double check details like the company name and the name of the person you
are contacting, as well as ensure you catch any spelling or grammar errors that
may have otherwise slipped through. Remember to make sure your LinkedIn
profile, if you have one, is consistent with the experience you are highlighting.

2. Speak their language

Make sure you know what the employer is asking for with our job ad
glossary and respond so that the person reading can see exactly how your
skills and experience match. There will be specific words and phrases they
use to describe their ideal candidate, so reference these in your application.

3. Sell yourself

Write your application in a way that focuses on the positive impact of your
day-to-day work. Verbs like ‘transformed’, ‘delivered’, ‘produced’ and
‘organised’ help to clearly demonstrate your action and its impact. Check
out a sample CV with more detailed tips.

4. Keep it relevant
While you may want to include every little bit of experience you have, it’s
important to grab the employer’s attention, which means putting most
emphasis on skills and experience that are specifically relevant to the job.
Anything in your application that doesn’t respond to requirements listed in
the ad should either be left out of the application or only be mentioned briefly
towards the end. Once you’re done, check the length. Recruiters read a lot of
applications, so it’s important to be ruthless with text length. If you’re unsure
how to cut down your application, ask someone you trust for help.

5. Include a cover letter

A cover letter is a document that you submit alongside your CV that

introduces you to the employer and gives you a chance to talk directly to them,
emphasising your enthusiasm for the organisation and the role. If there is an
opportunity to submit one, you should (even if it’s not mandatory) as it will
add to your chances of standing out.
6. Define a memo. Mention the points one needs to consider in terms of
the language of a memo.
Ans: A memo is an abbreviation for memorandum. It serves the purpose of
delivering the information to a mass of people. It is written from the perspective
of one-to-all. Memo notes normally include the interest of the business. You can
use a memo to explain any upcoming task or event, as a reminder, highlighting
the event and for many other purposes. However, memos hardly include a call to
action elements. It is the ideal document that helps in addressing several people
formally.
Here is a list of the tips one can follow for memo writing and these are:
 The Orientation of the Audience: While drafting a memo, it is essential to
understand the audience well. Try to offer a clear and concise memo
without any ambiguities. There might be cases when only a department of
the company is aware of an acronym. Under such cases, use the full forms
for appropriate communication.
 Professional Tone: A memo speaks volumes, representing a part of the
organization. This makes it vital to take note of how you communicate
with one and all.
 Subject: A special emphasis is to be laid on the subject line. Make it clear
and concise. In case of any specific event or occasion, ensure that its name
is added in the subject line.
 Direct Format: Make it direct. You cannot be passive about declaring any
information. Keep the information related to the topic.
 Objectivity: Without any personal bias, make the memo objective. Place
the facts right away without any addition of subjective information .