Technical Communication Mid Semester Exam 2020

Answer key
These are key points, not an answer. Your answer should contain both facts and
analytical viewpoints. Marks are allocated on both aspects.
By taking clues from the discussion, we had in a class, Review the following conversation
happened during an interview for a position in Zorried Syntel Ltd., who trades in
programming for security related aspects. Discuss what is wrong that happened in the
following conversation and what are the solutions for it.
The conversation between an Interviewer and an Interviewee
Interviewer: Welcome. Have a seat.
Interviewee: Thank you sir. Can I have a glass of water please? (Sits without waiting for a
reply from the panel)
Interviewer: yes, be comfortable. Nice to meet you, how are you doing?
Interviewee: I am doing well. (Looking at the member continuously)
Interviewer: Do not worry. We will begin.
Interviewee: yes sir.
Interviewer: Tell me something about yourself?
Interviewee: I am Ranjana, BTech from MMN institute with highest percentage.
(Continuously shaking legs)
Interviewer: why are you so nervous? Concentrate on what is being discussed not on
something else.
Interviewee: sorry sir. I will not repeat this.
Interviewer: Tell me something about your experience or any work related experience?
Interviewee: Yes, I did a project on AI application to face recognition for military purposes.
Interviewer: It is ok, but nowadays everybody wants to do research in some risky zone. Why
there is such fad about it I do not know. Moreover, being female would you be able to do
work in hard terrain zones and night shifts if required.
Interviewee: yes sir, as I said I am passionate about it.
Interviewer: Nowadays every female wants to prove herself without recognizing her true
strengths. (Hard facial expressions)
Interviewee: I cannot say anything sir. (Nods head and look down at feet)
Interviewer: ok. It is nice to meet you. You can leave.
Interviewee: Nice meeting you too sir.

Answer key- answer should contain, what is kinesics, how it helps to enhance your interview
and first impression during the interview process- kinesics helps to enhance your personality
aspects that facilitate your chances of selection. What you are unable to speak can be
conveyed through posture, eye contacts, behaviour.
In the above question, one thing crucial to understand is that lacking appropriate kinesics on
both the front –interviewer and interviewee, although the candidate is nervous but the
interviewer is not at all making any efforts to make him comfortable.
Gender discrimination is felt but the candidate has not taken any stand. Not at all acceptable as
a responsible citizen or future employee.
By taking clues from the following interaction paragraph, explain what kinesics is and
how it is crucial for a successful interview process. Discuss what went wrong in the
following conversation.
The conversation between an Interviewer and an Interviewee
Interviewer: Welcome to TCS Abid Ltd., Surya. I am Tukesab.
Interviewee: Hello sir, it is nice to meet you.
Interviewer: Nice to meet you too, how are you doing today?
Interviewee: I am doing well. (Feel exhausted and hence cannot control breadth so begin to
look down)
Interviewer: Great, thanks. I hope we did not keep you waiting for long.
Interviewee: No, it's fine (begin to look at the window just behind the panel
members). Interviewer: That is good. Surya, shall we start?
Interviewee: Yeah, sure. Why not (sits without asking the panel about it)
Interviewer: First, let me introduce myself. I am the manager of our engineering department
here and we have an open position, so we have been interviewing applicants to fill the
position as quickly as possible.
Interviewer: This is an entry-level engineering position. We do require that you have at least
a bachelors degree in computer engineering. Previous experience in the field is a plus.
Interviewee: What are the essential qualifications required for the position? (Crosses hands
inward)
Interviewee: I am BTech in computer science. What would you count as a work in the field?
Interviewer: Some hands-on programming experience, knowledge of database systems or
skills on developing applications.
Interviewee: last year I did a project on developing a mobile application, so I am competent
enough in developing mobile and web applications.
Interviewer: Surya, It is nice to meet you. (Does not offer hand for handshake)
Interviewee: Nice meeting you too. Thank you for your time. (Offers hand for handshake)
Answer key:
Importance of kinesics (balance posture, facial expressions and behaviour).
The candidate is nervous hence begins to (feel exhausted and hence cannot control breadth so
begin to look down). Not an accepted practice, as before the interview you have to calm
yourself down so that you would approach with a mature, balanced personality.
The candidate should not offer hands for handshake; it is the interviewer's prerogative.
Interviewee: What are the essential qualifications required for the position? (Crosses hands
inward), such a question along with action shows that you are arrogant and not respectful
towards the process.
3. Explain what is not correct in the following interview process? In addition, discuss
significant elements of the interview process that will make the interview successful.
Interviewer: Hello, my name is Dr. Sita. Be comfortable.
Interviewee: Thank you sir.
Interviewer: Nice to meet you, how are you doing today?
Interviewee: I am doing well. Fully prepared. (Sits without asking for seating)
Interviewer: Where are you from?
Interviewee: I am from Delhi.
Interviewer: Ok. Tell something about Delhi. What do you like about Delhi?
Interviewee: Sure. Delhi is a good city as it has metro and commercials. But, I do not like
the weather, it is very polluted. I do not like the crowd and congestion it damages your health
beyond repair.
Interviewer: Tell us something about your work experiences.
Interviewee: I did one project, it is all about an AI based medical device for
Biopharmaceutical Company. When we began, everything was as per our plan but soon I
realized that we had over budget due to one of our group members who was not pulling his
weight and hence we were losing. Later on I was the one who did channelizing everything
and at last, we successfully completed the project.
Interviewer: what did you learn from that experience?
Interviewee: I learnt a lot, that one should not trust people so easily and do not tell others
about your trade. Next time I will be more careful about such failures.
Interviewer: It is nice to meet you.
Interviewee: Nice meeting you too.
Answer key points- one is about body language and another is about what to speak and how
to use elevator speech to make things in your favour.
Importance of kinesics for successful interview- ‘Fully prepared. (Sits without asking for
seating)’- such words and actions together show your overconfidence not matured and
balanced thinking. So use of words is very necessary.
Use of given opportunity- ‘Interviewee: Sure. Delhi is a good city as it has metro and
commercials. But, I do not like the weather, it is much polluted.’ The candidate belongs to the
engineering field so she can easily provide solutions for pollution in Delhi, but she did not
discuss it. Irrelevant details show that you are not prepared.
For any successful project, you need teamwork. However, the candidate is only speaking of
mistakes committed by team members. And, how he/she has worded towards correcting it.
Not acceptable as a good team player.
Therefore, both actions and words are important to be successful in an interview.
Review the following web page to answer the challenges of online marketing. How the
web page is providing solutions for those challenges of Internet based communication?
The home page of an e-commerce related to fruit brand
Answer key-
The challenges of online marketing
The attention span of E- readers- webpage has used pictures to provide a view of marketing
products.
Minimizing noise: use of green and white color and less use of words
Ethical concern-no use of derogatory language or images/pictures
Security concern- no demand for any personal information or password
All these aspects create a positive image for the website and attract audiences.
This is an example of the worst web site page. Review the following web page to explain,
what do you mean by Constructive writing? In addition, discuss how this web page
displays destructive/negative writing.

Answer key-
Discuss constructive writing- emphasize what you can do rather than what you cannot. Try to
avoid negative phrasing. So your reader will feel good after looking at your website. Focus on
what can be improved. Use positive phrasing to convey your message to your reader.
In this webpage, both visuals and words are not at all creating positive images in the minds of
the reader. Picture is very disturbing, and words like ugly have negative connotations, hence
not at all helpful in creating a constructive, positive image of the website. People will not like
to look at such faces repeatedly, then how will they buy your product?
You have learnt about essentials of good document design. Compare the following web
pages and discuss about the factors need to consider for making good document design.
Audience recognition and accordingly document design is needed to analyse.

Answer key-
Discuss good document design
Compare the web pages based on age factor and discuss how age category is different so use
of color, graphics and words are different in both the websites.
For senior citizens as the target audience webpage has blue color, which is soothing for eyes.
Information is given in order to create synergy. Most of information is given on homepage to
provide support and reduce the effort of audience (specific to this age group)
Whereas, website for children, use of vibrant colours and pictures are necessary to attract the
audience.
Discuss the role of good web-page design in marketing the product online. By taking
clues from the discussion in class review following web page and provide solutions to
overcome the flaws of the web page.

Answer key-
Layout- is layout appropriate to market fruits and vegetables- it can be better with use of
color or is it too-much white color. Color use- too much use of single color.
Graphic/pic-good use to enhance visual literary- give you clear idea of products
Text design- some words too small to recognize. Whereas headings are nice for eyes. This
principle is followed or not (2/3 of the screen for text.)-yes to some extent
Homepage- must have contact, identification information
Clean and concise- it is clean and concise
Dropdown menu. Navigation bar requirements. Your answer requires analysis of all the
points.
The following tables contain data (year 2019-20) related to the shop owned by Mr. Ram
Kapoor. The name of the shop is ‘Sooraj Computers’.
Write the 150-word document with two paragraphs to discuss the following information in a
descriptive way to prepare the document for official records. Give talking heading to the
document as well as 2 paragraph that contains proper organization of the information.
Table A stores the products.
Product_ID Product_name Unit_price Rs.
1232 PC Base unit 15000
1246 Monitor TFT 11000
1678 Mouse 450
2314 Keyboard 750
3214 Laser printer 12000

Table B: order details

Order Id Product Id Quantity
1231 1232 1
1233 1246 3
1234 1678 4
1235 2314 20
1236 3214 23

Answer key-
You need to follow the rules of good document design and then write the paragraph
containing given information- Headings must be bold and in different font sizes.
Such as Chunking- Break text into smaller paragraphs- one objective in one para. In the
above question you can write 2 para with talking heading.
For example, 1 para – Information about the store details of ‘Sooraj Computers’. In addition,
another para can have heading like- comparative analysis or comparison of product prices
and order details.

Answer key for Individual Assignment

Some points to consider while writing professional emails.
1. Do not copy paste
2. Do not use destructive or negative phrasing as far as possible- instead of using ‘we ordered
to do’, it is better to use words like it is in the interest of the clients to stop functioning in this
time of Covid, or you can say it is the policy of the organization.
3. There is a difference between formal and informal writing
4. In formal email- introducing yourself is very crucial
5. The WYSIWYG factor (What You See Is What You Get)- use of language and
punctuations to attain this is must.
6. Format is important
From:
Date:
To:
Subject:
7. Email structure is very important: leave space between different parts of the email
8. No single mass of paragraph
9. In professional space- email id should have your name to reduce confusion or
misrepresentation.
10. For urgent meeting questions, it is a persuasive email, so only informing the audience
about the meeting is not at all suffice.
11. For email it is expected that you should write about the context, that is why the mention
of the developing world is there. We already discussed the importance of context to make
audiences feel relatable and authentic.
12. In subject if you write apology then it will create wrong impression upon the buyers
13. Always check for grammar, punctuation and formatting of email. Closing is proper, use
appropriate positive or constructive closing statements.
14. Full identity formation is missing in the Signature file- you can use title and affiliations
here.
15. There has to be a difference in formal and informal writing format. It should not be
similar in word use nor in tone.
16. Do write in a professional way in a formal mail, e.g. Hi Usain, Bolt, Hi Sumit Sarkar,
17- Never send your mail without grammar check and sentence structure check, eg. “As we
have telephonically, on behalf of our company I like to place immediate action against covid-
18 pademin. This sentence requires serious check to make it grammatically as well as
structurally correct.”
Try to practice writing without copying from anywhere. Practice will improve your
writing as well as speaking ability.