University of Central Punjab, Johar Town, Lahore

Course Outline

Course Title: English II (Communication Skills)

Course Code: [ENG2633]
Semester: Spring-2021
Instructor:
Email:

COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is designed to give students a comprehensive understanding of effective
communication, its scope and importance at work place. They will be introduced to the role of
communication in establishing a favorable image outside work environment, as well as an
effective internal communications program. This course is essentially skills-based, offering
students all-round and varied opportunities to improve their four language skills-reading,
writing, listening and speaking. The course will also develop an awareness of the importance
of succinct written expression to modern communication skills. The students will be exposed
to the tools of writing effectively with a focus on expository writing. Various brainstorming
sessions will help them learn to structure their thoughts, which enable them to develop
cohesiveness in both their speaking and writing capacities.

The students will be required to undertake essential readings for improving their skills and
comprehension of written material. Their presentation skills will be polished through a
dedicated module covering rigorous training and practice during the course. They will learn
strategies to improve their oral communication skills which will help them present confidently
in university setting or in the professional fields. The course includes a variety of reference
material from a number of renowned reputed authors and universities. All activities and
assessments suitable for blended learning are developed to enhance student’s critical thinking
and problem solving.

COURSE OBJECTIVES
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
 Read and write complex, literary and advanced level scripts in academic and
professional settings.
 Produce academic and professional documents appropriate to audience, purpose, and
genre.
 Locate, evaluate, and incorporate pertinent information.
 Develop and/or present verbal, visual, and multimedia materials as necessary, in
individual and/or collaborative projects, as appropriate.
 Develop career skills that are needed for academic and professional success, such as
 using ethical codes, working collaboratively, observing etiquette, and resolving
workplace conflicts.
 Develop interpersonal skills that contribute to effective personal, social and
professional relationships.
 Develop skills to review credible research material and its effective use in the course
work.

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

After completing this course, the students will be able to:
 Comprehend analytical and critical text, and write with accuracy
 Write academic documents like essay, precise, summary, and project objectively
 Write professional documents like memorandum, and business letters
 Edit and proof read while identifying and correcting errors
 Conduct excellent interviews and complete follow-up employment correspondence
 Improve interpersonal and ICT skills required for effective teamwork and developing
cordial work environment. Nourish leadership and initiative taking capabilities coupled
with written and oral competencies to enrich managerial effectiveness
 Prepare students for the practical application of ICT in real-life situation

ASSESSMENT STRUCTURE
Assessment Type Percentage
Quiz(s) 10
Assignments(s) 10
Mid Term 20
Class Participation 10
Project/Presentation 10
Final Examination 40

Any specific teaching/learning strategies:

Methodology will include lectures, interactive sessions, group presentations, reading material,
write-shops, movies and group projects taught through the blended approach.

COURSE CONTENT AND DELIVERY PLAN

Assignment /
Week Topics
Quiz
1 Ice Breaker
Introduction to communication
 Basics of communication
 Types of communication
2  Process of communication
 Seven C’s of Writing: Concise, Clear, Concrete,
Correct, Complete, Considerate, Courteous
COURSE CONTENT AND DELIVERY PLAN
Subject –verb agreement

Academic writing: Discourse Markers – Linking ideas

 Sentence Connectors – showing Comparison
03  Sentence Connectors – Showing Addition
 Sentence Connectors – showing Cause/ Effect
 Sentence Connectors – Showing Condition
 Sentence Connectors – showing Contrast

Academic writing: Modifiers

 Misplaced modifiers
 Methods to correct:
 Misplaced adjectives Quiz # 1
 Misplaced nouns (Subject-Verb
 Misplaced verbs Agreement
04  Misplaced clauses Academic
 Dangling modifiers Writing:
 Methods to correct dangling modifiers Discourse
Markers –
Parallelism in academic writing Linking ideas)

Reading Comprehension
 Analyze and develop:
 Thesis statement Assignment # 1
05  Topic sentences (Reading
 Supporting sentences Comprehension)
Making inferences

Reading and Summarizing

 Process of summary writing
 Different excerpts of fiction and non-fiction will be
provided to students
 Learning Reading Strategies
 Skimming and Scanning
 Speed Reading Quiz # 2
06  Understanding how to summarize (Parallelism and
 Reading a long script and writing a summary Modifiers)
Short Stories
 Introduction
 Elements of short story
 Offer four short stories

Essay Writing
Covering: introductory paragraph: different ways of introducing
07 paragraph., supporting paragraphs and conclusion of paragraph
(5 paragraph structure)
 Expository essays
COURSE CONTENT AND DELIVERY PLAN
 Descriptive essays
 Deconstruction of essays

Presentation Skills
 Expand, elaborate, vocal and non-vocal aspects
 Your brief Introductory Speech from the date of your
birth till this day Assignment # 2
08  Select an item to speak about, which relates to your life (Essay Writing)
in some way
 Informative Speech: to inform the audience about some
person, object, process, concept or an event

09 Mid -Term

Business Letter writing

 Letter parts
 Letter formats: Full block, Modified, Semi-block,
Simplified form Assignment # 3
10  Types of letters: Negative, Inquiry (Business Letter
Writing)
Memorandum Writing
 Parts of the Memorandum
 Lay out of the Memorandum
Translation Skills
 Translation strategies
11  Translating different passages from Urdu to English
 Translating different manuals

Electronic mail
 Parts of email writing
 Drafting of email writing
12 Documentaries Quiz # 3
Listening and speaking (Translation)
 Active and reflective listening
 Organizing and speaking
CV Writing and Interviews
 Writing Resume
 Types of Resume: Chronological, functional,
combination
13  Developing your CV: plan, organize, revise
Cover Letter: Format and content
Conducting Interviews: Mock interviews
COURSE CONTENT AND DELIVERY PLAN
Précis Writing Assignment # 4
14 (C.V Writing)

Project Presentations Project

 Power point Presentations will be held Presentations
 The Paper will be submitted for evaluation
15 Quiz # 4
(Topic: Precise
Writing)

Course Revision
16

17 FINAL-TERM

Recommended Books

 Wide, P. (2017). Mastering Technical Communication Skills: A Student's Handbook.

CRC Press.
 Whitcomb, C., & Whitcomb, L. E. (2012). Effective interpersonal and team
communication skills for engineers. John Wiley & Sons.
 Gerson, S. J., & Gerson, S. M. (2012). Technical communication: Process and
product. Boston, MA: Prentice Hall,.
 Whitcomb, C., & Whitcomb, L. E. (2012). Effective interpersonal and team
communication skills for engineers. John Wiley & Sons.
 Verderber, K. S., Verderber, R. F., & Sellnow, D. D. (2013). Communicate! Cengage
Learning.
 Guffey, M. E., & Loewy, D. (2010). Business communication: Process and product.
Cengage Learning.

WEB RESOURCES

 Purdue University Website pages excerpts (links to be provided)

 Essential Tools of the Internet: Using E-Mail and the Web for Effective
Communication, in The Public Manager by Dina M. Lewis. 3 pgs.
 Effective Communication Skills for Scientific and Technical Professionals by Harry E.
Chambers