ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

DEFINING COMMUNICATION

Communication “is a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a

common system of symbols, signs, or behavior;” it also refers to an “exchange of information.”
(Merriam Webster Dictionary)
Communication: “the imparting or exchanging of information by speaking, writing, or using
some other medium; the successful conveying or sharing of ideas and feelings.” (Oxford
Dictionaries)
“Communication is the process of sending and receiving messages through verbal or nonverbal
means, including speech or oral communication, writing or written communication, signs,
signals, and behavior. Communication is ‘the creation and exchange of meaning’.” (Richard
Nordquist)
Any time two or more people get together to exchange messages, they are engaging in a basic
process of communication. In order to achieve successful communication, both parties must be
able to exchange information and understand each other. However, communication fails if the
flow of information is blocked for some reason or the parties cannot make themselves
understood.

ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION

THE SENDER
The communication process begins with the sender, who is also called the communicator
or source. The sender has some kind of information—a command, request, or idea —that he or
she wants to share with others. In order for that message to be received, the sender must first
encode the message in a form that can be understood and then transmit it.

THE RECEIVER
The person to whom a message is directed is called the receiver or the interpreter. In
order to comprehend the information from the sender, the receiver must first be able to receive
the sender's information and then decode or interpret it.

THE MESSAGE
The message or content is the information that the sender wants to relay to the receiver (it
is relayed between the parties).

The sender, the receiver, and the message are the basic elements of the communication process.

THE MEDIUM
Also called the channel, the medium is the means by which a message is transmitted.
Text messages, for example, are transmitted through the medium of cell phones.

FEEDBACK
The communication process reaches its final point when the message has been
successfully transmitted, received, and understood. The receiver, in turn, responds to the sender,
indicating comprehension. Feedback may be direct, such as a written or verbal response, or it
may take the form of an act or deed in response.

OTHER FACTORS
The communication process is not always so simple or smooth. The following elements can
affect how information is transmitted, received, and interpreted:
 Noise: This can be any sort of interference that affects the message being sent, received,
or understood. It can be as literal as static over a phone line or esoteric as misinterpreting
a local custom.
 Context: This is the setting and situation in which communication takes place. Like
noise, context can have an impact on the successful exchange of information. It may have
a physical, social, or cultural aspect to it.

TYPES OF COMMUNICATION

A. VERBAL COMMUNICATION

a. Oral Communication
Oral communication is an easy and often informal method of communicating with people at all
levels, both in a person’s personal life and in business. Reporting orally/verbally is less formal
than a letter or written report.
Oral communication can be informal or formal, and involves person to person contact at many
different levels of business; it involves listening as well as talking.
Formal oral communication can involve interviews, evaluations, reports, lectures, speeches and
presentations to a single person, groups of people or meetings.
Some aspects of oral communication: confidence, sincerity, patience, thoroughness, friendliness,
comfort, approachability, appearance, body language and signals, gestures and facial
expressions, tone of voice, empathy (sometimes it involves the use of visual aids)
Oral communication is more spontaneous; more direct; less formal, and it elicits a prompt
response of some kind.

b. Written Communication
Written communication skills represent one of the most important job skills, as it is very
important to write a message accurately, in a clear and concise way. Composing written
communications can be done effectively if one possesses good writing skills. Written
communication requires the presentation of clear, logical thoughts. Written communications
offer an excellent opportunity to make a good impression on others, but developing these skills
takes time and effort. Writing requires thought, preparation, skill, and confidence.
Throughout one’s career, people might be asked to write a variety of communications
such as business letters, memos, responses to information requests, telephone messages,
e-mails, instructions, and supply orders. To obtain a job, one may be asked to present a
cover letter, job application, and a résumé, all of which require that a person should
possess good writing skills.
Good writing means using several key elements to get the point across. Those elements
include using grammar correctly, recognizing and correctly using the parts of speech,
spelling and punctuating properly, and using clear, concise words.
Written communication is formal; planned; detailed; official; it elicits a response after lapse
of some time; it carries more authority, and it is proof of a transaction.

B. NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Body language is a significant form of communication which reveals your true feelings and
intentions in any given moment. When people interact with others, they continuously give and
receive wordless signals. The gestures people make, the way they sit, how fast or loud they talk,
how close they stand to others, whether or not they make eye contact, send strong messages.
These messages do not stop when they stop speaking. Even when they are quiet, they are still
communicating their thoughts and feelings (some nonverbal messages are subtle, such as
posture). Frequently, what people say and what they communicate through body language are
two different things. When faced with these mixed signals, the listener has to choose whether to
believe the verbal or the nonverbal message. Often, a listener will be more influenced by
nonverbal signals because these tend to be more reliable than words.

TO BE A COMPETENT COMMUNICATOR, one must understand and practice English

language usage rules. One’s ability to communicate successfully depends upon one’s
understanding of the language. This is true in speaking and listening, as well as in written
communication through letters, reports, essays, and e-mails. If people use incorrect English in
their written and verbal communications, they may be misunderstood. In addition, non-verbal
communication (body language) is also important, as reading other people’s body language and
being aware of one’s own body language can enhance one’s communication skills. One should
remember that people may be judged as unprofessional or uneducated if they speak or write
poorly. For instance, correct spelling, sentence structure, grammar, and punctuation are essential
in written communication in the business environment.