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Full Download Book Communications Toolkit PDF
Full Download Book Communications Toolkit PDF
Acknowledgements For permission to use material from this text or product, please email
We would like to acknowledge the work of past students that aust.permissions@cengage.com
appear in this text. Every effort has been made to contact
them. (as in 3e ©) National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
Creator: Jane Grellier, author.
Every effort has been made to track and acknowledge Title: Communications toolkit / Jane Grellier, Veronica Goerke
copyright. However, if any infringement has occurred, the Edition: 4th edition
publishers tender their apologies and invite the copyright ISBN: 9780170401623 (spiral)
holder to contact them. Notes: Includes index.
Subjects: Engineering communication
Science communication
Communication skills
Professional communication skills
Other Creators/Contributors:
Veronica Goerke, author.
1
Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency. 2017. ‘Characteristics of Australian Higher
Education Providers and Their Relation to First-year Student Attrition.’ Melbourne: Australian
Government Department of Education and Training.
2
Higher Education Standards Panel. 2017. ‘Improving Retention, Completion and Success in
Higher Education: HESP Discussion Paper.’ Australian Government Department of Education and
Training.
vi
FOREWORD vii
study and the criteria for successful engagement with it. Given the foreseeability of
transition hurdles, there is an onus on us to articulate, clearly and consistently, not only the
explicit but also the hidden rules, expectations and behaviours fundamental to learning
engagement and success. If we expect first-year students to become independent and self-
managing learners, they must be supported in their early development and acquisition
of the tools they need – transferable academic skills – to engage productively with the
learning and assessment tasks we design for them. Mastery of these basic enabling skills
is foundational for later years’ learning success in all disciplines and for future learning.
Essentially also, their attainment presages the acquisition of key graduate attributes,
outcomes which TEQSA requires HE providers to evidence and the employability skills
that are demanded of graduates on entry into the workplace.
This book makes clear for all students, whatever their background or prior learning, the
substance of the academic skills in which they must be proficient. It does so comprehensively
and accessibly, in a manner that is direct, inclusive, motivational and student-friendly. The
practical advice, tips and strategies that are presented provide novice learners with the
opportunity to acquire the threshold skills and literacies many degree programs assume
already exist. In this way, the book makes explicit many of the hidden curriculum’s rules
and expectations, while also surfacing the potential for disciplinary difference. Critically
for first-year success, the authors acknowledge early the importance of the social context of
learning and seek to normalise the predictable anxiety many new learners will encounter
over the course of their early engagement with the student life cycle.
But students are only one half of the equation for effective transition pedagogy. Many
higher education teachers also require assistance to unpack and scaffold the acquisition
of these foundational skills for diverse cohorts; assistance which is not predicated on a
deficit view of entering student ability. This is another great value of this text – the ways
and means for empowering student learning are made explicit for both students and their
teachers. To have maximum impact on student success, substantive references to this book
should be embedded in core first-year curricula – in lectures and tutorials, in program
materials, in reading lists, in eLearning and the like – as a basis for discussing these enablers
with students in ways that are contextualised to the discipline. The research in this regard is
clear: to be most effective, language and learning skills’ development should be integrated
into the curriculum and context of discipline learning – their acquisition cannot be left to
chance.
I commend the authors on the obvious care, expertise and respect for students and their
learning they have brought to this task. The book is a valuable contribution to the effective
deployment of transition pedagogy and should be harnessed in aid of intentional first-year
curriculum design. I recommend this book as an invaluable learning support for diverse
first-year student cohorts and for those who seek to engage with them for learning success.
Both students and teachers will be grateful for the learning it facilitates.
viii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Many of our colleagues at Curtin University have continued to be supportive and generous
with their time and ideas as we have been working on this fourth edition. In particular, we
would like to thank fellow Curtin University staff members who have given us invaluable
feedback that has enriched and sharpened this edition. A special note of appreciation goes
to Katie Dunworth and Carmela Briguglio, who are international leaders in research into
English-language proficiency and what this means in the Australian higher-education
sector. Veronica has been privileged to have had their direction and guidance on the
text, as well as their assistance while working on university strategies to support academic
communication development among students. Veronica again acknowledges Anne Harris
for her commitment, supportive conversation and expertise in this field. This fourth edition
acknowledges the contribution of senior Wadjuck, Simon Forrest, the Elder in Residence
at Curtin University.
We thank again those involved in the development of the first three editions, whose
feedback and contribution are the foundation of this new text: Carol Igglesden, Katie
Scott, Cathryn Wilkinson, Cathy Cupitt, Lyn Payne, Gabby Barrett, Sue Denham, Katalin
Dobos, Deborah Hunn, Richard Liston, Robyn Mayes, Chris Nagel, Hugh Rayner,
Nari van Der Zanden, Sue Grey-Smith, Pippa Beetson, Paula Beck, Karen Rickman,
Katherine Bathgate, Melanie Griffiths, Michelle Carey, Jeannie Morrison, Michelle
Webb, Geoff Cody, Lyn Komarzynski, Liam Lynch, Joy Scott and Helen Rogers from
the Communications Program; Lara Mackintosh from the Department of Architecture;
Ann Kosovich, Beatrice Tucker, Kuki Singh, Raelene Tifflin and Allan Goody (Office
of Teaching and Learning); Aaron Matthews (Centre for Aboriginal Studies); Jim Elliott
(Student Transition and Retention Team); Lynne Vautier (the TL Robertson Library); and
Courtenay Harris (Faculty of Health Sciences).
As with previous editions, this toolkit would be impoverished without the many examples
of written work and ideas students have allowed us to include. Delighting in their success as
communicators, we thank all these students: Sanan Al Abbasi, Esther Adeney, Geoff Barnes,
Nicholas Bertone, Tammy Beven, Simon Blyth, Kaden Boekhoorn, Jonathon Borrello,
Barbara Bozsik, Gabrielle Brabander, Suzanne Breusch, Alex Cardell-Oliver, Alex (Ping Hei)
Chan, Ebony Clare Chang, Rebecca Chang, Justin Colangelo, Nikki D’Agostino, Tomzarni
Dann, Matthew Degnan, Anna Dewar-Leahy, Aden Dielesen, Sean Dixon, Hursh Dodhia-
Shah, Khush Dodhia-Shah, Marcia Doolan, Sarah Edmiston, Stephen Edmund, Rebecca
Hadley, Stephanie Huynh, Matthew Hunter, Naomi Fisher, Kristie Foenander, Daniel Frewer,
Chaithanya Giridharan, Alannah Goerke, Megan Goerke, Martin Gowran, Anne Hibbard,
Jessica Hodder, Anneliese Hunt, Joel Kandiah, Daniel Laaja, Mortigou Labunda, Suzanne
Lambaart, Jonathan Lendich, Chris Lodge, Sharon Marrelies Backley, Jessica Matthews, Simon
McLaughlin, Alina Morelli, Samantha Petri, Sally Potsch, Ryan Quinn, Kieron Safstrom,
Samia Scott, Melissa Settineri, Kelley Shaughnessy, Josh Sunderland, Freyja Taverner, Stephanie
Walker, Hannah Walter, Kathleen Ward, Emily Webb, Lavinia Wehr, Jennifer Zeven, Alex
Zuniga, Lewis Stewart and Tashia Abeyasinghe.
Jane would like to thank her husband Warren for his continuing support through this
writing process. Their shared passion for teaching and for language lies at the heart of all
her work, and their teaching experiences together over the past two years have kept her
ix
x Acknowledgements
grounded and enthusiastic. She would also like to thank teacher, friend and co-learner Joy
Scott, who challenges, supports and laughs along with her.
Veronica thanks her husband, Mark, who remains delightfully pedantic about the
written and spoken word! She also adds a note of appreciation for her children, Damien,
Alannah and Megan, who, with their friends, continue to show her that communication is
dynamic and multi-dimensional – especially as they chat with her using one of the many
communication apps like Messenger and WhatsApp, along with Bitmoji and Snapchat.
However, they probably don’t ‘Zoom’, WebEx or Spark as much as she does. (Veronica
notes that all these communication tools may have been superseded by the time this edition
is published!)
To the staff at Cengage Learning, especially Fiona Hammond, Jacqueline Flynn, Carly
Slater, Sutha Surenddar, Vicki Stegink and Duncan Campbell-Avenell, who have supported
us in this venture ‘fourth time around’, we say thank you for your patience and helpful
encouragement.
Veronica also acknowledges the teachers who have used the text with their students.
The original book was written as a toolkit not only for students but also for their teachers,
and we hope this revised edition continues to assist educators to support their students’
learning.
The authors and Cengage Learning would also like to thank the following reviewers for
their incisive and helpful feedback:
• Annalise O’Callaghan, Curtin University
• Anne Clear, Murdoch University
• Tanya Weiler, UNI SA
• Rosemary Kerr, Curtin University
• Sue Dean, University of Technology Sydney
• Ashleigh Thompson, Massey University
• Andy Brown, University of Tasmania
• Amanda Muller, Flinders University.
BEFORE YOU READ THIS BOOK
Students, past and present, are the characters in this book. They come from Curtin
University in Perth, Western Australia; Open Universities Australia, and Miri, Sarawak;
Notre Dame University, Fremantle; Edith Cowan University; and the University of
Western Australia. They are enrolled in a wide range of courses, including fine arts, design,
social sciences, commerce, health sciences, science, law, engineering, nursing, computer
science, geology, spatial sciences, architecture, planning, construction management,
cultural studies, journalism, screen arts and education courses. Most are first-year students,
taking a unit that focuses on the learning processes they will need for university study – in
research, academic writing, teamwork and oral presentations. These students have provided
models for this book, and stories of effective (and not-so-effective) academic practice.
Our experience teaching and coordinating units for such students has played a major
part in shaping this book:
• We have chosen to write informally throughout the book, addressing you, the current
student, directly, and speaking personally about our own experience.
• We address both individual students and those working in seminar or workshop groups,
and provide activities for both types of student throughout the book.
• We also emphasise some of the language processes you will need in your future
professional careers in order to communicate successfully with clients, employers and
colleagues. You can’t start to develop these processes too soon!
• The book is applicable to all undergraduate courses at university, particularly to first-
year students in these courses. You will be able to apply our advice and models to
whatever discipline you are studying.
• The book will be useful for any student studying at a tertiary or a secondary level.
Developing academic communications is a major educational focus in the twenty-first
century, and the book is our contribution to this.
Although the book focuses on language development, we want to emphasise that
education, both tertiary and secondary, is about much more than this. We like this quote
from Allan Luke, Professor of Education at Queensland University of Technology, from his
public address at the Brisbane Ideas Festival on 30 March 2006:
“ Although they always have and will continue to serve the national economic
interest, universities must remain seedbeds for basic intellectual work, for
speculative theory and experimental practice. They must perpetually strive to
become more open environments where students are encouraged to engage with
historical, scientific and narrative knowledge, to debate these matters freely and
speculatively, and to apply these understandings to the complex worlds of new
“
economies, new technologies and new cultures.
Professor Allan Luke (2006). Address to Brisbane Ideas Festival
This quote sums up our approach to education. While we focus in this book on helping you
develop the processes you will need to be successful students, we believe that these processes are
means rather than ends in themselves. If you learn well to think, research, write, reflect, work
collaboratively and make oral presentations, then you can benefit from the ‘seedbeds’ and ‘open
environments’ that are universities, and you can play your part in making them such rich places.
We wish you joy of your studies, and hope that this book will enhance them.
xi
Guide to the text
As you read this text, you will find a number of features in every
chapter to enhance your study of communication and help you
understand how the theory is applied in the real world.
ACADEMIC
9 ESSAY WRITING
Identify the key concepts
that the chapter will
CONTENTS cover with the Chapter
• The academic essay
outline at the start of each
+ The analytical essay
+ The argumentative essay
chapter.
• Early research
+ Primary research
• Developing your argument
138 COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKIT
+ The thesis statement
+ The concessive argument
• Writing your essay
+ First or third person?
+ Language and approaches to writing
Final words from our students
+ The introduction
+ The paragraph CHAPTER 9: ACAdEmiC EssAy wRiTing 175
Earlier in this chapter we commented that reflection at first-year level is a preparation
+ The conclusion
for deeper critical and reflective thinking in future years. To emphasise this crucial
FEATURES WITHIN CHAPTERS
• Editing and proofreading your essay
point, we include a reflection from urban and regional planning student Chris Lodge
(see Student reflection 7.13 ), who reflects on an issue he has been challenged to
consider throughout his first-semester studies: ‘the Great Australian Dream’.
Although fairy tales facilitate essential childhood development, Disney’s animated Princess
films, with the Disney Princess marketing image, continue to perpetuate traditional gender
roles and promote increasingly sexualised body aspirations to young girls, which may lead to
negative body image and low self-esteem.
Reflective writing can begin your thinking processes
Student reflection 7.13
When we contacted Chris the following year for permission to include his
Scientists, pastin
reflection and present,
this book,who have taken
he agreed, buta added
public stand on was
that he a particular issue have
embarrassed
been attacked by members of the public who disagree with their point of view. Ultimately, some
this reflection because he felt his ideas had developed significantly since he had written
often
on re-reading Explore Annotated examples of
people also tend to question the motives of the scientist, citing the fact that some scientists
it. This is almost certainly true; but it doesn’t discount the value of this
may be outspoken in order to receive the government research grants that are so desperately
piece of writing. real communication that highlight
In trying
But, toas penetrate deeply
(1999)into hisinthinking on theProfessor
topic as aMary
thenJo first-year student,
required.
Chris was
Mark Floyd
setting the
notes
foundations for
a story about
his strong future studies. The
Professor of Humanities at Oregon State University, ‘if scientists do not become involved in
Nye, Horning
most perceptive good practice and room for
thinkers
public
contradicting
issues
are thosethewho
policy debates,
that are not them
continue
result can be atodecision-making
try out ideas, shaping,
as they go. Ultimately,
fully understood’. We are more concerned
it was,
discarding,
process involving
aboutis,our
and currently with
developing
complex,
students
criticaland
who have
the assistance
improvement. Further examples of
no questions
of scientists
natural universe. A
about what
that humanity, as athey
historical overview
are hearing
species,
of
is able tothan
scientific
wethe
unlock aresecrets
philosophy
about of
will
developed ideas and change them frequently. Learning is about engagement!
those
result
who tryand
the physical
in an
outthe
acceptance
half-
by
student presentations are included
the reader
issues,
Thethat without
final
breakthroughs
words theon
intervention
the role ofof reflection
that have
men and women of science
in their studies in controversial
belong to two public
students online in the CourseMate Express
who reflect on what theythehave
potential
learnedto erase
fromcommon ideologies
a semester will become
of reflective scarce.(see
writing
Student reflection 7.14). Construction managementDaniel
student Anna
Frewer, Dewar-Leahy
engineering student website.
is beginning to reflect on how valuable reflective thinking will be for her, while
Figure 9.6 Concessive paragraph
Compound sentences
BK-CLA-GRELLIER_4E-170321-Chp09.indd 180
BK-CLA-GRELLIER_4E-170321-Chp09.indd 171
ICONS 12/02/18 6:49 PM
END-OF-CHAPTER FEATURES
Visit http://login.cengagebrain.com and use the access code that comes with Express
this book for 12-month access to the resources and study tools for this chapter.
CHAPTER 2: DEvEloPing EffECTivE sTuDy skills 33
that it study
1 What runs successfully?
approaches and techniques have worked well for me in the
4 Most advice
past? Do about
I need successful
to adapt themstudy focuses
so that on being
they will prepared and
suit university study?
keeping
2 What up to date
mistakes and with set work. Do Ihave
misunderstandings needIto adapt any of
experienced in my
the lifestyle
past that
and habits to help me be more successful?
have harmed my results? How can I organise my studies this year in such
Useful websites
5 aWhat
way are
as tomy priorities
start at thisthese
overcoming stageproblems?
in my life? Where do studies fit with
3 the
CouldrestI of my life?
benefit from discussing ideas and studying with a small group of
Theother
following online resources
students? How mightprovide further
I help useful information
organise aboutstudy
an informal essay writing:
group so
that itNational
Australian runs successfully?
University Academic Skills and Learning Centre: ‘Essay Writing’:
http://www.anu.edu.au/students/learning-development/writing-assessment/essay-
4 Most advice about successful study focuses on being prepared and
writing. up to date with set work. Do I need to adapt any of my lifestyle
keeping
Use the Useful websites to
and habits
University to help
of Sydney me be
Learning more‘Planning
Centre: successful?
your Essay’: http://writesite.elearn.usyd. extend your understanding and
edu.au/m3/m3u1/index.htm.
5 What are my priorities at this stage in my life? Where do studies fit with
the rest
University of of
NewmySouth
life?Wales Learning Centre: ‘Essay and Assignment Writing’: explore online resources.
https://student.unsw.edu.au/essay-and-assignment-writing.
Purdue University (US) Online Writing Lab (OWL): ‘Academic writing’:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/1/2/.
References
Extend your understanding
BK-CLA-GRELLIER_4E-170321-Chp02.indd 33 12/02/18 7:35 PM
Floyd, Mark. 1999. ‘Should Scientists Become Players in Public Policy Debate?’ Oregon State
University News and Research Communications, 25 January. http://oregonstate.edu/ua/ncs/ through the suggested
archives/1999/jan/should-scientists-become-players-public-policy-debate.
Kartinyeri, Doreen and Sue Anderson. 2008. Doreen Kartinyeri: My Ngarrindjeri Calling.
References relevant to each
Canberra: Aboriginal Studies Press: 2. chapter.
BK-CLA-GRELLIER_4E-170321-Chp02.indd 33 12/02/18 7:35 PM
xv
xvi GUIDE TO THE ONLINE RESOURCES
New copies of this text come with an access code that gives you
a 12-month subscription to the CourseMate Express website.
Visit http://login.cengagebrain.com and log in
using the access code card.
1 TO TERTIARY
STUDIES
Over the past few decades, the digital revolution has caused disruption in how tertiary institutions
create and deliver education. These institutions have been working hard to transform how they
help you learn skills to enhance how innovative, entrepreneurial and collaborative you will be in
solving real-world problems. This approach is supported by industry and governments across
the globe that are ‘prioritizing education reforms that emphasize more 21st century practices’
(Adams Becker et al. 2017, 12). Every tertiary institution is committed to helping you stay and
succeed in whatever you have chosen to study with them, and so they make big investments to
help you have a smooth transition. As Professor Sally Kift has stated, ‘it is clear that first year
students face unique challenges as they make very individual transitions to study; particularly
academically and socially, but also culturally, administratively and environmentally’ (2015, 53).
In Australia, the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) monitors the
standards of these higher-education institutions to ensure you receive a quality learning
experience. The first Part of our text should help you get off to a good start.
Part 1 will be useful if you are beginning your higher-education studies – whether you are a
recent school-leaver or are returning to study after doing other things. Many of you will make a
smooth transition to tertiary studies, adapting to new expectations and approaches to learning;
some of you, however, will experience challenges. You may have difficulties organising yourself,
adjusting to the course you have chosen or developing the particular communication skills
required for success at this level.
You may be an older student (i.e. who has not come straight from school) who hasn’t done
extended writing for 20 years and may feel overwhelmed by the apparent expectations around
digital literacy. Or you might be a student who is very confident with mathematics, but not so
sure of your oral-presentation skills. You may even be the first person in your family to enrol in
higher education. Whoever you are, this section Part contains hints that will be useful for you.
Part 1 has two chapters. The first introduces you to some key aspects of life in higher education,
while the second outlines some reading, note-making and exam-preparation skills that you may
find beneficial. If you already feel confident in both of these areas, go straight to Part 2.
1: Making the transition
2: Developing effective study skills
1
MAKING THE
1 TRANSITION
CONTENTS
• Your first months as a tertiary student
++ Studying fully online
++ Connecting with peers
++ Connecting with faculty
++ The online learning environment
++ The library
++ Academic learning support
++ Course and unit/subject outlines
++ Calendars and study plans
++ Overview of the semester
++ Class formats – virtual and physical
++ Study groups
• Respecting diversity
• Mature-aged students
• English-language proficiency
• New international students
• Communicating with members of staff
++ Formal emails
• Challenges you might face
++ Dissatisfaction with assessment results
++ Falling behind in your studies
++ Course too difficult or motivation low