Unit 4
Technical Communication Skills
A personal or face to face interview is one that employs a standard structured questionnaire (or interview schedule) to ensure that all respondents are asked the same set of questions in the same sequences.
It is a two-way conversation initiated by an interviewer to obtain information from a respondent. The questions, the wording, and their sequence define the structure of the interview, and the interview is conducted face-to-face.
Studies that obtain data by interviewing people are called surveys. If the people interviewed are a representative sample of a larger population, such studies are called sample surveys.
Here are seven of the most popular interview types, as well as how to prepare for each of them.
1. Traditional Job Interview
A traditional interview is an in-person style of interview held with the hiring a manager of a company for a position within an organization. Be prepared to answer a wide range of questions about your experience and why you're right for the job. In addition to finding out if you have the right experience for the job, they want to see that you're well-prepared, enthusiastic and a good fit for the team.
Research the company and your potential boss so that when they ask why you want to work there, you'll be able to give a thoughtful, engaging answer. Knowing more about the specific types of work will prepare you when they say, "Do you have any questions for us?"
A traditional interview may be the first in a series of interviews. If the hiring manager is impressed by you, they might invite you back for a panel interview, or to meet one-on-one with other people on the team.
2. Behavioral Interviews
Behavioral interviews focus on getting to know who you are, how you think and how you'll act in certain situations. Behavioral interview questions might be broad ("Tell me about a time when you handled a stressful situation at work"), or they might be specific ("You received an email from a client asking an urgent question, but you're unsure of the answer and your boss is on a plane, away from email. What would you do?").
Before your first job interview, get used to talking through your answers to behavioral questions out loud. You'll be better able to stay calm and create a short and sweet scenario that gives the interviewer a peek into your mind and problem-solving abilities.
3. Video Interview
With the advent of technology, video interviews have become increasingly common (for ex. Skype Interviews). Presentation and preparation are vital for video interviews, as the combination of technology and distance means it's easy for issues to arise.
Before a video interview, you should:
While a range of traditional and behavioral interview questions might arise during a video interview, you might also have to answer more questions about location or work style.
Dress professionally, even if it's a phone interview. You don't want to be caught unprepared, and a sharp outfit can bolster your confidence. Dress as if you were walking into their office for an in-person interview. Check out our complete guide to video interviewing for more information.
4. Panel Interview
Panel interviews are the most common type of interviews. You should always ask with whom you'll be meeting. Therefore, if you're interviewing with a group of people (as in the case of a panel interview), you won't find yourself surprised upon arrival.
it is essential to address everyone in the room during a panel interview. Begin your answers by making eye contact with the person who asked the question and then pulling back your scope to make "soft eye contact" with other members of the group. (Learn more about that technique here.)
5. Case Interview
Prevalent in the fields of management consulting and marketing, a case interview presents a prospective employee with a series of questions or scenarios to answer or solve. Most of the time, these questions center on business cases or markets. It's vital to practice for these interviews, as succeeding in a case interview is all about mastering a way of thinking.
Successful case interview candidates are the ones who prepare in advance. If case interviews are common in your field, you'll know it. If you haven't started practicing yet, now's the time to start.
6. Informational Interview
Informational interviews are usually less formal than traditional interviews and most of the times are conducted before you've even applied. It's a chance for you to ask questions about what entry-level jobs are like in the field, learn about possible career trajectories and discuss other aspects of work life with someone in the profession. You can find opportunities for informational interviews through many informal channels such as your university's career office, a parent's friend or a former mentor.
Even though it's not a job interview, you should dress professionally, ask well-prepared questions and make eye contact while the person you're meeting with answers them. Consider asking them about their career trajectory, as well as advice they might have for someone starting in the field. Remember to be considerate of the person's time and not to ask for a job or a more formal interview. An informational interview is an educational and networking opportunity. If the meeting goes well, they may ask for your resume to pass along to a friend or another connection in the field. Bring a few copies with you, just in case.
7. Telephonic Interview
A telephonic interview is a 30-min interview which is usually conducted by a recruiter or the hiring manager. It's used to decide whether or not you are invited for an onsite interview.
You should have a copy of the job description as well as your resume and cover letter handy, in case you need to reference them during your conversation. You'll want to prepare to answer standard interview questions like "Tell me about yourself" and "Why are you interested in the position?" It is imperative that you prepare some questions to ask the interviewer, in case there's time for that kind of interaction.
If you get a call unexpectedly for a phone screen, it's best to let the interviewer know it's not a good time and set up one that gives you an opportunity to prepare and be in a quiet place where you can focus.
Interview Skills
Visualizing the Interview:
Visualizing the interview is an excellent way of working out what areas one needs to work on. One should imagine as if they were in a interview where the interviewer is looking at their resume for the first time. One should then imagine the most difficult questions that the interviewer could ask them, e.g. “Why weren’t you more proactive at university?” or “Why has it taken you a whole year to find your first graduate job?”
Then one should try answering these questions. It is also helpful to prepare a format for these answers to be used in an actual interview. Also, one should try to imagine the qualities that the interviewer might be looking for in an ideal candidate. And one should ask themselves, how many of those qualities are possessed by them and how can they be shown in an interview.
Self-Reflection and Selling Oneself:
It’s worth making a list of one's values, interests, strengths and weakness with accompanying examples or evidence to back up each one. One needs to sell these attributes to the interviewer and give examples of times when they have been shown in everyday life.
One also needs to think about why they want the job or position and what you have to offer the organization. What would one change or what ideas would one bring to the role? It might also be worth thinking about one's short-term and long-term career goals.
Asking Questions:
One should not be afraid to ask the interviewer to clarify a question. Questions should also be asked by the interviewee during the interview and not just at the end. The key here is to position oneself so it looks that, whilst they are interested and enthusiastic about the job, they have a sense of their own self-worth. However, it is important that this should not seem as arrogance to the interviewer.
Body Language:
Body language is very important. Slouching with one's arms crossed won’t exactly make them look like a model employee. The head should be straight up and the eyes should meet the interviewer’s line of sight at all times. Making eye contact with the interviewer while speaking to them is almost as important as saying the right words during an interview.
Paying attention:
It’s extremely important to keep one's concentration levels up during the interview and to make sure one listens attentively. Interviewers tend to go on long rants about their organizations but the interviewee must never lose focus and always show the interviewer that he is listening attentively by nodding and smiling.
Speaking correctly:
During an interview the most important thing is to choose one's words carefully. The pronunciation, intonation and syntax must all be appropriate and the words should be spoken as clearly as possible. One should be articulate in expressing one's thoughts and opinions but at the same time it is essential to be cautious of others opinion's and feelings and should try not to hurt them.
Whom to Speak to:
In many cases the interview is conducted by more than one person. One needs to make sure they pay attention to all of the different interviewers. So while answering a question, they should all be given proper attention, so as not to exclude anyone. Although, if an interviewer asks a direct question, it’s important to address the answer solely to them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are the ten most frequently asked questions in interviews:
Your answers should always come back to how your experiences and education prepared you to succeed in this job. If a potential boss says, "tell me a little about yourself," you can start with some personal details, but don't lose track of the goal.
Figuring out what you have to offer will help you prepare for most interviews. You need to be able to confidently and competently tell your story: Who you are, what you're about, how you got to where you are, what is important to you and how that aligns with that organization."
Some of these questions may seem to have obvious or simple answers, but it's still essential to practice answering them out loud. But don't overdo it. You shouldn't over-rehearse, which can lead to a robotic feel in an interview.
A group discussion is a communicative situation that consists of more than two participants who share their views and opinions with other participants. It is an organized way of exchanging information, views and opinions about a problem, issue or topic among the members of a group who share some common objectives.
A group discussion is less formal when compared to meetings as it may have no structured order or specific agenda depending upon the requirement. The leadership is also less directive in group discussions as compared to meetings.
Group discussions emphasize process over product. Meaning, the emphasis in a group discussion is on how the participants interact with each other rather than the ultimate outcome of the discussion.
Scope of Group Discussions
Below are the areas which are to be kept in mind for developing group discussion skills:
A) Contents: What you say during a conversation is viewed from two perspectives - complementary and holistic. The participant may have said a lot to GD, but he or she may have deviated from the topic too much, where the content was considered inappropriate without further scrutiny. If the content is relevant to the topic, the panel assesses whether your content management is excessive or in depth, a distinction that we will discuss in more detail in the next few posts.
B) Analytical skills: The panel is confident about your facts, but also likes to see if you can explore anything 'why' and 'how' about a subject matter. This is put to the strongest test in the case study article.
C) Consultation Skills: The panel looks at how you support your position, and how you respond to others, how you can 'strengthen or weaken' the debate, how reasonable you are in your handling of the topic.
D) Organizational Skills: You can have facts, supports, explanations, but are you able to present them in the right order to maximize the impact of your good content? The panel wants to explore this.
E) Communication Skills: You may be able to demonstrate all of the above-mentioned skills, but can you get your point across in a language that is simple (not simple) that they understand, with relevant images that they can understand?
F) Authorship: Are you able to bring to the table an idea of a passage on a topic? Can you look at the problem differently from the other ten participants and suggest a solution? Can you translate a mysterious article in ways that others can? If yes, the panel considers you to be one of the rare personality symptoms.
Methods of Group Discussion
Given below are the basic Principles for conducting group discussions:
Objectives of Group Discussions
Below are the primary objectives of group discussions:
Note the following issues when preparing the slides.
1. Before starting to prepare the slides, get an idea of the audience to be expected. Are they specialists in your area of work, or are coming from different specializations? What background can you expect in the audience? Prepare the presentation with the typical person in the audience in mind.
2. Typical conference presentations are of 15-20-minute duration. Seminar talks may be for 30-40 minutes. And invited talks in Universities and Institutes are typically for an hour. Prepare one slide per minute of presentation time. If you really intend to emphasize something. Do not fill the slides completely with images and text; allow some white spaces. prepare too many slides, you will not be able to go through all of them. If you prepare too few slides, you will have to display a single slide for too long a time, resulting in visual boredom.
3. The first slide should contain the title of the presentation, the authors’ names and their affiliations. Except for very short presentations where time is at premium, the second slide should give a plan of the talk—so that the audience can anticipate what is coming.
4. Describe the background knowledge briefly so that your work is put in perspective. Clearly present the question whose answer you are seeking through this work. Present the hypotheses, and your method of testing each hypothesis. Present your results in such a way that the audience can themselves reach the same conclusions that you will present in the last slide.
5. Say it in pictures. Images can add interest and support the content. Graphs convey data better than tables. Most slides should be dominated by images, with very few words. You should not type in everything that you want to say. You are there to explain, and the slides should assist your explanation.
6. Focus on the key points by writing them in bullets. Try to limit yourself to no more than about 4-5 major bullets per slide. Do not write blocks of text (nobody reads them). A good idea is to adopt what is known as the 6×6 rule: no more than about 6 lines of text per slide with 6 words per line.
7. Each slide should convey one main idea.
8. Try to compose each slide in an aesthetically pleasing way. Do not mix different fonts in a single slide. Normally sans serif fonts look better in slides. Use this font in 24 pt size for better legibility. Use highlighting and colour sparingly.
9. In the projection the colours may not look the same as in your computer’s monitor. So, choose high contrast colours, so that lines that are intended to be in different colours are distinguishable even if the colour-fidelity of the projector is not good.
10. The whole set of slides should follow the same basic design. Use design templates for consistency.
11. Special effects in slide transitions tend to distract the audience away from what you are trying to convey. Limit the use of these.
12. Do not get lost in the details. Downplay the specifics, and emphasize the important issues of your work. You may keep a couple of slides after the last “Thank You” slide, which you can display only if there are questions demanding the specifics.
13. Plan the slides in such a way that you do not have to go back and forth while delivering the talk. While explaining a slide if you need to refer to a picture or an equation that appeared a few slides before, put that picture or equation again in the current slide. That eases the presentation.
Below are some fundamental strategies for using delivering presentations in a seminar or conference:
2. Engage in direct eye contact. Look into the eyes of your audience. Don’t look at the walls, floor or ceiling.
3. Use hand gestures to reinforce your message. This is an important one. When using hand gestures, make sure they look natural. Over-rehearsing gestures makes the speaker look like a mechanical robot to the audience. Gestures, when they come naturally, are interpreted as genuine and honest by the audience. With that said, be careful of a few things: Don’t over-exaggerate. Don’t use repeated gestures because they can distract the audience from your message. An example: If you tend to scratch your head when you are thinking and talking, then you don’t want to continue scratching and scratching as sooner or later the audience will start paying more attention to that gesture and forget about what you are saying.
4. Move a little. Movement is good for presenters. Too much movement is distracting. If you walk from the front of the room to the back of the room, that’s fine. Do not move around the entire length of the room or stage as the audience will get tired of adjusting their necks and chairs to your movement. A little movement is fine. Avoid repetitive movement such as pacing back and forth as it will have an almost hypnotic effect on you audience. Watching you walk back and forth again and again in the same motion will most likely make the audience uninterested in your non-verbal cues. Robotic pacing is a death knell to any presenter.
5. Express yourself! There are more than 100 muscles in the face which must be used to express all kinds of emotions. If you are sharing declining numbers, show it. If you are delighted that you exceeded year-end quotas, show it. If you are sharing a melancholic anecdote, show it. Your facial expressions reinforce your message. Just make sure that they are not in conflict with your message. While saying introductory lines such as, “I’m delighted to be here today to deliver this presentation” you should smile and show the audience that you are an emotional being like them, this will also help you relate to the audience and make them feel more open which will in turn allow them to listen to you better.
6. Enhance your image. Your appearance is the first thing people notice when you enter a conference or seminar room. It speaks volumes about who you are as a person and about your level of professionalism. Take a long, hard look at your professional attire. Look at the colours you wear. You want to look current, not dated. A good grooming session will also help you look more prepared and enthusiastic.
7. Pause and be silent. Well timed pauses, or silence while you are speaking is one of the most powerful nonverbal strategies that you can use while presenting. There will be certain points within the presentation that you would like to emphasize, using pauses before these points and silence after is a good technique to let them echo in the minds of the audience. Let silence help you. You can either say “Our year-end sales were up 25%” or you can say “Our year-end sales were up (pause) twenty (pause) five (pause) percent.” This latter, obviously, seems much more powerful.
Arguments and settlements take place frequently within the workplace and may occur between co-workers, departments or between an employee and employer.
What are argumentation skills?
Argumentation skills are qualities that allow two or more parties to reach a compromise and a favourable outcome of a specific situation. Argumentation skills comprise soft skills which include abilities such as communication, persuasion, planning, strategizing and cooperating. A strong understanding of these skills is necessary to becoming a stronger negotiator.
The application of argumentation skills depends upon the environment, intended outcome and the parties involved. Below are the key argumentation skills that are applicable to many situations:
Communication: Essential communication skills often consist of identifying nonverbal cues and expressing yourself in a way that is engaging and meaningful. It is imperative to understand and follow the natural flow of conversation and always solicit feedback. Active listening skills are crucial for understanding the parties involved in the argument. By establishing clear communication, misunderstandings can be easily avoided that could prevent you from reaching a compromise.
Persuasion: The ability to influence and convince others is one of the most important skill for argumentation. It will help define why your proposed solution to any given situation is beneficial to all parties engaged and encourage others to support your point-of-view.
Planning: In order to reach an agreement or concord that benefits all parties involved, it is imperative to consider how the consequences will impact everyone in the long-term. Planning skills are an essential element not only for the argumentation process but also for deciding how the terms will be carried out.
Strategizing: The best negotiators enter any discussion with at least one or two backup plans, but often more. Considering all possible outcomes, and being prepared for each of these scenarios is an important negotiating skill.
How to Prepare for an Argumentation
Below are some techniques useful for preparing for argumentations.
2. Do your research
It is essential to evaluate all parties and consider their goals before entering a argument. For example, if you’re nearing the end of the hiring process, you may be preparing to negotiate salary. The employer would probably want to hire an individual who can complete the required job duties for a competitive salary. However, you would like to offer your experience and knowledge to a company in return for what you expect to be fair pay.
Most of the time, it is beneficial to research the person with whom you are negotiating. Understand the limitations of the negotiator. Do they have the ability to give you what you want? Sometimes the person you are negotiating with will be unable to meet your demands. Understanding these limitations can help you strategize.
3. Know your priorities
Argumentations often require each party to compromise. Setting your priorities ahead of time can help you evaluate what you refuse to give up as well as where you’re willing to budge.
4. Consider the opposition
Consider the potential opposition to your argumentations. Will you be denied a higher starting salary for a position because your requested rate is above the average range? It may be helpful to note down all the potential oppositions and then gather the information you can use to argue your case.
5. Know when to walk away
Knowing when to walk away from a deal can be one of the most difficult parts of a argumentation. Therefore, it is significant to enter all arguments with the recognition that you may not be able to come to an agreement. Once you make sure that no further compromises can be made in a deal and one or neither parties are willing to accept the stated terms, it’s probably time to walk away.
6. Keep your timeline in mind
Your position of power in the argumentation process can be significantly impacted by a timeline. For instance, if you are trying to get a new job quickly, you may take a position with lower salary than you deserve or expected, or you may compromise too much on benefits. In cases like these, you may find yourself unsatisfied with your decision in the long-term.
The same rule applies for an extended time period. Suppose a company is considering a partnership with a vendor but they do not yet require their services, the vendor may have a harder time convincing the company to meet their terms. The company therefore, may persuade for discounted rates and more value because if the vendor does not agree, they still have time to find another solution.
Techniques for Improving Argumentation Skills
Below are a few ways to strengthen your argumentation skills:
1. Identify the final goal
What are the minimum terms you need? How much are you willing to negotiate? It’s important to enter argumentations knowing while knowing exactly what you expect as an outcome of an agreement and how much you’re willing to compromise. For example, your ultimate goal may be to negotiate a salary of 60000, but you would be willing to settle for 50000?
2. Practice building rapport
Successful argumentation means effective communication of not only your own objectives but also the understanding of the other party’s wants and needs as well. Building rapport is essential in order to reach an agreement. This can assist you in easing tension. In order to build rapport, using active listening skills and showing respect for the other parties involved are critical.
3. Be willing to compromise
Without compromise, it can be nearly impossible to reach an agreement. By preparing ahead of time, you will already have an idea of the terms you’re willing to sacrifice as well as the ones that, if they aren’t met, you should be able to walk away.
4. Consider imposing time restrictions
Set a timeline on the argumentations to motivate both parties to reach an agreement. If the terms of the argument cannot be met in that time, the two parties can take time to re-evaluate their needs and return at a later date.
5. Take the multiple offer approach
You can save time in the argumentation process by presenting multiple offers at once and increase the likelihood that you’ll agree on at least one of your preferred outcomes. If the other party does not come to an agreement, you can ask for feedback on each one and revise terms until you reach an agreement that meets everyone’s needs.
6. Exercise confidence
It can be challenging to ask for what you want. However, successful argumentation requires self-assurance. If you exercise confidence during the argumentation process and stay firm, the other parties can be more inclined to believe in the benefits of your proposal.
7. Don’t take “no” personally
it is often seen that each party’s goals and needs are different to reach a compromise. When a situation like this occurs, evaluate the process, consider the reason things that did not go as planned and look for ways you may be able to improve your efforts next time.
8. Understand your weaknesses
Identify your areas of weakness and focus on growing those skills by giving time to each individual area. For example, you may need to improve your ability to build rapport or your power of persuasion. Understanding your weaknesses is the first step to overcoming them.
9. Practice
Practice makes perfect - One of the best methods of increasing your comfort in arguments is to practice often. Consider exercising a mock negotiation with a trusted friend or colleague on a number of situations.
Key Takeaways
Critical thinking describes the process of analysing a subject or a problem deeply based on relevant information. Here are some common steps to follow when thinking critically to resolve a problem:
Being objective is important to be a successful critical thinker. This means analysing the issue only on the facts rather than emotions. You need critical thinking skills in all industries and at every career level. Good critical thinkers work with groups and independently to resolve problems.
Benefits of Critical Thinking
Critical thinking guides good decision-making at the workplace, allowing you to recognise barriers to success and find solutions to potential issues. It helps you and your colleagues brainstorm new ideas and implement them to further your goals. Critical thinking can help identify and address workflow inefficiencies, improve management techniques, guide financial decisions and cultivate a strategic mindset in almost any position.
Employers understand the worth of critical thinking and appearance for candidates with critical thinking skills to fill open positions, so focusing on your own critical thinking at work has the potential to advance your career, among several other benefits like:
Developing Critical Thinking Skills
To develop critical thinking skills requires time, patience and practice. Apply these six steps to each problem you face to practice critical thinking:
1. Find the exact cause
Stay to the purpose and concentrate on the problem. This will make it easier to seek out solutions or answers. Observation is very important for developing critical thinking. Employees who develop observational skills at a really early stage during their job are the most effective in recognizing and solving problems early. They are quick in identifying a brand-new problem and will be ready to predict a tangle before it arises, based on experience.
2. Collect data, suggestions and arguments
After identifying a problem, you need analytical skills. You should be capable of analysing the situation based on facts, data and information about the problem. It will be helpful to gather views and ideas from various sources. Types of analytical skills required in critical thinking include:
3. Be critical about data
Check sources and reliability of the information to substantiate if the conclusions are evidence-based or simply opinions. Support your hypothesis with enough information and data.
4. Confirm significance
Use statistical analysis to examine the importance level of your information and also the validity of your sample size.
5. Give a solution
Make an inventory of conclusions and finalise which one is well supported. Final assessment involves making conclusions from the knowledge and data provided and providing an answer. When assessing, it's preferable to already have knowledge and skill regarding the particular problem.
For example, a doctor will take the history of the patient, examine them, get the laboratory's help and then make a diagnosis. Similarly, a mechanic needs to understand a machine and its problems before applying the data to correct a problem.
6. Present or communicate
To disclose the results of your critical thinking process, communication skills are important. You need these skills when it's time to debate final issues and their possible solutions with the concerned parties and stakeholders. Here are a number of the communication skills that are useful in critical thinking:
- Identify an issue or a problem.
- Understand the rationale behind an issue and its solution.
- Research and collect data or information on the problem.
- Sort and organise findings and data.
- Develop and implement solutions.
- Analyse the success and failure of different solutions.
- Identify ways to refine solutions.
4.6.1 Exposition
Main Types of Expository Essays
After learning the expository essay definition, it’s easy to think that this written assignment is pretty straightforward and can be mastered very quickly. That is why many students are surprised to learn that there are actually six main types of expository essays that are commonly used in modern schools:
What is the purpose of an expository essay?
On paper, the assignment of writing an expository essay seems easy, but, as we have already established, there are six types and even more variations of expository essays that you may encounter throughout your academic journey.
The purpose of an expository essay, in general, is to give the readers a detailed introduction of the subject of the paper, but in reality, your job can be different. Always carefully check the writing prompt to see which type of essay you are required to write — only then will you be able to choose the appropriate expository essay format, structure, and content.
Below are the steps involved in writing an expository essay:
Choosing a topic
In some cases, you will be given the topic for your essay by your professor, but students are also often asked to choose their own topic for their essay. If you want the readers to be touched by your writing, it’s important to choose a topic you are personally passionate about.
Ideally, the topic should be also closely connected to the current state of the world and society — those topics always resonate with the public and make your writing even more interesting. Finally, in order to write a convincing essay, you should pick a topic you know well even without outside sources.
Expository essay outline
After seeing some expository essay examples for college or high school, you will be relieved to know that the outline of a typical expository essay is no different from the outline of most other essays you have already written.
Nearly every expository essay outline follows the classic five-paragraph structure, which includes an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The number of body paragraphs can be higher or lower than that, but the order and content of the chapters remain the same.
Introduction
The purpose of the introduction to your expository essay is to unveil the topic of the paper to your audience, explain your reasons for choosing this particular subject, and to introduce the thesis statement. The thesis statement should be brief and strong, as you will refer to it several times throughout the paper.
Body paragraphs
The body paragraphs of your expository essay will further expand the topic with the help of evidence. The evidence can come in different forms, including statistics, quotes, and results of your research. It’s important to remember that each body paragraph should be dedicated to a separate idea, so that the readers don’t have a hard time jumping from one statement to another.
Conclusion
In your conclusion, there is no need to offer any new facts or information to the audience. Instead, you should repeat your thesis statement and offer a brief summary of the body paragraphs to convince the readers that you presented the most complete exploration of the subject.
Expository essay do’s and don’ts
As with most challenges in student life, there is a right and wrong way to write an expository essay. To increase your chances of writing a strong paper, check out some do’s and don’ts of how to write an expository essay:
Do:
Don’t:
Questions to ask when writing your expository essay
Now that you know how to start an expository essay, it will also be appropriate to learn how to finish it the right way. After you have perfected your final draft, it is time to give your essay the last check by asking the following five questions to yourself:
4.6.2 Narration
The first step in writing an outstanding narrative essay is learning the narrative essay definition. There is no universal definition of narrative essay simply because of how broad and all-encompassing this genre of writing is.
However, when asked to define narrative essay, most academic writers will say that it’s a piece of writing telling a story using a variety of literary device. The narrative essay format is one of the most personal ones in academic writing, but it also requires you to have extensive knowledge of the writing process, not just rely on your own experiences.
Below are the steps involved in writing a narrative essay:
Choosing the Topic:
Now that you know what a narrative essay is, you probably feel ready to move on to the writing process. But before you find out how to write narrative essay, you need to decide what to write about. In other words, you need to pick your narrative essay topic.
Good narrative essay topics always combine proximity to your own interests and the ability to fit into the interests of your audience. Your narrative essay topic should be close to your own experience, but it also needs to be relevant to what your potential audience wants to see.
Because it can be very difficult to cover a broad topic in the limited narrative essay format, the best narrative essay topics are rather narrow. Another sign of a well-chosen narrative essay topic is when you can barely find any relevant information about it on the internet — then your narrative essay is guaranteed to be original and interesting to the public.
Constructing the essay:
Any “How to write a narrative essay step by step” guide will tell you that you need to start your writing process with an outline. The outline of a narrative essay usually follows the standard five-paragraph structure, but the nature of the paragraphs is slightly different from other types of essays.
How can one start a narrative essay that will keep the reader interested until the last word? Think of the introduction to your narrative essay as a setup to a great story. The first sentence of your introduction should be a hook — a particularly interesting anecdote or quote that will set the tone for your story.
The remaining part of the narrative essay introduction should be dedicated to why you believe this story is so significant and what the readers will be able to take from it. Always try to finish the introduction part of the essay with a strong thesis statement that will also serve as the foundation for the rest of the essay.
The three or more body paragraphs are where your main story will take place. In a typical narrative essay outline, the body paragraphs carry most of the significance and should be written particularly carefully if you want your essay to shine.
Each paragraph of the body part of your narrative essay should refer to a separate idea to help readers understand your story better. At the same time, those paragraphs and ideas need to be closely connected to one another and follow a specific order to highlight the logic of the narrative. Most writers prefer the chronological order of events, as it’s easy not to miss anything when you are using this narrative model.
Not every event from your life is filled with interesting and memorable moments, but since you need to make your writing more appealing to the readers, you should definitely include a twist or other unexpected plot device that will spice up your narrative and will be resolved by the end of the essay.
The conclusion to your narrative essay is not only the final part of your writing, but also the part that will likely stick with the readers for a long time, so make sure every word of it counts. The conclusion should begin by formulating a concise summary of the events included in the essay.
Finish the conclusion by offering one final thought to your readers. Whether it’s your reflection on what the event in question meant for you or your version of how the event could have gone differently, it should be something that readers will think about again and again after reading your paper.
Below are some fundamental rules that must be followed while writing a narrative essay:
4.6.3 Description
Description is a tool that writers use to keep things live for their readers, to make sure their audience is fully immersed in the words on the page. Every time you tell someone a story, or when you tell someone something, you either use the description or you don't know it. The description is basically "I have a blue car" or "That beautiful baby" or "Flowers soften the sun's golden rays and start showing their bright colours". Descriptive words are used to provide more detail and provide more insight. In fact, commentary is a tool that allows many authors (and speakers) to show up instead of just saying, and enabling our readers to interpret our material.
There are two basic types of descriptions: Objective and Subjective. The meaning of purpose is shown in the first two examples above; Provides a true account of the item. Co-explanation provides a personal examination of the details by selecting specific words and phrases, such as clarifying the colours in the example above. Vibration not only provides information on colours, but also gives the idea or judgment of the value in the description. Many interpretations provide a mixture of both, giving the audience an idea of the emotional state of the subject being described.
Sensory details
However, every possible explanation uses sensory information as its basis. These are the five senses that attract attention, smell, sound, taste and touch. In fact, different studies prioritize different sensory details and do not require the use of all five senses for all subjects. We all recognize the importance of looking at detail as a tool, but we don't always know how important other details of interest are. However, think about how often you smell something and immediately think of something or someone else. You can smell freshly baked bread and think of your grandmother's kitchen or popcorn and think of theater. Listening to a phrase can make you think of an old friend or acquaintance. You can associate a certain kind of garment with the clothes you had as a child. When you take a bite of pepperoni you are reminded of your youthful parties. Sensory information actually plays a major role in keeping the narrative alive.
Using Concrete description:
Try to use specific, concrete definitions. For example, an author can write a beautiful description of a tree. However, he is very handsome. Instead, the concrete or modifier resistor will be strong and provide maximum impact. The reader needs image details to build up their heads, concepts that don't seem like a good analogue for a real-world analogue.
Here is a description of the tree: "The sun's rays illuminated the leaves around the rain, just as the afternoon sky dropped in the evening." The fine features of the tree are "shown" in concrete details rather than simply being pulled out. This gives the reader the illusion of an immediate experience, as opposed to a variety of dictionaries.
Similes and Metaphors:
One way to add descriptive language is to use similes and metaphors, to create an image in the readers' heads by comparing two objects with each other. Metaphors and metaphors help to make connections between two concepts, concepts, or objects that clarify or give new meaning.
A simile to compare using words like or. Usually two different things are compared. For example, bread was as dry as bone. Matching involves a piece of bread that is thick and white than a solid and white bone. The bones are usually dry, and so is the bread. These same characteristics are what make the metaphor successful.
A metaphor says one thing is something else. It's a comparison, but it does NOT use it as a comparison or to make comparisons. For example, my grandmother is an open book. Comparing this means that my grandmother is full of information she willingly shares with others.
To make an simile or metaphor, point to something like the sun, a tree, or a river, or an idea such as love, peace or wrath. Then think of something else with the same features. Decide whether the words "like" or "as" will help make the connection more understandable. An appropriate metaphor or metaphor will enable the reader to view both objects in a new way.
By adding metaphors and metaphors to the definition sheet, the author can attract readers' thinking and make writing more interesting to read. Icons and metaphors add spice to the descriptions. However, many pieces come in the form of metaphors and metaphors, so try to create comparisons specific to your particular topic.
The Structure of a Descriptive Essay
Descriptive essays often describe a person, place, or thing that uses sensitive information. The structure of the descriptive text is more flexible than other filtering methods. The introduction of a descriptive article should set the tone and point of the essay. The thesis should convey the author's general opinion of the person, place, or thing described in the body paragraphs.
Article organization can better track spatial order, classification of ideas according to physical characteristics or appearance. Depending on the author's description, the movement can move from top to bottom, left to right, near and far, warm, cold, inviting, and so on.
Example, if the theme was the customer's kitchen during the renovation, you could start heading to one side of the room and then slowly to the other side, explaining materials, cabinetry, and so on. Or, you can choose to start with the old kitchen remnants and move on to new installations. Maybe start at the bottom and climb up to the roof.
Writing a Description
In order to write an essay, you need to pick a topic and decide how to make that topic clearly in your audience. If the title of a piece is simply a description of a specific area, you should decide which elements of that area, when outlined in the text, will be most appealing to your audience. The first step in any descriptive writing is to choose a topic and start making a thesis statement. You may choose to specify a specific location.
Thesis
Thesis Text Statement
Although Minnesota may seem attractive and cold to outsiders, the natives of the state find it a great place to live.
We can see from this thesis statement that the author will try to show the features of Minnesota that make it a great place to live. After defining a thesis statement, you should come up with a list of logical words that provide visual information and support the template. You can start by thinking about the five senses. What does your particular place look like, smell, feel, taste and feel? How can you best describe these senses so that the reader can feel how they feel? By organizing elements of descriptive language into easy to manage categories, such as the five senses, you are able to get involved directly in what elements of meaning are most useful.
Presentation Order
The author in this case may choose to introduce some of Minnesota's best features in terms of seasonal and climate change. Details can be revealed in order, early spring and winter travel, highlighting the features of each season that strongly support the template, that Minnesota is a great place to live.
Before starting the essay, give some thought to your audience. Who will read the essay, and how would you like to impact the readers? Awareness of the audience is important in choosing the level of behaviour you take with your writing. Knowing your audience will also help you distinguish information that should be included in your entire article. Assume that your audience knows very little or nothing about your subject matter, and includes details that may seem obvious to you.
Audience
Example Audience: In this particular article, the author wants to show an outsider why Minnesota's indigenous people are so happy to live there. The article should help break the barriers of those outside with the cold Minnesota climate and the visible drop. Because this story is designed for those who do not live in Minnesota, and probably never did, it is important to include information on a condition that may be obvious to the native.
With the preparation work complete, now is the time to start writing your essay. Use your thesis statement to start building the first paragraph. The introduction should lay the groundwork for your essay, and the thesis statement should state its purpose.
Introduction
Example: Many who have not been to the state of Minnesota only hear about its cold weather and disappointing reputation. They are sure to miss the great opportunities Minnesota offers. Each season offers a unique feel familiar to the Minnesota indigenous people and visitors and they love it. Although Minnesota may seem attractive and cold to outsiders, the natives of the state find it a great place to live.
When the introduction is complete, it's time to start building up the body parts of your article. Each body part should have a central theme by itself, and the theme must be expressed in the topic sentence. As a result, each sentence of the paragraph should coincide with and support the topic sentence. Physical categories are where most information should be provided. When writing the first draft of your essay, include as much detail as possible. You can always remove those that do not use the server again when reviewing your draft. In the case of the Minnesota environmental issue, we decided to set up body categories depending on the season, the beginning of spring.
The body
Example: Spring in Minnesota brings new life to the state after a long winter. The rain cleanses the landscape, leaving its fresh scent for all to enjoy. The flowers brighten up the golden sun's rays and begin to show their vibrant colours. Early birds can be seen and heard throughout the forest and in the fields, recounting their stories in beautiful songs. The pools begin to show their glossy finish as the ice melts slowly under the heat of the season.
Once the body parts are complete, it's time to finish the story and finish. The conclusion should conclude based on what has been posted throughout the body of the story. You need to get back to the idea, but not to the extreme. The conclusion should give the reader a final idea of what it means to tell a story. Remember that nothing new should be presented in the conclusion, and the way it is presented should give the reader a sense of the end.
Conclusion
Example: The variety of activities and different times available in Minnesota reveals the various advantages of this condition. As one looks at the benefits of each season, it becomes clear why many indigenous Minnesota are satisfied with their homes. Minnesota is a wonderful place to live.
Once the essay is done, it's time to re-read and revise your article (and see review sections of this book). Read your draft first and identify all the descriptive words you used. If possible, go back and add more after what you have already used in the story. If you can, read your friend aloud and tell him which pictures are clearer and which pictures need further improvement. Replace any cloud-based images with additional meaning. Also, check to see if your descriptions use all five senses: sound, smell, texture, sight, and taste. Repeat these steps as many times as you can until you are happy with your product.
Key points
Grammatical Competence or Linguistic competence is the knowledge of the language code, i.e. its grammar and vocabulary, and also of the conventions of its written representation (script and orthography). The grammar component includes the knowledge of the sounds and their pronunciation (i.e. phonetics), the rules that govern sound interactions and patterns (i.e. phonology), the formation of words by means of e.g. inflection and derivation (i.e. morphology), the rules that govern the combination of words and phrases to structure sentences (i.e. syntax), and the way that meaning is conveyed through language (i.e. semantics).
Effectively worded business communications are purposeful, professional and easily comprehensible. They allow the recipient to take in the message without guessing at the writer’s intent, transposing misplaced words or deciphering poorly constructed sentences. Error-riddled messages are a nuisance for both internal and external readers. Poor grammar is usually related to ignorance of or disregard for established rules, in addition to laziness or rushing. Businesses should strive to make thoughtful, polished messages that represent their commitment to accuracy and thoroughness thereby showing grammatical competence.
Establishing Credibility
A text or email, that an individual sends gives an actual idea to the reader that how much hold the author has on the topic on which he's writing and it also tells about the hold on the language. To provide the correct impression of a corporation, an individual must always write in correct English and must give special attention to the grammar and spellings.
Allowing inadequately proofread documents to flee final inspections gives off a negative impression. It ruins opportunities for businesses to display their attentiveness and reliability, making it easier for perceptive competitors to exploit these mistakes. While usage errors like typing “desert buffet” rather than “dessert buffet” may elude a spell checker, trained human eyes should catch these grammatical offenses.
Internal Communication
Employees desire transparency and openness from their employers. They want the right information the first time. Sending out mass emails containing transposition errors in training dates or distributing handbooks containing jargon creates chaos. It also wastes time, because correcting mistakes takes more time and distracts from performing other business functions. Even when mistakes are easily correctable, their impact continues to be real. Bad grammar within internal business communications may decrease employee morale and motivation to maintain a detail-oriented attitude while completing job duties.
Good Grammar Can Improve Business
Business people are required to supply a significant amount of written communication. No just emails we channelize to our partners but also about business proposals, contracts, presentations, speeches, brochures, and even the company’s official website.
If any of these have poor grammar in them, it'll reflect negatively on the business and everyone related to the business. Business partners will view it as an absence of effort or attention to detail, and can be inclined to think you’re treating your partnership a similar way. Your potential business partners will also view poor grammar skills in a negative light. Great writing with good grammar will help present your business as reliable and trustworthy.
Discourse competence refers to the knowledge of the way to produce and comprehend oral or written texts within the modes of speaking/writing and listening/reading respectively. It’s knowing how to combine language structures into a cohesive and coherent oral or written communication of various types. Therefore, discourse competence deals with arranging words, phrases and sentences in order to form conversations, speeches, poetry, email messages, newspaper articles etc.
Discourse Competence may be seen as the ability to understand, create and develop styles of the language that are created from sentences but are not limited to them (stories, conversations, letters, …) with the acceptable cohesion, coherence and rhetorical organization to combine ideas.
The scope of discourse competence extends to four main elements: purposes (aims, goals or objectives) instruction (treatment or procedures) content and evaluation.
The discourse competence may be defined as “The ability of a user/learner to organize sentences in a sequence so as to produce coherent stretches of language." It includes knowledge of and skill to regulate the ordering of sentences in terms of:
Effective word choice means the difference between clear understanding of messages and confusion. Sentences that make readers have to be compelled to reread for clarity may mark the end of active reading, which is counterproductive to the goal of business writing. Business writing isn't about wowing the reader with large words and sophisticated sentence constructions. It is about getting the message across, using the foremost efficient means. Providing concise, actionable steps when giving instruction eases frustration and increases reader compliance. Leaving messages open to interpretation has often resulted in problems and lawsuits throughout history for businesses, as readers may create their own rules or ignore confusing directives altogether.
Business communications actually tell a great deal about a company and also the type of employees who work there. The most important factor that's considered in majority of the business organizations is the use of the language that's employed in communication.
Sociolinguistic competence is the knowledge of sociocultural rules of use, i.e. knowing how to use and respond to language appropriately. The appropriateness depends on the setting of the communication, the topic, and the relationships among the people communicating. Moreover, being appropriate depends on knowing what the taboos of the other culture are, what politeness indices are used in each case, what the politically correct term would be for something, how a specific attitude (authority, friendliness, courtesy, irony etc.) is expressed etc.
Communicating across cultures can be a challenging task. Each culture has set rules and regulations that are followed by its people without even noticing that they are following a certain pattern that is not followed anywhere in the world in the same way. Many of us are aware of our own culturally appropriate behaviours but most of us are unaware because the cultural habits are imprinted on us from a very early age. And although a culture's knowledge, rules, beliefs, values, phobias, and anxieties may be taught by external methods, most of the information is absorbed subconsciously.
Therefore, the cultural challenge for international communication has never been greater. Multinational organizations have gradually discovered that intercultural communication is a subject of great significance—not just because of continuously increasing globalization of the world, but also because their workforce is growing more and more diverse, ethnically and culturally.
Every individual is born and brought up in a particular culture and therefore no two individuals would react to a situation in the exact same way. That being said, generalizations are valid to the extent that they provide important indications on what one will most likely encounter while dealing with members of a specific culture.
All international communication is influenced by various cultural differences. Even the channel of communication one chooses is coloured by cultural overtones. High-context or low-context culture refers not to the degree of industrialization but rather to the amount of content provided by various cultures during communication.
Cultures such as Mediterranean, Slav, Central European, Latin American, African, Arab, Asian, Indian culture are regarded as high context cultures when it comes to communication. They tend to leave the message unspecified and to be understood through context, nonverbal cues, and between-the-lines interpretation of what is being communicated.
On the other hand, low-context cultures such as Germanic and most of the English-speaking cultures expect messages to be explicit, direct to the point and specific.
2. Sequential vs. Synchronic
Various cultures think of time in various ways which affects the way they approach deadline, investments, the concept of long-term planning, investments etc. Some cultures view time sequentially, as commodity which is linear in nature and which can be spent, saved or wasted. On the other hand, some cultures view time synchronically, as a constant flux which is connected and can be experienced in the moment, and as a force which is out of one's control.
Sequential cultures include North American, Dutch, German, Swedish and English which tend to give their full attention on the fulfilment of one agenda after another.
In synchronic cultures such as South America, southern Europe and Asia the flow of time is considered as circular. A kind of loop in which the past, present and future are all interrelated.
Cultures such as the Japanese, Chinese and Korean view punctuality as a virtue and find it extremely essential to be punctual in not only official but also in social affairs.
3. Neutral vs. Affective
Reason and emotion both play an important role in international business practices. Depending upon these two factors a culture can be categorized as communicationally affective (readily showing emotions) or neutral (more focused towards reason).
The U.K, Norway, Netherlands, Japan and Indonesia for example could be considered as culturally neutral as they tend to react with reason rather than emotion during an international communication process. However emotional responses are readily accepted in Singapore, Italy and France.
4. Mannerisms
Various mannerisms are an essential part of non-verbal communication and therefore, are an intrinsic part of multi-cultural communication. It can be a difficult task to adapt to a certain culture which can create challenges in communication during an international business meeting.
For example, it is considered a respectable expression in Japan to greet someone with a bow whereas a formal handshake is a more common form of greeting in the U.K and the U.S. If one is not careful one might also hurt someone’s sentiments as they might find the mannerism of someone not adhering to their own culture as offensive. For example, a peck on the cheek is not a rare occurrence on the streets of Paris, however if the same is attempted on the streets of Mumbai where a ‘Namaste’ is considered as an appropriate way to greet, it might create trouble for both parties.
Key Takeaways
Strategic competence is the ability to recognise and repair communication breakdowns before, during, or after they occur. For instance, the speaker may not know a certain word, thus will plan to either paraphrase, or ask what that word is in the target language. During the conversation, background noise or other factors may hinder communication; thus, the speaker must know how to keep the communication channel open. If the communication was unsuccessful due to external factors (such as interruptions), or due to the message being misunderstood, the speaker must know how to restore communication. These strategies may be requests for repetition, clarification, slower speech, or the usage of gestures, taking turns in conversation etc.
Verbal Techniques
2. Active Listening- One should listen carefully what the speaker is saying in order to understand properly and provide feedback. One should be attentive while listening, ask open ended questions and should be able to summarize the information provided by the speaker.
3. Focus should be the other - While conversing one should maintain eye contact with the speaker as this shows the speaker that the message is being received by the listener. While speaking the focus should always be on the receiver.
4. Avoid Interruptions- It is essential to let the speaker finish talking before conveying one’s own thoughts. Interrupting is not only rude but also can be disadvantageous as one may not totally grasp the meaning of the speaker. If an interruption is absolutely necessary, one must use polite words like “pardon me” or “excuse me” instead of cutting the speaker in the middle of their thought process.
5. Controlling Emotions and Thinking before Speaking- It is said one must think twice before they speak. One must always consider the opinions and feelings of others before speaking their mind. One must also consider one’s own emotions and not speak out of anger or frustration. The process of communication should be logical rather than emotional.
6. The Message- The message one wishes to convey must always be clear and concise, there should be no doubts in one’s mind while speaking. The central idea of the message should always be conveyed completely and indubitably.
7. Eliminating Noise- One must eliminate all the outside forces that might disturb the conversation in order to maintain the flow of the communication process.
8. Feedback- One must pay attention to what the other person is saying and try to understand it as closely as possible to his intended meaning. This will allow him to provide proper responses.
Non-Verbal Techniques
Nonverbal communication is the type of communication that is carried out without the use of words. Nonverbal communication is usually utilized as an aid to verbal communication. This type of communication employs gestures, body language, symbols and expressions.
Nonverbal actions office set the tone of the conversation. Nonverbal communication is useful for expressing one’s mood, opinion or reaction.
Following are the various appropriate uses of Non-verbal Communication:
1. Replacing speech
Below are some ways by which non-verbal communication can replace or supplement verbal communication:
2. Controlling conversation
During a conversation, both parties take turns to speak to express their thoughts. Therefore, if a conversation requires one to take control such as in a debate, non-verbal communication can be used to drag the ball into one's court.
Below are some ways by which one can take control of the conversation using non-verbal communication:
3. Impression through Appearance
As Non-verbal communication goes beyond bodily actions to anything that sends subtle messages, one's attire and the way they look in general can affect the audience in many ways. Thus, one's appearance can be a useful tool to create an impact on the listener.
Below are some things which can be used to create a lasting impression:
4. Expressing emotion
While Verbal communication is useful from expressing thoughts, Non-verbal communication is useful for expressing emotions and subtle feelings. The tone of one's voice, their expressions and their body language can tell much more about a person than words can. In particular, if one feels that he is unable to express emotions verbally, their words and body language can easily be in contradiction, sending messages that may be interpreted as stress or deceit.
Key Takeaways
References
