Purposive Communication

Concepts & Practices

R. DE GUIA

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 About the course

Title : Purposive Communication

Code : NGEC 0103

0323

Facilitator : Rowell de Guia

Description : CHED Memo 23 s. 2013 describes Purposive Communication as a course

about writing, speaking, and presenting of different audiences and for
various purposes. It is a three-unit course that develops students’
communicative competence and enhances their cultural and intercultural
awareness through multimodal tasks that provide them opportunities for
communicating effectively and appropriately to a multicultural audience in
a local or global context. It equips students with tools for critical evaluation
of a variety of texts and focuses on the power of language and the impact
of images to emphasize the importance of conveying messages responsibly.
The knowledge, skills, and insights that students gain from this course may
be used in their other academic endeavors, their chosen disciplines, and
their future careers as they compose and produce relevant oral, written, and
audio-visual and/or web-based output for various purposes.

Outcomes : Based on the CHED prescribed Purposive Communication syllabus, the

following are the target outcomes of the course:
Knowledge
• Describe the nature, elements, and functions of verbal and non-
verbal communication in various and multicultural contexts;
• Explain how cultural and global issues affect communication;
• Determine culturally appropriate terms, expressions, and images;
• Evaluate multimodal texts critically to enhance receptive (listening,
reading, viewing) skills;
• Summarize the principles of academic text structure;
Values
• Adopt cultural and intercultural awareness and sensitivity in
communicating ideas;
• Appreciate the differences of the varieties of spoken and written
language;
• Adopt awareness of audience and context in presenting ideas;
• Appreciate the impact of communication on the society and the
world;
Skills
• Convey ideas through oral, audio-visual, and/or web-based
presentation for different target audiences in local and global
settings using appropriate registers;
• Create clear, coherent, and effective communication materials;

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 • Present ideas persuasively using appropriate language and registers,
tone, facial expressions, and gestures; and
• Write and present academic papers using appropriate tone, style,
conventions, and reference styles.

Outline Topic 1. Communication processes, principles and ethics

Topic 2. Communication and globalization
Topic 3. Local and global communication in a multicultural setting
Topic 4. Varieties and registers of spoken and written language
Topic 5. Evaluating messages and/or images
Topic 6. Communication aids and strategies using technology
Topic 7. Communication for various purposes (declarative and persuasive)
Topic 8. Communication for work purposes
Topic 9. Communication for academic purposes

Outputs Midterm
Advocacy Campaign (print/audio-visual web-based material)

Final term
Research paper (web-based presentation)

Grading Class standing 70%

System *Quizzes
*Written/oral activities
*Class participation
Term Exam 30%

Total (Midterm/Final Term Grade) 100%

Final Rating = Midterm Grade (50%) + Final Term Grade (50%)

Reminders : Proper decorum shall be observed at all times;

Original creative and innovative outputs are encouraged; and
A logical, skeptical, and inquisitive attitude is valued.

Author’s For reference purposes only.

Note:

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 Preface

To understand and to be understood are two of the most important goals of

communication. Individuals can achieve these goals through a clear, sufficient, and
meaningful exchange of information throughout the communication process. It may sound
simple but being a part of a communication-dependent community requires the knowledge
and skills to use symbols and negotiate their meaning. The term “symbols” refers to written
words, speech sounds, gestures, hand movements, facial expressions, colors, shapes,
numbers and other perceptible markers such as scent, touch and distance, which are used to
carry messages. These messages need to be tactfully formulated; an appropriate channel of
transmission must be utilized; the information should be accurately decoded, and the aims
must be achieved for the communication process to be complete and effective. Thus, the
effectiveness of communication is not only determined by the manner it is carried out but
also by its outcomes. After engaging in the exchange of messages, the individuals should be
able to plan, organize, call for action, solve problems, inform, be informed, or develop good
relationships.
The ability to communicate ideas effectively is imperative especially in the era of a
communication-based environment. The skills and knowledge to use English in an
intercultural context, for example, have been proven to tremendously influence one’s
personal and occupational success. Moreover, the advent of globalization has increased the
expectations for university students and professionals around the world to adeptly use
communication technology. Indeed, the knowledge and skills to communicate in different
modes and platforms is a demand that everyone should meet. Professionals in the hotel and
tourism industry must possess a vibrant personality that comes from an excellent
communicative ability to enable them to build a rapport with both local and foreign guests.
Nurses must express warmth and care to their patients using appropriate verbal and non-
verbal language and should accurately encode health information that is needed for proper
medical recording and evaluation. Engineers and architects must clearly present work plans
to their colleagues using aural and visual symbols during collaborative tasks like decision-
making and problem-solving. Teachers must know how to speak sincerely as a way of
establishing authority and of building a connection with their students to facilitate learning.
Business people must know how to create engaging presentations through the use of
persuasive language and well-designed information and communication materials.
Aside from the role it plays in the workplace, communication is also a way of
satisfying many people’s needs in their non-work lives. By engaging in conversations, they
can be heard and appreciated; they can build emotional connections. By sharing their
thoughts, they can be understood; they can save failing relationships by communicating the
problems and solutions. Put simply, communication makes them feel good about themselves
and other people. Research has proven that communication is a way of releasing stress,
tension, and angst toward others or some things. Thus, expressing negative emotions can

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 have positive outcomes. By unveiling how and why people communicate, individuals can
understand the nature of communication. It can help them conceptualize their own strategies
for developing their communicative competence and enhance their cultural and intercultural
sensitivity when facing various types of audience in local and global contexts. It can equip
them with linguistic and non-linguistic tools that are necessary to achieve the many purposes
of communication.

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 Topic 1. Communication processes, principles and ethics

Learning Outcomes:

1. Describe the nature, elements, and

functions of verbal and non-verbal
communication in various contexts

2. Create clear, coherent, and effective

communication material/s

3. Appreciate the impact of

communication on the society and the
world.

Communication Process

Communication is a systematic process in which

people interact with and through symbols to create and
Curiosity Corner
interpret meanings.

• Communication is a process because it is ongoing How does interacting

and always in motion, moving ever forward and “with” symbols differ from
changing continuously. interacting “through”
• Communication is systematic as it flows in a symbols?
system of interrelated parts that affect one _________________________
another. _________________________
• Communication is possible through the use of
_________________________
symbols, the representation of meaning. They
_________________________
include all the languages and many non-verbal
behaviors, as well as art and music.
_________________________
• Communication is the act of creating and _________________________
interpreting meanings, the heart of _________________________
communication.

There are two levels of meaning in communication (Wood, 2003i):

1. The content level of meaning is the literal message. The content level of meaning of
the utterance “You look nice” is you look pleasing or you look appropriate.

2. The relationship level of meaning depends on factors such as situation and

relationship between interlocutors. So, the expression “You look nice” when uttered
by a friend who was laughing out loud can mean the opposite, either you look
ridiculous or unpleasant.

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 Ground Setting

Analyze the photos below and compare their communication flow, the
relationship the interlocutors have with one another/each other, and the
symbols they are using to communicate.

Image 1 Image 2

Image 3 Image 4

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 Elements of the Communication Process

Identifying every element in the communication process will provide an

understanding of the basic roles each plays and its effect on the entire message-transmitting
and message-receiving cycle. Figure 1 illustrates the basic communication flow and the
elements involved in the process.

COMMUNICATION SITUATION

MESSAGE
CHANNEL
SOURCE RECEIVER

FEEDBACK

Figure 1. Elements of the Communication

Source

In oral communication, Source refers to the speaker who initiates the conversation;

while in visual communication, it refers to the writer or the illustrator. One responsibility of

the source is to carefully select appropriate words or visual expressions to tactfully construct

messages and clearly convey thoughts or information. An enormous amount of vocabulary

can offer a speaker the best choices of words.

Another task that a speaker has to accomplish is to articulate speech sounds

intelligibly. This can be achieved by proper utilization of human speech mechanisms and by

maintaining the volume, pitch, and quality of speaking voice on its sufficient level.

Aside from creating verbal messages, the source may also intelligently use non-

verbal messages such as facial expressions, hand movements and gestures. Non-verbal

messages can work hand-in-hand with verbal messages to establish consistency in the

content or meaning of the message. Moreover, non-verbal messages supplement what verbal

messages lack. Handshakes, smiles, or hugs send a sense of intimacy and warmth more than

words can.

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 Therefore, the speaker has to be skillful in creating messages since the clarity or ambiguity

of the message largely depends on the decisions that the Source makes.

Message

It refers to the meaning the Source intentionally creates and sends to a target

Receiver. The Message is the most multi-faceted communication element. Under each of the

two major types – verbal and non-verbal – are different message forms.

Verbal Messages (Aural) are those messages in the form

of vocal or speech sounds carrying meaning comprehensible to the

members of a certain community. They are present in all human

languages such as English, French, Hangeul, Mandarin, Italian, Spanish

and many others. They may also be short segments like “huh,” “hmm,”

“ouch,” “oh.”

Non-verbal Messages (Visual) are in the form of writing

or print, body and hand movements, eye contact, facial expressions,

posture, or proxemics – distance among communicators. They may

also be signs and symbols including road signs, traffic lights, door

signs, graphic designs, illustrations, and drawings. They are those

which give instructions, facilitate understanding, and enrich the

meaning of the verbal messages.

Moreover, from the messages emerges the subject matter. It is also called the

topic. It influences the manner people communicate. Messages may require either formal or

informal set up of communication and can determine what suitable channel to be utilized.

Channel

For messages to be delivered effectively, a specific communication channel should

be available and be cautiously selected. It may refer to technology which people use to send

messages. Some examples are cellphone, telephone, voicemail, facsimile, internet such as e-

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 mail, chat – voice chat and video chat. When no electronic channel is used - for instance in

face-to-face communication, airwaves are scientifically the channel of verbal messages.

Channel facilitates transmission of messages. Unfortunately, when barriers get into

the way, communication is interrupted, delayed, or oftentimes useless.

Receiver

This is the message’s point of destination. Unless the message reaches the person

for whom it is intended, communication will not be completed. In oral discourse, it is also

called the listener. The listener processes verbal messages and interprets non-verbal ones.

Listening skills are predictive of the quality of feedback the listener can elicit. It requires

healthy schema or background knowledge. A person’s experience or prior knowledge can

help in building the connection between the spoken or symbolic messages and their

meaning.

The flow of the communication process will become a dynamic cycle when the

receiver effectively listens and relevantly responds to the message. Listening can be

considered effective when the appropriate reaction is brought forth.

Feedback

When the message comes from the Receiver, it is called feedback. It is a form of

response or reaction regarding the information the listener receives. Its characteristics are

similar to the message as an element but it changes in role since it comes from the Receiver.

Feedback may be an expression of affirmation or negation, an answer to a query,

a judgment on the acceptability or clarity of the sender’s message or it may also be visual

like a nod, applause, a smile, shrug, smirk, and hand movements such as thumbs down, two-

thumbs-up, or a handshake.

Whether feedback causes communication to advance or to regress, it is an

important part of the process (Abalos [Link]. 2006ii). It makes the source realize if his ideas,

questions, instructions or requests are understood, accepted or attended to.

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 Communication Situation

This is the most influential element in the communication process. It is the situation

where all the elements are enclosed and it often determines who the participants will be and

what roles they will take.

The professors typically serve as the source in the classroom, but their role as the

source is not absolute because when the communication situation changes, a source may

become the receiver and vice-versa. For example, when the professors are at a grocery store,

they no longer take the role of the speaker. Moreover, the subject matter as well has to be

attuned to the situation. For example, the topic of discussion inside the classroom is different

from the topic in the grocery store; likewise what is being discussed in the church may differ

from what it is at a birthday party.

In addition, the rules for every communication situation vary from country to

country given that communication systems function within the limitations of cultural frames,

social norms and the expectations of members of any given society. However, it is impossible

for a person to learn all cultural differences among countries, but as an effective

communicator one has to understand the diversity of cultural context by observing how

people in various countries interact with each other and transact public business.

Principles of Communication

The flow of communication is not always perfect. Factors like semantic ambiguity

(polysemous words), information overload, and grammatical miscues can lead to

misunderstandings in both written and oral communication. Thus, some principles have to

be observed to ensure success in transmitting meaning from the source to the receiver. The

following principles serve as guidelines when formulating messages.

Conciseness

The principle of conciseness states that the message should be conveyed in the best

shortest possible way. In other words, the message or information should be articulated

completely in fewer words or signals to the desired audience or receivers. By following this

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 principle, individuals and organizations can save time and cost. It also helps in a much better

understanding of the message by excluding unnecessary and excessive parts of the message.

This way, it is more convenient to understand the concise message by the receiver.

Clarity

The principle of clarity can be observed by focusing on a specific message at a time.

So, the message that is being conveyed does not conflict with other messages. It also helps

the receiver to easily understand the given idea. Due to clarity, there is much appropriate

and exact transmission of meaning. Clarity should be there while communicating through

verbal words or in writing.

Correctness

Curiosity Corner One can better understand or interpret the

message that is accurately constructed or formulated. If

the message is correctly stated, there is less possibility

How can I apply the
principles of for confusion or misunderstanding. As a result, the
communication in writing message increases its appeal to the readers or listeners.
for various purposes?

Check out these online Concreteness

sources:
Specific and appropriately chosen words build a

Purdue Online Writing Lab concrete message. The concreteness principle of

communication states that the message should be

Language: Revising for
definite, instead of being vague or too broad. Concrete
Concision and Clarity
communication includes facts and figures to strengthen
Tone: Tailoring Language the message or idea. As the message is clear and
to Your Audience
specific, there are minimal or no chances of

misinterpretation of the message.

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 Completeness

A message is said to be complete when the recipients of the message receive all the

necessary information that they need to be informed. Insufficient details will require more

effort of the receiver to understand the message, more time for the exchange of questions

and answers, or can make the message itself go to waste. A complete message leaves no

question in the mind of the receiver.

Courteousness

The principle of courteousness states that the sender should show respect to the

audience or receiver. The sender should be polite, enthusiastic, reflective, and sincere. Being

courteous is when the sender takes care of own and the receiver’s feelings. These messages

are focused on the audience, positive, and unbiased.

Coherence

Both consistency and logic should be part of the sender’s message. Without being

logical or coherent, the main purpose or idea behind the message cannot be conveyed

properly. All terms of the message should be interconnected and relevant to the message

being conveyed.

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 Scaffolding

Discuss with your professor how the presenter’s script can be improved using

the principles of communication. Try to rewrite the paragraph to create a powerful

introduction before a presentation.

“Hi and hello, everyone. By the way, my name is Sandra. I am here in front of you to say

something about the progress of our department, which is not about the entire year but just

for the current month. My presentation will be presented in three sections. Section 1, section

2, and section 3. So, you just sit down there and listen very carefully. No talking.”

Revised version:

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 Ethics in Communication

The advent of new communication media has enabled information to travel faster

and more efficiently across the world. However, it has also challenged the ethical conduct of

information exchange. In the Philippines alone, social media has become a breeding ground

of unreliable information propelled by individuals who have intentions to mislead or

misinform the public for political or personal reasons. Because of these reasons, different

individuals need to be constantly reminded about ethical communication.

The discussion of ethics in communication that follows is adapted from the Public

Officers’ Ethics Commission (2019iii) of Seychelles. According to the agency’s website, ethical

communication simply refers to the practice of conveying honest information in a manner

that is not intended to be misleading. It is fundamental to responsible thinking, decision

making, and the development of relationships and communities within and across contexts,

cultures, channels, and media. Moreover, ethical communication enhances human worth and

dignity by fostering truthfulness, fairness, responsibility, personal integrity, and respect for

self and others. On the contrary, unethical communication threatens the quality of all

communication and consequently the well-being of individuals and the society in which we

live. Hence, observing the following ethical principles is of significant importance:

• Advocate truthfulness, accuracy, honesty, and reason as essential to the

integrity of communication;

• Endorse freedom of expression, diversity of perspective, and tolerance of

dissent to achieve the informed and responsible decision making fundamental
to civil society;

• Strive to understand and respect other communicators before evaluating and

responding to their messages;

• Promote access to communication resources and opportunities as necessary to

fulfill human potential and contribute to the well-being of families, communities
and society;

• Promote communication climates of caring and mutual understanding that

respect the unique needs and characteristic of individual communicators;

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 • Condemn communication that degrades individuals and humanity through
distortion, intimidation, coercion, violence and through the expression of
intolerance and hatred;

• Being committed to the courageous expression of personal convictions in

pursuit of fairness and justice;

• Advocate sharing information, opinions, and feelings when facing significant

choices while also respecting privacy and confidentiality; and

• Accept responsibility for the short and long-term consequences for our own

communication and expect the same of others.

Everyone appreciates honest and ethical practices. Communication ethics is vital to our daily

lives because it helps maintain a great reputation, helps avoid significant financial and legal

issues, and ultimately benefits everyone around us. When communication is used to

undermine relationships or encourage social dissonance, it should be called out and

terminated as soon as possible. Although different cultures have different ethics systems,

most people agree that ethical communication builds positive relationships, while unethical

communication impairs them.

Reflection

We agreed to achieve the following goals at the end of this lesson:

1. Describe the nature, elements, and functions of verbal and non-verbal

communication in various contexts;
2. Create clear, coherent, and effective communication material/s; and
3. Appreciate the impact of communication on the society and the world.

Are you ready to take the assessment?

Build-out. Click here when you are prepared to take the 20-item multiple-

choice assessment.

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 References

i
Wood, J.T. (2003). Communication in our lives. Wadsworth Cengage Learning
ii
Abalos, A.V. et al. (2006). Fundamentals of speech and oral communication with public speaking. Mutya
Publishing House
iii
Ethical communication in the workplace (2019). Retrieved from [Link]
training/topics/227-9-ethical-communication-in-the-workplace

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