Communication
Skills and Technical
Writing
COURSE CODE: PC 512
Aim of the course
• Equip you with skills that would help you communicate
successfully in a professional setting.
•Enable you to make presentations to professional and lay
audiences in an effective and clear manner.
• Introduce you to different forms of technical writing.
I. What is communication?
Noun. [uncountable] the activity or process of expressing ideas and feelings or of
giving people information.
Examples:
1) Speech is the fastest method of communication between people.
2) Doctors do not always have good communication skills.
II. Communication as a countable
noun
[countable] (formal): a message, letter or telephone call
Example: a communication from the president of the company.
4 dimensions of communication
Reading
Writing
Listening
Speaking
GENERAL COMMUNICATION TECHNICAL
COMMUNICATION
Contains a general message Contains a technical message
Informal in style and approach Mostly formal
No set pattern of communication Follows a set pattern
Mostly oral Both oral and written
Not always for a specific audience Always for a specific audience
Does not involve the use of Frequently involved jargon,
technical vocabulary or graphics graphics etc.
etc.
Difference between business and
technical communication
Emails are crux of business writing. Other types of business writing include
letters, reports, blog posts, articles, and more.
People in specialized fields write documents that relate to technical or complex
subjects.
Unlike business documents, technical documents are often a collaborative effort
between a technical writer, UX writer, subject matter expert, editor, and others.
Kinds of technical documents: Abstracts, articles for publication, executive
summaries, reports, user manuals, functional and detail specifications
Types of Technical Communication
Written communication: step-by –step guide on how to fix
a computer.
Verbal communication: explaining a software feature to a
colleague
Digital communication: sharing technical information
using computers or the internet. Creating a website with
instructions on how to write a code.
What makes technical communication
unique?
The biggest difference between technical communication
and the other kinds of writing you have done is that technical
communication has a somewhat different focus on audience
and purpose.
Objectives of technical
communication
To provide organized information that aids in quick decision-making
To invite corporate joint ventures
To disseminate knowledge in oral or written form
Example 1
Let us take an example of a customer who has bought a washing
machine and does not know how to use it. The customer reads the
instructions in the user manual and gradually learns to operate the
washing machine without any assistance. This is an example of
successful technical communication.
Example 2
If the communication is through a user manual for a phone,
remember that people will usually never use it unless they are stuck.
And if they are stuck, they will look for instant information to solve
their problem. The information must be brief and arranged
sequentially so that it is easy for a user to find relevant information. It
is also vital that the technical information provided in the manual be
accurate.
The Course Structure
The course is divided into 7 modules.
Each module is designed to equip you with at least one skill
needed for technical writing and communication.
Module 1: Introduction to Technical
Communication
Introduction to Communication
Basics of Technical Communication
Barriers to Communication
Module 2: Listening and Speaking
Active Listening
Effective Speaking
Listening and speaking to ensure effective conversations and
dialogues
Module 3: Vocabulary and Grammar
Introduction to basic
English grammar
Vocabulary development
Module 4: Reading and Writing
‘Why do we read?’ Different purposes of reading
‘How do we read?’ Reading techniques
Rules for effective writing
Using the right words, phrases and sentences
The art of condensation: Precis writing
Module 4: Reading and Writing
Writing research papers, dissertation
and thesis
Organizing references, developing a
bibliography and styling
Tips for publishing papers in journals
Module 5
Ethics for Technical Communication
Using platform-independent public-domain software such as
LATEX.
Can you identify the use of the
following softwares?
• Overleaf is a collaborative cloud-based LaTeX
editor used for writing, editing and publishing
scientific documents.
• Zotero is free and open-source reference
management software to manage bibliographic
data and related research materials, such as
PDF and ePUB files
Module 6: Major forms of corporate
communication through writing
Letters, memos and emails
Writing a technical proposal
Writing a technical report
Module 7: Presentations
Writing and presenting a paper in a
conference
Poster presentation techniques.
Making a technical presentation
using slides
Module 8: Essential communication
skills for employability
Making a resume or CV
Types of interviews and tips for acing them
Group Communication: Organizational GD
Meetings and Negotiations
Grading Policy
In-Sem. Exam 1: 30%
In-Sem. Exam 2: 30%
End-Sem. Project: 35%
Attendance: 5%
If any instance of plagiarism, copying, and cheating is detected an
“F” would be given as the final grade.
Attendance Policy
Five marks will be allocated for attendance.
Participation of students in class discussions ensures
effective learning. Hence, all of you are encouraged to attend
and participate in class regularly.
Essential readings
1. Raman, Meenakshi and Sangeeta Sharma. Technical Communication:
Principles and Practice. Second Edition. New Delhi: OUP, 2011.
2. D’Arcy, Jan. Technically Speaking: A guide for communicating complex
information. Columbus: Battelle Press, 1998.*
* (Scanned copies of chapters from the books mentioned above and other books
will be uploaded from time to time on Google Classroom)
Contact Information
• Course instructor: Purbasha Das
• Office Address: Room 4210, FB-4
• Email: purbasha_das@[Link]
Tasks for this week : To be discussed
on Friday
Research the kinds of communication you will do in your career.
You might interview a member of your chosen profession.
What kinds of documents and presentations will you produce, and for
what audiences and purposes?