Week one Student Guide

Week One Student Guide

This week introduces the basics of the communication process including the steps in the communication process and understanding the roles of the listener and the receiver.

The readings in Communicating in the Workplace focus on the basics of communication including the various roles, channels, and the importance of the message. The readings in Critical Thinking provid background for the concepts of persuasion, arguments, and critical thinking that are involved in much of communication.

This week's topic, the communication process, is the foundation for the remainder of the course.

The Communication Process

OBJECTIVE: Explain the steps in the communication process.

Resources: Ch. 1 of Communicating in the Workplace, Ch. 1 & 2 of Critical Thinking, and University of Phoenix Material: Communication Process

Content

* Ch. 1: Communication Concepts of Communicating in the Workplace

o Communication Is Important

o Communication Defined

o Communication Process Model

* Sender/Receiver

* Encoding

* Decoding

* Message

* Channel

* Feedback

o Communication Principles

* Communication occurs within a context

* Communication is unavoidable

* Communication occurs at different levels

* Communication requires ethical choices

* Communication has its limitations

o Communication Barriers

* Noise

* Gaps

o Communication and Technology

* Ch. 1: Critical Thinking Basics of Critical Thinking

o What is Critical Thinking?

o The Basics: Claims, Issues, and Arguments

* Claims

* Issues

* Arguments

* What Arguments Are Not

o Further Confusions

* Arguments and Explanations

* Arguments and Persuasion

o Two