Effective Communication Lecture Notes

A complete set of vocabulary flashcards covering the fundamentals of communication, speech acts, text analysis, properties of writing, and conversation management.

Sender

The source or originator of the message who decides what to communicate.

Encoding

Converting thoughts, ideas, or feelings into a sendable message.

Message

The actual information, idea, or emotion being communicated.

Channel

The medium or pathway through which the message is delivered.

Decoding

Translating and interpreting the received message.

Receiver

The person or group who receives and interprets the message.

Feedback

The receiver's response indicating whether the message was understood.

Context

The situation, environment, or culture in which the communication takes place.

Regulation

Controlling a person's behavior using commands, rules, or instructions.

Interaction

Building, maintaining, or strengthening relationships with others.

Motivation

Encouraging or inspiring people to take action and improve.

Information Dissemination

Sharing or gathering facts, opinions, and knowledge.

Emotional Expression

Revealing feelings, emotions, reactions, or attitudes.

Intrapersonal Communication

Communication that takes place within oneself (e.g., self-talk).

Interpersonal Communication

Communication that occurs between two or more people.

Audience

The characteristics and demographics of the people you are communicating with.

Purpose

The main reason why you are communicating.

Language & Register

The specific choice of words and style used based on the situation.

Tone

The attitude or emotion expressed through the speaker's words.

Frozen Register

Language that remains fixed and unchanged over time, typically used in respectful ceremonies.

Casual Register

Everyday, relaxed conversation with friends that may include slang or jargon.

Intimate Register

Private language exclusive to family or close relationships.

Consultative Register

Semi-formal dialogue where both speakers actively share and receive information.

Locutionary Act

The literal act of producing sounds, words, or sentences.

Illocutionary Act

The intention or purpose behind what is said (e.g., asserting, promising, demanding).

Perlocutionary Act

The resulting effect or impact achieved on the listener (e.g., persuading, convincing, misleading).

Main Idea

The central or most important message of a text, which can be explicitly stated or implicitly suggested.

Major Details

Key points that directly support and develop the main idea.

Minor Details

Specific information or examples that explain and support the major details.

Written Text

Written communication preserved for reading, such as articles and books.

Spoken Text

Verbal communication that relies on voice and tone, such as speeches or podcasts.

Multimodal Text

Communication that combines multiple elements like words, audio, images, and video, such as infographics.

Unity

Ensures every sentence in a paragraph directly supports the single main idea.

Coherence

Connecting ideas at the structural or conceptual level, arranged chronologically, spatially, or logically.

Cohesion

Connecting ideas at the sentence level using pronouns, transitional words/devices, and keyword repetition.

Organization

Arranging ideas logically across three major parts: Introduction, Body, and Conclusion.

Language Use

Writing clearly and concisely while avoiding wordiness, clichés, redundant phrases, and overly complex language.

Mechanics

The technical side of writing, requiring standard English, avoiding contractions, and limiting exclamation marks.

Narratives

True stories told from your own perspective (e.g., memoirs, journals, diaries) that recount events at a given place and time.

Reflective Writing

Expressing inner thoughts, feelings, and personal experiences (e.g., reflective essays).

Opinion Writing

Expressing personal beliefs, feelings, or judgments supported by evidence (e.g., editorials, reviews, blogs).

Audience Awareness

The ability to recognize who your listeners or readers are and understand what matters to them.

Demographic Analysis

Evaluating the listeners' gender, race, education level, and age group to tailor content appropriately.

Politeness Markers

Words or expressions used to show respect, courtesy, and consideration for the listener.

Nomination

Initiating a topic to speak about (either nominating yourself or others).

Restriction

Limiting or restricting responses based on set bounds or instructions.

Turn-taking

Knowing when to stop talking and allowing the other speaker a turn.

Topic Control

Keeping the conversation focused on the main topic.

Topic Shifting

Intentionally or unintentionally changing the subject.

Repair

Fixing communication breakdowns through clarification, repetition, or addition.

Termination

Ending the conversation using verbal or non-verbal signals.

Netiquette

Rules for online and text-based communication.

Self-Reflection

The intentional analysis of your own thoughts, feelings, and actions to gain self-understanding.