Overview of Week One

 

Communication helps you understand yourself and others, solve problems and learn new things, and build your career.

 

Communication contexts include intrapersonal (within oneself), interpersonal (between two people), group (like a circle of friends), and mass communication. 
 

As a communicator, you are responsible for being prepared and being ethical. Being prepared includes being organized, clear, concise, and punctual. Being ethical includes being egalitarian, respectful, and trustworthy.

 

All communication carries primary, secondary, and auxiliary messages. The primary message can be divided into a five-part structure composed of an attention statement, introduction, body, conclusion, and residual message. Obstacles to communication include clichés, jargon, slang, sexist and racist language, euphemisms, and doublespeak. Emphasize your message by using visuals, signposts, internal summaries and foreshadowing, and repetition. To improve communication, define your terms, choose precise words, consider your audience, control your tone, check for understanding, and aim for results.

 

 

The goal of this course is for you to develop a Business Report as your Final Project that directly addresses the needs of your nonprofit organization and the community/clients that you serve.

 

This week, you will identify a relevant topic for the Business Report, brainstorm ideas for it, and draft an introduction using the MACJ method presented in the textbook.