Lecture 1 - Utl 365 - 24-25

LECTURE NOTES
UTL 365:
SCIENTIFIC ENGLISH &
COMMUNICATION
Niveau 3 : TECHNIQUES DE LABORATOIRES
Responsable :
Dr AKAMI Mazarin (CC, makami1987@gmail.com)
Equipe Pédagogique :
1. Dr AKAMI Mazarin (CC)

2. Prof. TAMGUE OUSMAN (MC)
3. Dr LIENOU LIENOU Landry (CC)
Année Académique: 2024-2025
LECTURE NOTES OF UTL365: SCIENTIFIC ENGLISH & COMMUNICATION- 2024-2025 (Dr AKAMI Mazarin)
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UTL 365: SCIENTIFIC ENGLISH & COMMUNICATION
 CREDIT HOURS: 3
 LECTURE: 20H
 TUTORIALS: 5H
 SPA: 5H
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FIRST PART : ENGISH COMMUNICATION ........................................................................................... 3
DEFINITIONS .............................................................................................................................................. 3
CHAPTER 1: LANGUAGE AND MEANING ............................................................................................ 9
CHAPTER 2: WHY DO WE COMMUNICATE? ..................................................................................... 11
CHAPTER 3: IMPROVING COMMUNICATION SKILLS .................................................................... 22
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FIRST PART : ENGISH COMMUNICATION
DEFINITIONS
Communication: The exchange of information or passing of information, ideas or thoughts from
one person to the other or from one end to the other is communication.
Communication: is the act of transferring information from one place, person or group to another
According to McFarland, communication is a process of meaningful interaction among human
beings.
Communication skills
Communication skills are the abilities you use when giving and receiving different kinds of
information. Some examples include communicating new ideas, feelings or even an update on
your project. Communication skills involve listening, speaking, observing and empathizing. It is
also helpful to understand the differences in how to communicate through face-to-face interactions,
phone conversations and digital communications like email and social media. Communication
skills allow you to understand and be understood by others. These can include but are not limited
to effectively communicating ideas to others, actively listening in conversations, giving and
receiving critical feedback and public speaking.
Examples of communication skills
There are different types of communication skills you can learn and practice to help you become
an effective communicator. Many of these skills work together making it important to practice
communication skills in different contexts whenever possible.
1. Active listening
Active listening means paying close attention to the person who is speaking to you. People who
are active listeners are well-regarded by their co-workers because of the attention and respect they
offer others. While it seems simple, this is a skill that can be hard to develop and improve. You
can be an active listener by focusing on the speaker, avoiding distractions like cell phones, laptops
or other projects and by preparing questions, comments or ideas to thoughtfully respond.
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2. Adapting your communication style to your audience
Different styles of communication are appropriate in different situations. To make the

best use of your communication skills, it’s important to consider your audience and the
most effective format to communicate with them.
For example, if you are communicating with a potential employer, it’s better to send a
formal email or call them on the phone. Depending on the situation, you may even need
to send a formal, typed letter over other forms of communication. In the workplace, you
may find it’s easier to communicate complex information in person or via a video
conference than in a long, dense email.
3. Friendliness
In friendships, characteristics such as honesty and kindness often foster trust and understanding.
The same characteristics are important in workplace relationships.
When you’re working with others, approach your interactions with a positive attitude, keep an
open mind and ask questions to help you understand where they’re coming from. Small gestures
such as asking someone how they’re doing, smiling as they speak or offering praise for work well
done can help you foster productive relationships with both colleagues and managers.
4. Confidence
In the workplace, people are more likely to respond to ideas that are presented with confidence.
There are many ways to appear confident such as making eye contact when you’re addressing
someone, sitting up straight with your shoulders open and preparing ahead of time so your thoughts
are polished. You’ll find confident communication comes in handy not just on the job but during
the job interview process as well.
5. Giving and receiving feedback

Strong communicators can accept critical feedback and provide constructive input to others.
Feedback should answer questions, provide solutions or help strengthen the project or topic at
hand.
6. Volume and clarity
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When you’re speaking, it’s important to be clear and audible. Adjusting your speaking voice so
you can be heard in a variety of settings is a skill and it’s critical to communicating effectively.
Speaking too loudly may be disrespectful or awkward in certain settings. If you’re unsure, read
the room to see how others are communicating.
7. Empathy
Empathy means that you can understand and share the emotions of others. This communication
skill is important in both team and one-on-one settings. In both cases, you will need to understand
other people’s emotions and select an appropriate response. For example, if someone is expressing
anger or frustration, empathy can help you acknowledge and diffuse their emotion. At the same
time, being able to understand when someone is feeling positive and enthusiastic can help you get
support for your ideas and projects.
8. Respect
A key aspect of respect is knowing when to initiate communication and respond. In a team or
group setting, allowing others to speak without interruption is seen as a necessary communication
skill. Respectfully communicating also means using your time with someone else wisely—staying
on topic, asking clear questions and responding fully to any questions you’ve been asked.
9. Understanding nonverbal cues

A great deal of communication happens through nonverbal cues such as body language, facial
expressions and eye contact. When you’re listening to someone, you should be paying attention to
what they’re saying as well as their nonverbal language.
By the same measure, you should be conscious of your body language when you’re communicating
to ensure you’re sending appropriate cues to others.
10. Responsiveness
Whether you’re returning a phone call or sending a reply to an email, fast communicators are
viewed as more effective than those who are slow to respond. One method is to consider how long
your response will take. Is this a request or question you can answer in the next five minutes? If
so, it may be a good idea to address it as soon as you see it. If it’s a more complex request or
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question, you can still acknowledge that you’ve received the message and let the other person
know you will respond in full later.
Categories of communication
There are a wide range of ways in which we communicate and more than one may be occurring at
any given time.
The different categories of communication include:
 Spoken or Verbal Communication, which includes face-to-face, telephone, radio or

television and other media.
 Non-Verbal Communication, covering body language, gestures, how we dress or act,
where we stand, and even our scent. There are many subtle ways that we communicate
(perhaps even unintentionally) with others. For example, the tone of voice can give clues
to mood or emotional state, whilst hand signals or gestures can add to a spoken message.
 Written Communication: which includes letters, e-mails, social media, books,
magazines, the Internet and other media. Until recent times, a relatively small number of
writers and publishers were very powerful when it came to communicating the written
word. Today, we can all write and publish our ideas online, which has led to an explosion
of information and communication possibilities.
 Visualizations: graphs and charts, maps, logos and other visualizations can all
communicate messages.
The Communication Process

A message or communication is sent by the sender through a communication channel to a receiver,
or to multiple receivers.
The sender must encode the message (the information being conveyed) into a form that is
appropriate to the communication channel, and the receiver(s) then decodes the message to
understand its meaning and significance.
Misunderstanding can occur at any stage of the communication process.
Effective communication involves minimizing potential misunderstanding and overcoming any
barriers to communication at each stage in the communication process.
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An effective communicator understands their audience, chooses an appropriate communication
channel, hones their message to this channel and encodes the message to reduce misunderstanding
by the receiver(s).
They will also seek out feedback from the receiver(s) as to how the message is understood and
attempt to correct any misunderstanding or confusion as soon as possible.
Communication Channels
Communication channels is the term given to the way in which we communicate. It is therefore
the method used to transmit our message to a recipient, or to receive a message from someone else.
There are multiple communication channels available to us today. These include face-to-face
conversations, telephone calls, text messages, email, the Internet (including social media such as
Facebook and Twitter), radio and TV, written letters, brochures and reports.
Choosing an appropriate communication channel is vital for effective communication. Each
communication channel has different strengths and weaknesses.
For example, broadcasting news of an upcoming event via a written letter might convey the
message clearly to one or two individuals. It will not, however, be a time- or cost-effective way to
broadcast the message to a large number of people. On the other hand, conveying complex,
technical information is easier via a printed document than a spoken message. The recipients are
able to assimilate the information at their own pace and revisit anything that they do not fully
understand.
Written communication is also useful as a way of recording what has been said, for example by
taking minutes in a meeting.
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Encoding Messages
All messages must be encoded into a form that can be conveyed by the communication channel
chosen for the message.
We all do this every day when transferring abstract thoughts into spoken words or a written form.
However, other communication channels require different forms of encoding, e.g. text written for
a report will not work well if broadcast via a radio programme, and the short, abbreviated text used
in text messages would be inappropriate in a letter or in speech.
Complex data may be best communicated using a graph, chart or other visualization.
Effective communicators encode their messages so that they fit both the channel and the intended
audience. They use appropriate language, conveying the information simply and clearly. They also
anticipate and eliminate likely causes of confusion and misunderstanding. They are generally
aware of the recipients’ experience in decoding similar communications.
Successful encoding of messages for the audience and channel is a vital skill in effective
communication.
Decoding Messages
Once received, the recipient needs to decode the message. Successful decoding is also a vital
communication skill. People will decode and understand messages in different ways.
This will depend on their experience and understanding of the context of the message, how well
they know the sender, their psychological state and how they feel, and the time and place of receipt.
They may also be affected by any Barriers to Communication which might be present.
There are therefore a wide range of factors that will affect decoding and understanding.
Successful communicators understand how the message will be decoded, and anticipate and
remove as many as possible of the potential sources of misunderstanding.
Feedback
The final part of a communication is feedback: the recipient lets the sender know that they have
received and understood the message.
Recipients of messages are likely to provide feedback on how they have understood the messages
through both verbal and non-verbal reactions. Effective communicators pay close attention to this
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feedback as it is the only way to assess whether the message has been understood as intended, and
it allows any confusion to be corrected.
Bear in mind that the extent and form of feedback will vary with the communication channel.
Feedback during a face-to-face or telephone conversation will be immediate and direct, whilst
feedback to messages conveyed via TV or radio will be indirect and may be delayed, or even
conveyed through other media such as the Internet.
Effective communicators pay close attention to this feedback as it is the only way to assess whether
the message has been understood as intended, and it allows any confusion to be corrected.
Being able to communicate effectively is the most important of all life skills.
CHAPTER 1: LANGUAGE AND MEANING
What is Language?
1. A language is a system of communication which consists of a set of sounds and written symbols
which are used by the people of a particular country or region for talking or writing. Language, a
system of conventional spoken, manual (signed), or written symbols by means of which human
beings, as members of a social group and participants in its culture, express themselves.
The functions of language include communication, the expression of identity, play, imaginative
expression, and emotional release.
2. Language is an organization of sounds, of vocal symbols – the sounds produced from the mouth
with the help of various organs of speech to convey some meaningful message. It also means that
speech is primary to writing. There are several languages because they are spoken.
Language helps us express our feelings and thoughts — this is unique to our species because it is
a way to express unique ideas and customs within different cultures and societies.
The Basic Functions of Language
The main function of language is the usefulness of language. It gives us the ability to communicate
thoughts, ideas, and feelings with others as quickly as possible. But, within that, we can understand
language more by looking at its basic functions.
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1. Informative Function
The informative function of language is when we use language to communicate any information.
Essentially, its function is to inform others by being able to state facts clearly.
2. Expressive Function
Another basic function of language is the expressive function.
As it sounds, it is used to express oneself by giving us ways to convey our feelings, emotions, and
attitudes to another person (or ourselves).
3. Directive Function
The directive function of language is a basic function that helps us to direct or command. For
example, it gives us the ability to tell ourselves or someone else what to do in any given situation.
Uses of Language
1. We use language to label and define
Labelling means that we identify an object, act or person by giving it a name so that we can talk
about it. Once something is named, it is simultaneously defined e.g a student, an old man, a young
girl, a young girl.
2. We use language to evaluate
Evaluative language is any word or phrase that judges the righteousness or wrongness. Evaluative
language includes words such as very bright, clever, stupid, wonderful, dense, idiot.
3. We use language to discuss things outside our immediate experience
Language enables us to talk about the past and the future and to communicate about people who
are not present. Through language, we can learn about other people’s experiences.
Elements of Language
There are six elements of language:
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1. Clarity: Using language in a way that ensures the intended audience fully understands your
ideas; that your ideas are clear.
2. Economy: Being ‗economic‘ about how you speak by avoiding any unnecessary language. This
means using only the necessary and appropriate words to express yourself while avoiding using
language your audience won‘t understand. Essentially, this means avoiding fluff or complicated
vocabulary.
3. Obscenity: This refers to ‗indecent language‘, including, but not limited to, curse words and
hateful remarks.
4. Obscure Language/Jargon: This is very specific language that your audience will not
understand because they are not familiar with what you are talking about. This could be when your
car mechanic explains to you what‘s wrong with your car, but you are not a car mechanic, so you
are unclear of what they‘re talking about.
5. Power: This is when someone uses language to exert power over someone to manipulate them,
command them, or to get them to do something they want. It could also be to demonstrate yourself
as an authority in the room.
6. Variety: This is a speaker‘s ability to use a combination of all the different types of language
aforementioned to successfully and creatively get ideas across.
CHAPTER 2: WHY DO WE COMMUNICATE?
1. We communicate to persuade: It means that we want someone to do something and this desire
of ours is communicated. The mother patting the child to stop crying, the advertiser displaying a
model in a new T-Shirt and the politician haranguing (urging) his audience to vote for him are all
having the same objective of persuading, while communicating it differently.
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2. We communicate in order to give or provide information: The science teacher demonstrating
an experiment, the bank announcing a reduction in interest rates and the finance minister,
presenting the budget are all communicating to provide information.
3. We communicate seeking information: A passerby asking you the way to the post-office, the
student asking the teacher for some clarification or the investigating policeman making discreet
enquiries are all seeking information by using this communication skill.
4. We communicate to express our emotions like courage or fear, joy or sorrow, satisfaction
or disappointment with appropriate gestures and words. Some people have unlimited skill to
emote, (i.e., to display excessive emotion) to suit the occasion. Our politicians are capable of
emoting well, which by itself is a communication skill.
Importance of Communication:
Effective communication is vital for efficient management and to improve industrial relations. In
modern world the growth of telecommunication, information technology and the growing
competition and complexity in production have increased importance of communication in
organizations large and small irrespective of their type and kind. A corporate executive must be in
a position to communicate effectively with his superiors, colleagues in other departments and
subordinates. This will make him perform well and enable him to give his hundred percent to the
organization.
The following points can illustrate the importance of communication in human resource
management:
1. Base for Action:
Communication acts as a base for any action. Starting of any activity begins with communication
which brings information necessary to begin with.
2. Planning Becomes Easy:
Communication facilitates planning. Planning is made easy by communication. Any type of

information regarding the human resource requirement of each department of the organization with
their qualifications, the type and kinds of job etc. can be collected through communication which
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helps in human resource planning. Policies and programmes for their acquisition can be prepared
and implemented. In the entire process communication plays a vital role, it also facilitates
managerial planning of the organization.
3. Means of Coordination:
Communication is an important tool for coordinating the efforts of various people at work in the
organization.
4. Aids in Decision-Making:
The information collected through communication aids in decision-making. Communication

facilitates access to the vital information required to take decisions.
5. Provides Effective Leadership:

A communication skill bring manager near to his subordinates and exchange ideas and submits
appropriate proposals, knows their opinions, seeks advices and make decisions. This enables a
manager to win confidence of his subordinates through constantly communicating with them and
removing probable misunderstandings. In this way he leads his people to accomplish the
organisational goal.
6. Boosts Morale and Motivation:

An effective communication system instills confidence among subordinates and workers ensuring
change in their attitude and behaviour. The main cause of conflict and dissatisfaction is
misunderstanding which can be removed through communication skills. The removal of
misunderstanding makes manager and his subordinates understand each other and create good
industrial relations. This boosts up the morale of the people and motivates them to work harder.
Principles of Communication:
1. Principle of Clarity:
The idea or message to be communicated should be clearly spelt out. It should be worded in such
a way that the receiver understands the same thing, which the sender wants to convey. There should
be no ambiguity in the message. It should be kept in mind that the words do not speak themselves
but the speaker gives them the meaning.
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A clear message will evoke the same response from the other party. It is also essential that the
receiver is conversant with the language, inherent assumptions, and the mechanics of
communication.
2. Principle of Attention:
In order to make communication effective, the receiver’s attention should be drawn towards
message. People are different in behaviour, attention, emotions etc. so they may respond
differently to the message. Subordinates should act similarly as per the contents of the message.
The acts of a superior also draw the attention of subordinates and they may follow what they
observe. For example, if a superior is very punctual in coming to the office then subordinates will
also develop such habits. It is said that ‘actions speak louder than words.
3. Principle of Feedback:
The principle of feedback is very important to make the communication effective. There should
be a feedback information from the recipient to know whether he has understood the message in
the same sense in which the sender has meant it.
4. Principle of Informality:
Formal communication is generally used for transmitting messages and other information.
Sometimes formal communication may not achieve the desired results, informal communication
may prove effective in such situations. Management should use informal communication for
assessing the reaction of employees towards various policies. Senior management may informally
convey certain decisions to the employees for getting their feedback. So this principle states that
informal communication is as important as formal communication.
5. Principle of Consistency:
This principle states that communication should always be consistent with the policies, plans,
programmes and objectives of the organization and not in conflict with them. If the messages and
communications are in conflict with the policies and programmes then there will be confusion in
the minds of subordinates and they may not implement them properly. Such a situation will be
detrimental to the interests of the organization.
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6. Principle of Timeliness:
This principle states that communication should be done at proper time so that it helps in
implementing plans. Any delay in communication may not serve any purpose rather decisions
become of historical importance only.
7. Principle of Adequacy:
The information communicated should be adequate and complete in all respects.
Inadequate information may delay action and create confusion. Inadequate information also affects
efficiency of the receiver. So adequate information is essential for taking proper decisions and
making action plans.
Principles
1. Be clear.
To communicate effectively, you have to know what you want and take ownership for your own
needs. Before communicating your issue, identify it and know what you want and need from the
other person. When you experience an issue, try to get clarity on what the issue is and why it shows
up for you. Do you feel disrespected and shut down when a colleague is not open to hearing your
opinion in a meeting? Understand what value of yours isn't being honored, and own it. It’s your
responsibility to initiate the tough conversation.
Communicate the issue directly without misinterpreting or reacting emotionally, judgmentally or

defensively. Take ownership of your experience, and be transparent. Be as clear and objective as
possible.
2. Be concise.
Keep your requests direct, simple and to the point. The less wordy, the better.
Don't get caught up in the story — focus on getting your point across in the most succinct manner
and moving the conversation forward.
3. Provide a compelling request.
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Once you make a request for change, you’re in negotiations. After communicating the issue,
provide the person with a suggested solution that you’d be happy with. If you feel shut down and
dismissed in meetings whenever you bring your area of expertise into consideration, first ask the
other person if there's a deeper issue. Then, ask how you might resolve it, and make your request
to be listened to in the future. Explain that it’s just as important for you to express your opinion or
expertise, be involved in the conversation, and share your thoughts on the topic to provide
necessary feedback.
4. Be curious.
Listen to what the other person needs. Once you make a request, be curious about what the other
person’s issues and objectives are and what they might need to fulfill your request. It’s not all
about you. Understand where the other person is coming from because they also have needs and
issues that need to be addressed.
5. Be compassionate.
Make an attempt to understand the other person. Listen carefully to their feedback, and put your
own assumptions aside. When a person feels like they're being heard, they tend to open up more
and feel safer and more secure in the conversation, which can lead to a more trusting relationship.
Having the ability to understand, recognize and appreciate the way others feel is crucial to
resolving conflict, managing change and making tough decisions. Strive to negotiate a win for
both parties by taking the other person’s perspective into consideration. Get a clear understanding
of what it would take for both of you to get a positive outcome.
Lecture 3: Effective Communication
Effective communication is a process of exchanging ideas, thoughts, knowledge and information

such that the purpose or intention is fulfilled in the best possible manner. In simple words, it is
nothing but the presentation of views by the sender in a way best understood by the receiver.
Therefore, it generally involves;
Sender: The person who initiates the process of communication by sending a message;
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Receiver: The one to whom the message is to be delivered.
Characteristics of Effective Communication
Just delivering a message is not enough; it must meet the purpose of the sender. Keeping this in
mind, let us discuss the elements, which make communication effective:
 Clear Message: The message which the sender wants to convey must be simple, easy to
understand and systematically framed to retain its meaningfulness.
 Correct Message: The information communicated must not be vague or false in any sense;
it must be free from errors and grammatical mistakes.
 Complete Message: Communication is the base for decision making. If the information is
incomplete, it may lead to wrong decisions.
 Precise Message: The message sent must be short and concise to facilitate straightforward
interpretation and take the desired steps.
 Reliability: The sender must be sure from his end that whatever he is conveying is right
by his knowledge. Even the receiver must have trust on the sender and can rely on the
message sent.
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 Consideration of the Recipient: The medium of communication and other physical
settings must be planned, keeping in mind the attitude, language, knowledge, education
level and position of the receiver.
 Sender’s Courtesy: The message so drafted must reflect the sender’s courtesy,
humbleness and respect towards the receiver.
Effective Communication Skills

Conveying a message effectively is an art as well as a skill developed after continuous practice
and experience. The predetermined set of skills required for an influential communication process
are as follows:
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 Observance: A person must possess sharp observing skills to gain more and more
knowledge and information.
 Clarity and Brevity: The message must be drafted in simple words, and it should be clear
and precise to create the desired impact over the receiver.
 Listening and Understanding: The most crucial skill in a person is he must be a good,
alert and patient listener. He must be able to understand and interpret the message well.
 Emotional Intelligence: A person must be emotionally aware and the ability to influence
others from within.
 Self-Efficacy: Also, he/she must have faith in himself and his capabilities to achieve the
objectives of communication.
 Self-Confidence: Being one of the essential communication skills, confidence enhances
the worthiness of the message being delivered.
 Respectfulness: Delivering a message with courtesy and respecting the values, believes,
opinions and ideas of the receiver is the essence of effective communication.
 Non-Verbal Communication: To connect with the receiver in a better way, the sender
must involve the non-verbal means communication too. These include gestures, facial
expressions, eye contact, postures, etc.
 Selection of the Right Medium: Choice of the correct medium for communication is also
a skill. It is necessary to select an appropriate medium according to the situation, priority
of the message, the receiver’s point of view, etc.
 Providing Feedback: Effective communication is always a two-way process. A person
must take as well as give feedback to bring forward the other person’s perspective too.
Barriers to Effective Communication
There are certain obstacles which sometimes hinder the process of communication, making it less
useful for the sender as well as the receiver.
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Barriers Involving Words
Words play an essential role in the process of communication. Any disturbance or distraction in
the way a message is presented may lead to miscommunication. Following are the different types
of communication barriers related to words:
 Language: It is a medium of communication. If the sender is making excessive use of

technical terms, it will become difficult for the receiver to understand the message clearly.
 Ambiguity and Overuse of Abstractions: Even if the message is presented in a non-
realistic or vague context involving a lot of notions, the receiver won’t be able to connect
with the idea properly.
 Disorganised Message: When the words are not organized systematically to form a
powerful message, it loses its efficiency and meaning.
 Information Overload: The effectiveness of communication reduces when a person keeps
on speaking for an extended period. Thus, leading to the receiver’s exhaustion, who won’t
be able to keep track of everything that is conveyed.
Barriers Involving People’s Background
People belong to different backgrounds, i.e., culture, education level, gender, etc. These attributes
majorly affect the efficiency of the communication process. It involves the following related
obstacles:
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 Attitudinal Differences: At times, people are resistant to understand or change their mind
when they have set their views about a particular topic. Their attitude obstructs meeting
the purpose of the communication.
 Demographic Differences: The difference in age, generation, gender, status, tradition,
etc., creates a lack of understanding among people and thus, hinders the process of
communication.
 Lack of Common Experience or Perspective: The experiences of a person develops their
perspective of seeing things in a particular way.
This perspective varies from person to person. Therefore, it becomes difficult for a receiver to
relate with the sender’s experience or views as he might have never gone through it himself.
Some people lack the patience of listening to others and often jump
to conclusions between the communication, thus neglecting the motive of the message.
Physical Barriers
These barriers can be experienced directly but challenging to overcome.
These include:
 Physical Distance: When people communicate over long distances, they miss out the non-
verbal aspect of communication, since the gestures and expressions of the receiver cannot
be interpreted.
 Noise: The environment or the communication system sometimes involve unwanted noise
which interrupts the process of communication making it inefficient.
 Physiological Barriers: One of the most common barriers to effective communication is
the physical disability of the people involved. Some of these are hearing impairment, poor
eyesight, stammering, etc.
Thus, we can say that the significant purpose of communication is to pass on the information to
the receiver in such a manner that it does not lose its significance. At the same time, the message
must be received in its purest form.
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CHAPTER 3: IMPROVING COMMUNICATION SKILLS
How to improve your communication skills?
With experience and practice, you can learn and improve communication skills. Start by
identifying your strengths and then practice and develop those areas.
Ask a close friend or colleague for constructive criticism. It can be hard to know how you are
perceived as a communicator. To get an objective opinion, ask a trusted friend for their honest
feedback. Understanding your areas of improvement for communication can help you identify
what to focus on.
 Practice improving communication habits. Many communication skills are habits you
have developed over time. You can improve those skills by practicing new habits that make
you a better communicator. That might include being more responsive to communications
when they are sent, reminding yourself to make eye contact, practicing giving positive
feedback and asking questions in conversations.
 Attend communication skills workshops or classes. There are several online and offline
seminars, workshops and classes that can help you become a better communicator. These
classes may include instruction, role play, written assignments and open discussions.
 Seek opportunities to communicate. Seek opportunities, on and off the job, that require
you to use communication skills. This will help you improve existing skills and allow you
to practice new ones.
Communicating effectively in the workplace
While there are several communication skills you will use in different scenarios, there are few
ways you can be an effective communicator at work.
 Be clear and concise. Making your message as easy to consume as possible reduces the
chance of misunderstandings, speeds up projects and helps others quickly understand your
goals. Instead of speaking in long, detailed sentences, practice reducing your message to
its core meaning. While providing context is helpful, it is best to give the most necessary
information when trying to communicate your idea, instruction or message.
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 Practice empathy. Understanding your colleague’s feelings, ideas and goals can help you
when communicating with them. For example, you might need help from other
departments to get a project started. If they are not willing to help or have concerns,
practicing empathy can help you position your message in a way that addresses their
apprehension.
 Assert yourself. At times, it is necessary to be assertive to reach your goals whether you
are asking for a raise, seeking project opportunities or resisting an idea you don’t think will
be beneficial. While presenting with confidence is an important part of the workplace, you
should always be respectful in conversation. Keeping an even tone and providing sound
reasons for your assertions will help others be receptive to your thoughts.
 Be calm and consistent. When there is a disagreement or conflict, it can be easy to bring
emotion into your communications. It is important to remain calm when communicating
with others in the workplace. Be aware of your body language by not crossing your arms
or rolling your eyes. Maintaining consistent body language and keeping an even tone of
voice can help you reach a conclusion peacefully and productively.
 Use and read body language. Body language is a key part of communications in the
workplace. Pay close attention to the messages people are sending with their facial
expressions and movements. You should also pay close attention to the way you might be
communicating (intentionally or not) with your body language.
END.
To be continued….
Next: GRAMMAR SECTION
@2024.11.14
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LECTURE NOTES

Niveau 3 : TECHNIQUES DE LABORATOIRES

Dr AKAMI Mazarin (CC, makami1987@gmail.com)

1. Dr AKAMI Mazarin (CC)

Année Académique: 2024-2025

CHAPTER 1: LANGUAGE AND MEANING ............................................................................................ 9

CHAPTER 2: WHY DO WE COMMUNICATE? ..................................................................................... 11

CHAPTER 3: IMPROVING COMMUNICATION SKILLS .................................................................... 22

Examples of communication skills

Different styles of communication are appropriate in different situations. To make the

5. Giving and receiving feedback

6. Volume and clarity

9. Understanding nonverbal cues

 Spoken or Verbal Communication, which includes face-to-face, telephone, radio or

The Communication Process

CHAPTER 1: LANGUAGE AND MEANING

The Basic Functions of Language

Another basic function of language is the expressive function.

1. We use language to label and define

2. We use language to evaluate

3. We use language to discuss things outside our immediate experience

There are six elements of language:

CHAPTER 2: WHY DO WE COMMUNICATE?

1. Base for Action:

2. Planning Becomes Easy:

Communication facilitates planning. Planning is made easy by communication. Any type of

The information collected through communication aids in decision-making. Communication

5. Provides Effective Leadership:

6. Boosts Morale and Motivation:

The information communicated should be adequate and complete in all respects.

Communicate the issue directly without misinterpreting or reacting emotionally, judgmentally or

3. Provide a compelling request.

Lecture 3: Effective Communication

Effective communication is a process of exchanging ideas, thoughts, knowledge and information

Therefore, it generally involves;

Characteristics of Effective Communication

Effective Communication Skills

Barriers to Effective Communication

 Language: It is a medium of communication. If the sender is making excessive use of

Barriers Involving People’s Background

These barriers can be experienced directly but challenging to overcome.

How to improve your communication skills?

Communicating effectively in the workplace

Next: GRAMMAR SECTION

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