PPR1103

Effective communication

3 points - 6 hours per week, including 2 seminar hours and 4 independent study hours - Second semester - Caulfield - Prerequisites: None - Core for BDes, BDes(VisComm), BDes(IndDes), BID

Objectives On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to prepare and deliver effective oral presentations for informative and persuasive purposes; demonstrate effective interviewing skills to elicit a clear, unambiguous brief from a client; apply effective self presentation in workplace interaction using verbal and non-verbal communication to achieve the greatest impact; be a comprehensive, empathetic and critical listener; use evidence to enhance the persuasiveness of a message; understand the differences between spoken and written language; have mastered basic writing skills and the capability to improve writing strategies including planning, drafting and editing; analyse and adapt effective writing styles for different audiences and purposes; develop a critical awareness of language use in terms of social and cultural factors.

Synopsis In this subject students are encouraged to develop their communicative competence (spoken and written) for professional purposes. Particular emphasis is placed on the skills and strategies needed to ensure the effective and persuasive communication of ideas to clients, colleagues and the general public. Effective communication is explored through an examination of the elements, processes and models of communication. The symbolic nature of language is examined to enable a focus on the design of effective verbal messages. To develop a critical awareness of communication activities in the workplace, students are given an experiential opportunity to practice oral and listening skills, interviewing techniques, and writing skills for design-related discourses such as briefs, rationales, reports and resumes. Teaching is supported by lectures, tutorials and class discussions, video and audio recordings, oral presentations and critiques.

Assessment Assigned projects: 65% - Written tests: 35%

Recommended texts

Bhatia V K Analysing genre: Language use in professional settings Longman, 1993
Devito J A Human communication: The basic course 6th edn, Harper Collins, 1994
Devito J A The interpersonal communication book 6th edn, Harper Collins, 1992
Ehninger D, Gronbeck B E, Mc Kerrow R E and Monroe A H Principles and types of speech communication 10th edn, Scott Foresman, 1986
Fairclough N Critical language awareness Longman, 1992
Fiske J Introduction to communication studies Methuen, 1990
Nutting J and White G The business of communicating 2nd edn, McGraw-Hill, 1990
O'Hair D, Friedrich G W and Dixon S L Strategic communication in business and the professions 2nd edn, Houghton Mifflin, 1995
Samovar L A and Porter R E Intercultural communication: A reader 7th edn, Wadsworth, 1994
Simons H W Persuasion Random House, 1986
Windshuttle K and Elliot E Writing, researching, communicating: Communication skills for the information age 2nd edn, McGraw-Hill, 1994

Back to the 1999 Art and Design Handbook