COMMUNICATION SKILLS CENTRE

CS 131/101: BASIC COMMUNICATION SKILLS

MODULE PACKAGE

Introduction
Basic Communication Skills (CS 101) is a core module that is offered to all Level 1 Semester
1 (1.1) students from all Faculties at Midlands State University. Firstly, this module imparts,
writing, reading, speaking, and listening skills that make students learning more effective and
enjoyable. Through this experience, students will prepare themselves for the increasingly
challenging university workload as it promotes skills that are fundamental to their academic
success. Secondly, it teaches students communication skills that can be used even beyond the
academic context; report writing, curriculum vitae writing (CV) and use of visual aids in
research report writing. Hence, the module equips students with the necessary communication
skills essential for their degree studies as well as post university experience. In this module
students are taught and encouraged to incorporate source materials (academic referencing) into
their writing, according to the standard academic conventions recommended in their
departments. Thus, the skills imparted in the CS 101 module are not only for academic purposes
although that is the primary focus but for life after University as well. In addition, the module
enables students to argue and clearly express written and oral assignments, to carry out
appropriate research and to be able to interpret research information. The module is divided
into five units comprising of:

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UNIT 1: ACADEMIC ESSAY WRITING

1.1 Overview
This section introduces you to the process of academic essay writing which is the most common
form of assessment at university. Though there are several types of written work at university
such as essays, reports, projects, assignments and dissertations, much of your work will be
assessed by essay; whether that’s an essay prepared in your spare time, over a period of days
or weeks, or one concocted in an examination hall in the space of an hour. McNamara et al.
(2010:58) point out that “writing well is a significant challenge for students and of critical
importance for success in a wide variety of situations and professions.” Therefore, this section
is meant to assist you learn how to prepare, organise and present essays, in order to do well.
Wingersky et al. (2009) say writing is a way to gain control over one’s ideas and get them down
on paper. They go on to say it is a process through which one discovers, organises and
communicates one’s thoughts to his/her reader.

1.2 Definition: Essay

 Sinfield and Burns (2004) say the term ‘essay’ was derived from the Latin word
‘exagium’ which means ‘a presentation of a case’.
 Following the definition by Sinfield and Burns (2004) a student is expected to
present a case/presenting an argument rather than making an assertion or
assumption when writing an essay.
 Payne and Whittaker (2006) define an essay as an argument /thesis for which
students adopt a particular stance and in support of which they present evidence.
The following is observed by Payne and Whittaker (2006:317)

…the objective when writing an essay is to convince your reader that your particular
standpoint is valid by presenting researched argument based on evidence from
authoritative sources.

 Presenting a case therefore requires academic evidence which the student gets from
various academic sources (and demonstrates through in-text referencing).
 When called to write an essay one selects what is permissible based on the demands of
the topic.

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  Sinfield and Burns (2004:141) conclude by saying that ‘essay writing is designed to be
heuristic – you are supposed to learn through all the processes involved in the
generation of a written assignment.”

1.3 Why write an essay?

The essays might ask you to; evaluate a quotation in light of what you have studied, analyse
and asses the significance of a particular policy or event, choose between two conflicting
assessments of an event or theory and to write about a particular theme on aspects covered in
a module.

1.4 Characteristics of an essay

Essays are:
 Made up of a group of paragraphs discussing a single idea
 Academic paragraphs have a -topic sentence, supporting/ developing sentences and a
concluding sentence rounding off the paragraph or connecting with the upcoming
paragraph
 Have a definite beginning, middle and end

1.5 The Essay Writing Process/Steps in Essay Writing

Although there are some basic steps to writing an assignment, essay writing is not a linear
process. It is recursive (Warne 2008). You might work through the different stages a number
of times in the course of writing an essay. For example, you may go back to the reading and
note taking stage if you find another useful text, or perhaps to reread to locate specific
information. In simple terms we can say during the writing process the writer goes back in
order to go forward.

The steps to be followed are not cast in stone, they depend on the scholar one got interested in
and appreciated but for this module we will focus on the following steps:

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 i) Pre-writing
Topic analysis
 Identifying key words and finding their contextual meanings as context
influences how we define a situation. Also find the meanings of instructional
words in a question, e.g. Analyse, discuss, criticize, evaluate etc. in order to
understand the demands or requirements of the topic
 The following activities also fall under prewriting.
 Brainstorming
 Researching
Task 1
1. What does brainstorming entail?
2. With a friend, brainstorm on any assignment topic from your department.
3. How helpful was that exercise?
4. Research on the importance of the researching stage explaining how the SQ3R reading
method can be useful at this stage

Write your own notes on the following steps in essay writing

a. Organising ideas
b. Drafting
c. Editing and proof reading
d. Submission
e. Essay Structure
f. Essay topic

According to Dvorack (2007) the Topic is the initial TEXT that establishes or seeks to establish
semantic boundaries of disciplinary content signalled by context. Thus for one to be able to
write a research paper or essay, one needs to have a topic to work on (working topic) first.

 It is a key to what one chooses/ selects from the researched ideas, facts etc,
that is, it gives one guidance on what sort of information can fully discuss the
topic at hand.
 The topic allows the writer to gather ideas, i.e evidence from various sources.

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 ii) The Introduction

 First paragraph of an essay telling the professional reader how the writer is going to
tackle the topic and how the essay is structured.
 The introduction tells the reader communicatively whether or not the subsequent essay
will answer the topic at hand.
 Short and precise summarizing what is to come in the body
 The last sentence of this paragraph should contain a transitional hook to link with the
first paragraph of the main body.
NB: Examiners will be looking for a clear, coherent and consistent analysis, supported by
evidence (Cuba, 1998).

iii) The body

The Body is the longest part of the essay it has arguments and counter arguments presented in
paragraphs with supporting sources. Each idea should be discussed in one separate paragraph.
The paragraph is made of a topic sentence, supporting sentences and a concluding sentence.

Task: 2

Study the following paragraph carefully and rewrite it correctly following academic writing
conventions discussed in this unit.

while organisation maybe key to success at university, it is not the only factor that affects
that success. numerous other things in life can contribute. all students, regardless of their
differences will experience a transition when first starting university. the university of
queensland student services in 2010 on page 15 stated that, successful students are those
that can recognize, accept and adapt to the transition. however, this adaptability is not the
only additional attribute of a successful student. In a study comprising of 264 students
academics from varied degrees and departments conducted by ditcher and tetely in 1999,
three key factors were found that attributed to students’ academic success: self-
motivation, fair and appropriate assessment and well-structured presentations by
lecturers.

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Task 3

a. Elucidate what is referred to as the body of an essay?

b. Identify and explain the characteristics of a good essay.
c. Using the paragraph in Task 2 above, explain the characteristics of the body of an
essay as alluded to by Task 2 above.
d. From the last sentence of the paragraph in Task 2 above, there are three factors to
academic success. Pick one factor and write a paragraph following the academic
writing convention.
*NB. Make sure your paragraph has a topic sentence, developers or supporting ideas and a
concluding sentence or clincher.

iv) The Conclusion

 Paragraph rounding off the essay.
 Summarises the thesis developed in the introduction and body of the essay in which
the writer reiterates main arguments and restates main points raised and discussed in
the body.

Task 4

Write a short conclusion to an essay with the question:

Discuss any five barriers to oral communication.
*Make sure your conclusion satisfies all the requirements of a good conclusion.

v) Referencing
Compilation of a list of sources that were referred to in-text on a fresh separate page following
rules and conventions for end-text referencing of the referencing system used in-text.

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UNIT 2 REPORT WRITING

2.1 Introduction
An essential skill for professionals in almost every field: accountants, teachers, graphic
designers, information scientists and students
Can you suggest different situations where you may be required to write a report?
(consider a university student, work-related learning, member of the community, a
professional)

2.2 Definition
A systematic, well organised formal document which defines and analyses a subject or
problem.
**NB** Reports vary in terms of their formality and may be presented in different formats as
determined by different situations stretching between the continuum from informal to very
formal. However, this discussion will focus on the Formal report.
Consider the following situations:
 A report to the lecturer on a late assignment
 A report to the Chairperson on late submission of results
 A report to the Dean on poor late submission of results
 A report to the VC on poor departmental performance
What differences do you expect in terms of the following?
 Length
 Formality
 Structure
Numbering
headings and subheadings?
The report is variously defined as:
 an account of an event, situation or episode (Aro-Gordon 2001)
 a document written for a clear purpose and to a particular audience (University of
Leicester 2019).

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  ‘a business report is an orderly and objective communication of factual information
that serves a business purpose.’ Lasikar and Flatley (2003:273)
• a report is a document providing an account of what someone witnessed, examined or
work carried out – an investigation together with conclusions (Little (1997)
Distinguishing characteristics
• Elaborate structure
• Accuracy
• conciseness
• clarity
• formality
(Explain formality and give example of formal/informal language)
2.3 Differences between a Report and an Essay
Points to note
• at times some blurring exists between what “essays”, “reports” and “assignments”
• Much of what is advised for writing an essay, also applies to reports.
• A common problem occurs when students transfer wholesome what they have learned
about essay writing to report writing.
Task
Draw a table to show 5 differences between the report and the essay:

2.4 Types of Reports

There are many types of reports. Different authors use different terms to categorise reports.
Three types to be discussed are:
 the general report,
 the progress report and
 the scientific study report.
All the three reports have certain characteristics in common.
Task
Identify any 2 types of published reports (one short report and one long) and analyse
their structure/outline.

2.5 Structure of the Report:

The report has a definite structure which is made up of the following clearly divided sections:

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 1. Preliminary pages consisting of
 Title page (Compulsory)
To include title, author, designation and contact detail and person(s) for whom the report is
intended for.

 Table of contents (Compulsory for long reports)

To list report sections, pictures and diagrams as well as page numbers.
 Executive Summary (Compulsory)
To summarise all sections of the report (the problem, the methods, results, conclusions and
recommendations). It is intended for the decision maker who commissioned the report.
The abstract sums all this up in one paragraph while the executive summary is longer and
may dedicate a paragraph for each section.
 Acknowledgements (Optional)
A few sentences to writer acknowledge the assistance
The main body has the following sections and subsections.
i. Introduction
 Provides the background/circumstances
 Situates the report
 May be subdivided as background, aims and objectives etc. but be brief
ii. Methods
 To list the methods used to collect the data and the justification
 Methods include interviews, (one on one, structured, semi-structured)
questionnaires, sites visit, desk top research etc.
iii. Facts/Findings/ Results/ Data
 This is the longest part of the report
 The findings and the discussion may be combined.
 Dot points and brief paragraphs are acceptable.
 Tables and figures are used as a way of showing information quickly and
easily.
 Report writer is encouraged to show the facts as opposed to telling them.
iv. Discussion
An analysis of the data to show the emerging patterns from which meaning is
extracted.

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 v. Conclusions
Drawn from the findings presented in the earlier subsection. It is the report
writer’s interpretation of the findings. Dot notes acceptable for this section.
vi. Recommendations
vii. These are suggested solutions to the problem. Can be presented in point/dot form.
The intention of the report writer is to tell the reader what to do to solve the
problem or to avoid a similar problem in the future.
viii. References
Record of citations made in the report
ix. Appendices
Accompanying documents like questionnaires maps etc.

Tasks
1. What is a general Report?
2. What is a progress Report?
3. Outline sections that make up a report
4. Explain the purposes served by each of these sections
5. Write a typical report to illustrate

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UNIT 3 ACADEMIC REFERENCING

3.1 Introduction

Academic referencing defines aspects of academic writing. Different forms of write-ups are
produced in university learning, the common being essays/assignments, reports, thesis/theses
and research papers. In most cases these rely on published or unpublished documents.
Following good academic practice, students and any producers of such write-ups are expected
to appropriately acknowledge any ideas, borrowed from unpublished and published sources.
This entails that when creating authentic pieces of academic write-ups, we are expected to;

 Undertake research on what is already known i.e. published or written.

 Analyse the research in the context of the work to be produced.
 Compare and/or contrast existing knowledge against our own
findings/thoughts/opinions.
 Synthesise and create write-ups in which information is appropriately presented for the
expected audience.
 Acknowledge all contributing sources appropriately.

When writing essays/assignments, it is a norm to use other people’s words, work, thoughts,
ideas etc. to agree or demonstrate divergent thinking. In doing so, it is vital that we indicate
whose words and work/ideas or line of thinking we are using/not using or have used. Any
reader benefits from seeing just how the other person’s work contributes to ours.

Definition of academic referencing

Academic referencing is ‘a system used by academics to acknowledge ideas/sources used in

coming up with an essay, assignment or thesis’ (Saidi 2018:6). In summary, academic
referencing is;
 A system of acknowledging sources of information used in academic writing
 When one indicates that information he/she has used comes from specific sources
critically read.

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  Part of a sound academic practice and a skill that has to be mastered by all university
students and academics without excuse. One must provide references whenever one
quotes/ paraphrases someone else’s ideas.
 Generally thought of as citations, i.e. the practice of referring to the works of other
authors in the text of your own assignment.
 Every citation in the body of an essay/text needs a reference at the end that gives the
full details of the source and should enable it to enable the reader to verify claims made.

Why reference?
There are a number of reasons why academics reference and some of these are to;
 Show evidence of research and demonstrate academic maturity.
 Support arguments by referring to already published works on the subject.
 Clarify ideas that are crucial to the argument.
 Establish your own position in the context of other writers.
 Strengthen an argument.
 Critique the views of others on an issue.
 Avoid plagiarism.
 Enable readers to be able to locate the original sources used
 Justify controversial issues raised in the write-up.

Key terms in referencing

i. Plagiarism
This is failure to acknowledge sources of information used in an
essay/assignment.
It is academic theft since published materials are protected by copyright
laws.
ii. Ellipsis/Ellipses
Use of three dots /…/ to indicate that the writer has deliberately left out
certain information when directly quoting/citing.
iii. Indention
The leaving out of justified space on the margin(s) usually done to show a
long (more than three lines) direct quotation/citation.
iv. In-text referencing

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 This is referencing done inside the text or within the body of the
assignment. It can either be a paraphrase(s) or direct quotation(s).
v. Direct quotations
Direct quotations can be short (less than three lines or 40 words) and
indicated by open commas / ‘’/ single or double / “”/. They can also be long
(more than 3 lines or above 40 words).
vi. End-text referencing
This is referencing/citation done at the end of the write-up. It can either be
named References/Reference List or Bibliography.
vi Source referencing
Common sources (found in the library or online) used in preparing an
essay/assignment are: Books, Journal Articles, Newspaper (stories)
Articles, Reports, Dissertations, Internet Sources, Electronic media etc
vii End-text referencing
This is referencing/citation done at the end of the write-up. It can either be
named References/Reference List or Bibliography.

TASK 1:
a. From the lists above, which information about a source is used in academic
referencing?
b. Where within a source would you find the information listed in (a) above?

Task 2:
i. Establish the difference between the five sources above. Which two types of
sources would you want to use more often and why?

Referencing Models
Models are specific styles a specific discipline or department or lecturers recommend
students should use when writing an essay/assignment. There is no model which is superior
to another choice is merely a matter of convention. There are two groups of referencing
models into which respective referencing types fall in;

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 i. Author-date or name-date
ii. Notational or numeric
The following are examples of some of the prominent referencing types usually
recommended
a. Harvard
b. American Psychological Association (APA)
c. American Medical Association (AMA)
d. American Political Science Association (APSA)
e. American Sociological Association
f. Chicago
g. IEEES
h. Modern Languages Association (MLA)
i. Oxford Standard Citation of Legal Authorities (OSCOLA)
j. Vancouver
You will be expected to master a referencing system, without excuse, recommended in your
area of study.

3.6 References/ Bibliography

This is listing of all sources used in the essay in alphabetical order or numerically depending
with the model.

i) The following are examples of End text referencing and appearances for name/ date system:

Ashworth, G and Graham, B. 2005. Sense of place: Sense of time, New York: Ashgate.
Bosso, H. K. 1996. “Wisdom sits in Place: Notes on a Western Apache Landscape”, in
Feld, S. (editor) Sense of Environment. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Koass, F. 2019. “The Dilemna of Students”, www.students.dilemna/hot/cheeky//htm

(date accessed 23 septenber 2020).

Moyo, F. 2020. “The Classic University Overseas” The Citizen, 5th October, page 3.

Chihera, H. 2018. “The Stupidity of Women” Gender and Feminism Journal, Volume
5; Issue 2, pp 305-310.

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ii) The following are examples of End text referencing and appearances for numerical system:

1. Curran GM, Bauer M, Mittman B, Pyne JM, Stetler C. Effectiveness-implementation

hybrid designs: Combining elements of clinical effectiveness and implementation
research to enhance public health impact. Medical Care. 2012;50:217–226.

2. Denzen NK. The research act: A theoretical introduction to sociological methods. 2nd
McGraw Hill; New York: 1978.

3. Duan N, Bhaumik DK, Palinkas LA, Hoagwood K. Purposeful sampling and optimal
design. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services
Research. this issue.

4. Glaser BG. Theoretical sensitivity. Sociology Press; Mill Valley, CA: 1978.

5. Morgan DL. Focus groups as qualitative research. Sage; Newbury Park, CA: 1997.

Task 3:
i. Compare and contrast a name-date referencing model and a numeric one.
ii. Which of the above referencing models is recommended in your area of study?
State whether it is a name-date or numeric and why?

How to reference using model(s) recommended in your area of study?

To reference you need to practice doing so noting the various formulations for in text and
end text referencing using various sources chosen. Please note, as you practice, your
abilities are not to answer questions asked for this module but your abilities should be
reflected each time you write an assignment in your area of study. Never submit an
assignment to your lecturer without citations both in the in text and in the end text. Be
truthful all the time and cite sources which you have READ not seen cited by your homie
or bestie.

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Referencing & Technology

We now live in a technological world as such there are various software which one can use
to speed up referencing issues. One such is Mendeley. For you to successfully use such
software basic knowledge of how referencing works as discussed and practised above is
vital. Further, anti-plagiarism software such as Turnitin have also been developed to check
whether assignments or dissertations submitted for marking are original.

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UNIT 4 ORAL COMMUNICATION
4.1 Introduction
The word communication was derived from the Latin word ‘communis’ which means common.
Communication ‘…comes from the Latin word ‘communicare’ which means to make common
or to share” (Pearson et al 2008:10). When we communicate we are trying to establish
commonness with one another through the relaying of messages from one person also called
the source to another referred to as the receiver. Messages are relayed through a medium.
Task
Define oral communication using examples own examples.

Models of communication are conceptual models used to explain the oral communicative
process. The three most popular models of oral communication are the linear model, the
interactive model and the transactional model.
Task
Read up on each model and identify the stages in each model showing how each is different
from the others.

4.2 Non-Verbal Communication

Non-Verbal Communication is the use of wordless messages to convey meaning. Defleur
(1992:69) defines it as “the deliberate or unintentional use of objects, actions, sound, time and
space so as to arouse meanings in others”. Farrant (1982) calls it body language. It is any
message sent or received independent of the written or spoken word. It includes such factors
as use of time, space and distance between persons when conversing, use of colour, dress,
walking behaviour, posture, sitting position, seating arrangements, office location and
furnishings.
4.3 Non-verbal cues and their functions in oral communication
Non-verbal cues play an essential role in Oral communication/presentations. Non-verbal
communication can reiterate the spoken word, contradict the message, accent or emphasize,
substitute and complement the spoken word. Good speakers use these Non- verbal elements to
their advantage in interpersonal conversations and public or mass communication.
Task

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*Identify the nonverbal cues associated with the factors identified above indicating how each
can be used to provide
contradiction
- reinforcement
- regulation
- substitution
- emphasis
- accentuation
- agreement

Examples of Non-Verbal Cues and their functions

Facial Expressions
The face exhibits several expressions which can denote anger, fear, disgust, happiness,
boredom, irritation etc. Thus when communicating, one should know the right facial
expressions to make in order to accommodate and make their listener(s) feel welcome, relaxed
and persuade them to listen to them. During oral presentations, one’s expressions should show
happiness, confidence and interest in the listeners (the audience).
TASK
Following the example of facial expression given above, research on the following non-verbal
cues and their functions in communication environments:
- Gesture
- Posture/ stance
- Proxemics/ Space
- Chronemics/ Time
- Dress/ Appearance
- Paralanguage
- Haptics/ Touch

4.4 Oral Presentations

An oral presentation is a formal talk delivered to an audience on a particular topic. It can be in
response to a topic or question or just imparting of knowledge to an audience on issues affecting
society both negatively and positively. Oral presentations are also held in order to motivate the
audience on certain issues, inform, or persuade the audience etc. Speakers do not give
speeches to the audience they jointly create meaning with the audience (Sprague et al (2010).

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What to do before carrying out an Oral Presentation (Factors to consider)
1. Audience Analysis
When making a presentation it is important to analyse the audience in terms of their social,
political and economic backgrounds. This is called Audience Analysis. One needs to identify
the audience and adapt the speech to their interests, level of understanding, attitudes, beliefs,
needs, expectations and likely opinions. Audience analysis is also done in terms of the
following:
Audience analysis in terms of Demographics -The number (size) of the audience
Finding out just how many people one is going to present to will help in fine-turning one’s
voice projection so that one will be audible, thus make an effective presentation with the
audience receiving the message clearly.
TASK
Show how the following demographic elements must be considered as well when conducting
and audience analysis
- Age
- gender
Audience analysis in terms of attitude (Attitudinal)-The audience’s attitude towards the
presenter may be affected by:
- Level of Education (Intellect) of the audience
- Cultural Background of the audience
- Language
- Status of audience
- Political affiliation
- Religious affiliation
TASK
Show how the elements listed above determine how the presenter structures his/her message

Environmental Audience Analysis-This relates to the Environment under which the

Presentation is done. These are things like:
- The Venue for the Presentation
- Synchronisation of Equipment
TASK
Expand on the above elements, showing how they affect the preparation of the presentation

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Other elements to consider include, thorough research on the presentation topic, coming up
with a written presentation as well as rehearsal/ practice of the presentation
TASK
Explain the role of the speaker and the role of the audience during and after an oral presentation
Barriers to communication
A barrier is anything unwanted in the flow of a message from the speaker (presenter) to the
listener (s) (Audience) and back to the speaker (afterwards) as feedback. The barriers are also
referred to as distractions.
Distractions have been divided into two by Eales and Whitehead (1997). That is internal
Distractions (IDs) and External Distractions (EDs). The IDs that can hinder the listening
process include tiredness of the listener/ audience, sickness, hunger, anxiety, stress, day-
dreaming etc. EDs are those factors that may not be in the immediate control of the
listener/Audience such as the weather patterns, physical noise, lack of privacy, cultural
differences, language difference etc.
TASK
Identify other barriers to communication, providing solutions in each case

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UNIT 5: BUSINESS WRITING

5.1 THE CURRICULUM VITAE (CV)

Curriculum Vitae is Latin, literally meaning ‘the course of one’s life’ (CV – Factual record
of a candidate’s qualifications and experience).
-A curriculum vitae (CV) sets out one’s personal details, education, qualifications and working
experience.
-This is a document used by a person who applies for a job, containing his personal information
to be included are aspects like
-The CV should be displayed attractively so that all the information can be seen at a glance. It
should not extend to more than 2 pages.
-The CV must be edited for correctness and style since it is used by the outside world to
evaluate the writer

There are five aspects which must be considered when editing:

 Spelling
 Punctuation
 Grammatical correctness of sentences
 Lay-out
 Readability
**Do not use jargon or slang for clarity of message

-CVs have a specific format and lay-out

-Organize all the information logically under headings and use columns where appropriate.

Cover Page
The CV should be neatly bound. The front page should contain only your name and surname
with the heading Curriculum Vitae.

Section A: Personal Details

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  This section should contain personal information, e.g. date of birth, identity number,
sex, marital status, religion nationality, passport number, driver’s license, languages
spoken

Section B: Contact Details

 This section should contain two addresses physical address and contact address and e-
mail addresses.

Section C: Educational Details

This section should contain Educational information, e.g. his highest qualification at school,
college and other certificates
Degree University/Institute Year
What needs to be kept in mind is that the educational qualifications should be presented in
the reverse order starting with the most recently obtained qualifications. Also include high
school attainments.

Section D: Work Experience

This section should contain all experience related to the prospective work
Dates Employer Position/Duties
(Present job first, working backwards)
a) Date and year;
b) Name of the organization;
c) Job title
d) Responsibilities held;
e) Any significant contributions made to the growth of the company.
Those candidates who may not have any work experience can be innovative and use such
headings as Language Proficiencies, Computer Competency, Special Skills, Professional
Memberships, and various accomplishments that are most suitable and are able to create an
impact.
Section E: Skills Acquired
If you feel that some of the acquired skills can be suitably stated under various headings,
proceed confidently.

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 a) List jobs and activities or special posts that you have held;
b) Jot down skills that you have acquired in the process of completion of the task.
c) Group them into three to five groups;
d) Think of suitable headings for all and list all the skills under these headings;
e) Arrange headings in order of importance as they relate to your career goals

Section F: Hobbies
Interests and hobbies: all interests and hobbies should be listed, because they can help to reveal
your character
Hobbies/sports you enjoy/special achievements /results awaited Also add list of Extra
Curricular activities done at school.
Section G: Referees
 Always include the names of two referees. Referees are people who can be telephoned
by the personnel department’s clerk where you apply for a job. They are necessary for
certification and verification of your character – to assess your personal characteristics.
So include telephone their numbers
Task
List jobs and activities or special posts that you have held;
Jot down skills that you have acquired in the process of completion of the task.
Group them into three to five groups;
Think of suitable headings for all and list all the skills under these headings;
Arrange headings in order of importance as they relate to your career goals.

5. 2 APPLICATION LETTER
Basic requirements for formal business letters
 A business letter is written on a fresh page.
 The block form is the format most often used in our country and the rest of the world.
When you start with this form in a letter, it has to be followed throughout.
 Open punctuation is usually used with fully blocked layout.
 Always supply a heading.
 The mood in business letters is normally that of honesty, sincerity and well-
manneredness.

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  Correctness of spelling, punctuation, word choice and grammar is important.
 State the business concisely and logically.
 Use simple, everyday words which state exactly what you mean – don’t try to impress
your reader with woolly and difficult terms or jargon.
 Use paragraphs judiciously.
 Be diplomatic and tactful by using the passive which sounds less harsh than the active.
 Give complete information and be accurate, especially when dealing with financial
matters.
 Unless an advertisement specifies that you must apply in your own handwriting your
application should be typed. A well-displayed, easy to read letter will attract attention
at once and create a favourable first impression.

If a letter is confidential this should be indicated between the date and inside address.
Copies
When a copy of a letter is to be sent to another person (usually someone in the organization)
this may be indicated by either of the following methods: cc (cc stands for copy/ies circulated)
or copy.
Blind copies
If the sender of the letter does not wish the recipient to know that other people are receiving
copies, a blind copy may be sent. In this case the indication bcc is used on the copies only –
not on the original (bcc stands for blind copy/ies circulated).
Signing on someone else’s behalf
You may have to sign a letter on behalf of someone else. This can be done either by using the
pp (which stands for per procurationem or on behalf of) or for.
Layout of a Formal letter
It bears both addresses on the left margin of the paper, you do not indent. You leave one
clear line space between each section of the letter.
1. Your address, eg
Ketete Store
Bag 2010
Kitsiyatota
(Skip a line)

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 2. Write the date in full.
Date -12 November 2020
(skip a line)
3 Recipient’s title and address
The Manager
Quarantine Stores
Box 53
Harare

(skip a line)

4. Salutation and complimentary close: use the same level of formality as you would
in talking to someone on the phone
Dear Sir/Madam.
(If you are on the first name basis e.g. Dear Glen/Mrs Moyo. If you do not know the
reader well to use the first name).
5. Subject /Re (Regarding---) tells what the is about e.g.
Re: Application for a job (should be a short phrase of not more than 10 words)

6. The body of the letter

6.1 Contains the message of the letter.
6.2 Start with a single sentence or brief paragraph that identifies your purpose for writing. The
message should have a logical structure, be clear and brief
In response to the advertisement in the Herald of 2 March 2010 for the post of Till
Operator, I hereby submit my application.

6.3After you have delivered the message, write a closing statement that either wraps up or
indicates the response you expect from the reader e.g.
I hope my application will meet your favorable consideration
7. A complimentary close comes at the end e.g.
Yours faithfully
signature

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Farai Mageda (Your name and surname in full)

Points of guidance
 From your address up to the subject: there should be no full stop, no comma unless it
is part of one of the address
 Remember the purpose of your application is not to get the job but to get an interview;
 Ensure your application looks attractive and neatly presented; make it stand out from
the rest.
 Be brief; give all the relevant information in a few words.

TASK
In response to a job advert that appeared in the Herald newspaper of 20 September
2020, seeking for a mature and responsible adult to work as a receptionist at Sheraton
Hotel, write an application letter seeking to be considered for the job.

5.3 RESUME
A resume (French pronunciation – rezyme) is a document that contains a summary of relevant
job experience and education for specific employment search.
In many contexts the resume is short (usually one to two pages) and therefore contains only
experience directly relevant to a particular position.
A resume is a marketing tool in which the content should be adapted to suit each individual job
application and aimed at a particular industry. Every resume should be a one-of-a-kind
marketing communication.
Some of the characteristic features of a resume are as follows:
It is original and geared towards a specific goal.
It helps job applicant to sell his/her traits by providing pertinent and unique details that stand
out, assists in relating skills and achievements necessary for the job.
The various sections within a resume include:
1. Name and address
It is normally centred on the page immediately beneath the name. Do not provide
information concerning your age, marital status, sex or children.

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2. Career objective or career goal
The career objective or goal should be related directly to the job for which you are
applying. Make the statement highly focused and related to the goal of the organization.
Avoid usage of pronouns such as “I” and “my” in the objective. Details to be included
in career objective are: the tenure of the position one is seeking, the job title, and the
field of work.
Example:
To be a summer job research assistant with an academic institute, which requires skills
in conducting field study, researching and preparing project reports.

3. Educational and professional qualifications

The name of the institute, degree and graduation date, and the marks or percentage or
degree should be highlighted. The manner of formatting should be consistent.

4. Related course work, special projects, Academic awards (remember the reverse
chronological resume)
5. Work experience
This section should include:
f) Date and year;
g) Name of the organization;
h) Job title
i) Responsibilities held;
j) Any significant contributions made to the growth of the company.

6. Skills, Abilities
Acquired skills can be suitably stated under various headings.

7. Activities and awards

Select only those activities and awards that have a direct bearing on your career goals.

8. Referees
Unless the employer asks for them do not include this section.

Task:
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1. What are the characteristics of a resume?
2. Write a 2-page resume. It is NOT necessary to go into tremendous detail. Of course
your highlight will generally be your specialisation and target.
3. Outline the differences and similarities of a curriculum vitae and a resume

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SUGESTED READING LIST
***NB: The following is NOT A REFERENCE LIST but a mere list of suggested sources
which may be used in the study of THIS MODULE.

Alan, B. (2013) Improve your Communication Skills, London: Kogan.

Aro-Gordon, S. (2016) Academic Report Writing Bengalore: India PES University
Bailey, S. (2015). Academic writing: a handbook for international students, New York:
Routledge
Beebe, S.A. and Mottet, T.P. (2013) Business and Professional Communication: Principles
and Skills for Leadership. Boston: Pearson.
Bison, V. (2009) Business Communication. New Delhi: New Age International Publications
Bovee, C. and Thill, J. (2010) Business Communication Essentials, New Delhi: Prentice Hall.
Borsellino, R. (2019) The ultimate guide to writing a curriculum Vitae (example
included)https://www.themuse.com/advice/what-is-curriculum-vitae-example
Chivers, B. and Michael, S. (2009) A Student's Guide to Presentations: Making your
Presentation Count, SAGE Publications.
Doyle, A. (2019) How to Write an Effective Resume - The Balance
Careershttps://www.thebalancecareers.com/job-resumes-4161923(24/09/2020)
Kotzé, T. (2015) Referencing in academic documents: official referencing guidelines of the
department of business management, Department of Business Management University Of
Pretoria https://www.pdfdrive.com/referencing-in-academic-documents-e41751591.html
Langan, J. (2005) College Writing Skills. 6th edition, New York: McGraw Hill.
Pears, R. and Shields, G. (2012) Palgrave study skills cite them right: the essential referencing
guide 8th Edition. London: McMillan
Raman, M. and Sharma, S. (2009) Professional Communication. Oxford: Oxford University
Press
Rayudu, C.S. (2009) Communication, Global Media.
Riordan, D. (2013) Report Writing Today (10th ed) Cengage Advantage Books.
Roberts, H. (2013) Writing for Science and Engineering: Papers, Presentations and Reports.
Amsterdam: Elsevier.
Saidi, U. (2018). A pocket guide to academic referencing, Harare: Africa Institute for Culture,
Peace, Dialogue & Tolerance.

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Taylor, S. (2005) Communication for Business: A practical Approach (4th edition),
London/Pearson: Longman

Urmila, R. (2010) English Language Communication Skills, Mumbai: Himalaya.

Warne, B.M. (2008) Writing Steps: A recursive and individual experience, The English Journal
97(5): 23-27.
Williams, A. (2013). Research: Improve your reading and referencing skills, London: Colins
EAP

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