Communication Skills and

Academic Reporting
Part 3
Dr. Öğr. Üyesi İhsan İKİZER
[email protected]
• Communication is the ‘sharing’ of information between two or more
individuals or within the group to reach a common understanding.
• The word ‘communication’ comes from the Latin word commūnicāre,
meaning ‘to share’.
• Communication skills are needed to
• • Inform – for example, communicating the time of a meeting.
• • Influence – for example, negotiating with a shopkeeper to reduce
the price.
• • Express feelings – for example, to say or show that you are excited
about your success or about a given task.
• Perspectives in Communication
• Perspectives are ideas, views, or fixed ways of thinking.
• These sometimes affect our communication.
• For example, if you have a fixed idea that your teacher or father is
strict, even when they are being friendly, you may think they are
scolding you.
• In the same way, others may also have fixed ideas about you, which
affects whatever you say to them.
• Factors Affecting Perspectives in Communication
• Sometimes, we are not able to communicate clearly because of
barriers that stop us from sharing and understanding messages. Some
of these are
• Advantages of Verbal Communication
• It is easy and quick. You can say what you want and get a quick
response. It is an easier form of communication when you have to
exchange ideas. You keep changing your communication as per the
other person’s reply.

• Disadvantages of Verbal Communication

• Since verbal communication depends on words, sometimes the
meanings become confusing and difficult to understand if the right
words are not used.
• Paralanguage: the non-lexical component of communication by
speech, for example intonation, pitch and speed of speaking.

• Importance of Non-verbal Communication

• In our day-to-day communication, it is observed that most of the
communication is done using body movements (face or arms
movements, etc.) and voice control (voice, tone, pauses, etc.) and less
than 10% is done using words.
• NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION can complement, contradict, or
accentuate verbal communication.
• Verbal language conveys thoughts.
• Meanwhile, nonverbal language conveys emotions.
• Nonverbal communication uses gestures, facial expressions, posture,
body language, and other non-audible signals to send and receive
wordless messages.
• Nonverbal communication is the act of conveying meaningful
interpersonal messages through channels that are independent of
words.
• Studies have shown that most messages are transmitted by nonverbal
and paralanguage communication.
• Nonverbal communication behaviors are innate and learned.
• Therefore, people convey nonverbal communication behaviors
subconsciously and consciously. Also, nonverbal meanings vary based
on cultural context.
• HAND GESTURES
• Hand gestures should be smooth.
• They should not compete for attention with what the speaker is
saying. Letting hands hang to one’s side or rest on a table or podium
is good.
• Excessive hand movement can communicate nervousness, jitters, and
a sense of uneasiness.
• Wringing the hands or clenching fists are unacceptable gestures that
convey negative emotions.
• Pointing fingers directly at people, especially in a defensive mode
when rebuking an objection, is not advisable.
• Biting hands conveys nervousness.
• If a speaker places his or her hands in a “thinker” position, it tends to
convey the message that the speaker is thoughtful or is considering
options.
• BODY LANGUAGE
• Body language is nonverbal communication via posture, gestures, eye
movements, facial expressions, head and foot movements, and
personal space.
• Your body position or posture sends wordless messages that convey
emotions and moods.
• Proximity, orientation, posture, and hand gestures affect nonverbal
communication.
• Proximity is how close a person’s body is positioned to another
person.
• Orientation is the direction or angle of a person’s body in relation to
another person’s body.
• Posture is the “shape” (e.g., erect, slumped, crouched, bent, fluid) a
body takes at any given moment.
• Hand gestures are the activity of the hands while communicating.
• Some examples of expressive hand gesturing are wringing, shaking,
clapping, encouraging, halting, and pointing.
• “Hello” and “goodbye” are nonverbal greetings expressed by waving.
Exposed palms show openness to communicate, saying that nothing
is being concealed
• Use hand gestures to add emphasis to speech. Hand gestures can
be a way to add more force to what you're saying. These are
often known as "illustrative gestures." It can be used to convey
intensity, confidence, and even be used to garner attention to a
point you're trying to make
• Use open hands and palms up for a positive effect. Whether
you're speaking in front of a large group of people or one
individual, hands facing up usually invite positive responses
from people. Combined with an outstretching of your arms, it
can communicate effectiveness, acceptance, and
trustworthiness
• Keep hands behind your back to show confidence. Much
like hands up front can show defensiveness, hands behind the
back with an exposed torso shows confidence. This is
especially an effective hand gesture if you are walking side-by-
side with someone and communicating with them. This
demonstrates that you are open to making yourself vulnerable,
and not worried about protecting yourself with your hands. This
gesture is especially useful to gain someone's trust
• Eye Contact
• Eye contact and movement are other forms of nonverbal
communication.
• Eye contact is the amount of time a person looks, or does not look,
directly into another person’s eyes.
• Looking directly into a person’s eyes can send a message of sincerity;
winking can express jest; and rolling one’s eyes may show disrespect
or disbelief.
• Eye contact helps us understand the tone of the messages we
send and receive.
• It also helps us navigate the conversation. During conversation,
we keep track of the gaze signals we give off.
• At the same time, we're also decoding the gaze signals the
other person is sending us.

• There are several reasons eye contact could make someone

uncomfortable. However, avoiding direct gaze is a common
characteristic of social anxiety.
• Initiate eye contact in the beginning – Before the
conversation begins, make eye contact with the person instead
of looking down or at another object.

• Keep eye contact for 4-5 seconds – Once you’ve made eye
contact, maintain it for 4 to 5 seconds. Then, slowly glance
away for a moment, and then reestablish eye contact.
• When speaking to a large audience, it is best to avoid excessive
scanning, as if trying to look at each person individually.
• This conveys a message of nervousness. Instead, a sweeping
approach is preferred.
• If good eye contact with people in the front is maintained, people in
the back will feel as if the speaker is looking at the entire audience as
a single group of people.
• Of course, the presenter looks at people when they ask questions and
when the speaker answers questions.
• Adequate eye contact should be maintained. However, it is important
for the speaker not to stare. Typically, 4-5 seconds of concentrated
eye contact is considered the comfortable maximum
Gesture Interpretations
• In North America, making eye contact is a sign of trust. In Japan, eye
contact is brief, only long enough to acknowledge a person. Then the
appropriate eye level for the duration of the conversation is on the
person’s neck.
• • In the United States, a thumb pointed up indicates approval. The
opposite, a thumb down, shows disapproval. In Australia, Iran, and
some other Muslim countries, pointing the thumb is considered
vulgar.
• • The American “O.K.” sign, touching the tip of your thumb to the tip
of your index finger, signifies approval. In Japan, it is a gesture that
means money. In southern France, the “O.K.” sign indicates
something is worthless.

• • Shaking your head from side to side in America means “no,” but
nodding it up and down signals “yes.” In Bulgaria, from side to side
means “yes,” and up and down means “no.”
• Facial Expressions
• Facial expressions (e.g., smile, frown, wink, cry, and wrinkling of one’s
nose) are nonverbal messages conveyed by a person’s eyebrows,
forehead, mouth, eyes, and nose.

• Happiness, disappointment, sadness, and surprise are some easily

recognized facial expressions.
• There are many cultures, languages, and customs in the world.
Additionally, workplaces, schools, and families may have their own
cultural or religious practices, and people may experience varying
upbringings, experiences, and personalities.
• Despite these differences, some researchers, such as Paul Ekman,
suggest that there are several universal facial expressions that all
humans have in common across the globe. According to Ekman's
work in social psychology, there is strong evidence supporting the
universality of certain facial expressions, indicating a universal
language of emotion.
• Paralanguage is the nonverbal use of your voice to communicate
inflection, emphasis, and volume.
• Inflection is the change of pitch or tone that adds an emotional
dimension to a statement.
• Emphasis is stress placed on particular words to affect the meaning of
a sentence.
• Volume is how loudly or softly words are spoken.
• Pauses and sounds are elements of paralanguage.
• Pauses are moments of silence in a dialogue or presentation. Non-
lingual sounds give hints about the sender’s message.
• A sigh can convey exhaustion, fatigue, exasperation, frustration, or
relief. However, a sigh may convey impatience based on the context in
which it is uttered.
• PARALANGUAGE GUIDELINES
• In presentations and general conversations, paralanguage includes
voice inflection, emphasis, and volume.
• Inflection—The speaker needs to maintain a steady tone of voice,
avoid using sarcastic inflection, and avoid ending sentences with a
higher pitch as if turning a statement into a question.
• Emphasis—Prior to the presentation, the speaker should select which
concepts or facts from the message should be emphasized.
• Then the speaker should orally practice the message using proper
emphasis and tones.
• Volume—In a presentation, the speaker should speak slightly louder
than normal to ensure that the entire audience can hear. Speaking
too softly may convey uncertainty.

• PAUSES AND OTHER SOUNDS The speaker should pause occasionally,

using silence to signal a move from one topic or concept to another.
• Using a pause in conjunction with thoughtful hand gestures helps
convey the process of thinking.
• Avoid sighing, groaning, or any other sounds that may convey
negative emotions or a loss of control. Also avoid verbal filler pauses
as “aaaa” or “ummm.”
• Summary: Nonverbal communication conveys information without
the use of words.
• Body language is nonverbal communication via posture, gestures, eye
movements, facial expressions, head and foot movements, and
personal space.
• Paralanguage is the nonverbal use of your voice to communicate
inflection, emphasis, and volume.
• The nonverbal communication of effective presenters can help convey
an impression of leadership and confidence.
• Some nonverbal communication techniques to be mindful of during
presentations include proximity, orientation, and motion.
• The speaker’s posture sends wordless messages.
• Typically, the best speaking posture is to sit or stand tall with slightly
flexed knees, the rib cage pulled up, shoulders squared, and the head
held up.
• Hand gestures should be smooth.
• They should not compete for attention with what the speaker is
saying.
• The presenter needs to look into the eyes of the audience to enhance
communication, and the presenter’s genuine emotions are better
reflected through a relaxed face.
• Studies have shown that most messages are transmitted by nonverbal
and paralanguage communication.