Solution Manual For Communicating as Professionals, 4th Edition by Raymond Archee, Myra Gurney Cjapt

Solution Manual For Communicating as Professionals, 4th Edition Raymond Archee, Myra Gurney Chapter 1-13

Chapter 1 Communication theory and professional practice Learning objectives After reading this chapter, you should be able to:  define a range of meanings for communication and explain why they are relevant to professional practices  describe the core elements of communication models  explain the concept of communication as an action through the transmission approaches  explain the concept of communication as a transaction, and explain the notion of the social construction of reality  evaluate the differences between transmission and transaction approaches to understanding communication  consider the role of ethics in communication.

Discussion Questions and Solutions 1.

Which of the four definitions of communication seems to be the most useful and appropriate in relation to your work as a student?

All these definitions are useful depending upon the circumstances. No single definition encompasses all the situations where communication is involved. For example: 1. The transaction models could be useful when dealing with an upset customer or client.

2. The transmission models could be useful when sending an email.

Students could extend these suggestions by describing how the models could enhance or hinder communication.

2.

Which forms of communication are most important in your profession? Give some examples and situations in which communication competence is important for you as a professional.

Answers will vary greatly here. Students should be encouraged to discuss this topic with reference to their own professional experience.

Examples of forms of communication in this context may include:  Face-to-face communication  Non-verbal communication  Paper and electronic communication Copyright © 2024 Cengage Learning Australia Pty Limited

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Communication through devices Workplace communication (e.g. meetings, emails, etc.)

3.

Discuss one recent case involving professional life in which poor communication has had serious results.

Case Study – PayPal Background: The digital payment company needed to address an internal report that revealed not all their employees were using the PayPal app. The President, David Marcus, wrote a company-wide memo to all staff regarding the problem.

Approach: David Marcus took a heavy-handed approach to the matter. He told his staff to use the product or quit: ‘If you are one of the folks who refused to install the PayPal app or if you can’t remember your PayPal password, do yourself a favor, go find something that will connect with your heart and mind elsewhere.’

Outcome: The memo was leaked to the press. It generated widespread coverage across the media and left customers wondering what was wrong with an app that PayPal’s own staff wouldn’t use.’

Source: Sinclair, S. 2020. Internal Communication Case Studies: The Terrible and the Terrific. Talkfreely. July 7, 2020. Internal Communication Case Studies: The Terrible & The Terrific (talkfreely.com) Discussion could focus on Sinclair’s suggested solution: Sinclair (2020) suggested that ‘a better policy would have been to find out why his employees weren’t using the payment app, whether they felt competitor products had better features and ask for their suggestions. Internal communications’ bestpractice case studies demonstrate that opening a two-way channel for feedback will improve both internal and external communication.’

4.

What do you understand by whistleblowing among professionals? (You may need to do some research on this one.)

A whistleblower is someone who informs the public about dishonest, unethical or criminal activities of government departments, public/private companies, or institutions.

Two well-known whistleblower cases, Julian Assange and Erin Brockovich, resulted in vastly different outcomes for them and their cause. Erin Brockovich had a movie made about her whistleblowing and is now an internationally renowned lawyer, while Julian Assange languishes in prison.

For a quick overview of these cases, refer to:  Julian Assange – ‘Wikileaks and whistleblowers: Digital information leakage and its impact on society’. E. Lozano, A. Joyce, R. Schiemann, A. Ting, D. Yahyavi, Stanford University: https://cs.stanford.edu/people/ eroberts/cs201/projects/2010-11/WikiLeaks/background.html  Erin Brockovich – see Wikipedia.

5.

Examine and discuss the ethics involved in a recent case of whistleblowing in your profession.

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Answers will vary here. Students could discuss the two cases raised in the suggested solution to the previous question if they can’t find cases specific to their own profession.

6.

Communication theorist Marshall McLuhan said, ‘The medium is the message’ (1967, p. 15). He meant that the choice of medium can transform a message and its meaning. Discuss this idea.

Student answers may vary as this is discussed. Focus should be centred on the transmission model of communication. Students could review this question after reading p. 112 for additional interpretations of McLuhan’s work.

7.

We discussed that the choice of media is as important as the message itself.

If you were asked to give advice on plagiarism and how to avoid it to the 500 students in Stage 1 of your course, how would you communicate your message?

Potential responses may include providing a lecture on copyright and plagiarism with Web-based examples, and written materials as handouts. It may possibly ask a copyright expert to address the lecture. The software program, Turnitin which checks its own databases and the Internet for instances of student plagiarism, could be used as an example. Generative AI may also be part of the discussion.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each of these forms of media to communicate this message. a. word-of-mouth communication in small-group briefing sessions Also ‘oral communication’. Useful for the ability to answer specific questions and give specific answers to address group concerns. If students could bring examples of possible violations then even better. b. email announcements to all students Only useful as a reminder since not all emails are read or received in time. c. an article in the weekly student newspaper Might be useful but would need to be general. An advantage is that it creates one source of reference. A disadvantage is that it is only one-way communication that doesn’t enable immediate feedback. d. a speech to the whole group in a large lecture hall with accompanying PowerPoint slideshow Advantages include the ability for the speaker to read the non-verbal feedback of the audience and adjust delivery. A disadvantage is when speeches are read aloud from a written source. Natural speech flows better because oral language uses phrases and allows important points to be re-iterated for emphasis. Written language uses sentences and moves from sentence to sentence often resulting in information overload. e. a continuous video, set up in the student cafeteria Copyright © 2024 Cengage Learning Australia Pty Limited

As student cafes are places where students relax and socialise, the information effect would be minimal. This could even have an unintended affect – the repetition could be annoying, resulting in a negative perception of the message. f. an interactive, self-paced tutorial on the faculty’s website Possibly useful but the value of self-paced tutorials is debatable. Again, there is no provision for answering questions. The tutorial would need to be carefully written, and the results of online quizzes taken with a grain of salt. May be useful as a resource or point of reference for particular questions. Useful for early career instructors to learn the material. The advantage of a self-paced tutorial is its ability to create bite-sized chunks of ‘how-to’ guides.

8

We define feedback as the response to a message. Without it, we cannot be sure we have communicated effectively. But how do we get feedback? Form groups of two or three and discuss specific methods of seeking feedback in the two situations below. Compile the list on a whiteboard or paper and compare your list to those of other groups. a. Your lecturer keeps giving you poor marks for written assignments but few comments. You would like to improve your assessments.

Answers will vary but could include: checking the assignment guidelines to make sure you followed the question; checking the assessment’s marking criteria and formatting requirements; making an appointment to discuss your marks; emailing the lecturer for more feedback; asking other tutors for assistance; asking the Learning Centre for advice; checking friends’ assignments for their comments.

There are also a few (American) websites that supposedly coach you (for a fee) in writing your assignments. We have not checked the quality of any of these sites, so it is a case of buyer beware.

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b. Promotion is coming slowly to you in the organisation. Despite having finished a higher degree and having won two company awards for creative designs, you have remained in the same position for three years while watching contemporaries surge ahead of you.

Talking to your immediate superior for advice; obtaining feedback from trusted colleagues; perhaps visiting the human resources/people and culture team for feedback and advice on performance reviews and how to improve your status within the company. Employing a career coach is also a popular way to improve one’s career prospects.

9.

Test the claim that ‘Meanings are in people, not in words.’ Write brief definitions of the terms in the following list, then compare your definitions with those of other group members: – company loyalty – the climate crisis – sustainable development – globalisation – border protection – professional integrity – crisis management – spin doctoring.

Answers will vary considerably here. Differences in definitions of these terms may highlight:  individual differences in perception  workplace experience (positive or negative)  cultural background (e.g., some cultures have a more defined hierarchy of class, social and economic status)  level and type of education (e.g., school-leaver, post-graduate studying business)  influence of significant others or social media.

10. On separate sheets of paper, write one-sentence definitions of professionalism, loyalty, quality, productivity and transparency. Then, in small groups, exchange your definitions and discuss the varieties of meaning.

Note the differences of perspective and emphasis.

As per previous question, answers may vary. Differences in definitions of these terms may highlight:  individual differences in perception  workplace experience (positive or negative)  cultural background (e.g., some cultures have a more defined hierarchy of class, social and economic status)  level and type of education (e.g., school-leaver, post-graduate studying business)  influence of significant others or social media.

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11. Write a sentence containing a statement of fact, as you see it. For example, the following statement leans into a stereotype to attempt to state a fact: ‘Redheads are bad tempered.’ Exchange your statement for a partner’s sentence and see if you can agree on its meaning.

The discussion should include how stereotypes can affect communication. Some more examples might include:  Millennials are difficult to work with  Girls are better at communicating than boys  Men make stronger leaders  Older workers can’t learn new things It may be useful to extend the discussion to look at how these sentences might have become truisms and their impact on broader perceptions.

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Chapter 2 Language and communication practice Learning objectives After reading this chapter, you should be able to: • explain why language is not a neutral medium, and how meanings are in people not in words • define and provide examples of linguistic concepts, such as denotation, connotation, euphemism, and doublespeak • explain how language choices may shape and reflect social attitudes and behaviours • understand how words have the power to impact thoughts and actions in particular contexts.

Discussion Questions and Solutions 1. In each of the following sentences substitute another word or phrase for the italicised word: a. He means more to me than a meal ticket.

He represents more to me than a meal ticket. b. I mean to qualify for the Olympics in 2028.

I intend to qualify for the Olympics in 2028. c. What do you mean, ‘unqualified at present’?

What do you define as, ‘unqualified at present’? d. What actually is the meaning of this painting?

What actually is the interpretation of this painting? e. The formula H2SO4 means sulphuric acid.

The formula H2SO4 represents sulphuric acid. f. My lotto prize means I can tell the boss what to do with his job tomorrow.

My lotto prize allows me to tell the boss what to do with his job tomorrow. g. I mean, why can’t you go to the movie with me tonight?

I repeat/exclaim, why can’t you go to the movie with me tonight? h. Here comes Shari looking angry, and I mean angry.

Here comes Shari looking angry, and I emphasise angry.

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2. Read the following excerpt. What words or expressions in your profession or organisation have you noticed have become commonly used in recent years?

Which ones do colleagues or bosses resort to to disguise or soften negative events or news?

During a 2011 conference call, for example, TriQuint Semiconductor Inc. CEO Ralph Quinsey talked about ‘cloudier near-term visibility’ rather than simply discussing his company’s failure to plan ahead. The same year, Lennox International Chief Financial Officer Bob Hau used ‘headwinds’ to suggest the impact of markets is as fickle as the weather. And in 2005, Marty Singer, chief executive of Pctel, a provider of wireless security services, called his failure to execute on a plan merely a ‘hiccup’.

(Suslava, 2019).

Some common current workplace words and expressions students could discuss include:  COVID-19 related expressions such as: o Hybrid working – working flexibly between home and work o Working flexibly – after COVID-19, this meant a mix of working from home and going to a workplace o Workcation – working remotely while on holiday o Zoom fatigue – spending too much time in online meetings o Pivot – changing quickly because of a sudden change in a situation; for example, during COVID-19 it was used to refer to the fast way organisations had to change to working from home because of lockdowns.  Agile – responding quickly to change  Touching base – meeting with  Circling back – returning to the discussion later  Canberra Bubble –politicians, and those involved with politics, who focus only on politics and not interested in how ‘real’ Australian workplaces operate  Working flexibly – working in a way that suits a person’s lifestyle (e.g., compressed hours, working part time, working from home) Some common current workplace euphemisms students may encounter that are used to mislead or soften a situation include:  Rightsizing or downsizing – to disguise when a large number of employees are fired  Unallocated – similar to rightsizing/downsizing, but usually refers to the deletion of a position so the employee no longer has a job  Between engagements; considering options; or taking early retirement – to disguise when someone is out of work  Unacceptable or Inappropriate – to soften often quite horrible behaviour  Rest room – to soften the fact that it is just a toilet, not a place to rest  Wardrobe malfunction – to soften the embarrassment when someone’s clothes fail so that a part of their intimate body parts are exposed.

Some euphemisms used to describe a person with a disability, rather than used to soften a situation, are now seen as quite offensive:

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‘Special needs’– but we all have special needs, for example, we all need to get around, some people need steps, some people need ramps ‘Inspirational’ – there are people who do not have a disability that can be inspirational too.

3. Don Watson (2003, p. 118) wrote, ‘When the words are suspicious, go after them, insist they tell us what they mean.’

What do the following words or phrases mean? a. Friends of the Earth ‘Greenies’, an international organisation made up of dozens of other environmental organisations. b. virtue signalling Sharing a message about an issue to show your ‘virtue’ when often the opposite is the case. As defined in the text, virtue signalling is ‘the action or practice of publicly expressing opinions or sentiments intended to demonstrate one’s good character or the moral correctness of one’s position on a particular issue. As with ‘woke’, has been used as a slur.’ c. black-armband historians Someone who views the traditional Anglo-centric history of Australia to be disgraceful. d. surgical strike Only destroying the intended target. e. pro-choice Advocacy of abortion f. collateral damage Killing innocent people; a very disturbing term as the human element is missing from the phrase: implies humans are equal to buildings in terms of the impact of bombing or military actions. g. clean coal Reducing carbon emissions, the use of positive words like ‘intelligent’ and ‘clean’ gives a positive spin to the concepts: e.g., how can coal ever be ‘clean’? h. chattering classes Derogatory term for informed, concerned middle class i. woke Being ‘awake’ to social issues, sometimes for personal social currency. As defined in the text, woke is to be ‘aware of and actively attentive to important facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice). Has also been co-opted as a slur.’

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j. war on terror A phrase coined by George W. Bush to justify the 2003 US invasion of Iraq under the guise of locating weapons of mass destruction. k. smart bomb Precisely guided missile; the words imply a level of intelligence or precision which may not be the case. l. pro-life Anti-abortion advocacy. m. intelligent design The unproven theory that the universe and life are the result of a being’s (i.e.

God’s) intelligent design. n. greenwashing When a government or organisation falsely market their product or practice as having an environmental or ethical benefit.

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5. For the following words, classify each as either a technical term, jargon or slang.

Explain your choices. a. swiping slang b. emoji jargon c. encryption technical d. doomscrolling slang – it’s an informal description of the way people scroll through their device to look at negative news stories e. hacker technical f. megabytes jargon g. docudrama jargon h. gig economy slang – it’s an informal way of describing the use of contractors 6. Try translating these sentences and phrases into plain English: 

‘In this new period of strategic growth we are maximizing synergies and pushing the envelope’ (Watson, 2003, p. 37).

We are developing strategies and encouraging company growth by using existing resources and thinking creatively. 

‘Given the within year and budget time flexibility accorded to the science agencies in the determination of resource allocation from within their global budget, a multi-parameter approach to maintaining the agencies’ budgets in real terms is not appropriate’ (Watson, 2003, p. 47).

We are not going to fund your project. 

‘I would like to progress discussion with indigenous people to set in process the parameters of reconciliation’ (Watson, 2003, p. 56).

I want to meet with indigenous people so that we can begin the process of reconciliation.

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‘Knowledge management caters to the critical issues of organizational adoption, survival and competence in face of increasingly discontinuous environmental changes … Essentially it embodies organizational processes that seek synergistic combination of data and information processing capacity of information technologies and the creative and innovative capacity of human beings’ (Watson, 2003, p. 128).

Knowledge management is essential to organisations. It combines the benefits of technology and human capacity to manage and process data.

7. The following extract cites a study that argues that remote workers in the US are put off by colleagues who overuse jargon. Is this your experience?

Are you guilty of just checking in on a team player, circling back and touching base, or demanding 110 per cent ASAP? These are the workplace jargon phrases that make employees cringe, especially in the – ahem – ‘new normal’ of hybrid work.

A survey commissioned by Slack and carried out by OnePoll quizzed more than 2000 remote and hybrid workers in the US on how they feel about jargon in the workplace – virtual or otherwise. About two-thirds of respondents, 65 per cent, said they find it off-putting when colleagues use jargon, and more than 50 per cent said they have at least one colleague they don’t like working with because of their communication habits.

The vast majority, however – a massive 89 per cent – admitted to using jargon themselves. Of those, 43 per cent said they use that language in order to maintain ‘office norms’. The same amount said they used it in order to sound more intelligent or professional. Some 55 per cent said they have caught themselves using the very same phrases they’re sick of, and 78 per cent have stopped themselves mid-sentence to avoid doing just that. A massive 83 per cent admitted to going back and editing messages they have already sent, in order to delete jargon and buzzwords.

The jargon terms that caused the most offence include classics like ‘circle back’, ‘touch base’ and ‘keep me in the loop’. Perhaps a newer entrant is the pandemic special buzzword of the ‘new normal’. Shudder. (Palmer-Derrian, 2022) Students will experience many examples during their studies that may impact on their learning experience. Educational institutions are renowned for their use of jargon. Some examples students may encounter include:  RPL (recognition of prior learning) – the recognition of learning and experience acquired before this course of study  Credit transfer – the credits that can be added to the qualification obtained from previous study  Graduate attributes or employability skills – the skills learned in the course that relate to those needed in the workplace  Learning outcomes – the outcomes that a student will acquire as a result of studying the unit or subject Copyright © 2024 Cengage Learning Australia Pty Limited

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Mode of delivery – the different ways a unit or subject can be delivered (e.g., face-to-face, online) Cohort – the group of students studying the unit or subject.

8. A report from the UK at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic urged journalists to stop using military metaphors such as battling, fighting and struggling when reporting illness. Some tweeters argued: Message received from emergency doc friend ‘Will the media and others please stop using terms like battling and struggling. It is unfair on sick patients who have no say in the matter. And it’s ok to be scared.’ (Parkinson, 2020).

Another tweeted: Please, please stop using this language about fighting through. It really upsets those of us who’ve known cancer. It implies that those who lost didn’t fight hard enough. (Parkinson, 2020) What do you think? Why are these common metaphors used for dealing with illness and do they mispresent the nature of the experience of serious illness?

Military metaphors have been used to describe all sorts of social problems for a long, long time. Some recent examples include: cultural revolution, war on terror, war on crime, war on drugs. The media and fund-raising bodies love these metaphors for their ability to draw attention. Interestingly, we use military metaphors for describing illnesses but have a tendency to avoid them when describing war. We call these ‘operations’.

However, using war metaphors may impact a patient’s experience of an illness, and even their course of treatment. Misrepresentation could be explored by examining other ways a patient and doctor could describe an illness such as cancer, and how this may change the way it is treated. For example, some patients have described their cancer as something external to them, as weeds in a garden, unwelcome lodgers, or as experiences such as running a marathon, riding a carousel, going on a journey.

9. Do a Google search on the use of the terms ‘political correctness’ and ‘woke’ and the debates about them over the past year. Summarise, with examples, how the terms were used and in what context. Do you agree with the idea of using these terms as a way of drawing language users’ attention to the way that language operates?

Political correctness and wokeism arose during the 14 October 2023 Referendum on The Voice campaigns. Many No voters, mostly from the right, made the ‘antiwoke’ argument that a Yes vote would embed race within the Constitution, suggesting Yes voters were therefore racist. This was a powerful way No campaigners were able to impact voter behaviour.

Some other issues students could discuss regarding political correctness could include:  the expression ‘anti-vaxxer’ amid COVID-19  the naming and changing the date of Australia Day Copyright © 2024 Cengage Learning Australia Pty Limited

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the shift away of many organisations and schools from using Christian images during Christmas  the expression: ‘conscious uncoupling’ instead of ‘divorce’  renaming of products such as: ‘Coon Cheese’ to ‘Cheer’; and ‘Redskins’ to ‘Red Ripper’ Another example that demonstrates how language has shifted with social awareness over the last 200 years in Australia has been whether Australia was ‘discovered’, ‘settled’, or ‘invaded’. ‘Discovered’ was generally the accepted term for a long time. ‘Discovered’ was replaced by ‘settled’. But this term disguises the slaughter of thousands of Indigenous Australian people. Many people consider the term should be ‘invaded’ to highlight the atrocities the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people encountered when white people decided to take Australia as their own. This shift in language demonstrates how a social awareness of our history has changed our language, and therefore our debates, as we listen more to Indigenous Australian experiences. In this example, the change in language has drawn attention to this period in Australia’s history.

10. While some people might deride language changes as ‘PC gone mad’, the following extract uses examples of how adopted language changes have altered social perspectives on disability.

In the second half of the 20th century, we came to accept that in certain cases we should avoid deliberately hurtful language. While many deride political correctness for going too far, its initial aim to establish non-hateful language was, and still is, admirable.

In the early 20th century, ‘moron’ was a medical term for someone with a mental age of between eight and 12. ‘Mongol’ was a person with Down syndrome, and also was indirectly a slur on people from Mongolia, some of whose features were supposed to resemble those with Down syndrome.

‘Retarded’ described someone mentally, socially or physically less advanced than their chronological age.

Words like ‘deaf’, ‘blind’, ‘dumb’ and ‘lame’ are not only descriptions of physical ability and disability, but are commonly used in negative ways. For instance, ‘deaf as a post’, ‘blind Freddie’. We have now moved away from such language. Especially unacceptable are nouns like ‘retard’ or adjectives like ‘demented’. In their place we have the principle of people first. The person and the disability are separated. (Sussex, 2017) Can you think of other examples where terms for disability or illness that were once widely used have been replaced by different terms? How might this have altered perceptions of the people or affliction in society?

Some examples could include:  RSI (repetitive strain injury) – started to appear in the 1980s. People with RSI were considered to be malingerers. The injury often occurred from typing for prolonged periods on a computer keyboard. These typists were often women. RSI is now known as: Work Related Upper Extremity Disorder (WRUED), that affects the arm as well as hands.

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PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), coined in the 1970s during the Vietnam War, was previously known in World War I as: shell shock or war neurosis. Soldiers with the condition were thought of as cowards and many were punished. We now consider the term PTSD as inadequate because it doesn’t include guilt, shame, and anger. The term now used by the DSM (the classification of disorders) is: Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorders The Spastic Society of NSW – was a not-for-profit organisation created to assist people with cerebral palsy, and their families. In 2011 it changed its name to Cerebral Palsy Alliance because of the negative connotations of the word ‘spastic’.

Chapter 3 Non-verbal communication Learning objectives After reading this chapter, you should be able to: • define non-verbal communication • explain how verbal and non-verbal communication are related • list the three key characteristics of non-verbal communication • describe the main functions of non-verbal communication • outline the main categories of non-verbal communication • identify examples of non-verbal cues in interpersonal communication • explain the impact of good and poor non-verbal communication in professional settings • analyse your own non-verbal behaviours in professionally critical settings, such as job interviews and workplace encounters • explain why it is important to be aware of the intercultural dimensions of nonverbal behaviour

Discussion Questions and Solutions 1 How do ‘body language’ and ‘non-verbal communication’ differ? Why do we need to understand the distinction?

Body language is one of the elements that make up non-verbal communication. It is important for students to understand the distinction so they can analyse body language as it complements or disagrees with other non-verbal communication messages. We can use an element of non-verbal communication without using body language. For example, when speaking on the phone, when texting, when late or early for a job interview.

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2 Why do we need to consider both verbal and non-verbal cues or behaviours when communicating with other people and when interpreting what others say or do?

Verbal and non-verbal behaviours can complement each other, reinforcing our message, or they can conflict with each other. When they conflict, we tend to trust a person’s non-verbal behaviour over their verbal message. This is because our non-verbal messages are often delivered below our level of awareness.

3 What are the most important characteristics of non-verbal communication that professionals need to remember?

Some of the important characteristics professionals need to remember could include:  to consider the context of the communication and its influence on nonverbal behaviour – for example: a person may see a customer needing their attention while serving you, so may start to show non-verbally their disengagement from their conversation with you  to consider non-verbal behaviours together and not in isolation – for example: a person sitting may non-verbally look like they are uninterested in the conversation, when in fact their leg might have fallen asleep  to consider how a person’s cultural background may misinterpret your gesture – for example: pointing at someone with the index finger in some cultures is considered rude.

4 Name at least three of the categories of non-verbal communication. Which of these are the most important?

1. Kinesics or body language – is probably considered the most important category of non-verbal communication 2. Facial expressions and eye contact – since COVID-19 are probably also considered important, especially during online communication 3. Proxemics – is another important category, but is very much influenced by culture and location (e.g., city people tend to cope with a smaller personal body space compared to people who live in more remote locations) 5 Which types of non-verbal cues that we have outlined do you most rely on in your own interpersonal communication? Can you explain why?

Answers will vary depending on each student’s response.

In tutorials, students may rely on the way a tutor may non-verbally communicate their openness to students’ ideas and opinions.

6 In a job interview or negotiation, which are the most valuable non-verbal cues to maximise the likelihood of success?

These could include:  being on time, or slightly early (chronemics)  using appropriate facial expression, especially smiling and eye contact  being animated by using gestures to reinforce message and show confidence Copyright © 2024 Cengage Learning Australia Pty Limited

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facing the speaker and leaning forward to show interest and engagement (body language) having a professional appearance speaking clearly, confidently (paralanguage) matching body language to verbal message (congruence)

7 Explain your own best strategies for using your own non-verbal behaviours in two different professional situations.

Answers will vary depending on students’ responses. Some situations that could be discussed include:  participating in a team – strategies for using non-verbal behaviour could include: facing the speaker, showing active listening by taking notes, nodding head, making eye contact with speaker, using followers (e.g., ‘hmm’, ‘I see’)  responding to a customer or client face-to-face – strategies for using nonverbal behaviour could include: using appropriate gestures, using open body language, making eye contact, smiling when appropriate, listening actively 8 Mention three ways in which you might use non-verbal communication in a speech to the class to reinforce a point you are making.

Answers may include: repetition, vocalic emphasis, using a gesture, changing the tone of voice.

9 Closely watch fellow classmates giving their oral presentations. What kinds of non-verbal behaviours show how nervous they are?

Answers may include: running out of breath, stuttering, too many umms and ahhs, shaking, speaking too fast, shifting from one foot to the other, placing their hands in their pockets or locked in front of them.

10 Give two additional non-verbal cues or signals that might contradict a statement you have just made to your lecturer when you are not satisfied with an answer he or she has given to a question you have raised.

Cues might include smiling, nodding, mouthing uh-huh.

11 Indicate how you might signal to a friend non-verbally that their joke is in bad taste and is offending your other companions.

Answers may include: responding with silence, grimacing, not laughing, shaking your head, raising your eyes.

12 Conduct a classroom discussion about some myths of non-verbal communication you have encountered. For example, are crossed arms always a sign of defensiveness? Can you always tell when people are lying?

Crossed arms may indicate a number of things including a habit, being cold, or being defensive. It is impossible to tell when someone is lying from just one

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instance of non-verbal behaviour. However, a cluster of behaviours that indicate lying is probably correct.

13 Make a study of the eye-contact and eye-avoidance behaviour of people you encounter in public places. Be careful to conduct your observations discreetly so as not to offend or upset others. Some settings you might consider are: classrooms, lifts, escalators, footpaths, traffic jams, street crossings, parks, trains, buses and cinema foyers.

People tend to not make eye contact if they are forced to be in an enclosed space and cannot get away. Thus eye contact in lifts, trains and buses may be perceived as threatening, whereas this may not be the case on the street, footpath, crossing, in parks or foyers.

14 Observe some people in conversation (e.g. in a café) and make a list of bodily cues that convey confidence and cues that convey nervousness. This exercise can be conducted in class in small groups of three, where roles of speakers and observer are rotated.

Observers may then compare their lists and the small groups can report their findings to the larger class.

In the real world, many moderately nervous people simply talk a lot, but the very nervous do not talk at all. Fidgeting, playing with hair, watch, or jewellery is usually a sign. So is drinking to excess, and eating quickly.

15 Test Hall’s (1969) theory of social distance for yourself. Spend time among a group of friends or colleagues in a workplace, at a college or sports gathering, or in a crowd at a shopping centre. Observe (discreetly) the social distances that apply. Write about your observations, especially about any breaking of the rules you note. Have these changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic?

There are a variety of possible observations here. Students usually notice how strangers will move away from others to make themselves feel more comfortable or that friends may have different levels of zone distance depending on the occasion (e.g. a noisy pub versus a business meeting) and the extent or depth of their relationships (e.g. good friends feel more comfortable closer to each other).

They may also notice that people who have had a few drinks seem less inhibited by the norms of social distance. Anyone who is driven by strong emotions will also not be too worried about social distance, e.g. angry people may stand very close to an antagonistic other.

16 Enter an occupied lift and turn and face the people in it and smile. How do they react?

No-one talks or acts normally because of the limits placed on personal space.

People will usually stare directly ahead or maybe closely examine the display telling them what floor they are on. This behaviour may be repeated in a crowded train or bus, but we have noticed people who simply ignore these norms and converse normally.

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17 Go to a crowded area like a cafeteria at lunchtime. Place a notebook or jacket on a table then sit at another table nearby. Observe and record people’s reactions.

Most people will avoid the seat with the jacket or notebook as being already taken.

18 Keep a ‘touch diary’ for one day of this next week and write up your findings for the group. Consider the touching behaviour of your friends with each other: men and men, men and women, women and women, family members, people of higher and lower status, strangers. Try to decide what feelings are conveyed by what kinds of touching and to what extent touching reinforces, contradicts, regulates or substitutes for verbal communication.

In Australia, many people would say touching is different for men and women.

Some people believe generally that women are allowed to touch other women, and they can initiate touch with men, but men can only touch other men, in certain acceptable ways (hands, arms, shoulders). Do you agree with this? Touching the face is out of bounds for men and women. Higher status people can touch lower status ones, but not vice versa. Family members are allowed to touch each other much more than friends or acquaintances, since the bonds of kinship are stronger than the rules of non-verbal communication. All these rules however change from culture to culture. Touching is usually a substitute for verbal approval, it also reinforces praise and liking for the other. If someone goes to the trouble to touch you, this usually means they like you.

19 If you work in nursing or other healthcare professions, how important is touch to the outcomes of the patient? What are some of the ‘rules’ around this?

Touch can communicate empathy, reassurance, reduce stress, and can open up communication. These can enhance trust between patient and health professional, reduce blood pressure, and speed recovery.

Some of the ‘rules’ could pertain to:  touching and prevention of viral transmission, especially in the age of COVID-19  touching around some areas of the body, especially the sexual organs  touching between males, females, and gender diverse people  touching females of particular cultural backgrounds.

20 Try presenting the following speech to your group. Take it in turns, adopting different tones: the first speaker could adopt a tone that is enthusiastic and committed; the second, sceptical and ironic; the third, outraged; and the fourth might treat the whole thing as a complete joke.

‘The boss told us today that the firm is to start a new flexitime program next week.

The new system will control arrival and finishing times more closely and make sure people are supervised at all times during the day. In return it will give us a guaranteed two days a month off duty, which we would take when it suited the firm.’

The use of paralanguage is an art form that is learned by actors, good speakers and teachers. Being able to control the tone of voice is technically difficult and takes a Copyright © 2024 Cengage Learning Australia Pty Limited

great deal of practice. Typically, young people will only have one way of expressing themselves, since their skills with public speaking will have been limited. The key is being confident in speaking in front of others and this takes practice.

21 Imagine you have been asked to write a short manual of ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ for the use of non-verbal communication in any one of the following situations (write about 300 words): a a nurse or doctor interviewing a patient in an emergency room to talk about their health symptoms Show empathy about their situation, use active listening and appropriate paralanguage. b a senior manager conducting an interview to select a new member of staff Do be friendly so smile, nod, agree; don’t be unapproachable by being cool or standoffish. c a salesperson making a sales presentation to a small number of potential clients gathered in the company’s reception room Do be enthusiastic, confident, knowledgeable. Use large gestures, assertive paralanguage; don’t be timid or show fear so no hesitant words, no apologies. d a staff member going to an interview with a senior person in the organisation to ask for a promotion or transfer Do be assertive so talk confidently, seriously and professionally; don’t be timid or apologetic, no hesitancy e a teacher, interviewing a student in relation to their poor grades to discover where they need help.

Show a willingness to see it from the student’s perspective so a resolution can be made by using appropriate body language and active listening.

22 Use your knowledge of non-Western cultures to draw attention to differences in non-verbal communication between one or more of these cultures and a Western culture. Consider especially eye behaviour, touching, gesture and posture, and social distance.

The most different culture seems to be Japanese culture. Japanese people do not share many of our non-verbal customs. Eye behaviour, touching and gesture are intricately related to status in workplace relations. A lower status person cannot initiate eye gaze, handshakes or make any unusual gestures in the Japanese company. The boss is always the boss, unlike Australian managers who often eat, drink and socialise with their staff. The posture of a lower status person is always respectful usually with the head bowed, with managers given more social distance than equal status members.

23 Watch a recording on YouTube or the internet of a television interview or speech and write an analysis of the non-verbal cues used by one or more of the Copyright © 2024 Cengage Learning Australia Pty Limited

participants. Consider their gestures and posture, eye-contact patterns, touching and territorial behaviour, and paralanguage. Make use of Exhibit 3.15.

Answers will vary.

Discussion points could include whether:  the interviewer and interviewee used verbal and non-verbal behaviours that contradicted each other  when reinforcing behaviours were used, and why they were used  what words were substituted for non-verbal behaviours, and whether this was effective  how turn taking was used, and what behaviours were used to show this.

Chapter 4 Intercultural communication Learning objectives After reading this chapter, you should be able to: • define intercultural communication • describe the importance of intercultural communication • understand the effects of worldview, socialisation, language and non-verbal communication on culture and communication • explain the contributions of Edward T. Hall and Geert Hofstede to cultural theory • predict the effects of culture upon choice of mediated forms of communication • describe what is meant by communication competence and explain why this is largely a Western concept.

Discussion Questions and Solutions 1 On the internet, look up a well-known brand such as Coca-Cola or McDonald’s, or a product such as jeans or sneakers. Search for these products both locally and internationally on US, Australian and Japanese sites. For example, look up Nike shoes in Tokyo, Hawaii and Perth. a How are the websites presented differently?

Multinational sites usually look different. Instructors could show a range of different national sites from companies such as Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Nike, etc. and maybe list the differences on the board between those created for Asian versus European cultures. Students from different cultural backgrounds in the class could then be asked what their own preferences are and how they might account for these. b What colours are predominantly used in different countries?

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Colours chosen are also usually different from country to country. English-speaking countries prefer white backgrounds and dark colours for text and headings. Asian countries prefer pastel backgrounds and avoid white, black, and red in text since they have symbolic content. European, including Scandinavian, countries often prefer clean, uncluttered sites using a variety of colours.

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c Why do different nationalities create different-looking websites for the same product?

Different nationalities will have different things that attract them to a site and/or product. Asian consumers apparently like gadgets and pastel colours; Australians like functional products and primary colours. The colour white symbolises death in Asian cultures, but white is predominantly used as a background in Western websites. Photographs are universally used, but the content of the photograph will change from country to country. Values of kinship will result in pictures of families, while individual achievement is often depicted in terms of active attractive people.

2 When you are on a trip in a foreign country, how much about that country’s culture should you know? Conversely, how much of a culture should a new immigrant know when he or she arrives in a country? What are the appropriate kinds of clothes to wear for a formal meeting in another country?

This depends on the host culture and their level of acceptance of Western cultures, as well as their ability to speak English. Some foreign countries may be suspicious of Westerners, and may not speak English. The customs of these cultures need to be learned to a large extent. Australians have historically had a low tolerance for other cultures’ customs in Australia, thus new immigrants have needed to acquaint themselves with Aussie conventions. Ask students if they think this is right, considering things such as the citizenship tests – how far should these go?

3 Are there any cultural practices that are reprehensible in your culture? Are there any Australian cultural practices that may be difficult for a foreigner to understand? How would you deal with this in terms of intercultural communication?

We believe there are some cultural practices which are inhumane, especially those that involve children and women. The African custom of clitoridectomy is probably the most extreme example, but there also exist beliefs, which are certainly racist.

Students should be encouraged to discuss examples from the media or from personal experience.

4 If someone comes to your home country to live, should they entirely give up their own culture? If not, how much should they retain? For example, should a new immigrant to Australia be required to learn English? Why, or why not? What are possible implications for implementing such a requirement for each of the following? a the immigrant b the Australian government c education providers.

Australia has had one of the most progressive multicultural policies in the world starting in 1972. However, in 2012, new immigrants to Australia were required to pass a cultural test, and have some degree of English proficiency as two of the entry criteria. The only way to enter Australia without knowing English is as an asylum seeker. Once here, new immigrants should be encouraged to learn English, but making it a requirement would create a climate of fear and anxiety, and result Copyright © 2024 Cengage Learning Australia Pty Limited

in an onerous system of frequent testing and deportation for failure. Education providers would benefit at the expense of slow learners whose English was not good enough. There are also many established immigrants who have been in Australia for decades who cannot speak English proficiently, as well as native Australians who are functionally illiterate. If passing an English test was a prerequisite for being an Australian citizen, thousands of Australians would fail.

5 Are there any universal cultural values that transcend particular cultures?

This is in fact an area of philosophy called Ethics. Jeremy Bentham argued that there were only two universal values: the search for pleasure, and the avoidance of pain. A psychologist, Shalom H. Schwarz in the 1990s carried out empirical research with 25,000 people in 44 countries and concluded that there are 10 universal human values, namely:  Power: authority; leadership; dominance  Achievement: success; capability; ambition; influence; intelligence; selfrespect  Hedonism: pleasure; enjoying life  Stimulation: daring activities; varied life; exciting life  Self-direction: creativity; freedom; independence; curiosity; choosing your own goals  Universalism: broadmindedness; wisdom; social justice; equality; a world at peace; a world of beauty; unity with nature; protecting the environment; inner harmony  Benevolence: helpfulness; honesty; forgiveness; loyalty; responsibility; friendship  Tradition: accepting one's portion in life; humility; devoutness; respect for tradition; moderation  Conformity: self-discipline; obedience  Security: cleanliness; family security; national security; stability of social order; reciprocation of favours; health; sense of belonging.

However, these values are not accepted by the entire research community.

6 Ask your class members if they know of words for ‘surfing’ or ‘barbecue’ in languages other than English. Ask them if they have more than one word for particularly important concepts in their own cultures. Share these with the whole class and identify similarities and differences across cultures. Discuss whether such differences might affect communication and professional practice.

This exercise is a useful starting point for class discussions. An alternative exercise is to ask students to write these concepts down, and share with a friend, then ask the friend to explain it. Another useful starting point is the book The Meaning of Tingo by Adam Jacot de Boinod. The blogspot for the book can be found at http://themeaningoftingo.blogspot.com.au/ and has many amusing examples, which can be used to stimulate discussion. For example, Indonesians have a word meaning ‘to take off all of your clothes in order to dance’. Ask students what does the existence of these words or concepts tell us about the culture which creates them?

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7 Use the Internet to study intercultural differences on the Usenet via Google’s ‘Groups’, on Facebook or a chat channel.

This is an enlightening exercise for some students. Culture is everywhere, and accessible via online interactive mediums. An excellent feature of Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox is the choice to translate Web pages, thus allowing all of us to access sites designed in other languages. The translations are usually imperfect, but we can usually comprehend the text.

8 Culture can also be applied to companies and organisations. Describe the culture of the organisation you work for or the institution you are studying with.

Use categories introduced in this chapter to structure your description. Explain which categories were most useful or valuable for your investigation.

Organisational culture is an area of study all by itself. It uses the concepts of intercultural communication and applies them to (mainly) Western organisations.

Hall’s and Hofstede’s theories are usually modified to include organisational activities, thus the minutiae of daily company activities are often analysed. The organisation’s values, norms, language, dress, systems, symbols and beliefs are studied as if company employees came from a different culture. Many researchers also believe that any one organisation has identifiable sub-cultures.

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9 What are some words in your own language that have meanings that only really apply to your culture? Are there any swear words that are not very translatable?

Answers will vary greatly here. In Dutch, people tend not to say ‘f*ck’, instead they say the word ‘verdomme’ or ‘godverdomme’. If you break it down god = god, verdom = damn and me = me. Also check out The Meaning of Tingo introduced in the answer to Discussion Question 6.

10. The word ‘like’ is overused by many people when they speak English, especially those under the age of 25. Why is it the case that Australians, Americans and British people, as well as those from the United Arab Emirates, are all using this ‘discourse filler’? What does the research say?

Research shows young women were the first to start using the word ‘like’ as a filler, which then spread to young men, and then older generations (Rodin, see below).

The sites below give many examples of various grammatical functions ‘like’ serves, as well as its ability to serve as a cognitive filler (to allow time to collect thoughts) and a language softener.

The original of the filler appears to have emanated from American movies, spreading to other countries (apart from those above) such as Canada, New Zealand, the Philippines, and even China.

Further research America The American Scholar: And I’m Like, Read This! – <ahref='https://theamericanscholar.org/author/jessica-love/'>Jessica Love</a> Australia Rodin, B. (n.d.). ‘Like’ has totally evolved to become, like, a legit word | Pursuit by The University of Melbourne (unimelb.edu.au) Why We Use the Filler Word ‘Like’ | Proofed's Writing Tips (getproofed.com.au) Britain Like – Grammar – Cambridge Dictionary UAE Frontiers | ‘We Use English But Not Like All the Time Like’ – Discourse Marker Like in UAE English (frontiersin.org) Why do young people say ‘like’ so often? (thenationalnews.com)

Chapter 5 Mediated communication Copyright © 2024 Cengage Learning Australia Pty Limited

Learning objectives After reading this chapter, you should be able to: • define mediated communication and how it has affected all of us • explain the different types of mediated communication, their differences and limitations • describe some of the major issues of mediated communication – privacy, copyright, plagiarism, censorship, e-learning, cyberbullying and online dating • explain some of the major theories about mediated communication – social presence, social identity, and hyperpersonal models.

Discussion Questions and Solutions 1 Do you think that we have an excessive dependence upon electronic forms of communication today? Interview someone who grew up without the internet and the Web. What do they think? How were their social lives different? How did they communicate with their friends, complete their university assignments and entertain themselves?

We have an almost total dependence on technology today. Is this a good or a bad thing? We depend on our favourite pieces of technology more and more to the point of losing our abilities to do things any other way. For example, we believe our memory for telephone numbers is affected by our reliance on our mobile phones for contacts or appointments. We know that when our networks crash, we feel isolated and alone, meaning our identities are bound up with our computers, our mobile phones and our social media accounts.

Most people born before 1985 can remember when there was no internet, no email, no Instagram. People from these generations talked more, and relied on the telephone more. Assignments were harder to read since they were handwritten.

The quality was similar, but there were fewer references cited. Entertainment came in the form of TV, video, radio, vinyl records, cassette players and then CDs. Baby boomers possibly spent more face-to-face time with their friends than later generations, but students may disagree with this, depending on their upbringing.

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2 What kinds of problems have you experienced with email?

There is a wide variety of possible answers including access problems, slow replies, spam emails, messages not being sent/received, and problems with attachments.

3 Do you prefer email or SMS for certain activities? Please explain.

Both email and SMS are used but usually for different reasons. SMS is typically short and suits a fast turnaround, email suits longer messages. However, smartphones have blurred the differences between SMS and email.

4 What challenges do you think people with disabilities might face when using the internet?

Some of the challenges students might discuss, could include:  completing logins or purchases within the set time  using a mouse or touch screen  being addled by flash images, usually advertisements  being overloaded from too much content or poorly designed web pages  participating in meetings because of poor audio quality (listening or speaking)  recognising images when captions are not available  using drop-down menus without an appropriate screen reader-assisted technology.

Students could also consider how challenges might be similar or different according to the type of disability a person may have, such as: physical, cognitive, neurological, sensory, learning, psychiatric, speech, and language-related disabilities.

Students could research web accessibility guidelines in Australia: WCAG 2.2 launched in 2023 see: Website Accessibility – Centre For Accessibility Australia.

5 Investigate blogs that talk about an interest of yours. Locate such blogs and describe the writers’ viewpoints and focus.

To locate a blog simply use Google, enter your area of interest and the word ‘blog’ in the search box. Blogs exist for a large range of different interests from knitting to music to graffiti.

6 What are some famous uses of X (formerly Twitter)?

There are many examples here. The mass demonstrations in the Arab world called the ‘Arab Spring’ that began in December 2010 saw the use of Twitter (and Facebook) as primary methods of communication and organisation. Japanese doctors in 2011 used Twitter to inform patients where to obtain life-saving treatment after the devastating earthquake and tsunami.

Australian political blogger Greg Jericho who uses the pseudonym ‘Grog’s Gamut’ (see http://grogsgamut.blogspot.com.au/), has written about the impact of Twitter on the unfolding events of Kevin Rudd’s dismissal in June 2010, arguing that the Twitter conversation between journalists created a momentum that made it impossible for the parties involved to avoid a leadership spill.

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Some more outlandish and creative uses of Twitter include Twitter-powered coffee machines, a tweet museum, a Twitter-powered laundry room, and plants that tweet when they need water.

More recently, Donald Trump’s account was suspended for breaching the platform’s guidelines. Then in 2022, Elon Musk acquired X (formerly Twitter). The changes he made to the business and platform itself, alongside his own opinions, have caused many users and advertisers to question their involvement with X. 7 Find the most boring video you can on YouTube. What makes it so boring? How could it be improved?

A Google search for the most boring video on YouTube returns 417,000 hits. One of the earliest comes from 2006 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogY44aX5pHU).

This shows a piece of cardboard being painted white and a large slug moving on the other side. Students should discuss the various videos they have viewed and discuss what constitutes a boring video and an interesting video.

8 Do you understand the implications of having a Facebook or Instagram account? Have you read the Facebook or Instagram terms and conditions in relation to content ownership? Who owns the content you produce and upload?

The Terms of Service of Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/legal/terms) have changed several times over the life of the company. According to the June 8, 2012 version, the user owns all the content, which they post on their pages. This does not include the advertisements.

9 Think about some of the material on your Facebook or Instagram site. Is there material such as photos or posts that might potentially embarrass you in the future? Are there opinions, photos or posts that you would prefer a potential future employer not to read? Is it ethical for an employer to check an interviewee’s social media sites?

To reiterate: ‘What goes on the internet, stays on the Internet.’ Do not post anything on Facebook you would not like your grandmother to view. If you can use a Facebook account, then so can your employer. The information you place on a public access medium is fair game for anyone to read.

10 Have you ever used Zoom or Skype or WhatsApp for videoconferencing? If not, get the software and attempt to contact someone you know. Describe the experience after five minutes has elapsed. Are you bored? Which software do you prefer and why?

The problem with videoconferencing is that many people are embarrassed at being seen on a monitor similarly to being photographed. A video chat is wonderful for people who have a previous relationship with each other, but the interaction can quickly become boring due to the predictability of the talking-head view.

11 Recall or research an incident related to a major issue described in this chapter that has occurred to you (or someone else). Is this an ongoing issue, or

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has it been resolved? You might choose issues such as copyright (e.g., as it applies to downloading music), censorship or privacy.

Answers will vary greatly here. The instructor should try to obtain student anecdotes by relating a personal incident. One example may be the self-disclosure of a face-to-face meeting with someone originally met online.

12 Is the migration of newspapers and books from paper-based to an online form merely a more convenient way of accessing the same material? Do we read differently online to the way we read hard copy text? Do you have an e-reader such as an Amazon Kindle or iPad to read newspapers or books? If so, what do you notice about the difference in the reading experience compared to hard copy texts?

We believe it is more convenient, but rather different from hard copy. Some of the differences might include a preference for the tangibility of paper or problems of screen resolution on reading.

Reading online material is generally regarded as more difficult. The size of the text, glary screens, and the habit of using the entire width of the monitor make online reading a definite chore. However, people who have grown up using screens to read usually have few complaints. The class could discuss their own preferences.

Ask how many of the students’ parents or grandparents have discovered the benefits of an iPad, a Kindle or similar e-reader.

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13 Locate a news or magazine article that is presented both online and in hard copy. How are they presented differently? Are they merely different versions of the same thing? Consider the following: a How is the layout different and does this affect how you read the story?

The layout of Web-based materials is limited by the horizontal width of the screen.

Publishers must elect a standard width for their online copy, and it usually does not exceed three columns. b Are there any other differences, such as the prominence of the story, images used, or articles and advertisements that accompany the story?

Both hard copies and online versions of news articles rely on headlines and images to attract their readers. Both have their major stories more prominent.

Hard copy publications note the date on the front page. Online publications often include the time, as well as the date.

A hard copy article is static. Any update will need to be written for the next copy or edition. An online article, though, can be updated and posted again in real time, as many times as necessary. When an online article is labelled as ‘Updated’ it often tells the reader how long ago the update occurred.

Some online articles can have live image footage, while hard copy articles can only rely on photos of images.

It is possible to read a hard copy article without having an advertisement to distract you. Less so with online articles, which often use large advertisements in prominent positions, such as banners, which minimise with scrolling, or as side pop-ups or Flask images. Online subscriptions may minimise or remove advertising, whereas we’re stuck with advertising in hard copies. c Is there a difference in the substance (level of detail) or the writing (language used) between the two? Give examples.

There used to be a large difference between the online story and the hard copy version. The online story used to be dumbed down – shorter, easier to digest and containing more photographs. These days the differences seem to be minimal. The content is now often the same, but with more graphics and photographs available online. Flash-based advertising copy is often found on news websites, and some readers find this intrusion annoying.

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d Do you have different approaches to reading the text? Are you more likely to just scan the online text?

Many young people tend to scan all the materials they read. The habit of continually clicking on links is commonplace with all users no matter their age. e What is your preferred method of accessing your daily news and why? How does this compare with others in your group?

Student responses will vary. They should be encouraged to discuss the pros and cons of different news delivery mediums.

14 How can you protect yourself from identity theft in the event that an organisation storing your information is hacked? Are there any ways to protect your personal information from theft?

The eSafety Commissioner lists a number of measures people should adopt to protect themselves – Identity theft | eSafety Commissioner. Students could also discuss if they have lost money, or if they know anyone who has lost money from identity theft.

They could research the government’s money-smart sites – Identity theft – Moneysmart.gov.au, and Protect yourself from scams – Moneysmart.gov.au Students could develop a checklist of the protections identified in these sites, then identify which ones they use and which ones they should use to protect themselves.

Students could also discuss the policies or procedures they have encountered in their workplace or educational institution. Would the policies and procedures protect them from being hacked or having their identity stolen? Discussion could also include whether they were a victim or were able to identify a potential issue before any damage was done. Was support available or offered?

Chapter 6 Visual communication Learning objectives After reading this chapter, you should be able to:  explain the early origins of visual communication and the development of visual communication in Western culture  explain why visuals are important in professional writing  describe the range of visuals and when to use them  recognise how visuals can be used to persuade, lie and misinform  understand the basic principles of good layout, design and use of colour.

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Discussion Questions and Solutions 1 Why is it important to distinguish a Western perspective as opposed to an East Asian perspective on visuals?

After reading the Introduction to chapter 6, students should be able to note:  people with Western cultural backgrounds would view visual graphics more analytically, focusing on individual elements, and drawing a more ‘black and white’ interpretation  people with East Asian cultural backgrounds would view visual graphics more analytically, looking for relationships among objects, drawing a ‘greyer’ or ‘bigger picture’ interpretation Recognising different cultural perspectives can reduce any potential misinterpretation of meaning when creating visuals.

2 What are some of the oldest visuals and graphics in your culture? How old are they and what do they look like?

Images of early cultural visuals and graphics could consider similarities and differences in how they were used to:  decorate the body for ceremonies and rituals  depict the environment and spirituality  help with day-to-day chores Alternatively, students could discuss Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander visuals and graphics (dating from around 65,000 years ago according to archaeologists).

These visuals and graphics included:  rock art, bark paintings, and wood carvings depicting the animals and fish they hunted, images of people hunting the animals using stone tools, plant fibres, and earth pigments  weaving of plant fibres to create baskets and containers  body art for ceremonies and Dreamtime storytelling using pigments and ochres, and woven fibres for head-dresses Some places to research this form of visual and graphic art include: ‘Australia’s oldest known Aboriginal rock paintings’, D. Finch et al., University of Melbourne (see https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/australia-s-oldestknown-aboriginal-rock-paintings).

National Museum of Australia website (nma.gov.au) and search for ‘First rock art’ ‘Aboriginal Australian Bark Paintings’, Museum of Natural and Cultural History, University of Oregon https://natural-history.uoregon.edu/collectionsgalleries/aboriginal-australian-bark-paintings ‘Aboriginal Art of Australia: Understanding Its History’, Art Ark. https://artark.com.au/pages/aboriginal-art-of-australia-understanding-itshistory

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3 What are the origins of tables and graphs in Western cultures?

See pages 146–147 in the textbook for information on this question.

For added interest, students could discuss this question in relation to their knowledge of:  astronomy – the early use of tables, graphs, and maps to track the night sky.  sociology or medicine – how the spread of cholera was understood by tracking cases using dots on a map.  ancient history – the origins of symbols as early forms of writing (e.g., hieroglyphics, pictograms)  the Industrial Revolution – the printing press and lithography.  art history – early art movements such as Art Nouveau, the Bauhaus, and Art Deco for their visual influences on tables and graphs. (see’ The History of data visualization: Origins and the future’, Yellow Fin: https://www.yellowfinbi.com/blog/the-history-of-data-visualization)

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4 What is the APA format style for tables and graphs?

The elements for tables and figures/graphs in APA format are indicated within the APA website. See: https://apastyle.apa.org/ and search for ‘Table setup’ and ‘Figure setup’.

Another helpful site is Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab (OWL): https://owl.purdue.edu/ – search for ‘APA Tables and Figures’.

5 Find a recent graph and see if you can find hidden mistakes in the data.

Mistakes could include:  omitting the heading  using the wrong graph for the data (e.g., using line graphs for discrete variables)  using a graph when it’s not necessary (e.g., using a pie chart to show just a yes and no response)  omitting the x and y axes labels  using misleading scale intervals  omitting the x or y axes scales  truncating the scale or distorting the aspect ratios, thereby skewing the data  omitting a key  including too much information on the one graph  using 3D graphics poorly  using unclear colour contrasts and reducing accessibility for anyone visually impaired, or when printed  not including the sample size (e.g., a small sample size may be biased, or may bring about a faulty conclusion)  using spurious correlations to draw a conclusion.

6 Can you explain Florence Nightingale’s coxcomb pie charts?

Responses explaining Florence Nightingale’s coxcomb pie charts could include:  they are a more complex version of a pie chart, where the size (radius) of the wedge is significant  they comprise several polar area pie charts, where the size (radius) of the wedge and its length from the centre of the circle have significance  each wedge includes three variables (diseases, other causes, and wounds)  they need to be read by starting with the graphic on the right (April 1854 to March 1855) then read the graphic on the left (April 1855 to March 1856)  they need to be read from right to left, starting at 9 o’clock  they are good for showing patterns and the ‘bigger picture’ rather than specific numbers  it could be said they made a visual impact on their audience (as argued by Dragga & Voss, 2001).

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7 List six different kinds of visuals found in professional and scientific writing.

Responses could include:  tables – spot tables, reference tables  graphs – line, scatter, bubble  charts – pie or doughnut, bar/column (cones, pyramids and cylinders), flow, stock, organisational, candle, area or surface, high/low  photographs  diagrams and sketches  maps and drawings  students may also come across infographics, and 3D images – not noted in the textbook.

8 List three different reasons for employing visuals in your writing.

Responses could include:  to add interest and engagement  to aid understanding  to show a trend  to make a prediction  to simplify complex data  to highlight something significant, insignificant, or anomalous  to evoke a reaction or arouse a response.

9 What is the APA 7 guideline for using colour in graphs?

Refer to http://apastyle.apa.org and search for ‘Accessible use of color in figures’.

10 What are tables good at showing? What are graphs good at showing?

As noted in the textbook, page 147 – ‘… tables show exact figures, graphs show trends, often over time, or allow comparisons between a range of discrete measurements.’

Responses should identify that tables are good at:  showing large quantities of data that would be too complicated or too detailed to show clearly in words  showing generalisations and comparisons among data. Examples students may be familiar with would be mobile phone comparison tables.

Responses should identify that graphs are good at:  showing forecasts  showing predictions  advertising that is visually appealing (regardless of accuracy).

11 OpenOffice from the Apache company still supplies a version of OpenOffice for Mac computers. Download a free copy and see what its spreadsheet can do that MS Excel cannot do.

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The purpose of this question is to help students develop confidence downloading safe apps. They should recognise that the functionality of most freeware may not be as good as Excel or Word but can be better for some tasks.

To answer the question – OpenOffice’s simpler interface is easier to learn than Excel’s but fewer graphs are available.

12 When would you use a photograph in a business report?

Responses could include:  to show a change of an event using before and after photos (e.g., iceberg shrinkage due to climate change)  to explain an object using markers to point out specific features  to capture a moment in time  to add to a word description  to support as evidence  to make a memorable point 13 Custom graphs are fairly difficult to produce without special software. Do some research to see if there are any free demos that can produce unusual graphs for a one-off special visual.

Students might find word clouds interesting. These show qualitative data in an interesting way. Words or phrases are sized according to the number of times the word (or phrase) is repeated in a response. The more times a word or phrase is repeated, the larger the word will appear in the ‘cloud’.

A free version is available from https://WordClouds.com.

Here is a list of some free custom graph programs:  ‘Graph maker’ from Canva: https://www.canva.com/graphs/  ‘Free Chart Maker’ from Adobe: https://www.adobe.com/express/create/chart  ‘Custom graphs’ from IBM Documentation: https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/security-qradar/security-qradarsoar/saas?topic=analysis-custom-graphs 14 What would Dragga and Voss (2001) say about Exhibit 6.18, Minard’s famous graph of the 1812 retreat that shows the devastating human loss? Check their article in the References.

This YouTube clip may be useful to help answer this question, and to unpack the elements in Minard’s famous graph, as well as provide other quite interesting information on graphs and Minard.

Kosara, Robert. March 15, 2021. Minard’s Famous ‘Napoleon’s March’ Chart – What It Shows, What It Doesn’t. 12 mins. eagereyes – Robert Kasara: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlb1uM_SOcE After reading Dragga and Voss’ (2001) responses to Minard’s 1812 graph in the textbook, students might conclude that:  the graphic attempts to show ‘accuracy and honesty’ rather than ‘misinterpretation and deception’ Copyright © 2024 Cengage Learning Australia Pty Limited

 the graphic might have some ‘shock value’ by summarising the enormity of lives lost through the widths of the tan lines of troops moving towards Moscow (left to right) and the black lines (right to left) of troops retreating  the graphic implies why so many people died using the variables of distance the troops marched (map), the sub-zero temperatures (bottom of map), and the duration of the campaign  the graphic does not ‘homogenise’ the seriousness of the statistics (in a very limited way) through visually showing a ‘humanistic ethical’ or ‘human side’ to the statistics.

15 There are lots of alleged comparison photographs from conspiracy theorists that claim climate change is untrue. Find some and explain why they are false claims.

Responses could include :  climate deniers may have used or altered a photo using AI to promote their message, without acknowledging how the photo was created  the photo’s message may change when shared over social media  photos may not include important information – e.g., photos of sea levels may not note the natural variation in sea levels across the globe  photos may falsely claim to be taken at a particular time or location  photos may state they are supported by ‘legitimate’ authorities.

Further research could analyse these notably false claims:  comparison photos showing same sea levels may not have included information on time of day or season or include tidal variations (e.g., the photos taken of Palm Beach 99 years apart: ‘Fact Check – Comparing two photographs of Palm Beach, Sydney, does not prove that global sea level rise is a myth’, Reuters Fact Check, 29 January 2022. (https://www.reuters. com/article/factcheck-sealevel-sydney-idUSL1N2U827A)  photos can falsely claim to be taken from a location when they are actually taken from another location (e.g. the photo of rubbish claimed to have been taken after a climate change protest rally in Sydney’s Hyde Park in September 2019 but had actually been taken in London’s Hyde Park in April 2019): ‘Hyde Park climate protest aftermath post is misleading’, AAP Factcheck, 25 October 2019: (https://www.aap.com.au/factcheck/hydepark-climate-protest-aftermath-post-is-misleading/) 16 What is the latest health advice about COVID-19? Are graphs and tables still being used to persuade us to get vaccinated or be careful?

Students should look at government websites.

For example – the Australian Government’s Department of Health and Aged Care and the NSW Government provide advice about vaccinations, using photos and embedded links to access information and advice.

Our governments use information provided by the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO currently does not use photos either, but links to the number of cases, admissions to hospital and intensive care, and the current variants.

None of this information is displayed in graphs or tables.

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Chapter 7 Professional communication and ethics Learning objectives After reading this chapter, you should be able to: • define ethics, and describe the origins of Western ethics • explain why research ethics are important and how they are managed in Australia • describe the scope and limitations of professional codes of conduct, and describe ethical issues in the media • explain the principle of moral injury • list six guidelines for making an ethical decision.

Discussion Questions and Solutions 1 Plagiarising oneself or using the same material for more than one essay, report, article or assignment is a problem in academia: a What are some ‘ethical’ recommendations about recycling essays, papers, paragraphs, sentences and ideas that come from previous works?

Some ethical recommendations in academia could include:  do not deceive your reader or academic staff by recycling assessments, conference papers, or articles posted on the internet without following assessment and referencing requirements  recognise that self-plagiarism could be considered academic fraud and be open to a charge of academic misconduct (and its ensuing punishments)  do not submit the same work to different publishers (publishers will often check if your work has been published previously, depending on their standards on plagiarism)  do not separate your research and publish it in different journals  recognise you may not actually own your work, especially if you were paid for the work or if you signed a contract, which could mean there are copyright issues as well.

If the work has not been published, then there may be no ethical (or contractual or copyright) conflict.

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b Who is making these recommendations?

Some possible responses could include:  referencing style manuals, for example:  APA Style, ‘Plagiarism’: https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammarguidelines/citations/plagiarism Harvard College Office of Undergraduate Education, ‘Harvard Guide to Using Sources: Avoiding plagiarism’, https://usingsources.fas.harvard.edu/sites/projects.iq.harvard.edu/files/so urces/files/avoiding_plagiarism.pdf  TurnItIn, ‘Is recycling your own work plagiarism?’ https://www.turnitin.com/blog/is-recycling-your-own-work-plagiarism  the university the student is attending, for example: Western Sydney University, ‘What is Academic Integrity?’ https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/studysmart/home/study_with_ integrity/what_is_it  academic staff or assessment requirements may permit students to use work from previous assessments c are these ‘rules’ fair? do they coincide with laws regarding copyright, fair use and plagiarism?

Are these rules fair? Some responses could include:  yes, the rules are fair because it is important to give credit to the author, even if this is yourself  no, because academics often write on the same topic, so will often need to cite themselves frequently, which may appear as conceit.

Do they coincide with laws regarding copyright, fair use and plagiarism?

Responses could include:  they may coincide with ‘fair use’, if the legal, ethical, restricted use of copyrighted material doesn’t need permission of the author  they may coincide with laws if the author was paid for the work  yes, they may coincide with copyright laws if: o the work was never protected by copyright o copyright was waived o copyright had expired (See National Library of Australia ‘What can I copy and reuse without a copyright owner’s permission?’ https://www.nla.gov.au/usinglibrary/copyright-library-collections/what-can-i-copy-and-re-use-withoutcopyright-owners ) APA (2010, p. 170) notes that: Plagiarism *refers to+ … the practice of claiming credit for the words, ideas, and concepts of others, self-plagiarism refers to the practice of presenting one’s own previously published work as though it were new.

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American Psychological Association (2010). The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. Sixth Edition. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. d How does duplication detection software fit into these recommendations and laws?

Responses could consider:  Detection software such as TurnItIn, uses a large database to detect if text has been previously published to help detect plagiarism, self-plagiarism, and copyright. These detection software packages then would fit in with the recommendations and laws.  Detection software may not detect the ethical issues for fair use or when permissions have been granted.

2 Create a list of five Australian companies, organisations or institutions that you might like to work for. Do some research to find both positive and negative facts and opinions of each company, institution or organisation. Using this information, consider how these organisations align with your own values and ethics.

Some responses could include: Organisational ethics and values that may align with personal ethics and values may include:  culture of respect and fairness, with policies on inclusion, equality, accessibility, equal opportunities  work–life balance, employee well-being, friendly work environment  work and personal development opportunities  sustainability policies and practices  valuing employees by offering secure employment, career progression, hiring internally  recognition of work performance  honest, transparent work practices  reputation, and damage control strategies  awards received  how they manage bullying and other negative situations  decision-making, collaboration strategies, team communication  ethical and accountable leaders  ability to take and implement constructive feedback, show compassion  attitude to mistakes, culture of learning, ways innovation is fostered  contribution to society, charities.

3 What are some of the targets of fungal defences? What chemicals do they produce? does this strengthen the ethical nature of plants?

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Suggested response: The textbook notes (p. 184 below) how fungi and mushrooms target plants to enable them to grow. They produce enzymes and proteins to help plants absorb water and nutrients. Some fungi can have the opposite effect by taking nutrients aways from plants to feed themselves.

Paul Stamets (2005) believes mycelial networks from fungi or mushrooms are responsible for creating the topsoil that allows all plants to grow. These underground networks of fungal fibres connect all the plants in a forest, so that nutrients and water can be transported to the plants that need them to survive and grow. The mycelial network can act as a filter for polluted water and also allows plants to communicate with each other to launch chemical defences against competing microbes or insects.

4 What are the five best breeds of dog for intelligence, loyalty, protection and ethical behaviour? What are the worst breeds? Is there convincing evidence for the ethical nature of animals?

Discussion could include how the particular breed’s behaviours are manifested (or not) in their behaviour to display: intelligence, loyalty, protection and ethical behaviour.

For example: which breed is able to be trained, can be trusted around children, guards or protects a house or family, are companions, show eagerness to please, get along with other dogs or animals.

Students should research what the evidence is and its credibility. The following sites could be useful:  ‘Animal Morality: What it means and why it matters’, Monsó, S., BenzSchwarzburg, J., and Bremhorst, A. Journal of Ethics, 2018; 22(3): 283–310.

Published online 2018 Sep 27. doi: 10.1007/s10892-018-9275-3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6404642/#:~:text=The%20 empirical%20evidence%20gathered%20until,or%20even%20a%20direct%2 0loss.,  Animals and Ethics, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy (utm.edu) https://iep.utm.edu/animals-and-ethics/  Do Wild Animals Have a Moral Compass? Londolozi Blog, https://blog.londolozi.com/2023/06/29/do-wild-animals-have-a-moralcompass/ Also, the current draft in Victoria on recognising that animals are sentient beings as part of cruelty laws could also be discussed.  ‘Martha Nussbaum’s “Justice for Animals” takes ethics to wild extremes’, Vox, S. Samuel, 25 Jan 2023 https://www.vox.com/thehighlight/23522207/animal-rights-justice-ethics-martha-nussbaum (scroll down to the discussion on animal utilitarianism on ‘sentience’.  ‘Animals to be recognised as sentient beings under proposed Victorian cruelty laws’, The Guardian, B. Kolovos, 14 Nov 2023

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https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/nov/14/animalssentient-beings-victorian-cruelty-laws Also, The Conversation has a series of articles on animal sentience, see: https://theconversation.com/au/topics/animal-sentience-48469 5 A software company is coding a more efficient accounting system that will be used by the government. A manager, who is asked to design the accounting system, assigns different parts of the system to different staff. One person is responsible for developing the reports, another is responsible for the internal processing and a third for the user interface. The manager is shown the system and agrees that it meets the requirements. The system is installed, but the users find the interface so difficult that the system is rejected (Australian Computer Society, 2014).

Using the Australian Computer Society Code of Professional Conduct, can you identify some of the problems here, and who might be to blame?

Students should refer to page 194 of the textbook.

Responses should have identified: According to the Australian Computer Society Code of Professional Conduct, the issue would relate to Code 4: Competence: You will work competently and diligently for your stakeholders.

This means the software company should have tested their product to determine if it met the needs of the government department’s stakeholders – their staff.

The specific section states: In accordance with this value you will: a) endeavour to provide products and services which match the operational and financial needs of your stakeholders (ACS, April 2014. Code of Professional Conduct v2.1. p 7) 6 Reliable education about sex, alcohol and drugs is arguably a human right, but education on these topics varies considerably, according to where you live in the world. What are some of the most successful health education campaigns around the world in terms of alcohol and other drugs, and sex?

Choose one and explain why it was so successful.

Some responses about why a campaign was successful could include  using images or endorsements from celebrities or influencers  using people the audience can identify with (e.g., youth, males, females, Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders)  showing images of unattractive people engaging in the undesired behaviour  using media and social media the audience uses  using statistics or evidence  promoting the consequences of engaging in the undesired behaviour  using ‘shock value’ images (showing an ambulance or car wreck after a drink-driving accident; using the Grim Reaper for promoting safe sex; showing the health effects from smoking  tagging advertisements promoting smoking with its consequences Copyright © 2024 Cengage Learning Australia Pty Limited

  

using catchy phrases or tunes measuring it by the degree to which it changes behaviour using education as a means of prevention (e.g., Healthy Harold)

7 Imagine you are a nurse or family carer, and your job requires you to follow the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia Code of Conduct as summarised in the chapter. What is the recommended conduct for the following case study: Louise is a midwife working in the community and was making her final visit to a woman who had recently given birth to her second child. Louise had delivered the woman’s first child five years earlier and had established a good professional relationship with the woman and her family. During this latest visit, the woman indicated that she would like to continue seeing Louise on an ongoing basis to check in on the baby and the family, or just to have a coffee (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, n.d.).

Students should refer to page 191 of the textbook.

For discussion on the question see page 6 in: Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (n.d.). Case Studies: Code of conduct for nurses and Code of conduct for midwives. This can be downloaded from the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia’s website (from home page, go to ‘Professional codes and guidelines’ then ‘Codes of Conduct for Nurses’). https://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Codes-GuidelinesStatements/Professional-standards.aspx 8 Professor Ruth Morgan has an informative YouTube video, The Dangers of Misinterpreted Forensic Evidence, located at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xclg8ikPavI. Watch the video and summarise the main points. Have you ever been accused of something you were innocent of doing?

Main points:  TED Talk presentation by Ruth Morgan, Director of the Centre for Forensic Science at University College of London  Science isn’t always an ‘open and shut case’  We could be accused of a crime we didn’t commit, e.g., we could pick up someone’s DNA from a hair or fibre  In 2015 the FBI had 286 cases using hair as evidence, but 257 cases (96%) were erroneous; similar statistics were found in the UK  Forensic science has the ‘what and who’, but not the ‘how and when’ so we need to ask these questions to avoid misinterpretation of evidence – this is the biggest challenge facing forensic science today.

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Concepts and applications in interpersonal communication Learning objectives After reading this chapter, you should be able to:  explain the difference between intrapersonal and interpersonal communication  understand strategies for developing better relationships through conversation and appropriate self-disclosure  describe the different aspects of communication competence  describe aspects of effective interpersonal communication  distinguish ‘appropriate assertiveness’ from other common communication styles, and identify their strengths and limitations  identify barriers to effective listening and describe strategies to improve your listening skills  identify some of the benefits of and impediments to effective interpersonal communication when using communication technologies

Discussion Questions and Solutions 1. Discuss the following questions concerning communication competence at university or in the workplace: a What does communication competence mean in relation to your current or future role?

‘Communication competence’ is a term, which includes three parts: 1) knowledge, 2) skill, and 3) motivation. Knowledge is understanding what behaviour is best suited to a given situation. Skill is having the ability to apply that behaviour in that context. Motivation is about having the desire to communicate in an appropriate fashion. Obviously, if a student or employee has never encountered a particular situation, then their models of communication competence have to be chosen from elsewhere. Students often apply their high school knowledge (wrongly) to tertiary education, e.g. use of long quotes in essays. New employees need to learn the ‘rules’ of the workplace they are working for, e.g. what forms of address are acceptable for the boss: is the use of his/her first name appropriate or too informal? Should you just knock on their door to discuss an issue or make an appointment? b What strategies and support do you need in order to practise communication competence?

The primary strategy is in recognition of the situations where communication competence is necessary. Developing skills sets involving listening, speaking and non-verbal behaviours for a range of situations is highly desirable, e.g. handling formal and informal meetings, professional greetings versus social interaction, a Copyright © 2024 Cengage Learning Australia Pty Limited

range of telephone situations, responding appropriately via email. The student needs to be mindful of seemingly familiar situations in new locations. The ‘rules’ may be different, e.g. writing corporate emails is dissimilar to writing emails to friends.

2 Complete the assertiveness questionnaire (see pp. 223–224), score yourself and discuss your results with a partner.

Answers will vary here.

3 Harika and Lee both live near each other and are studying at the same university. Harika is very interested in a new student club and in persuading students to join it. Lee is very busy with assignments and is not interested in joining a club. One afternoon they stop to chat near a railway station. Harika says, ‘I thought you might be interested in joining the new student club. How about coming to a meeting next Tuesday at 10 a.m.?’

Three possible types of responses that Lee could make follow. Read them and then answer the following: i. Passive/submissive responses Lee: (lying) I’m not free to come at 10 a.m. I’m sorry.

Harika: Can I contact you after the meeting and tell you what happened?

Lee: Oh, all right. ii. Aggressive response Lee: The last thing I need right now is to join a club – they’re just a waste of time! iii. Assertive response Lee: I’m very busy on assignments at the moment and I’m really not interested in joining a club. Maybe I can help in some other way when things settle down. a What are the possible outcomes of each type of response to Harika’s request? i. Harika may keep trying to ask Lee to be involved in the club, or she may find out that he is lying. ii. Harika could be quite hurt by the way Lee has responded. iii. This may be the most diplomatic way for Lee to respond with the best chance of retaining their friendship. b What are the likely long-term effects on the relationship between the two people both at university and socially?

It could divide their friendship, with the new club becoming more important for Harika. It could also strengthen their relationship if both used the assertive response to build trust and openness between them.

4 Examine the hypothetical situations listed below and then either: i write passive/submissive, aggressive and assertive responses for each of the situations and check your responses with another person; or ii form into groups of three, choose one of the situations, write passive/ submissive, aggressive and assertive responses for it and present or role-play your responses to the rest of the class.

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a A team member has borrowed one of the team’s procedure manuals and has not returned it for two weeks.  Passive/submissive: Do you have the manual?  Aggressive: You have had the manual for weeks and you have not returned it.  Assertive: I need the manual back because I need to look something up. b Your manager says something about your work that you feel is unfair.  Passive/submissive: Sorry about that.  Aggressive: You are always so critical.  Assertive: I do not think I am guilty of that act. c A colleague is continually late for appointments with you.  Passive/submissive: Glad you could make it (could be sarcastic).  Passive/aggressive: I am usually on time to these appointments. I wish you could be too.  Aggressive: Why are you always late?  Assertive: When our meetings start late it means I have difficulty completing my work. I’d prefer if we could start these meetings on time. d A colleague repeatedly drops by to chat when you are very busy.  Passive/submissive: Come in, would you like a coffee?  Aggressive: Go away, I am busy.  Assertive: I am in the middle of something, can we reschedule please?

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e You are told by a client that there have been delays in the delivery of your company’s products.  Passive/submissive: The products will be there as soon as possible. I can offer you a discount.  Aggressive: Stop complaining, we cannot control the delivery guys.  Assertive: Unfortunately there has been a delay for everyone, but we are working on streamlining our production. f A team member is not doing their fair share of the work.  Passive/submissive: (say nothing).  Aggressive: You are not pulling your weight.  Assertive: We need to make sure tasks are distributed equally among the team to ensure we get the best outcome. g The people in the room next door are talking loudly, the walls are thin and the noise they are making is disturbing your meeting.  Passive/submissive: (say nothing)  Aggressive: Stop making so much noise. You are too loud.  Assertive: We are trying to make some decisions and are having difficulty concentrating because of your meeting. Please could you speak more quietly? h You have used your credit card to pay for a farewell gift for a previous team member on behalf of all your colleagues. The bill has now arrived and one colleague has not asked about how they can reimburse you.  Passive/submissive: (accept and say nothing)  Aggressive: You never pay your fair share.  Assertive: Can you check the bill, Rob (!), we have all put in $’s each. i A product that you purchased yesterday is defective and you still have the receipt.  Passive/submissive: (do nothing)  Aggressive: Your product is defective and you are required by law to give me a refund.  Assertive: The product is not working. I would prefer a refund of the purchase price rather than a replacement, thanks.

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5 Choose one of the aforementioned situations in question 4 or create a situation of your own and write a three-part ‘I’ assertive message. Check the message with a partner. Is the ‘I’ assertive message specific and non-threatening?

Answers will vary here.

Appropriate responses need to consider:  The needs of each person  The value or possibility of the outcome  The relationship (i.e. the relationship significance – if it is cheap for me to give you and valuable for you to receive; or if I want to receive something from you in the future, so I’ll concede this time, e.g. you pick the movie this time because I want you to go to a football game with me next week).

6 Working in subgroups of three or four people, use the five types of assertive responses listed below to devise alternative assertive responses to the following situation. Present your responses to the whole class.

You have been extremely busy working on a complex project and have not been able to meet your colleagues for lunch or socialising. One day a colleague whom you respect and like says to you, ‘You never seem to have time to come and talk things over with the rest of us.’

Assertive responses a Accept the criticism. b Disagree with the criticism. c Set the limits with the person who is criticising you. d ‘Fog’ away the criticism. e Delay your response.

If you have any other examples/situations that you would like to discuss in your subgroup, outline the specific issues and context and develop alternative assertive responses for dealing with these issues.

Answers will vary.

7 Imagine that you are the listener in the situations that follow. What factors would determine the way in which you would be listening on these occasions? a You are a student in a large lecture and have no previous experience with the content of this subject, which includes a lot of technical language.

You need to decide to attend and use active listening by taking notes. Consider using a recording device or asking for a recorded version, and you may like to ask for copies of lecture slides. b You arrive at a club meeting and in a short time you meet a very interesting, charming and attractive person. You find them very appealing and they also decide to spend most of their time talking to you.

Listen but observe the other person’s non-verbal communication, for example pointing towards the person, using following skills (nodding; using verbal encourages, e.g. ‘mmm’, ‘hah’), using body language (e.g. smiling, open hands, posture). Your own situation is important here. Are you giving out certain signals?

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c You are a consultant working on a telephone help desk for computer support and answer a call. The caller immediately launches into a complaint about their computer not working properly.

Calmly ask the caller to describe the exact circumstances of the problem. Take notes of the details; every now and then restate what you have heard to ensure you have understood correctly; give support and express sympathy. d This is your first day on the job at an electronics factory. The supervisor takes you aside to explain about the work.

Listen carefully, ask questions when appropriate, and take notes of important details. e A workmate who has been seeking promotion has just heard that the promotion has been given to another colleague and has come to tell you about it.

This is where a good active listening and empathy are helpful. An appropriate response might be something like: ‘You sound upset about missing out on the promotion.’

f You are a parent who has been preparing the children’s dinner when you have to pause to open the door. Outside is a sales representative who immediately launches into a promotional speech for a floor-cleaning product being sold at a special price.

Say you are too busy at the moment. But be honest about whether you may be interested at another time. You don’t want to waste their time if you have no intention of listening about the product. Be firm but polite. g A relative of one of your closest friends has just died from a drug overdose. You are returning home after having visited the family and turn on your car radio. By coincidence you find yourself listening to a program about drug addiction.

When listening to the radio program you need to be aware of how you are listening and why. If you are listening and are quite emotionally impacted by the event, then be careful how the program may add to your emotions. If you are listening for any helpful information, then your listening needs to focus on this.

8 Try this active listening exercise. Work in subgroups of three people acting as speaker, listener and observer. The observer has a sheet listing things to look for and will observe the speaker, who is explaining a topic of interest to the listener.

The speaker talks about a topic they are interested in or concerned about for two to three minutes. The listener practises active listening by using: a attentive body language and eye contact b paraphrasing and clarifying c reflecting feelings.

At the end of the speaker’s message the observer will give feedback to the listener.

Then, rotate the roles.

Final discussion – Did the speakers think that they were really listened to? Why or why not?

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– Were the speakers ever diverted from what they were about to say? Why or why not?

– Were the listeners’ tasks easy or difficult? Why or why not?

– What have the listeners learned from the exercise?

– In the observers’ opinions, did the listeners summarise accurately?

– How did you feel in each of these roles?

There will be a range of different responses here. The instructor could use the whiteboard to create a table listing the above techniques and then record some of the observer’s notes for everyone to see. The class can then discuss the outcome and perhaps exchange roles if there is time.

Discussion could also consider how an awareness of their listening behaviour impacted their ability to actually listen.

Chapter 9 Communicating in groups and teams to achieve professional goals Learning objectives After reading this chapter, you should be able to: • define the meanings of groups and teams • understand how groups and teams develop and the stages they go through • recognise the value of diversity in groups and teams • understand team building and its role in self-directed work teams • comprehend how problem-solving and decision-making in self-directed work teams occur • understand how to avoid groupthink • explain the benefits of creativity in the professional group and team • identify the key functions of a leader • understand conflict within groups and how to use conflict management techniques Copyright © 2024 Cengage Learning Australia Pty Limited

• identify negotiation strategies and understand how to negotiate solutions • explain the functions of informal and formal meetings • describe how teams can review their goals and progress.

Discussion Questions and Solutions 1 Form a team of four to seven members and discuss how you are going to build the team to work together in a supportive way to plan and prepare a report or presentation on a task that the team must accomplish. Work in the team to complete the task, prepare the report or give the presentation. Monitor your team process during these activities and write a reflective report on the nature and success of team-building during this team exercise.

Answers will vary widely here. Discussion of reflective reports should be encouraged.

Some responses in the reflective report on how the team was built could include points on how the team:  Set clear goals, tasks, timeframes  Decided meetings – time, duration, location  Considered effective team norms  Determined team roles, tasks, responsibilities, actions, communication method/s, including reporting 2 Write constructive feedback responses for the following two situations that have occurred in a decision-making group. Explain which feedback skills were illustrated in your response. a You notice that Jason is continually distracting other group members and continues to ignore the chairperson’s admonitions.

Constructive feedback should: ⦁ address only the issue, not the person ⦁ be specific and state the desired actions or solutions ⦁ be delivered in private, in a timely way ⦁ show empathy and respect ⦁ ask the person if they have any questions, and listen actively to their response ⦁ recognise that current thinking favours overt ‘failing fast’ to hasten learning from mistakes so everyone benefits.

A sample response might be to remind the team of meeting procedures and expectations; that all team members must be respectful of each other’s views, take turns and not talk over the top of others. b At two previous group meetings, Isabel has seemed to act in an indifferent manner and at this meeting appears to be bored and withdrawn.

Issues that could be drawn out here include:  Isabel may have a hidden agenda  Isabel may have a personal issue to deal with  Isabel may be having difficulty with another team member, or completing a task.

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An important aspect to discuss with this scenario is that appearances may be deceptive, so it’s important to establish the facts – is Isabel’s non-verbal behaviour really from being bored or is it something else?

This situation could be addressed by using the constructive feedback listed above; by using active listening; and by reaffirming the team’s norms, including expectations of all members.

3 Form groups and imagine you are students at a tertiary institution who belong to a student representative association. Select a topic for discussion on an issue that has recently been seriously affecting students. There will need to be some preliminary discussion about the topic and the objectives and purpose for discussing it. The objectives may be to make some recommendations, present a solution to a problem, or simply exchange ideas. The following steps need to be taken: a Elect a group leader. b Make sure the topic for discussion is clear to all. c Arrive at a conclusion or recommendation, or provide a summary of what has been discussed.

At the conclusion of the discussion, each member should write up a short report on how the discussion progressed. Exhibit 9.18 (see page 270) can be used to help group members to reflect on their contributions. These views should then be exchanged and discussed among all the participants.

While one group discussion is in progress, another group can act as a team of observers using Exhibit 9.19 to monitor types of contributions.

After the group discussion, the observers should present their findings to the group for further discussion. The evaluation of the group discussion should be directed towards acknowledging task and maintenance roles demonstrated in the group and identifying any areas for improvement of the process of group discussion.

Answers will vary here. The observation checklist has long been used to measure group interactions in previous research. One feature missing is the row for Hindering Roles (see page 215). This could be added to the checklist, and the behaviour written in by hand.

4 Form a team and hold a team meeting (or meetings) to make a decision, solve a problem or complete a task, and to examine leadership in the team.

Examine your team meeting skills using the team meeting skills checklist in Exhibit 9.18 (page 270). Discuss leadership in the team using the following questions: a How do the members provide leadership to accomplish the task? b How do the members provide leadership to build the relationships in the team? c How do the members provide leadership to establish a supportive working climate for the team? d If there is a designated team leader, how does this person lead the team?

This activity could be combined with the role observation checklist (page 233).

Individuals could be given responsibility for the observation, since being involved with the team meeting will prevent accurate observation and note taking.

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5 Read the following scenario and answer the questions that appear after it.

A small research group of four in a medium-sized firm is working on one aspect of a larger project.

Two members of the research group, Van Lui (research group leader) and Kip Thomas, have been with the firm for two years, and the other two members of the research group, Tom Moss and Kelly Partos, are employed on short-term contracts that expire in about eight months.

Kelly in particular is a tremendous asset to the research group and is continually coming up with innovative ideas. Kelly’s contribution has meant that the group’s part in the total project is running smoothly and is well ahead of some of the other areas. The project manager is extremely pleased with the group’s work and has complimented the group on its performance.

Recently, though, Kelly has seemed to lack commitment to the research group.

Kelly appears to be restless and has begun to arrive late and leave early. Kelly’s contributions, though still extremely useful, seem to be more contained, as though something is being kept back. The other day, Van overheard Kelly talking on the telephone about opportunities interstate and the rights of employees.

Kip has been spending a lot of time liaising with another research group and Tom is not meeting agreed deadlines. The working atmosphere is becoming tense and morale seems to be declining. a What is the nature and likely cause of any conflict in the group?

Kelly may be deciding to commit her energies to a more permanent position. Not keeping up with work will also create tensions, with both Kip and Tom needing to keep up to date with this work group.

Possible causes include: ⦁ the transition from one of Tucker’s stages to another may have been problematic ⦁ shared goals may have changed ⦁ there may be misunderstandings ⦁ members may perceive threats to their identity ⦁ there may be conflict within the team b What strategies can the group use to enhance both task and relationship functions in the group?

The group needs to become cohesive once again. Meeting infrequently is bound to splinter the group so the group needs to meet regularly, and have a definite agenda each time. Social functions could be planned after the meetings in order to repair some problems – lunch at a restaurant, or dinner. The leader needs to safeguard Kelly’s work ethic, by perhaps thanking her for her contribution publicly and privately. If she is so valuable then perhaps her job security could be strengthened. Finally, the group could employ a specialist team builder.

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c How can the group use communication skills to deal with signs of conflict and prevent unnecessary communication breakdown or conflict?

Prevention of problems is always better than trying to repair them. A good leader will identify problems before they get too far, and members lose faith in each other, or create personal conflicts. Conflict can be rewarding, but personal gripes need to be avoided at all costs.

Effective communication skills could include using:  active listening, silences, and empathy to identify the issue/s  asking appropriate questions  reflecting back by paraphrasing what the person said and using followers to encourage the speaker

6 Based on the following scenario, role-play a decision-making meeting using effective communication skills and group decision-making processes. The decision-making role-play may be conducted as a whole class activity using the following guidelines.

You are students attending a class at a tertiary institution. You have all seen instructional e-learning systems such as Blackboard and Moodle in your classes and recognise the importance of using such technology to improve your skills as future graduates.

The lecturer has asked the class to imagine that you are reviewing an e-learning management system to recommend whether the system should be used in the institution and, if so, whether it should be purchased outright or leased.

The IT department maintains the e-learning management system. The normal charges for such systems are: retail purchase price $30 000; lease charge $10 000 per year. The IT budget, like all budgets these days, is limited, and is carefully scrutinised by other section heads in the institution.

In order to advise the lecturer, first evaluate the system as a whole class, making individual notes about its content and quality. Then divide into small groups (about six to eight people in each), elect a chairperson and decide on a recommendation from your small group to the lecturer.

The chair of each small group should structure the discussion so that a problemsolving process is used to make a decision, and the debate moves along logically and constructively. You might structure the small-group meeting according to the following questions: a What is the problem?

Problems could include: ⦁ inadequate funds ⦁ disparate needs of stakeholders, including end users b What are the issues?

Possible issues could include: ⦁ the needs of the institution for an elearning management system (e.g., recording, reporting, managing data) ⦁ the needs of stakeholders, including lecturers, students, the IT department

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c How well does this proposal (i.e. this e-learning system) solve the problem?

Clear criteria and scope will need to be developed to determine whether the proposal will be recommended. d What alternatives are available?

There are various systems available, at varying price points. Also need to consider alternatives to elearning management systems (e.g., record management systems, developing the website to accommodate this type of a database, etc.) e Having evaluated the alternatives, what is your recommendation?

Recommendations need to clearly show how they align with the criteria and scope.

Each small-group meeting might begin by discussing the value to students of elearning management systems. It should ask what qualities to look for in such systems. The small group should strive for consensus, a decision that each member will later be prepared to support in front of the whole class.

After the small groups have completed their meetings, the whole class reconvenes for a plenary session to report their discussions and decisions and move towards a recommendation from the whole class to the lecturer.

If the small-group decisions have been different, the chairs of the small groups can meet to try to achieve an overall consensus for the whole class. This meeting can take place with the rest of the class acting as observers. This meeting of the chairs of the small groups should apply guidelines for achieving consensus until a negotiated recommendation to the lecturer can be accepted as representing the whole class.

Each small group should debrief its own decision-making process using the Group or team process review checklist (Exhibit 9.18). The lecturer can also use this checklist to assist the whole class to review communication processes demonstrated in the plenary session and/or the meeting of the chairs of the small groups.

Discussion should cover the relevant points made in this chapter 7 Use Exhibit 9.18 in a group of which you are a member, such as a book club, group of friends, or social media group. What implications do the results have for the purpose of this group and for your contributions as a member of this group?

This is more an external checklist, thus answers will vary widely.

8 Arrange for a group or team where you are a member to use Exhibit 9.18 as a means of assisting the group/team to assess its goals, development and communication patterns. Together, discuss how the group or team might address any specific results and evaluate the usefulness of this checklist as a method of monitoring group or team process.

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Checklists are useful tools for people to observe team and group behaviours. Often such tools are used by consultants, who are useful in improving group dynamics and decision-making. They also provide a focus to ensure discussion and assessment remain on point, and whether any points have been missed.

9 The Internet has a variety of services that allow for individuals to meet and discuss problems, either in real time or asynchronously. These are usually called ‘forums’. Locate one or more of these services and in groups try to discuss a class topic and reach a consensus or democratic decision. We think Reddit is an underused social media site for energetic discussion. Students could even use a forum, chat group or the e-learning services of their institution. Discord, originally for gamers, is quite popular in recent times.

Answers will vary here. It might be interesting to discuss how a consensus was reached and how effective it was. Was the decision really made by consensus, or was there some compromise? Sometimes consensus as a decision-making method is time consuming.

Chapter 10 Oral presentations, verbal reports and interviews Learning objectives After reading this chapter, you should be able to: • describe different types of oral presentation purposes and styles • outline systematic steps for preparing and delivering an effective oral presentation • explain how to develop and use effective visual aids to enhance a presentation • describe different strategies for delivering an effective oral presentation.

• understand the purpose of different types of workplace interviews • develop strategies to effectively respond to common interview questions.

Discussion Questions and Solutions

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1 Below is a list of formal speech skills that professionals are often required to exercise

Answers will vary here. We find it challenging to make a speech honouring or paying tribute to someone else, because it is difficult not to sound hollow or false in these circumstances. Speaking at a funeral may also be difficult because of the emotions involved. In other situations such as weddings, retirements or awards ceremonies, we suggest brevity, sincerity and use of anecdotes to connect with the audience. The present authors are both experienced public speakers, having given presentations at a national and international level and regularly speaking in front of groups of hundreds of students. However, even with experience, we are sometimes nervous and out of our depth in certain contexts. This is a normal reaction to situations speakers have not encountered before. The key to minimising nerves in any situation is to: 1. Always consider your audience and use accessible language and a style that will resonate with them. And remember, humour usually works well with students and international delegates at conferences, but make sure that the humour will be understood.

2. Be well prepared: what kinds of questions might be asked, are your PowerPoint slides clear and understandable? But consider whether slides will be appropriate or necessary. Slides can be overdone when relied upon for content. Presentations are not lectures, so a lot of content is often unnecessary.

3. Ensure any technology you use (e.g., computers) is in working order and you know how to operate it. Many projectors operated to show slides can overheat after 45 minutes and shut down. So, make sure you time your presentations to cater for this time limit.

2 Discuss the following statements: a When it comes to written communication, there are important linguistic rules that we must follow if our communication is to be effective and accepted.

However, oral communication provides speakers with almost complete freedom of expression.

Speaking also uses grammar and linguistic rules to be effective and accepted. Some

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rules are the same as those for written communication, many though are unique to oral communication.

Some of the oral communication grammar and linguistic rules include: ⦁ verb tenses and syntax structures (the way words and phrases are formed), similar to written communication ⦁ punctuation (phrases rather than sentences) through pauses ⦁ style to support meaning through tone, pitch, articulation, pronunciation ⦁ non-verbal communication, such as paralanguage and body language to either support or contradict the words uttered ⦁ question tags (questions added at the end of a comment, e.g., ‘It’s a nice day, isn’t it?’) to encourage further communication and build the relationship ⦁ fillers, such as ‘mmm’, ‘ahh’, ‘so’, ‘you know’ and the popular one often used these days: ‘yeah, nah’, to encourage further communication, to provide time to consider a further comment, as feedback, to show active listening ⦁ turn-taking signals to indicate when it is the next speaker’s turn to communicate.

Context is also essential. It may be appropriate to speak colloquially or informally in certain situations with close colleagues at work or with friends at a social occasion, but in other situations you will be judged by the way you use language.

While written language uses visual cues such as punctuation and layout to communicate, oral language uses non-verbal cues such as pace, pitch, intonation and timbre. In fact, researchers have used MRI technologies to show that readers and listeners use different parts of their brains when processing language. b Oral communication is a very complex channel for sending messages because it involves the process of listening, as well as many non-verbal components of communication. It is probably easier to learn to write well than it is to speak effectively.

Oral communication is easier for most people because we learnt it from the time we were babies. In fact, written communication came after spoken language.

3 In what ways can the following be used in oral presentations? What qualities must they have in order to contribute effectively to a talk or oral report? a anecdotes Anecdotes need to be true to be convincing. Apart from that, anecdotes are inherently interesting, but they need to be relayed in an engaging manner. b questions Questions are probably best left to the end of a presentation. If you try to ask your audience a question, and get no replies, you might look silly. Allowing questions throughout the presentation is disruptive. Only experienced speakers should try this. Many experienced speakers prefer to leave the questions to the end. The use of rhetorical questions though (questions that are used for dramatic effect without requiring an answer), can be an effective oral presentation strategy.

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c humour Humour is often used to win people over. It can establish rapport and allow an audience to have fun. But be careful. Jokes need to be in good taste, relevant, and actually funny. Humour is really about communicating an idea that is out of context. We are often surprised when students laugh at something we have said, that we had not rehearsed, but seemed funny at the time. d statistics Statistics are useful if a speaker is trying to persuade the audience of a particular point. They can be easily misused however when quoted out of context. Use a few, not too many, and make sure that the statistics are easily understood via a graph or table. When presenting, it is a good idea to point to the part on the graph you are highlighting. This helps you to interact with your PowerPoint slides and help your audience to understand your point.

4 Assume that you are to speak to the class next week on ‘Censorship of the Internet’ or ‘Are we becoming a “nanny state”?’ You wish to know as much as possible about your audience. Form groups of four and try to frame answers to each of the six questions under ‘Understand your audience’ on pages 278–9. Each group might report its findings to the whole class and consider the need for corrections and adjustments.

Being able to predict your audience’s reactions is very important to the success of your presentation. If you are unable to find out about your audience beforehand, try to predict:  who might be interested enough to want to listen to the presentation – although some audience members may have ulterior motives so beware  whether there are other presenters you could liaise with (for example, if you are a speaker at a conference)  whether you are able to ask the organiser about the audience.

We gave a talk to a group of inner-city community trainers one year on the topic of Games for Trainers. We came across real resentment and antagonism when we related the history of games, since games research began with games performed with black and white participants in a prison situation, called the Prisoner’s Dilemma. The nature of the beginnings gave rise to questions about the racist nature of the early games. The questions became so heated that the presentation had to be totally abandoned.

5 Discuss the use of notes in oral presentations you have made or are preparing to make. Consider the relative merits of: a a full script Using a script during a presentation is only useful if you speak very little English. It may be good to learn the speech from notes. Reading from a full script takes your eyes away from the audience and flattens your voice to just a monotone, which can be difficult to listen to. Native English speakers who read aloud are simply inexperienced speakers.

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Full scripts are sometimes a useful way to start preparing your speech. Try to reduce the speech down to dot points or a skeleton outline each time you rehearse. Then, when you give the speech, you’ll have it down pat. b a skeleton outline Very useful to help you start to research your speech. An outline helps you to see ‘the big picture’ so you can look at where you need to add or remove detail (e.g., an example, anecdote, image).

What works well is to have your points in large font on a sheet of paper. You can put the paper on a table in front of you or on a lectern. Then you can move around and look at the audience and glance down at your next point when you need to. c notes on cards Sometimes useful, as long as the cards are small, and you do not drop them. We recommend always numbering cards or notes just in case. But often you end up reading the notes, which reduces eye contact and flattens your voice. d notes on PowerPoint PowerPoint slides act as overheads for the audience, and the speaker. The biggest problem with this approach is when the speaker reads these notes aloud. The audience will always read faster. This means they will have stopped listening to you.

As discussed in the chapter, if you use this approach, speakers should not use too many points per slide, and should not be tempted to read from the screen.

PowerPoint slides are 1. Audience notes, 2. Speaker notes. e no notes Difficult approach. We can present using no aids or notes, but we need to be very familiar with the material. The audience might get distracted by not having any visual aids to help them track our presentation.

6 What different experiences did members of the group have with each of the preceding points? Were some more useful than others? Did it depend on the nature of the audience and/or the subject matter?

Answers will vary here. Encourage students to tell their own stories, being mindful that each speaker is individual and so what works for one person may not work for another. There are no rules here.

7 Search for a televised speech or interview (e.g., during Question Time in parliament, or on the ABC or on YouTube). Make notes on the speaker’s positive and negative non-verbal cues. Comment on whether these non-verbal cues help to create a favourable or unfavourable impression. If you are analysing a television interview (e.g., with a political or public figure about a controversial issue), comment on both the interviewer’s and interviewee’s non-verbal cues.

How did the interviewee non-verbally handle hostile or difficult questions?

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Answers will vary here. Instructors could perhaps pre-record an episode of Lateline, Q & A or 7.30 from the ABC, or even a comedy such as Big Bang Theory and then guide the students through observing the non- verbal cues. YouTube is also full of examples.

8 Use the same televised speech from Question 7 to comment on the speaker’s audibility, articulation, pitch, rate of speech, use of pauses, and ‘ums’ and ‘ers’.

Consider whether such vocal features weakened or strengthened the speaker’s effectiveness.

The most important quality of a speech according to our anecdotal evidence is whether or not the speaker is ‘boring’. Being boring comes down to talking the same way all the time. Being boring can also mean you have a boring voice.

9 Based on what you have read in this chapter, write a set of guidelines for a speaker preparing for both of the following situations. How are they different? a presentation to a group of staff of a large manufacturing company which is being forced to lay off workers as a result of international competition and the high Australian dollar.

Allow plenty of time. Expect negative attitudes and antagonism towards you as the bringer of bad tidings. Try to be sympathetic to the audience. Talk clearly about the current situation re the economy and falling exports due to the high AU dollar.

Field questions at the end. Staff will be anxious about their positions; some will be angry. Be prepared for this. b presentation to nearby residents of your chemical plant to discuss rumours that there has been a toxic pollution leak into a nearby river.’

Depends on whether the rumour is true or not. If it is true, then you need to reassure residents that the leak will be repaired as soon as possible. If the rumour is not true, then you need to state this fact. The presentation could present the details of how the leak occurred, but the repair job is the most important thing. As before, the audience will probably feel anxious and angry towards you. The situations are different in that chemical leaks are always a result of human error, and need not have occurred. Downturns in sales are not anyone’s fault and cannot be controlled. Thus, the human mistake is likely to cause more anger and is potentially the more difficult situation to manage.

Make sure that you consider: – the available time – audience needs, expectations and attitudes – a clear introduction with definite objectives – logical development of ideas – an informative conclusion.

Select any audiovisual aids and activities relevant to your purpose from the following list and briefly describe how you would use them to complement your presentation: Copyright © 2024 Cengage Learning Australia Pty Limited

– a whiteboard – overhead transparencies, a document for projection, PowerPoint slides or an online presentation tool – objects – models – charts – CD-ROMs – audio recordings, video recordings or DVDs – notes or brochures as handouts – questions and group discussions – group activities – class exercises.

10 In a small group of three or four, discuss how to deal with audience questions in a presentation. For example, does your lecturer ask and invite questions during the lecture? Or do they ask students to save their questions until the end?

We like to invite questions at the end of a presentation, but often we invite questions in small group (class) situations after every 15 mins of talking. A large lecture theatre is not always a good place to field questions, which might be better left to smaller class times. If we have some time, and the audience is wanting to ask questions, then we answer them at the end of a large lecture.

11 What are the relative merits of each approach? If you are asked by your tutor to prepare questions as part of your presentation, should you ask them as you go through your talk or at the end? Have group members had good or bad experience with these approaches?

The problem is that many questions are quite personal problems or students’ misunderstandings. These are better left for class. Globally relevant questions are fairly rare, but might happen in a large lecture.

12 Using YouTube or the internet, find footage of a politician or company board member fielding questions, preferably from a hostile audience. Write a description and critique of how they responded and what techniques they used to diffuse a difficult situation.

Answers will vary here.

Chapter 11 Writing professionally: process and style Learning objectives After reading this chapter, you should be able to: • apply a planning strategy when preparing to write Copyright © 2024 Cengage Learning Australia Pty Limited

• explain why considering your reader is an important initial step in the writing process • discover strategies to overcome ‘writer’s block’ • discover strategies to achieve appropriate tone in your writing • apply basic punctuation to assist meaning • apply plain English principles to improve written communication • demonstrate strategies for writing inclusively • apply simple editing and reviewing practices to ensure your writing is effective.

Discussion Questions and Solutions 1a Discuss the characteristics of the different readership groups for the following well-known publications or other similar publications in your locality or online: – Mamamia [online] User characteristics could include:  educated professional women and female teenagers  those interested in issues other than diet and weight loss – The Australian  educated professionals  30+  conservative, centre-right  mostly male – PC magazine [online]  computer and internet users  those wanting information about current technology – Australian Women’s Weekly  females  35+  mostly non-professional  fairly conservative – Australian Financial Review  professionals  educated  those with a mostly neutral orientation  30+ – NRMA Open Road magazine  road users  people seeking to purchase a car  people seeking advice on cars  people interested in travelling  30+ – BRW  gender neutral  business professionals

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

30+

1b How would you need to alter an article on reducing pollution from vehicle fumes to appeal to the different readers of these publications?

The type of vehicle would probably be different for each of these publications.

Reader’s Digest readers would probably respond to a Toyota Prius which produces minimal fumes; The Australian readers probably drive SUVs, thus diesels would be appropriate; Ralph readers prefer sports cars, or prestige vehicles, which usually do not reduce pollution; Computer magazine types probably drive a Ford or Holden, thus small highly efficient models would be useful; Women’s Weekly readers drive a range of vehicles; and BRW readers drive BMWs or SUVs. Reduction in pollution should relate to the specific type of reader vehicle.

2 Collect a variety of business communications by asking colleagues, relatives and workmates for interesting samples. Be sure to respect confidentiality by masking specific references to names or other identifying information. Bring your samples to class and in groups of four discuss the differences in writing styles in the various documents.

Answers will vary here. Responses could look at possible use of:  voice and tone for audience and purpose  connotations or denotations  grammar and punctuation  plain English or jargon  concision and clarity  ambiguity or vagueness  tautology 3 Test your punctuation skills with these sentences. Compare your answers with classmates and discuss any differences. a A hard working group these writers can produce a report in a day. b Proposals a constant necessity are a major problem for writers. c I sat with my boss and his assistant sat elsewhere. d This transport company provides its customers with safe reliable and comfortable service. e The operator ran the program the disk drive was faulty. f The following contractors offered bids Wilsons Sydney Jennings Perth and Sykes Melbourne. g The taxes that are reasonable will be paid. h The taxes which are reasonable will be paid. i How do you know when its its and when its its. a A hard working group, these writers can produce a report in a day. b Proposals, a constant necessity, are a major problem for writers. c I sat with my boss, and his assistant sat elsewhere. d This transport company provides its customers with safe, reliable, and comfortable service.

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e The operator ran the program: the disk drive was faulty. f The following contractors offered bids: Wilsons, Sydney; Jennings, Perth; and Sykes, Melbourne. g The taxes that are reasonable, will be paid. h The taxes, which are reasonable, will be paid. i How do you know when it’s it’s and when it’s its. Or How do you know when it’s its and when it’s it’s.

4 Compare the writing style of some of your textbooks and discuss what techniques make them easy or difficult to read and understand.

Answers will vary here. Some points of difference might include the level of formality of the language, the use of jargon, the layout – especially the use of graphics or illustrations, the use of headings and descriptors.

5 Select the correct word in each of the following sentences. Compare your choice with that of others in your group and check your answers in the dictionary, if necessary. a Your action had little (affect/effect) on the decision.

Your action had little effect on the decision. b You (can/may) take your flexiday tomorrow. b You may take your flexiday tomorrow. c I was flattered by his (compliments/complements).

I was flattered by his compliments. d Your agenda is different (to/from/than) mine.

Your agenda is different from mine. e Perfection is possible, but (it’s/its) rare.

Perfection is possible, but it’s rare. f The (principal/principle) advantage of the word processor is the ability to reproduce material easily.

The principal advantage of the word processor is the ability to reproduce material easily. g There are (fewer/less) mistakes in this transcription.

There are fewer mistakes in this transcription. h (Two/Too) of the representatives will be sent (too/to) the conference. Several support staff will attend (to/too).

Two of the representatives will be sent to the conference. Several support staff will attend too.

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6 Rewrite the following sentences to improve the tone. Think about how you might react if addressed using these words. a Your stupid mistake is inexcusable. b Unless you improve your keyboarding skills you won’t be working here much longer. c I don’t know whether I will be available if you phone. d I don’t care if you did work late last night, I’m not going to do overtime today. e The reasons for the change in policy were too absurd. f Because you misunderstood the terms of the contract, we cannot be expected to pay you more money for the work. g Due to your ignoring our repeated requests for payment, we will begin charging you interest from the first of the month. a Your stupid mistake is inexcusable.

Your error has caused major problems for customers. b Unless you improve your keyboarding skills you won’t be working here much longer.

In order to retain your position, you need to improve your keyboarding skills. c I don’t know whether I will be available if you phone.

Please leave a message if my phone goes to voicemail and I’ll return your call as soon as possible. d I don’t care if you did work late last night, I’m not going to do overtime today.

I am unavailable to do overtime today as I have other commitments. e The reasons for the change in policy were too absurd.

The reasons for the change in policy were not made clear. f Because you misunderstood the terms of the contract, we cannot be expected to pay you more money for the work.

We can only pay you the amount specified in the contract. g Due to your ignoring our repeated requests for payment, we will begin charging you interest from the first of the month.

As payments have not been received, interest will be changed from the first of the month.

7 Read through the following passage and brainstorm a list of words describing the tone. a What is the subject? b Highlight the words or phrases that create the tone. c What is the effect of long sentences and minimal punctuation on the tone?

For the most part they carried themselves with poise, a kind of dignity. Now and then, however, there were times of panic, when they squealed or wanted to squeal, but couldn’t, when they twitched and made moaning sounds and covered their heads and said Dear Jesus and flopped around to the earth and fired their weapons blindly and cringed and sobbed and begged for the noise to stop and went wild and made stupid promises to themselves and to God and to their mothers and fathers, hoping not to die. (O’Brien, 1990).

Brainstormed words could include:

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  

desperation deafening noise fear of dying

a The subject is of the experiences of soldiers in battle b Highlight the words or phrases that create the tone.

For the most part they carried themselves with poise, a kind of dignity. Now and then, however, there were times of panic, when they squealed or wanted to squeal, but couldn’t, when they twitched and made moaning sounds and covered their heads and said Dear Jesus and flopped around to the earth and fired their weapons blindly and cringed and sobbed and begged for the noise to stop and went wild and made stupid promises to themselves and to God and to their mothers and fathers, hoping not to die. (O’Brien,1990) c What is the effect of long sentences and minimal punctuation on the tone?

The long sentences and minimal punctuation add to the sense of desperation and fear felt by the soldiers.

8 Working in pairs and using an assignment that you have previously submitted in any subject, review each other’s work, being mindful of the guidelines offered in this chapter. Offer suggestions for improvement. Discuss your reactions to the reviewing process and suggest strategies for improving your approach to this task.

Answers will vary here.

9 Edit and revise the assignment used in question 8.

Exchange the marked draft with a different partner and see if they can offer further suggestions for improvement. Compile a polished version and compare it to the original. (Perhaps your subject lecturer may be willing to discuss the improvements with you.)

Answers will vary here.

10 Rewrite the following sentences to eliminate wordiness: a It has been my wish for a considerable period of time to gain entrance into the field of accounting. This is due to the fact that challenges of my intellect are what challenge me.

I wish to become an accountant because I find the profession intellectually challenging. b To me it appeared that Smith did not give any consideration whatsoever to the suggestion that had been recommended by the consultant.

Smith did not seem to consider the consultant’s suggestion. c At this point in time we can’t ascertain the reason as to why the screen door was left open.

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We do not know why the screen door was left open. d My sister, who is employed as a nutritionist at the University of Melbourne, recommends the daily intake of megadoses of Vitamin C. Daily megadoses of Vitamin C are recommended by some nutritionists. e In the past there were quite a large number of firms located on the West Coast offering us competition. At this present point in time, the majority of those firms have been forced to go out of business by the hardships and difficulties of the present period of business contraction and stagnation.

Previously we faced competition by many West Coast companies, but most of these firms have gone out of business due to lack of sales. f Dear Mrs Tardy, We are in receipt of your letter of 17 January. It is regretted that we cannot answer in the affirmative to your request. Inasmuch as your policy lapsed on 1 December, be informed that it has been cancelled and that your cheque in the amount of $157 arrived too late and is being returned herewith.

Thank you for your letter of 17 Jan. We are unable to meet your request – your policy lapsed on 1 Dec because your payment arrived late. Your payment cheque for $157 is enclosed.

Chapter 12 Writing for the workplace – content and genre Learning objectives After reading this chapter, you should be able to: • understand the range of genres that are commonly used in workplace settings • describe the content, structure and essential parts of emails, letters, reports and manuals • describe the stylistic features of writing typically found in workplace communication, including narrative, argument, explanation, description, and instruction • recognise and reproduce standard formatting, layout and design of workplace writing genres • use a range of graphics typically expected in workplace genres of writing.

Discussion Questions and Solutions

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1 Read the following statements. Discuss how a reader might react to their appearance in a professional email. a We can’t get onto the guy who sold you the camera.

A reader might react by dismissing the expertise of the person because of the informal language used e.g.,:  the contractions  the phrase ‘get onto’ and the word, ‘guy’ are spoken language.  b My secretary informed me that the mistake was definitely not hers.

A reader might react by feeling offended because the language implies that the reader made the mistake. The reader might well ask ‘I don’t care whose fault it is, just fix it.’ And, blaming a colleague creates a poor impression and could impact the relationship. c Payments must be made on time.

A reader might react by feeling admonished, and unable to communicate with the writer, or organisation further. The language used is very demanding and unfriendly. d You failed to supply the reference number and we can’t fill the order until you provide the proper details.

Starting a sentence with ‘you’ could sound accusatory, so the reader may feel that any further communication may create a conflict. Also, the word, ‘failed’ is unnecessarily negative and should be replace with ‘did not’. e We’re terribly sorry about the confused orders but these things do happen from time to time, as we all know, and are probably just meant to try us. We’ll have better luck next time.

Although the writer may have been attempting to soften the situation, it reads as very apologetic (‘terribly sorry’, ‘things happen from time to time’), and the text is unnecessarily longwinded. A reader may react by feeling guilty for potentially creating the situation.

Contractions should not be used in professional written communication.

The writer should acknowledge that an error has occurred, then state how it will be fixed. The reader would appreciate having this information. f It is obligatory that any discrepancies in the account be rectified so that the indebtedness will be cleared.

A reader may react by feeling patronised. The language is very bureaucratic. It is better to use more accessible language, for example: ‘Please pay the account as soon as possible.’ h Our interior-decorating service guarantees to give any drab and shabby looking office an appearance of success and prosperity.

A reader may react by accepting the guarantee, and therefore hiring the service.

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The language used is simple and accessible. ‘Drab’ and ‘shabby looking’ might be taken as rather tactless though, if the reader takes it personally. i My training and experience have equipped me to fill the position of assistant to the director in your firm.

A reader may react by feeling the candidate is overly assertive and not suitable for the position. The language used sounds rather brash and arrogant.

2 Download a variety of employment advertisements from a major newspaper or online job site. Discuss the different strategies you would use to apply for several different jobs. Choose one advertisement that requests a written application and, using your imagination, write: a detailed résumé. (Be sure to tailor the résumé to suit the demands of the position.)

Answers will vary here. See pages 323–325 for suggestions on how these should be written. Students could also search online employment sites such as Seek or Indeed. They often have job application document templates (as well as other useful resources). b a cover letter for the position.

3 Imagine that you work in the market-research department of a large chain supermarket. You have been requested to present a comparative report on the following consumer goods, usually purchased in supermarkets: – clothes washing detergent – toothpaste – margarine – bread.

Your reader wants to know the different brands, types and prices of these goods in the various supermarkets. Present a set of notes explaining your approach to compiling this report.

Notes should include what information and how it will be researched, including:  the exact brands of the products, the supermarkets and locations, and the prices  the defined period of time, say a week, and a specific town or city and set of suburbs.  the change in prices over time, location and whether the product is on ‘special’ (prices on most brands are not fixed in the various suburbs in any one city or state). Prices of even the most basic products (except milk) are more expensive in the more prestigious suburbs. The only supermarket we know, that has fixed prices on its products throughout Australia is ALDI. Part of students’ notes could include how they might present the information for comparison, for example: a matrix with headings on the columns and rows so differences can be easily seen, compared, and analysed.

4 Prepare a report on your suburb or locality outlining the amenities, features, accommodation, house prices, transport, schooling, availability of employment, Copyright © 2024 Cengage Learning Australia Pty Limited

community activities and any other data you consider to be relevant. (You may even check with local councils for further information.)

Carefully formulate an objective for your report so that the information is clearly related to that objective. Perhaps the purpose of your report will be to describe a suburb as fully as possible, so that individuals and families may assess its appropriateness and attractiveness as a place in which to settle. Use this idea as a suggestion and modify it or replace it with any other that you feel is suitable.

The most important aspect of this report should be the audience. Students could consider their audience to be a definite company or government department.

Centrelink, Department of Housing, a Real Estate company or a university unit are some of the possible audiences.

Discussion could also include how to write a clear purpose (objective) of the research (and therefore the report) and the scope of the research. Students often have difficulty with this. This could be a good scenario to help them understand this part of writing a report.

5 Select a report you have already submitted for one of your subjects. In view of the recommendations offered in this chapter, review the assignment and rewrite it.

Instructors could do an online search to locate a business report for the class to review. Or they could extend the scenario in question 4 above by changing the purpose of the research so that students can make recommendations (e.g., deciding where they might want to live; what a council might need to do to improve services to residents; etc.).

6 The manager of ABC Marketing, a small but dynamic organisation that specialises in marketing for technical firms, has requested that Brian, Lee and Ari, who have just joined the organisation as graduate interns, investigate upgrading the firm’s AV equipment and write a report with recommendations concerning the items that should be added to their inventory. a Discuss how the team should proceed with this assignment.

Students/teams should:  decide on the type of AV equipment ABC currently owns (see point b. below)  allocate roles and tasks among their team, with time limits  discuss what research method they will use – the easiest way would be to survey users of the equipment on how up-to-date the equipment is. A cursory test of typical equipment could also be undertaken depending on the technical expertise of the testers. b Compile a list of appropriate equipment for a firm such as this.

Teams will need to decide on this equipment. They will need to consider the size of the firm, and its resources. AV equipment comes in a range of costs, from a few hundred dollars to many thousands. The choice of equipment depends on the

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company’s needs and resources. c Compile a report that would be acceptable in this case.

Answers will vary here depending on the needs of the company. Instructors could discuss suitable report headings, and how recommendations are generally written.

7 Collect instruction manuals for various appliances, medical devices, software and other items. Compare and discuss what is effective and what is confusing.

Why is it confusing? How could it be improved?

Things to examine might include:  format: e.g., contents page, index, layout, use of graphics  order of information  ease of locating sections (e.g. with sub-headings and numbering)  readability: e.g., size of font, grammar, accessible language and use of plain English  use of active voice, parallel construction Instructors could use Google to locate manuals for students to evaluate.

8 Investigate the graphics capabilities of various software packages by visiting computer shops, obtaining brochures or reading computer and office technology magazines.

Graphics programs for producing business charts were once a highly competitive part of the software market. Harvard Graphics was once a popular piece of software. These days Excel does such a good job that few people use anything else.

There are only a few current alternatives to using Excel.

Although the methods noted in the question are still available, students may find online searching of software packages more effective. While Excel is still a popular choice, packages such as Tableau, Crystal Reports; and interactive graphics such as PowerBI are increasingly more powerful.

Discuss the impact that this technology is having on the writing process.

The creation of good business charts is very useful in order to create the ‘facts’ in the Results or Findings sections of reports. Using 3D graphs may be tempting but probably should be resisted because they can be distracting, hard to read, and lead to inaccurate interpretations.

Software packages such PowerBI enable the reader to interact with the data sets, so they can become the writer as well as the reader.

9 Find a PDF version of a report that uses graphics and text to explain a current news story. Write an evaluation of the article, discussing the effectiveness of: a the textual information presented Look for the use of non-emotive, objective, neutral language; selection and order of information; sources cited and so on. Students could check whether the graphics

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support the text or are merely just ‘window dressing’. b the graphic information presented.

Instructors could search online to locate a useful piece for student evaluation from a daily newspaper or magazine. Reviews of computer hardware, software, cameras or vacuum cleaners are suitable. Make sure to focus on tables as well as graphs.

Questions students might answer could include:  To what extent do the graphics add value to the text.  Do they make it easier to understand? How?  Tables often use ratings systems such as stars, ticks, or words. Which style appeals most to you?

10 Company annual reports contain a wide variety of graphic aids. Collect copies of annual reports and discuss the techniques used to supplement the written word.

Answers will vary here; pointers listed above will be useful.

11 Collect a variety of catalogues for consumer and industrial goods. Compare the graphic presentations. Discuss why there are differences in style.

Answers will vary here. Look at pages 372–373 of textbook.

It will be important to analyse:  whether the appropriate graph was used for the purpose and audience  whether there was any distortion or skewing of the graph to promote the goods or service  whether the use of colour and labelling helped interpret the data.

12 Compare a few websites to decide what you consider to be effective use of visual information for online applications.

Answers will vary here. Students could use the points in the suggested answer above.

13 Write an article for a student magazine, online platform or academic blog on an aspect of your study. Submit it for review and publication.

Answers will vary here.

16 Select a concept used in your field of study and develop an extended definition of it, using the techniques discussed in this chapter. You may include graphics.

Answers will vary here.

Chapter 13 Workplace writing – research and Copyright © 2024 Cengage Learning Australia Pty Limited

reports Learning objectives After reading this chapter, you should be able to: • define research and describe the three types of research used in the workplace • outline the research process from ideas and research questions to the selection of method • understand how to locate information from key sources • reiterate ethical responsibilities of workplace researchers • show in detail what the structure of an empirical research report should look like.

Discussion Questions and Solutions 1 Bad questionnaires and bad survey research is so commonplace that it is the standard that many of us assume is the norm. What should good survey research look like? What are some famous examples of bad survey research? Try to use Australian examples first, then international ones.

Some points about what good science looks like include:  using double blind to prevent research bias or any placebo effect  being able to be replicated using the same research method with different researchers  having sampling that reflects the population it represents  having a clear hypothesis  using a valid research method, so it researches what it is supposed to research  taking a systematic approach  being objective and based on empirical evidence  being ethical Some Australian examples could include:  Research method used to calculate the Robodebt algorithm: ‘The flawed algorithm at the heart of Robodebt’, Pursuit by The University of Melbourne (unimelb.edu.au) https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/theflawed-algorithm-at-the-heart-of-robodebt  Sydney University’s research into gambling funded by casinos – ‘University of Sydney gambling research centre bankrolled by casinos is ‘troubling’, experts say’, The Guardian, 17 Aug 2023 https://www.theguardian.com/australianews/2023/aug/17/university-of-sydney-gambling-research-centre-bankrolledby-casinos-is-troubling-experts-say  The Sydney Morning Herald’s article lists some interesting examples – ‘Australian studies found to be unreliable’, Sydney Morning Herald, 19 July 2019: https://www.smh.com.au/national/bad-science-australian-studiesfound-to-be-unreliable-compromised-20190719-p528ql.html Another good site students may find interesting is the Australian Electoral Commission’s research into the manipulative tactics used in some research. See Copyright © 2024 Cengage Learning Australia Pty Limited

‘Disinformation tactics’ at the Australian Electoral Commission’s website (aec.gov.au): https://www.aec.gov.au/media/disinformation-tactics.htm Sites that note some overseas examples include:  ZME Science’s – ‘Shaky science: 9 Retracted Studies That Left a Big Mark’ (zmescience.com): https://www.zmescience.com/featurepost/resources/metascience/retracted-studies/  Time magazine’s ‘The 10 Most Ridiculous Scientific Studies’: https://time.com/4026473/ridiculous-science-studies/ 2 Do you think that having Google available makes all of us more opinionated about information related to so many professional areas?

Answers will vary here.

Students could debate the algorithms used by search engines such as Google, and how these affect what sites are listed and their order on pages, which in turn, affect what information we access. As an extension, students could then discuss these flaws in AI platforms, such as ChatGPT. 3 Locating too many hits is just as bad as finding too few. How can you minimise the number of useful hits for your search term while using Google?

This may be useful to show students: ‘How to Remove Unwanted Results from a Google Search’ by Educational Tutorials, YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmjHX9pcJTY This maybe another useful site to show students about the dangers of using Wikipedia as part of their research: ‘Google searches and numbers’, Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Google_searches_and_numbers

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4 Given that there are so many search engines available, what are the advantages of some of the alternatives to Chrome, such as Brave, Firefox, Vivaldi?

Answers will vary.

Students could conduct their own research (or refer to these sites) and create a matrix based on their particular search needs:  HighSpeedInternet.com’s ‘The Best Web Browsers of 2023’: https://www.highspeedinternet.com/resources/best-web-browsers – note that this has an American focus.  PC mag’s ‘Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, or Safari: Which Browser Is Best for 2023?’ (pcmag.com): https://au.pcmag.com/browsers/85836/chrome-edgefirefox-opera-or-safari-which-browser-is-best 5 Test your research skills with the following topics: a Is it ethical for organisations to monitor employees’ email and internet behaviour at work? Why, or why not? b What are the privacy laws as they pertain to Australian businesses in the new millennium? c Intellectual property is a serious workplace issue. Discuss whether or not you own the rights to any innovations you might develop while being employed by a company.

Answers will vary here.

You could create 3 groups to research one of the questions above, then have groups report back on their findings.

6 What is the purpose of each of the five sections of a scientific research report?

Refer to pages 389–397 of the textbook. Students could form 5 groups to discuss the main points within one of the report sections, then report back to the class.

7 Discuss the suggestion that different report sections constitute very different genres of writing.

Answers should consider the purpose of each section. Section purposes are written to:  inform with facts, e.g. Introduction (background, need for the investigation, purpose/objective or hypothesis, scope of what will be researched and what will be excluded, value of the research towards the field/discipline), Method, and Results  inform and persuade on research, e.g. literature review, analysis of results, discussion, conclusion  persuade for action, e.g. recommendations.

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8 Read the following poor examples of overviews of report introductions.

Rewrite to improve the structure and tone by being more general (not specific) and more professional (not humble). The sentence/s should not start with the topic. You could use a provocative beginning.

Answers will vary Some suggestions include: a. Drink driving: I would like to talk a bit about drink driving what happens when drunken men and women get behind the wheel of a car instead of taking public transport or catching a taxi.

Possible rewrite: Drinking and driving are two activities that should not be performed at the same time. or Besides being against the law, the consequences of drink driving are often invisible, until it happens to you. b. Underage sex: According to Velasquez (2006) teenagers who have underage sex risk contracting venereal diseases more than those people who are 18 or older.

Possible rewrite: Venereal disease is not something young people set out to contract. or Risk-taking sexual behaviour among young people can have profound health consequences. c. Racism: Looking vaguely Middle Eastern in Sydney can get you stopped by the cops or in the country beaten up. My cousin was accosted by a large gang of guys last month.

Possible rewrite: Why should the physical characteristics of some cultures, in particular those from a Middle Eastern background, produce racist behaviours in others? or Being of Middle Eastern appearance should not be a reason to be targeted by police or gangs.

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9 Using Google Scholar or a library database, find three scholarly articles on the same topic. Compare their literature reviews for length, breadth of coverage, depth of coverage and number of references. Create a table to summarise this comparison. Which is the best literature review?

Students will need to develop criteria to inform their research and to create the columns for the comparison table. Criteria based on the above points could include:  Summary – was the length appropriate for the length of the article; did it include the main points?  Analysis of the main points – was it of sufficient depth for the article (students could use the CRAP formula for literature reviews – i.e. currency, reliability, authority, purpose)  Were references used to support statements of fact; were there a sufficient number of references?  Style of writing – was it written at a level suitable for the relevant audience; was the language professional?

10 Using APA format, create a table, using MS Word, and a graph, using MS Excel (use 2D graphs not 3D ones), from the following set of data: • Subjects who took Drug 1 had the following average feeling healthy scores on a test: 22 (baseline), 25 (at 1 week), 26 (2 weeks), 28 (3 weeks), 28 (4 weeks).

• No drug: 22 (baseline), 22 (1 week), 23 (2 weeks), 24 (3 weeks), 24 (4 weeks) • Drug 2: 22 (baseline), 24 (1 week), 27 (2 weeks), 31 (3 weeks), 34 (4 weeks)Compare your graph(s) and you Table)s) and Graph(s) should look similar to these: Table Table 1 – Average Feeling Healthy Scores Time

No Drug (placebo)

Drug 1

Drug 2

Baseline (start)

22

22

22

Week 1

22

25

24

Week 2

23

26

27

Week 3

24

28

31

Week 4

24

28

34

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Bar Graph Figure 1 – Average Feeling Healthy Scores

or Line Graph Figure 1 – Average Feeling Healthy Scores

Compare your graph(s) and your table(s).

Responses should consider:  the table shows the exact number of subjects more easily  both graphs show comparisons between subjects more easily  the line graph enables predictions to be made more easily.

Discussion could focus on:  whether the raw data for number of subjects should have been converted to percentages (although total number of subjects wasn’t provided e.g., n=?)  the scale used in the bar graph for the y axis, and whether it should end at 100.

Would this distort the reading of the data?

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

the scale used in the line graph for the y axis to expand the lines, and whether it should start at 20 and cut off at 35. Would this distort the reading of the data?

Write up the text that could accompany the graphs and table. Highlight findings and explain highs and lows.

Answers should consider:  the difference in effect between the placebo and the 2 drugs, e.g., o drug 2 outperformed drug 1 o the small difference between the placebo and drug 1 was possibly insignificant  whether drug 2’s efficacy could be due to other effects (in fact all results could be queried because of the lack of other possible contributing factors)  whether the trial should have been run longer than 4 weeks since the effects of the drugs was increasing in ‘feeling healthy’ 11 Compare scientific reports and business reports. How are they similar and different in terms of their structure?

Answers will vary.

As in Questions 9 above and 12 below, students will need to develop criteria to inform their research and to create the columns for the comparison table. Criteria could include:  Headings and subheadings (e.g., scientific reports will often have a similar structure while business reports develop a structure to suit their purpose)  Types of headings and subheadings (e.g., scientific reports will include: hypothesis, description of the method, references) Similarities could include:  Background information  Purpose/objective and scope  Analysis of information  Conclusions based on the analyses

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12 Find some real-life examples of scientific research reports and business reports and contrast their objectives and methods.

Answers will vary.

As in Questions 9 and 11 above, students will need to develop criteria to inform their research and to create the columns for the comparison table. Criteria could include:  Audience, e.g. scientific community, academics, stakeholders within a company, auditors  the difference in methods used to collect data, e.g. technical information, experimental using quantitative or qualitative data  the objective outcomes, e.g. decision making, adding to a body of knowledge  the overall objectives/purpose of the report, e.g. to inform, persuade/ recommend, analyse, evaluate  tone – formal or informal; neutral and objective  language – technical jargon, theoretical  citations – type and quantity

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