chapter-14 Flashcards
Define communication. (309)
The process of sharing ideas, information and messages withothers.
Most Air Force communication involves speakingand writing. T IF (309)
True.
Name the three parts of every communication. (309)
The 1) sender; 2) message; and 3) audience.
In successful communication, what must the audiencedo besides receive the message? (309)
Interpret the message the way the sender intended.
The five core principles of good communication createthe acronym FOCUS. List them. (309-Fig)
1) Focused - address the whole issue, but only the issue; 2)organized - systematically present information and ideas; 3)clear - communicate with clarity and make each word count;4) understanding - understand your audience and its expectations;and 5) supported - use logic and support to make yourpoint.
When a communication is __ , the sender stays ontrack and has a clear idea of the purpose and objective.(309)
Focused.
Well-organized material is presented in a logical,systematic manner. T/F (309)
True
When audiences become confused or impatient withunorganized communication, what might they underestimate?(309)
The information’s value and your credibility.
What two related things must you do to communicateclearly? (309)
1) Understand the rules oflanguage (spelling, pronunciation,grammar, punctuation, etc.); and 2) get to the point.
When communicating, what must you understandabout your audience? (309)
Their current knowledge, views and level of interest in thetopic.
You’ve been asked to write a report. Name severalthings you must understand about it first. (309)
The expected format and length of the response, due date,level of formality and any staffing requirements.
What two tools build credibility and trust with youraudience? (309)
Support and logic.
List the seven steps that make both your written correspondenceand speaking more effective. (310, 310-Fig)
1) Analyze your purpose and audience; 2) research the topic;3) support your ideas; 4) organize and outline; 5) prepare adraft; 6) edit the draft; and 7) fight for feedback.
What are the four purposes of most Air Force writingor speaking? (310)
To 1) direct; 2) inform; 3) persuade; or4) inspire.
When communicating, determine the message youwant to send (the what) and your purpose (the _).(310)
Why. (Your purpose will tell you what to emphasize andwhat your tone should be.)
Which communication approach should you use todescribe actions you expect your audience to carry out?(310-Fig)
The direct approach.
What should you emphasize in directive communications? (310-Fig)
Clear, concise directions and expectations.
The __ approach passes information to the audience.(310-Fig)
Informative.
What should you emphasize in informative communication?(310-Fig)
Clear, direct communication of accurate and adequate informationtailored to the audience’s education and skill level.
What may be appropriate during informative communicationto ensure the audience gets the message?(310-Fig)
Audience feedback and interaction.
When should you use the persuasive approach whenspeaking or writing? (310-Fig)
To sell your audience on a new idea, policy, product orchange in current operations.
The inspirational approach is rarely used whenspeaking or writing in the military. T/F (310-Fig)
False. (It’s used frequently.)
What should you emphasize in inspirational communication?(310-Fig)
Your delivery and a thorough knowledge of your topic andyour audience.
When speaking or writing, what should you draft toclarify your communication’s objective? (310)
A purpose statement.
A purpose statement captures the essence of whatyou’re trying to do (your “bottom line”). How many sentencesshould it be? (310)
One clear sentence.
How does developing a clear purpose statement helpboth you and your audience? (310)
It helps you Focus, Organize, Clear, Understand and Support(FOCUS) as you develop your communication and it helpsyour audience FOCUS when you deliver your message.
What should you understand about yourself to helpreach your communication goals? (310)
Your own strengths and weaknesses.
Why should you know your organization whencommunicating? (310)
So you can accommodate their views, capabilities or concerns.
In communication, receiving audiences fall into whatfour subcategories? (310-311)
1) Primary receivers; 2) secondary receivers; 3) keydecisionmakers; and 4) gatekeepers.
Which audience subcategory includes the person youcommunicate with directly, either verbally or in writing?(310)
The primary receiver.
In communication, who is included in the secondaryreceiver audience subcategory? (311)
People you communicate with indirectly through the primaryreceivers.
Which audience subcategory includes the most powerfulmembers of the audience? (311)
Key decisionmakers. (Knowing who they are will help focusyour attention and delivery.)
_____ are the people in the chain who review a communicationbefore it reaches the intended audience. (311)
Gatekeepers. (Knowing who they are and what they expectcan save you embarrassment and help ensure your success.)
How can you avoid letting rank be a barrier to communication?(311)
Treat everyone as communicative equals and be candid, directand respectful to all.
Smooth out your communications by using careerfieldspecific jargon and acronyms whenever possible.T/F (311)
False. (Avoid excessive use of jargon and acronyms. Don’toverestimate the knowledge and expertise of your audience,but don’t talk down to them, either.)
What communication traps can inadvertently excludemembers of the audience? (311)
References to race, religion, ethnicity or sex - for example,when designing your visual support. (Be inclusive and adhereto good taste and sensitivity.)
Why do speakers have an advantage over writersregarding tone when communicating tone? (311)
Speakers can use gestures, voice and movements to helpcommunicate tone. (Writers should remember nonverbalsignals aren’t available.)
The first rule of writing is to be polite. Forego anger,criticism and sarcasm in favor of reason and persuasion.T/F (311)
True. (Be courteous. Don’t deliberately embarrass anyone.)
How can using pronouns (when appropriate) helpyour communication? (311)
It personalizes your communication, creates rapport, showsconcern, keeps the audience involved and helps avoid monotony.
Instead of using “I,” “me” and “my” when communicating,which pronouns should you choose? (311)
“You,” “yours,” “we,” “us” and “our.”
Avoid using “I” as the first word of an opening sentence.When could you start two sentences in a row with”I” or “We”? (311)
To hammer home a point.
Your audience appreciates sincerity and honesty.How can you cultivate a positive tone? (311)
Give praise when it’s due; acknowledge acceptance beforefocusing on improvements; and express criticism as helpfulquestions, suggestions, requests and recommendations orclear directives, not as accusations.
Research your topic to support your communicationgoals. What are the five steps for effective research? (311,312-Fig)
1) Review the purpose and scope of the overall project; 2)assign a deadline for the research; 3) ask the boss; 4) determinewhat you know about the topic; and 5) determine whereto look for information.
Sometimes you may need to do preliminary researchjust to scope out the effort required for your communicationgoal. T/F (312-Fig)
True. (Sometimes the purpose and scope evolve as you learnmore.)
Why should you assign a deadline to finish yourcommunication research? (312-Fig)
To ensure you don’t run out of time for the other steps.
To save some time, who should you ask for suggestionson where to start with a research project? (312-Fig)
Your supervisor.
Though you should first look to your own knowledgeabout a research topic, what should you guard againstwhile doing so? (312-Fig)
Your own biases.
List some sources of information for your researchproject. (312-Fig)
Coworkers, base personnel, office files, references, computernetwork references, the Internet and library.
Name five common types of evidence you’ll use to support your ideas when communicating. (312)
l) Definitions; 2) testimony; 3) statistics; 4) facts; and 5) explanations.
A(n) __ is the precise meaning or significance of aword or phrase. (312)
Definition.
In communication, what is considered testimony insupport of your claim? (312)
The comments of recognized authorities including directquotations or paraphrases.
What evidence provides a summary of data that allowsyour audience to better interpret quantitative information?(312)
Statistics.
How should you handle statistics when supportingyour ideas? (312)
Keep them simple and easy to understand, round them offand document their exact source.
A(n) __ is a noncontroversial piece of data thatcan be objectively verified. (312)
Fact.
Should you handle inferences as testimony or as .…;’fact? (312)
As testimony.
List the three types of explanation used to supportideas. (312)
1) Analysis; 2) comparison and contrast; and 3) description.
Which type of explanation separates a whole intosmaller pieces for further study, clarifying a complexissue by examining one piece at a time? (312)
Analysis
In explanations, comparison dramatizes similaritiesbetween two objects or situations. What does contrastdo? (312)
Emphasizes differences.
What type of explanation gives details, painting apicture with words? (312)
Description.
When you organize and outline your communication,select a(n) __ to help you and your readers move systematicallyand logically through your ideas. (313)
Pattern.
What factors influence your choice of pattern to organizeand outline your communication? (313)
Your purpose, the needs of your audience and the nature ofyour material
List the eight common organizational patterns ofcommunication. (313)
1) Topical; 2) compare or contrast; 3) chronological; 4) sequential;5) spatial or geographical; 6) problem and solution;7) reasoning and logic; and 8) cause and effect.
Which organizational pattern for communicationpresents groups of ideas, objects or events by categories?(313)
Topical.
When would you use the compare and contrast patternof organization for communication? (313)
To discuss similarities or differences.
You want to discuss events sequentially from past topresent. Which organizational pattern should you use?(313)
Chronological. (Discusses events, problems or processes in asequence of time.)
The sequential pattern of organization is a step-bystepapproach, similar to the chronological pattern.When would you use the sequential pattern? (313)
To describe a sequence of steps to complete a technical procedureor process.
Which organizational pattern of communicationstarts at some point in space and proceeds in sequence toother points (north to south, clockwise, bottom to top,etc.)? (313)
Spatial or geographical.
Describe the problem and solution organizationalpattern of communication. (313)
It identifies and describes a problem and possible solutionsor an issue and possible techniques to resolve it.
Which organizational pattern of communicationstates an opinion, then provides support for that position?(313)
Reasoning and logic.
You want to lead your audience down the path toyour point of view on an issue. Which organizational pattern of communication should you choose? (313)
Reasoning and logic.
The ____ and __ organizational pattern of communication shows how one or more ideas, actions orconditions lead to others. (313)
Cause and effect.
When writing a draft, you should focus on grammar,punctuation, spelling and word choice. T/F (313)
False. (Focus on getting your ideas down on paper, not onpolished sentences.)
How can you avoid losing focus when writing adraft? (313)
Periodically check your outline.
You should break your draft into what three-partstructure? (313)
1) Introduction; 2) body; and 3) conclusion.
What should the introduction to your draft do? (313)
Capture your audience’s attention, establish rapport and announceyour purpose.
A draft’s typical introduction has what three components?(313)
1) Stage-setting remarks; 2) purpose statement; and 3) overview.
Which of the three components of a draft’s typicalintroduction is optional, especially in very short messages?(313)
Stage-setting remarks. (They set the tone, capture attentionand encourage the audience to read further.)
If you could only keep one sentence in a draft’s introduction,which one would it be? (313)
The purpose statement. (It specifies your purpose, thesis ormain point.)
The __ in your introduction clearly presents yourmain points, previews your paragraph sequence and tiesyour main points to your purpose. (314)
Overview.
In a well-arranged communication, what part comeslast, summarizing the main points and leaving a sense ofclosure? (314)
The conclusion.
The conclusion of your draft should bring up newinformation to avoid repetition. T/F (314)
False. (Do not bring up new information. Instead, balance theintroduction without being identical.)
The __ of your draft includes your main ideas and supporting details for your message. (314)
Body. (It typically consists of several paragraphs.)
Generally you should write a separate paragraph inthe body of your message for each main idea. T/F (314)
True
Paragraphs group related ideas into single units ofthought. What should each paragraph contain as its focalpoint? (314)
A topic sentence. (Supporting ideas should prove, clarify,illustrate and develop your main point.)
Prepare all Air Force correspondence using plainlanguage. Give examples of plain language. (314)
Using logical organization; common, everyday words (exceptnecessary technical terms); pronouns such as “you” andothers; the active voice; and short sentences.
Internal transitions are used within a sentence toimprove its flow. How are external transitions used?(314)
To link separate paragraphs together.
What are the three considerations when draftingsentences? (314)
I) Use the active voice; 2) avoid smothered verbs; and 3) useparallelism.
Does the active voice or the passive voice show thesubject as the receiver of the action? (314)
Passive voice. (The active voice uses fewer words to makethe point quickly.)
Which is an example of active voice - “I appreciateyour support” or “Your support is appreciated”? (314)
“I appreciate your support.”
Which is an example of passive voice - “Please submit”or “It is requested that you submit”? (314)
“It is requested that you submit.”
Keep verbs active, lively, specific, concise and out infront, not hidden. T/F (314)
True.
Which is an example of smothered verbs - “The IGteam held a meeting to give consideration to the printingissue” or “The IG team met to consider the printing issue”?(314-315)
“The JG team held a meeting to give consideration to theprinting issue.”
____ construction uses a consistent pattern whenmaking a list and doesn’t mix things and actions, statements and questions, or active and passive voice. (315)
Parallel construction.
Even experienced writers can have a hard time gettingstarted. T/F (315)
True.
List five fears that lead to writer’s block. (315)
Fear of: 1) failure; 2) rejection; 3) success; 4) offending; and5) running out of ideas.
Writing just the topic sentences for each paragraphis one way to overcome writer’s block. Name several others.(315-Fig)
Brainstorm or “free write” to get started, don’t procrastinate,don’t worry about constraints on the first draft, bounce ideasoff a friend or coworker, use visuals to show meaning anddevelop rituals or routines to get in the mood to write.
To edit efficiently, read your document at leasttimes. (315)
Three times.
What should you do on the first editing pass? (315)
Look at the big picture (the arrangement and flow of ideas).
On the first editing pass, what should you ensureabout the purpose statement? (315-316)
That it answers the original tasker and is contained in theintroduction. (Also check that the introduction and conclusiongo together.)
What should you ensure in each paragraph duringthe first editing pass? (316)
That they clearly relate to the purpose statement, are relevant,contain all main points and are arranged in a consistentorder.
What should you check on the second editing pass?(316)
Paragraphs, structure and clarity.
What three areas should you focus on in each paragraphduring the second editing pass? (316)
1) Unity of focus; 2) topic sentences; and 3) supporting ideas.
On the second editing pass, ensure each paragraphcontains __ main point(s). (316)
One. (All information must relate enough to be in the sameparagraph.)
A paragraph should have one sentence that captures its central idea. What is this called? (316)
The topic sentence.
- How many sentences should a paragraph contain intotal? (316)
Three to seven.
What should you check on the third editing pass?(316)
Sentences, phrases and words. (Look at the details - passivevoice, unclear language, excessive wordiness, grammar andspelling.)
Why should you read the paper out-loud during thethird editing pass? (316)
Because you may catch more errors when you slow downand use two senses - seeing and hearing.
Fight for feedback and have a second person reviewyour communication. Who should you choose to givefeedback? (316)
Coworkers familiar with the issue and its jargon or an expertin an area of communication (such as grammar).
If you are a feedback reviewer, you should be consistent,objective, sensitive to the stated purpose and stickto what the person wants from your review. Should youmark every possible change to help the author? (316)
No, distinguish between necessary, desirable and unnecessarychanges. Only give the author a sense of what reallyneeds to be changed.
To give effective feedback, you should concentrate onimproving content, not writing style or personal preferences.Should you use general statements or pinpointspecific problems? (316)
Pinpoint specific problems. (Such as awkward sentences,grammar, etc.)
List the four writing feedback philosophies. (316-Fig)
1) Describe rather than judge; 2) be both positive and negative- consider strong and weak points; 3) strive to be specific;and 4) direct feedback at behavior the author can control.
As a supervisor providing feedback for a subordinate,you should be tactful and patient. Should you helpinexperienced subordinates revise or rewrite their communications?(317)
Yes, if necessary.
The principles of effective communication applyequally well to written and spoken communications. T/F (317)
True.
What are the three most common and familiar waysto prepare all official and personal correspondence andmemoranda? (317)
1) Official memorandum; 2) personal letter; and 3) Memorandumfor Record (MR).
What writing format should you use to communicatewith all DoD agencies? (317)
The official memorandum.
What writing format should you use to conduct officialbusiness with vendors or contractors outside the governmentwhen the personal letter isn’t appropriate? (317)
The official memorandum.
Which should you use for an official memorandum -printed letterhead, computer-generated letterhead orplain bond paper? (317)
You may use any of them.
For an official memorandum, you may type or printon only one side and you must use black or blue-blackink. What size font should you use? (317)
I 0- to 12-point.
You’ve made a minor typographical error whilewriting an official memorandum. How should you correctit? (317)
Correct it neatly and legibly in ink. (Don’t redo correspondenceto correct an error that does not change intent.)
What three captions for an official memorandum aretyped in all caps, two line spaces apart, beginning fourlines below the date or 14 lines from the top of the page?(318-Fig)
MEMORANDUM FOR, FROM and SUBJECT. (If you usecomputer-generated letterhead without the DoD Seal or plainbond paper, begin 11 line spaces from the top.)
The FROM caption on an official memorandumshould contain the full mailing address of the functionoriginating the correspondence. T/F (318-Fig)
True.
In an official memorandum, type the text flush withthe left margin, beginning two line spaces below theSUBJECT caption. Should you number and letter eachparagraph? (318-Fig)
Type the signature element of an official memorandumat least three spaces to the right of page center, fivelines below the last line of text. What should the signature
Type the signature element of an official memorandumat least three spaces to the right of page center, fivelines below the last line of text. What should the signature element include? (318-Fig)
On the first line, the name in UPPERCASE, including gradeand service; on the second line, the duty title; and on thethird line, the name of the office or organization level (if notannounced in the heading).
Where should you type “Attachments” on an officialmemorandum? (318-Fig)
Flush with the left margin, 10 lines below the last line of textor three lines below the signature element. (If there are twoor more, number them in the order referenced in the memorandum.)
In an official memorandum, what should you cite inthe description of each attachment? (318-Fig)
The office of origin, type of communication, date and numberof copies (in parentheses) if more than one.
You are writing to an individual on a private matterto convey condolences. What writing format should youuse? (317)
The personal letter. (Use this format when a personal touch,warmth or sincerity is essential.)
How long should a personal letter be? (317)
Preferably no longer than one page.
Which writing format includes salutation and complimentaryclose elements? (317)
The personal letter.
The is an informal document with a set formatthat notes certain actions or records information referringto a certain piece of correspondence. (317)
Memorandum for Record (MR).
What two Memorandum for Record (MR) methodsare used most often? (317)
The separate-page MR and the explanatory MR.