1. What is Communication? — Core definition
Communication is the process of transmitting information, ideas, feelings or meanings from a sender to a receiver through a channel, with the aim of achieving understanding. It involves encoding, transmission, decoding and feedback.
Why it matters for NET: Expect definitions, short examples, and an explanation of key components (sender, message, channel, receiver, feedback, noise).
2. Key Models of Communication (remember these for definitions & diagrammatic questions)
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Shannon-Weaver (Transmission) Model — Source → Encoder → Channel → Decoder → Destination; highlights technical problems (noise) and the idea of signal fidelity. Useful for questions on “noise” and “technical aspects” of communication.
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Berlo’s SMCR Model — Source (S), Message (M), Channel (C), Receiver (R). Emphasizes how characteristics of each component (skills, attitudes, knowledge, social system) shape communication effectiveness. Good for “component characteristics” style questions.
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Lasswell’s 5W Formula — “Who says What in Which channel to Whom with What effect?” — very useful for mass-communication analysis and questions linking function to effect.
(Tip: sketch the three diagrams quickly in answers if asked; tie Shannon to technical/noise points, Berlo to sender/receiver traits, Lasswell to mass-media/impact.)
3. Types / Levels of Communication (short list + exam cues)
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Intrapersonal — internal thought, self-talk (basic level; used in comprehension questions).
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Interpersonal — face-to-face, dyadic; focuses on verbal & nonverbal cues.
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Group / Small-group — team meetings, seminar groups; includes roles, norms, group dynamics.
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Public / Mass communication — one→many (media, broadcasts); consider effects & agenda-setting.
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Intercultural — across cultural boundaries (high vs low context; norms differ).
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Organizational — formal/informal channels inside institutions.
(NTA often asks to distinguish two types or pick examples — keep one clear example per type.)
4. Characteristics of Effective Communication (quick checklist)
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Clarity & simplicity — clear language, logical structure
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Conciseness — avoid unnecessary words
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Completeness & relevance — cover necessary info for receiver to act
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Correctness — factual and grammar accuracy
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Consideration (receiver-oriented) — audience awareness, tone, cultural sensitivity
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Feedback loop — ensures understanding and corrective action
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Timing & appropriateness — right channel and context
(Exam tip: these appear as MCQs or match-the-pairs; remember five to six items.)
5. Verbal vs Non-verbal Communication (contrast)
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Verbal: words, structure, language; depends on vocabulary, syntax.
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Paralinguistic: tone, pitch, pace, pauses.
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Non-verbal: body language, gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, proxemics (space), haptics (touch), appearance.
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Function: Non-verbal often supplements, contradicts, or regulates verbal message (e.g., sarcasm—words vs tone).
(Tip: NTA often uses scenarios asking which cue indicates sincerity or deception — choose non-verbal cues that mismatch verbal content.)
6. Listening & Feedback — essentials for classroom & workplace
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Active listening: focused attention, paraphrasing, asking clarifying questions, withholding judgment. Barriers include personal agenda, information overload, emotional reactiveness, distraction. Practical strategies: summarize, ask open questions, provide constructive feedback.
7. Barriers to Effective Communication (classification + examples)
A. Physical / Environmental — noise, distance, poor acoustics.
B. Semantic / Language — ambiguity, jargon, unfamiliar terms.
C. Psychological / Emotional — attitudes, biases, defensiveness.
D. Cultural — difference in values, norms; nonverbal meanings differ across cultures.
E. Physiological — hearing impairment, speech disorders, fatigue.
F. Organizational — rigid hierarchy, poor channels, overload.
How to overcome: simplify language, check for feedback, use appropriate channel, cultural sensitivity, active listening, use redundancy and clarification. (Waterloo & teaching-center resources list similar barriers and strategies.)
8. Intercultural Communication — essentials for answers
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High-context vs Low-context cultures (Hall): high-context communicates more by inference and context; low-context relies on explicit verbal content.
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Hofstede’s dimensions (useful short mentions): power distance, individualism vs collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity vs femininity, long-term orientation — explains cross-cultural communication differences.
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Competencies needed: cultural empathy, adaptation of message, language awareness, avoiding stereotyping.
(Exam tip: for case questions about cultural misunderstanding, mention context level + adaptation strategy.)
9. Group Communication & Classroom Communication (teacher-centered → learner-centered)
Group communication basics:
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Roles (leader, facilitator, recorder), norms, group cohesion, decision-making (consensus vs majority).
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Common problems: groupthink, dominance by a few, poor participation.
Classroom communication (practical points for NET answers):
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Teacher as facilitator: encourage questions, scaffold learning, use wait time.
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Questioning techniques: Bloom-based questions — recall → comprehension → application → analysis → evaluation → creation. Use higher-order questions to probe critical thinking.
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Feedback: immediate, specific, constructive; use rubrics and formative assessment.
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Participatory methods: discussions, small groups, peer instruction, think-pair-share.
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Use of ICT: multimedia, polls, discussion boards — improves access and interactivity. Recent classroom research emphasises positive reinforcement, restorative discipline and purposeful facilitation.
(Net answer strategy: when asked “methods for effective classroom communication,” list 4–6 actions with brief rationale.)
10. Mass Media & Society — functions and short theories
Primary functions of mass media:
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Surveillance (informing), Correlation (interpreting), Cultural transmission (socializing), Entertainment, Mobilization.
Important theories to remember (short):
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Lasswell’s 5W (who/what/channel/whom/effect) — great for analysing campaigns.
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Agenda-setting — media influence what public thinks about (not what to think).
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Uses and Gratifications — audience actively selects media to satisfy needs.
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Cultivation theory — heavy media exposure shapes perceptions of reality (useful for TV/media effect questions).
(Exam tip: NTA often asks to match function/theory or pick the best example for a theory — memorize a one-line definition for each.)
11. Digital & New Media: brief pointers
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Features: interactivity, user-generated content, multi-modal (text/audio/video), social networks.
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Implications: faster feedback, echo chambers, misinformation risk, need for digital literacy and media ethics.
12. Quick Examples & Short Answers (for rapid revision)
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Example of noise (Shannon): Poor internet connection during an online lecture → message distortion.
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Example Berlo (SMCR): Teacher’s attitude and knowledge influence how a scientific concept is explained and how students decode it.
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Intercultural mistake: Direct refusal in low-context culture vs saving face in high-context — adjust phrasing and nonverbal cues.
13. How NTA frames questions from this unit — exam strategy
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Direct definition & model-identification: Know Shannon, Berlo, Lasswell — one-line definitions + diagram.
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Scenario-based application: Given a classroom or media scenario, identify barrier, model component, or appropriate strategy.
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Match/MCQ of functions: Match media functions to examples.
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Short critical questions: Advantages/disadvantages of ICT in classroom, steps to overcome specific barriers, features of intercultural competence.
14. Two-minute revision checklist (memorize these 8 items)
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Definition + 5 components (sender, message, channel, receiver, feedback)
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Shannon-Weaver — noise & signal fidelity
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Berlo SMCR — influence of sender/receiver traits
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Lasswell 5W — mass communication analysis
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6 barriers (physical, semantic, psychological, cultural, physiological, organizational)
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Verbal vs non-verbal; examples of each
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Classroom strategies: questioning, feedback, facilitation, ICT use
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Media functions + 2 theories (agenda-setting, uses & gratifications)
15. Quick practice prompts (use as short answers)
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Draw and briefly explain Shannon-Weaver model (2–3 lines).
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List four barriers in classroom communication and how to overcome them (4×2 lines).
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Explain “high-context vs low-context” with an example (3 lines).
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Describe three functions of mass media with examples (3×1 line).