How Kossen, Kiernan and Lawrence's Book Can Help You Improve Your Communication Skills in Different Contexts
Communicating For Success: A Review of Kossen, Kiernan and Lawrence's Textbook
Communication is central to being human and the way we experience life. We rely on effective communication to transfer information and ideas between one another and this then allows us to coordinate, cooperate and function at a high level. It is also important to remember that we are essentially social creatures and communication allows us to develop the bonds we need with other people, including family, friends, intimate partners and work colleagues. However, it is only when we stop to consider the role communication plays in our lives that we begin to realise how important it is. It affects all aspects of our lives, and in significant ways. The more effectively we communicate the better we are able to function across a wide range of important areas: we can better manage relationships so that they are healthy and produce happiness, we can better coordinate and cooperate with people, excel at pursuits and advance in our career, and manage difficult and complex tasks like those we encounter in our university studies, as well as in the workplace and in our professional lives.
Communicating For Success Kossen.pdf
But how can we improve our communication skills? How can we learn to communicate more effectively in different contexts and situations? How can we understand the theories and principles that underpin communication processes? How can we apply communication strategies to achieve our goals and overcome challenges? These are some of the questions that the book Communicating for Success by Chris Kossen, Eleanor Kiernan and Jill Lawrence aims to answer. In this article, I will provide a brief overview of what the book is about, who are the authors, what are the main themes and topics covered, and what are the strengths and weaknesses of the book. I will also offer some recommendations for potential readers who might benefit from reading this book.
Introduction
What is the book about?
Communicating for Success is a textbook designed for students who want to develop their communication skills in academic, professional and everyday contexts. The book covers a wide range of topics related to communication theory and practice, such as university culture and transition skills, academic writing, research and referencing, communication theory, perception, audience analysis and task analysis, intercultural communication, social media, oral communication, nonverbal communication, critical thinking and argumentation. The book also provides practical examples, exercises, activities, case studies, tips and advice to help students apply their learning to real-life situations. The book is divided into three parts: communication at university, communication in theory and communication in practice.
Who are the authors?
The authors of Communicating for Success are Chris Kossen, Eleanor Kiernan and Jill Lawrence. They are all lecturers at the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) in Australia. They have extensive experience in teaching communication courses to students from diverse backgrounds and disciplines. They have also published several books and articles on various aspects of communication.
What are the main themes and topics covered?
The book covers a wide range of themes and topics related to communication, as shown in the outline above. In this section, I will briefly summarise each of the chapters and highlight some of the key points and concepts.
Communication at university
University culture and transition skills
This chapter introduces students to the culture and expectations of university life and how they differ from other educational settings. It also helps students to identify their goals, beliefs, expectations and learning approaches, and how they can affect their academic performance and experience. The chapter also provides students with some useful transition skills, such as time management, self-regulation, self-care, study skills, academic integrity and seeking feedback and support.
Academic writing
This chapter focuses on the skills and strategies required for effective academic writing. It covers topics such as developing a persuasive argument, gaining insight into the assignment task, using appropriate style and tone, writing different types of academic texts (such as essays, reports and reflective writing), and organising oneself to write well academically.
Research and referencing
This chapter explains the importance and process of conducting research at university. It covers topics such as finding and evaluating sources, using structural analysis, referencing sources correctly, paraphrasing and integrating evidence, avoiding plagiarism and respecting intellectual property.
Communication in theory
Communication theory
This chapter introduces students to some of the basic concepts and principles of communication theory. It covers topics such as defining communication, the nature of theory, the gap between theory and practice, applying theory to optimise balance, and some of the major theories of communication (such as transmission models, interaction models, transaction models, social constructionism, symbolic interactionism, social exchange theory, relational dialectics theory and communication accommodation theory).
Perception, audience analysis and task analysis
This chapter explores how perception affects communication and how we can improve our perception skills. It covers topics such as perception, differences in perception, audience analysis (targeting communication to suit different audiences), and task analysis (analysing the purpose, context and requirements of a communication task).
Intercultural communication
This chapter examines how culture influences communication and how we can communicate more effectively across cultural differences. It covers topics such as defining culture, cultural difference (such as values, beliefs, norms, practices and communication styles), responding to cultural difference (such as ethnocentrism, stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination), and developing cultural competence (such as awareness, knowledge, skills and attitudes).
Communication in practice
Social mediauntangling the web
This chapter discusses how social media has changed the world and how we can use it wisely and responsibly. It covers topics such as personal use of social media (such as identity construction, self-presentation, impression management and online relationships), professional use of social media (such as networking, branding, marketing and reputation management), political use of social media (such as activism, mobilisation, participation and democracy), social media issues (such as privacy, security, credibility and ethics), psychological challenges (such as addiction, narcissism, loneliness and depression), and social media abuse (such as cyberbullying, trolling, flaming and hate speech).
Oral communication: presentations and interviews
This chapter focuses on the skills and strategies required for effective oral communication. It covers topics such as oral presentations (such as planning, preparing, delivering and evaluating a presentation), the audience's role (such as listening actively, providing feedback and asking questions), and the interview (such as preparing for an interview, answering interview questions and following up after an interview).
Nonverbal communication
This chapter explores how nonverbal communication complements or contradicts verbal communication and how we can use it more effectively. It covers topics such as types of nonverbal communication (such as body language, facial expressions eye contact gestures posture proxemics haptics paralanguage silence appearance and artefacts), functions of nonverbal communication (such as regulating interaction expressing emotions conveying attitudes establishing relationships and influencing others), interpreting nonverbal communication (such as context culture consistency and clusters), improving nonverbal communication skills (such as observing adapting and synchronising).
Critical thinking and argumentation
This chapter explains the importance and process of critical thinking and argumentation in communication. It covers topics such as defining critical thinking characteristics of critical thinkers barriers to critical thinking strategies for critical thinking defining I'm continuing to write the article on the topic of "Communicating For Success Kossen.pdf" as you requested. Here is the rest of the article with HTML formatting. Conclusion
Summary of the main points
In this article, I have reviewed the book Communicating for Success by Chris Kossen, Eleanor Kiernan and Jill Lawrence. I have provided a brief overview of what the book is about, who are the authors, what are the main themes and topics covered, and what are the strengths and weaknesses of the book. The book is a comprehensive and engaging textbook that aims to help students develop their communication skills in academic, professional and everyday contexts. The book covers a wide range of topics related to communication theory and practice, such as university culture and transition skills, academic writing, research and referencing, communication theory, perception, audience analysis and task analysis, intercultural communication, social media, oral communication, nonverbal communication, critical thinking and argumentation. The book also provides practical examples, exercises, activities, case studies, tips and advice to help students apply their learning to real-life situations.
Evaluation of the book's strengths and weaknesses
The book has many strengths that make it a valuable resource for students who want to improve their communication skills. Some of these strengths are:
The book is well-structured and organised into three parts: communication at university, communication in theory and communication in practice. This helps students to understand the different aspects and levels of communication and how they relate to each other.
The book is written in a clear and accessible language that is suitable for students from diverse backgrounds and disciplines. The book uses examples and scenarios that are relevant and relatable to students' experiences and interests.
The book is based on sound research and evidence from various fields of inquiry related to communication. The book cites credible sources and references that support the claims and arguments made by the authors.
The book is interactive and engaging. It invites students to reflect on their own communication skills and challenges, to participate in exercises and activities that enhance their learning, to analyse case studies that illustrate real-life communication problems and solutions, and to seek feedback and support from others.
The book is up-to-date and covers contemporary issues and trends in communication. The book addresses topics such as social media, online communication, intercultural communication, argumentative injustice, emotions and argumentation, cross-cultural perspectives on argumentation, and argumentation on the Internet.
The book also has some weaknesses that could be improved in future editions. Some of these weaknesses are:
The book is sometimes too dense and detailed for an introductory textbook. It covers a lot of information and concepts that might overwhelm or confuse some students who are new to the study of communication.
The book is sometimes too general and vague for an advanced textbook. It does not go deep enough into some topics or provide enough examples or evidence to support some claims or arguments.
The book is sometimes too biased or subjective in its presentation of some topics or perspectives. It does not always acknowledge or address alternative or opposing views or criticisms that might challenge or question some assumptions or conclusions.
The book is sometimes too repetitive or redundant in its explanation of some topics or concepts. It does not always use clear transitions or connections between different sections or chapters.
The book is sometimes too outdated or irrelevant for some topics or contexts. It does not always reflect the latest developments or changes in communication technology, research or practice.
Recommendations for potential readers
I would recommend this book to potential readers who are interested in learning more about communication skills and how they can apply them in different situations. This book would be especially useful for students who are studying communication courses at university or who want to prepare themselves for professional or personal communication challenges. This book would also be helpful for teachers who are looking for a comprehensive and engaging textbook to use in their communication classes. However, I would also advise potential readers to be critical and reflective when reading this book. They should not accept everything that the authors say without questioning or verifying it. They should also seek other sources of information and opinions that might complement or contrast with what the authors say. They should also be aware of their own biases and preferences that might influence their interpretation or evaluation of what they read.
FAQs
What is the main purpose of the book Communicating for Success?
The main purpose of the book is to help students develop their communication skills in academic, professional and everyday contexts.
Who are the authors of the book and what are their qualifications?
The authors of the book are Chris Kossen, Eleanor Kiernan and Jill Lawrence. They are all lecturers at the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) in Australia. They have extensive experience in teaching communication courses to students from diverse backgrounds and disciplines. They have also published several books and articles on various aspects of communication.
What are some of the topics covered in the book?
The book covers a wide range of topics related to communication theory and practice, such as university culture and transition skills, academic writing, research and referencing, communication theory, perception, audience analysis and task analysis, intercultural communication, social media, oral communication, nonverbal communication, critical thinking and argumentation.
What are some of the strengths and weaknesses of the book?
Some of the strengths of the book are: its well-structured and organised format, its clear and accessible language, its sound research and evidence base, its interactive and engaging style, and its up-to-date and contemporary content. Some of the weaknesses of the book are: its sometimes too dense and detailed or too general and vague approach, its sometimes too biased or subjective perspective, its sometimes too repetitive or redundant explanation, and its sometimes too outdated or irrelevant information.
Who would benefit from reading this book?
This book would benefit students who are studying communication courses at university or who want to prepare themselves for professional or personal communication challenges. This book would also benefit teachers who are looking for a comprehensive and engaging textbook to use in their communication classes.
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