WOMEN’S UNIVERSITY IN AFRICA
FACULTY OF SOCIAL AND GENDER TRANSFORMATIVE SCIENCES
COURSE OUTLINE
COURSE: COMMUNICATION SKILLS
COURSE CODE: CS111
LECTURER: Rhoda Chipidza (Mrs.)
1. Duration of Course
This course is offered to undergraduates in the first semester of the first year.
2. Course Overview
This course covers basic communication: definition, theories, principles and practical
skills employed in interpersonal skills. Aspects of oral communication, group dynamics
and non-verbal communication are also examined, intrapersonal and interpersonal
communication skills and public speaking theories and approaches are looked at.
3. Course Objectives
By the end of the course students should be able to:
Apply appropriate study skills in order to cope with different university learning
situations, i.e. Lectures, tutorials, seminars, etc;
Achieve effective information literacy skills to support university learning (i.e.
have the ability to locate, evaluate and effectively use information for academic
purposes);
Describe the types of communication, the models of communication and
demonstrate how they relate to real life situations;
Write well organised, logical and clearly expressed ideas and views in keeping
with the demands of academic writing;
Recognise the significance of nonverbal cues in academic and professional
settings;
Analytically and critically read texts for academic purposes using different
reading skills, such as scanning, skimming, the SQ3R Approach, etc;
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Use oral skills effectively in both academic and professional settings, i.e.,
Present ideas with clarity;
Listen productively in academic and professional settings; and
Adopt a systematic approach to preparing for and tackling examinations.
4.0 COURSE CONTENT
4.1 University Learning
Thinking skills for university success – critical thinking and problem solving
The nature of lectures, seminars and tutorials
Note-taking and note-making techniques
Essential study skills
Developing independent learning strategies
4.2 Information Literacy Skills
Information literacy: An overview
Defining the concept of information in the New Economy and Digital Divide
Importance of information literacy
Characteristics/qualities of an information literate individual
Types and sources of information
E-Resources
- Benefits of using E-Resources
- Categories of E-Resources
4.3 Academic Writing
General requirements for presentation of written assignments
The structure of an academic essay
Interpreting essay questions -instruction words and special conditions
Guarding against plagiarism - citation and referencing
Writing as a product and process
Planning, drafting, synthesizing material, revising, editing
4.4 Communication Theory
Definition of communication
Elements in the communication process
The communication process
Models of communication – Linear, Interactive and Transactional
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Types of communication
Levels of communication
Communication barriers in interpersonal communication
4.5 Oral Communication
Definition of oral communication
Public Presentations – the art of speaking effectively
Audience Analysis – before, during and after a presentation
Communication in interviews (job and non-job interviews) and discussions
- Crafting interview questions
- Answering interview questions
- Creating a conducive interview environment
4.6 Nonverbal Communication in Academic and Professional Settings
Interaction between verbal and non-verbal communication
Kinesics in academic and professional settings
Proxemics in academic and professional settings
Chronemics in academic and professional settings
Paravocalics/Olfatics in academic and professional settings
Nonverbal communication barriers in academic and professional settings
4.7 Reading Skills
Techniques in building reading skills
Managing vocabulary
Reading Strategies
- Purposeful reading
- Scanning and skimming
- Analytic and intensive reading (the SQ3R approach, critical reading and
the cloze procedure)
Reading complex texts - summarizing and paraphrasing
4.8 Listening Skills
Definition of listening
Distinction between listening and hearing
Factors that can hinder effective listening
Basic guidelines for improving listening skills
Effective listening skills in academic and professional settings
Listening and taking notes during an interview
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4.9 Preparing for Examinations
Organisation of study space and study groups
Time management – before and during examinations
Coping with examination stress and reducing anxiety in the examination room
Strategies for achieving specific goals in the examinations
Examination writing techniques
5. ASSESSMENT AND WEIGHTING
Two major assignments 30%
Written examination 70%
ASSIGNMENTS
(1) Distinguish between any two models of communication. (Due date:
September 2019).
(2) Discuss the view that hearing is an act, while listening is a process. (Due date:
October 2019).
6. Suggested Reading List
Association of College and Research Libraries. (2000). Information Literacy
Competency Standards for Higher Education. Chicago: Association of College and
Research Libraries.
Berko, R.M. et al. (1998). Communicating: A Social and Career Focus. Boston:Houghton and
Mifflin Co.
Burgoon, J. K.; Guerrero, L. K.; and K. Floyd. (2016). Nonverbal Communication. London:
Routledge.
Butterworth, J. and Thwaites, Jeoff. (2016). Thinking Skills: Critical Thinking and Problem
Solving. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Cleary, S. (1999). The Communication Handbook. Kenwyn:Juta and Co. Ltd.
Cottrell, S. (2003). The Study Skills Handbook. Basingstoke: Palgrave.
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Kallet, M. 2014. Think Smarter: Critical Thinking to Improve Problem-Solving and Decision-
Making Skills. New Jersey:Willey Publishers.
Lee Davis, L. (2007). Developing Work and Study Skills. New York: Delmar.
Shapiro, J.J. and Shelley, K.H. (1996). Information Literacy as a Liberal Art. Education
Review, vol.31, no.2.
