LESSON 5: Communication in the Workplace

TOPICS
1. Business Letter Writing
2. Business Report
3. Business Meeting
4. Interview
LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
1. Be familiarized with the ways and steps of communicating in the workplace
2. Determine the uses and importance of the knowing how to write business
letters
3. Write appropriate business letters for a specific function

TOPIC 1: BUSINESS LETTER WRITING

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

Written Communication is any type of message that makes use of the written
word. This is the most important and the most effective of any mode of business
communication. This should be carefully worded and constructed to convey the exact
meaning to its readers. It should also be grammatically correct.

Some forms of Written Communication are as follows:

 Memorandums  Emails
 Reports  Training materials
 Bulletins  Instant messages
 Employee manuals

I. BUSINESS LETTER WRITING

Business or any institution is judged by its ability to communicate. The way in

which businesses express themselves say a lot. This must have formal tone; the writer
has to pay special attention to how he formats the letter and words the ideas. It is
definitely worth it to brush up on the basics of writing a business letter.

ELEMENTS OF A BUSINESS LETTER

 Address of the Sender (letterhead)
The sender writes his address in the letterhead. Alternatively, he can add these
details as the first item on the page. This section should only include the physical mailing
address without any contact details.
 Date of Writing

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 The date is usually written just below the sender’s address. For letter’s created
over a period of time, they should bear the date when the letter was completed. The
date is placed at the left or center.
 Recipient’s address (inside address)
The recipient’s mailing address follows under the date on the left side of the
page. Precede it with the name and title of the recipient. In some cases, if the person’s
title is unclear, do a bit of research to verify it. This type of information can easily be
found on corporate websites or by phoning the company.

Mr. Angelo Co, Manager

Griffi n Plumbing Supply Co.
2018 Broo Avenue
Sucat, Parañaque 18701

 Greeting
The salutation at the beginning of the letter can vary depending on how well the
sender knows the recipient. In extremely formal cases, it is acceptable to simply list the
recipient’s title and surname. When the two people are on a first name basis, the
salutation can instead read, “Dear [first name]”. If the person’s gender is unknown, it is
best to forgo a title and simply list their full name.

 Body of the letter

The first paragraph should be concise and clearly written. It is customary to
include a brief amiable sentence, followed by the reason behind the letter. The
following paragraphs shall be used to elaborate on this reason. Include any necessary
details and information to ensure that the recipient fully understands. The last
paragraph is the closing paragraph. It should use to sum up the letter and request any
specific actions that are needed.

 The closing
After the concluding paragraph, leave a blank line and then add a closing word
such as “Sincerely”, “Best regards”, “Cordially”, and “Cordially yours”. This should
always be followed by a comma and the sender’s signature below it. It is usually better
to personally sign the letter instead of using a digital copy of the signature. Below the
signature should be the sender’s name type out. This is specially useful since
most signatures are difficult to read clearly.
 Enclosed documents
If any supporting documents have been attached, list them at the bottom
of the letter. This section should be titled “Enclosures”. For digital letters, include
the actual file name along with the extensions.
 Typist’s Identification
If somebody else has typed the letter, include his/her initials at the very bottom
of the page. Senders who type the letter themselves do not need to include their own
initials.
 Copy notation
This is needed when others are being sent a copy of the letter. The notation
appears below the signature, if there are enclosure notations or reference initials, it

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 appears below these. Use c (for copy) or cc (carbon copy or courtesy copy) followed by a
colon and the list of the fill names of individuals receiving copies.

ADDITIONAL ELEMENTS OF A BUSINESS LETTER

 Attention line
The letter sender may know that the marketing manager is to receive the letter,
but cannot find the name of the manager. In this situation, it is appropriate to include
an attention line that says Attention Marketing Manager. This line is positioned as part
of the inside address.
Attention Marketing Manager
Smart Development Council
150 Procopia Avenue
Batangas City, Phil. 2001

 Subject line
This is like a subject line in an e-mail. It helps the receiver identify the content of
the message before reading. This may be in all caps or initial caps and the word subject
is optional. The subject line appears after the salutation and before the body of the
letter.
Dear Mr. Angelito:
SUBJECT: MINUTES OF THE SUMMER MEETING
 Postscript
This means after writing and is information included after the signature.

IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN WRITING BUSINESS LETTER

1.Business writing is marked by compact precise expression without wasted words. It focuses on
specificity and accuracy.
2. Always put in mind that the audience is too much busy and has limited time to read.
Skimming is always possible to be used by the audience. The reader always wants to
immediately know the focus of the letter.
3. Know your audience for the style to be used. Style varies from conversational to formal.
Knowing your audience makes you use the appropriate style for a specific audience.
4. The content should know the writer’s authority over the matter, clarity of matters,
completeness of details, objectivity in writing, and veracity of information.
5. Use appropriate pronouns. It is proper to refer yourself as ‘I’ and the reader as ‘you’. When
you use ‘we’ in your business letter, it commits your company to what you have written. If it
is your idea, use ‘I’; but if is your company policy, use ‘we’.

KINDS OF BUSINESS LETTER

A. Application Letter
This is a way of giving the intent to apply to the company by the writer’s self-
introduction with the inclusion of his skills, abilities, and relevant experiences and
backgrounds. A well-crafted application letter may lead to an interview. Consider the
following points in writing the letter:

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  Be succinct, and use precise expression without wasted words. Limit your letter to
one page.
 Try to identify the needs of the company of your skills. Match them in the letter in
a manner that it will appeal to the company’s interest. Have some knowledge of
the target company.
 The style/language must be precise. Avoid long and intricate sentences and
paragraphs. Use action verbs and active voice. Show professionalism, confidence,
optimism, and enthusiasm.
 Arrange points logically. Make an outline before the actual writing of the letter.
Each paragraph should be organized.

B. Letter of Inquiry
The letter asks someone for specific information or details. Matters of inquiry
may be about a product, a promotional material, an office process, or anything about
business, office, or institution. Consider the following suggestions in writing this letter:
 Make the letter interesting to solicit a response
 Give it a good friendly tone for a quick response
 If the receiver does not know the sender, self-identification of the sender is
appropriate with his position and the institution he is connected
 An explanation of why the information is requested is necessary. If needed, offer
confidentiality of the information requested.
 If there is an incentive for responding, write it.
The letter may contain the following:
1. The first paragraph shall contain the writer’s self-identification. If applicable, add
the writer’s position and company.
2. The second paragraph may briefly explain the purpose of writing, and why it is
needed.
3. A list of specific information may be appropriate. The writer may also do it in the
form of a question when less information is needed.
4. Make a good ending for the reader to respond.

C. Sales Letter

This letter is written to persuade its audience to try the service provided,
participate in an activity, support a cause, and buy a product. This is also written to
introduce a product, person, company, or service to consumers. This letter is of great
value to any kind of profession.
In writing the letter, remember to target AIPA: Attention, Interest, Product
Application, and Action.

D. Transmittal Letter

In sending several documents, the sender should have a cover letter for them or
a transmittal letter. This letter provides the receiver with specific information on the
documents and also gives the sender a tangible record of the documents sent.

E. Memorandum

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 This type is a great way to communicate big decisions or policy changes to
employees or colleagues. Business memos are written to an entire office.
The best way to write a memo is to start with the paragraph introduction which
explains what is going on, what has to be done and why. In writing business memos, it is
necessary to write to whom it is intended, the reason for writing it, and who it is from.
Memos intend to inform about procedural changes that apply to a large group of
people. It often provides instructions using imperative voice.

How to write a memo

1. Write “Memorandum” at the top of the page (with the number)

2. Write the date
3. Properly address the recipient
4. Write the sender’s name in the from line
5. Have a specific phrase for subject line
6. Add other recipients in the cc line when necessary
7. Provide background information why the memo has to be written
8. Explain the issue at hand
9. Instruct what action the receiver must act upon
10. Provide/Attach necessary documents
ACTIVITY

I. APPLICATION LETTER:
Directions:
1. Create an application letter addressed to a company of your dream.
2. Cite in the letter your credentials (which you think you already have five years from
now).

II. LETTER OF INQUIRY:

Write a letter of inquiry to

Local Government Unit about the
process on how to send off locally
stranded individuals.

III. SALES LETTER:

Read and evaluate the sales

letter below. Be guided with the
following questions:

1. How does the letter start? Did it

apply AIPA?
2. How is the body written?
3. If you were the receiver, what
would you feel about the letter?

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4. If it needs improvement, what parts will you change and why?

TOPIC 2: THE BUSINESS REPORT

Defined as an objective, unbiased, impartial, and planned factual presentation of

the information to a targeted audience for a particularly pertinent business purpose, the
business report may discuss facts about people, places, commodities, events, qualities,
quantities, concerns, discrepancies, results, and solutions.
1. Report Classification
Business reports can be classified as internal or external.
 Internal business reports are distributed within the organization and can be:
(a) Horizontal (peer-to-peer);
(b) Upward vertical from workforce to management); or,
(c) Downward vertical (from management to workforce).
 External business reports are those distributed outside the organization. Such a
report usually presents information to clients, prospective clients, stakeholders,
the public, and even, when necessary, the government.

2. Report Typologies
Business report, types can be informational or analytical.
An Informational Report is written when you write facts about your subject of
the letter without you providing any analysis or recommendation. It can be:
1) Progress report gives receivers update on status of a specific project and is
provided either during project; research or construction.
2) Periodic report is comparable to that of a progress report and the only
difference is that of its frequency of issuance. This report type is given on a
regular interval like weekly or monthly.
3) Travel report sums up the purpose .and activities of a particular trip like out-
of-town seminar, national convention, or international conference.
4) Minutes of the meeting is sent to provide all those involved with a record of
what transpired during the meeting, particularly but not limited to
discussions and decisions made. However, personal biases and
interpretation on what transpired is not included.

An Analytical Report is a more complicated type of business report written to

not only provides facts about your subject of the letter but also analysis, interpretation,
conclusion, and even.; recommendation. Additionally, the analytical report after
describing a specific situation alto convinces the reader of an action needed to be
performed as part of a solution. And, an analytical report can either be a:

1) Feasibility report is an analytical report that measures the possibility of possible

solutions that. Will later be furthered:: with recommendations.
2) Justification report provides' the receiver with details in relation to what is needed
to be performed such as the need to order, purchase, suspend, or return.

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REPORT CATEGORIES
Business reports are categorized as formal or informal. The category can be
determined by identifying the subject of the report, the specific audience recipient, and
the preference of the company.
Formal Report, written in formal language, this very detailed report is created to
explicate complex projects, transactions, cases, or situations, and includes specific parts
with its particular components that constitute project complexities. This comprehensive
reportage requires thorough investigation for factual reporting.
Informal Report, written in a rather informal language, this report category- is created
for less serious, less complicated projects with fewer parts needed for inclusion.
PARTS OF FORMAL REPORTS
Formal reports have three main parts: preliminaries, body, and supplementary.
The preliminaries and supplementary provide separate component, however the
inclusion of each component is dependent on the subject, required length, required
information, and company policy.
1. The Preliminaries
This is also known as the front matter and precedes the body of the report.
A. Title Page contains the descriptive title of the report in bold and all capital letters;
the receiver's name with the professional title, position in the company, and name
of the company; the author's name and professional title; position in the
company, and the company name; the date when the report is submitted. Make
sure that the descriptive title should reflect the nature, purpose, and content of
the entire report. Also, place all information at the center of the page, and extend
it downward to cover most of the page's length.
B. Transmittal Message contains the information needed to be shared to the
recipient if done personally. This is the report's cover letter in either letter (for -
external distribution) or memo (for internal distribution) form. The letter opens
with the reason why the report is created, followed by the important points the
reader should consider, an outline of conclusions and recommendations, a
statement of gratitude, and a goodwill close stating I he anticipation of a
discussion of opportunities and other assistance that can be rendered.
C. Table of Contents shows the list of the parts and components of the report with
its corresponding page numbers.
D. Abstract is the summary of the report, but does not include the conclusion and
recommendation.
2. The Body
This part of the format report provides readers the information and ether
supporting details of the main objective of the report. This may also present visuals such
as pie charts, graphs, or bar graphs among others. The body has three main sections,
namely the introduction, the text, and the terminal section.

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A. Introduction gives the receiver the proper direction of the content of the report by giving
any or all of the following components:
a. Authorization statement identifying the person, department, sector, or office
that requested the business report.
b. Report objectives that specify the reasons why the report was prepared.
c. Problem provides a clear description of the situation to be reviewed and
analyzed.
d. Background offers an in-depth explanation of how the situation being reported
has evolved.
e. Scope defines the extent of the investigation of the report.
f. Limitation states the restrictions encountered in preparing the report such as
time, support, finances, and source of information.
g. Research sources reveal the sources used to provide the primary and secondary
information given in the report.

B. The Text or more commonly known as the findings of the report entails the details
needed to support the objectives of the report. This includes all the pertinent and
relevant information that you have gathered from your primary and secondary
sources. Since this is the longest part of the business report, headings and
subheadings should be indicated to give clear distinction of information.
Additionally, you should be able to appropriately present the information following
a formal discussion sequence of (a) presenting main points, (b) order presentation
of reasons by priority, and (c) organize discussion by topical consideration.

C. The Terminal Section content will be dependent on the type of report. If it is

informational, then you would need to present the main points in the order it was
presented in the report. If it is analytical, then provide the results of the analysis of
information as your conclusion, and whenever applicable, include your
recommendations. Always be guarded that, if and when you do share your own
opinions in any part of the report, it should be clearly stated as such so that your
credibility will not be questioned.

3. The Supplementary
Also called as the back matter, the supplementary would consist of the work
citations or references, the glossary, and the appendixes.
A. Work Citation or References is the list of all the resource materials you have used in
the report you have written. It usually follows an APA or MLA format.
B. Glossary is the alphabetical list of unfamiliar terms found to the report. Together
with these terms are- the definitions based on either an established source or on
how it was used in the report.
C. Appendices are documents one other pertinent information needed to further
understand some of the parts dismissed in your report. This includes visuals, images,
technical data, and instruments for data collection.
D. Index is the alphabetical listing of the topics and subtopic elaborated in the report.

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 TOPIC 3: BUSINESS MEETINGS

I. GUIDELINES IN CONDUCTING BUSINESS MEETINGS:

PREPARATION

1. Know the meeting policies (have a copy if any)

2. Prepare a minutes template in advance
3. Be ready with the writing pad for the recording of minutes

DURING THE MEETING

1. Have the attendance sheets signed/filled out
2. Note all the motions: name of movers and seconders, result of votes. Note also if the
motion was approved or disapproved
3. Be objective in recording
4. Get a copy of the reports and similar documents discussed in the meeting
5. Record all points of orders and rulings. When an objection is made, it should be
recorded in full and its basis. The ruling of presiding officer must also me noted.
6. Wrap up at the end of meeting.
PRECAUTION
1. Do not write too much detail – be precise and brief as possible. Choose only the most
necessary ones
2. Personal interpretations of the secretary must not be included in the record (unless
stated in the meeting)
3. If the minute taker were asked to record a confidential discussion such as between a
lawyer and a client, make separate minutes and store them separately from the
‘general meeting minutes’ folder. Mark them confidential and make it clear who has
access to the folder.

II. BUSINESS MEETING SKILLS

The chairperson has to have the following in mind:

 The chairperson controls the meeting
 All remarks are addressed to the chair
 Members do/must not interrupt one another
 Members aim to reach consensus
 A vote is taken if consensus is not reached
 The majority wins the vote
 All members accept the majority decision
The chairperson can/should:
 Indicate progress, or lack of
 Refocus discussion that has wandered off point
 Conclude one point and lead to the next
 Highlight important points
 Assist secretary, if necessary
 Clarify any misunderstanding
 Pace the meeting ensuring it runs in time
 Remind members what they have achieved and thank their contributions

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 All participants should:
 Undertake necessary preparations prior to the meeting
 Arrive on time
 Keep an open mind
 Listen the ideas and opinions of others
 Participate in the discussion
 Avoid dominating the proceedings
 Avoid conflict situations
 Avoid side conversations which may distract others
 Ask questions for clarifications
 Take note
 Undertake all agreed actions after the meeting
III. AGENDA

For a better discussion, the agenda shall be known to the participants prior to
the meeting so they may prepare or read in advance. This saves time during the
meeting. The agenda may have the following components:

 Opening formalities  Special reports

 Apologies  Election of office bearers
 Confirmation of minutes  Election of auditor
 Business arising from the minutes  Guest speaker
 Correspondence  Motions on notice
\  Business arising from the  General business
correspondence  Notice of motions
 President’s report  New business
 Treasurer’s report  Date of next meeting
 Approval of membership  Close of meeting

IV. AT THE MEETING

For formal meetings, Rule of Debate may be used. These are guidelines based on
parliamentary procedures and apply to general meetings and public meetings. Formal procedure
gives meetings a structure and helps members reach clear decisions. They can also help control
large meetings or a single antagonist on a committee.

a) Motions
The Rules of Debate require that all business be put forward as a possible statement of
action called a ‘motion’. A ‘motion’ is a formal recommendation put to a meeting for debate and
consideration.
b) Understanding motions
All items or issues requiring actions and decisions must be presented during the
meeting. If passed/approved, it will be a resolution.
All motions shall be proposed by a mover in front of the chairperson and then
supported/seconded by another committee member before any discussion can take place on
the item.
The proposer then explains the motion to support it. The seconder has the right to
speak immediately or wait until the end of the debate.

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 The chairperson then call for speakers alternately for and against the motion. At the end
of the debate, the propose can reply. A vote is taken. The secretary should record the motion,
who proposed and seconded it and whether it was carried.

c) Amendments
Any speaker can move an amendment to the motion. When this happens, people speak
for and against the amended motion. The amendment must be put before voting on the original
motion. If the amended motion is carried, the debate continues on the amended motion. If the
amended motion is lost, discussion moves back to the original motion.

d) Voting at Meetings
The chairperson must have a clear understanding of the voting rights of members. There
are several ways of voting. Choose the one most appropriate to your situation – don’t opt for a
secret ballot when you know everyone in the room agrees on an issue.

 General Agreement – why put it to vote if everyone seems to agree? The chairperson
may say “Do we all agree…” or “Does anyone agree…?”
 Verbal – the chairperson asks people to say “yes” or “no” and decides which was the
louder response. Suitable for larger groups.
 Secret ballot – individuals vote on paper and two elected people – often committee
members – count the votes. Suitable for elections.
 Proxy – individuals who are absent can give someone else the power to cast their vote.
Proxy votes are permitted only if the constitution allows for them and are usually bound
by strict rules to prevent unfair lobbying.
 Postal – again, these are only permitted if the constitution allows.

e) After the Meetings

For the sake of accuracy, minutes should be written as soon after the meeting as
possible, when the details are still fresh in mind. Preferably minutes should be circulated
within a week of meeting being held. Prompt circulation of the minutes stirs people who
have been assigned tasks into early action and swiftly brings up to date those who
missed the meeting.

ACTIVITY
The class will be group into 12-15 members. Each group is tasked to perform a
simulation of a business meeting following parliamentary procedure. The topics to be
discussed are the following:
1. Precautionary measures to be implemented inside school premises to prevent
spread of CoViD-19.
2. Duties and responsibilities to be regulated inside every classroom.
3. Plans and projects to be organized in an specific club/organization.
4. Nutritious food to be suggested at the school canteen/cafeteria.
5. Plans and schedule on the improvement of school gardens.
This may be conducted using Video Calls. Minutes of the meeting shall be
written as well.

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TOPIC 4: THE INTERVIEW
THE INTERVIEW
An interview is a system of dyadic communication consisting of an interchange
of ideas and opinions through questions and answers to achieve a purpose.
An interview is essentially a conversation, though with several s pecial features:
it has a special purpose; it follows a fairly structured pattern – time, place, length,
participants, and subject matter are established well in advance; and one group or
participant controls the proceedings and contributes mainly questions – the other
contributes only answers.
To note, there are different types of interviews, different kinds of interview
questions, different kinds of interviewers, and of course different ways to provide
responses to interview questions. The following discussions will hopefully equip you the
knowledge and skills that will give you a head start to acing that job interview.

JOB INTERVIEW
A job interview is a formal, structured business meeting where a representative
of the prospective company exchanges information with the candidate and asks
questions in order to assess their knowledge, competencies; skills; and suitability for
employment. And, while it is obvious that you, as an applicant, are looking for the right
job, the truth is that the employer too is looking for the right applicant who can fill in
their vacant position; hence, the interview is a two-way street.
III. WHAT TO DO BEFORE AN INTERVIEW?
Here are some tips on what to do before your job interview:
1. Know your ability to:
a. respond to questions effectively;
b. use verbal communication proficiently;
c. use nonverbal communication efficiently; and
d. use relevant and relatable experiences qualification and credibility.
2. Prepare yourself to:
a. Articulate your thoughts, skills, talents, objectives;
b. Have more than expected knowledge about and the position you are applying for; and
c. Complete all the other pertinent legal, documents needed for
3. Dress yourself to:
a. Create positive impression;
b. Imbibe confidence;
c. Project professionalism; and,
d. Strengthen character.

WHAT TO DO DURING AN INTERVIEW?

You have prepared for the day of interview and so when it does, here are some pointers:
A. Travel Time:

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 a. Plan your route. Make sure that you already have a concrete idea on how to go
to your destination in the shortest time possible. More importantly, have at
least two more alternative routes, just in *ease the first becomes worrisome.
b. Allot a good amount of time for you to travel from your place to wherever your
interview is. There are mobile and Internet applications that can help you know
how much time you need-to travel. Never be clueless.
c. Make sure that you arrive at least 13 to 30 minutes earlier than the set
appointment. This will give you enough time to gather your thoughts, compose
yourself, freshen up, use the restroom, be wore telexed, and walk to the
interview without you having to hurry up. d. If possible, try having a dry run of
your travel so you can really 'lest the water."

B. Actual Interview:
a. Smile and give a corporate handshake (receive the interviewer's hand with
both of your hands, then handshake gently but firmly.)
b. Listen attentively. Wait till the person finishes the question
c. Breathe in. Breathe out. Oxygen is needed by the brain when thinking.
Relax.
d. Maintain eye contact. Be cautious of your nonverbal cues.
e. Be poised, confident, and dignified.
f. Be humble, honest, and polite.
g. Be focused, attentive, and professional.
h. Be spontaneous, natural, and be yourself.

What to Do After an Interview?

After your interview, listen to the instructions that will be given you by your
interviewer. Also, take note of the name of your interviewer/s and ask for their email
addresses so you can do your follow up, say three weeks after your actual interview.
More importantly, ask for their omens so you can send these individuals your letter of
gratitude. Never forget to formally say thanks through the written word.
How Do You Answer Questions in an Interview?
For situational inquiries, one of the recommended formulas in creating
responses for job interview questions is by using a structured means to respond when
given a behavior-based query. • This method allows you to specifically describe and
elaborate a situation, task, action, and result; hence it is called the STAR method.
However, before you even begin verbalizing your response, you would need to first
identify the skill or competency being sought for you to provide the most appropriate
response.
 Situation. Provide a vivid description of the particular situation you were that is highly
relative to the question given. Make it a point that you are able to provide pertinent
details of the situation.
 Task. Identify the specific problem that needed resolution. You also' need to determine
what really is being asked or demanded of you to do in the given specific situation. •
 Action. Enumerate, describe, and elaborate all the things that you did and its
contributions to resolve the conflict at hand. Be mindful that when it is a team effort
that you would be relating to your interviewer, focus on your actual, personal

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 contributions to address the problem. Always use the first personal singular pronoun "I"
and not the plural form "we" whenever you discuss actions.
 Result. Narrate the details of the outcome of your actions. Do not be afraid to give
credit to yourself for taking such steps in order to resolve the problem. More
importantly, make mention of the skills, knowledge, and other positive values you have
learned from the experience.

To reiterate, there is no one sure way and no short cuts to achieving a successful
interview. You need to really practice a lot in enhance your interviewing skills. Remember that it
is only through constant practice that you are able to better your performance so never hesitate
to practice, practice, and practice some more.

ACTIVITY

MOCK INTERVIEW

In this activity, you will be experience how to conduct and answer an interview.
The class will work in pair – one will be the interviewee and the other will be the
interviewer and vice versa.

RUBRICS:

LESSON 6: Persuasive Presentation

TOPICS
1. Persuasive Presentation
2. Requirements of Writing Persuasive Messages
3. Writing a Persuasive Request
LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
1. Identify the ways on how to develop a persuasive request
2. Determine the uses and importance of persuasion
3. Write and deliver a persuasive request

TOPIC 1: Persuasive Presentation

I. Persuasion

Persuasion is an integral part of our life. From convincing our parents to give us money;
urging our classmates join us in a cause-oriented event; or even influencing our friends not to
drink and smoke – persuasion is being generally used.

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 Kendra Cherry (2020) says that persuasion is a powerful force in our everyday life and
does a major influence on society and a whole. Politics, legal decisions, mass media, news, and
advertising are all influenced by the power of persuasion and influence us in turn.
Moreover, Perloff defines persuasion as "...a symbolic process in which communicators
try to convince other people to change their attitudes or behaviors regarding an issue through
the transmission of a message in an atmosphere of free choice."

II. Characteristics of Persuasion

 Persuasion as communicative device hopes to bring forth preferred response from the
audience.
 Persuasion is an individuals’ conscious effort to influence and change the mind-set of
the audience – attitudes, beliefs, preferences, or behaviours through the message
being shared within the speech to be delivered.
 Persuasion is an activity that represents the very purpose of the speaker and that is to
influence the audiences’ level of acceptance of new learning or updates of present
knowledge through the content of persuasive speech.
 Persuasion is the clear intent to influence the mental state of the audience using
communication with some degree of freedom.

III. Components of Persuasion

 Highly symbolic as a process. Because it is a process, the audiences’ change of mind

and change of heart demands time for absorption and acceptance of the message
eventually occur.
 Act of influence.
 Ultimate self-decision. The audience almost always have firm stands about the subject
and the topic, thus, the speaker may just either challenge or validate what they know.
 Involves transmitting and sharing of messages.
 It requires free choice. Provide a leeway for the audience to think, adjust, weigh, and
be free to choose whether or not they will lean towards your recommendation as a
speaker or decide to take the opposite route.

IV. Effects of Persuasion

Miller (1980) provided three effects of persuasion as follows:

1. Shaping
Persuasive speeches can mould the disposition of the audience by connecting
developments, characteristics, components, factors, and aspects of subject and to that of the
audiences’ perception.
Example: Liquor ads that use young men and women to show that it is cool.
2. Reinforcing
As said, speeches can either provide new learning or update present knowledge.
This is true in the case of persuasive speeches. Although the more popular purpose of
persuasion is to influence, another equally important function is to validate and strengthen the
disposition of the audience as regards the subject and topic being discussed.
As the maxim goes, “If you can’t beat them, join them.” This tells us that instead
of going against our audiences’ mind-set, we provide reinforcement.
Example: True during elections as politicians need people to vote them.

15
 3.Changing
Having to present them the similarities and differences of the disposition of the
message you are trying to send, the risk of their present choice and benefits they will enjoy from
your proposition, the disadvantages they have from their present standpoint and the
advantages they will gain from your messages will increase the chances of your influencing them
and eventually changing their learning.

V. Process of Persuasion
TOPIC 2: Requirements of Writing Persuasive Messages

Persuasion is not a simple process. It requires not only powerful presentation of

message and use of evidences but moreover requires other factors as follows:
1. Pleasing personal traits
2. Physical Appearance and Demeanor
3. Voice and Manner of Self-Expression
4. Awareness of Audience and Context

1. Pleasing personal traits

Speakers may become more effective persuaders when they possess qualities that
speakers may favor and thus make them more believable. These traits may include self-
confidence, sincerity, competence, and friendliness. However, as they say, too much of a good
thing is bad. These qualities, when used in moderation can lead us a long way.
a. Self-confidence.
Self-confidence is a skill that cannot be acquired overnight – it takes a lot of time and
effort to build confidence in oneself.As said by Robert Staubach “Confidence comes from hours
and days and weeks and years of constant work and dedication.”
If we firmly believe in our abilities, we are also more likely to explore new things.
Similarly, if we have trust in ourselves, people also find it easy to believe in us.

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 b. Sincerity.
As said by Somerset Maugham, “Sincerity is like an iron girder in a house of cards.” As
suggested, if you want to sound and look sincere, be sincere. You have to be calm and be
natural as possible. Being natural may help you express your feelings and thoughts as accurately
as possible.
c. Competence.
God is ever fair to every individual that He gave each of us expertise on one or two
things. Just like self-confidence and sincerity, our competence could also entice listeners to
engage in listening. As listeners, once we sensed that the speaker is skilled and knowledgeable
on the topic at hand, we tend to build trust, and detect sincerity. The professional and business
worlds do not just look into confidence and sincerity but also consider competence as one of the
major qualities to be hired and promoted.
d. Friendliness
People who are arrogant are very hard to deal with – but someone who is friendly is
very fun to be with. It is important to smile and see audience through their eyes. By this, the
speaker is able to acknowledge their presence in the venue is very much appreciated. A friendly
speaker with a heart listens.
2. Physical Appearance and Demeanor
Their impression of both the speaker and the immediate environment will, of course, be
part of the message, which may make or break the presentation. Moreover, the speaker should
show the highest degree of professionalism in his movement, gestures and facial expression.
a. Immediate Environment. Whether it is an online of actual presentation, the background
and environment shall look professional.
b. Personal Appearance. The speaker should make sure that his clothing is appropriate and
that nothing in his overall appearance (hairstyle, jewelry, etc.) may distract the listeners.
c. Facial Expression.. The golden rule is that whatever the speaker says should be manifested
in his face, and that none of his facial expressions should contradict his pronouncements.
d. Posture. A speaker should maintain good posture because it is a vital part of his overall
personality, and it is even more obvious than his facial expression. Even people who are not
close enough to examine his facial expression can get a good view of his posture from afar.
e. Walking. The audience also tends to judge a speaker based on the way he walks. The
moment a speaker leaves his seat to go to the podium, or to the stage, he is already being
observed by his audience. Strong sure steps convey a feeling of confidence. Hesitation is felt
by the audience as lack of self-confidence on the part of the speaker. When presenting, it is
okay to walk forward and to the sides, as long as the walking accomplishes certain purposes
such as emphasis on certain points of discussion. However, the speaker should make sure
that his voice is audible enough even when he walks. A lapel is most suitable for this
purpose.
f. Gestures. Unlike facial expression, gestures may be planned ahead, and practiced. Gestures
are strong means of supporting the ideas laid down by the speaker. Shaking one's head
shows disagreement, a shrug means not paying a particular attention to an issue at hand, a
dosed fist means a strong conviction, palms on both cheeks means being overwhelmed, etc.
The meanings of these gestures. however, may vary from country to country. This means
that the meaning conveyed by a particular gesture may be different if it is done in Japan, in
Korea, in Germany, in Australia, in the Philippines. or In another country. Before the
introduction of the American culture where the middle finger is a bad gesture, the middle
finger meant "brother" in Japanese. One may want to spread peace and love using the "V"

17
 sign but in Great Britain, it depends as to where the hand is facing because the message may
be the exact opposite of what one intends to express.

3. Voice and Manner of Self-Expression

A speaker should constantly work on having a pleasant voice that is interesting to his
listeners. Interesting means that the voice keeps the listeners’ attention focused on the speaker
because of vocal quality, vocal emphasis, variation in speed, and variation in pitch.
a. Voice Quality. Some voices may be more pleasant than those of other people. A speaker
who is a businessman may resort to voice therapy if he needs to, or work on varying his
pitch, getting the right volume. and speed in delivery to improve his voice. He can try to
assess his speaking voice by recording it, or by taking a video of him so he can see where
he has to improve. Observing and listening to professors, television hosts, professional
speakers, trainers, and other careful educated speakers of the English language will help
a great deal in being able to improve on voice quality.
b. Vocal Emphasis. Varying the manner of speaking is a great way to achieve vocal
emphasis. This can be achieved by changing the pitch once in a while, varying the pace
while presenting, and varying the volume of voice.
c. Pitch Variation. Variation in pitch keeps the audience from being bored and helps the
speaker avoid talking in a monotone. A speaker may intentionally vary his pitch
depending on what he is discussing so he can hold the interest of his listeners. A
seasoned speaker does this technique in a more natural way because of constant
practice.
d. Variation in Speaking Speed. The lack of variation in the speed of speaking tends to
bore the listeners. As a rule, the easy parts of a speaker's message should be presented
at a fairly fast speed while the difficult parts or the parts that need to be emphasized
should be delivered at a moderate speed. so the listeners can catch up or thoroughly
under-stand the message. The minds of the listeners may also wander when easy
information is presented in a very slow manner, or when the speaker has given away the
information just before he writes it on a white board or a flip chart.
e. Language Register. This is the level of formality with which a person speaks. Different
situations and different people call for different registers. T bee are language registers:
frozen, formal, consultative, casual, and Intimate. The decision as to what language
register should be used depends on the situation, audience, and subject. For topic
presentations, the formal language register should be used.

4. Awareness of Audience and Context

In advance, a speaker or precentor should be fully aware of his audience and of the
perspective from which he is going to deliver his presentation. These are highly crucial in the
effective delivery of the message. The speaker must ensure that the audience pay attention and
listen. A good understanding of the background information about the audience is definitely a
plus.

ACTIVITY
“THE VLOG CRITICS”

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 We all watch vlogs of our favorite influencers. There are moments when these
vloggers are already sponsored and hence talk about the good sides of the product so as
to endorse the product.
For this activity, you are going to look for a vlog in YouTube that is too good to be true.
Evaluate the said vlog using the following:
1. Is the vlog informative?
2. Does the speaker speak clearly?
3. Does the speaker use logical persuasion?
4. Would you buy/use the product being endorsed?

“THE ONLINE SELLERS”

Online selling is the new trend at this age. People sell products through online
platforms as Facebook and Instagram.
For this activity, you will be the online sellers.
Rubrics:
Directions: Clarity of Presentation – 30%
Content of Presentation – 30%
1. Choose a product you want to sell
Use of Persuasion – 30%
2. Identify the good traits of the product
Grammar – 10%
3. Persuade viewers to buy the product
This may be an FB/IG post or a video.
100%

TOPIC 3: Writing a Persuasive Request

In the world of work, whatever one writes has some sort of persuasive purpose.
Whether it be to encourage a positive company image, to convince the reader of the writer’s
professionalism, or to build goodwill, each of these pieces of writing is highly challenging and
necessitates strategic thinking, careful analysis and skillful writing.
REQUIREMENTS OF WRITING PERSUASIVE MESSAGES (Chelsi Nakano, 2016)

A successful, persuasive presentation can completely change the trajectory of your

career. Maybe you’re an entrepreneur trying to convince a group of venture capitalists to fund
your new company, or maybe you’d like your board to approve an expansion overseas.
It’s easier said than done, of course—but far from impossible, with the right
preparation. With that in mind, here are 10 tips to help bring any audience over to your side.
1. Research your audience. Who will be attending your presentation? What are their goals?
What motivates them? What values do they most care about? Tailor the content of your
presentation to your audience. Speak in a way that makes them feel like you are addressing
them individually. This will raise your credibility and show that you’ve done your homework in
advance.

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2. Choose 1-3 goals. A good persuasive speech focuses on a handful of things—and that’s it. You
may have a slew of other ideas that relate to the point you want to get across, but if you talk
about too many things, you will confuse your audience. Write your speech in a way that guides
them through the most important ones.
3. Incorporate obstacles. Think hard about the challenges to your idea that are likely to come
from members of your audience. Instead of dismissing them (this can hurt feelings of goodwill),
proactively acknowledge these points in your speech and then carefully address how your
solution will meet the goals of all involved.
4. Create an attention-grabbing story. You want to capture the attention of your attendees with
your very first words. Do this by telling a short story to illustrate the goal of your speech. Make
the story relatable to everyone involved. This can help soften the mood in the room, especially if
you are dealing with a group that may be fundamentally opposed to your idea.
5. Practice like crazy. Conviction is the key to giving a solid persuasive speech. It is vital that you
do not waver while speaking or lose your train of thought. Start your speech not with a friendly
“thank you for coming,” but instead with a story to grab everyone’s attention. Keep your
intensity high to help sustain the attention of attendees throughout—do this by practicing over
and over and over again. Ask friends to listen to your speech and give you feedback. Then,
incorporate their comments.
6. Memorize. Reading off a card will just distract your audience. Practice enough that you know
your speech inside and out. Don’t focus on memorizing every word—instead, focus on
memorizing the flow of your key points and the examples you use to illustrate them. To learn a
simple trick that will help you memorize any presentation, check out this blog post.
7. Make eye contact. Successful persuasion happens when you are able to connect with another
person. Do this by making eye contact throughout your speech. Don’t just stare at one person—
scan the room and focus on various people for short bursts.
8. Use repetition. Don’t rush through your presentation. Speak in a slow and measured way.
After explaining each of your handful of primary points, go back and explain them again.
Repetition will help drive home your goals.
9. Finish strong. Think of yourself as an attorney arguing a case in front of the jury. Structure
your closing statements the way a lawyer would—with flair and gravity. Once you’ve delivered
your final, impactful line, don’t say “thank you” right away. Instead, wait six or seven seconds
and then say, “I’m happy to take questions.”
10. Take feedback graciously. Listen intently to audience questions. Spend time with each one
and don’t exaggerate or pounce on ideas that vigorously challenge your thesis. Staying calm and
in control will help your case.

ASSESSMENT
Congratulations! You have reached the end of the Chapter. Your task for this
Chapter is to encourage SSG to conduct a cause oriented event.

Directions:
1. Think of a cause-oriented event that you may organize in the future addressed to
the Supreme Student Government Federation which aim to adapt an island school
2. Write down the event’s significance and the beneficiaries
3. Draft a persuasive request with a central emotion appeal to character and logic to
encourage the Federation to organize the event

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 You will be graded through this rubric:
 Content and presentation - 30%
 Purpose and audience - 20%
 Support and synthesis - 20%
 Organization, fluency and style - 20%
 Grammar, spelling and punctuation - 10%
100%

LESSON 7: Communication for

Academic Purposes

TOPICS
1. Academic Writing
2. Research Proposal
3. Book Review
4. Concept Paper
5. Position Paper
LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
1. Define academic writing and differentiate it from other forms of writing
2. Identify the audience, purpose and language used in academic writing
3. Identify different kinds of academic writing output
4. Write one kind of academic paper

TOPIC 1: ACADEMIC WRITING

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 Academic writing refers to very specific style of expression that an industry
experts use, as academicians, in order to define sets rj intellectual limitations,
boundaries, and expertise in the industry. It is generally characterized by the use of
formal, investigatory tone, third person perspective, clearly defined research problem,
and accurate us and usage of words, Academic writing is not just about data collection
and facts gathering. It is a holistic, intellectual process that demands inquisition,
observation, investigation, interpretation, analysis, and critical reflection of the found
facts or data. Also, it presents to audience an informed argument constructed from the
academician's field of experience and exposure in their respective industries.
Essentially, academic writing is all of the writings that you would need to write
on all of your college courses. It is your term paper, argumentative paper, critical
analysis, informative paper, position paper feasibility paper, capstone paper, and
research paper. All of these are your academic papers. Now, instead of looking at
academic writing as an excruciating and agonizing process, why not see it as an
exploratory opportunity and an academic springboard that you can use in order to
validate and vindicate your viewpoint on particular subject matters that matter to you
and to your academic community. Remember that in academic writing, you have the
freedom to choose your topic, scholarly express your ideas, and an audience that is
waiting to read your thoughts. The produce of your academic writing is your
contribution to the academic community you belong.

A. CONCEPTS OF ACADEMIC WRITING

To be able to properly execute academic writing, it is a must that you first
understand three basic concepts:
First, academic writing is by professionals for other professionals across all
professions. College prepares learners to become professionals. And college students,
like you, are exposed to activities that professionals are required to perform in their
workplace. Activities such as reading, thinking, researching, arguing, and writing about
ideas stimulate your cognitive being. This means that when you write an academic
paper, you are in fact writing not only for as a college student but as a soon-to-he
professional wanting to contribute in your field of endeavor. You become a significant
part of the profession. Therefore, learning the conventions and standards of academic
writing is operative.
Second, academic writing is for topics that are for interest to the academic
environment. In many of your college courses, you will be expected to write about
topics that are of interest to the profession. You will be assigned to discuss subject
matters that matter to the industry you will soon belong. The challenge now is to
identify what topic is professionally and academically relevant and appropriate. Actively
listening to your professors during discussions and keenly observing classroom and
laboratory activities then becomes instruments to developing inquiries relative to your
industry. Literally take note of concepts and declarations that stimulate you during class

22
 time. Bear in mind that since academic writing needs to provide useful and interesting
information to readers of various fields, your academic research paper should offer
better understanding and fresher perspectives of your chosen topics.
Third, academic writing should present an informed argument. The first thing
that you will have to do to be able to create an informed argument is to identify and
separate what is already known about the topic from what you think about it. What you
think about the topic will guide you to constructing a sound, informed argument.
Remember that readers will not have a difficult time understanding the message you
would want to send. To achieve this, provide clear and complete explanations of topic
and point of view that you want to share.
a) USE OF RESEARCH. Apart for having a collection of relevant professional and academic
sources, never forget to integrate each of them to your own writing so that your paper
will be further strengthened.
b) USE CORRECT CITATION. Depending on the institution and the program you belong,'
learn to cite references correctly. The American Psychological Association (APA) Style is
one citation style that is commonly used in academic writing.
c) WRITING STYLE. Although it has been said that academic writing demands a mote
fanned tone and style in writing, do not forget that your character should also be
reflected on your paper. Be critical so that you would be able to present an error-free
paper -a sign that you care for your readers.

B. HOW ARE ACADEMIC PAPERS ASSESSED?

Academic papers are assessed in many different ways. Here are some of the basic
assessment questions you may want to ask yourself with before submitting your academic
paper.
 Is your academic paper reflective of your chosen topic and thesis statement?
 Is your thesis statement reflective of your stand as a researcher?
 Is your problem clearly stated?
 Is your related literature really related to your topic?
 Are all your sources correctly cited?
 Is your paper logically organized?
 Is your paper able to present new or alternative knowledge or insight that will influence your
field of endeavor?
 Is your paper complete with definition and description of methodology, theory, research
tool, and research question?
 Are your observations, findings, conclusions, and outcomes clearly stated?
 Is your writing style adherent to acceptable standards?
 Is your academic paper free from plagiarism?

C. STYLES IN WRITING ACADEMIC PAPERS

As an academic writer, you can consider these four types of writing: persuasive,
expository, descriptive, and narrative. You have to be keen in selecting which of these
writing styles you are going to use as each has a specific purpose.
To convince readers of your informed argument, use persuasive writing. This
shall provide your readers the evidences from sources, references, and other related
studies you have collated in order for you to justify and rationalize your standpoint
given your chosen topic and thesis statement, and more importantly convince your
audience. Additionally, essays that are argumentative in nature are written in this style.

23
 Business correspondences such as your letter of application, complaint,
recommendation, and business proposals are also written in this style.
When you would want your paper to provide information or explain a concept,
then use expository writing. This writing style, being the most common, demands not
your opinion as a writer but rather your skill as a presenter of facts of the topic needed
to be expounded. Use this writing style to present statistics, procedures, and technical,
business, and scientific information.
When you are tasked to account experiences, persons, things, and events, they
you would need to use descriptive writing. This writing style may come to fiction writing
however, it sometimes demands first-hand lived experiences you have had with what is
needed to be described. It is also in this style that you need to show rather than simply
just tell your experience. The audience must be able to imagine, through your words,
what is being described. Journal writing, poetry writing, memoirs are but some of the
examples of descriptive writing.
For longer pieces of academic papers, use narrative writing. Unlike expository
writing that intends to provide information, narrative writing demands more specific
details such as characters, settings, and conflicts to be able to communicate a complete
story.

D. Conventions of Writing Academic Papers

Hall (1998) presents several basic rules to guide you in your writing academic
papers.
1. Write in complete sentences, always. Make it short, clear, and complete. Make your
verb agree with your subject. Split long sentences to avoid ambiguity and grammatical
flaws. It also will help your reader experience ease of reading. Make it a habit to write
sentences that make sense if it were read out independently of the sentence before and
after it.
2. Know the functions of your punctuations particularly the period, question mark, comma,
colon, dash, and hyphen, so you can use them appropriately.
3. The use and usage of language is of primary importance. Be very keen in selecting
appropriate words that would express your thoughts and be very certain how you will
be using the words you have chosen. Confusion in word selection tends to confuse the
readers.
4. Never use contractions in academic papers, more particularly in research documents
and business documents, unless it is a direct quote from the source.
5. Be certain of when and how you will express your numbers, dates, abbreviations,
acronyms, and capitalizations.
6. If it is not fiction that you are writing as an academic paper, then your tone should be
formal, impersonal, and jargon and cliché free. Optimize your academic paper by
providing a fresh or alternative perspective of the topic that you would need to discuss'
and always present your thoughts in logical sequences.
7. To note, paragraphs are expected to have a minimum of SO words and a maximum of
200 words. However, it can go beyond the maximum specifically when your task is to
explain a topic thoroughly.
8. Know your transitional devices. Determine how your transitions function so that you can
better and more effectively link your paragraphs together.

24
 9. Be very mindful of your academic paper's organization. Remember the most basic
introduction, body, and conclusion pattern. Never forget to provide verifiable facts to
support your every claim. Provide examples should you want to further clarify.
10. Never plagiarize. Do not ever think that because your professors handle many courses,
they will not anymore lead your academic paper. They will. They will find time to review
all the academic papers they require students to submit. They will check your sources,
references, in-text citations, and bibliography. For your information, an academic paper
can be labeled as a plagiarized work if It contains a direct quotation without enclosing it
in a quotation mark and citing its actual source, if it has expressions or concepts that are
paraphrased but no attribution vies given to whoever It is due, or the paper depended
on a specific source without giving proper citation. So, to avoid receiving a failing mark,
more importantly, losing your Integrity, do not copy, paste, and plagiarize.

ACTIVITY
Directions: Read the selection below and answer the questions that follow.

LOVE IS A CHEMISTRY

Love has been referred to as a sublime feeling as long as written literature has
existed. Poets, philosophers, artists, and other representatives of creative professions
sought for its origins, reasons, and recipes.
However, in the 21st century, people have become pragmatic enough to
assume that love might have more grounded, biological origins. Technological progress
has allowed scientists to research this issue and provide valid arguments in favor of the
theory that claims love is much (not totally though) about “simple” chemistry.
According to Dr. Helen Fisher, an anthropologist at Rutgers University, love as a
holistic system can be divided into three basic subsystems, each with its own functional
tasks and roles: sex drive, romantic love, and attachment. Sex drive is necessary to make
a person start looking for partners; romantic love appears to help a person hold focus
on one specific partner; attachment is crucial for building a long-lasting and reliable
relationship with a selected partner (Chemistry.com).
Each of these subsystems need a driving force to operate and impact an
individual’s behavior. Even though a loving relationship is a lot about psychology, it is
still fueled by hormones; this is why using the expression “love chemistry” is fully
justified. For the sex drive subsystem, testosterone and estrogen are crucial; the
romantic love stage, or attraction, is “driven” mostly by dopamine and serotonin;
attachment is sustained by such hormones as oxytocin and vasopressin (BBC Science).
Testosterone and estrogen are respectively male and female sex hormones that
are responsible for sex-related physiological reactions, lust, and the motivation to look
for a partner. Testosterone and estrogen cause sex drive to be present; however,
specialists admit that sex can give a start to romance, as it increases the influx of
dopamine to the brain (Chemistry.com). Dopamine and serotonin are hormones that
cause euphoria and good mood; the same hormones are also secreted after taking
certain drugs, so this is why one can be “high” from the feeling of love, act impulsively,
and “get stuck” on the person they fell in love with. In its turn, attachment—as the most
long-lasting phase of a love relationship—is driven by the same hormones that are
responsible, in particular, for mother-and-child bonds (oxytocin); this hormone is also

25
 believed to be secreted when the two partners get intimate. So, a serious relationship is
more about care and tenderness, than romance and turbulent feelings.
The popular expression “love chemistry” should be understood literally. Along
with natural psychological processes, love is also, to a significant extent, dependent on
the hormones secreted by our bodies during various stages of a relationship’s
development. Sex drive, which makes us look for new partners (if we do not have one
already), is regulated by the hormones of testosterone and estrogen. During moments
of intimacy, the brain is affected by dopamine and serotonin—the hormones that are
responsible for all the symptoms of romantic love, such as euphoria, concentration on
the object of love, impulsiveness, and so on. As a relationship develops, it becomes
reinforced by the hormones oxytocin and vasopressin; oxytocin, in particular, is the
same hormone that is responsible for the forming of mother-and-child bonds. Thus,
despite the claims that love is purely a solemn and sublime feeling, it also has a lot to do
about biology and chemistry.

Comprehension Questions:
1. What is the central idea of the text “The Chemistry of Love?”
2. Identify and write the thesis statement if there is any.
3. What could be the possible purpose of the writer in writing the text?
4. How did the writer organize and present the ideas?
5. Identify some of the support presented by the writer to develop the central idea or thesis
statement.
6. Describe the language used.

TOPIC 2: RESEARCH PROPOSAL

UNDERSTANDING THE RESEARCH REPORT

Have you ever written a report in which you used several different sources? If so, you
have already produced a research report. A research report is a written report that presents the
results of a focused, in-depth study of a specific topic. Its writer chooses a topic, gathers
information, about the topic from several sources, and then presents that information in an
organized way.

26
 Writing a research report will probably be the most time consuming and challenging
task that you will ever do as a student. Don’t let the weight of the task scare you, though. You
will find researching and writing your report quite easy if you take one step at a time.

Follow the guidelines below:

A. CHOOSING A SUBJECT THAT YOU CARE ABOUT

One of the most important parts of doing a research is choosing a topic. By
choosing wisely, you can ensure that your research will go smoothly and that you will
enjoy doing it. A subject is a broad area of interest, such as Philippine history or animal
behavior. One way to approach the search for a research-report topic is to first choose a
general area of interest and then focus on some part of it. Make sure that you have a
real reason for wanting to explore the subject. Often, the best subjects for research-
reports are the tines that are related to your own life or to the lives of people you know.
You may begin by exploring general subject areas that interest you. Once you have a
general subject that you are interested in, such as endangered species or civil rights, the
next step is to narrow that subject to a specific topic that can be treated in a research
report.

B. DOING PRELIMINARY RESEARCH

It you already know a great deal about your subject, then you can probably
think of a specific topic to research in that subject area. However, if you are not, it is a
good idea to do some preliminary research to identify potential topics. Here are a few
suggestions:
Use Freewriting Techniques
 Freewriting or clustering. Write whatever comes to mind about the subject for five
minutes, or draw a cluster diagram in which you use lines to connect your subject with
related ideas.

27
  Brainstorming. Working with a group of friends or classmates, write down a list of topics
that come to mind as people think about the subject.
 Questioning. Write a list of questions about the subject. Begin each question with the
word who, what, when, where, why or how, or start your question with what if...
 Discussing. Listen to what other students know about your subject, what interests them
about it, and what problems they think might have in researching it.

C. LIMITING YOUR SUBJECT TO A SPECIFIC TOPIC

Once you have come up with a list of ideas for possible topics, you need to
evaluate and limit them—that is on the basis if certain criteria. Here are some criteria
for judging a research topic:
1. The topic should be interesting. Often the most interesting topic is one that is
related to your family history, to your future, to your major goals, to the place
where you live or would like to live, to a career that interests you, or to a hobby or
other activities that you enjoy. The topic might be something that caught your
interest in the past, perhaps something you have read about or have studied in
school.
2. The topic should be covered in readily available sources. When considering a topic,
always check the catalogs in your library to see if the sources are available.
3. The topic should be significant. Choose a topic that is significant for you, one worth
your time and energy.
4. The topic should be objective. Make sure that you will be able to gather enough
facts about the topic to support your argument.
5. You should not simply repeat material available in other sources. You should look
for a topic that allows you to come up with your own angle or approach.
6. The topic should be narrow enough to be treated fully. Ask your teacher how many
pages long your paper should be, and choose a topic that is narrow enough to be
treated in a paper of that length.

D. WRITING A STATEMENT OF CONTROLLING PURPOSE

Once you have decided on a specific topic, your next step is to write a statement
of controlling purpose. This is a sentence or pair of sentences that tells you that you
want to accomplish in your report. It is called a statement of controlling purpose
because it controls, or guides, your research. The statement of controlling purpose
usually contains one or more key words that tell what the report is going to accomplish.
Key words that often appear in statements of controlling purpose include analyze,
classify, compare, contrast, define, describe, determine, establish, explain, identify,
prove, and support.

Here are two examples of statements of controlling purpose:

The purpose of this report is to analyze the impact of the use of solar energy on
pollution.
The purpose of this report is to contrast the performance of the Upper House
and the Lower House in Congress from 2000-2006.
To come up with a statement of controlling purpose, you will probably have to
do a good deal of preliminary research. That is because before you can write a

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 statement of controlling purpose, you need to know enough about your topic to have a
general idea of what you want to say in your report.

E. PREPARING A LIST OF POSSIBLE SOURCES (A WORKING BIBLIOGRAPHY)

Once you have written a statement of controlling purpose, you are ready to put
together a list of potential sources. This fist of sources that might be useful to you in
writing your paper is called a working bibliography. You will have to use some sources
during your preliminary research, and you will probably want to include some or all of
those sources in your working bibliography. As you continue to research and draft, you
may discover that some of the sources in your initial list are not useful, and you might
find new sources to add to the list. Before you decide to ass a new source to your list,
however, be sure to evaluate it.
Both print and non-print sources will be available to you, and you will want to
take advantage of both. Here are some good places to start looking for information:
1. Other people. People can be a researcher's greatest resource. Consider interviewing a
professor at a local college or university or people how business, museums, historical
societies, or other organizations.
2. Institutions and organizations. Museums, art galleries, historical societies, and
businesses are good sources of information about some topics. Many institutions and
organizations have sites on the Internet.
3. The government. Many libraries have special departments that contain government
publications. For some topics, you may want to contact town, city, or local government
offices directly.
4. The library/media center. Remember that a library is more than just a place for housing
books. Libraries also contain periodicals—such as newspapers, magazines, and journals
—and most have many nonprint materials, such as audio recordings, videotapes,
computer software, reproductions of artworks, and pamphlets. Many libraries also
provide access to the Internet.
5. Bookstores. For some topics, the latest information can be found at your local
bookstore. If you do not find what you are looking for, ask a bookstore employee to look
up your subject or authors in their list.
6. Bibliographies. A bibliography is a list of books and other materials about a particular
topic. Your reference librarian can point you to general bibliographies dealing with many
subjects, such as chemistry, the humanities, or plays by Shakespeare. You can also look
for bibliographic lists in the backs of books about your topic.
7. On-line information services. An on-line information service or computer information
service, is an information source that can be communicated with by mean, of a personal
computer and a modem.
8. Reference works. Reference works include almanacs, atlases, bibliographies,
encyclopedias, periodical indexes and thesauri. You will find these and similar works in
the reference department of your library.
9. Other sources. Do not neglect television programs live theater performances, radio
shows, recordings, videotape, computer software, and other possible sources of
information. Many libraries have extensive collections of audiovisual materials of all
kinds, on a wide variety of subjects. Make use of them.

F. EVALUATING POSSIBLE SOURCES

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 After you locate a potential source, you need to decide whether it will be useful
to you. The following questions will help you evaluate your source:
1. Is the source authoritative? An authoritative source is one that can be relied upon to
provide accurate information. Consider the reputation of the publication and of the
author.
2. Is the source unbiased? An unbiased source is one whose author lacks any prejudices that
might make his or her work unreliable. For example, a newsletter claiming that there is no
relationship between smoking and disease would probably be biased if written by
someone who works for a tobacco company.
3. Is the source up-to-date? For some topics such as ones associated with current events or
with new technology, up-to-date sources are essential, so check the date on the copyright
page of your source for other topics, the copyright date may be less important or not
important at all. If, for example, you were writing about the 19th century world literature
tenets, the old literary forms and conventions of the time would be excellent sources.
4. Is the work written at an appropriate level? Materials that are written for children are
usually simplified and may be misleading. Other materials are so technical that they can
be understood only after years of study.
5. Is the source highly recommended? One way to evaluate a source is to ask an expert or
authority whether the source is reliable. You can also check the bibliography in a
respected source. If a source is listed in a bibliography, shell it is probably considered
reliable by any author or editor who put the bibliography together.

G. TAKING NOTES AND DEVELOPING A ROUGH, OR WORKING OUTLINE

After you have written a statement of controlling details and have prepared a
working bibliography, you are ready to begin gathering information for your report.
Begin with the most promising sources recorded on your bibliography cards—the ones
that are most general, the most authoritative, or the easiest to find.
Some nonprint sources, such as online encyclopedias, have indexes or special
search features that help you find the exact items of information that you need. If you
conduct interviews as part of your research, you will be able to prepare questions
beforehand so you can gather information that is directly related to your topic and
purpose.

The following guidelines will help you improve your note taking skills.
1. Keep your topic, controlling purpose, and audience in mind at all times. Do not record
material unrelated to your topic.
2. Make sure that the summaries and paraphrases accurately express the ideas in your
sources.
3. Be accurate. Make sure to copy the direct quotations word for word, with capitalization,
spelling, and punctuation precisely as in the original. Make sure that every direct
quotation begins and ends with quotation marks.
4. Double-check statistics and facts to make sure that you have them right.
5. Distinguish between fact and opinion by labeling such opinion as “Dr. Drake thinks that…”
or “According to Pedro Benoza..”
6. Quote only the important parts of the passage. Indicate words which you have left out by
using points of ellipsis – a series of three spaced dots (…) – enclosed in brackets. Use only
three dots when cutting material within the sentence. Use a period before the dots when
cutting a whole sentence, a paragraph, or more than a paragraph. Use a period after the

30
 dots when you cut material from end of a sentence. Use also brackets ([]) to enclose any
explanatory information that you would add within a quotation.
7. Always double-page page references. It’s so easy to copy these incorrectly.

H. WRITING YOUR FIRST DRAFT

The comforting thing about a rough draft is that it does not have to be perfect. You can
rework your draft as often you like and watch it take shape gradually. In other words, you do not
have to hit a home run your first time at bat. You can have as many chances in the plate you
want.

Approaches to Drafting
With regard to drafting, writers fall into two major camps. Some prefer to get everything
down on paper quickly, but in very rough form, and then do one or more detailed revisions.
Others like to complete each section as they go, writing and polishing one section, then moving
on to the next. Either approach is fine.

The Style of the Draft

A research report is a type of objective, formal writing. Therefore, you should
avoid making the paper personal and subjective, and you should avoid using informal
language. Do not use such words as I, me, my, mine, we and our. Do not state opinions
without supporting them with facts. Do not use slang, informal language, or
contractions.
Assembling the Draft A rough draft is just that—it is rough, or unfinished. As you
draft, do not worry about matters that you can take care of later, such as details of
spelling, grammar, usage, and mechanics. Instead, concentrate on getting your ideas
down in an order that makes sense.
Use an outline as a guide. Explore each main point, supporting the idea with
evidence from your notes.

The Draft as a Work in Progress

As you write, you may occasionally discover gaps in the information that you
have gathered. In other words, you may find that you do not have in your notes all the
information you need to make some point. When this occurs, you can stop and look for
the information, or you can simply make a note to yourself to find the information later
on. Either approach works well.
The need to fill gaps is one proof that drafting is still discovery time. In addition
to discovering gaps to be filled, you may discover better ways to organize parts of the
report, ideas in your source materials that conflict, or parts of your topic that you have
not explored. You may even find a whole new approach to your topic, one, more
interesting or workable than the one you have taken. Remain open to the discoveries
that occur as your draft. Be willing to return, if necessary, to earlier stages of the writing
process to do more research, to rethink your controlling purpose, or to change your
outline.

Using Graphic Aids

As you draft, think about using tables, map, charts, diagrams, and other graphic
aids to present a lot of information in a little space. If you use graphic aid , or ifs use

31
 information from a source to create a graphic aid, then from a source you must credit
the source.

Writing the Introduction

The introduction of research report should accomplish two purposes:
1. It should grab reader’s attention
2. It should present the report’s main idea or thesis statement
3. It should define key terms and provide necessary background information
Writing the Conclusion
Like an introduction, a conclusion is usually or two paragraphs long. The most common
way to conclude a research report is to restate the main idea and your main argument in
support of the idea. In addition, you may wish to use the conclusion to tie up loose ends left in
the body of your paper, to explain what accepting your thesis statement might mean, to ask
readers to take some action, to explain the importance or value of what they have learned from
the report, or to make predictions about the future. The conclusion is an opportunity to be
imaginative. Almost anything is acceptable as long as it leaves readers satisfied that you have
covered the subject well.

List of References
This component demonstrates the extension of your learning as a researcher
and allows you to share information to your readers. Conversely, it enables your readers
to identify the influences of your Ideas and empowers them to verify the information
you share.
Accurate, proper citation is imperative in the midst of academic environment. it
demonstrates your ability to give due respect and importance to other people's works.
It also exhibits your capability to not only choose references and other academic
sources that arc reliable, but also utilize them properly so that it strengthens your thesis
statement. This also paves way for your readers to clearly discern which will be your
contribution and which ones will contribute to your work. And, it solidifies your
credibility and authority of the knowledge you want to impart.

Referencing styles
There are several different styles of referencing:
 APA  Harvard
 MIA  Chicago
 Oxford

Each of these styles has its own in-text citation rules. Generally, AM, MIA, and
Harvard would have an author-date style Chicago and Oxford uses documentary-note
style; and Vancouver and IEEE would prefer the numbered style.

TOPIC 3: BOOK REVIEW

32
 As you read the book you have chosen, remember that you will be writing about
it later. Keep nearby a sheet of paper or small notebook divided into three sections.
Label the columns plot, setting and main character. Fill in the sections with notes about
the three labels. Include page numbers next to important notes. The page numbers will
help you if you need to go back and re-read some sections of the book.

The Prewriting Process Once you have found several possible choices for your
book review, preview each one to make your final decision. You may preview the books
by following these steps:

Step 1. Look at the cover. Is there something that makes you interested in the book?
Step 2. Read the book jacket summary. What does the summary tell you?
Step 3. Skim some pages. D6 you like the way the characters are shown? Do you see any
interesting action taking place?
Step 4. Consider what you have found. Does the book look interesting? Do you want to
know more about the characters?

Planning a Book Report or Review (Little, 2009)

Take brief notes as you read the material you will respond to. You might note
your favorite parts, parts that puzzle you, and parts that you disagree with. Afterwards,
ask yourself questions to help you analyze and evaluate the material:
 Whose point of view does the work present? Which parts reveal the point of view?
 What might the work’s purpose be? Which parts reveal the purpose? What is the
author’s thesis?
 What are the most and least effective aspects of the work?
 What might readers and reviewers learn from the work?

Think about the Purpose and Audience

You have read your book and you are ready to tell people what you think. Before you
begin, think about:
 The purpose of your book review
 The people who will be reading it (your audience)
Your purpose for writing a book review will be closely linked to your audience
and to their purpose for reading the review.

Gather and Organize Details

You get the idea. If you want to read the book you have chosen, you need to say
more about it than simply. “It’s good.” You need to give him a summary of the book. A
summary of a piece of writing includes only the key ideas of the piece. When you
summarize a novel, you will briefly retell the important events. The notes that you took
while you read your novel will help you write your summary.
There is more to the story. If the story were plot alone, it would not be much fun to
read. Readers will be more interested in plot events if they know something about the
people and the places involved. When you write a summary, include a description of the
characters and the setting.

33
Writing a Book Review
 Introduction. In your first paragraph, identify the material that you are responding to Name
the author and date of publication. To help your readers, provide a summary or brief
description of the work. You might also state your thesis in your opening paragraph.
 Body. Devote at least a paragraph to each main point. Support each point with details from
your planning notes—including your own responses—and with examples from the work
itself.
 Conclusion. If you haven't stated your thesis in the first paragraph, do so in the conclusion.
Sum up your judgment of the work's main ideas and the way they are presented.

ACTIVITY
I. “Review a Book Review”
Below is an example of a book review. Read and evaluate.

A Review of Out of the Storm

by Patricia Willis Diana DeGarmo

When single mother Vera lost her job in Garnet Creek, the family had to move to a new
town. Patricia Willis, author of Out of the Storm, wrote this obey form the viewpoint of Mandy,
Vera's twelve-year-old daughter.
Mom and nine-year-old Ira adjusted to the new setting quickly, but Mandy resented
everything about their new location. She held on to a dream that she and her deceased father
had, and that dream prevented her from accepting her new life. She resented living with grumpy
Aunt Bess and detested having to tend the sheep.
Many lived with her unhappiness and pitied herself until several incidents happened
that made her realize that she was not the only kid who did not have a perfect life. She also
found out that others had their dreams and perhaps by forgetting herself and helping someone
else, she might find real happiness.
I think if a reader is looking for a book that tells of a family's struggle to live, Out of the
Storm by Patricia Willis would be a good choice. I really liked this book because it showed
characters learning to tough out bad situations. I also like the book's motto, "Sometimes it takes
something Bad to make you see the Good."

Comprehension Questions:
1. How did the writer introduce the material?
2. How did the body develop?
3. Are the opinions supported well?
4. How did the writer present the summary/conclusion?

II. “Read. Review. Write.”

For sure you have a bunch of favorite authors and favorite books that you may want
to share with others. In this activity, you are going to create a reading suggestion bulletin
with the BEST FIVE BOOKS which you have read and enjoyed. Attached a review of the
books. Don’t forget to attached a picture of the book cover!

TOPIC 4: CONCEPT PAPER

34
 Dadufalza (1996) describes concept paper as a text that defines idea or concept
and explains its essence in order to clarify the “whatness” of the idea. Normally, a
concept paper starts with definition which can categorized to be either formal or
informal. In formal definition, the pattern “term+genus+differentia/e” is being followed.
Term is the concept or idea being elucidated or clarified while genus is the classification
of the term. However, differentia or differentiae are the features that make the term
different or distinct from among its classification.

Pattern: formal definition = term + genus + differentia/e

Example:
 Engineering is the application of science and mathematics by which the properties of
matter and the sources of energy in nature are made useful to people.
 Here, “engineering” is the term, “application of science and mathematics” is the
genus and “by which the properties of matter and the sources of energy in nature
are made useful to people” is the differentia/e.
 Lopus is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system becomes
hyperactive and attacks normal, healthy tissues manifested through symptoms of
inflammation or swelling, damage to joints, skin, kidneys, blood, heart, and lungs.

In writing a concept paper a single sentence formal definition would not be

enough to clarify and elucidate an idea or concept. This means amplified or extended
definition is necessary.
In order to amplify definition and thoroughly discuss a concept, there are
various ways that may be adopted. They are as follows:
1. Examples 6. Location
2. Word derivation 7. Basic principle
3. Comparison and contrast 8. Analysis
4. Cause and effect 9. Negative statement
5. Physical description 10. Further definition

ACTIVITY
Define the following concepts using single-sentence formal
definition:
1. Dialectical
2. Dichotomy
3. Pragmatism
4. Apothecary
5. Karma
6. Dharma
7. Boon
8. Alchemist
9. Valkyries
10. Oppressed

TOPIC 5: POSITION PAPER

35
 There may have been instances when we were required to explain a variety of positions
on an issue, possibly including those in favor of it, those against it, and those with various views
in between. The patterns used for expository papers (narration, description, exemplication,
etc.,) can be expanded for a position paper. The objective of a position paper is to take a stand
on the issue, organize the materials and notes, and write a paper that is convincing to your
reading to your reading audience.
Organization, or deciding on a framework of ideas for your paper is the first step. Then
you will need to think about (1) how the material can be divided into parts, (2) how these parts
can be placed in an order, and (3) what the logical relationships are among the ideas and parts.
To help accomplish this, let’s look first at the advice classical writers give on these matters.

PARTS OF CLASSICAL ORGANIZATION OF ARGUMENTS

1. Introduction. Make the subject and purpose clear at the start. Also, include information
that will interest the audience so that they will want to keep reading.
2. Statement of proposition and division. State claim at or near the end of the introduction,
name the major sections of the paper so that it is easier for readers to follow along.
3. Narration. Provide background about the subject and the events that have led to the
controversy. Indicate why the subject is important. Offer reasons for an interest in the
subject and cite qualifications for writing about it.
4. Proof. Establish reasons and evidence that are acceptable to the audience to prove the
proposition or claim.
5. Refutation. Refute opposing positions. It may be placed after the proof, before the proof,
or at various points among the items of proof.
6. Conclusion. Emphasize the important point and remind the audience of the other
important points.

USE ORGANIZATIONAL PATTERNS TO HELP YOU THINK AND ORGANIZE

Organizational patterns represent distinct ways to think about the parts of your reaction
paper, the order in which you place them, the relationships among the ideas and parts. They can
be incorporated into the overall structure of the classical model, particularly in the proof section
(body) of the paper. Use the patterns alone or in combinations accompanied by an introduction
and a conclusion. Use these formats both to help you think about your ideas as well to organize
them.

Claim with Reasons (or Reasons Followed by Claim)

This pattern takes the following form:
Statement of claim
 Reason 1
 Reason 2
 Reason 3, and so forth

Set this pattern up by writing the claim, following it with the word because, and listing
some reasons. Or list some reasons, follow them with the word therefore, and write the claim.
For example, you may present the claim that a national health care program is essential to a
society, which is followed by reasons: the unemployed have no insurance, many employed
people have no insurance, the elderly cannot afford medicine, many children do not receive
adequate health care. The reasons may be distinct and different from one another and set up
separate topics in your paper. Support all reasons with facts, examples, and opinions. You can

36
utilize transitional phrases such as one reason, a related reason, and a final reason to emphasize
your reasons and make them stand out in your paper.

Cause and Effect (or Effect and Cause). The cause and effect pattern may be used to identity
one or more causes followed by one or more effects or results. Or you may reverse this
sequence and describe effects first and then the cause or causes. For example, the causes of
water pollution might be followed by its effects on both humans and animals. You can use
obvious transitions to clarify cause and effect, such as "What are the results? Here are some of
them," or simply the words cause, effect, and result.

Chronology or Narrative.
Material arranged chronologically is explained as it occurs in time. This pattern may be
used to establish what happened for an argument of fact. For example, you may want to give a
history of childhood traumas to account for an individual's current criminal behavior. Or you
may want to tell a story to develop one or more points in your argument. Use transitional words
such as then, next, and finally to make the parts of the chronology clear.

Deduction.
Recall that deductive reasoning involves reasoning from a generalization, applying n to
cases or examples, and drawing a conclusion. For instance, you may generalize that the open
land in South Africa is becoming overgrazed; follow chit assertion with examples of erosion,
threatened wildlife, and other environmental harms; and conclude that the government mug
restrict grazing to designated areas. The conclusion is the claim. You can use such transitional
phrases as for instance, for example, and to clarify to set your examples off faint out the rest of
the argument Ilk and therefore, thus, consequently, or in conclusion to lead into your claim.

Induction.
The inductive pattern involves citing one or more examples and then marking the
“inductive leap” to the conclusion. For instance, a number of examples of illegal settlers who
consume unwarranted social services lead some people to conclude that they should be sent
back to their own hometowns. Other people, however, may claim that they should be relocated
to low-payment housing areas. No matter which claim or conclusion is chosen, it can be stated
at the beginning or at the end of the paper. The only requirement is that it be based on the
examples. The transitional words used for the deductive pattern are also useful for the
inductive: for instance, for example, or some examples to emphasize the example: therefore,
thus, or consequently to lead into the claim.

Compare and Contrast.

This pattern is particularly useful in definition arguments and in other arguments that
show how a subject is like or unlike similar subjects. It is also often used to demonstrate a
variety of similarities or differences. For example, the claim is made that drug abuse is a medical
problem instead of a criminal justice problem. The proof consists of literal analogies that that
compare drug abuse to AIDS, cancer, and heart disease to redefine it as a medical term. The
transition words by contrast, in comparison, while, some, and others are sometimes used to
clarify ideas in this pattern.
ACTIVITY
“REACTION ON REACTION”

37
 Below is a reaction paper that addresses the social implications of Barbie Dolls. Read
closely the selection and answer the questions that follow to understand how a reaction paper
is written.
The Controversy Behind Barbie PrisnaVirasin (2010)
The Barbie Doll was created in 1959 by Ruth Handler, the cofounder of Mattel. Handler
created the doll after seeing her daughter, whose nickname was Barbie, and her daughter's
friends play with their paper dolls. According to Gaby Wood and Frances Stonor Saunders,
handler realized that little girls wanted a doll "they could aspire to be like, not aspire to look
after!' This was a revolutionary idea because before the creation of Barbie, the toy store doll
selection mainly consisted of baby dolls, which encouraged young girls to pretend to be
mothers. For Handler, according to Wood and Saunders, Barbie has always represented the fact
that a woman has choices.
The Barbie doll has been a commercial success since the toy was first introduced on
March 9, 1959. The lead story of March 9, 2009 on the history. C0111 Web site is entitled
"Barbie Makes Her Debut and it provides some of the highlights of Barbie's 50-year history. By
1993, the doll and related merchandise was earning more than a billion dollars annually. By the
time Barbie turned 50 years old, this article reports, 'more than 800 million dolls in the Barbie
family have been sold around the world and Barbie is now a bona fide global icon.
The fact that Handler created Barbie as a challenge to the ideology that the proper role
of women was that of a mother has become ironic in the light of the subsequent feminist
protest against the Barbie dot The Barbie protesters have stated that Barbie is responsible for
the development of poor body image in girls. They believe that the Barbie's proportions create
impossible images of beauty that girls will strive toward. It has been "estimated that if she were
a real woman, her measurements would be 36-18-38," and this has "led many to claim that the
Barbie provided girls with an unrealistic and harmful example and fostered negative image
In addition to protests of the Barbie's physical appearance, there is also the issue of the
doll's intellectual image. Barbie detractors have criticized the Barbie lifestyle, which seems to
center around clothes, cars, dream homes, and other material possessions. Protests followed
the release of the talking Barbie that localized such expressions as "Math is hard" and 'Let's go
shopping' Parents feared that the first sentence would stereotype that girls were less skilled at
math than boys. The second sentence seemed to reinforce the importance of clothes, physical
appearance, and material goods,
Supporters of the Barbie doll state that the toy is a fun part of growing up. The refer to
the simple fun of playing with Barbie dolls. They believe that Barbie as a figure is a tool in
building girls' imaginations. They also maintain that Barbie as a figure is a positive role model
because she is able to do almost anything. Barbie was an astronaut before the first woman went
into space. Barbie has been a veterinarian, a doctor, a businesswoman, and to top it all off, a
presidential candidate. In February 2010 Mattel, the creator of Barbie dolls, came out with a
new Barbie: Computer Engineer Barbie. This doll "wears a neon-colored T-shirt with a binary
code pattern and carries a smartphone and a Bluetooth headset Her hot pink glasses will come
in handy during late nights coding in her hot pink laptop (Miller):' Miller adds that Mattel asked
people to vote for this most recent Barbie's career, and the idea of a Computer Engineer doll
won the vote. Few women choose computer engineering as a career, and it is hoped that this
new Barbie doll may have a positive influence on attracting young women to this field. Since
members of the Society of Women Engineers and the National Academy of Engineering were

38
consulted in the creation of this doll, this doll's creators predict a more positive image for this
Barbie doll than for the Barbie dolls of the early 1990s who complained that math was too hard.
Between the anti-Barbie camp and the pro-Barbie camp, there are the Barbie
moderates. The Barbie moderates do not completely agree with how Mattel chooses to portray
the "ideal American woman: nor do they view the dolls as all evil. The y see the positive aspects
of the Barbie (the many professions, the ability to foster imaginative play, and the message that
girls can choose to be whomever they want) and the negative aspects of the Barbie as a figure (a
materialistic nature, a focus on the outward appearance, and the vapid blond stereotype). The
moderates state that by banning Barbie dolls, we will not be solving the problem of poor body
image. They believe that Barbie is the scapegoat the figure (or doll) to blame for all the negative
feelings that children develop about themselves. Although the moderates do not agree with the
image of women that Barbie seems to sustain, they also do not believe that this doll (or figure) is
the source of the problem.
As twenty-something female who grew up in America. I am very interested in the Barbie
debate. I played with Barbie dolls almost obsessively from first to third grade. I designed clothes
for them out of handkerchiefs and tissues and dreamed about becoming a fashion designer. I
remember envying the girls who had Barbie Ferraris and dream houses. Hooked on in horror as
my little sister cut Barbie's hair short and colored it hot pink with a marker. In college when I
was Introduced to feminism, I tried to deny any past connection to Barbie. I was ashamed to
have ever associated with this figure. I felt sorry for the girls who looked like walking Barbie
dolls, always worried about looking perfect. I realize now that I cannot blame thoughts of being
fat, short, or out of style on a doll or girls that look like dolls. I agree with the Barbie moderates.
As simple as the Barbie looks, it seems that the Barbie issue is more complicated that 'Barbie
good" or "Barbie bad:' The debate encompasses many interesting and controversial issues
concerning how we view beauty and how we view ourselves. In my eyes, Barbie is a scapegoat.
We, as an entire culture, need to look at our ideas about beauty and what we are teaching
children about themselves.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS:
1. What is the issue?
2. Describe the parts of the classical organization of arguments that were in place when
Prishna started to write. Who are the groups of people interested in this issue? What are
their positions? What are some of the constraints of these groups?
3. What are the perspectives on the issue that the author identifies? Make a list.
4. What transitions dots the author use? Underline them.
5. What is the author's perspective? Why does she hold it?

ASSESSMENT
Prepare a portfolio on the different kinds of academic paper:

1. Business Letter
2. Concept Paper
3. Position Paper

REFERENCES
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BOOKS:
Diaz, Rafaela H. (2005) Speech and Oral Communication. National Book Store.
Padilla, Mely M. et al. (2003) Speech for Effective Communication. Trinitas Publishing,
Inc,.
Santos, M., Uychoco M. (2018) Communication for Society Purposive Communication.
REX Bookstore.
Tejada, Kristoffer Conrad M. et.al., (2018) Purposive Communication. Panday-Lahi.
INTERNET SOURCES
Andy Schmitz (2012) Creating an Informative Speech. Retrieved May 24, 2020 from
https://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/a-primer-on-communication-studies/
s11-01-informative-speeches.html#:~:text=Informing%20through
%20Demonstration,also%20physically%20demonstrating%20the%20steps.
Andy Schmitz (2014) Methods of Informing. Retrieved May 3, 2020 from
http://www.technicalreportwriting.org/methods-informing-3796
Prachi Juneja (2020) Seven C’s of Effective Communication Retrieved April 8, 2020 from
https://www.managementstudyguide.com/seven-cs-of-effective-
communication.htm
WikiJob (2020) Communication Skills. Retrieved April 15, 2020 from
https://www.wikijob.co.uk/content/interview-advice/competencies/communic
ation

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