Introduction to Communication

What this unit covers

This page collects resources on the basics of communication. The mind maps are the largest group. Types of communication separates formal and informal, written, verbal, nonverbal, technological, Braille and sign languages. Another map, D1.N (3 Elements of effective communication), breaks a message into verbal and nonverbal parts and stresses being friendly and thinking before you speak.

Other resources reach into perception, listening, intercultural communication, small groups, public speaking and the role of media in society. There are also flowcharts, notes and slide sets, including a lecture on verbal and nonverbal communication.

Where to start

1. Open the mind map Types of communication for a quick overview of the field.
2. Move to Lectures 1-3, which runs from defining communication through to models of communication.
3. Work through the flashcard deck Chapter 1 terms - Test 1, which covers terms such as content message, relational message, shared code and symbolic behaviour.
4. Take the quiz SCOM 123 Practice Test to see what stuck.

Using quizzes and maps together

Read a map first, then test yourself. If a quiz question catches you out, such as the one about which statement is not a myth about communication, go back to the matching map and look at that branch again. The quiz Chapter 1 - 5 & Critical Thinking Lesson 2 asks why studying communication matters and what makes a message competent, so it pairs well with the definition-focused maps.

Flashcards suit short sessions. The deck Communication Review asks what a listener believes when your words and facial expression conflict, which is a handy way to check your grasp of nonverbal cues. Interpersonal Communication Master goes further into noise, media richness and synchronicity.

Where it sits

This unit belongs to the Foundations of Communication strand in Communication and journalism. It is the entry point before more specialised topics, so it suits anyone meeting the subject for the first time or going back over key ideas.

Choose a resource that matches where you are, then try making a map or deck of your own from what you have learned.