Part Two
Expectations for Speaking and Listening for
College Graduates
Basic skills are minimal expectations necessary for
effective functioning in society and in the workplace. These skills must result in
effective outcomes and be seen as appropriate (a) by the audience, (b) in the context
enacted, and (c) for the purpose specified.
The first list of essential communication skills (Table 2)
are for graduates to use in various communication contexts. Part I of this list contains
general basic skills related to developing and sending messages (A, B). It includes skills
for adapting messages to a situation, supporting messages, and types of messages (C,D, and
E). Part II of the basic skills list relates to communicating interpersonally (one-on-one)
and in small groups. Part III relates to encoding a message, and Part IV relates to
evaluating oral messages.
The second list of basic communication skills relate to
three different purposes or reasons for communicating (Table 3): to persuade, to inform,
and to relate. Daly (1994) has suggested that communication has these three general goals
or purposes: persuading, informing, and relating. College graduates should be able to
construct persuasive messages adapted to the audience, present the messages, and achieve
their goals. They should be able to present and solicit information and understand when
they're understood. And they should be able to develop healthy interpersonal relations
with others, managing conflicts that might arise along the way. Part I of this list
describes general skills that would be valuable when persuading, informing, or relating.
The skills specific to each of the three purposes are described.
The basic skills might be helpful for those
interested in designing outcomes assessment programs for college graduates. Instructors of
advanced communication courses might consider including some or all of these expected
basic skills in their instructional plans. Capstone course instructors might assess
students in regard to these skills and students might include the results in their
personal portfolios. Thus the institution would be assured of the students’
achievement of the basic skills and students would be able to clearly communicate their
abilities to prospective employers (Rosenbaum, 1994).
Advanced skills are more than just knowing, doing, or feeling (Rubin & Morreale,
1996). They are blends of knowledge, skill, and attitude; they require greater levels of
behavioral flexibility/adaptability. For instance, a basic skill such as "Identify
communication goals" at an advanced level becomes "Manage multiple communication
goals." This advanced skill requires both identification of the goals and the
behavioral component of managing the goals, both of which require adaptability. Such
advanced skills were identified by the survey of faculty, employers, and policy makers
(Jones, 1994). The following list of advanced skills represents what might be expected of
a college graduate in a variety of different communication situations. Advanced skills
specifically for public speaking and for interpersonal (one-on-one) communication are also
included.
Advanced skills also require reasoning and audience
analysis. Examples of advanced skills include being able to understand people from other
cultures, organizations, or groups, and adapting messages to the demands of the situation
or context (Jones, 1994). Both require greater emphasis on creating appropriate and
effective messages, two main components of competence. College graduates also need to
refine their listening skills; they need to identify important issues or problems, draw
conclusions, and understand others to manage conflict better and empathize with their
colleagues. Jones concluded that "advanced skills in both writing and speech
communication require the development of reasoning skills" (p. 38). Speech
communication educators have long been teaching reasoning skills because they realized
that even basic communication skills require sound reasoning.
The advanced skills (Table 4) could be used to describe
expectations for graduates from any academic discipline. So each discipline could examine
these skills and determine applications for their graduates. Faculty and alumni groups
could identify examples of how the skills could be utilized by their graduates. In
capstone courses and before graduation, students’ skills could be assessed through
observation and testing. The department and the institution could use the assessment
results to inform their accountability and program review efforts (Rosenbaum, 1994).
Students could use the results in their personal portfolios to inform potential employers
of their advanced communication skills.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Table 2: Essential Communication Skills
(Jones, 1994)
College graduates should be able to:
I. BASIC COMMUNICATION SKILLS
A. GENERAL
1. state ideas clearly.
2. be aware of language indicating bias on gender, age,
ethnic, or sexual/affectional orientation.
3. communicate ethically.
4. accept responsibility for their own communication
behavior.
5. recognize when it is appropriate to communicate.
6. communicate candidly (in an open and direct manner).
B. MESSAGE DEVELOPMENT AND ORGANIZATION
1. structure a message for effectiveness with an
introduction, main points, useful transitions, and a conclusion.
2. choose appropriate and effective organizing methods for
message.
3. identify their communication goals.
4. use summary statement(s) in appropriate contexts.
5. outline the key points and sub-points of their spoken
message.
6. accomplish their communication goals.
7. select the most appropriate and effective medium for
communicating.
II. SPEECH COMMUNICATION SKILLS
A. CONTEXT AND SITUATION ANALYSIS
1. adapt to changes in audience characteristics.
2. choose and narrow a topic as appropriate according to
the occasion.
3. choose and broaden a topic according to the needs of the
audience.
B. MESSAGE SUPPORT
1. recognize and be able to use basic reasoning.
2. support arguments with relevant and adequate evidence.
3. identify facts, issues, and problems relevant to the
topic.
4. research effectively information required for message
preparation.
5. demonstrate credibility.
6. demonstrate competence and comfort with information.
7. state intentions and purposes when appropriate.
C. MESSAGE TYPE
1. develop messages that influence attitudes, beliefs, and
actions.
2. describe or express feelings to others when appropriate.
III. INTERPERSONAL AND GROUP COMMUNICATION SKILLS
A. SITUATION ANALYSIS
1. recognize when another does not understand their
message.
2. identify and manage misunderstandings.
3. recognize when it is inappropriate to speak.
B. RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT
1. manage conflict.
2. allow others to express different views.
3. effectively assert themselves.
C. INFORMATION EXCHANGE
1. listen attentively to questions and comments from other
communicators.
2. ask questions effectively.
3. answer questions concisely and to the point or issue.
4. give concise and accurate directions.
D. CONVERSATION MANAGEMENT
1. be open-minded about another's point of view.
2. convey enthusiasm for topic through delivery.
E. GROUP COMMUNICATION
1. work on collaborative projects as a team.
2. keep group discussions relevant and focused.
IV. COMMUNICATION CODES
1. use pronunciation, grammar, and articulation appropriate
to the designated audience.
2. use appropriate vocal behaviors for the message and the
audience.
V. ORAL MESSAGE EVALUATION
1. listen attentively.
2. listen with an open mind.
3. distinguish facts from opinions.
4. identify important points when given oral instructions.
5. distinguish main points from supporting details.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Table 3: Basic Skills for Persuading,
Informing, and Relating
(Rubin, 1995; Rubin & Morreale, 1996)
College graduates should be able to:
I. GENERAL SKILLS FOR ALL THREE PURPOSES
A. Students can encode clear messages, using
appropriate language, articulation, pronunciation, paralinguistic qualities, and
organizational patterns.
B. Students can decode messages correctly, understand
others' nonverbal cues, critically evaluate messages, and distinguish between various
communicative purposes.
C. Specifically, students can:
1. recognize when it is inappropriate to speak.
2. speak clearly and expressively, using appropriate
articulation, pronunciation, volume, rate, and intonation.
3. decode verbal and nonverbal cues accurately.
4. be aware of language indicating bias regarding gender,
age, ethnicity, or sexual/affectional orientation.
5. detect errors in the communication of others.
6. achieve goals without jeopardizing more important goals
in other contexts.
7. assess the communication context and adapt the message
to the audience.
8. present their ideas in an organizational pattern that
allows others to understand.
9. distinguish between different purposes and goals in
communication (persuading, informing, and relating).
10. listen attentively.
11.
select and use the most appropriate and effective medium for communication.
12. convey enthusiasm for one's topic.
13. structure a message with an introduction, main points,
useful transitions, and a conclusion.
II. PERSUADING SKILLS
A. Students can (a) construct a persuasive message,
adapted to the audience, purpose, and context of the situation, (b) present the message,
using effective delivery, reasoning, and organizational pattern, and (c) achieve their
persuasive goals.
B. Students can tell when someone is trying to persuade
them and critically evaluate those attempts to influence.
C. Specifically, students can:
1. defend their positions with evidence and reasoning.
2. use an effective organizational pattern to persuade.
3. adapt the message to the audience and communicative
context.
4. provide feedback to someone who is trying to persuade
them.
5. distinguish fact from opinion.
6. distinguish between informative and persuasive messages.
7. evaluate critically another's spoken or mediated
messages and attempts to influence.
8. identify others' level of receptivity to the message.
9. recognize when others do not agree.
III. INFORMING SKILLS
A. Students can present information, answer questions,
give directions, and give assistance clearly and effectively.
B. Students can recognize when others do not understand,
understand others' messages, ask questions, and follow directions.
C. Specifically, students can:
1. give information and support it with illustrations and
examples.
2. give directions accurately and in order.
3. ask clear questions.
4. ask for information.
5. identify main points, understand what is said, and
remember important points in others' messages.
6. answer questions directly and accurately.
7. recognize when others do not understand.
8. summarize messages for others.
9. understand others' messages, follow their ideas, and
draw inferences.
10. describe and summarize viewpoints different from their
own.
IV. RELATING SKILLS
A. Students can (a) develop, maintain, and nurture
interpersonal and small group relationships with others; (b) fulfill their own
interpersonal needs; and (c) manage conflict while respecting all interactants' rights.
B. Students can respond to others' attempts to build
relationships and reciprocate by self-disclosing, focusing on the other, empathizing, and
displaying affinity.
C. Specifically, students can:
1. achieve interpersonal goals (giving/seeking inclusion,
affection, and control).
2. identify conflict situations.
3. respect others' rights and stand up for one's own
rights.
4. feel and convey empathy to others.
5. build relationships with others.
6. describe others' viewpoints.
7. describe differences in opinion.
8. express their feelings to others when appropriate.
9. perform social rituals (introductions, telephone
answering, greetings, farewells).
10. maintain conversations by taking turns, managing the
interaction, reciprocal conversation, self-disclosure, and altercentrism.
11. receive affinity (e.g., compliments) from others.
12. work on collaborative projects in teams.
13. keep group discussions relevant and focused.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Table 4: Advanced Communication Skills
(Morreale & Rubin, 1997)
College graduates should be able to:
I. GENERAL SKILLS
1. Identify and adapt to changes in audience
characteristics.
2. Incorporate language that captures and maintains
audience interest in message.
3. Identify and manage misunderstandings.
4. Demonstrate credibility.
5. Demonstrate competence and comfort with information.
6. Recognize time constraints of a communication situation
and know how to operate within them.
7. Manage multiple communication goals effectively.
8. Demonstrate attentiveness through nonverbal and verbal
behaviors.
9. Adapt messages to the demands of the situation or
context.
II. SPEAKING IN PUBLIC
1. Incorporate information from a variety of sources to
support message.
2. Identify and use appropriate statistics to support the
message.
3. Use motivational appeals that build on values,
expectations, and needs of the audience.
4. Develop messages that influence attitudes, beliefs, and
actions.
III. RELATING TO OTHERS
1. Manage and resolve group conflicts effectively.
2. Approach and engage in conversation with new people in
new settings with confidence.
3. Negotiate effectively.
4. Allow others to express different views and attempt to
understand them.
5. Effectively assert themselves while respecting others'
rights.
6. Convey empathy.
7. Understand and value differences in communication
styles.
8. Be open-minded about and receptive of another's point of
view.
9. Motivate others to participate and work effectively as a
team.
10. Understand and implement different methods of building
group consensus.
11. Set and manage realistic agendas.
12. Lead meetings effectively.
13. Understand and adapt to people from other cultures,
organizations, or groups.
14. Identify important issues or problems, draw
conclusions, and understand other group members.
Continue on to Development of the
Competencies
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