To be able to communicate more effectively, you need to be able to convey things specifically (especially to avoid ambiguity of sentences or confusion of the other person). Clear and descriptive information – whether written or verbal – will not only help you convey the points being communicated more clearly, it will also make it easier for the other person to understand them. There is no need to rush; take the time to structure your message and enjoy the benefits of communicating more specifically.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Deciding What Information to Convey
Step 1. Choose a topic that you are good at
The more you know about the topic, the easier it will be for you to convey specific facts and figures.
- If you are not familiar with the topic, do a little research (read a book, browse internet pages, etc.) so that you can convey or write about the topic in more detail. To produce a comprehensive writing or speech material, doing a little research is what you must do.
- If you don't feel confident in your abilities, try connecting the topic with something familiar. You can also think of a subtopic that you understand better. For example, if you are asked to talk about climate change, try to choose one specific aspect that you understand and are good at, but that falls within the scope of the topic of climate change (such as your love of polar bears and the impact of climate change on their habitat).
Step 2. Define your “call to action”
This step may sound complicated, but it's worth trying to narrow the focus of your argument and emphasize the purpose of your writing or speech to the listener or reader. In other words, clearly state what kind of action the reader or listener should take after hearing or reading your argument. Regardless of the type of material you choose (whether fiction or philosophical argumentation), make sure you think about what kind of reaction you expect the listener or reader to have. Don't forget this step while you're drafting the material.
- A "call to action" is a term commonly used in marketing, but it can also be applied to the process of composing a piece of writing or speech material. Whatever your topic, think about how the essay can be used as a marketing element to convey a specific message and encourage people to act on your expectations.
- Some general purpose calls to action: inform something, encourage someone to do something, recommend something, debate something, support an argument, explain something, instruct something, and fight something.
- If you want to write about polar bears and climate change, your call to action will likely relate to actions listeners or readers can take to address the impacts of climate change.
Step 3. Make sure you answer the topic questions
Whatever your goal (responding to a question, refuting an argument, or completing an assignment), think carefully about the specific questions you need to answer on the topic. Of course you can insert some additional information that is still relevant. But first, make sure you've answered the main questions first.
Consider the question word that begins the question. For example, if you are asked to describe what you do at work, you may be tempted to explain other things related to the topic, such as how you performed at work or why you chose that job. This information – although interesting and important to hear – is not the core information that you need to present. Make sure you answer the core question first before adding any other information
Step 4. Think about the length of your writing or speech
If you are only allowed to write a maximum of 500 words or speak for 15 minutes, make sure you are able to convey all the important information and arguments within those limits. If the length of writing or speaking is not specified, think carefully about what message you need to convey, what topics you want to raise, and who your target audience or audience is. This will help you determine the length of your writing or speaking time. Make sure all important information can be conveyed without making the listener or reader bored and difficult to listen.
- Try the inverted pyramid principle. An inverted pyramid places all important information at the top and less important information at the bottom. If you care about the listener's attention span, learn to apply this principle. Of course, this principle cannot be applied to all types of writing or speech. But at least, if you want to learn to communicate some important points, the inverted pyramid principle is worth a try.
- If you have time left (verbal communication) or pages (nonverbal communication), don't just add meaningless words. Try to think of other information or examples that are relevant to your topic; convey details that are useful to the listener or reader.
- Provide relevant background information. Irrelevant details will only make your argument less focused.
Step 5. Give an example
Whether verbal or nonverbal, both require you to build an argument and provide examples to support that argument. Remember, specific information always requires verification.
- In a political speech or scholarly work, for example, examples should be presented in a direct and specific format such as, “Example…”. While in more casual genres, such as creative writing, examples are delivered in a more implicit format. For example, to explain that your character is very fashion-savvy, you need to describe what kind of clothes she wears or what her favorite clothing store is.
- Don't go overboard with examples. If you give too many unrelated examples, chances are your listeners or readers will forget your main topic. Avoid this possibility by evaluating all the details of the example you are about to present; make sure there is a clear connection between the example you provide and your main argument.
Step 6. As much as possible, explain all the question words
Unless your material is very brief, consider clarifying the who, what, when, and where questions in your material. This method is especially important to be applied in business communication. If you want something from someone, of course you need to convey what you need, who needs it, when it needs to be met, and where it can be met.
The question words “how” and “why” may or may not be important (depending on the content of your message). Think carefully about how listeners or readers will interpret your message; never assume they will understand if you don't tell them
Step 7. Don't generalize the topic
Generalizations are often done when you don't know what else to say (usually happens in nonverbal/written communication). Some common examples are the sentences “Since long ago…” or “Many people think…”. These phrases can be said to be too abstract and broad, so it is difficult to justify the truth.
For example, instead of starting your essay by saying, "Technology is making modern life worse," you could say, "According to some experts, technology causes communication problems between people and increases a person's sense of loneliness."
Part 2 of 2: Choosing Words
Step 1. Use proper adjectives and adverbs
Descriptive sentences will usually make it easier for the listener or reader to understand what you mean. In addition, such sentences will usually be more interesting to hear or read. However, don't use descriptive sentences too often; it is feared, these sentences will actually be redundant and have less impact on listeners or readers.
- Think about how the listener or reader will imagine your choice of words. If your words don't create a clear picture in their minds, chances are you're choosing words that are too ambiguous. For example, if you simply say, “That person went home,” the listener will likely have a hard time imagining it. Instead, try saying, “The tired old man came home to his dark and empty house”; such a description will make it much easier for the listener or reader to understand the situation.
- The sentence "He stutters and stutters" contains a redundant adverb, because the word "stuttering" can already be interpreted as a speech disorder that causes a person to speak intermittently.
- If you are not sure whether the language used is descriptive enough, ask someone close to you to read and rate your writing. Ask them if your writing is detailed enough, and if the language you use is clear enough.
- Instead of describing every object you mention, focus on only the most important objects in your message.
Step 2. Use the correct noun
Don't leave your readers or listeners confused; always try to mention a specific name, title, and location.
Step 3. Provide details about the time
Make sure the listener or reader is able to understand the adverb of the time you convey; Instead of saying “next week” or “soon”, use more specific terms like “on Monday” or “before half past five.”
Step 4. Use the "show don't tell" writing technique
In creative writing, the use of descriptive words and phrases is based on the five senses: sight, smell, taste, hearing, and touch. This method is also useful for other types of written or verbal speech, especially since it is possible for listeners or readers to “experience” the situation and come to their own conclusions.
- For example, the sentence "Deshawn is very happy" is still lacking in detail. Readers will not understand the happiness like what Deshawn feels. Instead, try writing, “Deshawn felt her heart skip a beat when she finally met Erika. He can't wait to share the good news he's just heard with his old friend." These concrete and specific details about Deshawn's feelings allow the reader to better understand Deshawn's emotions.
- To be able to explain things better, learn to observe things in more detail. Start by observing the small details in your daily life; sharpen your five senses.
Step 5. Know when to paraphrase
If you want to quote someone else's words, consider quoting the actual sentence. Unfortunately, this method only works if the quote is clear and concise. If the sentence you quote is too complex or difficult to understand, consider paraphrasing (re-explaining it in your own words) to make it easier for listeners or readers to understand.
Dialogue is an essential element needed to develop plot and character in creative writing. So make sure you write it in dialogue form, not paraphrase
Step 6. Expand your vocabulary
An extensive vocabulary can help you to communicate better. The more words you know, the easier it will be for you to choose the words that best match the details you want to convey.
- In certain situations, you may need to use complex word choices. But make sure you avoid words that are not common and difficult to understand. Remember, an important element of communication is the message, not the choice of vocabulary. You also need to be careful in choosing technical jargon; it is feared that the jargon is not familiar in the minds of listeners or readers.
- Language dictionaries and thesaurus are objects that really help you to explain something. If you are unsure of the words you have chosen, always check the meaning of the words in the dictionary.
Step 7. Avoid overly complex sentence structures
Make sure you place each word in the correct order. Also make sure you use the correct sentence structure so that your message feels fluid, clear, and concise. Try comparing the sentences below:
- "Industrial espionage, along with the increasing use of computers to store and process corporate information, is growing rapidly." This message feels unclear because the inserted clauses actually confuse the main idea of the sentence.
- "Industrial espionage is growing rapidly with the increasing use of computers to store and process corporate information." This message feels clearer because the main idea is conveyed at the beginning of the sentence.
