AL-301 Technical Communication - Nov 2022 Question Paper

Under each question, How to answer lists the points an answer should cover, outlined by CampusPrep from the syllabus. Check the details against your textbook.

1. 7 Marks
   aExplain the Unity, Brevity and clarity in various forms of communication.
   How to answer

   • Define unity in communication (maintaining a single central focus).
   • Define brevity (conciseness without omitting key information).
   • Define clarity (avoiding ambiguity and ensuring straightforward messaging).
   • Explain their significance across various written and oral communication forms.
2. 7 Marks
   bWhat is the process and scope of communication?
   How to answer

   • Define communication process.
   • List key elements: sender, encoding, message, channel, receiver, decoding, feedback, noise.
   • Illustrate with the communication cycle block diagram.
   • Discuss the scope of communication in personal, social, and professional spheres.
3. 7 Marks
   aExplain the barriers of Communication in detail.
   How to answer

   • Definition of communication barriers.
   • Categorization: physical/environmental, physiological, semantic/linguistic, psychological, and organizational barriers.
   • Detailed explanation of each type with relevant examples.
   • Brief suggestions on methods to overcome these barriers.
4. 7 Marks
   bBriefly describe about Interpersonal Communication?
   How to answer

   • Define interpersonal communication (exchange of information, feelings, and meaning between two or more people).
   • Key characteristics (face-to-face/direct, relational, continuous feedback).
   • Components: verbal and non-verbal elements, listening skills.
   • Importance of interpersonal communication in workplace environments.
5. 7 Marks
   aWhat are the traits of technical writing? And what are the principles of business writing?
   How to answer

   • Key traits of technical writing: clarity, conciseness, accuracy, objectivity, audience awareness, structured format.
   • Principles of business writing: purpose-driven, user-centered, tone/professionalism.
   • Reference the '7 Cs' of business communication: clarity, conciseness, correctness, concreteness, consideration, courtesy, and completeness.
6. 7 Marks
   bExplain format and structure of Technical Report.
   How to answer

   • Introduction to technical reports and their formal nature.
   • Front matter: title page, table of contents, list of figures/tables, abstract/executive summary.
   • Main body: introduction, methodology, discussion/findings, conclusions, recommendations.
   • Back matter/End matter: references/bibliography, appendices, glossary.
7. 7 Marks
   aWhat is an Interview? Write do's and don'ts of an interview.
   How to answer

   • Define an interview as a formal meeting for assessment/interaction.
   • List key Do's (punctuality, formal attire, active listening, clear speech, confident body language).
   • List key Don'ts (interrupting, lack of preparation, lying, negative talk, informal language).
8. 7 Marks
   bDiscuss style and argumentative skills in group discussion.
   How to answer

   • Role of personal and speaking style in a group discussion (assertive vs aggressive, polite, articulate).
   • Argumentative skills: logical structuring of arguments, providing relevant evidence and facts.
   • Refuting points respectfully and maintaining composure.
   • Demonstrating collaboration, listening, and consensus-building skills.
9. 7 Marks
   aWhat is the difference between General and Technical vocabulary?
   How to answer

   • Define general vocabulary (everyday words with broad meanings understood by the general public).
   • Define technical vocabulary (domain-specific terms with precise meanings in a specialized field).
   • Tabular comparison based on precision, context-dependence, and audience.
   • Provide illustrative examples showing common vs. technical usage of terms.
10. 7 Marks
    bWhat are the common errors in speaking and writing? Explain.
    How to answer

    • Common speaking errors: pronunciation flaws, mother tongue influence (MTI), filler words, incorrect pauses, subject-verb agreement issues.
    • Common writing errors: spelling, punctuation mistakes, run-on sentences, dangling modifiers, tense inconsistency.
    • Provide examples and explanations for each category.
    • Strategies for minimizing these errors.
11. 14 Marks
    What are the different types of presentations? Explain.
    How to answer

    • Definition of a presentation and its objectives.
    • Types based on purpose: Informative, Persuasive, Instructional/Training, Decision-making, and Motivational.
    • Types based on delivery method: Extemporaneous, Impromptu, Manuscript, and Memorized.
    • Explanation of characteristics and ideal use cases for each.
12. 14 Marks
    Explain various types of interviews. How should an interviews prepare for a selection of an interview?
    How to answer

    • Explain types of interviews: structured/unstructured, technical, HR/behavioral, panel, stress, and group interviews.
    • Preparation steps for interviewees/candidates: company research, reviewing domain fundamentals, practicing mock questions.
    • Addressing the interviewer's perspective (as per Hindi prompt: साक्षात्कारकर्ता): preparing a structured rubric, clear job requirements, objective scoring criteria.
    • Physical/logistical readiness and professional etiquette.
13. 14 Marks
    Write a letter of application along with your resume for the post of Software Engineer at TCS, Mumbai.
    How to answer

    • Standard formal business letter layout (sender address, date, receiver address, subject, salutation).
    • Body of the application: statement of intent, matching skills/qualifications to the Software Engineer post at TCS, closing.
    • Resume structure: career objective, educational qualifications in tabular format, technical skills/projects, certifications, personal details, references.