Communication Skills Study Guide

A co-worker asks you to hand a tool, but does not specify which toll she needs. The most appropriate response would be: ________

"I'm sorry; which tool do you need?"

A supervisor wants an apprentice to insert a plug into a water supply line for a pressure test. The clearest way to instruct the apprentice would be for the supervisor to say, __________.

"Insert the plug into the end of the water supply line so I can do a pressure test"

Which of the following is one disadvantage to using email versus paper-based delivery?

Emails are not as private as paper-based documents.

Which of the following is an example of positive verbal communication of the job?

Giving and taking instructions.

Which is a typical example of an item a construction worker might read for work on a regular basis?

Material list

Which of the following are examples of positive nonverbal communication?

Siting up straight, keeping a clean workspace, and looking at people who are talking to you.

An important practice in writing to avoid errors that can cost time and money is

accuracy.

Good communication on the job site

affects safety, schedules, and budgets.

Real listening is

an active process.

In the study of communication, noise is best defined as

anything that interferes with the message being heard or understood.

If you are in the middle of a task and you receive a phone call

ask the caller if you can call back at a later time.

If you do not understand what a speaker is say

ask the speaker questions for clarification.

Text messages are best used for _________.

brief messages that should be viewed immediately

In the construction industry, a codebook provides ________.

codes and standards, such as building codes or electrical codes

Common documents that construction professionals need to read on the job include

construction drawings, code books, and installation manuals.

If you are in the middle of a task and you receive a personal phone call, _________.

continue working and do not answer

Folding your arms in front of you makes it seem as if you are

distant and unwilling to talk.

Disadvantages to using email versus paper-based delivery are

emails are not as private as paper-based documents and once it is sent, it cannot be retrieved.

An attribute of an effective speaker is the ability to

explain and simplify complex topics.

An important attribute of an effective speaker is the ability to

explain and simplify complex topics.

Nonverbal communication is best for communicating ___________.

feelings and attitudes

The rough draft of a document you are writing should

follow an outline and incorporate your research.

When you are looking for a specific installation procedure in a manual, the best way to find the information is to ____________.

identify the correct section and go straight there

When you are looking for a specific installation procedure in a manual, the best way to find the information is to

identify the correct section and go straight there.

A reader that wants to find any mention of a certain topic in a book can look in the _________.

index

Giving and taking instructions

is an example of positive verbal communication on the job.

When communicating on the job, you should

maintain eye contact and encourage listeners to take notes, if necessary.

Examples of an item a construction worker might read for word are

materials list, construction drawings, safety instructions, and change orders.

With email, nonverbal communication is lost and your message must be carefully composed to avoid being

misinterpreted by the recipients.

An important practice in writing to avoid errors that can cost time and money is to

proofread the work for accuracy.

When reading instructions or a series of steps, one should

read the directions completely.

When reading instructions or a series of steps, you should

read the directions completely.

Talking on the phone in front of co-workers, supervisors, and customers is

rude and unprofessional.

Special features in books that help you locate information include

tables of content, indexes, and glossaries.

When listening to instructions, the best way to make sure you get all the information is to

take notes, ask questions at appropriate times, and repeat a summary of the instructions.

To make sure your points are understood in an email, you can

write in concise format using bulleted or numbered items.

Many of the rules that apply to writing paper-based documents also apply to ________.

writing emails

Many of the rules that apply to writing paper-based documents apply to

writing emails.