Self-Audit for Communication Sample

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Memo
To: Professor Thompson
From: Abigail Ethridge
Date: January 27, 2018
Subject: Communications Self-Audit
As you have requested, here is my communications self-audit as of January 2018. I have
analyzed, in detail, outlets of my communication. Also, I have considered trying a new
section of an outlet that I don’t have the same level of competence.
Tools Inventory
 Email:
o I use both the University’s email address and a personal Gmail account. I
check both emails vigorously throughout the day and I archive the emails
that are seemingly unimportant at the time. If I keep a lot of important
things in my email. I keep all my encounters with the school and
professors to keep track of what happens regarding assignments or
important information.
o I use my student email almost daily to communicate with professors. If not
professors, my student email is used for work. I communicate with my
supervisor and vice versa in regards to scheduling or files. I use my
personal email for everything that is involved with social media accounts. I
don’t send a lot of emails from there, but I do receive many in a day.
o I do have a signature line in my student email that I created once I saw a
fellow student create one. I think it makes my emails look more
professional in terms of contacting professors or the registrar’s office. I
include my full name, email, and student identification number.
 Texting & Voicemail
o Aside from personal use, I have used texting for academic and professional
communication. I have communicated over text with group partners for
class assignments either to schedule a time to meet or going as far as
working on the logistics of the assignment.
o I haven’t used it contact any professors but I have had a few that offered. I
have one that says if we need to talk on the phone about an assignment or
if email doesn’t work, we could text him
o For work, I don’t use texting now but I have had previous jobs where most
the communication was done through texting including scheduling,

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questions, or if they were short staffed. I have also had a job where the
boss texted us when she wanted to buy us coffee to know our orders.
 Social Media
o I have never used social media for a job. I keep my social media strictly
social and I don’t use any of the apps for work. I have used Facebook
Messenger to communicate with Sigma Tau Delta (STD) and other
students for group projects, but that is the extent of it.
o I do have a LinkedIn account now and I think it would be a useful tool. I
should keep myself updating it as time goes on and I graduate.
o I do not have a e-portfolio and I have no clue how to start one, but maybe
as an English major it would be beneficial to learn.
 Word Processing Software
o I use Microsoft Word for word processing software. After my sophomore
year computer technology class, I learned a few tips and tricks with
Microsoft Office. The only stuff I vividly remember is what we learned
about Word. I can do many things on word like add page numbers,
headers, footers, image wrapping, and columns.
 Collaboration Software
o I have used Google Docs when communicating with others for academic
purposes. I had a communication course where my partner and I
collaborated over google docs and google slides. I have never used Doodle
or Skype for academic communication, but I am open to using different
collaboration software’s.
 Image Editing Software
o I have not used any software to edit images/photos because I don’t do such
a thing. I have used a website once to make a picture for a YouTube video,
but I don’t have software on my computer.
 Multimedia Products
o I have not used audio-only podcasts or slide-casts for academic purposes,
except in class one day. We listened to an author speak about his novels
and how it applied to his life. I have listened to some podcasts for fun on a
personal level as well, and I usually find them on Spotify.
 Web Authoring Software
o I have not created a website, but I occasionally use a blog. I use Tumblr for
things involving writing and viewing fan-art.
 File Backup
o I save all my files in a folder on my computer and on one drive. Most of the
time, I forget to save to OneDrive but when I remember I upload
everything there. It makes going back and forth from the library to my
computer much easier. I don’t remember ever losing any work because of

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my lack of backing up. I use google drive as well for storing personal things
like book ideas and passwords. One Drive holds all my assignments.
Try Something New
In order to achieve a well-rounded skill at Microsoft Word I want to learn how to insert
footnotes into a document. In this section, I will break down how I achieve this goal.
Goal: Learn how to add footnotes to a Word Document.
Method: I found this helpful website that is ran by Microsoft Office
https://support.office.com/en-us/article/add-footnotes-and-endnotes-in-word-
61f3fb1a-4717-414c-9a8f-015a5f3ff4cb
Images & Process:
1. Here is a sample text in Microsoft Word. I have circled in red the Insert Footnote
button.
2. After you click on that button, your sample text turns into this. I inserted the
small arrow pointed at the number 1 next toit.
3. Once you insert the footnote, this line appears at the bottom of the document and
you can then type the footnote.
Conclusion:
Inserting footnotes into a word document can be beneficial in all types of writing such as
professional and creative. Acquiring this skill will help push your Microsoft office skills
to the next level.

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*A helpful tip to achieve a footnote is CTRL+ALT+F if you are on a Windows
PC
Prose Style
My most recent non-fiction piece was a book report for my communication class. As I
sift through it, I found that I am not very concise. I fill my papers with a lot of “lard” or
“fluff” to make them longer and that can take away from the main point of the sentence
or paper. I make things longer than they need to be when writing. I want to set the goal
this semester tobe more concise with my writing. I would say that in some cases, I use
stronger verbs. I hope that it would be another goal of mine to use stronger verbs.
Conclusion
I have found that I have strengths and weaknesses in my communication skills. I also
have found ways that I can improve my skills and I set attainable goals to reach this
semester. I learned new software’s and mediums that can help with group projects in the
future.