In the teaching of communication studies to engineering and commerce students, the time available for teaching communication principles and models did not allow for a detailed study of the various models currently in use. A systems model based on a consistent and limited terminology was developed. This model consists essentially of three subsystems; the human system, the message transfer system, and intermediate receiver-storage-transmitter systems. With the use of this system approach, it is possible to construct models of any human communication system and to use these models to analyze and compare the strengths and weaknesses of the different systems.

W. Earl Britton's and Merril D. Whitburn's views on freshman English and technical writing are not as much in conflict as the titles of their recent articles may suggest. The two courses are solutions to two different problems, namely the communicative skills required by undergraduates and by graduate engineers. Experience at the University of the Witwatersrand indicates that two courses, one given at the beginning of the undergraduate course and one at the end, would be an ideal solution. Where a crowded curriculum permits only one course, the compromise solution requires elements from both types of courses.