LEARNING OUTCOMES
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Recognise the strategies and elements that enhance clarity and audience-friendliness in both oral and written academic communication
- Apply these strategies and elements in oral presentations and writing related to their field of study
- Distinguish between formal and informal styles of communication and vary the style according to the target audience text type
- Apply a process approach to the development of oral and written work
- Document sources properly and select strategies to avoid plagiarism
Credits: 3
Schedule: 07.01.2025 - 15.04.2025
Teacher in charge (valid for whole curriculum period):
Teacher in charge (applies in this implementation): Chia-Chi Ivarsson-Keng
Contact information for the course (applies in this implementation):
CEFR level (valid for whole curriculum period): C1
Language of instruction and studies (applies in this implementation):
Teaching language: English. Languages of study attainment: English
CONTENT, ASSESSMENT AND WORKLOAD
Content
valid for whole curriculum period:
The course introduces written and oral communication principles and strategies that are applicable to academic and research purposes. Students begin by writing on a topic from their own field of study based on previous (BSc) or ongoing (MSc) research. To enhance readability of the texts, students apply organisational patterns, such as problem-solution, as well as other writing principles. Based on their written work, students deliver an oral presentation videoed for self- and teacher-evaluation. As part of the learning process, students analyse presentations to identify their strengths and areas for improvement, as well as practise organising and presenting information clearly to a non-expert, but academic audience. Throughout this course, students work individually, in pairs and in small groups to develop their presentation and writing skills. Moreover, students give and receive constructive feedback on their work and revise it accordingly. The course is recommended for students in master's programs who are not yet in the process of writing their master's theses.
Working Life Skills: Know-how related to own field of studies, knowledge of research in own field, skills in foreign languages, skills related to working in international environment, information retrieval skills, written communication, oral communication, teamwork skills, self-awareness, critical thinking skills, analytical, life-long learning skills, self-confidence, and time management.
Assessment Methods and Criteria
valid for whole curriculum period:
- Preparatory tasks 40%
- Final written assignment 25%
- Final presentation 25% (Videoed)
- Exam/project 10%
Regular attendance and/or timely completion of assignments are required for the successful completion of the course.
Note: Integrated versions of this course may follow different assessment criteria and percentage distribution.
Workload
valid for whole curriculum period:
81 h (Small-group instruction 0 - 24 h + independent work 57 - 81 h)
DETAILS
Study Material
valid for whole curriculum period:
Provided by the teacher and students.
Substitutes for Courses
valid for whole curriculum period:
Prerequisites
valid for whole curriculum period:
FURTHER INFORMATION
Further Information
valid for whole curriculum period:
Teaching Language: English
Teaching Period: 2024-2025 Autumn I - II
2024-2025 Spring III - IV
2024-2025 Spring IV - V
2025-2026 Autumn I - II
2025-2026 Spring III - IV
2025-2026 Spring IV - VRegistration:
The course is targeted at Master's students from CHEM, ELEC, ENG, and SCI. Students are considered for admission in the order of highest number of credits. Registration for the course takes place in SISU.
The course will be organized if there are at least 10 participants. The maximum group size is 20.