LC-1310 Academic Communication for MSc Students  

(o + w, 3 ects)

 

Level of the course: Master’s (graduate)

Workload: Small-group instruction 6X 2h Zoom sessions, + presentation practice session 4h + final presentation session 4h = 20 h+ independent work 61 h

Teacher: Laura Mendoza

email: laura.mendoza@aalto.fi

Course page: MyCourses

 Teaching period: I-II

Option A: Wednesdays 10-12 in Zoom on specific dates, see MyCourses schedule

Option B: Thursdays 10-12 in Zoom on specific dates, see MyCourses schedule

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

Content: The course is intended for students in master’s programs who are not yet in the process of writing their master’s theses. It 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.

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:

- Preparatory tasks 30%: minus points for late assignments (if no prior permission requested) + incompleteness  

 Assignment 1: Learning journal, 2%

Assignment 2: Article analysis, 3%

Assignment 3: Conceptual map, 2%

Assignment 4: Outline for the state-of-the-art review paper, 3%

Assignment 5: Participation in peer review, 3%

Assignment 6: Draft for state of the art review paper , 5%

Assignment 7: Outline for the oral presentation, 3%

Assignment 8: Presentation slides, 3%

Assignment 9: Practice session + Self-evaluation for practice session  4%

Assignment 10: Learning journal 2, 2%

 Project 20%:

Online modules 1-6, 80% completion adds up to full points, late work reduces the grade


Final written assignment 25%: State-of-the-art review paper  (graded 1-5 & commented)

Final presentation 25% (Videoed): 10-minute presentation of the paper topic, final presentation (graded 1-5)

Note: 80% attendance required in the online meetings, which means that you can miss one of the zoom sessions without penalties (You still need to keep up with the required work). Force majeure situations negotiated separately.

5

 

93 – 100%

4

 

86 – 92%

3

 

78 – 85%

2

 

70 – 77%

1

 

65 – 69%

CEFR-level: B2 or higher; Grading scale: 0 - 5

Language of instruction: English

Further information: Master’s level students can earn the undergraduate (i.e. Bachelor’s) requisite foreign language credits through this course. Participants must attend 80% of the class sessions.


Last modified: Thursday, 10 September 2020, 2:43 PM