Subject

Professional English for Journalism 2

  • code 10733
  • course 4
  • term Semester 2
  • type OB
  • credits 4

Main language of instruction: English

Teaching staff

Head instructor

Lc. Marc Robert HERMAN - mrherman@uic.es

Office hours

By appointment.

Introduction

The aim of Professional English for Journalism is to introduce students to basic newswriting and reporting techniques in English. Students will learn the essential tools needed in their future careers as journalists. They will learn to write clearly and correctly in English with an emphasis on the language of news. Students will become familiar with newswriting style and how to write basic parts of the news. The competences obtained in this subject will allow them to confidently report and write news stories in English.

Students will also learn how to translate from different media sources: from statesmen’s public statements in the international section, to the most recent developments in science and technology for the science pages; from what’s been said during a Champions League press conference to what’s been published about the latest Hollywood blockbuster. Journalists are expected to write overviews of the coverage of domestic news stories in international media, or simply translate press releases. In this context, students will learn to detect and avoid some of the most common translator traps, such as high-frequency calques and the literal reproduction of  English syntactic structures, while tackling questions of terminology.

Pre-course requirements

There are no pre-course requirements.

Objectives

  • To be able to write a proper hard news article in English from beginning to end including headlines, leads and article structure.
  • To identify and understand different concepts related to newswriting and reporting
  • To familiarize students with different issues in modern media that directly affect journalists.
  • To be able to properly conduct a journalistic interview in English by using optimal sources and proper attribution.
  • To learn to detect and avoid some of the most common translator traps, such as high-frequency calques and the literal reproduction of English syntactic structures.

Competences / Learning outcomes of the degree programme

  • 01 CG - Capacity for self-evaluation and professional order
  • 02 CG - The ability to learn and act an autonomously and responsibly
  • 03 CG - The ability to work in a group
  • 15 CE - Lingustic ability in Catalan, Spanish and English
  • 17 CE - The ability to produce spoken and written texts for journalistic projects
  • 55 CE - The ability to skillfully handle English terminology related to the journalistic profession

Learning outcomes of the subject

  • Reading and understanding literature, especially in the field of journalism in English.
  • Knowing and using the terminology and linguistic structures of the English language relevant to the media.
  • Understanding the main ideas at conferences or lectures in English.
  • Staging presentations using oral and/or written English.
  • Analyzing and synthesizing oral and/or written information.
  • Demonstrating teamwork skills.
  • Demonstrating the capacity for autonomous language learning.
  • Being able to plan and organize work.
  • Demonstrating interpersonal skills.

Syllabus

 

Section one: Structure of the Anglophone media.   A brief summary of how the international media system is organized, why it covers and prioritizes certain stories over others, how its resources are allocated, and the individual roles journalists can play within it.   Workshop: The anatomy of a story, and the differences in reporting for six common formats: traditional print, digital print, traditional radio, digital audio, traditional broadcast video, digital video.   What are the roles to produce work in each format? What are the skills necessary for each, focusing on differences in linguistic  skills.   Section 2: Pitching the Anglophone media How do you propose a story inside an Anglophone media organization? How do you propose one from outside? What are the practices, traditions, and habits of Anglophone editorial structures? How do editorial meetings work?   Workshop:  The pitch: the process of bringing a story to publication, administratively and journalistically, for an Anglophone outlet. Rights and permissions. Roles and responsibilities of the journalist, editor, photographer.   Section 3: Reporting and Writing for Anglophone media. What are the differences in standards and practices for Anglophone/International media, as distinguished from Spanish and Catalan media? What are confirmation and fact-checking processes? What needs to be documented? What are standards for anonymous sources? If a translator or fixer is involved, what are the rules for attributing statements in translation? The role of transcription versus interpretation. Recording interviews across languages and using recorded audio with voiceover.   Workshop: Creating a piece of Anglophone media: a practical look at how the different roles combine to create a single story. When do reporters work in teams, and when do they work alone? Bilingualism in research versus bilingualism in writing. The role of the editor and working with editors across language barriers.

Evaluation systems and criteria

In person

ASSESSMENT: 

In the exam period stipulated by the Faculty of Communication students will conclude their assigned section of final project, consisting of a news story produced collectively. Each student will be expected to have satisfactorily completed a section of the editorial process, assigned earlier in the course. 

2nd call

In the exam period stipulated by the Faculty of Communication students will hand in a follow-up story of the final project they didn't complete satisfactorily during the first term.

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