Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Written Communication 1
Teaching staff
The student can arrange an interview with the professor (Dr. Gómez Barranco) by writing to the following email address:
sgomezb@uic.es
Introduction
Communication, both written and oral, is a fundamental skill for intellectual, academic, and professional development. Mastering the use of language not only allows for clear and precise expression of ideas, but also for building knowledge, interpreting reality, and critically engaging in social and cultural life. This course aims to provide students with the necessary tools to improve their oral and written expression in Spanish, meet the demands of the university environment, and strengthen their ability to communicate in a rigorous, coherent, and conscious manner.
Pre-course requirements
No pre-course requirements are needed to enroll in this subject.
Objectives
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Develop communicative competence through the proper use of language levels and the critical evaluation of discourses.
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Identify the properties of a text to ensure its coherence, cohesion, and suitability to the communicative context.
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Define and identify rhetorical techniques and strategies of exposition and argumentation in academic and professional texts.
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Learn and apply Spanish spelling, morphosyntactic, lexical, and punctuation rules, paying special attention to common mistakes and interferences with Catalan.
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Write texts of different types with clarity, precision, and rigor, following their specific conventions.
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Analyze texts of various types (literary, journalistic, essayistic, academic) with a critical mindset to recognize their structures and rhetorical strategies.
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Express ideas clearly and persuasively in oral presentations, using appropriate rhetorical resources.
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Acquire habits of reading, self-correction, and care for language as part of the continuous improvement process in written communication.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- CN01 - Students will be able to analyse and interpret imaginary and iconic, symbolic and representational language in the context of humanistic disciplines.
- CP05 - Students will be able to analyse socio-cultural, historical and artistic structures, from a respect for the fundamental rights of equality between men and women, using language that avoids androcentricity and stereotypes.
- E12 - To acquire knowledge and understanding of imaginary, iconic and symbolic languages and their representation.
- E14 - To develop the ability for critical analysis with regard to literary and artistic expression.
- E21 - To master the different levels and functions of language.
- E25 - Ability to communicate orally in one's own language and other languages using the terminology and resources accepted in the cultural framework of each language
- E26 - Ability to read and write texts in one's own language and other languages, as well as transcribe, summarise and categorise pertinent information.
- G01 - To analyse and interpret social and cultural environments to identify need, opportunities, weaknesses and strenghts..
- G08 - Ability to carry out research.
- G09 - Creativity, inititiative and entrepreneurial spirit.
- HB02 - Students will be able to convey information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- HB03 - Students will be able to develop a coherent understanding and expression of ideas and arguments, both orally and in writing.
- HB06 - Students will be able to plan tasks and projects in an organised and structured manner.
- HB12 - Students will be able to adequately and effectively apply methods and techniques specific to different humanities disciplines when problem solving and when elaborating critical and well-founded arguments.
- HB18 - Students will be able to present the results of their research in a narrative way, following the critical standards of each discipline.
- HB19 - Students will be able to analyse original texts or documents in their mother tongue and in other languages, with appropriate summaries and categorisation techniques.
- HB20 - Students will be able to use sources of information in an international context.
Learning outcomes of the subject
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Demonstrates skills in oral and written communication in academic, professional, and social contexts.
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Summarizes and analyzes information obtained both from classes and supplementary material.
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Interprets data and content with critical thinking, formulating relevant conclusions.
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Presents written documents with neatness, linguistic accuracy, and proper formatting.
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Improves the use of Spanish through the appropriate application of its linguistic rules.
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Confidently applies techniques to express oneself in public with clarity and assurance.
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Argues with coherence and logical structure in oral presentations and debates.
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Analyzes texts of different types, assessing their contribution to intellectual and personal development.
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Manages their own learning with autonomy and responsibility.
Syllabus
Writing in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
• Writing as a form of thought and intellectual development.
• New challenges and opportunities with tools like ChatGPT.
• Authorship, ethics, and responsibility in the era of automated assistance.
Foundations of Effective Communication
• Elements of the communication process: sender, receiver, message, channel, and context.
• Types and levels of language according to purpose and audience.
• Levels of knowledge: communicative, conceptual, and critical.
Text Properties
• Coherence: internal logic, sequence, and unity of discourse.
• Appropriateness: adaptation to purpose, genre, and audience.
• Accuracy: normative precision and structural clarity.
Rules and Style in Language Use
• Spelling, punctuation, accentuation, and proper use of capital letters.
• Common errors in Spanish, especially due to interference from Catalan.
• Style: lexical precision, conciseness, and appropriate register.
Written Expression Techniques
• Strategies to generate ideas and organize content.
• Discourse structures in exposition and argumentation.
• Revision and rewriting as part of the writing process.
Academic Writing
• Formal and functional features of academic genres (summary, review, essay).
• Citation and bibliographic reference standards.
• Criteria for clarity, cohesion, and objectivity in academic texts.
Oral Expression
• Basic techniques: articulation, intonation, rhythm, and clarity.
• Preparation and delivery of brief speeches with clear structure.
• Use of oral language in academic and professional contexts.
Rhetoric and Critical Thinking
• Key concepts of rhetoric: persuasion, structure, and expressive resources.
• Types of arguments and common rhetorical figures.
• Identification of fallacies and development of critical judgment in discourse analysis.
Teaching and learning activities
In person
Modality: The modality will be fully in-person, with most training activities conducted in the classroom to promote direct interaction and collaborative work between the teacher and students.
Training Activities:
• Theoretical-Practical Class:
The sessions will combine brief, guiding explanations by the teacher with practical and participatory activities in the classroom, giving students the opportunity to put the concepts they have learned into practice.
• Student Autonomous Work:
Students will carry out individual tasks outside the classroom, including reading, research, and preparation of materials, which will allow them to deepen and consolidate their learning.
Teaching Methodology:
• Expository and Participatory Method: The teacher's explanation will be complemented by active student participation, promoting dialogue, questions, and joint problem-solving to foster dynamic understanding.
• Handwriting During Classes: Handwriting will be encouraged in the classroom to enhance information retention and understanding, in addition to avoiding dependence on digital tools for automatic text generation, thereby promoting deeper and more authentic learning.
• Preparation of Written Work: The completion of written assignments, both individual and group, will be encouraged to help integrate and apply the content reflectively.
• Text Analysis: Academic and documentary texts will be used, promoting critical reading and the development of analytical skills.
• Debates and Other Forms of Oral Communication: Participation in debates, presentations, and other oral activities will be encouraged, allowing students to develop their communication, argumentative, and public speaking skills, thereby strengthening their ability to dialogue and defend ideas effectively.
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
English
The course competencies are evaluated according to continuous assessment (50%) and final assessment (50%).
• Continuous Assessment
Continuous assessment consists of monitoring and progressively evaluating the acquisition of competencies throughout the course. It will be carried out through various exercises, such as written exercises, oral presentations, class participation, and short tests on assigned readings.
This assessment will represent 50% of the final grade.
To pass the course, it is necessary to obtain at least 5 points in continuous assessment. If this grade is not achieved, the teacher will indicate which exercises must be submitted to recover the continuous assessment on the date of the final exam.
The distribution of continuous assessment is as follows:
• Graded exercises: 30%
• Tests on readings: 10%
• Active, respectful, and rigorous participation: 10%
In written exercises, students are expected to complete their work carefully, following the established presentation rules. Late submissions will not be accepted.
A penalty of -0.2 points (out of 10) will be applied for each orthographic, syntactic, or lexical error detected in written exercises. Repeated errors will be counted as additional errors.
In the event of plagiarism or copying during an exam, the teacher will report it to the Faculty Board, which will apply the corresponding sanctions, including an automatic grade of 0.0 for the course and the requirement to retake it in the next exam session.
The evaluation criteria for oral exercises will be explained by the teacher in class.
During the semester, students must read several books. On the dates indicated by the teacher, brief tests will be conducted to check reading and comprehension of the texts. This part represents 10% of the final grade.
• Final Assessment (Final Exam)
To pass the course, it is also necessary to obtain at least 5 points in the final exam. This written test will evaluate the course competencies and represent 50% of the final grade.
The same error correction criteria will apply as in written exercises: -0.2 points for each orthographic, syntactic, or lexical error, with repeated errors considered additional.
• Recovery
Students who fail continuous assessment must submit the activities specified by the teacher to recover it, with a maximum of 5 points for this part.
If a student passes continuous assessment but does not pass the final exam, they may take the recovery exam. If passed, the final course grade will be the average of the continuous assessment grade and the recovered exam grade.
Classroom Rules
The use of mobile phones or laptops in class is not allowed, unless explicitly authorized by the teacher.
Up to three absences are allowed without penalty. From the fourth absence onward, each absence will deduct -0.5 points from the final exam grade. Additionally, two late arrivals are equivalent to one absence.
Bibliography and resources
Suggested resources
Anderson, Chris (2018). Charlas TED. Barcelona: Deusto ediciones.
Aristóteles. (1998). Retórica. Madrid: Alianza Editorial.
Casado, Manuel. (2012). El castellano actual: usos y normas. 10.ª ed. revisada. Eunsa.
Cascón Martín, Eugenio (2004). Manual del buen uso del español.
Cassany, Daniel (2002). La cocina de la escritura. Barcelona: Anagrama.
Gómez Torrego, Leonardo (2007). Hablar y escribir correctamente. Arco Libros.
Instituto Cervantes (2006). Saber escribir. Aguilar.
Instituto Cervantes (2022). Saber hablar. Debate.
Useful resources
FundéuRAE (Fundación del Español Urgente). https://www.fundeu.es. Ofrece recomendaciones actualizadas sobre uso correcto del español en medios.
RAE: https://www.rae.es. Acceso a la ortografía, gramática, DLE, DPD y otros recursos normativos.
Real Academia Española y ASALE (2019). Gramática y ortografía básicas de la lengua española. Espasa.
Real Academia Española y ASALE (2018). Libro de estilo de la lengua española según la norma panhispánica. Espasa.
Real Academia Española y ASALE (2010). Manual de la Nueva gramática de la lengua española. Espasa.
Real Academia Española y ASALE (2012). Ortografía básica de la lengua española. Espasa.
Real Academia Española (2021). Diccionario panhispánico de dudas (edición impresa o en línea).