Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Editorial and Written Communication
Other languages of instruction: Catalan, English
Teaching staff
Introduction
The course focuses on developing written communication skills, creativity, narrative skills and the ability to adapt discourse to different objectives, genres and communication contexts. The programme combines the acquisition of theoretical foundations of written communication with a predominantly practical methodology based on the analysis, writing, revision and rewriting of texts.
The sessions are structured around the general foundations of writing and progressively move towards narrative construction, storytelling, journalistic genres and new forms of written communication. Particular attention will be paid to the relationship between communicative intent, audience, genre, structure, voice, style and medium, understanding writing as a decision-making process.
Each session will combine a theoretical component with a practical component aimed at the immediate application of the content. Critical text analysis, self-correction and peer assessment will also be encouraged.
Pre-course requirements
None.
Objectives
● To encourage reading and writing in order to improve oral and written expression.
● To learn how to generate content, relate it to other areas of knowledge and structure ideas appropriately within a text.
● To provide a theoretical foundation in narrative tools that enables students to make the most effective use of language for effective communication according to the objective established in each case.
● To experiment with different narrative genres and communication registers and understand the particular characteristics and potential of each.
● To write accurately and precisely.
● To develop an individual writing style and understand the effect of specific stylistic and narrative choices.
● To analyse texts in a well-reasoned manner.
● To incorporate self-correction as part of the process of producing written texts.
● To foster students’ critical attitude and reflective capacity as both consumers and creators of texts.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- CN01 - Recognise the different roles within artistic and technical production teams.
- CP02 - Critically examine contemporary social developments and contextualise audiovisual works appropriately.
- CP03 - Communicate information and original ideas effectively, both orally and in writing, in Spanish, Catalan and English.
- CP04 - Apply professional ethical principles and standards of academic rigour in the audiovisual field, respecting the fundamental right to equality between women and men, promoting human rights, a culture of peace and democratic values, including the use of inclusive, non-discriminatory and stereotype-free language.
- HB01 - Use a range of media research and documentation resources.
- HB02 - Apply professional techniques in body language and voice presentation to create impactful audiovisual content.
- HB03 - Critically analyse contemporary audiovisual genres and formats using professional aesthetic and narrative criteria.
- HB04 - Use bibliographic resources, specialised terminology and linguistic structures in English effectively for professional communication in the audiovisual field.
Learning outcomes of the subject
Students will be able to:
- Express ideas and communicate information clearly and persuasively, using effective techniques in both oral communication and written composition, while adapting to the context, audience, and purpose of the message.
- Master verbal and non-verbal communication in front of a camera, an audience, or a public setting, applying professional voice and presentation techniques to communicate effectively and make a lasting impact.
- Propose innovative and effective solutions to communication challenges by using narrative, persuasive, and stylistic resources appropriate to different media formats.
Syllabus
The course covers the following topics:
BLOCK I. FUNDAMENTALS OF COMMUNICATION AND WRITING
TOPIC 1. Writing to Communicate
● Written communication: foundations, factors and objectives.
● The text as a communication tool.
● Sender, receiver, message, context and communicative intent.
● Information, narration, opinion and persuasion.
● General typology of texts.
● Adapting the text to the objective and the intended audience.
TOPIC 2. The Writing Process: From Idea to Text
● The process of written composition.
● Generation, selection and organisation of ideas.
● Topic, idea and focus.
● Research and information gathering.
● Planning and structure.
● Introduction, development and conclusion.
● Writing as a process.
TOPIC 3. Good Writing: Clarity, Precision and Style
● Coherence and cohesion.
● Sentence and paragraph construction.
● Syntax, lexis and punctuation.
● Clarity, precision and conciseness.
● Economy of language.
● Register and appropriateness.
● Common writing errors.
● Individual style and stylistic choices.
TOPIC 4. Introduction to Narrative and Storytelling
● The concept of narrative.
● Difference between story and discourse.
● Basic elements of narrative.
● Event, character, conflict, space and time.
● Narrative structures.
● Introduction to storytelling.
● Narrative as a communication tool.
BLOCK II. NARRATIVE CONSTRUCTION
TOPIC 5. Narrator, Voice and Point of View
● The narrator and narrative voice.
● Author and narrator.
● Internal and external narrator.
● First and third person.
● Point of view and focalisation.
● Narrative distance.
● Reliable and unreliable narrator.
● Construction of a narrative voice.
TOPIC 6. Telling and Showing: Description, Scene and Atmosphere
● The principle of “telling” and “showing”.
● Description and narration.
● The narrative scene.
● Character construction through actions and details.
● Space and atmosphere.
● Use of the senses.
● Significant detail.
● Explicit and implicit information.
TOPIC 7. Rhythm, Tone and Register
● Narrative rhythm.
● Story time and discourse time.
● Scene, summary, pause and ellipsis.
● Tone and register.
● Literary, academic, journalistic and advertising language.
● Linguistic appropriateness.
● Relationship between form, content and communication context.
TOPIC 8. Storytelling: Structure, Conflict, Character and Emotion
● Fundamentals of storytelling.
● Structure and narrative arc.
● Conflict and tension.
● Expectation and anticipation.
● Character and transformation.
● Emotion and empathy.
● Beginning, development and ending.
● Applications of storytelling in communication and media.
BLOCK III. JOURNALISTIC WRITING AND NARRATING REALITY
TOPIC 9. The News Story: Writing to Inform
● Information and opinion.
● Objectivity and subjectivity.
● The newsworthy event.
● Newsworthiness criteria.
● The 5 Ws + H.
● News story structure.
● The inverted pyramid.
● Headline, lead and body.
● Selection and prioritisation of information.
● Sources and information verification.
TOPIC 10. Journalistic Genres: Information, Interpretation and Opinion
● Concept and classification of journalistic genres.
● Informative genres.
● Interpretative genres.
● Opinion genres.
● News story.
● Feature article.
● Interview.
● Chronicle.
● Opinion article and column.
● Differences between information, interpretation and opinion.
TOPIC 11. Feature Writing, Chronicle and Narrative Journalism
● Feature writing and the chronicle.
● Narrative journalism.
● Narrating real events.
● Scene, description and contextualisation.
● Real people and testimonies.
● The journalist’s voice.
● Information and narrative techniques.
● Boundaries between narration, recreation and fiction.
● Responsibility and ethics in narrating real events.
TOPIC 12. The Interview and the Journalistic Profile
● The interview as a genre and as a journalistic tool.
● Research and preparation.
● Types of questions.
● Open and closed questions.
● Active listening.
● Selection and editing of statements.
● Character construction.
● The journalistic profile.
TOPIC 13. Digital Writing and New Narratives
● The technological environment and written communication.
● Characteristics of digital writing.
● Adapting the text to the medium and channel.
● Brevity, fragmentation and screen reading.
● Headlines and writing for digital media.
● Social media and written communication.
● Digital storytelling.
● New narratives and formats.
● Hypertextuality and transmedia narratives.
● Ethics and responsibility in digital communication.
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
Writing accurately is essential in all courses and, particularly, in this one. In accordance with Faculty regulations, spelling mistakes will result in a deduction of one point from written assignments and half a point from examinations. The Faculty regulations regarding spelling mistakes and, of course, plagiarism will therefore be strictly applied. In this regard, plagiarism will result in failure of the entire course and may constitute a minor academic offence as established by the University’s Governing Board.
Assessment system:
Assessment is divided into two parts:
-
Continuous assessment: 50%
4 assessed in-person activities at the end of each theoretical block, 25% each.
-
Final course project: 50%
Other examination periods:
Second examination period: If a student fails the first examination period, they must sit the written examination in the second examination period.
Third examination period: If a student fails the second examination period, they must re-enrol in the entire course, attend it and pass it.
Fourth examination period: If a student fails the third examination period, they must sit the examination in the fourth examination period.
Fifth examination period: If a student fails the fourth examination period, they must comply with the conditions established for extraordinary examination periods.
Bibliography and resources
Aleza, M., et al. (2006). Lengua española para los medios de comunicación: Usos y normas actuales. Tirant lo Blanch.
Camps, O. (2013). Llibre d’estil de la Corporació Catalana de Mitjans Audiovisuals (I. Amadeo, Ed.). Generalitat de Catalunya.
Cassany, D. (1989). Describir el escribir. Austral.
Cassany, D. (2006). La cocina de la escritura. Anagrama.
Eco, U. (1996). Seis paseos por los bosques narrativos. Lumen.
Fuentes, C. (2011). Guía práctica de escritura y redacción. Espasa Libros.
García Márquez, G. (1995). Cómo se cuenta un cuento. Ollero y Ramos.
Goldberg, N. (2003). El rayo y el trueno. La Liebre de Marzo.
Goldberg, N. (2004). El gozo de escribir. La Liebre de Marzo.
King, S. (2012). Mientras escribo. Plaza y Janés.
Lázaro, F. (2015). El dardo en la palabra. Debolsillo.
Martínez Sousa, J. (2001). Manual de estilo de la lengua española. Ediciones Trea.
Páez, E. (2006). Manual de técnicas narrativas. Editorial SM.
Queneau, R. (1989). Ejercicios de estilo. Cátedra.
Rodari, G. (2002). Gramática de la fantasía: Introducción al arte de contar historias. Editorial del Bronce.
Rosillo, E. (2023). Underground: El camino de la desviación. Fuera de Ruta.
Spang, K. (2005). Persuasión: Fundamentos de retórica. Eunsa.
Zapata, A. (2003). La práctica del relato. Fuentetaja.