Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Professional English for Journalism 2
Teaching staff
By appointment.
Introduction
The objective of Professional English for Journalism II is to introduce the student to the basic techniques of writing informative texts and locution of information in English. In particular, students will become familiar with the journalistic language in English in the digital environment, specifically in the world of audio and podcast format.
In this course, we will review linguistic aspects of the English language in the digital environment, the challenges and opportunities that this entails for the development of journalistic practice, and we will focus on audio and the use of the podcast as a journalistic tool in different fields (journalism informative, investigative, reports, etc.).
Pre-course requirements
There are no pre-course requirements.
Objectives
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To familiarize students with different issues in modern media that directly affect journalists
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To enable them to competently engage in public and private conversations with journalists and subjects of journalistic interest around the globe.
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The ultimate goal is for them to be able to confidently report and cover news and work for a news organization anywhere in the world.
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
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- Reading and understanding literature 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.
- Developing interpersonal skills in a foreign language.
Syllabus
Topic 1: The digital environment and journalistic tools
Topic 2: The research process
Topic 3: The journalistic radio environment in English
Topic 4: The podcast
Teaching and learning activities
In person
| TRAINING ACTIVITY | ECTS CREDITS |
| Coaching. Monitoring how students learn the content of the subject, either individually or in groups. In the coaching sessions, mistakes will be corrected, queries answered, and exercises and activities to achieve the established objectives will be suggested. | 0.8 |
| Seminar. This activity will consist of taking an in-depth look at specific up-to-date topics in a monographic manner-in some cases these topics will have been debated socially-, via active work in small groups. | 0.6 |
| Practical workshop. A highly practical working activity, where students can acquire skills that are practical or also theoretical (intellectual skills, logical skills, critical skills, intellectual learning skills, study skills, quoting skills, etc). | 0.6 |
| Lectures. In lectures, lecturers/professors not only transmit content or knowledge, but also, and above all else, attitudes, motivation, skills and values, etc. They also ensure that participants can express their opinions and arguments to the other students. | 2.0 |
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
1. Presentation, analysis of digital tools (session 2) (1 point)
2. Technical sheet of the podcast (session 5) (0.5 pts.)
3. State of the art on the subject, report (session 6) (1 pt.)
4. Programming a season of the journalistic podcast (session 7) (0.5 pts.)
5. Script of the first episode (session 9) (1 pt.)
6. Podcast brand identity (session 12) (1 pt.)
7. Delivery of the first episode (5 pts.)
At least 6 out of the 7 evaluations must be submitted. In case the students do not meet the requirements to pass the continuous assessment, they will have to attend the second call.
In the second call and subsequent calls, students must submit a recording of a presentation in which they include a proposal for a podcast project with points 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7 (narration of the first 5 minutes of the first episode of the podcast) from the continuous assessment. This presentation must last between 10 and 13 minutes, including the narration of the episode.
Bibliography and resources
Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/
Podbean : https://www.podbean.com/
Podomatic: https://www.podomatic.com/
Boling, K. S. (2019). True crime podcasting: Journalism, justice or entertainment? Radio Journal:International Studies in Broadcast &Amp; Audio Media, 17(2), 161–178. https://doi.org/10.1386/rjao_00003_1
Frary, M. (2017). Power to the podcast: Podcasting is bringing a whole new audience to radio and giving investigative journalism a boost. Plus, our handy guide to making your own podcasts. Index on Censorship, 46(3), 24–27. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306422017730789
Huntsberger, M., & Stavitsky, A. (2006). The New “Podagogy”: Incorporating Podcasting into Journalism Education. Journalism &Amp; Mass Communication Educator, 61(4), 397–410. https://doi.org/10.1177/107769580606100405
Journalism and media. Journalism and Media | Special Issue : The Rise of Podcast Journalism. (n.d.). Retrieved January 3, 2023, from https://www.mdpi.com/journal/journalmedia/special_issues/SQK59YH98X
Lindgren, M. (2021). Intimacy and emotions in podcast journalism: A study of award-winning Australian and British podcasts. Journalism Practice, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/17512786.2021.1943497
Martínez-Costa, M.-P., Amoedo-Casais, A., & Moreno-Moreno, E. (2022). The value of podcasts to journalism: Analysis of Digital Native Media Brands’ offerings, production and publishing in Spain. El Profesional De La Información, 31(5). https://doi.org/10.3145/epi.2022.sep.03
Perdomo, G., & Rodrigues-Rouleau, P. (2021). Transparency as metajournalistic performance: The New York Times’ “Caliphate” podcast and new ways to claim journalistic authority. Journalism, 23(11), 2311–2327. https://doi.org/10.1177/1464884921997312
Spotify (2021). Podcast Delivery Specification. Retrieved January 7, 2023, from https://bit.ly/3iosw0w