Technical writing and argumentation

Duration

30h Th

Number of credits

Lecturer

Marc Vanesse

Language(s) of instruction

French language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

Just like design or informatics, the mastery of writing requires a period of learning. This course is conceived as an initiation to techniques of journalistic writing, and it is made up of three closely related parts. During the first part, more theoretical, students will learn to distinguish and master the main registers of newspaper writing (factual reporting, synthesis, narrative, description...). Next, in a more practical vein, students will write texts that follow the conventions associated with different journalistic genres. Finally, in the third part, students will learn techniques of argumentation, often useful in editing polemic texts (editorial, commentaries, humorous articles).

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

- Evaluation. The primary objective of the course concerns the relationship between the student and writing. His or her writing. Through a number of preliminary exercises the students will test their knowledge and measure their progress. They will improve their mastery of syntax, their vocabularies, their spelling, their sentence structure, their continuity, their precision, their exactitude...
- Imitation. Through frequent reading of newspaper articles, and through class discussion and analysis of examples, students will test and refine their techniques of journalistic expression.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

- Proficiency in oral and written expression (tutoring possible)
- Active curiosity about current events
- Frequent reader of newspapers and frequent consumer of audiovisual media

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Written exercises will be assigned during practice sessions and these will help prepare students for the final evaluation.

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning)

xxx

Recommended or required readings

- Transparencies shown in class are available online. - Readings highly recommended: Yves AGNES, Manuel de journalisme, Paris, La Découverte, Coll. « Guide Grands Repères », 2008 ; Philippe BRETON, L'argumentation dans la communication, La Découverte, coll. « Repères », Paris, 2003 ; Jean-Luc MARTIN-LAGARDETTE, Le guide de l'écriture journalistique, Paris, La Découverte, Coll. « Guides », 2009.

Assessment methods and criteria

- Some questions over theoretical topics covered in class. - A personal writing project.

Work placement(s)

xxx

Organizational remarks

xxx

Contacts

Teacher: Marc Vanesse Département des Arts et Sciences de la communication Place du 20 août, 7, 2e étage Tel : 04-366.29.57 (Marc.Vanesse@ulg.ac.be)
Assistant Boris Krywicki 04-366.38.60
Secretary 04-366.32.86 emjlibens@ulg.ac.be

Items online