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Professional communication (4 cr)

Code: LA00BF22-3012

General information


Enrollment

19.08.2019 - 15.09.2019

Timing

02.09.2019 - 31.12.2019

Number of ECTS credits allocated

4 op

Virtual portion

1 op

Mode of delivery

75 % Contact teaching, 25 % Distance learning

Campus

Faculty of Business and Hospitality Management

Teaching languages

  • English

Degree programmes

  • Bachelor's Degree Programme in International Business

Teachers

  • Hamid Guedra
  • Riikka Sinisalo
  • Anna-Liisa Helosalo
  • Jukka Pitkänen

Groups

  • 04IBU19S
    , Lahti
  • 04Z2HIBU19S

Learning outcomes

The student is able to
- plan and produce grammatically correct texts
- write an article or an essay that fulfils the criteria of a scientific text related to their own field of studies
- perform actively in professional group communication situations
- retrieve information from a variety of sources and evaluate it critically

Implementation and methods of teaching

The course has two parts: Part 1) professional communication (3 ECTS). Part 1 focuses on professional and academic communication (esp. writing) in English. Part 2) information literacy (1 ECTS). Part 2 is integrated into the course and organized by the Academic Library. Further instructions will be provided at the beginning of the course.

Compulsory contact lessons. Compulsory homework and readings. A compulsory final essay and exam. A compulsory information literacy test.

Timing and attendance

-According to the timetable
-Compulsory attendance
-No substitute work. Skipping classes may affect the final grade

Learning material and recommended literature

Materials provided by the lecturer
Course readings:
1) https://tinyurl.com/thesis-writing-instructions3
2) College Success (chapter 8). The book is available online: http://open.lib.umn.edu/collegesuccess
3) Writing for Success (instructed in class). The book is available online: http://open.lib.umn.edu/writingforsuccess
4) Essay writing (Expository essays): https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/essay_writing/expository_essays.html
5) Effective technical/professional writing: http://www.mit.edu/course/21/21.guide/toc.htm
Information literacy:
6) Guide to information retrieval: http://libguides.lamk.fi/informationretrieval/home

Alternative completion methods

No substitute work or assignments.. Skipping classes may affect the final grade.

Exam retakes

-A final exam on the Reppu learning platform
-An information literacy test (1 ECTS) on the Reppu learning platform
-A short final essay written in class
-A retake session organized in the following semester (spring 2020)

Learning environment

Campus, Moodle (Reppu)

Student time use and work load

The estimated workload is 100 hours, consisting of contact lessons, homework, course readings, and course assignments and activities.
-Compulsory contact lessons/instruction: 16-20 hrs
-A compulsory information literacy test: 2-4 hrs
-Homework and reading: 70-80 hrs

Contents

Professional and academic writing in English. Process writing and writing an expository five-paragraph essay. Report writing and referencing. Writing clear, concise, accurate, and easy-to-read English. Information retrieval/literacy and finding reliable sources.

Additional information for students: previous knowledge etc.

Intermediate to upper-intermediate level skills in English (e.g. CEFR B1-B2 / IELTS 6-6.5). Note: the course does not review English grammar. It is expected that the students enrolled in the course have good intermediate-level skills in English.

Assessment criteria

Active participation, a compulsory information literacy test, a compulsory final essay and exam.

Assessment scale

1-5

Failed (0)

The student did not achieve the learning objectives.

Assessment criteria: level 1 (assessment scale 1–5)

The student is able to
-produce a short, grammatically acceptable and logically progressing
-identify key concepts/terms
-find, use and cite sources

Assessment criteria: level 3 (assessment scale 1–5)

The student is able to
-produce a well-structured, grammatically good essay that includes a well-thought thesis statement
-identify and define key concepts/terms
-find, use and cite sources and assess their credibility

Assessment criteria: level 5 (assessment scale 1–5)

The student is able to
-produce a well-structured, easy to read, and grammatically flawless essay that includes a well-thought thesis statement
-identify and define key concepts/terms
-use and cite sources, assess their credibility, and criticize and compare sources