96663 - Spanish for Media Communication

Learning outcomes

The student knows the basic features (terms, concepts and methods) needed for the study of the structure, functions and textual organization of the Spanish language; s/he knows the basic techniques required for information mining, drafting, editing and revising texts; s/he is able to understand, analyze and coherently produce complex written texts (but also oral speeches) belonging to various specialized text types and genres, particularly multimedia ones

Course contents

The course is organized into two sides—one semester-long project and weekly individual translation practice—to further professional writing and translating in media communication, both digital and in print (as in traditional media: e.g., newspapers).

The semester-long project focuses on multi-modal communication in Spanish, and its contrasts with English and Italian. The thread-line is to write, design and compose a (fake but plausible) issue of an airline magazine.

As for the weekly practise in class, students will translate sets of brief news ca 400 words long in 60 minutes.

Readings/Bibliography

Core references

Caldwell, Cath & Yolanda Zappaterra. 2014. Editorial design: Digital and print. London: Laurence King.

Camús, Juan Carlos. n.d. Tienes cinco segundos. Gestión de contenidos digitales. Disponible en http://tienes5segundos.cl/pdfs/libro-tienes5segundos-final.pdf

Cantavella Blasco, Juan & José Francisco Serrano Oceja, eds. 2004. Redacción para periodistas: Informar e interpretar. Barcelona: Ariel.

Francesconi, Sabrina & Ornella Palusci, eds. 2006. Translating tourism: Linguistic/cultural representations. Trento: Editrice Università degli Studi di Trento.

Franco, Guillermo. n.d. Cómo escribir para la web. Austin, TX: Centro Knight para Periodismo en las Américas.

Frost, Chris. 2012. Designing for newspapers and magazines. 2nd ed. London: Routledge.

Hicks, Wynford. 2013. English for journalists. 4th ed. London: Routledge.

Maci, Stefania M. & Cinzia G. Spinzi. 2024. Translating tourism. London: Routledge.

Malamatidou, Sofia. 2023. Translating tourism: Cross-linguistic differences of alternative worldviews. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan.

Purdey, Heather. 2013. English for international journalists. London: Routledge.

Stewart, Dominic. 2012. Translating tourist texts from Italian to English as a foreign language. Napoli: Liguori.

Whittaker, Jason. 2016. Magazine production. 2nd ed. London: Routledge.

Style manuals and dictionaries

El País. 2021. El País. Libro de estilo. Edición 2021. Madrid: PRISA.

FundéuRAE. n.d. https://www.fundeu.es/

Martínez de Sousa, José. 1987. Diccionario de ortografía técnica. Madrid: Fundación Germán Sánchez Ruipérez.

Martínez de Sousa, José. 2004. Ortografía y ortotipografía del español actual. Gijón: Trea.

Martínez de Sousa, José. 2008. Diccionario de usos y dudas del español actual. Gijón: Trea.

Martínez de Sousa, José. 2012. Manual de estilo de la lengua española. 5th ed. Gijón: Trea.

RAE. 2005. Diccionario panhispánico de dudas. Madrid: RAE.

RAE. 2018. Libro de estilo de la lengua española: según la norma panhispánica. Madrid: RAE.

Senplades. 2015. Manual de estilo y redacción. Quito: Secretaría Nacional de Planificación y Desarrollo.

Unidad de Comunicación. n.d. Manual y guías para la administración y uso del sitio web. Montevideo: Universidad de la República.

Unos Tipos Duros. n.d. https://www.unostiposduros.com/

Teaching methods

Due to the didactic methods and activities in this course, attending it requires that students complete before, in e-learning mode, Modules 1 and 2 of the program on safety training in the workplace. More information, here.

 

The course requires all students to attend at least 70% of the course. The lessons are designed as a workshop. The active participation of all students in the proposed exercises is required. 

News translation practise will be carried out once a week in class. Translation problems and strategies will be addressed on the spot.

Students will work on the airline magazine project once a week through the semester, both in and out of class, and will turn it in by the end of the last class session.

Assessment methods

1. Disabilities. Students with specific learning difficulties (SpLD) or with disabilities that can affect their ability to attend courses are invited to contact the University service for students with disabilities and SLD at the earliest opportunity—ideally before the start of the course. The University service will suggest possible adjustments to the course work and/or exam, which must then be submitted to the course leader so they can assess their feasibility, in line with the learning objectives of the course. Please note that adjustments to the exam must be requested at least two weeks in advance.

2. Exam dates. Students need to plan their trips taking into account class schedule and official exam dates, which will not be changed to accommodate personal choices.

3. Language command: This course requires a minimum CEFR B2 level in Spanish at the beginning of the semester. Students with insufficient proficiency are unlikely to meet the course’s formative goals.

4. Artificial Intelligence. Use of LLMs and other digital tools is strictly forbidden in all work for this course, except for the graphics in the final group presentations. Failure to comply with this policy may incur in disciplinary action.

5. Assessment options. Students may opt for formative (class grades) or summative assessment (exam only, 100%). Students who choose a summative assessment will sit for the exam in the official date and place determined by the DIT.

Students opting for formative assessment need to meet the following requirements:

- choose that option from the beginning of the semester
- attend at least 70% of the course sessions

- carry out and turn in 80% of all class exercises in due time
- participate in the creation of an airline magazine issue (ca. 3,000 words)
- contribute at least once to the individual reflection exercises in Virtuale

Students who meet the above specifications for formative assessment will not need to take the official exam on the first call but will instead sit for an in-class translation task for grade by the end of the semester. In formative assessment, the course grade will be the average of two components:

- Grade for the airline magazine issue,            40 %. 
- Midterm for the news translation task,          20 %.
- Final class test for the news translation task, 20 %.
- Individual reflection exercises in Virtuale,      10 %
- Class participation,                                      10 %

Each contribution to the individual reflection exercises should be at least 200 words long. Simple cut-and-paste will not be accepted. Dates of uploads need to relate to the topics addressed in classs.

Note: The course grade from the airline magazine (and, if applicable, of the individual reflection exercises) will only apply for formative assessment. All class and homework assignments are voluntary. Deadlines cannot be moved or negotiated. Turning in work on time is part of the work's quality. One of the course goals is learning how to plan a long project and keeping the plan under control.

Learning assessment scale

30-30L Excellent. The candidate possesses excellent translation skills, and also very high source- and target language command.

27-29 Above average. The candidate makes only minor errors, and shows a solid command of the required skills.

24– 26 Generally sound. The candidate displays a number of shortcomings, indicating a reasonable command of the required skills.

21-23 Adequate. The candidate displays significant shortcomings and only an adequate command of the required skills.

18– 20 Minimum. The candidate only meets the minimum level required and shows a minimal command of the required skills.

< 18 Fail. The candidate’s does not meet the required standard and shows a wholly inadequate command of the required skills.

Teaching tools

Lessons will take place in a classroom equipped with computer support and Internet connection.

Office hours

See the website of Ricardo Munoz Martin