79137 - Critical Reading Laboratory (B)

Learning outcomes

The course introduces students to critical reading of texts on social and political sciences.

The course is an introduction on how to critically read academic texts in social and political sciences.

Course contents

During the present academic year, the workshop is designed to provide students with the means required for a critical reading of an academic work. The book proposed by the lecturer this year is: Z. Bauman, Retrotopia, Laterza, Roma-Bari, 2017. Classroom activities shall focus on developing students’ capacity to contextualise and critically analyse the questions dealt with by the work in question. The workshop shall culminate in a written review of the book in question.

Readings/Bibliography

The work to be taken into consideration and analysed during this academic year’s seminar is the following: Z. Bauman, Retrotopia, Laterza, Roma-Bari, 2017.

(For details and technical suggestions regarding the drafting of the review, a reading of the following is recommended: R. Gualdo, L. Raffaelli, S. Telve, Scrivere all'università. Pianificare e realizzare testi efficaci, Carocci, Roma, 2014).

Teaching methods

During the workshop, lectures shall be alternated with practical exercises (both free and guided) in critical reading and summary writing techniques, for the purposes of the drafting of the final review. Important note: attendance is compulsory; students must have attended at least 70% of lectures and classes in order to obtain the workshop qualification.

Assessment methods

Students must show that they have acquired the knowledge and understanding required in order to be able to read an academic work critically, and to summarise such work in writing (to established academic standards).

In order to obtain the workshop qualification, a student must:

• attend at least 70% of lessons;

• deliver a written review (1,000 words) to the lecturer, drafted in accordance with established academic standards (technical details in this regard shall be provided in the lecture room during the course of the workshop).

  Deadline for handing in the review:

• 15 July (for those reviews to be put on record during the summer session);

• 15 September (for those reviews to be put on record during the autumn session).

Teaching tools

Projector, worksheets, PC.

Office hours

See the website of Paolo Terenzi