LSP127 Professional Communication
LP3 VT25 (1.5 hp)

The course is offered by the department of Communication and Learning in Science

Contact details

• Examiner and teacher: Carina Sjöberg Hawke carsjobe@chalmers.se  
• Teacher: Sindija Franzetti sindija@chalmers.se 

If you need to get in touch with us, we'd rather that you email us via Canvas' Inbox (this helps us see clearly which course it is from and retain a clear record of our communication).

Course purpose

The purpose of the course is to prepare students to use English as a working language by focusing on communicating technical knowledge to an audience without that technical understanding, which demands a high level of English proficiency and good communicative skills.

Learning objectives (LOs)

After completion of this course, the student should be able to:

• LO1: Plan, write, and develop a coherent text about a technical subject targeting a specific audience.
• LO2: Plan, create, adapt, and develop a coherent oral presentation on a technical subject targeting a specific audience.
• LO3: Use a process-oriented approach to written and oral presentation work as a strategy for improving communicative competence.
• LO4: Structure information in a CV to make a strong impression to the intended audience.

Link to study portal: Professional communication

Course design and schedule

A specific learning sequence has been designed for this course. Seminars and tasks have been planned so that they should be performed in a specific order, one after the other. Consequently, all seminars and tasks are obligatory. Each seminar consists of a task development workshop and a mini-lecture, where you work on either your group text or presentation. However, one of the seminars is independent from the text and presentation assignments, but is still obligatory as it involves achieving the learning objective that relates to the CV. 

Below is a visual of the learning sequence which also indicates the course's schedule. While you are welcome to access TimeEdit as usual for time and room, note that the most up-to-date and more detailed information for each seminar and related materials can be found on each seminar page. 

The learning sequence/schedule

Teaching and assignments

• Teaching: shared between the two teachers.
• Assignments: a popular science text written in a group of 3 which goes through a drafting and review process, a presentation based on the text (not performed) which also goes through a drafting and review process, and a submission at the end of the CV workshop.  
• Assessment: shared equally between the two teachers. Assessment details for each assignment available on the submission pages. For course grading, see the section below "Examination Form".
• Deadlines: it is important to keep to the deadlines. Any issues with meeting the deadlines, please speak to or email the teachers. 
• Revisions: should assignment requirements not be met, revisions will be requested. Further details under each assignment.
• Participation and compensation tasks: in order to achieve the course learning objectives, active participation in the course and attendance in the seminars are expected. Please speak to or email the teachers if there are attendance issues. A suitable compensation task will be distributed for any seminar missed.

Course literature

Course literature consists mostly of PowerPoint slides and handouts from seminars. Any other extra material will be provided via the seminar pages or the different assignment pages.

Changes made since the last occasion

A summary of changes made since the last occasion:

• Workload has been reduced by removing the individual CV assignment submission and only having the obligatory CV workshop.
• The course has shifted its focus more concretely towards process and feedback rather than end products.  For example, although there will be a final submission for the text, it is not expected to be a final publishable product but rather a complete, proofed final draft. Performing a presentation has also been removed from the course. Instead, the attention is on creating and developing the presentation based on your text, with a focus on slide design.
• The drafting and review process of the text and presentation now includes tasks that enhance learning, like annotations, feedback seeking and self-reflection.

Examination form

There is no written exam. The course is graded Pass/Fail, and all elements listed below are obligatory and must be carried out to achieve a passing grade.

As mentioned previously, if you miss a seminar, you will be contacted to compensate. Compensation assignments will be completed individually, not in groups.