General provisions

The course is included in the Master's programme in English.

Entry requirements

120 credits. 90 credits in a language subject.

Learning outcomes

Upon completing the course students will be able to:

• Apply a range of methods for presenting the results of linguistic research to the public;
• Describe foundational principles of effective science communication;
• Account for foundational ethical principles underpinning public engagement;
• Apply the principles of effective science communication to the process of making linguistic research accessible to non-experts;
• Critically assess linguistic research outputs in terms of their accessibility;
• Create a piece of work that makes accessible to a non-expert audience a particular aspect of linguistics, using written or spoken English that demonstrates an advanced level of proficiency and genre awareness;
• Critically reflect on their own and others' work in public linguistics;
• Summarize and refer to linguistic research according to established conventions in the field.

Content

This course introduces students to the practice of making the results of linguistic research accessible to non-specialists in the field. The course offers a survey of the wide variety of ways in which linguists have carried out public engagement. Students will learn the fundamentals of science communication, the importance of narrative in communicating research, and practical techniques for making linguistic research accessible to a non-expert audience.

Instruction

Group sessions. Instruction, class discussions, and examinations are in English. All teaching materials are in English.

Assessment

Students are examined in the form of short presentations and a creative project. Grades are fail, pass, or pass with distinction.

The creative project requires students to choose a topic in linguistics, research it and then present the insights from the research in a critical form. This may be, for example, a popular magazine article, a podcast, a documentary film, etc. Accompanying the creative project will be a critical reflection on the process of producing the creative work, along with an annotated bibliography of underpinning research.

Students who fail a regular examination will be offered a make-up examination within a reasonable period of time after the regular examination.

Students who fail an examination twice have the right to apply to the head of the department for permission to change examiners or examination forms.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the University's disability coordinator.

Other directives

If the syllabus or course reading for a component has been changed, students have a right to be examined under the original syllabus and course reading on three occasions during the following three semesters. Normally this right then expires. Otherwise there are no limitations on the number of examination opportunities.

Transitional provisions

For transitional regulations in the case of changes in the syllabus, please contact the student adviser.