Doel vak

The overall aim of this course is to bring together theories and methods
from disparate areas of discourse analysis to increase your
understanding of discourse as consisting of different 'genres' or modes
of communication. Each genre, or sub-genre may be designed to fulfil
particular goals.
The course also aims to raise your awareness of how the concept of
'genre' can be used as a central concept for improving the production
and understanding of different types of discourse. We aim to do this
during this course by approaching the topic on a theoretical and
practical level. Thus, the course will increase your abilities as an
academically trained communication professional to deal with different
types of discourse, its shape and its form in different communicative
settings and for different purposes.
This may involve analysis, evaluation and offering suggestions for
improving particular features of the discourse from the point of view of
1) what constitutes a genre?; 2) what genre conventions are adhered to
by producers? 3) which genre
expectations are held by the target audience and 4) discussions on
hybrid genres.

Inhoud vak

In this course, students familiarize themselves with the notion of genre
as a feature of discourse on a conceptual and a practical level.
Students will learn to apply the concept broadly as a 'tool for
thinking' about how to recognize and analyse hybrid genres.
The course will be organised around timely genre-related problems in the
area of language and communication. Examples concern the alleged
'purity’ of genres used for particular communicative purposes (‘genre
zuiverheid’ in Dutch), the risks involved in making use of hybrid
genres, and the limitations of genre bending and blending.

Onderwijsvorm

Weekly lectures and seminars (2x2 hours) and presentations of student
work.

Toetsvorm

Assignments (30%) and exam (70%).
Students have to pass their exam and if not there will be a resit in
order to pass the course. The grades for the assignments can only be
used as compensation if the exam has resulted in a pass. There are no
resits for the assignments.

Vereiste voorkennis

BA degree in communication studies, language, linguistics, or other
field relevant to the course content.

Literatuur

List of articles and book chapters available via UBVU Library.

Doelgroep

Master's students of Communication and Information Studies, Language or
Linguistics.

Overige informatie

Students in the Research Master programme should realise that we expect
slightly more from them in terms of the quality of their research, the
level of their argumentation and depth of their understanding of
genre-related issues in spoken and written discourse. The assignments
and exams will be graded accordingly.

Presence at the seminars is mandatory. You will be asked to leave the
course when you are absent at 2 or more seminars.