Learning objectives
During the course you will:
1. explore topics related to communication in the social work profession: content aspects and relationship aspects;
2. acquire basic professional writing techniques to achieve maximum message effectiveness, based on topic, medium used, and recipient;
3. acquire the skills to write about complex topics in a clear, organic and effective manner.
Prerequisites
Italian language proficiency is essential. The study of the morphosyntax of the Italian language is not part of the course and is taken for granted. If your preparation has gaps, take action!
Course unit content
The course is attended by students who have not yet had to deal with the sectorial languages that characterize the variegated world of work; for almost all of them writing is the activity destined for the literature teacher, who happily or not reads and corrects topics written in class.
This course shows them that this is not the case. Business writing is a tool to achieve set goals, that's why it needs to be used appropriately.
Writing, then, is not just an activity reserved for the naturally gifted few, but also a wealth of techniques and procedures that can be easily trained and improved with practice. Lots of practice.
Full programme
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Bibliography
Anna Maria Testa, Farsi capire, RCS, Milano 2009
Alessandro Lucchini (a cura di), Business writing, Sperling & Kupfer, Milano 2006 (in pdf)
Michele Cortelazzo, Il linguaggio amministrativo. Principi e pratiche di modernizzazione. Edizione Carocci, 2021.
Alfredo Fioritto, Manuale di stile dei documenti amministrativi, Il Mulino, Bologna 2009
Gianrico Carofiglio, Con parole precise. Breviario di scrittura civile, Laterza Roma 2015.
Teaching methods
Classes are taught in the classroom, although during the pandemic we have learned to manage very effectively online as well. There is a theoretical part and a practical part. Most of the exercises are conducted in subgroups and then discussed in plenary, in order to put students in contact with different points of view.
There are also individual exercises to be carried out at home and delivered through the Elly platform.
Assessment methods and criteria
Examinations are written. Students are presented with a real document, which has several communicative nodes.
The student must conduct a careful analysis of the text to identify the elements that support or hinder the reading and understanding of the text, and the problems that these may cause.
Having conducted the analysis, the student must produce a rewrite of his or her own, according to the criteria of effective writing learned.
Other information
Constant attendance is essential, given the laboratory nature of teaching.
The comments of the group and of the teacher are valid as a comparison and as the identification of the most effective solutions, also to encourage students' confidence in the dynamics of feedback, positive or negative, with useful effects on professional awareness and sense of teamwork.
